31 yo, Day 2 post-tonsillectomy - definitely worse

Jillolina · 10-24-2006, 06:54 PM

Background: I am a 31-year-old female who had a tonsillectomy (cauterization method) yesterday morning, Oct. 23. I was lucky enough to have a simple, uncomplicated procedure and recovered quickly and without trouble from the anesthesia (no nausea, etc.). Within a half-hour of waking up, I was chugging liquids like a pro.

However, today is definitely harder than yesterday.

Once the long-acting novocaine wore off last night, I started to feel more pain in the throat. Also, I discovered this morning that my uvula has swollen significantly more - it's at least 4 or 5 times its normal size now - and that was what kept gagging me last night as I tried to sleep. The result: no stretch of sleep longer than 40 minutes or so.

2 Percocet tablets help a lot, but only for about 3 1/2 hours, and then the pain comes back with a vengence. However, because the Percocet also causes some overall itching, I try to wait 5-6 hours in between doses. You can do the math - that means 1 1/2-2 1/2 hours of nothing to take the edge off the pain.

I also feel flushed and feverish - just low-grade, not a high fever, which the nurse told me is very normal post-tonsillectomy. Still, it contributes to the overall "unwell" feeling today. I've managed to stay well-hydrated on iced tea and water, and had a little more broth and a small serving of cream of wheat today. However, eating and swallowing is NOT an appealing activity now, and it requires an act of will.

Still, nothing so far has been unbearable - I think the inability to sleep well because of the swollen uvula has been the worst thing so far. I am hoping that this will be as bad as it gets until the descabbing process starts in a few days, but who knows? I am trying to be prepared for anything. I just keep reminding myself that once this is all over, I will have a tonsil-stone-, tonsillitis-, and peritonsilar abscess-free life!

I'll keep you all updated as I go along. Good luck to everyone preparing for surgery or in recovery!

Jillolina

mr_pseudotonsil · 10-24-2006, 07:09 PM

Jillolina..

Hey, you sound just like me. I had my tonsillectomy on the 13th and went through the same things. It really isn't fun at all.
I was taking the Percosett and getting bad itchyness. I switched to viocodin which didnt help as much. But then went back to the Percoset. This time just one tablet (7.5mg) at a time instead of two. You might want to try this. Also, another ENT mentioned you can take Benedryl which will help with the itchyness.

This thing is really tough, I won't lie to you. It gets a little better then the pain gets much worse. Right now my scabs are coming off. When it started it was bad...that was Sunday. Today the scabs are still working their way off, and it's getting a little better. I'm down to a Percoset at night and in the morning.

Hang in there, keep drinking water ALL THE TIME, even if it means peeign more then you want. I credit this with things going as good as they did for me. Pedialyte is good. Watery mashed potatoes. Jello pudding was really good too.

Sleep with your head elevated. Take dulcolax if and when the percoset starts constipating you...it will. Listening to music on the laptop(internet radio stations) really helped me, as in the beginning I wasn't sleeping much. It gets bad and you will start going nuts from waking up every day and having the same miserable pain...but just when you cant take it anymore, the scabbing will start. This is the beggining of the real recovery.

Although I'm not feeling 100% at all now, I'm doing a lot better then before. I'm on day 12 now, and getting better. My descabbing didnt start until day 10, yours might even be sooner.

Hang in there!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jillolina

Background: I am a 31-year-old female who had a tonsillectomy (cauterization method) yesterday morning, Oct. 23. I was lucky enough to have a simple, uncomplicated procedure and recovered quickly and without trouble from the anesthesia (no nausea, etc.). Within a half-hour of waking up, I was chugging liquids like a pro.

However, today is definitely harder than yesterday.

Once the long-acting novocaine wore off last night, I started to feel more pain in the throat. Also, I discovered this morning that my uvula has swollen significantly more - it's at least 4 or 5 times its normal size now - and that was what kept gagging me last night as I tried to sleep. The result: no stretch of sleep longer than 40 minutes or so.

2 Percocet tablets help a lot, but only for about 3 1/2 hours, and then the pain comes back with a vengence. However, because the Percocet also causes some overall itching, I try to wait 5-6 hours in between doses. You can do the math - that means 1 1/2-2 1/2 hours of nothing to take the edge off the pain.

I also feel flushed and feverish - just low-grade, not a high fever, which the nurse told me is very normal post-tonsillectomy. Still, it contributes to the overall "unwell" feeling today. I've managed to stay well-hydrated on iced tea and water, and had a little more broth and a small serving of cream of wheat today. However, eating and swallowing is NOT an appealing activity now, and it requires an act of will.

Still, nothing so far has been unbearable - I think the inability to sleep well because of the swollen uvula has been the worst thing so far. I am hoping that this will be as bad as it gets until the descabbing process starts in a few days, but who knows? I am trying to be prepared for anything. I just keep reminding myself that once this is all over, I will have a tonsil-stone-, tonsillitis-, and peritonsilar abscess-free life!

I'll keep you all updated as I go along. Good luck to everyone preparing for surgery or in recovery!

Jillolina

eleora · 10-24-2006, 07:22 PM

Hope that you feel better. I just had my tonsillectomy this morning and i had a fairly easy surgery although the tonsils were so large and embedded that the doctor used stitches to close the wound site. It still hurts a lot even though I have been drinking and taking the Lortab.

They gave me valium in the hospital and I started itching a little, but the lortab doesn't make me itch at all.

Hope you feel better soon!

mr_pseudotonsil · 10-24-2006, 07:26 PM

Just wondering why they choose the pain meds that they do. Seems like this Loritab stuff is popular, where some of us get Percoset. Perhaps it depends on which insurence plan you are on?

Beep1965 · 10-24-2006, 08:23 PM

I had my tonsillectomy Oct. 18th. I'm sooo ready to feel well again, however; it hasn't been too bad. Waking up is the worst pain but once I get some meds and ice water down, it eases up pretty quickly.
My doctor gave me Loritab to be used with the "regular" pain. He also gave me Percoset to use when the scabs start coming off...which started happening a couple of days ago. I'm still going back and forth with both medications. The thing that has helped me the most is frozen chocolate cream pie! This feels good and is the only thing I have actually enjoyed since last Wednesday...
Has anyone experienced shoulder pain? I'm a 41 year old female, not too far out of shape. Both of my shoulders have been bothering me when I try to sleep. I don't know if it is due to the positioning of my arms during surgery or what. They are pretty painful. I've been using a heating pad to sleep.