|
|
Login or register: |
|
|
 |
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
Resources: Latest position from APRS My public CVS server My instance of AprsWorld ImageServer Friends: Vanessa Park Jon Sullivan Chris Bell Steve Kehlet Mark Blair Andy Chou |
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
New Articles: August 28th, 2010 - Mt. San Jacinto OSM Import: US Designated Wilderness July 25th, 2010 - Mojave Mustangs July 17th, 2010 - Mojave Exploration Bloomery furnace iron smelting Open Street Map: Mojave Project June 13th, 2010 - Mojave June 6th, 2010 - El Cajon Trails Wolf Mountain Sanctuary Carrizo Gorge March 28th, 2010 - Salton Sea March 21st, 2010 - South Main Divide March 13th, 2010 - Anza Borrego Wildflowers March 7th, 2010 - CSULB Japanese Garden Dell U2711 Display February 2010 - Mammoth GeoRSS AISlib OpenStreetMap Dakota and Asha Celebrate Christmas, 2009 November 21st, 2009 - Mojave Road November 14th, 2009 - Anza Borrego Exploring The East Mojave: The Afton Canyon Area Broken flex plate Remote Image Serving Astro/night photography in Inyo National Forest Wild Mustang Sightings RSS September 26th, 2009 - Night Photography In Frazier Park Whiskey Brandy August 15th, 2009 - Catalina dive trip Super mulcher Astrophotography Sensornet January 24th, 2009 - Mojave Exploration July 2008 Mammoth Vacation AIS President Barack Obama! Rachel Maddow Big Geek Barack Obama April 12th, 2008 - Wildflowers and Landmarks My Grandfather's Alfa Romeo Spider March 8th, 2008 - Carrizo Plain 2008 Elections Bridge To Nowhere High Availability October 20th, 2007 - Big Bear Camping October 22nd, 2007 - Fire Scottish Highlands, Aug 7th, 2006 Scottish Highlands, Aug 6th, 2006 August 5th, 2007 - Duck Lake Trail May 26th, 2007 - Kelso Dunes Culloden Battlefield, Aug 5th, 2006 May 20th, 2006 - Irwindale Renaissance Faire Edinburgh, Aug 4th, 2006 The Clifs of Moher, Aug 3rd, 2006 The Burren, Aug 2nd, 2006 Bunratty Castle, Aug 1st, 2006 May 5th, 2007 - Mojave Truck Audio/Data Network 2007 - Master Bath Remodel Centrum: Exit The Ring of Kerry, Jul 31st, 2006 Nikon D200 Victory in 2006! Blarney and Killarney, Jul 30th, 2006 Dublin and Cork, Jul 29th, 2006 Dublin, Jul 27th & 28th, 2006 Married! What Can I Do? April 30th, 2006 - Anza Borrego New desktop: Intel 805 D Macro Photography Jan 7th and 14th, 2006 - Hiking Whiting Ranch Hiking Engaged! Digital Photography with Linux September 5th, 2005 - Living Desert August 19th, 2005 - Mammoth Hiking and Photography July 30th, 2005 - Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary Nikon D70 Death, Fright and Photography Mmmmmm Eggs MythTV Inova T4 May 14th, 2005 - Red Rock April 2nd, 2005 - Death Valley Count Every Vote Act of 2005 Image Archiving Linear Logic ScanGuage Gentoo Linux November 6, 2004 - Mojave Super Tuesday, 2004 John Kerry Kayaking Irish Stew ImageServer Ireland, 2004 Canon A80 Camera Jul 25, 2004 - Death Valley Chronic Hiccups May 4th, 2004 Landscaping - My Front Slope Stump Pullin' Yeeee Haw! Feb 22nd, 2004 Feb 16th, 2004 PostgreSQL Logfile Analysis Spam Mountains? Desert? Jan 30th, 2004 Jan 28th, 2004 Encryption Ceiling Cargo Basket Front Bumper Version 2 Asha Exide Orbitals My Teeth Land Rover Valve Jobs Spirits The Matrix: Revolutions Halloween 2003 Greg Davis CDL Linkage Ouzo Democracy Mom's Turkey Gravy Grandma's Guacamole Top Nodes Julian Pie Company DeCSS The KB1DIG 2-meter Halo Antenna Incomming searches Gardening is hard! Aug 13th, 2003 SQL and Perl Cancun 2003 Jul 9th, 2003 Aprs intelegence Jun 17th, 2003 Some People's Comments Dakota is a silly dog The Matrix: Reloaded Chris' Stage Bottle Harness April 23rd, 2003 Cracked Radiator! Vanessa Black Wednesday DVD Burning Under Linux My Satellite Phone Wind! My Near-Death Experience Laser Cannon Revival Front Bumper, Version 2 SpamAssassin The Critters Dakota Milton KPC 3 Plus and HTX-252 My House Moving, moving moving... Mobile 1 Portola Hills New new house Suse Linux Database images In Truck Dr. Pepper My Favorite Toilet Kelso Dunes Desert Trips Ifulmuh Late Thoughts: Dr. Pepper Cooler 265/75-R16 Tires on a DII Linux George W. Bush Rants Driving Reservations Horses Sep 14 2002 Sawdust Bellydancing 2002 Obsession August 17th Yukon Dives Less notifications My Custom Front Bumper Bracketless, Renamable Links Discreet Winch Welding Jul 28 2002 Day Trip My Firewall Jedi Group, my T1 and money A Bumperless Discovery! My Custom Rear Bumper Vanessa's 24th Birthday Jun 30th Dive to Long Beach Canyon PHP/PostgreSQL String Quoting Tonsillectomy, Uvulaectomy and Turbinite Reduction Searching functionality 240 Watt CO2 Laser Cannon My Workspace Dr. Pepper The Tulsa Rib Company The quality of hard disks these days Email notification of articles Email notification of comments erikburrows.com source code User Bios User Preferences Login feature Renisance Faire Jun 9, 2002 Computers hate me, and it is mutual. Star Wars Sucks! Horses, Jun 1, 2002 Land Rover Mileage Insomnia, Robin goes evil. 100 Watt Diode Laser Test Firing 1 Amateur Radio The Matrix 2001: A Space Odyssey TDI Deco Class Horses, Apr 30, 2002 APRS Movies Blackbird My Truck Batteries My Truck Vasquez Rocks The Zope Bible PSK31 Mojave Apr-12-2002 100 Watt Diode Laser The New www.erikburrows.com Hunter the Kitty Horses Geeks Yukon May-13-2001 Computers Mojave Jan-27-2001 Jedi Group Matts Desert Pics Ironage Jul-4-2001 Ironage Feb-03-2001 Mojave Jun-09-2001 Mojave Feb-10-2001 Programming Languages Mojave Apr-01-2001 SCUBA |
|
|
|
||||
| ||
| It turns out I have terrible sleep apnea, in addition to my chronic tonsillitis, due to my enlarged uvula (the hangy-downy thing in my throat), and permanently inflamed nasal tissues (turbinites). This means that my throat always hurts, my nose is always stuffy, and I stop breathing for up to 20 seconds about a hundred times each night. Ugh. I had no idea. So my doctor is going to cut out my tonsils, my uvula, and half my turbinites all in one surgery session. So in about a month, my whole head is going to hurt for about two weeks, but then I should be healthier, breathe better, get much better sleep, and stop snoring. Yay! Update: 2002/12/12 My surgery is scheduled for December 17th. Five days from now. I've had three people (including my doctor) tell me the surgery is going to be awful. Freakin' tonsils. Wish me luck! Update: 2002/12/18 Well, I'm home. My surgery took a but longer than expected, beacuse my doctor found a large absess in my sinus, and my tonsils extended deeper into my throught than expected. I spent all yesterday on large quantities of Morphine, as the Uvula removal turned out to be quite painful. Unexpectedly, the tonsillectomy and sinus tissue removal was not very painful; in contrast anyway. I'm now home, taking percocet, and alternating between naps and T.V. Vanessa is taking very good care of me, and while I was in the hospital, all the nurses were very attentive and kind. I would recomend Mission Hospital to anyone. I expect to be on a liquid diet for at least another couple of days, but I think I'll be able to actually eat something, on Christmas. Update: 2002/12/20 I'm actually getting much better! I can eat soups, I can talk quite a bit, and I'm not counting the minutes until my next percocet pill. Actually, I've forgotten to take it a couple of times. (For a little while) Initially, I had quite a bit of bleeding from my sinuses into my throat, but that has almost completely subsided, and since my doctor gave me a sinus cleaner spray thing today, I can breathe through my nose! Both nostrils! I know that doesn't sound like much to most of you, but for my entire life, I've only been able to breathe through one nostril at a time, one would always be clogged. I would travel to the middle of the desert to clear out my sinuses. Now, at home, with my two cats, and 60 pound dog, I can breathe almost like normal people! Wanna hear something really gross? After my operation, my doctor told me that he found two oddities in my head. One was that my tonsils were about twice as large as he expected. So much so that he needed special instruments to get them all out, and the other, that there was a puss-filled absess in one of my sinuses. (Turbinite tissue) The absess was in the middle of one of the terbinites, and enlarged that structure so much as to cut off air flow entirely! In removing that absess, he effectively cut in half that turbinite, and made that nostril much, much more usable. Ok, last thing today. This one is for all of you concidering this operation: During my sleep study, it was determined that my blood oxygenation level could dip down to 76% regularly. Very very low. The night after the surgery, my oxygenation level was at an AVERAGE of 96%. That's with the post-op swelling and blood clogging. 96%! Update: 2002/12/21 Well, I've been moving around more yesterday and today. Yesterday I went to do some Christmas shopping, and today I'll probably do some more. My throat and nose feel fine, I'm just so tired, and off-balance from the pain medication. Percocet works great on pain (almost as good as the morpinine I had in the hospital) but it messes you up! I take cat-naps unintentionaly throughout the day, and I keep daydreaming simple things, and then being confused about what I really remember having done! I find I can easily sit at the computer and work, but I always feel as though I'm going to fall off my chair, and I can't really focus. It's all very interesting. Update: 2002/12/27 It's been a week and a half since my surgery. I've re-learned how to swallow, without the use of a uvula. I can even drink sodas again. I've voluntarily taken myself off of pain medication, so that I can think clearly enough to do work, and there is no blood in my throat or nose any more. Most of the day I'm just fine, but I guess the eight hours of mouth-breathing while I sleep at night dries things out, because the mornings hurt quite a bit. I figure that'll complete healing over the next week or so. I was just well enough on Christmas to eat a couple of servings of Vanessa's father's prime rib! Man I'm hungry....dreaming... Update: 2003/11/01 When I was first diagnosed with sleep apnea, my doctor said that after my operation, and the apnea was corrected, I'd feel like "Superman". I throught about this for a while after my surgery, and thought he over-estimated that benifit. I was wrong though. For years (since before High School) I used to live life always tired. I would say dozens of times per day, "I'm so tired...". I used to sleep in till 1:00pm on weekends, and wake up terribly sleepy on weekdays. I figured out that in order to feel even relatively human, I needed 9 hours of sleep per day. I used to dread the possibility that something might wake me up in the middle of the night, beacuse then my whole night's sleep would be ruined. Last night I woke up a few times. No big deal. I went right back to sleep, and woke up by myself rested. I stand (well, sit) before you now, in my home office at 6:30am on a Saturday, after 8 wonderfully restful and satisfying hours of sleep, to tell you that, compared to how I used to feel, I do feel like Superman. 05/19/2004: This site is in no way affiliated with any medical institution nor any medical professional. This article and all comments are personal opinions only, and in no way should be interpreted as informed medical direction. Erik Burrows and ErikBurrows.com hereby waive any responsibility for actions taken by anyone in response to information obtained on this site. Always consult a trained physician when making decisions concerning medical care. | ||
|
Comments: Regina (2002-06-29): My four year old niece, Hannah, just had the same operation done that you will be having - the doctor gave my sister a picture of the removed tonsils and uvula, not too pretty! Do you want me to bring you a box of popsicles? Push ups? Big Sticks? Creamsicles? What about the kind that has a joke on each stick? Erik (2002-06-30): Thanks Regina, but I've got Vanessa to take care of me. I'll be ok. Though I like the idea of a popsicle with jokes on the stick! Candice (2002-10-02): I am not sure how old this posting is...but in a week I am going to get my tonsils out. I am 19...I just don't know what to expect. Have you had yours out yet? Was it bad? I am just worried I won't have enough time off work. grrr....I don't wanna be in pain! Please e-mail me and let me know! Thanks ~*~*Candice~*~ Angelwithblueeyes35@hotmail.com Erik (2002-10-02): My surgery is scheduled for sometime in mid november. My Doctor tells me it is, in his words: 'Very painful'. I've told my employeer that I'll be out for a week. Your Aunt Kathy (2002-10-12): Are you wearing a device at night to keep your throat open, that allows plenty to oxygen to your brain. I've known people with apnea and they never had all the stuff removed they just had to sleep with this crazy thing on their head. Erik (2002-10-12): I don't have the 'crazy thing', but I did have to sleep with the electronic monitor for one night. Very very uncomfortable. brian (2003-07-06): I had my surgery on 7/2/03(tonsilectomy,uvulaectomy.palate and tongue)all for sleep apnea.Im 39 years old and had two unrelated surgeries in the past(stomach&groin)this by far is the most painful.I cant wait to see my doctor this week for a follow up,she said it would be bad but refused to give me anything but tylenol/codine and only for five days!I can;t eat barely drink water oh,and the antibiotic cleocin ped which is the most harsh stuff on earth(bitter lemons and limes )8 bottles worth over ten days!This does not help on an empty stomach.You would think in this day and age they would come up with something better.My airway was 90% closed,sleep test was recorded as severe but only 4 days after surgery i noticed a big differance in my air intake and my wife said when i was sleeping she heard no snoring.so good luck to you and hope this can help someone. Erik (2003-07-07): Holy crap Brian! My doctor sent me home with Percoset! Scream at that doctor of yours for some pain medication! There's no reason to make it any more painful than it has to be. Bryan (2003-07-24): I am scheduled to have my turbanites reduced and at the same time, have a tonsillectomy. I am a little concerned about the pain. How long were you off of work? Erik (2003-07-24): I think I not working for about a week. Not so much because of the pain, but because of the pain medication. The turbinite and tonsil surgury is painful, but the uvula work was the worst for me. debbie (2003-08-08): I just had my tonsils out yesterday, and also my uvula, plus i think the same thing in my nose. my Dr. told me i would be sick for two weeks. but right now, i feel pretty good. i was drinking coffee in recovery!!! so far so good. i think the drs. prepare you for the worst, its really not that bad!!! hopefully i will feel like a new person, be able to breathe, and not get tonsilitis 5 times a year. good luck to everyone who needs this done. Erik (2003-08-08): I'm glad it went so well for you Debbie, it sounds like you're one of the lucky few. If you don't mind me asking, how much of your uvula was removed? barb (2003-08-12): My 21 year old son had his tonsils removed and uvula shortened 8 days ago. He is on percocet or vicodin every 3 hours around the clock. He has a high pain tolerance but this has been very hard for him. He is in a great deal of pain. He has lost 10 pounds. I am making fruit smoothies, ice smoothies, ice chips, and ice water, and he uses an ice pack occassionally on the outside of his neck. Some foods he can tolerate are broths, mashed potatoes, and soft boiled eggs. He can hardly stand to watch the food ads on television. Some nights he sleeps on a recliner. We run a cool mist vaporizer at night but nothing seems to touch the pain (except drugs) especially in the morning. The doctor told us 2 weeks recovery. I believe he will need every day of that and more to be himself again. Friends told me they went back to work after 2 weeks and really needed that third week. He has sleep apnea and snoring, I was sad to hear him still snoring this week, but I keep hoping it is due to the swelling in his throat. Erik (2003-08-12): Barb, I'm sorry to hear about your son's rough time. As you can (and probably have) read here, people definitely do have vastly different recovery times. It sounds like your son got one of the worst times of it. It sounds like you're doing everything that possibly can be done. My recovery was very gradual, but steady. He should be feeling better soon, and that will encourage him. If the doctor did his job, then his snoring will be gone, and what you're seeing now is just due to the swelling. This snoring though will cause a lot of pain in the mornings, and will set back his recovery, so do everything you can to help him not snore. Sitting up, head pillows, and anti-iflamitory drugs are probably all good ideas. Erik (2003-08-21): As popular as this page is, I can't believe that I mispelled tonsillectomy! It's with two 'l's. Christina in CT (2003-09-28): I didn't think that I would read this entire page - including all of the comments - but my fiancee's upcoming tonsillectomy/adenoid removal/uvula shaving is making me nervous. We have it scheduled for a Friday and his return to work date the following Tuesday - Looks like he'll be home longer than anticipated. I'm also alarmed about the pain medication... He hasn't filled a 'scrip yet, and surgery is coming quick. He'll have to call the Doc... Don't want to be filling 'scrips while he's feeling like JUNK! Regardless, my "Comment" was meant to be a THANK YOU for posting about your surgery and recovery. The entire sleep apnea/sleep study/tonsillectomy adventure has been intense for us. One of my close friends uses one of those breathing machines to sleep at night... And we had joked about potentially having one in our bedroom... We're hopeful that this surgery will help make breathing easier, but not looking forward to the pain! Thank again! Erik (2003-09-28): Thank you, I'm very, very happy to have been able to help, and allow other's experiences to be helpful to you. Christina in IL (2003-10-17): I am a 27 y/o female. I was scheduled to have a tonsillectomy, uvulaectomy, and some trimming of my soft pallet. I have been diagnosed with a mild version of sleep apnea...I don't remember my numbers. Well on the day I was scheduled for the surgery I got as far as pre anesthesia and chickened out. Well now I have an ear infection in both ears and my family doc sent me back to that same doc that was going to do the surgery......talk about embarrasing, but he completely understood. Now he wants to reschedule the surgery again. I know it is something that needs to be done but I'm still not really sure. I guess its because I've never been put to sleep before? Would you be able to give me some words of advice? He told me that he could have anesthesia give me a pill the night before to relax me a little better. Christina in IL (2003-10-17): sorry I forgot to add this.......i guess what I'm so scared of is the fact that I'm scared of waking up in the middle of surgery, not waking up at all and stuff like that Erik (2003-10-17): Christina, I completely understand. I was a bit worried too, not so much about waking up, but more about just needles, knives, etc. I never even saw my doctor when I was in pre/post-op, just the anesthesiologist, when he gave me my initial dose of sedative into my IV tube. I felt it in less than 2 seconds, and in 10, I was asleep. I actually found it to be very pleasant. When I woke up, I was fully awake, and aware of where I was in just a few seconds. I know some people have woken up mid-surgery in the past, but my understanding is that it never happens anymore, since your anesthesiologist is right there the whole time keeping you under. I don't think you have anything to be afraid of. If you have someone to take care of you (drive you home, get you drugs) you'll be just fine. The only thing I'd be afraid of would be the pain, but if your doctor says things like Percoset and Morphine, you'll be just fine. Christina in IL (2003-10-18): I've had morphine before and didn't like it one bit........I don't think my husband did either because after they gave it to me, I cussed him out, lol. It kinda made me feel really weird. I still haven't really decided if I'm going to actually go through with it yet either. Another thing I forgot to ask is how long did your surgery take, I know my doc said it would only be about an hour for me but my mind just kept telling me thats long enough for something to happen......if something bad can happen from something, I'll think of it. I know Percoset though, my husband broke his heel a little while back and thats what they gave him for the pain but after a while he said Motrin's helped him better than those did. But I would also like to say that you are so great for having this site here for people who are scared out of their wits......like me. I'm really one who definetely appreciates it. Erik (2003-10-20): I think my surgery took just a couple of hours. I really don't think you need to worry about something bad happening during surgery. Do it in a real hospital, and there are dozens of doctors there to come to the rescue if need be. Here's what you should be thinking about: Before my surgery, I would mumble "I'm so tired..." several times per day. I was Mr. Tired. My concentration was lacking, and I was moody. After my surgery, it's like someone took me off the downers. I sleep 7 hours per night, instead of 9, and when I wake up, I feel great. Your husband will also appreciate the total lack of snoring post-op. You'll be all right Christina, you'll feel like a new woman. Good luck, and thanks for the very kind words. Jafafa Hots (2003-10-27): thanks for the page. Just got home from my doc., tests came back and as suspected, I have sleep apnea - in the top end of the mild range. I've opted to get my uvula removed. I have many health problems and haven't been able to work for a few years, and all of this has led to extreme depression. My sleep patterns have been completely bizarre for years, and I have several neurological problems that are made worse by stress. My doctor didn't want to promise too much, but he did mention that he has even seen people's depression cured from this surgery. I figure that even if it just helps with my snoring, it's worth it. And maybe if I'm lucky, I'll get better sleep. If so, that could even potentially have a cascading effect and help me deal with the rest of my problems. In any case, its worth a try. Erik (2003-10-27): I would immagine removing your uvula will help with your snoring, which will help your sleep. Good luck! Richard Harris UK (2003-11-01): Hello to all you sore throat sufferers!!My Name is Rich,aged 30 from Kidderminster , England UK. I put up with constant sore throats,a feeling of being strangled and snoring for three years untill i found a doctor that actually believed i had a problem. I forget how many doctors i actually walked out on after being told such rubbish as "those white lumps on your throat are bits of food" and "its all in your head" and so on! One even suggested i start taking a course of anti-depressants which resulted in me telling him i thought he should retire but its been 72 hours now since i had my tonsillectomy,and after reading this fantastic page the night before i went into hospital-just had to share my expierience with you all too. Went into thearte at 10.00am on 27/10/03 woke up in recovery room about an hour later complaining of a sore throat(nothing worse than the usual)and then having a nurse tell me that i had just had my tonsills removed!!(i was in a bit of a daze but honestly didn't realise). Got taken back to the ward in and within an hour was sat up chattin to the really understanding staff of the hospital,after all they know exactly what you are going through and tell you what to expect. I was feeling very happy and thought to myself "this is nothing" untill i woke up the next morning! I won,t scare anyone but also wont sugarcoat it for you but the morning after surgery was,for me - quite painful but i think it was down to the fact i had been lay on my back snoring away which we all know dries your mouth & the newly vacated tonsill bed out!! Top tip-before you go into hospital get used to lying on your side at night breathing through your nose-i have managed to do this for the last few nights which makes ALL the difference! Dont get me wrong-with the painkillers that you will recieve, i found the pain dies down to dull but constant throbbing,but even after these few days i am SO SO SO glad i had it done, 100% recomend you to have it and not chicken out like i nearly did!Well i will stop my record for today and after a few more cold glasses of cranberry juice and lightly toasted cheese sandwiches! i will carry on tommorow cya! Erik (2003-11-01): That's great Richard! Congratulations, and welcome to the world of good sleep. Julie (2003-11-21): I had the same operation as you Erik, in Luxembourg in November 2000. I had bandages up my nostrils for 5 days and when they came out it felt like my brain was being pulled out through my nose. Now, 3 years later, I find that the place where my uvula used to be seems to be more sensitive. I think I probably had allergies to dust etc before the operation but it was never anything that bothered me. Now the area around the uvula location 'tightens' and this seems to then move downwards until I can't breath. Very scary. i wondered if anyone sle had a similar experience? Erik (2003-11-21): Julie, I haven't noticed any additional sensitivity to alergens where my uvula used to be, but it almost always does feel a little wierd. Cold maybe. If you're having an alergic reaction that bad, you should probably go see a specialist. I'm alergic to almost anything airborne, and did the alergy shot treatment for a couple of years. It was awful, but did help a little. Craig Carlyle Clarke (2003-12-09): Well. 24 hours after my uvula removal and soft palate repair. Looking in my mouth, I'm surprised at how much tissue is gone. I'm starting to have second thoughts. :( Guess its too late for that, huh? I can't swallow, its a chore to just sip water. Except for the pain when trying to take in fluids, the pain isn't bad. Kind of like a mild headcold. All I have for the pain is tylenol/codeine syrup. I did very well I suppose, doc said the surgery was amazingly easy, took only 10 minutes. Overheard the nurses remarking on how quickly I recovered, no bleeding whatsoever, no trouble speaking (at first) and was sitting up getting dressed and ready to walk out. Left the hospital within about 2 hours after surgery. I don't really feel too bad, I just feel like I'm not sure I'll ever be able to swallow correctly. I sure hope its something you get used to, because I don;t want a life of food going up my nose. Eating is my favorite hobby! Erik (2003-12-09): Craig, it took me a a couple of weeks to get the hang of swallowing without a uvula. It takes concentration initially, but it'll become natural to you soon. I found that if I swallow like I used to, the food/liquid equally goes up my nose, and down my throat. To overcome this, I kind of make a cup in the back of my tounge, and push that against the top of my mouth, and push back. It kind of forces it back and down. Good luck! anonymous (2003-12-09): oh, by the way, I'm the guy who posted as Jafafa Hots above. :) Erik (2003-12-09): Well I wish you luck with your recovery, swallowing and sleep. Parker (2003-12-11): I am scheduled for a "laser turbinectomy" on Dec 31. I have sleep apnea and have to sleep using a CPAP machine. Many nights I wake up and cannot breathe even with the CPAP. I am really looking forward to being able to breathe again! My doctor says that the operation and the recovery are totally painless. (Maybe for him!) Erik (2003-12-11): Good luck! LORI (2004-01-24): Jan 04 I am 38 years old and just had my tonsills out 5 days ago.... I can't beleive how much pain I have been in the past 5 days. My ears are const. aching. I can't wait for the next dose of my Percoset. I have lost 10 pounds in 5 days ( not my kind of diet) I am just starting to eat pasta and scramb. eggs. I actually feel like a child. I felt great the first day... but the days have been getting worse as they go on.... how much longer before I start to feel human.. I have to go back to work in a week!!! Erik (2004-01-24): Lori, from all the experiences shared here, it can definitely be said that recovery times vary wildly. You seem to have drawn the short straw. Still, make sure your doctor knows how much pain you are in, and if you haven't seen him or her recently, go in for a check-up. I think in my first week of recovery, I saw my doctor three times. Good luck! BrianMNUSA (2004-01-27): Erik: Great page! I wish I would've found it before my Tinsilectomy and Uvulaectomy procedure on Jan. 7 of '04. I'm 32 and find it helpful to read and compare others' experiences. Today I'm 20 days into it and feeling about 80-85% back to normal. I think that the worst part of my recovery is the bad taste in my mouth. I would normally brush my teeth 2-3 times a day and now I have to brush at least 3-4 times a day and really clean my tongue. I assume this is due to the healing at the back of the mouth - and it is subsiding a bit each day. I can also attest to a previous post's concern about the added senitivity to the area of the removed uvula - my gag reflex seems to have been kicked into high gear. I thought it was perhaps from the stitches, but they're gone and the hyper-sensitive gag reflex is still there. Certain foods, while they go down just fine, react negatively with my taste buds - creating a light nausea effect. I really hope the bad taste goes away and I can not only eat whatever I am in the mood for, but truly enjoy my old favorites again. I'm sure I will. And hey, it's only been 20 days...Good luck to all who are going to have or have had these procedures - it's definitely no walk in the park but it does get better. Erik (2004-01-28): Good to hear from you Brian! Welcome to the club of people without hangy-downy-throat-thingies. David UK (2004-02-15): I had a tosillectomy just 6 days ago and boy does it hurt! But having read all your comments out their I do not feel so alone and in pain anymore, I'm looking forward to feeling like superman. and Having lost 7lbs in 6 days, it is a great way to start my diet. Natalie (2004-02-15): I am having my tonsils removed on 3/9/04 and have been quite nervous about it this page has helped me a ton. I have already scheduled 2 weeks off from work and from reading the posts it seems that this should be sufficient enough. I have a good understanding I will be in pain but I hope that will go away with time. I am already in pain currently. I don't have sleep apnea but I have what it seems to be chronic tonsilits. My left tonsil had a big hole in it and food is constantly getting caught inside. My lymph node on my neck is always swollen and I already have a bad taste in my mouth. But from reading the posts it seems that the recovery will be alot like what I have already been through. Thank you for the posts. David UK (2004-02-16): Natalie, I hope I havent scared you too much, today is exactly 1 week after the operation and I ate my first meal yesterday, it tasted the best ever! I was very proud of myself! I too had a large hole in my tonsil and food kept getting stuck and then I would squeeze it with my finger and all this yellow gunk, that was like cooked rice texture and very smelly (yuk!) would come out...I am wishing I had read these pages before I went into hospital. If you would like to e-mail me i can be contacted on webconsultant@talk21.com. I am thinking about setting up a web page/support group to help people through this, please e-mail me your support - Thanks LML (2004-02-18): I am scheduled to have a tonsillectomy on March 2nd. I am hoping that it does two things: 1. eliminates my snoring and 2. allows me to get more oxygen during sleep so i can also wake up feeling refreshed. anyone visiting this site ever had solely a tonsillectomy and had it accomplish these two goals? Erik (2004-02-18): LML, I think that's one of those per-person-basis things. If there's one thing all these accounts show is that everyone has a different experience. See: David UK's disgusting puss problem. As you know, I had a lot more than just tonsils taken out, but my blood oxygenation levels were staggeringly higher even only hours after the surgery. The tonsillectomy could only improve your snoring, which could only improve your breathing. I still have stuffy nostrils, but the vast improvement is more than I could have hoped for. Scoty (2004-02-22): Bieng 32, I've been having problems with my tonsils for 10+ years; white deposits, ingrossed swelling of the nodes, scarifacation, touching when I was becomming sick, painfull when swollen and too boot I live over 7,000 feet in elevation. I am a strep carrier on top of all of that. Finaly got surgery after many run-a-rounds with 2 surgeons on January 14th, 2004. Within 20 minutes of waking up after surgery, and had 2 golf ball size tonsills removed, I noticed I could breathe easier!! Almost every pain killer does not work on me, but childrens liquid Motrin worked very well and went through many bottles. The pain was nothing compared to having my wisdom teeth impacted out of my jaw. The pain is like dull throbbing pain that if you are active-movies, books, walking out doors, it can be ignored. I did have a bleeding session 14 days after surgery and drove myself to the ER at 3am, 4 hours later the bleeding stoped. I do have a weird lack of taste where almost everthing is bitter in the back of my tounge especially sweets and I have heartburn even with water. I'm told that's because of the different, read liquid & soft food diet that your body is not used to being on and the antibiotic I was on. JASMINE IN OH (2004-02-29): Hi there. I am 6 days post op. I had my tonsils and my uvula removed and something done to my nose. As far as pain, it was quite weird I was crying yesterday because it still hurt so bad. Today I woke up and I feel ok. I wonderif it had anything to do with the fact that yesterday was the first day that I took the steroids my doc gave me (I couldn't swallow them). I was wondering if anyone had an answer to a couple of my questions. First is my scabs have not fallen off yet is this normal? Second, does anyone know how to help reduce the awful taste in my mouth...it literaally makes me want to vomit. Thanks for your help. Erik (2004-02-29): You should ask your doctor about the scabs, but remember: Everyone is different in how they heal. You will, eventually. As for the taste, it'll go away eventually. Until then: Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream. JASMINE IN OH (2004-03-01): ERIK....THanks for the fast response. I was hoping people still used this site. It is really helpful to be able to talk to people who can understand what you are going through. THanks again. Erik (2004-03-01): Good luck Jasmine! I'm sure you'll finish up healing, and feel better than ever. Until then, may I recommend Starbuck's "Mud Pie" ice cream. Mmmmmmmmm. Natalie (2004-03-01): Hey Jasmine! I am sorry you are experiencing so much pain. Coincidentally I am having my tonsils out on 3/9/04. I have found this site to be interesting. And I now know some of stuff that I will be experiencing. I hope the pain and scabs go away for you soon as well as the awful taste in you mouth. Take Care Jasmine and hang in there. And oddly enough I am from Ohio. David UK (2004-03-02): Worth every moment of Pain! NO snoring anymore, no sore throats - great result, went back to work exactly 2 weeks after Operation and all OK. First week after Op was very sore and painful, but as the second week progressed so did I. Don't worry anyone - its worth it! Erik (2004-03-02): Congrats David! KariMN (2004-03-04): I just decided to have my tonsils out, adnoids out, a deviated septum fixed as well as turbinate reduction 3/22/04...I am keeping the uvula. Hoping that the surgery will make life better. I found out that what I can smell now is so much less than most. So I am excited and if Two weeks (or so) of pain means that I don't snore and can smell...I am all for it! Question...did anyone experience a change in their voice? JASMINE IN OH (2004-03-04): HEy all. I just wanted to say what a difference a couple of days makes. Although I still can not eat, I feel so much better. THe other amazing thing is I actually feel rested in the morning! For that alone the pain was worth it. For those of you scheduled for your surgery soon....good luck and I truely believe it is worth it. KariMN...AS far as the voice change, not really. I am less nasaly (sp?) when I talk though. Take care. Erik (2004-03-04): That's great Jasmine! Kari, no, I didn't experience a change in my voice either. While I was healing, it was deeper and stuffy of course, but I'm back to normal. NMS (2004-03-15): Hello! I had my tonsillectomy done 6 days ago. I have had little to no pain during the day but at night it is really painful. I wake up occasionally during the night and drink a little water because my mouth is so dry. However, last night I went to drink a little water and realized that my mouth was filled with blood. I went to the emergency room and it eventually stopped. This made me a little nervous. I had a couple questions and I was wondering if anyone could answer them. Is this bleeding normal and is it because my scabs are falling off that I experienced this bleeding episode? Erik (2004-03-15): NMS, I've heard quite a bit about post-op bleeding from a tonsillectomy. It seems to be common, but