djc430

I've been reading these posts for weeks (probably a bad idea). My anxiety level probably rose with every post I read, befor my operation.

I am a 38 year old, male. I had my tonsils removed on Tuesday, 1-16-07. The reason for this post is to inform people, in the adult catagory, of one man's experience of the first week and a half of recovery. I am on my 11th day, and feeling pretty good. I will copy/paste my daily notes, but first, a few bullet points of interest.

- There is a very good chance that your uvula will swell to the point you are calling the Dr., begging for Prednisone, to reduce the discomfort
- I was prescribed Tylenol 3 with codeine, and Percocet. I never used the Percocet.
- Except for the middle of the night, and mornings, my pain level never exceded a 3, on the 1-10 scale. When I would wake up the pain was a 6 or 7, but the Tylenol w/ codeine kicks in within about 10 minutes.
- You will not have an appetite. Maybe a craving for flavors, but no appetite.
- I was never seen without a glass of water in hand. I think this helped with the pain and scabs not falling off, prematurely. Stay super hydrated.
- At day 11, I still have most of my scabs.
- My scabs never "fell off". They only slowly receded from the edges. My Dr. daid that they will probably take a month to totally disappear.
- Stay on the Tylenol w/ codeine, and you will not have a problem
- My T3 w/ codeine was prescribed for 2-3 teaspoons every 4 hours. I found that it was wearing off at about 3 1/2 hours, so I changed the amount and frequency to 1 1/2 teaspoons every 2 hours. This was based on a recommendation from this web site, and it worked great.
- At day 11, I am now eating anything. Spicy foods are not a problem. Any foods with sharp edges are OK for me, as long as I chew them well.
- Taste has changed a little. The sugars in foods have a strange taste. Any food with a higher sugar content seems to have a "sugar free", "diet" taste to it.

OK, many of those comments, above, differ from posts I've read. That's why I decided to make this post. Here is my journal from Day 1.




Dave’s Tonsillectomy Notes

Day 1 Tuesday, 1-16-07

Weight before surgery 172 lb., unclothed
Food consumed 8 oz. Jell-O
Pain Level 2 or 3
Surgery site Dark gray at cauterizing site, getting much lighter and developing a white film.

- Told Anesthesiologist about past experiences with nausea.
- No nausea after surgery.
- Went to Hershey Pharmacy with Mom to fill prescriptions (1 pint Tylenol w/ codeine, 1 pint amoxicillin, 30 percoset). We ran into Lorraine Reese.
- Came home and took 1st dose of Tylenol 3 w/ codeine (3tsp. per 4hr.) and liquid amoxicillin (2tsp per 8hr.)
- Felt fine. Throat is just a little scratchy.
- Tongue is slightly swollen with wavy sides.
- Drinking water. Tried Jell-O, seemed to burn a little. No food all day
- Around 5:00PM my uvula began to swell and deform. It was about the diameter of a nickel, and over an inch long. I’m having trouble finding a good place to "flop" it to. I’m gagging constantly.
- Went to bed at 1:30AM



Day 2 Wednesday, 1-17-07

Weight (unclothed) 164 lb. (- 8 lb., big drop in weight, may be dehydrated from the anesthesia)
Food Consumed 1 Ensure, 8 oz. Jell-O
Pain Level 1
Surgery site Looks like coffee grinds covered with a thick film of yogurt
Total sleep 6 hours (including afternoon nap)

- Got up at 4:30AM for T3.
- Did not sleep last night. Each time I would doze off, air would move the uvula, and I would wake up gagging.
- Called Fornadley’s office, spoke with Syd. Prednisone was prescribed to reduce the swelling of the uvula.
- Today pain is a 1 or 2 at the most on the 1-10 scale.
- 12:00 Noon, still haven’t eaten anything yet.
- Drank 1 Ensure shake (Homemade vanilla shake flavor), tasted good but covered mouth and throat with slimy film.
- Christine picked up the prednisone (3 tablets). The first tablet got stuck in one of the holes where a tonsil used to be, but got washed down. The second (2 today, 1 tomorrow) I crushed into powder in a shot glass and mixed with apple juice. Went down well.
- The prednisone did not appear to reduce the swelling too much. However, I did manage to sleep (about 3 hr.) without gagging on my uvula.
- Water is going down much easier than yesterday. I’m never without a glass in-hand or close by.
- 9:00PM, ate about 8 oz. of Jell-O
- Still taking T3 every 4 hr., and amoxicillin every 8 hr.
- Fell asleep at 1:30AM after taking T3



Day 3 Thursday, 1-18-07

- Woke up at 5:00AM. Pain was around a 6. The alcohol based, T3, went down very hard. Gums ached. But, the pain subsided to a 2-3 within 30 minutes.

