Back From Tonsillectomy!! - Ear, Nose & Throat Message Board

ShaynaPunim · 12-15-2003, 06:38 PM

Hi,
I had my tonsillectomy at 730am today, and wanted to update you on my progress and be informative for others who will soon be undergoing this procedure.

My dad woke me up at 5am, and we got to the hospital at 6am. They brought me into pre op at about 645, and I changed into a hospital gown, layed down in the gurney, and they started my IV. Then they gave me a drug to calm me down. My legs were shaking from being nervous. Soon after, the Dr came in and was very cheerful and said everything was going to be ok. My mom kissed me goodbye, and I was wheeled into the operating room. At this point I was a bit of out it, and they pushed me over onto the operating table. I looked up and saw the big lights over me (they weren't on though). Next thing I knew was I had a mask placed over my face, and was out like a light. It all happened so fast I don't even rememeber at what point I was knocked out. It was good though, very fast.

I woke up at about 9 in the recovery room. I couldn't talk, only whisper. I tried waving my hand to get the nurse's attention, and she didn't respond (of course), so I started kicking my leg up and down on the bed to get her attention. She was a real BIATCH. She came over and said, you cannot do that, you need to behave. I looked at her and whispered, get me pain killers now, and my mom, I need my mom, I love her. So she did that. I was given 50 units of morphine. I was knocked the hell out after that! They put me in a reclining chair soon after, and I was there for about an hour. I sipped some lukewarm water. Very good for you!! Finally they took me to the bathroom to change and pee. Now, I don't know how everyone else was after their surgery, but I couldn't pee. I had that feeling where I needed to go, but it wasn't coming out. I tried and tried, and fell asleep on the toilet. My parents brought me home at about 12. I sipped some clear gatorade. Tried to go to the bathroom again, finally the bladder set free and I went, but very very slowly. It took me 10 minutes. My dad gave me some of my liquid vicodin (only 5 ml the smallest dose), and I was fine the rest of the day. I also garggled with carafate diluted in water. The dr prescribed me this because it's supposed to coat the throat and aid in the pain. I took my dose of amoxicillin (the pink liquid, which still to this day is the best tasting medicine ever...bubble gum flavor)...I've been in bed sleeping all day up until now...Here are my only chief complaints:

1) very dry tongue, and it's numb in the back...i have no saliva at all...they originally gave me an injection of something to dry out the saliva, i guess for purposes of the surgery for the dr...

2) throat hurts when i swallow, but it's like a strep throat/tonsillitis soar throat, not so bad...

3) still having problems peeing normally...i have to go like every hour, and it comes out really slowly...

4) i ate some applesauce which was mixed in with my 50 mg of vioxx...hurt when i swallowed moreso than sipping the gatorade...also had an icee which was very good for my throat...gatorade feels good going down my throat...

dr said to my parents after surgery that my tonsils were huge and very bad....also said that i might bleed tomorrow and on the 7th day, but that i tolerated the surgery well....

that's all for now, any words of wisdom?

Saraly · 12-15-2003, 06:47 PM

Congratulations on your bravery and thank you for the blow by blow description. I had my tonsils out over 50 years ago, in a doctor's office with an ether rag stuffed in my face.
I forget the doctors name, hmm, Franken.. something - big headed guy, didn't talk much.

alleycat · 12-16-2003, 06:26 AM

I knew you could pull thru it. The advice I have for you is when you take your pill meds put them in jello (non citrius flavor) it helps them just slide on down. Also is the tonsils the only thing your doctor took or did he take the adenoids?? My doc didn't take the adenoids but he did a turbents reduction. Who did your surgery???? I am now on my 5th day and let me tell you todays been the worst so far but nothing you cant get thru. My Doc told me that my tonsils were dandy's and I would probably bleed to so far I haven't. You know its so nice beeing able to swap stories with someone who has just gone thru the same ordeal as you.

ShaynaPunim · 12-16-2003, 08:43 AM

Day 2

Hi,
Well I tossed and turned throughout the night. I took 10 ml's of Lortab (liquid vicodin around 11pm). Woke up this morning with a dry throat. Throat hurts the most when I swallow. However, I did try to eat a crushed up Vioxx pill in banana baby food, a BIG NO NO! Maybe there is acid in there, because holy shizznit, it was the worst! My throat started burning and aching. My dad gave me 5 ml's of the pain killers and that was that. Now I am resting comfortably. Can't whisper as much, hurts, and definitely can't talk. My staple intakes are strawberry flavored applesauce and strawberry ice (it's clear) gatorade. Overall, the pain is not as sharp or intense, except when I took the 1 bite of banana baby food. I broke my ankle a year and a half ago walking into one of my law school classes (ironic i know), and sat through the hour of class with an ankle that was swelled up 4x it's normal size. That was the worst pain I have ever felt. It so intense and I didn't even cry. And I am the biggest baby!! Something that is really helping for me, is having a silver bell by my bed, that I just tap on when I need my parents or brother. I haven't dropped any pounds yet. I actually gained 3 between Sunday and yesterday. Could it be the Vioxx? I am hoping to drop at least 10 pounds. Aren't you supposed to drop a lot of weight after this surgery? I mean if I am not eating, I should lose weight!! Oh, and I found out why I am having the peeing problem. The pain killers cause everything to be slow and delayed. It's getting better now, but I thought something went wrong with my bladder. To all of those who are getting this done, after you get the IV, and they inject you with something to calm down your nerves, it's all over pretty much. You don't feel a damn thing. Just get the morphine injection when you awake. Going to lay down now and find something on TV. I'll write more later today

Hope you are doing better alleycat!! And in the words of Gloria Gaynor --"I will survive!"

PS--forgot to add this...Dr only took out my tonsils not my adenoids because i didn't have breathing problems etc...I think the method he used was cutting and cauterizing at the same time...Not a laser method I know that..I am also garggling with Carafate diluted in water....Supposedly it coats the tonsils and aids in pain...

alleycat · 12-16-2003, 10:24 AM

Sounds like your doing fairly well. I just woke up from a nap. (After taking my pain meds I have to take a nap they make me dizzy and its just easier to sleep it off) Ouch the run in with baby food doesn't sound to good. I tried eating orange jello bad idea doesn't have to strong of a flavor but strong enough to burn. I tried soaking a biscut in chicken broth yesterday. Not something I would advise it didn't go down and Im not even going to atempt to try to eat again for a while. I don't know bout the weight thing maybe it takes a coupple of days to relize the weight loss so far I have lost 12lbs in about 5 days. Well Keep me informed!!!