I've also heard that it sometimes can mean a very serious problem. You should talk to your doctor as soon as possible. The ER doctors and nurses know all about post-op bleeding, and wouldn't have released you if you were in danger, so I wouldn't worry, but it's always best to know all the facts. nadge (2004-03-16): I am 42 years old woman and just had my tonsils uvula and adnoids done my main concern was how I was going to feel when I just woke up from the Anesthesia since I heard so many nightmare stories and I must say waking up was the easiest part of the whole thing, you have so much drugs in your system you have no pain, and lets face it I had three procedures done all at once this is presently my 5th day out of surgery, yes you have some days better than others but lets face it to many scary stories out there I was told so many scary stories I ran out of surgery the first time I was scheduled to have it but let me tell you day 5 and already breathing better so for everyone who fears the pain you wake up that day to, don't when you get home take your medication on time and plan your diet ahead of your surgery. JG (2004-03-18): Thanks for hosting this page; I'm scheduled to have my tonsils removed March 31, 04, and I'll admit to being more than a bit nervous, more about the anaesthesia than the cutting. It's being done on an outpatient basis, which is fine because I loathe hospitals. Too, I'm no real stranger to pain, having collapsed a lung and broken numerous bones in various accidents over the years (Call me Mr. Lucky.) I am under regular treatment for chronic pain as a result of one of these escapades, and have mostly learned to live with it. I'm a tad concerned that I'm probably opiod tolerant, as I use Demerol semi-regularly; it's the only thing I've found that works, without undue stomach upset, and believe me, I've run the gamut of pain meds. Although I've never been clinically diagnosed w/ sleep apnea, I don't typically sleep well, although insomnia runs in my family, and sleep disorders are characteristic of some of the neurological issues I suffer as a result of one of my accidents. Still, the idea of not suffering from constant tonsil/respiratory infections is appealing, and the abcesses within my tonsils no longer respond to scary-strong antibiotics. I suppose I'll miss the the nasty little fellas after all these years (I'm 44,) especially the left one, which is typically about the size of a walnut. Ah well, loss and gain, all a part of the cycle of life... Thanks again for helping to alleviate some of the pre-op anxiety, and I look forward to that Superman feeling. I am used to regular, vigorous exercise (when I'm not sick, which has been pretty much every few months for 2 years) and wonder how long it'll take to get back on my bike. Erik (2004-03-18): Good luck! Don't push it, but I'm sure you'll be back on your bike soon, and with more energy! Brooke (2004-03-18): I had surgery 9 days ago, and I do not have scabs, but white patches on my tonsil beds. Is this normal? Erik (2004-03-18): I remember seeing that, but it's always best to check with your doctor. Rach. (2004-03-25): Hello, I'm 19 and had my tonsillectomy done a week ago today and i really wanted to know how they exactly do the op, but i didnt find out. At 10.10am they took me into theartre and was putting the needle in they was having abit of problems as my veins are very small so they had to keep trying in my other hand and eventually they told me to look up and lift my chin up as i did i could taste the anestetic and that was it i was out cold. When i woke up in the recovery room i was crying and said my throat hurts to which the nurse replied ''well, you have just had your tonsils out''. i didnt actually feel that bad at that point. Once i had fully come round thay gave me some pain killers and wheeled me off to the ward, now it was 11.30am so it hadnt took that long. Once i was there it didnt really hurt much some of my family came to visit me later that day they couldnt believe i had it done as i looked really well and wasnt in any pain. The next day i was allowed to go home the pain did actually start to get worse, i knew it would as the nurse said it would get worse before it would get better. i went home and had my medication which did ease off the pain abit but i wasnt pain free, i just tried to sleep when ever i could. Now 5 days after surgery i feel alot better i have got quite alot of ear-ache though which is terrible at night as i cant sleep on my sides as i usually do as if i lie on my side and swallow i get a sharp pain up through my throat and into my ear and it feels like it is going to burst open. I thought i might of had a infection so i saw my g.p yesterday who advised me there is no infection and everything is normal.The white scabs have fallen off its just red and sore now. She gave me more tablets as i had run out off what the hospital had given me i'm on soluble co-codamol, Phenoxymethyl-Penicillin which is brilliant this really eases the ear-ache, and Diclofenac which again is really good this eases my pain in the throat and the ear i have this one just before i go to bed as i manage to get the full 6 hours off sleep until it wears off. I'm really glad i had the operation as i suffered from tonsillitous twicw every month for the last 18 months and this pain for 2 weeks is better than going through the pain i used to go through with tonsillitous. Everyone says have ice-cream and cold drinks after but i thought that actually coldness made the pain worse i have stuck to cups of tea, and steak and kidney pies. I usually am out all the time clubbing and having a good time i havnt even thought of going out also i have smoked since i was 14 and again i havnt missed smoking at all i just hope i can still not have any after i feel better and i'm out and about. Rach (2004-03-25): Hi again i forgot to put this on but what on earth do they do with your tongue through surgery my tongue is absolutley in agony at the sides its as if i had bitten it on either side i cant stick it out and i think this is a reason why i cant eat prperly as my tongue doesnt work the same as it usually does? Erik (2004-03-25): Rach, I'd bet your tounge, throat and ear pain are all related, or even the same pain. Dentists will often tell you that a sore tooth will cause ear pain because they share nerves. However, it's never a bad idea to check with your doctor (the one who did the surgery). Rach (2004-03-26): Hi i think i have found out why my tongue hurts because when they do surgery they pull your tongue out so they can see in your mouth properly and so becuse they had pulled my tongue as far as it would go it feels sore because the muscles had been stretched for so long they have advised me the best thing for this to chew chewing gum so that my muscles in my tongue dont stay sore chewing the gum eases the pain and should relieve the pain so i can move my tongue properly to eat and speak more clearly. Thanx DaveE Bristol UK (2004-03-30): After complaining to my doctor time and time again that I had tonsil problems (that always seemed to disappear when the appointment was due) I finally got seen by a consultant who said "we'd better get them out in the next 8 weeks"! Any way’s ended up in hospital with terrible head pain, suffered at the hands of a junior doctor doing his first attempts at a lumbar puncture fortunately for him all the attempts he will ever need he did on me! 8 weeks came and went, 20 weeks later after chasing on the phone they finally found me, still with terrible head pain. Had my op on 23rd March 04 went in, in pain came out in even more! Had my first what I call bad bleed on the Thursday morning, very little support from anyone got through that, learnt very quickly to keep on top of the pain killers, getting only as much sleep as the pain killers provide relief... so here I am a week later, god awful taste in my mouth, my tongue appears to of swollen, get regular bleeds that wake me up in the morning, struggle to sleep, struggle to eat/swallow, struggle to talk, lost nearly a stone in weight, not the sort of diet I would recommend. People seem to think "you've only got a sore throat how bad can that be, I've loads of really bad ones" ... what makes this worse is I've been off work for so long with my chronic head pain I'd decided I'd just got to get on with it before fore I get sacked, so had planned to go back to work next week, I can see me saying, "I'm going to be out for another week" and that going down like a led balloon... when will this pain end, I have had such enough of it. Erik (2004-03-30): I think it's about time to get a second doctor. Someone who can advise you on the healing process, and prescribe a more effective pain killer. DaveE Bristol UK (2004-04-01): Went to A&E couldn't swallow at all, gaging all the time, seems I've got an infection, so I've they gave me some horse pills to swallow! and soluble voltrol, seems to be getting better now.. thank god, and thank you. Erik (2004-04-01): The only medical advise I try to give out is: See a doctor. I'm glad that helped you. JG (2004-04-01): Just thought I'd give an update to my earlier post. Yesterday's surgery went smooth as silk, back home exactly six hours after departure. It does indeed hurt tremendously, but that's manageable. (Forgive me if I ramble, I'm on lotsa Percoset...) Surgeon said tonsils were "impressively disgusting." Doc actually phoned at 10PM last night just to check in--I'd recommend this guy to anyone who needs an ENT in DC. (E me at jgraywdc@yahoo.com if you'd like his name/number.) In addition to being an ace w/ the knife--and a cyclist like me--he put himself through school as an EMT/paramedic, and does volunteer surgery on indigent population in Guatemala every year. Pretty cool guy. Actually hurts more today than yesterday, but that's normal. Kind of high fever, but that's also normal per doctor. He's changing my oral antibiotic, because I, ummm, lost the first dose, which was pretty unpleasant with my throat so raw. My wife Susan's fantastic, taking very good care of me, feeding me vegan "ice cream." Perhaps the nastiest part is that my uvula is swollen to about the size of my thumb--again, normal, and usually treated with steroids. Unfortunately, I've had pretty bad psychotic reactions to steroids in the past, so I'm just toughing this out w/ Rice Dream and ice packs to neck. Thanks again for the supportive site. Can't say I feel great now, but it's a finite thing, and all indications are that they really, really needed to come out. If you've had chronic, severe tonsillitis for years, (as I have,) find a trustworthy surgeon, and just take the plunge. Keeping them is a huge drain on the immune system, and, though painful now, I think the long-term benefit will be well worth it. Erik (2004-04-01): Excellent news JG. The second day is the worst, so you're almost over the hump. From now on, life is going to be a lot more pleasant. SAM (2004-04-01): JG Have you tried Toffuti Ice Cream I survied on it for the two weeks I was healing. JG (2004-04-02): Thanks for the tip SAM--I prefer Rice Dream, a rice-based ice-cream substitute, because I find rice easier to digest than soy. Also, I'm hypoglycemic, and Tofutti has refined sweeteners--Rice Dream is sweetened with brown rice syrup, which metabolizes much more gradually. I spent many years in the natural foods industry, and have a pretty good background in nutrition. And not to get preachy, but folks, cutting the dairy out of your diet--and reducing intake of animal foods in general--will do wonders for sinus and allergy issues. I've been a veg for 30 years, and vegan for almost 20. Been a competitve cyclist, too, so I can attest that it's possible to eat a balanced, nutritious diet w/o meat or dairy. I'm not a militant vegetarian, and I know what human dentition looks like, but believe me--milk is food for baby cows, not adult humans, and it can be very, very mucus producing. Rant over--everyone's body responds to something different, but I really believe that nutrition is the cornerstone of good health. (BTW--Rice Dream isn't distributed as widely as Tofutti, but you should be able to get your local nat'l foods store to order it--it's made by Imagine Foods. Highly recommended for anyone with congestion issues, and pretty tasty to boot. Of course I haven't eaten real ice cream since 1979, so I'm sure my basis for comparison is poor...) OK, I'm ramblling again, but I'm still on lots of pain meds. iId rather avoid them, but w/o Percoset, I can't drink, and hydration is key to healing and keeping fever down. Finally, you're right on, Erik: Day three is much, much better than day two. I like this trend. DaveE Bristol UK (2004-04-04): JG funny you metnion milk is for baby cows, I used to love milk by the gallon! following my tonsilectomy I think it's awfull stuff! latoshia (2004-04-04): I'm a 26 year old female and I had my tonsils taken out Wed. March 31, 2004. Today is Sunday April 3, 2004. I'm doing much better. My ulvula is swollen and is sitting on the back of my tounge. It is somewhat hard for me to swallow. But I must admit it is much better. JG (2004-04-04): Any idea of when I might expect to get my voice back? In a brilliant bit of comedic timing, I got called in to a job interview two days after surgery. With Susan acting as my vocal proxy, and me scribbling notes, I tentatively set it up for Friday upcoming, nine days post-surgery. They were very understanding about the possibility of re-scheduling, and I'd like to make as good an impression as possible. Now, on day five, unable to speak and still living for the next painkiller, I'm wondering if this is going to be possible... Kris (2004-04-04): Thanks for the page-hope someone can help me with some concerns. Had a uvulaectomy 2 days ago on 4-2-04. Went very well. Was in and out of the office in half an hour. Somewhat a sore throat of course hard to swallow becuse of the swelling. Feeling good otherwise maybe tired from the tylenol with codine. Believe I'm still snoring and breathing hard and heavy at times while sleeping. Can anyone give me any ideas on if the snoring and breathing get better or go away? Any input that may be helpful would be appreciated. Thanks. Erik (2004-04-05): JG & Kris, as I'm sure you've read above, healing time varies wildly from person to person. Everyone heals differently, and I think it depends a lot on how much tissue you had removed, and how long you were on the table. I wish you both good luck. JG: I think you'll be OK, but have someone drive you, and take it easy. Latoshia (2004-04-08): I'm a lot better know. My throat is remains sore after a week and 1 day, but I'm able to eat a little more. Still only soft foods. I still takes me one hour to eat though. The scab is still on the back of my throat and my uvula remains swollen. Today was my first day back to work. It was hard because I was out for a week. I'm still weak and I get tired when I do a lot of walking. I have not had to take any pain med. since Saturday. I thank God for my healing. From the begining I made myself drink plenty of water. I knew of a girl that had the same type of sugery. She had a hard time because she was hard headed and would not drink and she also eat some fried Chx. There is no way I would think of doing such a thing. With me working in the health care field I kind of knew what to expect and what I could do for a speedy recovery. James in FL (2004-04-12): This page rocks! As for me, I am getting surgery in 9 days. I am getting tonsillectomy, soft palate removal, and getting my deviated septum aligned. This seems like lots of surgery, my only concern is post-op bleeding but it should be fine. Some of you said you only got tylenol/codene for pain, if they give me that I'll murder them! LOL j/k I'll re-post to give info on how it went. Wish me luck! Christine - Santa Monica (2004-04-14): i had my tonsillectomy on monday, april 12 - just two days ago. i am happily surprised that i don't feel as bad as i've read i should. my only worry now is the taste, or rather lack of. sweet things, like ice cream and pudding, don't taste like anything at all. and smells that used to smell good, now don't. everything seems a little "off". it's probably too early to tell though what's up with this side effect. my doc used coblation which is supposed to be lighter on pain and bleeding and i'm really glad i don't have stitches on top of everything else. Erik (2004-04-14): Christine, you're lucky you feel so well! Enjoy that, don't worry about taste and smell, they'll come back in time. Remember, you're all swollen (or were), on medication, and they took tissue out of your head! Give it time to all come back into ballance. Good luck! Diane _UK (2004-04-20): Had a tonsillectomy carried out on Friday, April 16th after having umpteen bouts of tonsillitis over my 36 years. I've had a few surgeries in the past that required 6 week convalescence periods and I've always bounced back quicker than expected and required very little pain medication. Oh boy has this been different. The surgery itself only took about 18 minutes from the records, but they took out 2 large clots in recovery. I woke up in recovery. They gave me a whack of pain medication in theatre/recovery and as a result I was zonked for the day, and unfortunately awoke dehydrated, and in a lot of pain by late afternoon. I've never been good with soluble medicine so when they gave me soluble diclofenac it promptly came up 30 seconds later with a lot of old blood (must have been swallowed earlier). Anyway had pain medication delivered in alternative ways. There seem to be very different ideas on what should be eaten post-tonsillectomy. The nurses refused to let me eat soup or ice cream and would only let me eat crispy/crunchy foods such as cereal or for some reason, sandwiches which I couldn't swallow without them sticking at the back of my throat and making me gag. I did manage some cereal by the next morning so was discharged as per schedule but was forced to drink fresh orange juice with it (by nursing assistant who was adamant I had to have it - though the sister on the ward was horrified when she came round later). Still felt nauseous on discharge and was sick twice during the hour long car journey home (that was a real joy). Since being home, I've drunk loads water which does seem to help but the earache is awful even with chewing gum as advised. Yesterday (third day post op) was the worst yet pain wise but I've definitely found that chewing gum and keeping drinking helps in the long run - but dread sleeping due to the drying out overnight. On the subject of throat appearance - definitely still white on the tonsil beds though that is decreasing, and smell wise everything seems to smell different. For instance, I usually adore the smell of my shampoo and now I can't stand it. Have never brushed my teeth so much either but it definitely keeps the bad breath at bay! Seeing my gp this morning for him to assess whether progress, fill prescription for painkillers that will run out this afternoon and to assess whether antibiotics are required. Can't wait to get back to normal although it's unfortunate I've had so much tonsillitis this year when I'd change career to teaching via an employment based training route. I received a letter a couple of days before the surgery to say I would not be allowed to complete my training due to sickness absence this year (40 days) although it doesn't say when my employment will end (one year training contract and it's not spelt out in it what happens if the training aspect ends). The college (which act as assessor of the course) agreed with my proceeding with surgery asap (during Easter) as this would show that I took getting the problem sorted quickly but obviously this hasn't been enough for the school. Guess I'll be using the second week of convalescence to job hunt! Dhia_UK (2004-04-20): Apologies for the essay (and the mistakes in the above) - was at peak earache when making that post! Erik (2004-04-22): Diane, sorry to hear this has been such an ordeal for you. I has chronic tonsillitis too for years before I finally got to have the operation. I don't know why doctors wait so long, I'm sure we'd all have more strong immune systems if they didn't. Then again, surgery is a big deal, even small ones, as we can see here! Good luck, I'm sure you'll start feeling better now, it sounds like you're coming over the hump. Susan (2004-04-22): It's been 14 days since my tonsillectomy. The doctor gave me Tylenol/Codein for 5 days only for painkiller, which I spilled a lot due to reduced motor ability after the surgery. However, the greatest thing that bothered me was not the pain--but the inability to eat--and I lost 8 pounds in 2 weeks. So the question: I can eat now, but NOTHING taste good--everything is BITTER--and there is stuff covering all my tongue, which I think is why things taste so BADLY. Does anyone know when foods will actually taste decent again? Erik (2004-04-22): Susan, as you'll read here, everyone heals differently. Lots of people have said that post-op food tastes badly, but it'll clear up as your wounds close, and everything else goes back to normal. Remember, there are at least two giant gaping holes in the back of your mouth. It's going to affect taste, smell, and lots of other things. Talk to your doctor if you think something is wrong, but you're experience seems pretty normal. It should go away in time. Surrey_Dave (2004-04-27): Am sitting here at 5:12am, 4 days after my tonsils and some soft palete went in the bin, having been woken up with the mother of all earaches. Just reading this site has helped me to realise what's normal/not. Have been fine during the day, eating most normal food (doctor advised me to stick to 'crisp' food to dislodge any infection), it's just when I wake up that the pain is intense. Co-codamol is my new drink of choice! Good site. James in FL (2004-04-29): It has been 8 days since my tonsillectomy, UP3, and septoplasty plus turbinate reduction. I am doing somewhat better but its still tough to eat as each time I swallow it hurts. Had nasal splints but had to go back to hospital for bleeding and got 5" packing jammed into nose (ouch!!!). I lost 13 pounds in 6 days! The pain is better only so bad is when I wake up, doc gave me lortab elixir for that :) will post more if complications arise Marcie from RI (2004-05-03): Hi GREAT web site! I'm having a tonsillectomy/Uvulaectomy done in the morning 5/4/04. I've rescheduled twice, but am determined to go through with it tomorrow morning. I'm a 42 year old woman with mild sleep hypopnea (not exactly sleep apnea, but related) and have had a bad snoring history for many years. My Dr. recommended the uvulaectomy, but I thought that having the tonsils removed (although they are very small and give me no trouble) couldn't hurt. They are leaving the soft palate alone. I'm scared to death, but after reading the website, it seems like almost 100% of people who have had this done find the results very beneficial (after the pain goes away to some degree!!). That's really nice to know. Wish me luck!! Erik (2004-05-03): Good luck Marcie! Marcie from RI (2004-05-08): 4th day post op: I've had a really rough time these last 3 days. My throat is killing me, I live from narcotic to narcotic. I have ice packs on the outsides of my neck constantly or my ears ache. I feel like, and sound like I drowning in snot (sorry to be gross). I've lost 10 pounds in 5 days, all water. I've also been told that If I don't keep properly hydrated the scabs in the back of my throat will rip off and start bleeding, sending me to the emergency room. Let me tell you, it is impossible to drink as much as I am supposed to! They want me to take in a gallon a day, I'm lucky if I get even half of that, it hurts so bad to swallow. I'm light headed from not eating, and all drugged out. Luckily I don't seem to get an upset tummy from the pills on an empty stomach. I can't sleep for more than 3 hours at a time, cuz' that's when the oxycodone wears off (I'm only to take it every 4 hours, so the last hour is agony). Anyway, I'm not having fun at the moment. The good part is I can tell a difference in breathing. My uvula was very enlarged, and it is wonderful not having that icky thing sitting on the back of my tongue any more! I always felt like I had post nasal drip, but now know it was just the uvula. It sounds like the "hump" was supposed to be a few days ago, and now it is day 5 and I'm still in great pain and can't eat. Like "Rach" who posted above, my tongue is hurting almost as much as my throat!! It is all purple and bruised on the sides. I can't imagine chewing gum though, just the thought makes me hurt!! I'll write in a few days with an update. Erik (2004-05-09): Sorry Marcie, you seem to have gotten the short end of the deal. I too lost several pounds in the first week. Keep hydrated, and you'll come over that hump, eventually. Just focus on that silver lining you can already see: You can breathe! Good Luck! Frederic, New York (2004-05-13): Erik: Thank you for this page! I had a UPPP 21 days ago and all of the info here helped me get through the worst, knowing what to possibly expect. My uvula and soft palate were HUGE. Now I can breathe easier, I don't snore (I'm told I now "purr",) and I consistently sleep nine hours a night, instead of 12 to 13 before surgery. Daytime sleepiness is gone and I no longer fall asleep on the subway every day! It was painful and scary but it has been worth it. Ya just gotta be brave. My doctor reminded me that every one of his patients got through it, annoying as it is. I am still experiencing the gag reflex phenomena that BrianMNUSA mentions. Has it subsided, Brian? Anyone? I'm also at the three week mark. It bugs the heck out of me. Marcie: My advice: Don't look at it. (Helped me...) You'll just worry more. It's not cosmetic surgery. Just do your best to stay hydrated! A vaporizer helped me a lot. broadwaylizzard (2004-05-14): Hi. I am 15 years old and i am getting my tonsils out in a month. I was wondering how big the IV is compared to the big scary ones that you give blood with. Erik (2004-05-15): Boradwaylizzard, you need not worry. The IV needles are MUCH smaller than those used to take blood. I fact, they're so small, that I didn't even notice when mine was put in, or taken out. broadwaylizzard (2004-05-15): Thanks! Now I'm not so worried. cindy (2004-05-18): I had a UPPP, tonsillectomy and septoplasty on Thursday May 13th. I wish I had found your site prior to my surgery. Yesterday I felt "ok". Could swallow without too much pain, but today, I feel just crumby. Earache, throat pain, tired and probably depressed, feeling like I made a hudge mistake and will never be the same. I feel like a big whimp because I still need to take pain meds every 4 hours in order to drink or eat. I go to the ent tomorrow. I am 45 years old. Is this normal? Does it get worse before better? Quik tip - I keep a mist spray bottle by my bed and spray all the time in addition to drinking lots (as much as I can) of liquid. Erik (2004-05-18): Cindy, at 45 you're probably not going to heal as quickly as some of us kids. It's always a good idea to be in close communication with your doctor, but I don't think you should feel like a whimp. Many people seem to just take longer to heal. General health, age, fitness, and I'm sure the scope and length of the surgery all factor into recovery time. Good luck! Christine-Santa Monica (2004-05-18): Hi - I had my tonsillectomy on 4/12/04, 5 weeks ago and the taste in my mouth is still awful and I am unable to taste much of any food I eat. The worst though is the bad taste in my mouth. Does anyone have any info or experience with this? It's awful! Thanks. Tracy in GA (2004-05-20): I had my tonsillectomy on 5/11/2004. This was done in the Doctor's office as an outpatient. My surgery was scheduled for 2:00, I was home by 5:00, less a set of rotten tonsils. I never had any sleep tests done, but was always tired and had throat problems. The first week was horrid. I am allergic to Percoset so I got sent home with Meperzine for severe pain, Oxycodone for moderate pain, Lidocaine in a viscous solution, and Tetracaine lollipops, but no antibiotics. I was told that with the laser surgery that I would have less pain and heal faster. Well, if this is the "easy" way, then I don't want to know what the hard way is like. The first week was nothing but pain pills and sleep - usually two hours at a time and then 2 hours of suffering before I could take another pain pill. I was told not to eat ice cream until Saturday, but when I did, it burned. I have also noticed that I'm not as tired when I wake up. My pain usually got more severe during the day and the middle of the night. Now, 9 days later, my constant pain is almost gone, just not the swallowing pain (and the constant feeling that I'm going to hurl). I'm still on soups and drinking through a straw. One other good thing, I've quit smoking (after 20 years and as a bonus for my husband) and have lost about 20 lbs. By the way, I'm 34 years old and own my own business. I just started back trying to work some today. I was trying to do some computer work the second day, but was in a drug fog most of the time. I'm really looking forward to being able to drink a Diet Coke and eat some pizza (or anything besides soup). I guess I'll quit rambling now. I really wish I had found this site before my surgery. Kris (2004-05-21): Had my uvulaectomy done on 4-2-04. Have been back to the ENT for post op checks twice now. One at 3 weeks and one at 6 weeks. Still snoring the same. The doctor now is talking about tightening the tongue> Is this a somnoplasty? I'm hoping this may help. Has anyone had this, or know of it? Thanks. Georgia (2004-05-23): I had my tonsils out due to the chronic tonsillitis that had been coming back over the last couple of years. I had them out just last tuesday. It's now sunday at 4:36 am. I've spent every night on the couch sleeping sitting up with ice packs around my neck. The day of the surgery I was put on codeine and morphine. It must've been the morphine because that day was the best i've felt so far. Swallowing was easy, talking was easy, i was just a little irritated (perhaps by the fact that my doc burned my lip and my tongue ^is that a normal thing to have happen?^). The biggest annoyance was the swelling of my uvula and soft pallet. It felt like i had something constantly stuck in my throat. The day after I came home I threw up once, which was not fun and everything in my throat was still huge. My advice would be to continue drinking even right after you throw up, the longer you wait the harder it becomes. I'm surprised at the number of others who were given percocet, I was given tylonal and codeine. I stuck with the codeine for the first four days, every three hours on the dot. The first hour after taking it would bring relief, but by the third hour i was crying for more. I've switched over to the tylonal, at least now i don't half pass out every hour. last night i attempted to eat some noodles. I'm not sure what happened but after a few bites i was spitting up my scabs. (yes i know this is all horribly disgusting) Another thing no one has seemed to mention is those people who wont understand the pain us tonsillectomy patients are going through. I had one friend call me a drama queen. Which was uncalled for and really hurt. I guess some people are just ugly on the inside. The uvula has now gone down and the scabs are starting to fall off. But that also means the earaches are starting. I've just tried to stay as quiet as possible. No harsh lighting or noises. Thank god i've had my mother to take care of me. I'm 18 and have felt like such a baby from all the pain but this site has brougt a great deal of comfort, to know that others have gone through the exact same thing and know how much this sucks. The surgery is easiest on little kids, i guess they bounce back faster. But the older you get the longer the recovery takes. My heart goes out to you in your 30s and 40s who are getting the proceedure done. Hopefully it's been worth it. I spend most of the day thinking about all of the things i cant wait to eat once i'm done with recovery. Mmmmmmm crunchy things. Good luck to those getting this done in the future and I thank everyone who has already shared their story. john in richmond va. (2004-05-23): i had a tonsillectomy,uppp,septoplasty,turbinite cautery/outfracture procedure done 10 days ago on 05/13/04. i really wish i had seen this site before the surgery. there are so many questions and concerns that could have been answered if i only knew. i had no idea about the intense pain i would have to go through.(even with the pain medication taken every 3 hours(instead of every 4-6 hours as perscribed). i have had 3 scabs come off in the past 3 days. this was very scary because the blood just came gushing out of my mouth and seemed like it would never stop. lucky for me my wife has a good head on her shoulders and called the doctor on call before just rushing me to the hospital. they told us this is normal and to put ice cold water in my mouth and keep it there until it stops.i was starting to panic (big time) even the 2nd & 3rd time it happened. here it is day#10 and it's almost over.i also have lost weight because i have had nothing but liquids for the past 10 days. the reason for my surgery was sleep apnea. i would stop breathing 25-30 times per hour.all of my life i sleep anywhere at anytime. i cannot even drive 1 hour on the road before trying to fall asleep behind the wheel. i believe only by the grace of god i never had a sleep related accident.i was suppose to use the c-cap machine during the past 5 years. i think i used it 10 times total. i was determined not to use it because it was so uncomfortable and needless to say did nothing to encourage my sex life. for now i will close and i will write again in 2 weeks to give my testimony on what a great new life i am having. Frederic, New York (2004-05-23): OK All you newbies, Here's my point of view: I only had a UPPP so I can't give advice on tonsils being removed. BUT for those of you who have had the UPPP, I'll drop some pearls of wisdom. I'm now 32 days post-op. I has been annoying and hard to deal with, but I'm here to tell you it does get better. My pain and numbness and gag reflex are all SLOWLY going away. Let me repeat: SLOWLY. It takes a long time for the nerves to regenerate. Be patient. I'm tellling you this and I'll bet I'm the most impatient of you all! I can identify with the above remark about feeling you made a huge mistake. If it helps with the sleep apnea, it was not a mistake. Search the internet for "REM deprivation" and you'll come up with some compelling reasons for having the surgery to hopefully help. Kris: I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on TV, but has your doctor mentioned any other possible solutions? You say you had a uvulaectoomy, but was it a full UPPP? (Involving also the soft palate tissue, or just the uvula was trimmed down?) Maybe you have an excess of tissue, as I did. It could be the tonsils in the way, upper airway obstruction or deformity, jaw structure, there is Hyoid advancement to pull the tongue forward. I suppose your doctor was choosing the least invasive treatment before recommending more drastic proceedures. I believe somnoplasty IS the laser treatment on the back of the tongue. The tissue is apparently lightly "burned" under the surface to reduce the bulk fo the tongue. Supposedly it is useful, my doctor ruled it out because control of a laser for this kind of proceedure is still less precise than using a scalpel (Possibility of burning tissue in the back of the throat.) and my uvula and soft palate were glaringly obvious as the reason for obstruction. I'm not trying to scare you, every proceedure has it's negative aspects. Have you also been diagnosed with or tested for sleep apnea? My other observation: In searching the internet, I have come across various websites that vary GREATLY in their use of statistics to compel you why certain proceedures aren't as efficacious as others. I believe the this is because they're trying to steer you in their direction for treatment. Dentists will tell you why their appliances are the best and safest treatment for snoring. CPAP manufacturers have websites telling you why surgery is dangerous and that only a CPAP machine will help. Other "sleep clinics" tell you that laser surgery is the safest way to go. All of these websites cite "statistics" to back up their claims. "UPPP Surgery only helps in 17% of sleep apnea cases." Well, yeah, if your jaw or tongue is the problem, of course it won't help. The trick is discovering what's causing the snoring or apnea in the first place. Jamie G (2004-05-24): Hello! I had my tonsils out 3 weeks ago and still have pieces of what i hope are scabs in the back of my throat, my uvula is still somewhat swollen and i have horrible breath! I am worried because it's been so long. I am 26...have any of you had longer recoveries as well? Erik (2004-05-25): John, that does sound pretty scary! I had just a brief nose bleed (big for a nose bleed, but I certainly wouldn't say "gushing"), and that freaked me out! Glad to hear you're healing, and I wish you luck! Erik (2004-05-25): Georgia, sounds like you're having a rough time. Living from pill to pill is certainly not a fun time. It should be short lived though! (It's taken me so long to respond, that you might already be feeling better, I hope so.) Erik (2004-05-25): Jamie G, three weeks isn't too bad, certainly there have been people here who took far longer to heal, but it's always a good idea to check with your doctor. Good luck! tess (2004-05-26): hi - 21, in MN and just had my tonsils out 6 days ago - chronic tonsillitis (however it's spelled). I never had problems until I went to college and then had trouble ll the time - it started effecting my grades and my job, everyhting. finally had a doctor listen to me after 3 years (i realize this isn't a log time to some people, but i'd never had so much as the flu before and cold almost never hit me - in Minnesota) so finally I get the surgury done - i was so nervous my pulse was up to 103 in the pre-op room, so i asked the nurse for something to calm me down - i was so close to bolting - and from there on felt fine. have spent the last few days in pain, but nothign too bad- i went off the tylenol/codeine mixture (in pill form, for whatever crazy reason) teo days ago - three days ago. the first day i tried to go without any painkillers and i wouldn't recommned that- i jsut got really, really crank trying to control the pain and it seem like crying with my throat like this would just hurt. but even through the pain isn't so bad- i haven't been able to eat anything - a bite or two each days,but nothign substancial and ice cream, sobert, and popcicles just hurt. so really only chicken broth, apple juice, and water. so far it's just been horrible and i haven't noticed any results. I can't even sleep more than a few hours at a time because i dream that i'm chokcing (my throat's so swollen) and either my tongue dries out if i sleep on my back or i drool all over the place if i sleep on my side (and we're talking cute little, aww isn't she adorable asleep drool, but like i might as well have puked up water amounts of drool) so in regards to that, i'm not too happy. but i guess it's a good thing because my boctor said my tonsils were some of the worst she'd ever seen and that they were falling apart as she was takin them out, they were so rotten (sorry abtout imagery) I had soem questions though: 1. People kept on mentioning gum-chewing as a way of unstiffening your tongue/jaw. Does this really work? 2. Did any one else have other things go wrong with their body whiel they were recovering (i.e. getting a boil or a yeast infection)? 