Weight (unclothed) 162 lb. ( -10 lb.)
Food Consumed 1 Ensure, 24 oz. Jell-O, 1 8-oz. Flan
Pain Level 2 (not including 1st 30 minutes of morning)
Surgery site Unchanged, except for some redness through white scabs.
Total sleep 3 hours

- The uvula is still swollen but tolerable. Drove to library and K-mart with Christine and David.
- Irene Youngman brought me a get well card and a pint of Haagen Dasz Raspberry Sorbet.
- Beth Elliot sent a gift bag of baked stuff over. Too bad I can’t eat it.
- It’s been an uneventful day.
- Had a difficult time falling asleep; the uvula continuously blocked airflow. Fell asleep at about 2:00AM



Day 4 Friday, 1-19-07

- Woke up at 5:15AM. Pain was around a 7. My lower jaw and gums reminded me of getting braces tightened when I was 14. Pain subsided to a 1-2 within 15-20 minutes of Tylenol 3 w/ Codeine.

Weight (unclothed) 163 lb. ( -9 lb.)
Food Consumed 12 oz. Jell-O, 1 Ensure shake, 6 oz. chicken broth
Pain Level 3-4
Surgery site Thick white scabbing with some red mixed through
Total sleep 5 hours, 15 minutes

- The uvula is still swollen but tolerable.
- Starting to “feel” scabs on surgery area. It is not scratchy or uncomfortable, just noticeable.
- So far, today, water is slightly painful to swallow.
- 9:15AM- Tylenol 3 burned and caused instant, severe pain in lower jaw and gums. Pain subsided within 10 minutes.
- I basically passed out at 10:00AM from lack of sleep. When I woke up (12:00) my jaw, gums, and throat rated at least an 8. I was 15 minutes away from my next dose of T3; I took it immediately. The pain subsided within 15 minutes. It’s amazing how fast the liquid medicine kicks in.
- 3:00PM- Started feeling very tired and nauseous. Fell asleep for 2 hours. Had no problems with uvula.
- 10:00PM- Drank a small cup of ******* chicken broth.
- Fell asleep at 2:00AM



Day 5 Saturday, 1-20-07

- Woke up at 4:00AM. No change in pain. Scabs look like they might be receding from the outside. No scabs are falling off yet.

Weight (unclothed) 163 lb. ( -9 lb.)
Food Consumed 1 Ensure shake, 8 oz. ******* chicken broth, 12 oz. Jell-O
Pain Level 2-3
Surgery site Morning- Scabs receding from outside, Red blood in very back of each hole
Total sleep 4 hours

- Took a 1.5 hour nap.
- Woke up at 12:00PM. Went to K-mart, CVS, and Giant with Kaitlin, David, and Christine.
- Christine picked up a T3 refill from Hershey Pharmacy.
- Nap 4-6
- Started taking 1.5 teaspoon of T3 every 2 hours, to manage pain better. Same volume, just different frequency.
- Went to sleep at 10:30PM



Day 6 Sunday, 1-21-07

- Got 7 hours of sleep last night. Feel much better. Woke up at 4 hours for T3, and fell asleep for 3 more. In the morning I had the same bad pain, as expected whenever I first wake up. But, it diminished after the first dose of T3.

Weight (unclothed) 160 lb. ( -12 lb.)
Food Consumed 1 Ensure shake, 2- 6 oz. Jell-O, 2- 6 oz. Swiss Miss banana pudding
Pain Level 1-2
Surgery site Scabs receding from edges, clot of blood deep in left side.
Total sleep 7 hours

- Scabs definitely receding, not “falling off”. Scabs are healing similar to that of a scab on your knee; after days of healing, the edges just start crumbling off with new skin underneath. Painless.
- Clot of blood noticed deep in left side where tonsil used to be
- Nap 2:30-4:30
- Fell asleep at 1:00AM



Day 7 Monday, 1-22-07

- Woke up at 5 for T3, fell back asleep, woke up at 7. Total speep last night = 7 hours

Weight (unclothed) 160 lb. ( -12 lb.)
Food Consumed 1 Ensure shake, 1 cup instant noodle soup, 2- 4oz. Jell-O, 3- 4oz. pudding
Pain Level 2-3
Surgery site No change
Total sleep 7hr. + 3hr.

- Nap 10:30-1:30 (3 hr.)



Day 8 Tuesday, 1-23-07


Weight (unclothed) 161 lb. ( -11 lb.)
Food Consumed 2 pieces of corn bread, 1 chicken nugget,
Pain Level 2-3
Surgery site Scabs receding more, some small pieced falling off (no increase in pain)
Total sleep 5.5 hours

- Had snack at Costco



Day 9 Wednesday, 1-24-07


Weight (unclothed) 160 lb. ( -12 lb.)
Food Consumed Eating freely
Pain Level 2-3
Surgery site same
Total sleep 6 hours

- Pooped for the first time since the day before surgery.
- Called Dr. Fornadley for new T3 prescription
- Picked up T3 and Amoxicillin refill.
- It looks like I will not have to use the prescribed Percoset. The pain was never bad enough.



Day 10 Friday, 1-25-07


Weight (unclothed) 161 lb. ( -11 lb.)
Food Consumed Eating freely
Pain Level 1-2 It now just feels like a mild soar throat. T3 with codeine in only used before sleep and upon waking in the morning.
Surgery site same
Total sleep 8 hours



Day 11 Thursday, 1-26-07


Weight (unclothed) 158 lb. ( -14 lb.)
Food Consumed Eating freely
Pain Level 1-2
Surgery site same
Total sleep 6 hours