3. does the sense of taste eventaully come back? (i.e. does it always take a long time) 4. How long on average did it take for people's voices to come back? (this could be an issue at my job) so, thanks Kris (2004-05-26): I asked for a copy of my records from the cclinic including the SNAP test results as I wanted to see if there is something the doctor said that I might have missed. I'm not sure if I want the procedure done on my tongue. Stiffening the base. Could this effect my speech? What are other down sides to this procedure? Do I want another opinion? My snoring analysis says it shows 100% Type I snoring. No apneas. Post-op visit doctor said the pallate is the way he wants it. My uvula was completely taken. Any info that may be helpful or suggestive websites would be much appreciated. Thanks. My appt. for the tongue procedure is here soon. It's set for June 1st. I may postpone. Wayne (2004-05-29): I had an Apnea test in Singapore several months ago and they said the machine would help...no mention of surgery. My doctor in the US last summer immediately wanted to cut...reduce the uvula and soft tissue. I can manage the apnea only if I'm careful, but some days I forget.. like last night I slept on my back and now my uvula is swollen and very red...not bleeding, but looks like it. So my dilema is that both machine or cutting will cost about the same (not covered by insurance) and I am not someone who likes surgery at all. On the other hand, the machine is small, but I often have to travel to weird places in Asia and hauling another gadget around, well maybe it's inevitable. I'd just like to hear from people who did the machine... and then got fed up and did the surgery or kept up the machine. Is it really that inconvenient? BTW, I am not a fan of painkillers either. Frederic, New York (2004-05-31): If anyone has doubts, I would Recommend Postponing. Kris: What ever surgery you choose, it is irreversable. Let time help you decide. Get as much info as you need to make an informed decision. You'll feel better about your choice. My Opinion. Kris (2004-06-03): My husband and I decided to wait before doing anymore procedures. Having a copy of my records, I've decided to get another opinion. Will be calling to set something up. Thanks. megan (2004-06-03): Nothing prepares you for a tonsillectomy. I was scared up until it was done and then I went into "deal with it mode". I am 22 years old and I have been dealing with tonsil stones and infections for the last 5 years. The first two days after surgery were ok. To me I thought it was no big deal. The thrid day was a whole new story. I had a lot of pain from the 3rd day to the 8th day. I was real concerned during that time that I had an infection or that I was doing something wrong; but the truth was that I was just healing and it takes a while. today is the 9th day and I am in a little bit of pain when I swallow but for the most part I am functional and off pain medication. I had a rough time on the 5 th day when I bleed for two hours . I must have scracthed off a part of the scab but luckly it was not a hemorage and the doctor took care of it with a 5 min painless procedure of burning the open area closed. I am not sure if this surgerey was the best thing I did but I am able to handle it now. Good luck to those who go through this. It gets better JamieG (2004-06-03): Tess- I experienced everything you are experiencing when i had my tonsils out one month ago and it took me a full 2 weeks to get back on my feet, eating, talking etc, and still after a month my body is not back to normal. Funny you should mention the yeast infection because I did get one but could not figure out why. I also have had major digestion problems (constipation) which i hear is a side effect of codeine but i stopped taking it 3 weeks ago and have not returned to normal...I guess what I'm saying Tess is, I know that you feel absolutely horrible right now, but you will recover, I promise. It will just take some time, but you are completely normal! Anna (2004-06-04): Tess and JamieG - Were you given an antibiotics? If so, that is probably the reason for your yeast infection. I get one every time I start a new antibiotic. Apparently the medicine kills off the good bacteria that controls the yeast (or whatever). Your body usually gets use to the medicine after a week or so. Fortunately for me I was already on an antibiotic a month before my procedure, so I had already been through the infection. I am 19 and I had my tonsillectomy/uvuleactomy nine days ago. I am relieved to hear that my experiences are normal. I am still in a lot of pain even though I was told I would be up and running after a week. Now my doctor says it will be another week so I guess I'm a slow healer. I'm having a lot of trouble swallowing, it seems to be forced and is still very painful. I am also struggling with food going up my nose instead of down my throat. Because of all my problems, I haven't been eating much so my energy is very low. I have to go back to work on Monday so I have to force myself to eat more. My mother just bought me Ensure, but it tastes terrible. My nights are the worst, I wake up every two hours crying like a baby because of the pain. I have to sip on water for about ten minutes before I can go back to sleep. This has been a horrendous nine days and I still have pain ahead of me, but I don't regret the surgery. I can tell that my sleep has improved which will make my life improve. I can wait to get a full nights sleep :) Great site!! vic (2004-06-05): Hello Erik, great site, I just got turbinate surgury and a spetum correction this past week and boy it hurt like hell. I was wondering, how was it like after the doctor took off your nasal packing, did your nose bleed as much? I still am experiencing a slow bleeding/oozing once in a while. Did you experience any problems with your turbinates swelling up again? Thank you for sharing your experience and insight. Lisa (2004-06-06): Hi Erik! Definitely a great site. I am 20 days post op. I had tonsillectomy/adnoidectomy. Mine was done in Germany and I have to say they believe in pain over here. I was only given diclofenac. Basically an NSAID type med, but it was enough to take the edge off. Like a lot of the people here I felt like it got worse every day, and by day five was worried I had an infection of some sort. I went to bed thinking that if it wasn't better in the morning I would have to go back to the hospital. I woke up at 5 am with a thick tickling in my throat and coughed one time. That was enough to start me hemmorageing, I just happened to be one of the small percentage of unlucky people. I had to take a bucket with me in the car as a friend drove me to the hospital. After looking at me they decided it wasn't going to stop on it's own and rolled me into surgery a half an hour later. Talk about wondering what you've gotten yourself into. Forty five minutes later I was awake and doing fine. They only recauterized the small area where I had the problem. Even though I had a second surgery, pain was still never as bad as day five after the first one for me.I must still have a little swelling. My voice was much worse for the week after the second surgery, but now sounds normal to everyone but me. There is no pain, just a tightness I can feel particularly if I yawn. My big question is about swallowing. I have read a couple of people complaining about it, but wonder how long it will generally take to get the new method down. Just when I think I've got it down, without thinking I'll take a big gulp of something and here it comes right out of my nose! Forget drinking anything carbonated! I fear I will never again enjoy a coke!I am so sick of water, but it is the only thing I know isn't going to sting if it comes out of my nose. Any stories, suggestions or time tables to measure myself by? Erik (2004-06-07): Vic, I did not have any nasal packing, but I did have quite a bit of nasal bleeding. After a couple of days, it stopped, and I begun using a warm saline wash to get all the dried blood out of there. As for more swelling: Yes, my turbinites are almost always swelled, but due to my alergies. I'm simply grateful to have less turbinite tissue to swell! Erik (2004-06-07): Lisa, it took me about 10 days to recover, and re-learn how to swallow. Sodas took a bit longer, but you will get used to it, I'm back to my 2 liter/day Dr. Pepper habit. What I ended up doing was changing my swallowing movement to more like what I did before the surgery to take a big gulp. I kind of move the liquid farther back in my mouth, and force it down with my tounge, if that makes any sense. Vic (2004-06-07): Hello Erik, thank you for your reply, I got my nasal packing off today, one thing I notice though was I couldn't smell anything and everything I ate I can't taste, did you experience this problem? Hopefully I haven't lost my sense of smell and taste. I am just hoping that I get my sense of smell and taste back through time, hopefully in the next few weeks. Erik (2004-06-07): Vic, I never experienced any loss of smell or taste, but several other people here have. I'm sure it'll come back, but when in doubt, ask your doctor. Wendy (2004-06-09): I recently had full sinus surgery having my turbinate bones removed and my septum straightened nad my tonsills removed. I am 23 the seventh and eighth day after my surgery all i could do was cry. I couldnt even get down pain meds. Its now 13 days post op and I still feel horrible my throat is killing me and I am way past my pain meds. Is this normal? I hate it. Please email me back PhoenixBabe2003@msn.com Thanks Erik (2004-06-09): Wendy, if you're still in pain, you should get more pain medication. There's no reason for you to suffer. Call your doctor, and if he doesn't prescribe something, call a different doctor. MichelleAL (2004-06-10): I'm having a tonsillectomy at 7:15 tomorrow morning... I wasn't very nervous about it, and scheduled to be back at work Tuesday or Wednesday. I'm usually pretty good with pain- went back to work 5 days after having a baby... He stayed in my office. I'm hearing all these horror stories and hoping I don't get to write my own... Thanks so much for all the info! MichelleAL (2004-06-10): Additional... My doc is giving me liquid Demoral for pain. Do you think that'll do the trick? Erik (2004-06-11): JG posted a while back that Demoral was the only thing that worked for them, but if you're in doubt check with your doctor. It'd probably be a good idea to also ask him/her what you should do if the Demoral didn't do the trick. MichelleAL (2004-06-11): I haven't had to take but one dose... pain's not nearly as bad as I was expecting. After years of one strep infection after another, this doesn't hurt nearly as bad. Of course, it's my first day... I gather tomorrow won't be quite the breeze. Wish me luck! MicheleP (2004-06-16): I had my tonsils removed on May 14th, 2004, almost 5 weeks ago. It was the worst pain I've ever had, hands down...I gave birth to 2 kids with no meds and this hurt worse. Anyway, I'm not here to ask or talk about the pain, it's obvious...what I am bothered with at this particular moment is my taste buds in and around the very back of my tongue. It tastes like Sweet 'N' Low is back there or just Nutrasweet is stuck back there. Does anyone know if these taste buds grow back? And, which taste buds are these? Bitter? Sour? I can't tell which it tastes like. This new "taste" just started yesterday and is constantly bothering me. My saliva glands are going crazy. Kris (2004-06-16): Questions here--I've had my uvula removed, hoping to help my sleep problems. Snoring hard heavy breathing and various other sleep sounds. That didn't help. I did the SNAP (sleep test) done at home. I have type 1 snoring, if that means anything. I read where some on this site have had anything from septum correction, to turbinate surgery, and tonsillectomy. My doctor said my tonsils look good. What did these procedures help correct. I'm considering a second opinion, but have gotten a little frustrated and haven't gone through with it. I don't feel a somnoplasty is the answer. Erik (2004-06-17): MicheleP, several people have complained of bad or odd tastes. I suspect they'll go away, but it never hurts to check with your doctor! Erik (2004-06-17): Kris, a second opinion couldn't hurt! MichelleAL (2004-06-18): My pain has not been nearly as intense as some have described, guess I got lucky... But it won't go away! It's been a week now and I feel exactly the same! When does it get back to normal??? Megan (2004-06-19): Erik-Great Web Site! It has been 3 weeks from my tonsillectomy and the pain has gone away. To all who wonder when then pain will stop ~it stop for me almost three weeks to the date (horrible pain till then). The doctor says it will be tender when I yawn and sneeze for a couple more weeks. I have taste buds on my right side of my mouth I am waiting for the bitterness to go away on the left (funny the ways your body heals I guess the right is better than the left). I think this website is great for people going through this because it comes with so much pain which then gives you anxiety. Thanks for all the advice going crazy (2004-06-29): my son, age 9, just had his tonsile and adnoids out along with tubes put in his ears. Its been 8 days since and were very concerned! He wont eat or drink no matter what! He lives on pop-sicles and his meds. He cries all day and night and its like pulling hens teeth to get him to take the medication. 3 days ago he was stung by a bee on the toe, coming in from the car,{I told him to put his shoes on} and now all of a sudden its all red and swolen going up his foot. I cant give him anything because of all the meds he's on and so now I find there isnt enough gel ice-packs in the house! I am an e.m.t. and still I find that this whole mess is very stressful! I know he has lost at least 10 lbs already and I'm afraid he will have to be put back into the hosp. I feel sorry for anyone who has to go through this! After all this is over, I really hope he has no more bouts of strep and ear infections! How much should people have to go through just to try and be more healthy? Seems kinda contradictory to me.This kinda surgery is not to be taken lightly and all who are faced with the decision should think long and hard. Tim (2004-06-29): Erik, Did you think that when you started this thread that so many would reply? I'm glad I found it. I'm scheduled for the Triple U (tonsilectomy, uvula, adenoids and soft palate) this Thursday (1 July) I just did a google search and your site came up. All I can say is thanks and most of my questions have been answered. The general consensus is...it hurts! Looking forward to THAT I must say. Tim (2004-06-29): By the way...I'm 41. Erik (2004-06-29): Going Crazy, if your son won't eat or drink, he may by now be severely dehydrated. Get him back to his doctor, or the Emergency Room ASAP. Lots of people here have noticed loss of apetite and weight, but nobody can go without water! Erik (2004-06-29): Tim, I'm very glad this site could help you, and so many others, but no, I never had any idea this page would become so popular, and it does scare me a bit. (Hense the disclaimer top and bottom.) I'm thinking about implementing a much more robust comment system just to deal with this page, and others which are similarly popular! vic (2004-07-04): Just an update for everyone viewing this page, a month ago I had turbinate surgery and I complained about not tasting and smelling anything. Well my smell and taste came back after 3 to 4 weeks after the surgery and I am breathing better through my nose. I now don't have to rely on nasal sprays and antihistamines anymore! But as always before you go under the knife do your research, I guess I am the lucky majority that benefited from turbinate surgery. Kris (2004-07-06): Vic I see you had turbinate surgery and spetum correction done. Can I ask how that came to be? I had a uvulaectomy done, which helped with my snoring problems, but still am breathing heavy and hard most every night when sleeping. Also makilng other noises while sleeping. Have had a second opinion. I believe my turbinates are a problem. Doctor has me using a nasal spray every other night to see if that helps with the breathing. It's only been a week, but not noticing any difference yet. Also, what is spetum correction? Anyone have these same type of problems.Thanks Tim (2004-07-06): Now that I can sit at a computer...After the surgery I felt fine. The day after I felt fine and was wondering what everyone was complaining about. On the second evening the pain started to get worse and on the third day, I wanted to die. The drugs they gave me started messing with my head and I started thinking that the doctor screwed up. I had a sinus drip that prevented me from sleeping very well and only after I took a Tylenol Sinus which dried me up, I slept very well for about 5 hours. Tonight should be better but the swelling is still far from down and my most painful moment is swallowing. The pain isn't from the operation site it is in the lymph nodes below my jawbone. They really hurt still. I can honestly say I'm feeling better every day now and I hope the surgery was a success. We'll see. Erik (2004-07-07): Ugh! Sounds like you're over the hump Tim, so hang on! Good luck. vic (2004-07-11): Kris, I had my septum, sorry for the mispelling (the cartilage/bone that is the wall that divides your nasal airway) and my turbinates surgery, because I had allergies problems that always enlarged my turbinates to the point of having my breathing block through my nostril. My left side of my nostil was usually 80 percent blocked and my right side was usually blocked about 40 percent. My nasal breathing will get worst when I would get allergies also. For many years I was on antihistimines and nasal sprays like claranex, and nasanox. One day I was reading the los angeles times and I ran into an article talking about nasal surgery. Check out websites out there involving turbinate surgery there are alot of info out there. I am happy I got my surgery. Hope this helps kris. Skip (2004-07-12): First, I want to thank all for their contributions of their experiences, which helped prepare me for my surgery. I have waited to post my experience until I was sure that I wanted to recommend it to anyone else. It is a horrible operation, but the results have been a success. I tried a CPAP before I opted for surgery. My mother uses a CPAP and I was familiar with the routine. It just didn't work for me. I had my uvula removed, the base of my tongue reduced, turbinates reduced, and septum straightened all at once. In the recovery room, my thoughts were that I want to change my mind. Pain medication required melting the pill in water to be able to swallow it. The day after surgery, I called for an ambulance to take me to the hospital, because my throat swelled and I was having trouble swallowing and a slightly restricted airway, which gave a panic attack. I later found out that many doctors give steroid medication to prevent this, but mine did not. I did receive a steroid injection and a course of steroid medication from an on-call surgeon. Once the pain died down, about 3 weeks, I could sleep all night. Ice chips and Jello were my diet. My nose never really gave me any pain. My doctor used airway stints in my nose to allow me to breathe, and the blood seepage prevented any black eyes or swelling. I did use scissors to trim the stitches hanging down the back of my throat. That cleared the saliva hang ups. My wife says that I now sleep well. I do breathe loud with my mouth open, but it does not disturb my sleep. I still have a numb feeling in the roof of my mouth and I have had to learn to live with the different swallowing sensation and realize that I can complete a swallow and will not die! I am an avid recreational bicyclist and ride long rides and take week long bicycle tours. I was able to complete a 7 day tour last month and I was not gasping for air as I did on the 5 tours that I did last year. I slept well, in a tent on the ground every night. Not bad for 57 years old. Sleeping again has brought back some of my thinking ability. I still forget names. I am not exhausted all the time as I was before. There has been a period of sleep adjustment. I slept so well that I required only about 5 hours of sleep per night at first. Now I sleep 7 or 8 hours a night. I am an expereinced patient with 14 hospital stays and 9 surgeries. This one still hurt and I missed 3 weeks of work, but in the end my quality of life is better as a result. Skip H. http://home.comcast.net/~herriman/index.html SueW (2004-07-15): Thanks so much for this web-site. I mentioned to my Dr. that I was going to do some research on my up coming uvulaectomy and tonsillectomy. She didn't seem to want me to get to inquisitive, thinking I might be scared out of it. After reading all of the comments, I think she's right. I'll still go through with it (surgery is July 22/04--and I'm 54 yrs old). At least I know what to expect (which seems to be alot of pain) and what drugs to ask for the pain. I'm planning on taking 10 days off of work--hope that's enough. Wish me luck! Erik (2004-07-15): Good luck Sue! anonymous (2004-07-16): I just want to say thanks, Eric, for this site and to everyone else for sharing. I thought I was tough. I had a tonsillectomy and uvulaectomy last Friday (exactly 1 week ago). I knew there would be pain, but I didn't know it's the wipe you out kind of pain. I just wanted to sleep the whole time. I wasn't in pain while I was sleeping. But had to take meds (lortab)every 4 hours as prescribed (the pain actually came back every 2 hours). The first 2 days I thought this is nothing-- I've had kidney stones, 6 of which while I was pregnant and in labor and I've had hemmorhoid surgery... This was nothing compared to those. Then the third day came... and the fourth... and the fifth. I just doesn't seem to end. I'm still in pain today, but less. I just feel very emotional and tired today. I really thought I'd be back in the swing of things by now, but I'm just sooooo tired. I'm still taking meds... not eating much, but drinking plenty. I'm very upset that I've only lost 5 pounds, I haven't eaten much of anything. I'm still having trouble swallowing. It seems everything gets stuck at the top of my throat and can't even drink it down. The first few days when I'd drink water it came straight out my nose. How long does it take to get used to swallowing different? Also has anyone else experienced constipation, rectal bleeding after your surgery? I know I haven't eaten much, but I'm crampy like I need to go, but all that seems to come out is blood and mucous. Could this be from the pain meds or anesthesia. Sorry to bring up such a yucky problem, but let's face it... we've been through so much, this is nothing. Thanks again, KG Erik (2004-07-16): Wow, sory it's been so tough on you KG. I don't know why you would be seeing these new side effects, if they indeed are side effects. They may be totally unrelated. As always, my advice: Seek the opinion of a doctor or two. SueW (2004-07-29): Hi-well, it's been exactly one week since my uvulaectomy and tonsillectomy and I gotta say, It's been tough!! The first day was a piece of cake, but then day two, three, four, and five set in. The best pain reliever the Dr. would give me was Vicodin ES (extra strength) and an anti-inflamatory once a day. I lived for the next 4th hour when I could take to pain pills again. I had to plan it so that I would eat about an hour after taking them so that I could swallow. Everyone is right, the first swallow in the morning is the worse. Can't say they get any better after that either. But today I think I might be on the other side--finally feeling better, instead of worse. Erik, you said you had to learn how to swallow again, but I don't seem to be having that problem--Yeah!! Can't tell if the scabs have fallen off the tonsils yet, but don't really care either. Just want to get back to feeling normal again. Everyone said it's a veeeerrrrryy sssslllloooowww process, and they weren't kidding. The only reason I had this done is because of my snoring. I never had any problems with my tonsils. In fact the Dr. said on a scale of 1 to 4, mine were a 1 (which are the smallest). Sure hope that after all this pain I don't snore anymore. We'll see. Thanks again for this great web-site. Just wanted to add my response after my surgery so everyone knows they're not alone. Erik (2004-07-30): Sue, I'm glad to hear you're comming over the hump, and that this site could help a bit. Be very glad your swallowing wasn't disrupted. Food and drink in your nose is terribly unpleasant! Good luck! Blair (2004-08-01): I was very surprised to see a website that had posts on what I'm about to go through. I'm scheduled to have a uvulaectomy, tonsilectomy, and sinus straightening done on September 9th. I've had problems breathing when I do anything strenuous since about February and was diagnosed with an enlarged uvula. I completed a sleep study Friday night and the tech said I had mild sleep apnea. He wants to bring me back for another and put me on the CPAP. I really don't even see the need to go back (I only went because my ENT said that was the only way my surgery would be approved by my insurance company)because I can feel my uvula obstrucing my windpipe even during the day. I know I should probably have it removed but the tech who gave me the study was very adamant about checking out what other people had to say about the surgery. I really didn't know it involved so much pain. I wonder why some people say they have to learn to swallow again and others do not? My surgery is scheduled for Thursday and I had planned on going back to work on the following Tuesday. The problem is I'm a produce salesman and all I do is talk on the phone. Are ya'll having problems speaking after your surgery? Also, how long does the bleeding last? Also, what's the consenus on the best pain meds to take after the surgery? Thanks for all the replies. Sue W (2004-08-03): Hi Blair, Isn't this web-site great? You can ask questions about your procedure and get answers from people who have been through it. As for going back to work after only 5 days--unless you're not like the rest of us, I don't see it happening. I talk on the phone all day too, and find even now (almost 2 weeks later)my throat gets sore after too much talking. I didn't really have any problems speaking after the surgery, just couldn't (or didn't want to) talk too much. Also, I never had any bleeding-so far. I don't think the scab has come off yet from the uvula surgery. There seems to be something back there that I can't swallow or cough up, which I'm assuming is the scab. As for pain meds, the best my Dr. would give me was Vicodin/extra strength. They seemed to work OK and made it easier for me to sleep. I asked for Percoset, but she said she has never given that to anybody who had this surgery. Anyway, I wish you well. After your surgery and you're feeling up to it, report back how you're doing. Good Luck!! Derek (2004-08-03): This is a little off topic but I was wondering what some of you may think of this. I have breathing problems for a while. I have had my sectum corrected as well as my tounsils taken out for excessive swelling. But my whole life i've always had one nostril stuffed. But the big puzzlement to me is that I've always had a hard time talking also. I feel that part of the reason is because of my tounge. I feel like it's just so large compared to my throat that I'm 'stuffed' all the time. I noticed this because my friend mentioned that when I sing, I stick my chin out which interestingly enough, helps me pronounce words much better and seems to open the air passage a lot better for me. And here sitting at the computer, if I stick my chin out, I feel like I can finally breath good (through my mouth of course since my nose is always stuffed even after the sectum surgery). What are your guys opinion on this? Poh (2004-08-06): "Macroglossia" means large tongue. http://www.geocities.com/beckwith_wiedemann/drmarsh.html talks about "Common Questions for the Surgeon About Tongue Reduction for Individuals with Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (BWS)" uzz (2004-08-08): Ok this morning really freaked me out, when i woke this morning i felt like i had to spit, but nothing came out, i thought it was weird but i still felt like i had something in the back of my throat. when i looked in the mirror i noticed my (what i later realized was called a) "uvula" was dangling longer than usual, pretty much resting on my tongue. it kinda scared me so i went on line and was pleased to find this website. since today is sunday i cant really go to the doctor, but from what i've read it seems to be an enlarged uvula, that just grew over night. does anyone know of any home remedies to cure this or is surgery my only option? will it go away as soon as it came? Erik (2004-08-09): Blair, I agree with Sue W: Five days is not enough recovery time if you talk all day at work, unless you are a super fast healer! Uzz, my grandfather had a uvula which touched his tongue for several years. Very annoying. If you have a significant other, ask them to keep an ear out for your breathing at night. If it's obstructing your airway, it can be very serious. Jan (2004-08-09): I was very glad to read about everyone's experience with tonsillectomies. My son is 21 and just had his tonsils and uvula taken out 4 days ago. He seems to be progressing qutite well, but the swallowing without a uvula is giving him fits. Does anyone have any suggestions? He will relearn, won't he? Also, the doctor never mentioned this problem to him before the surgery. He is definitely going to tell him that the patient needs to be informed of this possible complication. Erik (2004-08-09): Jan, my doctor never mentioned the swallowing issue to me either. However, for me, it was more of an annoyance than anything else. I relearned in just a few days, with just a little coughing during the adjustment period. Mary (2004-08-09): (2004-08-09):This has not been discussed on your site as far as I can tell. I have cryptic tonsils/tonsil stones. Gross yellow/white things that get caught in the crypts. Major source of annoyance and I don't believe I can live like this the rest of my life. Cannot dig them out. The do occasionally come out on their own, but never completely and I am constantly plagued with this. Gross taste in my mouth also. However, I am completely terrified of a tonsillectomy. That is why I'm here, reading on how everyone did with their's. Seems like it may not be that bad. In any case, if anyone has any suggestions or alternative remedies to a tonsillectomy, it would be greatly appreciated. I am going to another Dr tomorrow and another one in a few weeks. I have seen that laser surgery may not be as bad and a partial tonsillectomy where they just take some of the bad tissue and leave some there. (chance of them regrowing). I have never heard of getting the little "hangy" thing cut out. That sounds drastic. P.S. I am a 35 yr. old female in decent health. Erik (2004-08-09): Mary, I think someone did a while back mention tonsil stones, but just in passing. Sounds awful. Sounds much more awful than the surgery. The "hangy thing" is the Uvula, and removing or shortening it usually has to do with sleep apnea, I think. It was by far the most painful part of my surgery, far more painful than the tonsillectomy. Good luck, don't let fear, or your tonsils make you miserable. Sabrina (2004-08-10): Hi my son is 6 years old and going to have a uvulaectomy, tonsilectomy and adnoidnectomy on Mon 8-16. Im terrified please help me. He has sleep apnea his blood ox reaches 72% at night and only reaches 89% during the day. Thanks Erik (2004-08-10): Sabrina, why are you terrified? Those blood numbers are bad, worse than mine were, but his surgery is soon. Taking all that tissue out has got to help, at least it did for me. Do you just need reassurance? Click on the link above, saying "click here to view the first comments to this article", lots of people have posted their stories here. Matt (2004-08-10): uzz - I have exactly what happened to you. It happened 2 year's ago. After seeing an ENT and every allergy test known to man was run, and a million medications tried, he finally used some ultrasonic/laser/high frequency thing that cauterized it and cut it off. It was about 1 cm that was removed and it looked like a fettucini noodle dangling back there. The surgery was painless in the office and he gave me lots of happy pills. Now, it has happened again and here I am looking to see what the Hell is happening to me. Once again, my uvula looks like it grew, this time it is wider too, more inflamed and puffy looking than last time and getting longer. The soft tissue around it also seems more puffy and inflamed, but no pain, just annoying as all Hell. I keep thinking did I have strep throat (& not know) and this happened as a result, maybe I just need a mega dose of antibiotic. If any one has insight, cures, herbs, etc., let me now at MCMatula@comcast.net J Rae in NH (2004-08-17): This site is great and I wished I'd found it before my husband had his deviated septum worked on. It has made a world of difference already, he can breath better, snores less and can taste food better. He has sleep apnea and our insurance wouldn't allow the uvulaectomy at the same time? so tomorrow he goes back....the Doctor has said that he can drive himself there and home and should be back to work in 2 days? Is this realistic? should I take him there and stay home tomorrow? also, what sorts of foods are best during his recovery? Erik (2004-08-17): J Rae, I didn't eat much for a few days after my operation, and when I did I think it was mostly water and mild soups like Split Pea. Definitely drive your husband to and from the hospital. In fact, if your doctor was suggesting that he could drive himself, I would be worried that he wasn't prescribed a strong enough pain killer. My uvulaectomy hurt like hell, and I was very glad for both my percoset and my girlfriend taking care of me. Mel (2004-08-22): I recently had a tonsilectomy and turbinate reduction. I'm in so much pain! My nose is ok, but my ears hurt like heck. Did anyone else have this problem? I am counting the hours between pain pills they hurt so bad. Hurts to swallow more so because of ear pain than throat pain. And have chronic ear pain. Every day I wake up hoping it will get better, but it doesn't. Today is day 4. Also I'm snoring.. waking myself up snoring even. Is this because the tissue back there is so swollen? Erik (2004-08-23): My dentist once told me that ears often feel painful when the pain is actually comming from a sore tooth. Maybe tonsils hit thate same neve... It's never a bad idea to talk to your doctor. It could also be an infection of some kind, or even totally unrelated. At the very least get some better pain medication! Why are doctors so stingy with that stuff?! anonymous (2004-08-23): Husband called the doctor today and he said I should take antihystamine (like sudafed). That the turbinate surgery has my sinuses inflamed... tonsilectomy has that area inflamed... so he thinks this is why I have such awful ear pain.. Was so bad today I was crying, holding ears and rocking back and forth. Doctor won't give me anything else for pain. He gave me Vicodin which doesn't work. I've been using my Percocet which takes the edge off, but it wears off pretty fast. Guess he can't give me anything stronger because he doesnt' have proper lisence for that. I agree... doctors are stingy. Thanks so much for your reply. I appreciate it. Mel (2004-08-23): Forgot to put my name next to that last email... sorry. Erik (2004-08-24): Mel, I'm really supprised that Vicodin and Percocet don't work for you. Percocet made me loopy. Good luck, you should start feeling better as things heal, but I'm sorry you can't get strong enough medication! SueW (2004-08-24): Mel--I know what you mean about the ear pain. My doctor said it was "deferred" pain. I said I don't care what kind it is, give me pain pills. My hairdresser's daughter just had her tonsils out (she's 18) and complained about the horrible ear pain. So what you're feeling is normal and when your throat heals the pain should go away. And I also agree, doctors are stingy in the pain medication? What do they think? That we're going to become drug addicts? Good Luck, Mel Mel (2004-08-24): Sue and Erik -- Thanks so much for the emails. Had another bad night and day. Woke up in horrible pain (ears), crying, etc.. Went to doctor and he says everything is fine and this is normal. That I will have the bad ear pain for about 4 more days. We told him I wanted to be put in a drug enduced coma to get through it!! He laughed. But boy is this pain horrendous. He wouldn't give me anything stronger than what I already have for pain, but did prescribe Prednisone in hopes that that would help. He said I'd be at greatest risk of a bleed around 10 days, when the scabs come off. Not looking forward to that.... just think it's going to be disgusting when the scabs come off. But I think I can handle that a lot better than the ear pain. Regarding the pain medicine... I take a lot of pain meds because I have chronic daily headache/complicated migraine. Pretty much I have a headache/migraine every day, and no one has been able to help me with this. So the doctor felt that that is why the percocet wasn't working as good as it normally does. He said that was the strongest thing he could give me. Sue... what did your doctor mean by "deferred pain"? How long did the ear pain last for you? Really looking forward to this whole ordeal to be over with. Had big blood clot from nose (turbinate reduction) go down throat tonight, and got a bit scared of that bleed stuff. Am fine though. Tanya (2004-08-27): well im 14 and on Tuesday im having a tonsillectomy. Im scared out of my wits. can you give me a detailed description of what happens. This isnt my first op ive had my appendix and gall bladder removed Erik (2004-08-28): Tanya, if you've had your gall bladder and appendix out, you know what surgery is like. You know what the anesthesia is like, you know what the recovery room is like, and you know about keeping up on your pain medication while you recover at home. I didn't want to know what the actual surgical procedure was like, so I didn't ask. I'm sure it's got all kinds of sharp things and tubes going down my throat. I try not to think about that. There is very little to be scared of. Ask your doctor how many of these operations he/she has done. Think about how many other doctors and nurses there are in the building. Think about how great it will feel to have those nasty things our of your throat! Gail (2004-08-31): Hi Erik.. was just reading about the surgery you had awhile back! The tonsillectomy thingie. I am scheduled for the same surgery on 9/2/04 and am getting pretty apprehensive about it. I guess I fear the pain the most. Any last helpful hints before I go under the knife? thanks in advance for any response. -gail Erik (2004-08-31): Gail, don't fear the pain. It's going to suck, but it's not life-threatening, it's just a few crappy days to trudge through. If you're lucky, and your drugs work well, you'll sleep through most of it. My advice is, as always: If you have questions, no matter how small, ask your doctor. Also, make sure he/she is planning on giving you good medication. Tylenol just doesn't cut it here. Stuart (2004-09-04): sorry, it couldnt hold my whole writing :) Hmm...time for my story: Im 18 and have had chronic tonsilitis so they told me to get them whipped out. I went to hospital, had it all done and was fine, so spent the night. The next day I asked the nurses when the doctor would be round to check up on my do i could leave, as he promised to do so. About 30 mins later, my mum rang my mobile and said the nurse rang her and said the doctor wasnt coming to see me and she should just pick me up. I packed my stuff up, then tried to get the nurses attention, but they were pretty scarce and seemed to be ignoring me...so I had to untape and remove (with one hand) the IV needle in my left arm vein, which i left on the side. My mum came, and we walked to the desk...no one was there, so we just left as on the way in, my mum asked a nurse where to sign out and she said that we neednt bother. Neither of us had been informed about what to do/not do etc etc, but i just wanted to get home as i was tired. Stuart (2004-09-04): I did have a prescription, but have not been taking any painkillers at all since the op as I dont really want my judgment clouded in anything...Ive been on pethodine (morphine derivative) before and wasnt keen to take anything else (particularly suppositories). Well, everything seems fine. Then last night at midnight I swallowed and suddenly got a shed-load of pain from my left tonsil hole and it started bleeding like mad. I managed to spit out blood in a bowl until 5AM when finally the bleeding and pain subsided and I was able to get some sleep. Woke up at 10am, and it turns out Id slept on my side and a blood had come out of my mouth forming a pool down my pillow and onto my sheets about the size of 3 hands. Part of my face and my whole left arm were also caked in blood. So...had a shower and rang the hospital. They got the ear,nose,throat (ENT) specialist to phone us back as he was at home. He said that as long as it wasnt gushing blood, it was okay...so he told us not to come in. I have a high pain threshhold, but this was flowing through my jaw and all around my head, so my dad decided to take me in anyways. Stuart (2004-09-04): We arrived at accidents and emergencies, where the nurse on duty recognised us as the ones who rang earlier, and said the doctor told us all was okay and we should leave. My dad stood up for me and managed to convince them to ask the on-duty doctor to have a look down my throat, even though she didnt know that much about tonsils (though they said they couldnt promise she'd oblige). Luckily, she was nice and had a quick look. She identified a blood clot coming from my left tonsil hole, and rang the ENT doctor on duty for the area (as it was the weekend) to find out what to do. The procedure was to gargly iced water repeatedly to dislodge it, which I did until a huge chunk of blood surrounded by a membrance (which resembled a scaled-down liver) was choked up by me into the sink. I was relieved, but the duty doctor came in and had another look only to tell me that this was the tip of the iceberg. Apparently a larger clot still remained. So...back to gargling... Stuart (2004-09-04): Then the ENT doctor came and took a look in my mouth. His words were "Wow...thats a serious clot!". Apparently I am the lucky 1 in 100 who have bleeding that forms clots after a couple of days. Since the clot was continuously rubbing the area and would not move, the wound was bleeding a lot and wouldnt stop again. He immediately said hed have to remove it. He then took an anaesthesia spray (oh, and in case you were wondering, 'banana flavoured' = 'paint thinner flavoured') and sprayed the whole of my throat, making me gag several times. He then made me hold a tray under my chin, whilst he used a large pair of tongs to hold a cotton wool bud. With this bud, he vigorously wiped the blood clot back and forth several times, very violently for about 10-15s, whilst I was choking and in extreme pain, then said "go on...spit it out". I spat and choked for about 20s, finally spitting out the clot (which had broken into 3 pieces), the largest being about the size of 4 average sized grapes joined together. I then had to keep gargling to try and get rid of the extra bleeding and pain. It was then that I noticed this blood clot was interfering with my breathing through my nose, as it had previously been preventing me from breathing out through it. Stuart (2004-09-04): Finally, the ENT doctor said that if it was still bleeding my 8pm tonight then he would have to put me under a general again and operate to solve the problem. Luckily, it had stopped bleeding now (though maybe just to form another clot? I hope not...) Well, thats my tosillectomy story up to now. I can also add that I havent eaten since the day before the op, so ive now had about 5 days without food, drinking only iced water. Still not taking painkillers... Hope you enjoyed reading my nightmare with a tonsillectomy ;) -Stu Erik (2004-09-04): I just don't know what to say about that Stu, that's the grossest thing I've read in a long time. Glad you're ok, and they didn't have to operate again, but damn! Stuart (2004-09-04): Thanks...I just hope it heals properly now with no more complications. Ive lost in the op and swallowed so much blood now Im starting to feel woozy at times :( PS. Sorry I ruined your next meal ;) eg (2004-09-04): Im on day 9 of recovery (not including a 30 hour hospital stay) for the works (tonsilectomy, adenoidectomy, turbinate reduction, UPP... and they were about to give me a septoplasty until I reminded the nurses I had had one 4 years ago) and am greatful for having discovered this discussion because I was just about ready to go to the emergency room for my ear pain. My doctor was honest about how painful recovery would be, and even gave me a script for Oxycontin. Don't get me wrong, the throat pain sucks and being really hungry and having only more applesauce to eat sucks too. But the drugs dont seem to end or prevent ear pain, attack of which seem to also cause pain way down in my throat and underneath my tongue (?). Anyway, I was relieved to see that this is normal, and not go whining to my doctor. I swear, there should be some support group for sleep apnea. Having been diagnosed last year as a 100lb, 21 year old female, I didn't know what to do with myself, and don't have many people to talk to. Thanks Mel (2004-09-05): I'm on week 3 now of recovering from tonsilectomy and turbinate reduction. I'm feeling MUCH better. I still have some ear pain, throat pain, cracking ears, tired, etc.. But this is nothing compared to that awful ear pain I went through for the first 2 weeks. I must admit I'm happy this is my only set of tonsils because I don't ever want to go through this again. On the good side though, I'm thrilled to have the big (mine were "big and ugly" according to the doc)buggers out!! They were such a pain in the bum. Got one question... how long does it take for the scabs to disappear? I still have them. The ecky junk on my tongue is just about gone (that was gross), but I still have the scabs. Erik (2004-09-06): Eg, that's an awful lot of tissue to remove! You sound like you're handling the pain pretty well! Good luck, and I'm very glad this site could help. Mel, I'm glad to hear you're feeling better! Lucia* (2004-09-08): hi, im 17 and just had my tonsils out. i must say i agree with stu's comments on hospital staff it seemed like everyone else on my ward got attention and checked on all the time but i was kinda ignored (which isn't nice on your first time in hospital!) i'm now on day 6 of recovery and can't believe the pain i'm constantly in. i'm on paracetamol and ibuprofin but it seems to only take the edge off the pain now.i was also given a codine supply for 3 days but it seems to have run out when i need it! i guess this is normal but the pain is up round my ears down through my jaw under my tounge, my gums, teeth and throat...everywhere basically. went to my gp today, as floods of tears at 6.30am and barely any sleep as it is was getting a bit much, he said i was healing fine but may have an infection lucky me so i'm now on penicillin too.call me stupid but isn't the excrusiating pain suppose to calm slightly after like day 4 mine is getting worse not better?! i know it'll be worth it in the long run (well i HOPE it will be)but at the moment i just want it to stop :( also wanting to eat a proper meal and get out of the house!! Stuart (2004-09-09): Day 8 was the big improvement for me. Surprisingly it was the morning when i woke up with the most blood in my mouth (I had to gargle about 10 times before the water looked only pinkish instead of Jaws red!). However, Ive been able to eat a bit of quiche, as its soft, and am feeling a lot better in general. I think the healing starts off slowly, as it has to get over the trauma of being cut open, but once it has, it increases at a great rate. -Stu Lauren (2004-09-13): Wow. After reading such horrible stories on this site, i'm glad i discovered it after my tonsillectomy. For any of you about to undergo it, i think you need to hear a positive story. I'm 20 and just had a tonsillectomy. The pain from the surgery wasn't near as bad as the pain i had from my last bought of chronic tonsilitis. Sure it was hard to swallow at first, but the water and ice chips made my throat feel better. I only took pain meds at night to help me go to sleep (which i did for the first 4 nights). Now on day 6, my scabs are starting to fall off. Yesterday i was talking away and felt wonderful. Today a lil less because as the scabs are starting to fall off its a lil sore. But other than that, things are looking good. Good luck to everyone else!-Lauren Dawn (2004-10-15): Hi, I'd like to give a positive story as well. I'm 23 and I just had a tonsillectomy 7 days ago. It was the first surgery I'd ever had so I was a bit scared, but all the nurses and doctor and anesthesiologist prepared me as much as possible. I remember nothing of the surgery, but afterwards, especially the first 3 days, my throat hurt something AWFUL. I've had absolutely no bleeding, thankfully!! My doc put me on Lortab and then Augmentin as antiobiotics against infection. Something that my doc did before surgery was give me a Vitamin K shot, and he said that it helped prevent bleeding. If anyone reads this who is about to go through this procedure, mention it to your doc because it definitely worked for me! It absolutely sucks to be eating popsicles and jello for days on end, and my throat has been so so so sore... but now on the end of Day 7 after the surgery, I'm feeling much better and the scabs have nearly all come off. My breath this past week has been rancid though because of those scabs, so watch out... people will not want to cuddle with you. ;) So yes, while the pain is awful, make sure you get good pain meds, a Vitamin K shot before the procedure, and lots of good friends who will bring you your 5th box of popsicles because you went through four in 2 days. ;) Good luck to anyone who has a tonsillectomy. :) - Dawn Danny (2004-10-18): Hello, I had a tonsillectomy done 6 days ago. This was also the first surgery I ever had besides getting my wisdom teeth broken and removed. I have to admit that this is the worst pain I have ever went through, and with all the pain meds i was on it seemed to only get worse, to where just last night i had to go into the ER and get fluids pumped into me because I couldn't even take my pain meds. I feel mush better today, but this was the worse thing in the world to go through. When I woke up this morning my tongue was all white and my breath smelled awful. I can't wait till I can eat regular foods. Just a few questions, when can I start to eat regular foods, and when will these darn scabs fall off that seem to be cause all this awful nauseating breath? Danny (2004-10-18): Another question.. why am i spitting all the time, its awful, but i can't swallow, i mean i can swallow fluids but this spit is so thick.. what is it? Erik (2004-10-18): Several people here have commented about odd saliva and odors/flavors. It seems to go down after a few days. When you can start to eat regular foods is entirely up to your body. I started eating real foods as soon as I could, but not before it would have injured me. You don't want to tear open anything, nor get food stuck in open wounds. Don't push it. Eli (2004-10-23): Hi, I came across this website and I'm not sure what's it for... could someone enlighten me? Anyway, I'm going for a turbinectomy soon and wonder if anyone here has experience and could share with me. :D Erik (2004-10-23): Eli, it's just a site of my random ideas. Some ideas, like my tonsillectomy surgery gets a lot of comments. This page seems to be a good information source for people having the surgery. Good luck with yours! Karen (2004-10-24): Karen(2004-10-24) My daughter who is 23 had her tonsils removed in July/04. She experienced pain had trouble swallowing was on hydrocodone and tylenolw/codeine. She lost alot of weight about 15 pounds or so. She gradually got better, but after several months she is still experiencing her ear being cloggged and when she swallows liquids they go up into her nose. Her voice isn't quite the same as it was either. She also had a uvulectomy and some soft palate removal. Certain consonant sounds are not there. She is going back to the dr. because she is very concerned about this. Any comments or info? Erik (2004-10-26): My voice was affected by the surgery, but only for a short while, and not nearly to the degree your daughter was. Good idea, see your doctor. Tang (2004-10-27): WOW thank you guys for this site...Im actually going in Tomorrow at 630am to get my tounsils and uvula removed...and I know some precautions now for the operation. I am ready for the pain and I hope Im not a big bleeder like some of you guys seem to be. So I am going to def. ask for that vitamin K shot. Also I heard from one of my friends that got it done that sleeping alot is what messed up her throat, she said she had to go to the ER and all cause of the constant throwing up of blood and she directly blames it on sleeping all the time. What do you guys think....I'll probably post a comment tomorrow after the surgery if I am able to thanks alot again Erik (2004-10-27): Good luck Tang, take it easy. Keep hydrated, and get a friend to take care of you! Tang (2004-10-29): 2nd day, believe it or not Im doing really good. It doesnt hurt as much as people make it out to be, although it does hurt when you need to swallow your spit or anything...but other than that nothing...I woke up coughing alot did that happen to you...the Uvula does feel more irratated than anything and when I drink water it sometimes goes up my nose. But yeah I would say that the percocets work nicely and as long as I keep taking one every 2 hours I feel good. I asked for the vitamin K shot but he said its only for people with liver disorders, he said it would do nothing for me, but what they did was give me a steroid shot before the operation, which helped with the swelling. Oh well I will write back in a day or two to give an update...but yes I am doing good a lil blood here and there, but I guess im one of the people with a decent experience, thus far Erik (2004-10-29): Great Tang! Remember though, take it easy, day 2 and 3 seem to be the worst. Rest, and keep hydrated! Tang (2004-10-30): Your right day 3 sucks, waking up was horrible, felt like I had a rock in the back of my throat. Anyways after taking medication I feel better. Is it normal for scabs to start coming out this early, cause I def had some this morning and spitted alot of them out. How do you know when you ready to eat soft foods, like sandwich meats and what not? Other than that I feel good, the mornings do suck and the back of my throat looks disgusting its all white and stuff. Erik I noticed you said you got your uvula removed, i did too, is it different now that your healed, like does water go up your nose alot cause I noticed thats been happening alot now for me, also do you really have to be careful when you eat cause I hear the uvula helps keep food and water out of the wind pipe. Also did your voice change at all, in paricular your singing voice? Erik (2004-10-30): I don't know about the scabs, but I'd bet if it didn't start heavy bleeding, you're alright. Never hurts to ask your doctor though. As for food, take it easy, try a bit, chew well, just don't over do it. I did have my uvula totally removed. It took me maybe a week to re-learn how to swallow. These days I don't have food or liquid go up my nose any more than I did before the surgery, but it did take a while to get used to. As for my voice, I don't think it changed at all, though I did sound kind of congested for the first week or two. Take it easy, good luck! Cindy (2004-11-01): I had my tonsills out 5 days ago. The uvula has dropped down and lays on my tongue. When I tilt my head back the thick flap of swollen tissue blocks my airway. Scary! Has anyone else choked like this? Any idea long how this takes to tighten back up? I'm so hungry, last night I dreamed I was baking a ham. Tang (2004-11-02): Yeah I heal very well, today I did have a lil spill of blood but nothing out of the usual. My throat feels a little better, the only time it really hurts is in the morning and thats because its all dried out. I am eating normal foods now, Im on my 6th night by the way, but I do have to chew up the food alot more and be really careful when I swallow. Anyways just wanted to give an update. Erik (2004-11-04): Cindy, if your uvula hasn't already tightened up, definitely go see your doctor. That sounds dangerous! Tang, sounds like you're doing about as well as I was at that time. Good! You don't need some of the horror stories some other people here have had! Good luck, take it easy! Cindy (2004-11-05): Thanks for the concern. I went to the doctor yesterday (7 days after tonsils removed) and he smiled and said in his outrageous French-Canadian accent, "I've seen worse." Apparently he had to scoop out my head like a pumpkin to remove all the infected tissue. He told me to sleep on my side with pillows in front and back to keep from rolling over and choking on my swollen uvula. Ha! I figured that out the first time I though I was going to asphyxiate! He gave me prescriptions for more amoxicillan and codeine w/Tylenol elixer and an appointment to come back in five weeks. I feel like a big whiner after reading about the problems everyone else suffered after having the uvula removed. Thanks for keeping your page current. This is the only place I've found were adults can compare their progress and get an idea of what's "normal". Erik (2004-11-05): I really don't think almost chocking on your own uvula makes you a whiner! Good luck, do what your doctor says, but if it doesn't reduce, go back and smack him around. Jolene (2004-11-11): (2004-11-11)I was excited when I came across this website!! I just had a tonsillectomy 6 days ago. It was not as bad as I thought it was gonna be, til the 3rd day anyway!! It kills to swallow anything, even ice chips and ice cream. I mean even now going into day 7. I noticed that no one had mentioned anything about the ear pain that often occurs with a tonsillectomy. My ears have been hurting terribly the last two or three days that I find myself counting the minutes til I can take my next vicodin pill. The tylenol with codeine did absolutely nothing for me so I had to move on to something stronger. I think I am the oldest one so far on this site that has had a tonsillectomy... I am 26 years old. I ended up having 9 cases of strep throat in 15 months so my dr finally sent me off to see a specialist who said the tonsillectomy was the only treatment option. I am just really looking forward to being able to swallow without any pain, as the action of swallowing causes my ears to hurt very badly. Well I'll try to update you in the coming days!! Justin (2004-11-12): Hi, i had a tonsillectomy and an addenoidectomy yesterday morning and i found this site...its great!! im 21 and its wonderul to see a forum where you can compair progress...i had a chronic sore throat for 7 months straight and being a singer i had to almost completly stop recording my cd completely. i went to about 3 specialists and 3 different antibiotics before a tonsillectomy was suggested. it being my first real operation i was nervous, but more anxious to feel normal again. needless to say yes my uvula is huge and swollen, my tonsills were way bigger than anyone had imaggined (i can seriously fit like 2 printers and a cat in the gaping holes lol) and very infected. yes my saliva is thick and diffuclt to swallow but i attribute that to the healing process...im currently taking Hycet for the pain which isnt too bad at all and amoxacilin (sp?) for the antiboitic. its day 2 and my breathing has quite improved. i too will update in the coming days. good luck to you Jolene, Cindy and Tang...fight the good fight :) Erik (2004-11-13): Good luck Jolene and Justin! Hang on, you'll feel much better in a couple of weeks, and your sleep will be terrific! chelsey (2004-11-14): hey ive just had my tounsils removed, im 16 i had them done 3 days ago and the 3rd day was really painful i can just about eat and drink but without my morphine painkillers it would cain. It feels like sumings stuk kinda ting to the back of my throat, neting you can relate with? Jolene (2004-11-14): Hello again!! Today is day number 9 and I am finally starting to feel normal again. My ears no longer kill like they did, but my throat is still a bit sore. I am able to eat just about anything, but pop still irratates my throat, so maybe I'll be able to give it up for good!!! One great benefit of the surgery was that I was able to kick the smoking habit!! It has been 10 days since my last smoke and I sure feel better!! My muscles are still a bit sore too, yawning hurts quite a bit... I assume it is just from all the work the dr did gettin the tonsils out. But I feel much, much better now and I am sure glad it is all over. I just hope I don't get strep again or I will be really disappointed!! Anyway, good luck to you all who are going through this, it will get better soon!! Justin (2004-11-15): hi...ah okay its good to know that the ear ache's will go away soon, its a pain (literally) to wake up with them every morning. also a bit annoying to wake up in a pool of my own drool (anyone else have that problem?). and yea jolene ive kicked the smoking habit too because of the surgery, i think anyone who wants to quit should just go through with it lol. Jolene (2004-11-15): justin, sorry to disappoint you, but I still wake up in a pool of my own drool!!! who knows when that'll stop!!! Maybe when we are able to fully breath through our noses and not through our mouths!!! Anyway, hang in there, it"ll get better....I was really irratable and wondering if I'd ever feel "normal", but rest assured, it'll happen... have a bit of patience... great job on the smoking thing too!! Tiffany (2004-11-17): Hi Erik, I am scheduled to have turbinite reduction surgery in 2 weeks can you or anyone thats had the surgery fill me in on what to expect after surgery? I'm sort of worried, I dont handle pain well. Any info would be great! Thanks! Erik (2004-11-17): Well Tiffany, of the three tissues they cut out of my head, the turbinites hurt the least. However, they were kind of a pain. They bled a lot, and clogged up my nose until my doctor gave me a sinus wash. I also had one large nosebleed one night. Just take it easy, get the sinus wash, and you should be fine. BTW: The sinus wash is really, really wierd feeling. Really wierd. However, after the fourth use, you'll love it, really cleans you out. Emily (2004-11-17): I am scheduled to have a tonsillectomy on December 20. Although I am not anticipating that I'll feel very festive this Christmas, I don't care - I can't wait to get these nasty things out of my throat. If it weren't so close to final exams, I'd even throw a "Farewell Tonsil" Party. I have two questions: (1) Are these reports of 2+ weeks recovery time from the traditional burning procedure? I'm having the Coblation procedure done, which I'm hoping won't be quite as bad. (2) The reports of weight loss concern me. I'm already quite thin, and I really do not want to lose weight. Besides pigging out in the days preceding the surgery, I need some suggestions of high-calorie stuff that I can choke down afterward. Until now I had been planning on milk shakes, but from what I've read here, I'm wondering if juice is the only feasible option. By the way, this blog is great. Thank God for the internet. Emily (2004-11-17): Also, and this is an off-the-wall question, but can your voice sound different after a tonsillectomy? (By that I mean not the initial hoarseness stuff, but the fully-recovered post-op voice.) Erik (2004-11-18): You'll be OK on the 25th, the third day is the worst, I think by the fifth day, I was up and about a bit. I don't know about the differences between the burning and coblation procedures, sorry. Weight loss is almost certain, you definitely won't feel like eating for at least a few days. However, I think most of the weight loss reported here is water loss, since keeping hydrated is a challenge. Milk shakes might be OK, if they're not too cold, and you don't have to suck them out of a straw! Regarding your voice, several people have reported changes, but it seems to be temporary. Good luck! Sue (2004-11-18): Hello. My husband who is 40 just had a tonsillectomy last Friday. Tomorrow will be a week. He had severe bleeding on Saturday that stopped with cold water rinses and then he woke uo around 5am on Sunday morning choking on his blood. The doctor said to meet him at the ER and he had to go back into surgery to have a blood clot removed that was hanging down and have some places cauterized. Has any one else had this to happen? He says the pain has got worse each day so far. When does it go away? The pain meds take the pain down but it's not lasting long enough. Jolene (2004-11-18): Sue, I had a tonsillectomy 2 weeks ago on the 19th and I must say that I too thought the pain seemed to get worse each day. I didn't have any bleeding post-op so I can't comment about that, but my vicodin that i was taking for pain barely lasted 3 hours and I was counting down the last minutes til I could take the next pain pill. I really think that the pain part is normal. I still am not 100% yet and it has been two weeks. I still can't yawn w/o pain and I still have a really dull sore throat. Tell him to hang in there cause it does get better. Colleen (2004-11-19): I am 21 years old and had a tonsillectomy 11 days ago. Yesterday, I had my first solid meal which was rice and chow mien, now my throat is sore and bleeding once again and I am freaked out! I guess I over did it but I couldn't help it. I lost 10 lbs and for me thats not a good thing. My taste buds in the back are also swollen and I cant eat anything with a strong taste. I hate this! Erik (2004-11-19): Sue, some people just take longer to heal. Most of the rest of us here are kids, and heal quickly. Hang in there, and good for you to going to see the doctor. It will get better, and in the end, it will be worth it! Colleen, even though you're only 21, you seem to just be healing slowly. Take it easy. Go see your doctor, have him/her check around, maybe it's just taking a while, or maybe there's something he/she can help with. fritzi (2004-11-19): Hi, my son is 16 and has had six infections of the uvula since June. our doctor has referred him to an ENT and he will most likely have a tonsillectomy and uvulectomy over Christmas break. What are some things I can tell him to prepare him for this? He has never had surgery and has a low pain tolerance. Erik (2004-11-19): Fritzi, both the tonsillectomy and uvulectomy are very painful procedures. Your son will need to keep up on his pain medication, and do nothing but rest for at least three days. There are over 200 comments to this article, many of which give ideas on things like food to eat, liquids to drink, etc. The main thing to do is keep hydrated. When you get dried out, like after sleeping for several hours, the pain is much worse. However, with your love and care, I'm sure he'll make it through quickly. April (2004-11-21): I had my tonsillectomy on 11/15/04 and I have a white patch where my tonsills used to be and the pain is better today 7 days later but still hurts quite a bit. I'm 27 with 2 kids and its had to do anything for the last week. Laura (2004-11-21): It's been 2 years since I had my tonsils and soft paltte shrink via sonoplasty and had my uvula removed and my turbines done for the second time. The best part of the surgery was eating all the banana popcicles I wanted. I lived on popcicles and potato soup for a while and lost over 30 pounds. Regarding the turbinites surgery, it's an easy surgery, you will feel like you want to blow your nose, but don't blow too hard or it will bleed. Blow ladylike and it will help. Also remember not to bend over, stoop to pick something up. Bending over will make you dizzy and can cause bleeding and sever pain in your head in the beginning. Recovery time for this surgery is a week or two. Regarding the shrinking of the tonsils, soft palette and removal of the uvula. It's painful, take your medicines, sleep, eat popcicles, drink plenty of water, talk but not too much that you strain your voice. Because of my sleep apnea, asthma, and muscle tension disorder in my neck, it took my a good four months to feel totally healed in my throat. I still have a tightness in my throat and my voice is more pronounced.brb... have a phone call Amanda (2004-11-22): I am having a tonsillectomy in 9 days, can't wait to have these nasty bacteria sponges taken out. will post when it's done!!! Lisa S. (2004-11-23): It has been four weeks since my tonsillectomy and I still suffer from a bitter taste. Anything with sugar (processed, milk, etc.) becomes bitter with a tough of metallic taste when it hits the back of my throat. Does anyone have any time frame as to when the awful taste and bitterness starts to subside? Every morning I wake up with hopes that my taste buds will be back to normal. It seems as the day wears on the awful taste gets worse. Help! April (2004-11-24): I am 26 and had my tonsils taken out on 11/18/04, today I still hurt when I swallow, but only in the ears, especially the left ear. I am on liquid hydrcodine which I have already drank like 2 bottles of that stuff since surgery, and am on the third one that I had to call into the doctor. The healing process has not been to bad for me and I had no bleeding but am told that depends on the person and how they heal. I just wanna know when the pain from my ears will go away. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving I may actually get to to eat some turkey (hoping) :) Let me know about the ear pain if someone one knows.... Thanks..... Lisa S. (2004-11-24): Hi April, I too had incredible pain in my left ear. My surger was performed on October 28, 2004. It took me about a week for the ear pain to subside. I also survived on liquid hydrocodone. I went through two bottles and started the third but I hated the taste so much that I suffered with the pain. I thought after the pain in my ear went away I was on my way to recovery but that is when the awful taste in my mouth started. I called my doctor today and was told that it is a result of the tongue retracter used during surgery. Apparently it pushed down on some nerves and he says I may take up to two months before I no longer have the bitter metallic taste in my mouth. Good luck I hope you have a good Turkey Day! Dave (2004-11-25): I'm 27 and on day 7 of recovery from my tonsillectomy. From reading these posts, I feel good to see that I'm not alone in feeling that the pain gets worse toward the 1 week mark! My doctor said day 2 and 3 would be the worst. So much for failed expectations. Meanwhile, my mother has been encouraging me to phase off the vicodin because she's worried I'll become dependent, so every time I reload I feel guilty.. Some other points I should comment on: 1) throat and ear pain seem to be the worst when I wake up in the middle of the night 2)I also had a septoplasty and I still can't breathe freely out of my nose 3) Hot tea seems to help soothe the throat. Thanks for all the posts.. Take care. Kelly (2004-11-26): I'm 29 and I had a tonsillectomy last week on the 19th. I am in a lot of pain on the right side of my throat and my right ear. I also have a metallic taste in my mouth. My tounge appears to be discolored as well. Has this happened to anyone else? Thanks! Erik (2004-11-26): Kelly, it sounds like you might be experiencing some of what Lisa S. went through. You'll probably heal, but it never hurts to ask your doctor. Cherie in Tx (2004-11-27): OK, I've read almost the entire thread(which took me 3 days..LOL) and now I'll post MY story...... I got my tonsils removed and had tubinate surgery on November 18, 2004. I was really scared as many people are. The worst part for me was when I woke up from the surgery. I was scared to death. I am 30 and have 3 children. But, I wanted my mommy and they wouldn't get her. I cried out of control. I'm sure it was due to all the meds. Then, I had a reactioon to what ever they cleaned my face with. I was clawing at my face like crazy. My mom was freaking out and kept stopping me. When your on pain meds, you don't realize what your doing! They gave me benadryl and it helped just a little. Well, I then went to my mom;s house and took Lortab on the way!!hehe!! Day 1 was GREAT! I has pudding and applesause and an icy drink from sonic! Day 2 was GREAT! I just was sure to take my pain meds as schecduled!! Day 3 I woke up crying in pain, my DH was so sorries he almost didn't go to work. Once they pain meds kicked in I was fine. Then it hit me again at noon! Again..pain meds!! Day 4 got better and so on. Day 6 I quit taking the pain meds as the gas it gave me almost ran my family out of the house! I started taking tylenol. Doesn't totally rid the pain, but makes it tolerable! Each day gets a little better. No bleeding whatsoever! I'm tickled about that! Although I am quite congested and sniff often to spit and its pink. BUT< I wouldn't consider that bleeding. I'm now on Day9 and my scabs have not fallen off yet. OH, I forgot. Days 1-4 were rough because my uvula was SOO swollen, I think they shorten it, or lasered it by mistake. It had an AWEFUL scab that touched my toungue, but it fell off day 4 and its MUCH better! Well, I will go to work in 2 days and am not looking forward to it, I teach pre-K and they have a lot of germs! I was near my ill morther in law for 5 minutes yesterday and today I have her cough! NO IMMUNE SYSTEM!! This will get better too I assume! Well, That's it..thanx for letting me share my story! Erik (2004-11-27): Good luck Cherie! Jules, London UK (2004-11-28): Had mine, plain old tonsillectomy, on nov 23rd at noon. So now just past 5 days elapsed and I have to say, I was not prepared for this level of pain at all. I have never experienced anything like it - my entire throat feels coated in glass, and literally *everything* hurts. Breathing/chewing/drinking/burping (especially!)/eating/solids/liquids/hot/cold it's all just bad bad bad. I feel really guilty for moaning at all my friends but usually I have a reasonable tolerance for pain. I feel like a complete wuss at the moment, almost debilitated by it! I have diclofenac three times a day and was also prescribed codeine four times a day for the first four days. my prescription has now run out and I'm supposed to be on "paracetamol as required". Well, I require it more than I should as the maximum 4 doses/24hr period is just not enough. Am almost in tears with the pain, the only thing keeping me going is knowing that it won't last forever... - I must agree with what's been said before the worst thing is how so far at least, every day seems worse than the last! I can't put into words how depressed I am by it at the moment, and I'm usually a pretty outgoing cheery kinda person... put this down to experience I guess. Erik (2004-11-28): Jules, there is no reason you should be in that much pain. Get some heavier-duty pain medication. Scream (with your hands) at your doctor for some. With that much pain, your healing process will be slowed down! jackie (2004-11-28): yo i got my tonsills out 6 days ago and man that was definatly NOT fun. i even threw up once i got home. im still in pain after this much time. for some reason the pain does get worse as the days go by..why the hell does this crap have to hurt so damn much..coughing,hiccuping, laughing, sneezing,all hurts like hell..i dont know what the doctors are sayinng when they say you can return to a full diet in 5 days..im sure as hell aint on solid food yet..when is the pain gonna go away?? im on tylenol with codeine and im on another bottle already...this sucks. Chris (2004-11-30): I just had mine out yesterday, and was searching for Post Op info. It went pretty well i suppose. I didn't like getting the i.v. needle. I heard it's a lot better in Canada for the surgery from what i've read. I went in, waited 1/2 an hour, got the i.v., waited 1 hr. then they made me walk to the Operating Room and there was like the doc and 5 other people there and a student doctor. They told me to get on the table, and breathe deeply as they stuck me with 2 needles and i sucked down some oxygen. Then I woke up in post anasthetic care unit. I am glad it was laser surgery, After a while the nurse came and told me that i wasn't on any pain killers yet, so she gave me some and some antibiotics. I guess i was still doped up. I slept a bit (they make you wait 4 hrs in recovery) then i walked out. I only felt a bit of nausea as i was leaving and spit clear saliva into a bag they gave me on the ride home. It's kinda painful, anytime i spit, it hurts a bit and i can't really drink yet. Get lots of popsicles, once your throat hurts you really go for one and it numbs it a bit. and make sure you take your Tylenol that takes away most of the pain and lets you drink and rest more easily. I still can't talk yet (i kinda choose not to) But i am soo glad to read i'm doing a lot better than some of you guys who are throwin up stuff. ick. I've had about 2 tylenol pills since i've been out they are the best. Hopefully i can start playing X-Box tomorrow. It seems the worst is over. jackie (2004-11-30): lol it may seem like the worst is over.. but it gets worse before it gets better.. it will really start to hurt bout 3-4 days afterward.. well at least thats what happened to me Cherie in Tx (2004-12-02): Well, its been 2 weeks since my tonsillectomy and turbinate surgery. I saw my doc at my checkup today. He was so thrilled at how well I am healing. WOO HOO. He actually did a little dance it was hillarious!! My nose, though isn't healing as well, because of my darn allergies. We are working on that. I have been through one set of tests and will go through another in a couple of weeks. He said once my allergies are under control, I'll be breathing like a new person! CAN"T WAIT!! Hang in there guys...it does get better!!! TV in San Diego (2004-12-03): Erik, thanks for the site. I've read your and everyone else's story with great interest. For years, I've had really bad sore throats, to include bouts with strep. My tonsils were huge, but when inflamed, they became freakishly large. As a kid, I told my mom that one of them had "ruptured." She shook her head in disbelief and just gave me some over-the-counter stuff. My wife has complained of my snoring and occasional foul breath from "tonsil stones," and everything just seemed to be getting worse. So, finally at the age of 39, I decided to have them out. I recently returned from Iraq, and while I had some down time there before I shipped home, I asked a Navy doc about the procedure. He told me that it was fairly serious for adults, but that upon getting home, he would write me up for a consult. The Navy Capt. ENT who took a look at me here in the states was a real pro. He took one look at my throat and said, "yep, those are nasty. When do you want them out?" This was just a week before Thanksgiving, so be both agreed that December 1st would work the best. The surgery went great. Can't say enough about the staff who assisted. In a military hospital, you kind of feel like you're a "part owner" of the facility, and being a fairly senior officer (Lieutenant Colonel) probably has something to do with the pleasantries I received. However, there were some fairly junior guys going into the OR for various things, and we all were enjoying the friendly, "at ease" manner of the folks there. Had my tonsils removed and the uvula trimmed. The doc gave me a ton of PERCOCET, but I felt so loopy from it, that I've decided to tough it out. Pain comes maily from swallowing, and seems to be coming from the uvula. Breathing seems a lot easier, and there seems to be no pain coming from where my tonsils used to be. I am excited about becoming a "superman." My new air flow should help me run faster and farther without hacking up nasty tonsil stones. Having some degree of PERCOCET withdrawal after only three dosages. All using this drug should be careful. Toughing it out in San Diego amanda (2004-12-04): well, i had my sugery on 12/2. thurs. and friday weren't so bad... i guess i was still pretty drugged up. friday night i started feeling sick and threw up, no blood :) today i am getting a little better. i'm trying not to take too much tylenol w/ codeine, i think that is what upset my stomach. so i'm now on plain tylenol elixir. the pain on the right side is far worse. and i'm starting to hurt from laying on my back with 2 pillows under my head. i am so happy someone else on this page mentioned having gas!!! it's pretty gross. i think the pain is just from the swelling at this point, which the tylenol helps, a lot. and i too have a funny taste in my mouth and my tongue is pretty swollen. all in all, it wasn;t as bad as i thought. tonight i'm going to try some room temp. soup!!! thanks for this site...it has given me so much comfort and support amanda (2004-12-05): now three days post-op. doing pretty well. i am extremely hungry and eating is a bit of a chore. i swallow a lot of air when i eat so i need to take breaks to burp. i'm nit in any real pain, i little discomfort from my jaw. it has been very tight since the op. i have tmj which i am sure doesn't help. i talk funny, i guess from being swollen. but i can say i feel a whole lot better today. i even took a short walk aroung the block. being up and moving really helps. Erik (2004-12-06): That's great Amanda! You're one of the lucky few to heal quickly! Matt (2004-12-06): It's been a week and 2 days sence i had a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy i am still recoveing and doing great the first week was good during the day and bad at night i was seen in the emergency room twice for dehydration and that suck really bad you guys do not wanna go through that it was so much pain. AT first i did not want the removed but i was snoring really bad and my girlfriend couldent stand it and plus only 30% of my air way was open. When i got them out and i was in recovery the surgen said that they were the biggest ones that he has ever seen and everybody in the operating room was so supprised that they had come out of a human well now that there out i would have done it all over again if i had to accept the emergency room visits. billa (2004-12-06): how long till u can smoke after a tonsillectomy and a adenoidectmy do u know? please help i am gying for a smoke Sheri (2004-12-06): Hi. What a great site. I am going in for a tonsillectomy and uvulopalatotomy early this morning. Am feeling quite apprehensive about the pain and bleeding possibilities post-op. Am losing sleep because of it, signed on and found this site. Thanks, Erik, it has helped. Scott (2004-12-07): It's going on five days now since my tonsillectomy. My uvula is huge now. Finished my first bottle of hydrocodone in less than 3 days and I'll be half way through my second one before the day is over but I have cut back. The gas is horrible to say the least. The ear-pain is the worst and doesn't come right away. I just wish I could cough without my uvula ending up on my tongue. I hate having to swallow it when that happens. Erik (2004-12-07): Sheri, good luck! I'm glad we could help. Scott, it never hurts to talk to your doctor, perhaps he/she can help with the swelling. You're probably over the hump though, hang in there! Sheri (2004-12-08): Hi again. Surgery went well, I had to stay overnight at the hospital. The pain isn't unbearable, but I'm keeping on top of it. I was released today and am staying at my mom's tonight (for some reason my husband thought it best, he thought our 4 and 5 year olds would be too much strain - I'm smiling, he's right). Have a question. When our little one had tonsillectomy last year, she had renewed/additional pain about day 3 - 4 when the scabs came off. Is this likely to happen to this old codger too? Just want to keep myself ready. (Boy are those nasty looking scabs, by the way.) Erik (2004-12-08): Sheri, sorry to say it, but I think the general consensus is that the third or fourth days are the worst. Scabs comming off, pain meds being scaled down, etc. Just hang in there! Mike (2004-12-09): Hi my name is Mike and I am in a great deal of pain with my tounsils. I have been to my family doctor once and the e.r. twice now. Family doctor said just to take tylenol,drink plenty of fluids and rest as it were a virus and would take 7-10 days to heal. The pain got so unbearable I went to the e.r and they gave me ery-tab for an antibiotic. That just made me sick to my stomach and made me get dehydrated. I went back again and they gave me a shot for pain, a shot for nausea, and a shot for inflammation. The rest of the day and the following day I felt fine. No pain at all and I noticed that the left tounsil is back to normal but the right one is still huge. I just figured I could get some from on what this may be. cause I have no idea and the pain is unbearable. I have been living off vicodin for the past week. Erik (2004-12-10): If I were you, I'd go see another doctor, or see what channels you need to go through to get the referral to the ear-nose-throat doc. Some doctors seem reluctant to go to surgery, but at some point you have to call it, and just cut 'em out! Shawn (2004-12-12): Hello Shawn here. I had a tonsillectomy, uvulectomy,and turbinate reconctruction about 6 days ago. It is so good finding information that is liken to my own experience. There expression HELL ON EARTH applies to this type of procedure. I have been in pain. My doc said that most of it would come from the sinus region but the throat has been the primary by far. Swallowing hurts so much I try to avoid it altogether. Thus I have become seriously dehydrated. I am hungry, want real food, and hate that I can't swallow it!! My doc has prescribed a narcotic syrup called Hydrocodone. Not bad once swallowing is complete but hurts my teeth strange. I also took Arnica a natural homeostatic bruise and sorness reducer. I did not have alot of bleeding or throat swelling. I recommend it if anyone wants to avoid all of the blood drainage. I see the doc again tomorrow, one week after my surgery, hopefully all is well. Blessings! Erik (2004-12-13): Good luck Shawn! I know it hurts, but you have to stay hydrated. Dehydration slows healing, and will dry your throat, causing more pain. If you can, just sip on a glass of water all day long. Matt (2004-12-13): Can anybody give me the name of a place that does tonsillectomy with a laser in Ohio? After hearing all your stories I don't want to get it done at all. Jon (2004-12-15): Yesterday, my ENT and I finally agreed to go ahead with tonsillectomy. The weird thing is that I don't have a sore throat, or any other cold/flu like symptoms. However, my tonsils have been HUGE for almost 2 months now. Antibiotics and steroids have done nothing. I will have spells where I become very light-headed as well. I'm not sure if that is related to the freakishly large tonsils, but we'll see. Surgery for me should be in about 2 weeks. Doesn't sound like fun, but it helps to read all of your stories. Thanks to all. Sarah_UK (2004-12-17): I had my tonsils taken out on Wednesday (15.12) and have had a white substance covering my tonsil beds and the back of that dangly thing since the second day of recovery. I just wondered whether this was normal, as the doctors and nurses never mentioned this to me! Otherwise, think I have gotten off quite lightly in comparison to some of you guys on here. Will (2004-12-19): Hello Erik, you had a bit more work done than I. I also had an insanely low oxygenation level during sleep. I had my surgery on 9-20-04. As far as post operative healing, did you notice any oddities occur that went awawy over time? I have had vision trouble , like double vision and very mild headaches as well as increased blood pressure. I'm taking High Blood Pressure meds now. My main concern is my vision, I think it's related to the blood pressure, as I only have the problem when moving around. It's hard to explain. Went to an opthamologist and she stated my eyes look fine and the the visual acuity is good but may be decreasing due to my age (35). I guess what I'm asking is, have you had some experiences post surgery that may be related to healing the damage done while you weren't breathing as you slept, anything? Glad to hear it's worked out well for you. Will Maxx (2004-12-23): I had the tonsillectomy,uvula removed and the turbinate done in Oct 2003, I am 57 and had no problems with the surgery. I took all the drugs as directed and had very little pain. My Doctor said I may have a little soreness for up to three month, but that was normal. It has now been 14 months and my throat feeld like I have a birds nest in it, The Dr said everything looks good, but I know something is not right. He suggested that I have several test done, of which I did. He also suggested I get another opinion (from one of his Dr friends. Go figure) He first said he thought I had acid reflux. After the test he now suggest that the test "demonstrates findings that are suspicious for a small hiatal hernia" I am not saying I don't have a hernia but I know that is not my problem. I can look in my throat and see that it is lop-sided.ie, the opening in my thoat is not centered and the little taste bumps on the rear of my tongue are actually rubbing the top of my mouth where the uvula was removed. This is causing the problem with the throat irritation.Has anyone else had this problem? What to do? My wife said that I snor as loudly as ever, Although I cam breath through my nose I find myself sleeping with my mouth wide open and a very dry throat. I guess at 57 I am just falling apart but I could use some advise from anyone who has the same problem Laura (2005-01-08): Wow! My 18 year old son is scheduled for a tonsillectomy due to chronic acute tonsillitous -- after reading postings on this site, I am terrified for him! But have also picked up lots of good hints and questions for the dr. My son has friends that had their tonsils removed with laser, as opposed to the more traditional surgery, and they are telling him that the recovery was extremely easy. I can't find much info on the laser procedure. Has anyone had it done by laser? Erik (2005-01-10): Laura, don't be terrified. I am very glad I had the surgery, it has made a wonderful change in the quality of my live (sleep). Yes, it's a awful two-week recovery period, but well worth it. With your love and care, your son will pull through it, no problem. Especially having that great 18 year old capability for healing! Patti (2005-01-11): I had the tonsillectomy and uppp 5 years ago. It cured my sleep apnea, and I get less frequent colds. It's been great. Only drawback is there seems to be a shorter "shelf" at the top of my palate where food gets caught. Every few weeks I'll give a good cough, and tiny rice-like ball will dislodge, and boy does it stink. If anyone is planning the sugery, I'd recommend freezing small bottles of water, so y ou can place them on your neck later. Also, don't be surprised if fluid comes out your nose when you swallow for the first six months after surgery. This would happen to me if I were tired. A word of caution...stay away from rootbeer. It hurts like the dickens! Emily (2005-01-11): I had my tonsillectomy almost 4 weeks ago. The pain was significant but not unbearable. Earaches were bad and pain was worse in the morning. I have a word of warning for those of you who are about to undergo a tonsillectomy: do NOT sneeze, cough, etc. If you feel like you are going to sneeze, press down on your nose to get rid of the reflex. I sneezed and started bleeding profusely and had to go to the ER - all of that could have been avoided. But that said, the pain and trouble was TOTALLY worth it. It was all over by two weeks, and after a week I felt a good bit better. Also, the painkillers made me feel really lathargic and awful. crystal (2005-01-11): It's 1:45am and I am so thankful for this site. I am on day 6 from having my tonsils removed and my turbinates reduced due to chronic sinus and tonsil infections. My dr. said it was going to be painful but I was not prepared for this after all...wish I would have found your website prior to surgery. The pain is incredible and like others it seems like a lifetime for just 4 hours to pass so i can take more liquid Lortab. My first bottle was not flavored and the taste was horrible had to mix it with warm apple cider just to get it down. However, my husband asked the tech at the pharamacy could we get it flavored..for $3 bucks extra my second bottle was grape flavored. Not sure if that was the best idea because I am sneaking in an extra teaspoon every 2 hours instead of 3 hours. My tongue is covered w/ some sort of white chalking. Plus my tongue is finally starting to heal from what my dr. called tongue trama...I have 2 huge soars on each side of my mouth. The dr. said this is due to the number of tools that put in your mouth to move the tongue out of the way. Nice huh. I am still not breathing through my nose however in the last day I have had 2 really strange looking tissue fall from my nose...not blood but funky mucus like...when they came out it was like wow I can breathe but than it went away and I am stuffy again. The mornings are rough since my throat dries out in the middle of the night...not sure why since I am up every 3 hours. Alot of you mentioned how tired you are...I am so weak and fall asleep every couple of hours sitting in the chair. My mom says it's because of lack of food. I've lost 10lbs so far but I know it just water because I am drinking like a race horse atleast 64 oz of water a day but it took until day 4 to drink water. I personally could not tolerate cold fluids...this is going to sound gross but I was actually warming ginger ale. I am glad to hear others were suffering w/ similiar issues because today I was about to call the doctor to see if he accidently screwed something up because I didn't think this was normal. Thanks to all of you that have written in saying 2 weeks is normal vs 5 - 7 days like the pamphlet said for healing. My voice is still horrible and it hurts to talk longer than 10 mins. I just pray that it was all worth it...will be nice not to be sick anymore. I am concerned about the bleeding that some of you wrote about...so far I have not had any bleeding. The back of the throat is still white and inflamed. Currently, my biggest issue is teeth and lower jaw pain. Anyone else had this problem? I just stop taking the predisone (sp) because I read this can cause your face to swell and so I started to freak out when the teeth were hurting. I go back to the dr. on Thursday (day 9). Hopefully, it will be good news. Erik (2005-01-12): Chystal, it certainly sounds like you're having a rough time of it, since most people seem to start feeling better around day four, though that you're able to drink now is a good sign! Good luck seeing the doctor, I'm sure he/she will have good news for you. Jon (2005-01-12): I am now on Post-Op day 6. I'm not convinced yet, but I may have turned the corner. Days 3 and 4 seemed to have been to worst. The pain is every bit as bad as they say it will be, but hopefully the pain meds will allow you to forget about it. I'm only able to eat popsicles, applesauce, and jello at this point, but that is certainly enough to keep me alive. Drinking fluids isn't much of a problem either. I would also like to remind everyone about to go through this procedure to do EVERYTHING YOU CAN to AVOID COUGHING. The last couple of mornings, I would begin to cough, and it felt like someone was raking my throat. That triggered a bit of bleeding, but I was able to stop it with an ice pack around the neck, and by sipping ice cold water. I am hoping that i will make noticable improvements in the coming days. Good luck all! Dave (2005-01-12): I'm start Day 8 of my recovery. I had tonsils, adnoids, somoplasty, and the UPPP with all of my uvula removed. Been working since Day 5 just to keep my mind occupied. Eating is a real pain, but starting to get the hang of it. Last night, my ears hurt so bad and hate every day this goes on. My doctor didn't see me and I have an appointment with him on Day 9. Will tell him that they need to follow up more closely or it this their plan to wait for so long so you forget how much it hurts. Jeff (2005-01-13): I had my tonsils out, uvula hacked off and turbinate bones removed all at once about 3 weeks ago. All is well except for having a "white ball" or egg-looking thing on the end of what's left of the uvula. It is tickling the back of my throat constantly and still slightly obstructs the airway when I lay down. Is having this "white ball" normal three weeks post-op? I was told it's a scab, but I've never seen a scab like this!!! Marc (2005-01-13): Hi Guys, I had my tonsillectomy On 12/01/2005, and on the 3rd day (today) i woke up with nausea and threw up everything! no blood though luckly. Im on some antibiotic called Keflor or something, and im allergic to penecillin. Could this have anything to do with me throwing up? By the way, the pain hasnt really been that bad, just overly uncomfortable. tODAY has been the worst by far. Erik (2005-01-13): Marc, what are you doing posting to a web site?! Call your freakin' doctor! I can't think of anything worse to wash over your new tonsil-holes than stomach acid! anonymous (2005-01-14): Day 10...starting to finally feel normal again. I went to dr. and he removed some really gross tissue from nose and I am now finally able to breathe. Yippie !! I did get a 3rd refill of Lortab but not taking it every 4 hours like before. I would have to say this has been the most painful experience to date. My dr. today told me give it just another 3 days and you will feel normal again..I promise. Jennifer (2005-01-16): my husband is going to have this done. Can you give us any advice on the matter. Jeff (2005-01-17): Jennifer....closely follow the pain medication schedule! Erik (2005-01-17): Jennifer: My best advice is to keep in close contact with the doctor. See him/her as often as possible, and be very aware of any changes, especially bleeding. Kendra (2005-01-17): Im on Day 5 following my tonsillectomy. Found the first day to be a piece of cake, mostly because I was on so many drugs I had no clue what was going on. The 2nd & 3rd day absolutely sucked, the pain hit me in the face, especially halfway through the night. I would wake up and feel this raw awful pain that radiated into my ears. This is the 5th day now and I actually feel ok. For half the day swallowing barely even hurt when drinking water. I even ate macaroni and cheese, and some scrambled eggs. THis was a big step from popsicles and ice cream. Im kinda scared to sleep cause I feel so good right now, and I know how excrutiating it feels halfway through the night. One can be hopeful. If my recovery is this progressive for the next couple days I think I will be doing just fine by day 8 or so... Kendra (2005-01-17): whoops i forgot to mention a helpful tip. I read a few study reports before my surgery which mentioned that regular ingestion of vitamin c one week before your surgery will significantly increase your recovery rate. They recommend taking 500mg 3 times a day. After surgery continue the regime if you can swallow. (be sure to by capsules not pills) Do not even think about taking the powder form it will burn your throat like crazy. I think this has helped me along, but just a suggestion. Erik (2005-01-18): Good luck Kendra! Thanks for the tip about the vitamin C! Keep hydrated! George (2005-01-20): Thank you all for the comments. I'm going to have my turbinites reduced - cauterization I believe. I was wondering what to expect and what the recovery period for that procedure is. I know it is not nearly as much of a surgery than the rest of you have had but I don't view any surgery lightly. BTW I'm a young 54 - Ok, not that young. Thanks Kendra (2005-01-20): Im on Day 8, feeling good...My scabs looked like they were dissolving this morning, I could see pink flesh back there..but as the day has progressed they came back, kinda weird I thought. The great thing is that it doesn't hurt to eat soft foods or drink water anymore. Only when I swallow with nothing in my mouth, chewing gum is good for this. Still have pain when I wake up in the middle of the night, but I just take an extra strength tylenol and go back to bed. Im very excited I havent had any bleeding yet, and crossin my fingers that it wont happen! Jeff (2005-01-21): Tonsillectomy, Uvulaectomy and Turbinite Reduction done 4-1/2 weeks ago. Still feels like a scab or something is in my nasal cavity just above the area where my uvula was cut off. Is this feeling normal? Would there still be a scab in that area? Erik (2005-01-21): George, good luck! Given your position on the edge of "youthful", be extra careful to keep hydrated, and in contact with your doctor. Jeff: After four weeks I doubt it's a scab, but it could be scar tissue, or anything else. Best to have your doctor take a look. Clifford (2005-01-22): I am on day 14 recovoring from UP3 and tonsillectomy. Pain was pretty immense, and no solids until just a couple days ago for me. I tried eating solids five days ago and began to hemmorhage, almost required cautery. Just wondering id someone knows how long it might be before I feel the 'Superman' effect I hear about, or should I feel it by now? I am assuming the 'obstruction' was gone the day of the procedure so in theory shouldn't I have ben feeling the benefit soon after (days) following the procedure? I someone knows a solida answer to this one please email me at home: phytoplankton@verizon.net, I am not so sure yet that I fall into the 50 percentile of cured. Erik (2005-01-23): Everyone heals differently Clifford, and as long as you're healing, you'll have some swelling. Be patient, keep hydrated, and let your body heal itself. Of course, if in doubt, see a doctor. Lue (2005-01-23): Have been to 2 different ENT's. Had a uvulaectomy done last April. Believe it sounds like the noise I make is coming from nasal. Am stuffy most of the time. Can usually breath thru my nose, but use a nasal spray at night. Getting frusterated. Considering another ENT, but insurance doesn't cover that well. Has anyone else had any similar problems, and what have they done about it? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks. Brianne (2005-01-25): I had a tosillectomy done yesterday morning. I was feeling ok most of the day and now in the middle of the night, I can't sleep because of the pain and I am gagging. I looked at my uvula and it is huge and just hanging back there. Is it normal for it to be so enlarged after surgury? Or is it so big now because my huge tonsils were covering it up? After reading others info on here, it seems like everyone has theirs removed along with the tonsils. I have terrible sleep apnea and was having tonsillitis and that is why mine were taken out (not to mention the fact that they were giantic!) becky (2005-01-25): becky- hi this is day 18 post surgery hade super large tonsils and uvula removed im still spiting up alot of flym. clear to yellow brown im so fatiqued cant eat much i also have corhns desease and i iam on mp6 glad to find this sight my ears are so senitive and hurt Erik (2005-01-25): Brianne, I don't know if swelling of the uvula is normal, it could be, but it's best to check with your doctor. It might also be nice to know why he/she didn't remove or shorten it while the tonsillectomy was being done! Becky, sounds to me like you need to go see your EMT or general Doc. Brianne (2005-01-25): I called the doc today to findout about my uvula. He gave me steroids and said it was normal. If it doesn't shrink up though, I am going to question the doc why he didin't remove it or shorten it. Thank you! Randy (2005-01-26): Dude, you need to lay off the soda. Its bad for your teeth, its bad for your bones, it's bad for your blood sugar. It's going to kill you if you keep it up. Dave (2005-01-27): I am scheduled for tonsillectomy in a few weeks. I keep hearing about the pain, potential complications, etc. Some comments sound like it's hardly worth it. My main motivation is to stay off the CPAP machine. I tried it and could not sleep very well. Any words of wisdom are appreciated. Erik (2005-01-27): Dave, yes, there is a lot of pain. Yes, recovery can be long. It's almost guaranteed to suck an awful lot. However, I'm very glad I did it. It was much more than worth it. There have been several comments to this site of the same sentiment. Look at it this way: You have three choices: 1. Learning to sleep with a CPAP machine, and like it, for the rest of your life, 2. Insomnia, for the rest of your life, or 3. A week or two of discomfort. (2005-01-28): scheduled for my tonsillectomy, septoplasty, and bilatteral turbinoplasty for the 22nd of feb. this site has been great, i too was scared away from the surgery a year ago, but this site has given me the confidence i need to go through with it this time. thanks averyone here Erik (2005-01-28): Good luck John! Emily (2005-02-01): I am on day 4 from my tonsillectomy. Really, there is nothing fun about this. Even ice cream is painful! But what they say is true... it hurts like hell to drink water, but the wetter you can keep the scabs the better you feel. So drink it down, keep them wet, it cuts down on the pain. I've found that blasting a humidifier in my face while I sleep has kept my throat a bit moister and therefore lessened the discomfort... a little. Good luck. I can't wait until next week when I can eat some real food. Helped jumpstart my diet though! JT (2005-02-01): On day 5 of Tonsillectomy and uvula snip. Pain is tolerable-I am 33. surgery needed for apnea and Chronic tonsil problems. Found out I am seriously allergic to narcotics Nice to know after the fact This site is great and has helped Me a lot. I would recommend the Surgery to anyone having problems IMHO The uvulaectony hurt much more than the tonsillectomy. I have scheduled 2 weeks off work I think I will take it to be sure I am healed My experience has not been too bad! Thanks again for the site! Erik (2005-02-01): I had the same experience! Who knew the uvula would have so many nerves in it?! Kate (2005-02-03): I am now 7 days post-tonsillectomy. My uvula is so huge it keeps coming forward and practically into my mouth! Is this normal? I wish the doc had snipped it while he was back there! Anyone know the uvula and when it should not be so swollen? It is almost see through it is so big... it is gross! Ann (2005-02-04): I had my tonsils removed and both turbinates resectiones in oct 04. I experienced intence pain after surgery and insisted with nurses that the pain was quickly getting stronger they kept saying it's normal and to try to drink, I did my best but pain was still unbearable, I looked in my mouth and all I could see was white.. I was discharged still unable to eat to drink after 2 days..At home things only got worse but I thought IT WAS NORMAL.. after surgery so "I was told by nurses". This intense pain went on for a week until I could no longer speak or open my mouth all I could do was cry, until my hubby could no longer see me distressed and (loosing weight extreemly quickly) against my will dragged me back to hospital where I was re-admitted for severe dehydration. No explanation was given to me as to why my body reacted so badly, after a day I was rehydrated and the following sent home. I still do feel some degree of pain especially when I drink It's like a burning sensation on my palate and many times my drink comes through my nose after drinking... has this happened to anyone else? Am I exagerated? Erik (2005-02-04): Kate, the swelling will go down, but if you think it might be problematic, or it is obstructing your breathing, go see your doctor right away. Ann, that's awful. Don't ever resist going back to the hospital or your doctor, it's just not worth it. If the pain is still to bad, ask your doctor for more or better meds. Why suffer? You will get used to drinking with your newly shaped throat, but it will take time. Until then, take small sips, and keep hydrated! Brianne (2005-02-07): Kate, my uvula finally shrank down to normal size about day 10 but that was only after being on steroids for 5 days. I am now at day 14 post op. Pain is still an issue, but I am so sick of depending on the meds, I've switched over to tylenol. 4 days ago I started bleeding and had to go to the ER. The doc on call at my doc's office showed up and cauterized my throat (it tasted nasty!!!) I still feel something lurking down on the right side and it bothers me. Something I can't hack up. Don't mean to be gross, lol. Doc says it's normal, but I worry. Anyone else feel that kinda thing back there? Also I've heard that tonsils can grow back if not all properly removed. Does anyone know how soon that can happen? Because the cut was clean and I look at it everyday and it seems that there is something new at the top of where the initial cut was. I am probably overreacting, but I am worried. Any advice would be appreciated. Also, sleep apnea people; are you doing better now, or before you had this done? Dave (2005-02-07): Posted on Day 8 (1-12-2005) and now it has been over 4 weeks since the operation. I'm feeling a lot better, but I feel a real tightness in the tissue where my uvula was and also the back of my tougue where they did the somoplasty. I'll see the doctor later this week. I had coughed up some tissue and left a hole in my tougue. Dr. said it wasn't usual, but left the hole for now to fill in. Think he tried to convince this was a good thing. Anyway, thanks for the postings, it helps to measure progress based upon others experiences. Michelle (2005-02-08): i had my tonsils & noids out 6 days ago. The worst part is my hubby is in iraq and I have 2 small kids! I had to plan, but everything turned out OK, got babied by my mommy (I am 27) which was nice! I am finally drinking lots, b/c i realized I wouldn't get better if I didn't,and yey! I ate a bowl of broccoli & cheese soup tonite! Couldn't taste it, though! It seems like my tastebuds are scraping off, is that normal? The earache and ear stuffiness is the worse part, Darvocet helps a little, lying flat and ice packs. I am slowly getting better, it has truly been hell! I have the grey membranes, it seems like there are still tonsils there to me! Glad I did it, but wished I would've did it when hubby was home, moral support goes a long way! Couldn't eat ice cream, it coated my throat & made things worse. Thanks for the page, the advice is very helpful! Erik (2005-02-08): Michelle, I'm glad the site could help. Good luck! Hossein (2005-02-08): It's been two weeks since I had my tonsils removed, my Uvula shortened, and my turbinites shrunk through Coblation. Let me begin by saying ouch!! But like Erik I lived for years with out being able to breath properly without nose spray. The proceedure was hard, and with out boring you all with details, I will say, the older you are the harder it is. I am 39, and found it to be very tough. BUT I would do it all over again to have a life of easy breathing. Hang in there. If you want details of how I felt on each day contact me. hgghavami@yahoo.com PS Erik, I like the Discovery, my brother is big on off roading and own both a discovery,and off roads with his defender 90. Being that I am a Jeep guy, he wears a tee shirt that reads "I would rather push a Land Rover, than drive a Jeep" Erik (2005-02-08): Hossein, I'm glad to hear your experience, like mine, has been positive, overall. It is an awful experience, but compared to a life of infections, sleep apnea and constricted breathing, it's more than worth it. I love that shirt, it's funny, but a little stinging, given the trouble many people have with their Land Rovers, including me. Nina (2005-02-08): Coblation is a method of removing soft tissue like your tonsils and or turbinates with considerable less post operative pain then standard techniques. I've heard about it from friends and am looking for a surgeon who does it. Andrew (2005-02-09): I love this site... made me feel a lot better. I'm 7 days in, (tonsils and septoplasty - sleep apnea) Day 3 is defienitly the WORST. My ADVICE is STAY HYDRATED. No matter how much it hurts, DRINK WATER. DOn't drink, things will get much much worse. I've had ear pain, and teeth pain, it seems common from all your posts, so if anyones worried, don't be - unless it persists. At 7 days, I feel generally ok. My throat always feels dry, but swallowing no longer hurts. Except when I eat anything other than Jello or icecream. My worst problem, that doesn't seem to be common, is the feeling there is a papercut running down the center(back) of my tongue down the back of my throat. It stings like hell, on certain foods, yoghurt, juice, and if I GULP water. It does seem to be getting better. So GOODLUCK to everyone going through the pain, it gets better slowly. I'm dying for a steak, pizza and a beer. It's going to tast so good :) Nina (2005-02-09): Andrew, when they do a tonsillectomy they suspend your mouth open with something called a "mouth gag." It's made to hold your mouth open during the surgery. You very well could have been cut with the gag. It sould get better very soon. Michelle (2005-02-10): What I want to know is are my tastebuds going to comeback? brenda (2005-02-10): I am in day 16 of the tonsillectomy. I am also ready to change dr's. I experienced bleeding on the right side 6 days after initial surgery, that required me to be put under again and recauterized. That side is healing nicely, but the left is having issues. in the last 3 days, it has swollen back up, is making it difficult to swallow and appears that the uvula is attached to the left side of my throat. My surgeon was out today, but his partner basically threw up his hands and walked out on my exam today. I am going to another surgeon (the one on call when I had to go back to the ER at 2:00 am ) to see what he says. I am firmly convinced that the group of dr.'s that I saw was a "chop shop". (cincinnati ohio, to be exact). The reason for my surgery was that the right tonsil was triple the size it should have been and had puss pockets on it for several years. I still have the "gagging" feeling that several folks mentioned above, as well as at night the swelling does still block my airway. I am hoping that once it goes down, I can breathe much easier. The uvula was swollen for the better part of 10 - 12 days. I will let you know what the 2nd doc says tomorrow about the uvula growing into the side of my head. Becci (2005-02-10): I'm on day 4 after having my tonsils and turbinites removed. Other than the fact it might hurt, would drinking alchohol in a weeks time do any damage? alana (2005-02-10): I had a tonsillectomy on 2/2/05. I am 26 and have had previous surgeries which included TMJ surgery. I thought the pain with my TMJ surgery was bad, in retrospect that was a cake walk compared to the pain with my tonisllectomy. The OR nurse commented that I had the largest tonsils she had ever seen and she didn't know how I could even breathe. So that explains why I always had problems breathing out of my nose (the tonsillectomy was done because I had chronic tonisillitis). When in the recovery room, I was given 7 shots of morphine. That only took an edge off the pain. Once I got home, I was taking vicodin or percocet every 3 hours. My doctor told me that I could take either 15ml of vicodin or 2 7.5mg percocet pills every three hours if needed. Unfortunately, the pain pills only worked for about 2.5 hours, so there was a little bit of pure misery. I also kept ice on my throat, this did help. Just a warning to all, the second day is hell! All the anesthesia and morphine is out of your system, and I thought I was going to die. I would rather spit than swallow. I couldn't drink anything that was cold, it had to be room tempature and through a straw. And only sipping. As for eating, pudding and mashed potatoes were too thick, ice cream burned going down, popsicles were tolerable, as was jello and campbells cup-at-hand broccoli soup. I ended up calling my doc about the pain it was so bad. Since I have had previous surgeries I have quite a high tolerance for pain med's, so the doc gave me a prescription for Oxycotin. I took those twice a day and continued taking the vicodin/percocet. I was completely drugged up. I had to wake up in the middle of the night to take the pain med's, because the pain would actually wake me up. I contiued all these drugs for 5 days. What the doctor's didn't tell me is all the pain medicine make you constipated. I had to take a stool softner to have a bowel movement. Also, I was taking a liquid antibiotic. Which gave me thrush, for anyone that doesn't know what thrush is, it's a yeast infection in your mouth. My tongue was white and sore and everything had a weird taste to it. My doctor gave me diflucan for it and after a day it started to clear up. After day four I stopped taking the Oxycotin. alana (2005-02-10): I couldn't stand the way I was feeling on it. Up through day 7 I could barely stand to eat anything. I was only eating jello, popsicles, and soup. I had to slowly sip apple and grape juice so I didn't come dehydrated. I am now on Day 8 and things are a little better. I kept reading about scabs coming off, but every time I looked in the back of my mouth all I saw was white stuff and black (from the cauterization). I saw nothing that looked like scabs. Then I looked in the mirror this morning and saw the scab on the left side of my mouth was about to fall off. After taking some sips of something to drink, it came off. Once that happened, I felt like half my throat had opened up. I was actually able to eat chicken noodle soup, with the noodles, life was great! A few hours later I looked at the left side of my mouth, and that scab looked like it was about to come off too. I felt so good after the first scab came off, I was determined to help this one along. To make a long story short, I took tweezers and pulled the scabs off. There was no pain or bleeding at all. The scabs actually look like dead tissue. They were gray and mushy. i now understand why it felt like I had lumps in my throat when I swalled, I actually did. They were really gross!!! I now look in the back of my throat and see pink. There are a couple of white spots still on my tonsils, but I think that is normal and should clear up within the next week. I have actually been able to have some pasta and eggs now that all the scabs are gone. I still have pain, but am now just taking regular tylenol. My taste is a little off, but it isn't as bad as it was before the scabs came off. Also, my voice is different. It sounds like I am talking into a sock, very muffled. I am hoping that goes away soon! If I had to do it over again, I would still have the surgery. I figure a couple of weeks of hell will be worth not having to worry about tonsillitis and strep again. Anyone who is about to have the surgery, be prepared. There is no words to describe the pain. But it does get better. Erik (2005-02-10): Brenda, good luck! Becci, I bet drinking would hurt a whole lot! Alana, sorry, I had to break up your comment into two pieces. Looks like I need to make the comment size larger in my database! Sheesh you had a rough time of it. I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. Hang in there, it's all down hill from where you are! Erik (2005-02-10): Michelle, I'm sure your tastebuds will come back, eventually, but if you're really concerned, ask your doctor how you can help along their healing. brenda (2005-02-10): another friend described drinking beer as "a chorus line of stilletto heels going down his throat". Basically the carbonation. Also, you might want to watch the interaction with your pain meds. I had a beer 2 days after I quit the pain meds. It tingled and went up my nose when I swallowed, but cannot say that it caused me any problems. check with your doc to be sure. (2005-02-11): hope everyone is feeling better , i am patiently awaiting my surgery on the 22 of feb. cant get here soon enough, although im still a little apprehensive. sounds like breathing out of my mouth is going to hurt like hell, since im having septoplasty,turbinate reduction, and adenoidectomy along with the tonsil removal. will post my thoughts after my surgery. thanks to everyone thats posting in here, you have all been a real inspiration. thanks again john Erik (2005-02-11): Good luck John! brenda (2005-02-11): met with my surgeon today and found that although it looks like the tonsilar pillar is consuming the uvula, it is not. The two are separate. I will be taking a 6 day course of steroids to reduce the swelling on the left side of the throat. It was also explained to me today that some of the pain I am still experiencing is muscular related to the overall throat. (kind of understandable). It is amazing the difference when you get a doctor that will sit down and talk with you and literally "point out" the pictures of what is going on. I am returning to work on the 15th. Still eating slowly and avoiding "sharp" edges on my food. Tried a shot of single malt scotch today, and that still smarts a bit. will stick with my iced tea and watered down apple juice for a bit more. I will check back on the log and see how everyone else is doing. I am still curious as to if the back of my throat will get back to normal with an arch and the uvula hanging down. No one seems to know exactly what this will look like in another 2 - 3 months. (not something I am really happy about.) I just hope the benefits of feeling better in general come before summer. Becci (2005-02-13): DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL. I didn't think for a moment that having one sip of beer would do anything other than sting a little. It stung. Oh yes. It hurt like hell but was soon tamed by a glass of water. 1 hour later I started bleeding a little. I ignored it thinking it was coming from the back of my nose (which I was told would be to a certain extent expected) but then 15 mins later I was bleeding perfusely in the kitchen sink. I had to be rushed to hospital. It didn't occur to me for a second that it was due to the beer. But when the consultant asked me if i'd had any alcohol i jokingly replied, "well i had one sip of a beer if that counts" Turned out, it does count and that the beer had burned away a protective layer... I had to stay in hospital for two nights. :( Erik (2005-02-13): Thanks for the advice Becci! Eva (2005-02-13): Hi. Thanks for all of your comments. I have had a stuffy nose, sore throats, and sleep apnea for years. I have been to many doctors and they all have a different version of what is wrong with me including the fall back of "it is all in your head". Well I believe it is all in my head. I believe I have chronic tonsillitis and something "wrong with my nose. I have kept insisting that it is my adenoids. However all the doctors I have seen say that adenoids shrink and adults do not have them. How then did all of you folks on this site have your adenoids taken out if there is presumably "no such thing".So I will be taking all the information I have recieved from you and will be armed with my next visit to my ENT. Thanks a lot, Erik (2005-02-13): Good luck Eva, sounds like you need to get a more sympathetic, and knowledgeable doctor! Michelle (2005-02-13): It is day 9 for me after surgery now. Feeling better, my throat is still lumpy, I guess you could say! My ears still pop everytime I swallow! I have my post-op dr. appt. tomorrow, and I have a funny feeling I have thrush in my mouth thanks to the antibiotics!! Ewwwww! I ate a "real meal" today, although I couldn't really taste it, and my tongue stings! I had salad & soup, was probably pretty good...I am now starting to not regret the surgery, because for the first week after, you will wish you never had it! I have to say that in comparison to other situation in my life, that it felt like I gave birth through my throat! Sorry that's gross but the best way I can explain it! I know it will be SO worth it, and I will never have tonsillitis again!!! YEY! Emily (2005-02-16): I am on day 19! It gets soooo much better! I feel like I only have tiny scabs in the throat, and my uvula which was so swollen is better and better each day. I still have a bit of a sore throat at night, but I feel so much better. I, too, had to go on steroids becuase of the the intense pain, and after day 14 I was still not sleeping and ready to put pens into my ears to alleviate the pain... went back to the dr. honestly to get some "drugs" and he discovered that the steriods had caused acid reflux (a really common side effect of steroids) and the acid was rubbing into my sores! He gave me some stuff for that and I swear, I almost immediately felt better. I did the whole recovery thing practically drug-free... Tylenol with Codeine is a joke! It is just red sugar water with no help. If you are pre-operation ask your doctor how he or she plans to treat the pain and ask how much pain you should tolerate before you call and ask for something stronger. Ask ahead of time, when the pain is happening, all you can think about is drugs and jamming pens into your ears.... okay maybe those were just my thoughts. (2005-02-22): well todays the day its the 22nd of feb, and time for my surgery. im still a little apprehensive,but i will be fine. i will let you all know how im coming along later in the week. take care all talk to ya later Charlie (2005-02-24): I had my tonsillis, adnoids and uvula removed on the Feb. 1st. I am 47 years old and have had problems with them all my life. The last couple of years I have had problems with tonsilliths or tonsill stones. Now I'm three weeks post op. I still have a little pain. There is still a little white coating back where my tonsills were. What is really frustrating to me is my sense of taste is off. I can't pick up the taste of sweet stuff. I can eat ice cream cake or anything like that but it does't taste sweet. Has anyone else had that problem? On the plus side I am sleeping so much better. It is great to go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning. I used to wake up six or seven times a night. Erik (2005-02-25): John, good luck! Keep hydrated! Charlie, many people have complained of damage to their sense of taste, but it seems to be temporary. If you're worried it's taking too long to heal, your doctor should be able to help. (2005-02-25): thanks eric it is day 4 and i feel pretty good been dumping the fluids down. went to see my ent today and he says everything looks great. a big thank you too everyone who posts in here. god bless u all and god speed Jason H (2005-02-26): Has anyone used Hycet for pain relief? (2005-02-28): well its now day 7 and i have to admit i think i turned the corner this morning. ive had two breakfast burritos this morning and just finished a piece of pan pizza for lunch. i forgot to mention in all my posts that im 38, and was really not looking forward to this surgery. but not as bad as i thought it was going to be. im going to see ent today to have my nose vacummed out, anyone else in here have that done? hope everyone is feeling better and god speed too you all. thanks eric for a great site. Erik (2005-02-28): John, my ENT gave me a "Saline nose wash" to accomplish a cleaning. It feels wierd, but works great! Curtis (2005-03-02): I am in Day 8 of my recovery and by far it is the most traumatic experience I could ever have. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts. My experience has led me to lose sleep, I can't breath when I lay down, my uvula is swollen and falls back into my throat and blocks my breathing. My soft pallete hurts, my toungue hurts and every muscle in my throat hurts. But today I must say I feel 20K times better than I did a few days ago. Problem is I have developed Thrush. Don't know what to expect waiting for my doctor to call me back. I am glad I came across this site because I thought the issues I was having was unique to me. But I see many other tonsillectomy patients have experienced the same thing. I just can't wait until I can eat again. I have lost 20lbs in 8 days, guess I am on the diet I have been dreading.. LOL... I have lived on jello, popsicles, flat clear soda. Everything else hurts or what go down. I will post later as it gets later in the week. Curtis (2005-03-02): I had a really bad day today. I have developed thrush and it is very bothersome. Any suggestions on how to make this more comfortable? Also, I tried eating my first meal today. I did ok but then... the pain started, it felt like something was ripping then it felt like alcohol being poured on an open wound. My throat to my ear felt like it was on fire and sharp pain shooting at the same time. Anyone has any idea what that was? Depression is starting to set in because I am a very active guy but this recovery has gotten me down. Someone please help. BTW, I still have problems swallowing, my uvula is still very large, and it still hurts after the pain medicine wears off... Sincerely, Miserable Jason H (2005-03-02): Has anyone used Hycet? Its a hydrocodone apap liquid combinant. Because of the lower apap content u can have more doses daily than lortab. Erik (2005-03-02): Curtis, hang in there, the swelling will go down, and the trush will subside, and you'll feel better. However, there's no reason not to ask your doctor if there are antibiotics or anti-swelling agents to help. Good luck! Curtis (2005-03-03): Thanks Erik for the encouragement. I must say this is the best free counseling there is out there. I have read every post since this website inception. It really gives support. I called my ENT surgeon and he wasn't helpful at all. He said the thrush will go away and gave me nothing for the swelling. I called my PCP and he prescribe me an anti-fungal for the thrush, it is clearing it up already. I should of told him about the enlarged uvula too, maybe he could of prescribed something for that. I will call him today. Jason, I used Hycet and it worked for me. Never took away the pain but took the edge off to make it bearable. For the first 8 days I took it religiously, every 4 hours, because at 3 hours and 15 minutes the pain becomes unbearable. It doesn't make you sleepy or cause you to weird out like Percocet or Demerol. So far today, I feel a lot better. I think the scabs fell off yesterday and the reason for the shooting pain. I had a severe coughing attack this morning for about 45 minutes, think it is from the thrush and scratchy throat. But I must say it didn't hurt a bit coughing, really good sign. When I swallow slight discomfort but no real pain, so I am coming off the pain meds today. I will see how the rest of the day goes it is only 7am est. Curtis (2005-03-03): BTW Erik, I have been taking Amoxcicillan Anti-biotic, my PCP says that may be the reason for the thrush. Is the anti-biotic supposed to relieve swelling too? Jodie (2005-03-03): I have my tonsils out 3/7/05 yikes you are all young. I am 33, but I will say I am in good health and I hope that boasts in my favor. I had it scheduled for this last Mon and as I was in my hosp bed and they did the IV and then drew my blood and sent it off to be tested for the coagulation they sent in the Anestesiologist to discuss his role and when he left they gave me my "relaxation drugs" as the dr is standing at the end of my bed waiting for the results of my test he says normally I don't run this test, but since you have been on this antibiotic for 3 months sometimes they can cause thinning in the blood he walks over gets the results and comes back and says no surgery today you will have to take Vit k for 5 days and we will try again on Mon. I was ready last week mentally now I am nervous. Curtis (2005-03-03): Jodie, I am 33 as well. My surgery was Feb 22, 2005. I am in the 9th day of recovery and I am doing so much better than I was by the 3rd day of surgery. The surgery is no problem, the initial recovery is no problem either (day 1 after the anesthesia) but Jodie by the 3rd day you will not know what hit you. Make sure your doctor gives you great pain medication. It will be your best friend. Drink plenty of fluids. It will help speed up the recovery because of our forced swallowing. Good luck and speedy recovery. Erik (2005-03-03): Curtis, I'm glad this site helped you! I don't think antibiotics help with swelling, but you're right, they'll probably make the trush worse. Your body should take care of it eventually... Jodie, Curtis is right, the second-fifth days are the worst, but in the end, I think everyone agrees it is worth it. Good luck, and do make sure you're getting good pain medication. Something good and illegal to have without a prescription! jodie (2005-03-03): give me some ideas of "good pain meds" or of what to ask for or what to say no that is not going to cut it. and for how many days were you on pain meds post surgery. Erik (2005-03-03): Jodie, I was on percocet and then darvocet for 10 days. Percocet worked almost as well as morphine, but made me loopy. Darvocet was good too, but not as powerful and made me feel a bit more on-balance. Curtis (2005-03-04): Jodie, I had 2 pain meds - Hycet (hydrocodone/acetemenophin) It is low dose tylenol with higher dose hydrocodone. It worked but when pain was really unbearable I took demerol, which I found to be just as good as morphine. But it will make you loopy too. Also, ask your doctor to prescribe you promethazine. This is for the nausea that narcotic pain meds can induce. Thanks again Erik. Chelsea (2005-03-07): I am 33 and I had my tonsils out about 10 years ago due to a constant soar throat. However, I started snoring a lot about 2 years ago. So in November 2004 I had my deviated septum fixed. I had hoped that would solve the problem, but it didn't. Then on Feb. 25, I had my uvula removed. I took Hycet liquid for the first 3 days but it made me extremly loopy and it also made me itch. But it was worth it because it took all kinds of pain away. However, it also wired me so I didn't get any sleep. I also too Hydrocodone tablets. They work great. Be sure to eat something before taking any pain medicine or it will often make you queasy! Has anyone else had just their uvula removed? How long did it take to stop snoring. It has been 10 days for me and I'm still snoring. jodie (2005-03-08): hey all I had my surgery yesterday and I felt awesome in the afternoon.After surgery I ate yogurt pudding ice cream ham and string cheese crackers and p.b. And walked about 4.5miles. I woke up this morning and I feel ok I had a humidifier by my bed last night and I think it made all the diff. also I made sure to set the alarm to get me up to take my meds in the night. I have darvocet and an promethazine liquid. but all is well here. I do get the shakes after the promethazine, but I think it works better than the darvocet. Thanks for all!!! Chelsea how was the uvula removal I have heard those can be very painful. Erik (2005-03-08): Chelsea, I had my uvula removed, and I believe I stopped snoring right away. However, I would wait to for all the swelling to go down before getting frustrated. Jodie, of the three things I had taken out of my head, the uvula removal was the worst. Still, I'm glad it's gone. Rika (2005-03-08): Hi all....I am 34 years old and am scheduled to have a tonsillectomy, septoplasty and my uvula removed on May 19th. I just happened to stumble on this page, and I've been reading everyone's comments. I'm mostly afraid of the packing they put in your nose (I heard it's terrible when they remove it), my voice changing (a little change would be ok, but not drastically), and food/drinks going up my nose since my uvula will be gone. Also, I have had a bad taste in my mouth for many years and am hoping it will go away after the surgery, but it seems to be a common complaint in here for many people. Any advice would be appreciated! anonymous (2005-03-08): Would you reccommend Hycet above other pain meds? Where would you rank it in effectiveness/side effects? jodie (2005-03-09): today is day 3 and I am doing surprisingly well can eat most anything and drink most any thing I think that the promethazine liquid works the best. (2005-03-09): hi all im on day 14, havent had any pain since day 7. the second through sixth were the toughest for me, continual ear pain along with the feeling that someone was stabbing me in my throat. hang in there it is all worth it im getting the best sleep of my life, and the wife says no more snoring. again eric thanks for this site its a great help too many. doc with big tonsils (2005-03-10): as a doctor and a fellow tonsillectomy pt, I have a different perspective than most. I think this page is great because it allows many of us to share experiences. however, it also allows for the perpetuation of disinformation. Let me address some things, first adenoids are usually shrunken down in adults. That's not to say it can't be a problem, but to say the MD whom said this isn't an idiot. Secondly, steroids are the likely culprit for thrush. Whereas women may get yeast infections from antibiotics, oral thrush is less commonly related to antibiotics. Thirdly, pain meds work differently for all, a fact that some have readily noted here as some of us have elected to not take any narcotics at all- others have required stronger doses of combination drugs like lortab/vicodin/darvocet and some have even needed MS contin. How much is enough is between you and your doctor, but demanding the most powerful pain meds just because you read it on a website isn't the best rationale. If your pain isn't controlled, you should reasonably be able to get more. However, this is a crucial problem I'm noting here on this page that as a physician I hope to change. There seems to be poor communication between many of you and your docs. I'm not trying to point fingers since I think this is a relationship, and therefore both parties are responsible. The surgeons should be more responsible in explanations about what to expect (something some obviously did spend some time to explain to the people above). Patients should be less apt to doubt everything their MDs say because they read something slightly contrary on website. Erik does point out something important: if something weird or unexpected happens, you should talk to your doc and not just post on a website. by the way, day 2 and am I'm still having some pain, no bleeding but fearful of it. Eating chicken noodle soup and jello mostly. good luck to all. do with big tonsils (2005-03-10): also, the strange metallic taste could reflect local distortions of taste buds, or be medicine related, but if they don't resolve over time, could reflect damage a nerve that innervates a portion of the ear as well as the back of the tongue. Also, the pain that some of you are describing is "referred pain" not "deferred pain". It occurs when a two separate nerves join at one nerve root, therefore tricking your mind into where the pain is. For those of you above whom have had gall bladder problems and yet felt right shoulder pain. Chelsesa (2005-03-10): Hey Doc? Why am I STILL snoring? Tomorrow will be 2 weeks since my uvula was removed and I am now getting extremely frustrated! I go to see my doc again tomorrow and I think he is getting tired of seeing me and listening to me complain about my snoring. Jodie - The pain was bearable. The doctor gave me good pain medicine so I did fine. The doc said take the pain meds every 4 hours but I took them every 3 hours to make sure I didn't get pain. I stayed on the pain meds constantly for 1 week. Then slowly got off of them. Erik - I am extremely frustrated! I still snore and it's been 2 weeks!! Erik (2005-03-10): I completely agree with Doc about pain meds. I was lucky enough to have medication that worked so well I was able to quickly back off of it, allowing me to get back to work. I think many people here want to find out what medication worked for others so that they won't be caught with excessive pain, and a doctor who will not respond quickly enough, or refuses to prescribe powerful enough medication, as we have seen from a great many other posters here. The answer is not getting the most powerful medication, but getting the most responsive, agreeable doctor! Before any surgery, you should interview the doctor, and make sure you are absolutely comfortable with his or her availability, responsiveness and personal views on medication. If you want to get off of narcotic pain medication as quickly as possible, make sure your doctor knows of less, or non-narcotic alternatives. If you have a low pain tolerance, or are afraid of excessive pain, make sure your doctor isn't excessively against the strongest medication. Chelsesa, same deal. If you are dissatisfied with your current doctor, find a new one, one who will work to your level of comfort. Remember, the internet is a great place to find lots of opinion, but it's probably the last place you should look for accurate, trustworthy information. Even if Doc is the best doctor in the world, he can't accurately diagnose you through this web site. Erik (2005-03-10): Rika, adjusting to swallowing food and drink without the use of a uvula took me only about a week to fully master, and I think I was able to keep liquids from going up my nose, even at first. Just start with tiny sips, you'll get it, and soon, you won't even miss your uvula. Chelsea (2005-03-10): Erik - I'm not asking the doc to diagnose me. I'm simply asking for any ideas he might have to offer. I don't use the internet to get trustworthy information. But it does give me some ideas of other questions to ask my own doctor. Afterall, I have never had this kind of surgery and I really don't know what kinds of questions to ask in the first place. If I had, I would have been concerned about the idea of food or drink possibly going up my nose. But since I had never even thought of that particular situation, I was lucky and never worried about such things and didn't have any of those kinds of problems. Arline (2005-03-10): Hi all! I'm 24 and had tonsils and adenoids removed on the 23rd of Feb. I don't think I have been quite as lucky as you guys cause I am on day 15 now and still in a lot of pain mostly on the left side. My right side feels pretty good though. I still can't eat much solid foods and when I asked the doctor for suggestions he told me it was going to take longer to heal than normal cause I didn't follow his 2 weeks off work and no activity directions. (My employer denied my request for medical leave and threatoned to fire me if I did not return to work the Monday after surgery) I am still taking pain pills heavily - I had Hydrocodone Bitrate and Acetaminophen liquid as well as Hydrocodone pills - the pills seem to do better for the pain though in the mornings I need the liquid cause it hurts so much worse then and it kicks in quicker. My boyfriend has been driving me to work every day the past week and it has been quite miserable. I am not doing as well as I would without being on meds but the way I see it - my employer forced me so what do they expect? I looked in the mirror earlier today and it seems like my scabs are just now starting to come off. Also I notice great pain when I yawn - do any of you have that as well? I am so worried about opening up something and bleeding. Erik (2005-03-10): Chelsea, good, that's exactly what I hope this site can do for many people. Good luck! Arline, your employer sucks. I have about the least active job in the world (programmer), and I was completely unable to work for the first week. You're a trooper, your boss is a weenie. I remember yawning hurting a lot too. Hang in there! Better yet, get a new job and give your current employer the bird. Arline (2005-03-10): I know it will get better in time. As far as employment I've been thinking about it a lot especially when my supervisor came to me with someone's mistake I didn't catch while proof reading yesterday. I was thinking wow only one I'm surprised the whole batch didn't come back. Then walking out came to mind but I managed to control myself. But I probably would have if I didn't have to pay rent. The Vicodin has me half asleep, everything going in slow motion. But the pain is less with it, at least I don't have to drive. Am hoping to be able to eat normal foods Monday. I hate how long it is taking to heal up. I do notice I can breathe through my nose much better than before the surgery though and that's a plus! Before I was always breathing through my mouth cause my nose was stuffed up all the time from the adenoids being inflamed. I thought I had sinus infections but now that the adenoids are gone I guess it was them causing it. I used to go through about one box of tissues a day trying to keep my nose clear but since the surgery have only gone through 1.5 boxes this entire 14 days, and only that much cause I've been using them to cough up the stuff that keeps falling off the scar area. Chelsea (2005-03-10): Arline - You are having a terrible time! I feel so bad for you! You're boss really sucks! I had my uvula removed on a Friday and I was back to work on Tuesday. The pain lasted for just over a week. By then, the only time it hurt was to yawn. It has now been 2 weeks and it is still soar when I yawn. But everything else feels fine. When I had my tonsils out, it was a Tuesday and I was eating pizza by Friday. You poor thing. I feel for you. Carol (2005-03-10): Hello, I am 46 and had a tonsilectomy 11-05-04, due to sore throats and cyrptic tonsils. After four months, I have sore throats and I feel like I got somrthing stuck on the back of mt tongue that i can't see. Has anyone experienced this? Chelsea (2005-03-10): Carol - Not at all. Chris (2005-03-11): Went to another ENT for another opinion after having my uvula removed last April. That helped with my snoring problem, but am still having problems with being stuffed up most of the time and loud different types of breathing problems while sleeping. After 3 doctors, I'm feeling pretty confidant in what he suggests--septum, turbinates and tonsils done. I'll be calling to set up the procedure. I know everyone heals differently, but any info on how long to get back to normal and how long before I may notice and improvment in the noises and better breathing would be helpful and appreciated. I think this is a great site and it's wonderful to see so many share their ups and downs of their experiences. Thanks. It's all helpful. anonymous (2005-03-12): Chelsea....just wondering how long it takes fro your throat to heal. Carol (2005-03-12): ooooops, that was my post, forgot my name. (2005-03-13): hello,Iam 31& I just had my surgery on 03/07/05 they removed my tonsils,uvala,and did a throat scrap. I am in my 6th day of recovery and have found that day 5&6 have been the worst so far. The doctor gave me codine as a pain killer first which did not work so I called & told him the pain that I was so he gave me percocet wow what a difference. sometimes even one does the job but it is sunday & I am running low so i have been rationing until Monday so I can go see the Doctor and get a refill. I have booked two week off and think I will need every day & more. Here's to water,ice cubes,jello,slush drinks from Dairy Queen,&weight loss. Boy I am hungry & have to thank my wife for the great care. Good buy for now I am going to get my 50th glass of water. Carol (2005-03-14): this is to the last post. My doc gave me liquid percoet. It still hurt and he told me I could increse the dosage. Good luck. I was off two weeks. I lost 10 pounds. I ate applesauce, then scrambled eggs in about 4 or 5 days. It still was painful eating. I was eating sandwiches in about three weeeks. Chelsea (2005-03-14): Carol - My throat is still healing. I don't have any problem eating but it has been just over 2 weeks and I'm still swollen. I went back to the doctor last Friday and he said everything looks good. One stitch didn't dissolve so he pulled it. Swallowing feels very strange these days. Other than that, I don't have any problems. Arline (2005-03-14): Hi All! I am almost at week 3 now and I have been eating more solid things now had chinese yesterday and it did not hurt too bad, I have no pain in the right side at all anymore and the middle is much better too - my left side is keeping me on the pain pills cause it is still quite bad. I am wondering how much longer it will take for these scabs to come off. I thought they were starting to come off last week but they are still on. I am just glad I can eat somewhat normally now - still no bread stuff but I didn't eat much of that before the surgery so I am not really missing it. I do miss cereal though. I will be going for a follow-up hopefully sometime next week, maybe my doc can let me know what is wrong with the left side that it is taking so much longer than the rest. Thank you guys for being supportive too - it helps to know others are going through/have gone through the same and are getting better. Alex (2005-03-14): Hi All. I had my tonsils taken out in Dec. I am 44 and the pain lasted about 1 1/2 weeks. Then I had my Uvula removed March 2005. The Doc said this would be a walk in the park. LIAR! 10 days later and I am still in pain. Good luck to all. Chelsea (2005-03-15): I was watching a commercial last night about Advar, or something like that. Some type of allergy medicine and in the commercial it states "May cause a longer healing process after any type of surgery." For those of you who are having a long healing process, you may want to discuss any medications you are taking to see if they are affecting your healing time. Just a thought. Chelsea (2005-03-15): Oops. I mean discuss any medications you are taking WITH YOUR DOCTOR to see if they are affecting your healing time... O.T. (2005-03-19): I am 40 yeras old. Just had my tonsils taken out, uvala shaved and somnoplasty done on 3/14. It's been 5 days and I'm feeling much better already. I did go through all of my pain medication already however, and am picking up more on Monday. I'm still trying to figure out what my limits are for eating. I've been doing ice cream and jello. I've been trying applesauce, but that's been difficult. I also tried a water based protein shake and scrambled eggs, but both were difficult. My Doctor says that days 7-10 will be the hardest. I'm a little afraid of that as I will be going to work on day 7 of recovery. Anyone, have any food suggestions for weeks 2-4? joni (2005-03-19): I am 50 and 6 months ago i had a septoplasty done to fix a severe deviated septum, a turbinectomy because they were enlarged and an uvulectomy the md said was overly large, plus the tonsil paring because he said i had a "botched" tonsil job when i was five and had excess tonsil tissue there. All was done in one surgery. I had the usual pain and recovery, he uses cromic stitches in my nose and packing, but no splints. i had always had a stuffy nose, but no allergies, but suspected sleep apnea and some snoring, due to sleepiness during the day. My only complaint, and i have not seen it listed here, is about the drainage from my sinuses i am having. I do sleep all night now. But all DAY, which is even more annoying than not sleeping well, i have to do this horrendous and embarrassing sounding gagging cough to clear my throat and cough up (and out) what appears to be (sorry to be gross) thick nasal draingage (ie, snot) that instead of draining into my nose, drains down my throat. My nose stays dry, but the thick drainage that should be going into it, instead goes down my throat, but hangs up and stay at the area where my uvula used to be, because the skin (palatte?) where it used to be is now lighter and apparently seems to almost touch the back of my throat now. The gap beween the palatte and the back of the throat is now very narrow, and drainage hangs up there, and does not go down my throat. I did have thick scabs and had to take antibiotics for 3 months, but now he says they are gone and i am healed and he is pleased with what he sees. He says it is normal to be drier with the turbinates gone, but he never told me before the surgery that thick mucous from my nose would go into my throat and hang up there til i gagged it up every 2 minutes. This is ruining my life. Does anybody know anything about this? Drinking tons of water does not help. I can swab with a Q-tip and thick mucous comes out. But i know my nose does work, cuzz if i cry it drains well. ANY HELP APPRECIATED. Thanks so much. Bill (2005-03-20): Hi all. I am scheduled for tonsils and adenoids out and a partial uvula removal on April 1st. Pretty much petrified. I'm 34 and have never even been in the hospital except for some dislocated fingers. Nothing even close to serious. Dr. says 7 days of intense pain. I scheduled my surgery for Friday, so I wouldn't have to miss work. I don't take sick days so I don't like to waste any days off. I'm hoping to be back to work on Monday, Wednesday the latest. I'm curious what methods were used for your surgeries. My Dr. is using a plasma knife? I'm not too sure what it is. Any help and info would be appreciated. Thanks. And Arline I'm happy to see you are feeling better. Dave (2005-03-21): To Erik, and all. This site has been a great help. Thanks. I had an entry earlier, when anxiety was high. I am very glad I went through it all, now. I am at day 10 post-op, and most all pain is gone, just relearning to swallow. It does suck for several days, but steadily get better. My only words of wisdom are 1) it IS worth it, 2) try to get off heavy pain meds soon if they are screwing you up, as they were me. I went to advil on day day 5 and felt much better by day 6, but of course, check with your doc. Thanks again for a venue for all to get a bit of encouragement and support. Erik (2005-03-21): Joni, I'd say you definitely need to talk to a doctor about this. You might be able to ease it a bit with something like flonase, but only if there isn't a deeper problem to fix! Bill, Good luck man, but if I were you, I wouldn't even think about going back to work on Monday. Rest, heal, if you don't you'll make your recovery much much longer. It's going to hurt, a lot, but everyone heals differently. You might be fast, you might be slow. Don't force it. Dave, glad we could help! anonymous (2005-03-21): Dave, ask your Dr. if he is using "Coblation" to romove your tonsils. I've read all about it and it's less painfull then a regular tonsillectomy. It's a new technology that many ENT's are starting to use. I doubt you'll be at work by Monday. Hopefully the technique your Dr.'s using will make for a faster recovery. Good Luck! Bill (2005-03-21): In case anyone is interested, here is a link to the coblation procedure. http://www.arthrocareent.com/dph/dph.aspx?s=0301a anonymous (2005-03-21): Thanks for the link Bill!!! I think Coblation is the way to go when having your tonsils out!! They also do turbinate reductions, Bill (2005-03-22): I am hoping this surgery will clear things up for me. I am having this all removed due to sleep apnea. I also have a deviated septum which might have to be fixed later down the road. I am encouraged by eriks superman comments. Leigh (2005-03-27): I had my tonsils and adenoids taken out on Feb. 22, 2005. I just turned 36 in March. They were taken out due to "tonsil stones" don't know the medical term for it, but basically I had a cleft in my left tonsil that would accumulate food particles and bacteria that would cause bad breath, and white particles that would periodically shoot out of my throat when I would cough or sneeze. Really gross!!! They smelled really bad. That was my reason for the surgery. I didn't want to live the rest of my life with that problem. My suggestion if one is about to have the surgery is be prepared because once you have the surgery, you'll be practically at the mercy of an aid to help you. Have your perscriptions already picked up at the pharmacy, make sure all your medical paperwork is filled out for your employer, doctors office, the hospital, your personal household bills, erronds, and etc. make sure you have soft food you'll be able to actually eat, like: jello, rice, mashed potatoes, pudding, yogurt, ice cream, etc. I also lived on water and gatorade. Especially gatorade, because I was in so much pain a couple days after surgery I had gotton nausiated, dehydrated and was very hungry. I had to go to the Emergency Room at 4:30 in the am. They gave me two I.V. bags, and a male nurse mentioned that gatorade was almost as good as the I.V. I was being given to rehydrate me. I was told this surgery is much easier if it is done before a person hits puberty. My pain med. was disgusting tasting, and made me sleepy all the time, so I would take liquid adult tylenol about 15 minutes before I would try to eat anything (you can take it on an empty stomach)It would finally kick in and would make it much easier to eat, but everything I ate was in very small baby size or smaller bites. This is gross, my throat hurt so bad sometimes I had a hard time swallowing, and I would put the bathroom waste basket lined in papertowl next to me to spit out saliva. I was out of work for three weeks. Thought I would only need 1 or 2 weeks, but the third was for the fact I just didn't have all of my energy back. I was on short term disability for two weeks, and one week was off and no pay to receive my benefits at half pay. It put me on a tight budget, but well worth it, and I'd do it again to receive the result I have now!!! P.S. Remember to have a family or friend with you at the hospital while your having your surgery. You cannot drive for at least a week or two, they don't want you walking up stairs, and you'll be weak, and in pain. I had day surgery. Take it from me I know first hand. Reading all the stories of other fellow Tonsilectomites made me feel like others understood where I'm coming from...........Good Luck & Take Care. Erik (2005-03-28): Thanks for your account Leigh! I'm glad you're feeling so much better! Chris (2005-03-29): Am scheduled to have a septoplasty,tonsillectomy and turbinate reduction done on April 25th. Taking 12 days off work to rest and heal. I am confidant and have a positive attitude about the procedure and that it will help relieve the nasal stuffiness and help with the noises and breathing while sleeping and hopefully sleeping better thru the night. I am a smoker. Being advised not to smoke for 24 hours before or after the surgery may be a bit tough. Maybe after the surgery I won't want to for a long time,huh. How has anyone else handled this? Erik (2005-03-29): Chris, good luck! Another person has commented before about smoking and the surgery. I'd be quite surprised if you had any inclination to take a drag for several days after the surgery. It'll be just too painful. Melissa (2005-03-29): I am 29 and had my tonsils and adnoids removed 4 days ago. I am taking Tylenol for pain, but mostly I am frustrated with not tasting food at all. I am barely eating...applesauce, ice cream, soup broth, jello, popsicles, and I did try some ramen noodles (not quite ready for that yet). I am so hungry and so thirsty. The pain feels a lot like strep throat. Hurts to swallow, swollen neck, dry mouth feel. Is this all normal? Erik (2005-03-29): Melissa, there are over 400 comments to this article, so you can see for yourself what's normal and what's not, but it sounds pretty normal to me! In fact, you seem to be doing fairly well! Greg (2005-03-30): Hello All, This is a great site!! It was just decided yesterday by me that I should have a Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (remove the uvula). Every month or so my uvula gets swollen and has a sack of puss(or something) at the end of it and hangs on my tongue. Which pretty much gags me all the time. It lasts about 2 days and then goes back to normal, which mow normal means longer that it was. Last week it happened again and it got so sore that I could hardly swallow. It hurt for 5 days!! I was out of town for work and I got back on Friday night and the earlest I could get in to ENT was yesterday. The Doctor has seen me before and thought it was due to an infection, so he gave me some sort of cillin and I took that for 10 days and everything was fine until a month later when it came back again. So I guess the next step is to remove it. I was wondering why they remove the whole Uvula and part of the soft palate, and not just part of the Uvula? They are going to call this week to schedule the surgery. I am a little nervious about the whole thing since I have never had surgery before, except for tubes in my ears when I was one. This is a great web site to read about people that have experienced this, and how they came through. I guess it is a little more common than I thought. For the most part I read that there it a lot of pain, after last week how bad my throat hurt I can live with it for a couple weeks then it will be over. I was wondering if when you drink, does it come out your nose? Thanks for letting me post. Erik (2005-03-31): Greg, I'm not sure exactly why, but when you get your uvula removed, it's just harder to keep liquids from going up your nose than it used to be, at first. You'll re-learn quickly. Good luck! MMC (2005-03-31): I HAD MY UVULA TAKEN OUT A DEVIATED SPECTUM DONE.I HAVE SPLEEP ABNEA,THAT IS WHY IS WAS DONE. IT TOOK ME ABOUT THREE WEEKS TO GET BETTER. I WAS IN ALOT OF PAIN.TOOK ALOT OF TYLENOL THREE FOR THE PAIN. I ALSO GOT A VERY BAD EAR INFECTION.THE OPERATION WAS DONE ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO. BELIEVE IT OR NOT I AM BACK ON THE C-PAP MACHINE.I FEEL I TOOK THIS OPERATION FOR NOTHING, AFTER THE OPERATION ON MY THROAT AND SINUS, I WAS GIVEN ANOTHER OPERATION ON MY TOUGUE WHERE IT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD, BECAUSE MY TONGUE WOULD REST ON THE BACK OF MY THROAT WHEN I SLEPT. I FEEL NO ONE SHOULD DO THE OPERATION AND JUST STICK WITH THE C-PAP MACHINE. ASK YOUR DOCTOR WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT GET BETTER AFTER THE OPERATION. IT IS NOT A SIMPLE OPERATION LIKE SOME DOCTORS SAY. TO LEIGH I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH DRAINAGE, IT BEEN THREE YEARS I HAD THE OPERATION AND I STILL GET SINUS INFECTIONS. THE OERATION WAS SUPPOSE TO BE DONE AS AN OUTPATIANT I WAS IN INTENSIVE CARE FOR THREE DAYS, WITH A TUBE DOWN MY THROAT,COULDN'T TALK IT, IT WAS HORRIBLE Bill (2005-04-01): Hey all. I had my surgery this morning. Things went somewhat as expected. I of course threw up after the surgery. That was not fun. The Dr. said that my throat tissue is very thick and he wasn't able to open my airway up as much as he would have liked to. He did inform me from the beginning that there are no guarantees but that it would help. How much is yet to be seen. I am taking Tylenol 3 for the pain. It is very painful to swallow. Just resting, the pain is not too bad. The worst part so far is the feeling in my throat. I can feel the swelling and the scabs and it makes me feel like there is something there that I need to cough up or swallow. I keep delicately trying to clear my throat. Eating ice pops, some yogurt, and some very cold ginger ale. Looking forward to some food with some real substance. Thanks for listening. Erik (2005-04-04): Good luck Bill and MMC! Bill (2005-04-08): Its been a week. Its been awful! I am still in pain and have a real hard time swallowing. The Tylenol 3 does nothing. I have been in and out of work trying to do what I can. The worst part next to the pain is the constant nasal drip that goes for hours at a time. I can't clear my throat because of the pain. The mucas/saliva that I keep swalling every couple of seconds makes me sick and I keep dry heaving. I almost think this is the worst part. Today was the first real day that my body as a whole felt much better. I just need to get over the pain and the drip. BTW..I've lost almost 15 lbs this week! Erik (2005-04-12): Hang in there Bill! Katie (2005-04-13): My mom found this site a few weeks ago, and I'd like to say that it was great. I read almost every comment when I was having the worst day, and it just made me feel better because I realised that it was OK to feel or horrible as I did. I got my tonsils and adnoids out about three weeks ago and also had the turbinite reduction done. Right after the surgery (well, pretty close to right after), I felt perfect. I could kinda talk and it didn't really hurt. I spent the night in the hospital and felt fine the next day as well. I didn't eat anything at all. My tongue was numb and stayed that way for almost two weeks. The nurses had me get up and walk around before they let me go home. I did fine walking around the floor of the hospital. Then they had me shower. After the shower, I passed out. I was walking to my bed and just kinda shut down. After that, I really didn't feel good at all. My mom tries to get me to have a smootie and some applesauce. Neither tasted good and they were so hard to swollow because half on my tongue was numb. Once I was home, it got worse. I basically sat around watching TV, propped up on a couch, taking pain meds so that I could drink water. I was supposed to go back to school (in another town that my house) a week after surgery, but I still couldn't eat so I had to stay home. About 5 days after the surgery I started getting the nasal drip and was basically spitting all day long. It was horrible. And I still can't tell if my sleep is getting better. My uvula seems to be enlarged from what it used to be and now is always touching my tongue, which feels really weird. Oh, and no food tastes good. Whatever I eat there is this really gross aftertaste, and anything sweet tastes horrible. I'm hoping that it will soon be normal again. But never again will I think about a tonsillectomy as a small thing again. I'm only 19 and can't imagine being any older as they say it gets worse with age. To all of you who are past their youth, I don't know how you could deal with this. I bet everyone is wishing that had just done this when we were kids and would simply get excited over the fact that you get to eat ice cream for a weak. Erik (2005-04-14): Katie, sorry to hear you're having such a rough time of it. Many people here have complained of tounge-related issues after surgery. Please post again when the effect goes away, so we can get an idea of how long it takes. I was lucky, in that even through my surgery was extra long, I didn't have any damage to my tounge. I am glad that this site could help however! Good luck, rest and keep hydrated! JOHN (2005-04-14): ON SEPT.23 2005 I HAD MY TONSILLS OUT BECOUSE OF TOXIC MOLD EXPOUSRE.MY UVULA SWELLED UP AN KNOW HAVE THAT SCHELUDED FOR NEXT WEEK .THE TONSILLS WAS HELL,THEY SAY THE UVULA ONLY SHOULD BE EASIER.I HOPE SO Chris (2005-04-17): Having a tonsillectomy, septoplasty, and turbinate reduction done on April 25. Had a uvulaectomy done last April. It did help with some of the snoring. Still having stuffiness, not feeling rested after sleeping and making a few different nasal sounds when sleeping, causing my husband or I to go to another room in the night. Am confidant this next surgery will help. Other than Sleep apnea, what are the reasons others have had these procedures? Is it for reasons such as mine? How much has it helped? Any feedback would be great. Great site. Glad to see so many with similar situations, giving there experiences. Erik (2005-04-17): John & Chris: I don't know about mold, or other reasons for sleep problems, but keep on it, and keep in contact with your doctor. Good luck! Julia (2005-04-23): I had my tonsils out on Monday and it's Friday now. It still hurts severely and I am still having to take Tylenol with codeine every 4 hours, which I hate doing because it makes me feel horrible. It just started to bleed a little today and I freaked out, but it seems to have stopped so I guess this is normal. I think mine hurt more cause they went way down my throat too. Oh well, I sure hope the end is near for this pain. Thanks for listening! Erik (2005-04-23): Julia, you should be nearing the "hump", good luck! I'm sure you will start feeling better soon. Mary (2005-04-27): I'm probably considered to be one of the "older" ones, at 42 to have my tonsils out. I am on my 7th post-op day for tonsillectomy and septoplasty. This is probably the most painful day due to healing process, or maybe because I'm trying new foods. The first 5 days I kept an ice pack on my neck daytime and nightime. I drank alot of ice tea and water. I found popcycles and mashed potatos (luke warm!) to be very helpful. I had been taking 3tsp. of Hydrocodone for pain every 4 hours but found it only lasted for about 3hrs. My doctor said it would be ok to go every 3hrs and that has helped. Last night I took my last dose of the day at 1 a.m. and did't wake up until 6:30. I know it will continue to get better and I'm so glad I've had it done. I'm still stuffy but my husband says I'm not nearly as noisy as before. I'm actually looking forward to my first sorethroat because my tonsils were so big it's got to be less painful! I'm also hoping to see improvement with ear infections. I encourage anyone reading this, to find a reputable doctor and go for it! Chris (2005-04-27): Am almost 47. Had my septoplasty, turbinate reduction and tonsillectomy done the 25th. Of course it's hard to swallow and my tongue hurts some. Am taking Hydrocodone, Amoxicillin, Ibuprofin and a saline nasal spray. Things went well, am looking forward to see how things turn out later. Have been drinking lots of water. Eating soup broths, puddings and ice cream. Of course still stuffy-am sure this will get better. Hopefully these procedures will help with the stuffiness and all the nasal sounds I made while sleeping--looking forward to a restfull night of sleep not having for me or my husband to leave the room. Will do more feedback later on my progress. Erik (2005-04-27): Mary, good to hear it's getting better for you! Chris, hang in there, and good luck! Angel (2005-04-29): This is a question for Mary or Chris-I am a 41 year old female with nasal issues. I do not have snoring problems, but seem to live on antibiotics. I have an enlarged turbinate on the left, a bone spur on the left and a deviated septum on the right. I have chronic sinus infections and at least 4 ear infections a year. And, I forgot to mention that my tounsils are enlarged and porous. I am scheduled to have surgery May 18th to correct all of the nasal problems and possibley have my tounsils removed as well. Being 41, what can I expect as far as recovery is concerned? When will I be able to talk and function normally? And what should I do to prepare? I need to know as quickly as possible, because I am expected to start a new job on May 23rd as a pharm. sales rep. Do you think this time-line is feasible? I would appreciate any insight from either of you or anyone else on this page. Thanks so much. (2005-04-30): I am 39 years old and had a turbinectomy and a septoplasty on April the 14th. The first two weeks after surgery I was very happy because it seems that everything was going very good with the surgery but after a couple of days I started to get a terrible type of headache on my left side. I consulted with the doctor and he told me that it was normal, speciall on the left side because there was some extra work done on that side. I feel a lot of relief about my breathing and my recurring sinus infections but now I don't know what's worse, the headaches or my Rhinosinusitis. Does anyone knows if this headaches are just part of the recuperation or I just acquired chronic headaches for life? Chris (2005-05-02): Angel--Being able to read others experiences, we are able to see how everyone else's procedures went. I don't know how it will go for you, but I'd be a little concerned about going to work so soon after. What has your doctor said? I haven't had any problem that I've noticed with my septoplasty or turbinate reduction. I think my tonsillectomy has been the most uncomfortable so far. Still having a hard time swallowing and my throat is still sore. With the pain meds, I do get drowsy. Haven't had much trouble with talking. Does make my throat uncorfortable if I do too much talking at one time. I don't know about you, but I don't think I'd be ready to go back to work after a few days. This is day 7 for me.Maybe without a tonsillectomy you'll be ready to go back to work to sooner. Good luck! Let us know how things are going. Erik (2005-05-02): Angel, I agree with Chris about your timeline. Four days of recuperation may not be enough, especially for something as active and social as a sales rep! Chris (2005-05-02): Mary--if I can ask, what were your tonsillectomy and septoplasy procedures done for? Your husband says you're not as noisy as you were. I had my procedures done due to being stuffed up so much of the time. Didn't sleep well and my husband said I had made a few different sounds while sleeping. Most of the time, one of us usually ended up sleeping in another room because of it. My doctor had recommended me to sleep in a recliner. My post op check up is set for this thursday. Hopefully things are progressing as they should. Chris (2005-05-02): OOps--forgot to add my doctor had recommended me to sleep in a recliner after my surgery during the healing. Chris (2005-05-09): Had my post-op check last thursday. Went fine.Things are still a little swollen. I not stuffed up like I was. Able to breathe better now. Still having the noise while I sleep yet. The doctor said it takes up to about a month to feel pretty much back to normal. SAid things are looking good. I'm just waiting for the saliva/mucas to hopefully go away. It does, doesn't it? I still have it caught in my throat especilly at bedtime. Still somewhat hard to swallow yet, but much better. Having a copy of my medical records sent to see just what all was done. I believe he trimmed some of the soft pallate along with the septoplasty, turbinate reduction and tonsillectomy. Great site--always interested in what others have had to say. Thanks. Erik (2005-05-10): Chris, your mouth and throat will go back to normal, in terms of swelling, pain, and mucus. Just hang in there! Rika (2005-05-16): My surgery is this Thursday, May 19th. I had my pre-op on Friday, and it sounds like it will be no fun at all. I'm having septoplasty, tonsillectomy and a partial uvula removal. I'm pretty nervous and really not looking forward to that packing in the nose. I just hope it works and is worth all the pain in the end. Steve (2005-05-17): I had my surgery 6 and a half days ago. 12 hours til my post op awakening. I just wanted to thank everyone here for posting because I felt like I wasn't healing as quickly as I should, but it sounds like I am fine after reading your posts. I had the tonsils, uvula, and part of the soft pallette removed. The most pain for me has been the cut where the uvula was removed and it sometimes feels like it is splitting when I swallow. I still can't eat solid foods and I have to wash everything down with water because it seems to get stuck to my pallette which is really swollen. My biggest trouble has come from tongue swelling however. My tongue is swollen and in the way. It is impairing my speech and it gets in the way when I try to swallow. It is swollen so much that there is an imprint of my teeth all along the edge of my tongue. Just wondering if anyone else had trouble with a swollen tongue and if so, how long that aspect of the recovery took. Also, is scabbing possible if the mouth is always moist? The doctor said it should scab up and I am waiting for it, but it seems that since my mouth is always wet, it won't ever happen. Please let me know and thanks for posting your experiences. Erik (2005-05-18): Rika, good luck! Steve, yes the holes in your mouth and throat can scab over, even though it's always moist in there. The scabs don't look like one you'd get on your arm, but greyish. I'm sure the swelling of your tounge will go down, but if it's concerning you, or imparing your breathing, see your doctor. jennifer@mediaphyter.com (2005-05-30): Eric, I just want to say THANK YOU for this thread/post. I had a full tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy and had a load of questions -- all of which were answered on this site. I, too, have sleep apnea and use a C-PAP, but I've barely needed it even in the days post my surgery. Thanks for posting such a wonderful resource. I've bookmarked this for the future -- next step, turbinates! Erik (2005-06-01): Jennifer, I'm very glad we could help, and congratulations on your new, restful life! Rika (2005-06-04): Well, it's been just over 2 weeks since my surgery, and I'm starting to feel back to normal. I have to say, the first week was pretty rough. I thought I'd get on here sooner to give and update, but I just wasn't up to it. At first, it was my nose that was hurting the most, but then it turned into my throat being the most painful. Days 1 & 2 weren't as bad as I thought, but 3-7 were the worst. I was in a lot of pain. On the morning of the 7th day while I was sleeping, I started hemorrhaging from my mouth and nose and had to rush back to the ER. It turned out it wasn't my throat that was bleeding at all (like I thought) but it was the back on my nose (turbinates, I guess) where they are unable to put sutures. I guess this is a pretty common thing to happen, but it was pretty scary. They gave me an IV of morphine and something for nausea since I had swallowed so much blood. That evening, I felt great. Not sure if it was from the morphine or just the hydration, but I was laughing and hanging out with visitors at my house. I feel totally back to normal now, but my throat, uvula, and soft palate are still quite sore when I swallow. I'm bummed I only lost about 7 lbs, unlike many others who lost 10 - 15 lbs. Oh, well. Once I got the packing and splints out of my nose, I was able to breathe again, which made my panic attacks of stopping breathing in my sleep go away. My boyfriend said I have not been snoring at all, which I am ecstatic about. I'm just looking forward to the pain going away and the food to not get caught in my throat anymore. Thanks again for the site, Erik. It made the entire process much easier for me!!! Cindy (2005-06-06): Erik, thanks for the site. I had my tonsills out in October and whined about choking on my swollen uvula on your page. It didn't quite tighten up as much as I had hoped; I still make little piggy noises when I laugh, but WOW is it worth it. I'm 37 and I haven't had this much energy since I was a teenager. At work I'm no longer "The Mucus Lady" because of all the horrible sneezing, coughing, throat clearing noises coming from my drafting table. My fellow cartographers, self proclaimed "Old Fat Bastards", have changed my title from "The Mucus Lady" to the much more fearsome moniker of "That Woman". I haven't been sick at all in 8 months and no longer need allergy medicine. I love not turning my head away to speak to people because of fetid tonsil-stone stink-mouth. I feel so good I bought a bike and joined the YMCA. I sought out a French-Canadian ENT working in New York to remove my tonsills. Does anyone have ideas about why US doctors are so reluctant to recommend surgery? I've had so many doses of penicillin over the past two decades, I think the only benifactor is my HMO. Beth (2005-06-07): Wow, what an awesome site!! Too bad I didn't find it before my surgery!! I had UPPP/Tonsilectomy/Septoplasty/Turbinate Reduction done on May 27th! I had read lots of posts on another site and I was scared to death. Thankfully though I prepared for the worst and was surprised that it wasn't that bad. Now I'm not saying it was a picnic by any means, but just not nearly as bad as I thought. I have mild/moderate sleep apnea and snored terribly. No more snoring!! Yeah! Once I start sleeping in my bed with my hsuband again he'll be greatful! So far still sleeping in the recliner. My pain has been very managable the entire time. Worst days were 1 and 2 or course and then day 6 was tough. I think my scabs must have come loose around that time. Now my biggest complaint is the gagging feeling I have which I assume is from the stitches. Today is day 12 and I've started taking Tylenol Sore Throat Liquid for the pain and I'm hoping to be off the Hydrocodone except maybe a little at night. I'm sleepig all night now without waking for meds! Great feeling! I'd like to share a few tips that might help others deal with this surgery: 1. Take those meds on time! DO NOT WAIT for the pain to get bad. I took mine right on schedule for the first 4 or 5 days then was able to back off a little. Even set an alarm at night to make sure I took it! didn't want to wake up in terrible pain and have to wait for meds to kick in! 2. Do try to chew some gum beginning around day 3 or so. I know sounds pretty sadistic but I think it helped with my jaw pain. I dont' know what they do to you in that operating room but my jaw was sore. Plus I've found that chewing gum helps to aliviate some of the saliva issues (actually found this trick out when I was pregnant with child number one). 3. Drink plenty of water! And I've found that using a straw really helps. Actually I haven't even tried drinking without one yet. I also have been drinking at least one Boost drink (kind of like Ensure) to make sure I'm getting plenty of nutrients. 4. Try to stay away from too many dairy products. That just increases the mucus. 5. Gargle with warm salt water. Yes, I said gargle. Now I couldn't do this until around day 9 or so but it sort of soothes the throat and seems to help with the nasty taste in my mouth. 6. If you are having the sinus stuff done, irrigate your nose while in the shower. The steam from the hot water helps to open up the passages. I took at least two nice hot showers a day and it really helped! Ok, I think that's about it. guess I've rattled on long enough. Hope that this will help someone that is going through the whole ordeal!!! And many thanks again to everyone who has posted here. As I said this site is AWESOME!! Erik (2005-06-15): Beth, thanks for the compliments, and the great post, I'm sure it'll help new visitors! Chris (2005-06-20): It's me again. Had my septoplasty, tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, turbinate reduction and soft palate done 8 weeks ago. Have had 2 follow ups with the doctor. He says things are looking good. Maybe a little swollen yet and still producing mucus. Sounds during sleep are better, but still have some. Hoping they will continue to get better with time and as the swelling and mucus go away. I know it takes awhile, but I'm still a little concerned. What are the time lines others have experienced? How do I stay positive in getting the results I'm hoping for? Sorry to say I'm getting impatient and maybe a litle confused. Thanks! Thanks to you and everyone who posts here. Mark (2005-06-21): I am 31, 5'10, 170lbs. so weight is not an issue with my sleep apnea. I have an RDI of 57, which is severe, and my ENT has recommended I have an UPPP combined with soft palate removal and a tonsillectomy. I already had my deviated septum corrected, which was a breeze. I know the UP3 and tonsillectomy will be painful, but for those of you who have had it, have you found it to be worthwhile in helping you achieve a more restful sleep? Nina (2005-06-22): Mark-a friend of mine had a UPPP, and the doctor used a technique called Coblation. It's supposed to be less painful post-op. If I were you, I'd look into it. The companies web site is www.arthrocareent.com. It's worth a look. Good Luck!! Greg (2005-06-23): I had my Uvula and part of the soft palete removed yesterday (6/22) I am doing really good!! I think almost too good. Not talking is the hardest part for me, I am using my son's Magnadoodle to "talk" to my wife and mom. There is quite a bit of pain when I swallow, but other than that not too bad. The percocet is working great for me. Now it is just a lot of R&R. Thanks for all the comments, this made my whole procdure go a lot better knowing what to expect. Thanks again - Greg Rika (2005-06-23): Mark - although the tonsillectomy, UPPP and soft palate removal is no picnic, I think it would have been a lot easier for me if I didn't have my deviated septum corrected at the same time. There's something really scary about not being able to breathe through your nose while your throat is all swollen too. The first week or so is a little rough (or maybe not according to Greg), but if your Dr. thinks it will help with apnea, go for it. My apnea was not as severe, and I'm feeling a lot better. It's only been 4 weeks, so there's still a some swelling, but I'm waking up so much more refreshed than ever before. If you have insurance that will cover it..I say do it! Beth (2005-06-24): Mark- I agree with Rika. I'm 4 weeks post op today with everything you are talking about having done plus septoplasty and turbinate reduction. I hated the nose packing and breathing through my mouth those first few days. My apnea was only mild/moderate and weight was not an issue either. Husband says I am no longer snoring or even that deep heavy breathing while sleeping. I sleep much more soundly and wake up without a headache which had been going on for a long time. So I say go for it. Just be sure to take it easy and rest as mcuh as possible for at least two weeks after the surgery. Your body has a lot to recover from!! I do have a question for those who have had all this done. I was feeling great but now my throat has been a little sore again and my ears are bothering me again. Is that typical. Nothing major, just annoying. Gonna go back to taking the Tylenol Sore Throat for a few days to see if that helps. It could be that I haven't been drinking as much water these last few days. I can tell a difference when i don't drink enough. Rika (2005-06-24): Beth - I think the lack of hydration has a lot to do with it. I went out 2 nights ago, was talking loud because of the music playing and around some smoke. Now my throat is hurting again too. If the Tylenol doesn't help, you should tell your Dr for sure. I haven't had any new ear pain, so maybe it's something else. Terry (2005-06-26): A friend of mine has recommended somnoplasty in lieu of having a UPPP and tonsillectomy. The downside is that insurance will not cover somnoplasty because it's primarily used for snoring, but everything I've read said it's EXCELLENT for treating apnea because they also shrink the tongue base, whereas UPPP does not. Has anyone had somnoplasty? If so, would you recommend it? Nina (2005-06-27): Terry-I've heard of somnoplasty, It's kind of a thing of the past. I would check out Coblation at www.arthrocareent.com It works kind of the same way as somnoplasty, but better. Check it out. Rika (2005-06-27): I looked into Somnoplasty as well, but my insurance wouldn't cover it. I got a 2nd opinion, and my new Dr suggested the tonsillectomy, UPPP and deviated septum surgery. My insurance covered it all, so I did it! Steve (2005-07-03): Just wanted to add that I had my tonsils removed on 6-1-05 and am still experiencing discomfort as of 7-3-05...it toowk three weeks for the intense pain to leave...but then my doctore believes I have developed a yeast infection inmy throat...symptoms are a gag reflex when I push my tongue out of the way to floss; a weird taste in my mouth; and a feeling of a scab on the throat area. My doctor did not examine me but prescribed some anti-yeast medication via phone medicine. After 4 days on the anti-yeast meds I have expereinced some reduction of the symptoms but none has gone away. I fear I will be living with the aftermath of this procedure for a long time to come. And the painful thing is that the reason for the tonsillectomy was because the doctor discovered a mass on my tonsils (although I was asymptomatic) that he thought was unusual. Turned out to be actinomycetes ( a common bacteria) that was not hurting me at all. Of course, I was afeard of cancer. Mark (2005-07-06): Rika, how is your apnea coming along since your UP3 and tonsillectomy? Do you think it is helping you sleep better? Rika (2005-07-11): Mark, I am definitely waking up much more refreshed than before, so that is a good sign. And I don't think I've been snoring at all(Yay!). Although I haven't had another sleep study, I am pretty sure my apnea is a lot better! Sarah (2005-07-17): I want to thank you for this website. I am home recovering from having my tonsils and adenoids removed as well as tubes being put in my ears. I am a bit freaked out right now because my uvula is swollen really bad. I don't know if that is normal. Plus I am starting to feel pretty nauseus. And, even weirder, I can't seem to go potty if you know what I mean. Erik (2005-07-17): Sarah, people have commented here about each of those problems, but if you're worried, especially with the swollen uvula (since it could get in the way of breathing at night), see your doctor. That's what he/she's there for. Good luck! Nicole (2005-07-19): Thanks everyone for sharing! My 29 year old husband had his tonsils out two weeks ago. The first week was NOT fun but he survived and by the end of the week was feeling ALOT better. But I'm writing to let any "caretakers" know the importance of staying close by, even through the second week. On day 8 my husband lost about a pint of blood and fast, had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance. The most important thing he learned was to lean forward, let the blood fall out of mouth, and try not to swallow. (A bystander, trying to be helpful, kept saying " Tilt your head back and pinch your nose!") He could hardly talk it happened so fast. The bleeding stopped just before he got the the ER. He stayed in the hospital the whole day and was then sent home. On day 11, he bled slowly but steady for about a 1/2 hour and then stopped. This wasn't as intense as the first episode and it was at 3AM Sat. so he opted to wait until Monday to see an ENT. ER doctor thought it would be O.K. Today, day 14, yet another bleeding episode but this time the bleeding didn't stop. Started at about noon and bled a little faster than day 11, but on and off until they could get him in surgery at about 4. Just got home from surgery and my poor little angel is finally resting. ENT cauterized couple of spots and it should be better, we hope! Of course the doctor said he has to go back on soft foods for 10 days!! Again!! My poor guy! Anyway, I left him a few times that second week and I thank God that he was not alone when any of the bleeding happened. All in all, I still think the surgery is going to be worth it. He was feeling like he could breathe better right after the initial surgery. Maybe he'll give his comments on this site when he's feeling a little better! Good luck to you all! I hope I didn't scare any of you. His case is not a typical one! One site I was on said only 2-3% of people have post-operative bleeding. Rika (2005-07-20): Nicole, I had a very similar experience around 6am on day 7. Luckily, my mom was right there with me. She and my boyfriend grabbed a bucket and took me to the emergency room. It was very scary. I was paranoid for the next 2 weeks that it would happen again, but it didn't. I'm sure the new surgery will do the trick for your husband, and he will be doing a lot better. Sarah (2005-07-20): Well I guess I am coming along. I still can't go to the bathroom and it hurts like hell but I am still alive. I run out of pain meds tomorrow so I 'll need to call the dr again. When do you stop needing pain meds? Erik (2005-07-22): Sarah, you really need to talk to your doctor. If you're backed up, he/she should be able to OK a laxative. He/She will also be able to answer your questions about pain meds. Everyone's different, you'll stop needing them when your pain goes away. c scott (2005-07-30): Hello everyone. I am 6 days out from Uppp and tonsillectomy..Man the pain in my ears and throat when trying tio swallow are so intense. Worse at night due to night breathing. I snored alot but no sleep apnea but my doc claims I had so much issue he recommended getting everything cleaned out. By the second week should i feel better. I have lost 10 lbs not eating in the first week. Gargling up scabs and lumps of tissue ..ill Andrew (2005-08-01): C Scott - I am scheduled for an UPPP and tonsillectomy next month; I have heard the pain is very intense first week but supposed to ease up after the second week. Did you have any sinus issues? My ENT is going to do the UPPP with tonsillectomy for that; he said my sinuses will clear up when he gets rid of the tonsils, and he said I have some extra tissues as well that he wants to get rid of while he's in there. Keep us posted on how you're doing. I know 2 people who have done this surgery and they say it's pretty bad at first, but the long-term effect is quite positive, so keep your head up. Tanja (2005-08-03): Erik, this is an awesome site. My doctor has recommended removing my tonsils, soft tissue, and uvula. The whole idea about taking the uvula really scared me. (I have had the sleep study and tried the CPAP, I fought the hoses all night). I feel much better after seeing everyone's thoughts and suggestions. I think I am prepared for the pain. What scares me the most is losing the uvula. Most everyone in these posts has seemed to recover well. After reading all the posts I am now pretty sure I will schedule the sugery. Thank you for all the information. Erik (2005-08-03): Good luck Tanja! I've been uvula-less for 2 and a half years, and don't miss it. Nicole (2005-08-03): My husband is now doing GREAT! Feels a whole lot better and is glad he had the surgery. No post-operative bleeding this time! Thank GOD! A few more weeks of summer that we can now enjoy!! Thanks for the site Erik. Thanks for the encouraging words Rika! Erik (2005-08-03): That's great Nicole, I'm glad we could help. Scott (2005-08-05): Erik -- I read your post about sinus surgery. Thank you. I just had a septoplasty and turbinate reduction done, so it's nice to be able to read ahead and get a sense of where my own recovery will be. Also, after reading your glowing review of the ribs from Tulsa, I'm going to have to check that place out the next time I'm down in So. Cal. Mark (2005-08-08): Had the UPPP surgery on 8/1. Today is day 8. I've slowly been going off the percocets and switching to Tylenol 3 with codeine. Yesterday was the last of the percocets and last night was the first night with just the T3. It was a miserable night. I probably got about 2 hours of sleep. The pain is unbearable and is at least at an 8. It's worst in the morning if I haven't had anything to keep my mouth from drying out. Liquids, liquids, liquids. That's what the nurses kept telling me. I've been out of work for a full week and am undecided as to whether or not to go to work tomorrow. My post-op appointment is tomorrow morning and I'll ask the doc about the pain situation. Ensure, chicken broth, pudding, pea soup, cream of wheat and applesauce are about all I can tolerate right now. And ice cream. It's funny, some of the foods that I figured I'd be able to tolerate based on their consistency and softness I haven't been able to tolerate. Don't know why this is. All I know is, have plenty of water by your bedside and drink it constantly all day long. Really hoping this pain subsides soon. It's by far the worst pain I've ever endured. Erik (2005-08-08): Scott, thanks! I'm glad this site could help. Do visit tulsa if you get the chance! Mark, good luck at the doctor tomorrow. There's just no reason to be in that much pain! Don't push it too much in trying to go back to work early, you'll just be miserable. Aaron (2005-08-13): I am day 4 post-op from tonisllectomy and UPPP --- this site prepared me for the worst pain, and so far, it has been bad but manageable......this site is wonderful b/c it lets me know I'm not alone and that I will get through it -- I had severe OSA and I can already tell a difference at how I am sleeping --- I have been taking my pain meds every 3.5 hours instead of every 4, so hopefully staying ahead of the pain will help the recovery continue on. Erik (2005-08-15): Good luck Aaron! Sara (2005-08-17): I had a tonsillectomy and UPPP July 22nd, so it's been a little over 3 weeks now. I returned to work on Aug 2nd but still wasn't feeling completely better. It was very painful and got more painful around the 5 or 6th day, my dr. said that was because it was starting to scab and that's normal. Pain meds (vicodin) didn't seem to really help much and some days it was pretty unbearable but I got through it. And it did take about 3 weeks for my throat to completely stop hurting. I still have a hard time swallowing without stuff going up my nose- does this ever go away. Also sometimes when i swallow it makes a weird noise (like a suctioning sound)- I'm sure it's not as loud as it seems to me but I know others can hear it because I've asked them. It makes it kind of embarrassing to eat with other people and sometimes gets to the point that I just don't want to eat at all because of the noise and it going up my nose. Has this happened to anyone else? Will it ever go away? Also my dr. told me that my stitches would disolve in about 3 weeks- they are still there and don't seem to be coming out. I think 2 did but the others seem pretty good in there still- how long do they usually take to go away? So far I haven't seen the results I was hoping for- I was really hoping for a drastic change in my life with more energy - after living all these years constantly being tired I really wanted things to change. Does it get better after a little while or is this all it's gonna be. I mean I am a little less tired than I used to be but it's not that much. I guess I'm kind of disappointed :( Erik (2005-08-17): Sara, even though your wounds may be closed, you're still healing, and until your body has fully recovered, you're going to be sore and swollen, so your sleep will not be as restful now as it will be eventually. Hang in there! As for the swallowing: It will get better, but not on it's own. You're going to have to practice. Try different muscles, see what works, and think while you're eating. You'll have to keep it in the forefront of your mind, until it becomes reflex. What worked for me was mimicking the action of gulping. It's now second nature to me, and I don't even think about it. No weird sounds, and nothing up my nose. Sara (2005-08-17): Thank you so much! I really appriciate the advise and encouragement- that means alot! Mark (2005-08-20): Sara, how are you doing? I am scheduled for an UPPP and tonsillectomy on Sept. 13. I am very nervous about it; I know it's going to hurt but this site has helped me get prepared for it. I keep thinking that 2 weeks of hell will mean a lot better quality of life afterwards. How are you coming along? HK (2005-08-21): Hello, Great site. I am 24yr old male. I've self-diagnosed myself with sleep apnea (from resources on the net). I had gone to my Family Dr regarding this.. i have had huge tonsils and intensely loud snoring / stop breathing while sleeping. My doctor had told me just to gargle with salt water. I came back a few months later with the same complaint and was brushed off again. I finally went to another Dr. who took a look in my throat for two seconds and was like 'WOW' you need that removed! So i have scheduled an appointment for a tonsilectemy (sp?) about 6 months ago.. however I have still not gotten an a date for surgery.. this is getting quite annoying i would really like to get this over with... I do feel like i have 0 energy during the day and am very tired all the time.. I hope this is going to help me. I am in Canada which i thought had great healthcare? I am going to go speak to my Doctor again to see if there is anything he can do to get me an appointment asap... it has helped a lot reading peoples experiences here. Anyone else here from Canada? How long did it take to get an appointment? Sheila (2005-08-21): Do you have to wait for appointments in Canada? In the USA, we don't leave the doctor's office without knowing the exact day and time for the tonsillectomy. How does the Canadian system work? HK (2005-08-21): In canada, atleast for me... i would go to my Dr, who sets up an appointment with the specialist (the surgeon) then they will give you a call when they have a date for surgery. I already got a call from the hospital pre-admissions telling me exactly what was going to happen... but now after a few months still no call with my date... I then gave them a call and they said that I will 'probably' get a call sometime during the fall. The kicker was that they said they can probably only give one day notice. I'm sure my work is going to love that...I am going to go back to my family Dr and see if I can see another Surgeon. Sara (2005-08-23): Mark- things are coming along- my stitches are still there and feel like they are getting sore. I called my dr. and he said to gargle with salt water three times a day so hopefully that works. I also spoke to a friend of mines dad that had the surgery and he said he had the same noise as me and stuff going up his nose but it will go away- that was a relief! I hope your surgery goes well. I was really really nervous before mine mainly because of the anesthesia but there really isn't anything to be afraid of- you're in a hospital and there is someone constantly monitoring your vitals. You're out within seconds of them giving it to you and when you wake up it's like it never happened except you'll know it happened because you'll be sore as h*ll. My tongue was really swollen afterwards- I think they had clamps on it to hold it out. I'll check back with ya after your surgery. Just make sure you have some good movies to watch and lots of soft foods to eat. Greg (2005-08-24): Sara, I had my uvula removed on June 22, because it would get infected and swell up. I lost all but 1 of the stitches in 2 weeks, the last 1 took 4 weeks until it finally went away. I was never diagnosed (sp?) with sleep apnea but I think I had it. I never realized how much my over sized uvula impaired my breathing until it was removed. I can breath soo much easier when I lay down to sleep. I feel the same way that you do, I thought I would feel more rested and need less sleep, but I still feel tired in the morning. I am VERY glade I had it removed, because it was really bothering me. Beth (2005-08-26): Hi everyone! I am 3 months post op UPPP, Tonsillectomy and turbinate reductions. I am sleeping so much better. No snoring. I still find that I have a weird sensation in the back of my throat, I'm sure it's scar tissue. I no longer snore which is great. No more morning headaches either. Sodas and spicy food still bother my throat some but it's getting better. Those of you who are recovering, hang in there! It will get better! :-) Mark (2005-08-28): Beth, do you know what your sleep apnea RDI number was before your surgery? Mine is a 60, and weight is not an issue (I"m 5'10" and weigh 160lbs). My sleep apnea is most definitely because of obstructions, so we are hoping this is going to at least HELP if not cure the apnea events. Thanks! Tanja (2005-09-04): My UPP was scheduled for Sep. 2nd, but had to be postponed because I broke out in hives. We are shooting for the 14th now. I found two people at church who have had the procedure. They did say it would be painful but endured me that I would survive. I have found that UPPP surgery is more common than most people realize, but it took a website like this and asking everyone I knew if they had ever heard of it. My ENT has already said that another sleep study would be done after healing to see how much improvement was made. Thanks to all of you for logging on to this site. I has made me much more comfortable knowing I am not alone. Jack (2005-09-05): Tanja - I will be having this surgery on Sept 13 myself; I too was worried and asked around and I have also discovered 2 people at work and one acquaintance who have had it. All told me it's a terrible sore throat and that you get really weak from not eating, but that it is the best thing they have ever done! I am nervous, but I keep telling myself that I can endure 2 weeks of being uncomfortable for the benefit. You are right, too - -this website is WONDERFUL - hats off to the guy who created it! anonymous (2005-09-06): Mark, my apena was only mild/moderate 26 RDI. I have not had a post surgery sleep test and may not. Mine was not a weight issue either- 5'5" 140. I hope that the surgery helps you as much as it has helped me! When do you have your surgery? Or have you already had it? Mark (2005-09-06): I have my surgery next Tuesday, the 14th. I am hoping it helps! Pete (2005-09-10): I just stumbled across this site on day 8 and am writing this on day 9 after a traditional uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, tonsillectomy, resection of turbinates, septoplasty and hyoid suspension."they" said 10 day recovery. I don't think so. I am still running a 99.2 temp and that weird stuff that appears on your tonsils is not completely gone yet. But hey I sure can breathe better. I am 52 years old. 6'1" now 180# was 195# about three weeks ago. Had a total RDI of 76.7. I had plenty of pain medication but hurt my back at work a week before surgery and had been taking percocete for a week. That was a big mistake the #10 vicotin hardly worked. That liquid hydrocodone gave me the worst runs I ever had. Once I figured that out all was good. Back pain and this type of surgery don't mix well. Hot poker in my back and hot coals down my throat. I have waited years to have this done so nothing was going to stop me. Research well, find the right DR. and go get it done. I am happy I did already, as I sit here with fever and back pain, hey the back pain is getting beter from all this laying around. Good luck every one. Get pain medication!!!!!!! Beth (2005-09-10): Mark, I posted that anonymous post! opps, forgot to put my name there! Sorry! Hope that all goes well on the 14th. I'll be thinking about you. Post when you can! Take it easy those first two weeks. I ate lots of yogurt (found the whipped kind was best, it's not too thick), drank some Boost, and drank broth. Also, I forced lots of water and it made such a big difference! Best of luck!! Mark (2005-09-14): I am home from my UPPP + tonsillectomy. I had terrible sleep apnea - RDI was almost 60 -- my ENT said my tonsils were huge, that they were almost 4 times the normal size and literally met in the middle at my uvula, actually touching it. Because I'm 31 years old and 5'10" with weight of 160lbs, he most definitely feels like this surgery will be a success for me. I am surprised at how well I seem to be taking it...I was terrified going in and I am now home, feeling OK. I have taken my meds as scheduled, and that means waking up through the night to take them on schedule. I also eat ice chips continuously to keep my mouth from drying, and I really think this is helping me stay ahead of the pain. I am so glad that I did it. I know I will probably have some rough days ahead but when I hear how bad my tonsils were, I just wish that I had done this before. I will post again in a day or two to let you know how I am. But for anyone considering doing this surgery, DO IT. I can already tell a major difference at how much air is getting in my airway! Erik (2005-09-15): That's great Mark! You have exactly the right plan: Keep hydrated. It's also nice to hear that some people do get effective pain meds. Beth (2005-09-15): Mark, sounds like you are doing awesome!! Yes, set that alarm to take those meds at night! DO NOT GET BEHIND! Don't wait until it's too late. Also, be prepared. I think around day 6 was one of my toughest days. I was feeling really good and did too much on day 5 (went grocery shopping) and then my scabs came off on day 6 and I was in a lot of pain! Be sure to take it easy and don't do too much because you are feeling so good! Yes, the ice chips will be a big help!! My tonsils were really big too. Doc told my husband that he had a tough time getting them out! Glad that this has been such a positive esperience for you and hope it continues to be so! I know I'm really glad I had it done too!! Mark (2005-09-16): OK everyone - I'm heading into the 3rd full day of this; not going as great...pain is pretty high but I just feel so weak from not eating hardly anything .... I can tell it is improving my sleep already but I'm sure ready for this part of the process to pass. I keep trying to stay positive, remember that "no pain no gain" but it's tough. Tanja (2005-09-17): To Jack, How do you feel after your surgery? I am at day 3 after and I do really hurt, but I am trying to look ahead at the final results. THe day after surgery I felt great and was able to eat some creamed potato soup. Since then, I have been too sore. Jello is ok and so is yogurt as long as I drink lots of water. We can do it. anonymous (2005-09-17): Pete, I can't blieve how many people have the nasal surgery adn the UPPP at the same time. I had the septum surgery a couple of years ago and although it did not hurt too bad, I can't imagine both surgeries at the same time. I am so glad you are improving. Taking medication on time is easy to do when you are up every hour and a half going to the restroom because of all the fluids. Did you ever get relief from your back pain? Mark (2005-09-17): I just appreciate Erik for hosting this website...it has helped me prepare for the surgery and now it is helping me deal with surgery. Until I found this board, I had no clue how many people have had this surgery. It is very comforting to just hear from people who are in the same shoes I'm in. It is amazing though at how many people have had UPPP and septum surgery at same time. I had my septum surgery done in March, and this UPPP plus tonsillectomy surgery was Tuesday. I couldn't imagine doing both at once! Hats off to the brave souls who do it all at one time! And once again, Erk, this website is a great system of support for those of us out there with that silent sleep apnea. Jack (2005-09-17): Tanja, I feel like a truck has run over me but I am healing. I know each day is a day closer to feeling better! I can get down a little soup each day and am overall weak, but I'm making it. Beth (2005-09-18): I had the UPPP/Tonsilectomy/Septoplasty/Turbinate Reduction all done on 5/27. It was rough, but really as soon as the packing was out of my nose it was much easier to deal with. My nose was sore to the touch for quite a while but that was the worst part for the nose thing. I hope everyone who is recently post op are healing well and getting lots of rest!! Hang in there! It will get better! Mark (2005-09-18): Beth - wow.... I couldn't imagine this UPPP and tonsillectomy with the septo at once. I had that done earlier this year and that was tough enough --- every day seems to be getting a little better, but I have lost almost 15 pounds now and feel horrible because all I can eat are broths and those great soft foods. I am already making my shopping lists for steaks, chicken, and all the sides to cook for my celebration of getting over this! Amy (2005-09-19): This is funny, I was just going on the net to find out about recovery...who knew that i would find all this personal info! I had my tonsils out and my septum ( i am not up on the medical terms for what i had done) fixed a little over two weeks ago. I feel that i have recovered pretty okay! I did not stay overnight in the hospital...felt good for a couple of days and then real bad for two days. I was just out of work for a week. (I wish that it could have been longer) Now I just feel something in the back of my throat and pressure from my nose. And i am not loosing weight because I am eating everything to find just something that taste okay. I am already over eating ice cream! I went out with my friends last night and it was a pure waste of money ..Beer..yuck!...cheeseburger...yuck! even tried my friends salad...yuck! I am a big water girl too...but now...yuck! Please tell me what taste okay besides sprite and sherbert? Thanks Erik for this site...it has given me a wealth of information! Oh yeah, I quit smoking too! Yeah me! Hopefully, I will keep it up! The thought of a cig makes me sick now! Mark (2005-09-20): I am one week post OP now and this is my second day of not taking any pain meds at all, day or night. My throat is still scratchy, sort of like a cold coming on, but I am slowly eating foods again (slow and easy though) and I am starting to feel human again. My scabs have started coming off, and when the first one did, I freaked a little because it had some blood involved. However, my ENT assured me this is a normal part of the process, and he has been right. I also had a little bleeding this morning but again, it was due to a scab coming off. I am waking much more rested --- I am awake and up/moving by 8:00 every morning, no alarm. I am really optimistic that this surgery has already helped my apnea. I have NOT ONCE woken with dry mouth, a morning headache, or have I woken and felt tired. Noone has heard me snore a peep since the surgery either. The biggest problem I had with all of this was the pain from ear aches. I found those to be very annoying and a couple of times, really painful, but those have passed now (as my ENT promised) and I am just excited about telling everyone how this worked for me. Mark (2005-09-20): While I am praising this surgery, I do want to emphasize I think it's important every person carefully research this and make sure it is something that can deem successful for you individually, because research shows UPPP doesn't work for everyone. I am only 31, and am 5'10", 160lbs,, and had huge tonsils (4 times bigger than average). I emphasize that because it doesn't appear that weight or other health issues contributed to my obstruction with sleeping. There are some factors that won't be helped with this surgery, so RESEARCHING all your options and what applies to you personally is very important. Also, I think you have to find the RIGHT ENT that you can talk to openly and who will talk back to you. The first one I went to, had me do a sleep study, told me I had OSA and that I needed a CPAP for the rest of my life. He even went as far as saying there was a surgery out there but that I would just hate him for 2 weeks and there is no way to know if it works til you try it, so his suggestion was "why risk it?" Well, after his ever-so-relieving pep-talk, I got a CPAP and that lasted a few nights and that was it. For awhile, I just dealt with it but I knew I had to get help, so I kept looking. The 2nd ENT examined me, said I had large tonsils but that sleep apnea wouldn't really be affected by those (SO WHAT MED SCHOOL DID HE ATTEND, RIGHT???? I knew more about obstructive sleep apnea than he did!)) The third ENT I went to was the first one who even mentioned this surgery to me and we went through all options and risk factors of it. I was well aware from the beginning that this may not work. However, weight, age, and good health were on my side, so it was worth the risk for me trying. I would never just jump into having a UP3 + tonisillectomy until you know exact areas of obstruction and whether those areas can be fixed through a UP3. (There are other surgeries out there for other obstructed areas, so a UP3 may not necessarily treat the area you need it to.)But if you have OSA, research it.... I have spent countless hours on the Internet reading tons of information about OSA and I can say the decisions I made were results of hours of research and question/answer sessions with my ENT. Don't give up if you have this sleep disorder because there is help out there, but I have found that finding the right doctor and information is the biggest, single most important factor. My ENT that I have used told me that many ENTs are not comfortable with OSA treatments because there is not much research out there, so he feels that is why many of them just put you on a CPAP and live with it like that. He said he agreed it is hard to find one who has gone to OSA seminars and training, and I found that to be very true. I am so thankful I found the doctor I did. I guess more than anything, I learned to not give up; that I knew there was help out there and that I shouldn't dread going to sleep every night. And already, just after this short time after surgery, the difference in how I feel is incredible -- there is no way to describe how much better I already feel! Mark (2005-09-20): While I am praising this surgery, I do want to emphasize I think it's important every person carefully research this and make sure it is something that can deem successful for you individually, because research shows UPPP doesn't work for everyone. I am only 31, and am 5'10", 160lbs,, and had huge tonsils (4 times bigger than average). I emphasize that because it doesn't appear that weight or other health issues contributed to my obstruction with sleeping. There are some factors that won't be helped with this surgery, so RESEARCHING all your options and what applies to you personally is very important. Also, I think you have to find the RIGHT ENT that you can talk to openly and who will talk back to you. The first one I went to, had me do a sleep study, told me I had OSA and that I needed a CPAP for the rest of my life. He even went as far as saying there was a surgery out there but that I would just hate him for 2 weeks and there is no way to know if it works til you try it, so his suggestion was "why risk it?" Well, after his ever-so-relieving pep-talk, I got a CPAP and that lasted a few nights and that was it. For awhile, I just dealt with it but I knew I had to get help, so I kept looking. The 2nd ENT examined me, said I had large tonsils but that sleep apnea wouldn't really be affected by those (SO WHAT MED SCHOOL DID HE ATTEND, RIGHT???? I knew more about obstructive sleep apnea than he did!)) The third ENT I went to was the first one who even mentioned this surgery to me and we went through all options and risk factors of it. I was well aware from the beginning that this may not work. However, weight, age, and good health were on my side, so it was worth the risk for me trying. I would never just jump into having a UP3 + tonisillectomy until you know exact areas of obstruction and whether those areas can be fixed through a UP3. (There are other surgeries out there for other obstructed areas, so a UP3 may not necessarily treat the area you need it to.)But if you have OSA, research it.... I have spent countless hours on the Internet reading tons of information about OSA and I can say the decisions I made were results of hours of research and question/answer sessions with my ENT. Don't give up if you have this sleep disorder because there is help out there, but I have found that finding the right doctor and information is the biggest, single most important factor. My ENT that I have used told me that many ENTs are not comfortable with OSA treatments because there is not much research out there, so he feels that is why many of them just put you on a CPAP and live with it like that. He said he agreed it is hard to find one who has gone to OSA seminars and training, and I found that to be very true. I am so thankful I found the doctor I did. I guess more than anything, I learned to not give up; that I knew there was help out there and that I shouldn't dread going to sleep every night. And already, just after this short time after surgery, the difference in how I feel is incredible -- there is no way to describe how much better I already feel! Beth (2005-09-23): GREAT post Mark! Glad to see yo uare feeling so well. YES, to the EAR PAIN!! I had it for a while and it drove me crazy! I hope your recovery continues to go well!! Matt (2005-09-25): Great site. Its 10:45PM here and I am worrying and starting to freak out a bit and I don't know what to do to calm down. I am having my Tonsillectomy, Uvula "Trimming" and treatment to my tongue done at 8 AM tomorrow. I have been fine with this for weeks....until last Friday when I left work and realized I had to have this surgery done Monday morning. I am not looking forward to the recovery mostly. I am taking this weel off work, but I am supposed to return to work next Monday. Starting to wonder if that will be possible. I too was looking for "What to expect after a Tonsillectomy" on the web (despite my girlfriends objections) and came across this page. I am a 30 year old male, with OSA and I hope to GOD this will cure it. I havent felt rested since I was 20 years old. The pain will be worth it if I can finally feel good again. I will see how I am feeling next week and hopefully be back to tell everyone about my "experience"! Thanks again for the great personal information on this page! Im still very nervous, but I think it helps to here how so many people have come through it OK. Erik (2005-09-25): Matt, you will be fine, you will recover, and chances are you'll feel much better after everything is done. Just be smart: Prepare for the down-time, keep hydrated, keep in touch with your doctor, especially in the latter part of the first week. (That will be the most painful.) And most of all, keep that loving girlfriend close by, mine made all the difference! Chris (2005-09-26): Me again. It's been awhile. Had a uvulaectomy done back in April of 04. for snoring etc. Went to 2 other ENTs. April of this year I had septoplasty,adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, turbinate reduction and soft palate done. Snoring is better, but still doing some. Also am noticing it feels like I have mucous from my nose into my throat. Don't know if this is causing some of my problems. Would Flonase maybe help this. I do use a saline solution sometimes with some relief. Don't care to go back to the ENT. Just frustrated with how things have gone. The doctor is a couple hours away. Maybe I expected more than I should have with the procedures. Just not completely satisfied with how things have gone. We are disapointed with my ENT. Don't care to spend any more money on following up on this. Does anyone have any possible suggestions or have they had these same kind of problems? Many thanks! Matt (2005-09-27): Erik, thats for the encouragement. It was a restless night Sunday night. Well, I'm home now. Surgery went well. Definitly painful. They did the tonsillectomy, the UPPP and the Uvula trimming. I think its the Uvula that is killing me the most. I am eating somewhat OK. I have had eggs, sausage and toast for breakfast, and chicken salad and pudding for lunch today, but, what I cannot seem to do is drink very well. Every time I try, even the smallest amounts, it gags me and most of it comes out my nose. Anyone have any remedies for this? I worry I will dehydrate if I can't get any liquids down. Same with my medicine. They gave me an elixer mdeicine that is supposdily equal to vicadin. It works ok, but wears off within an hour or 2 and I can only take it every 4 hours. I was doing well with it yesterday, although the taste is a mix of Nyquil, Robitussin and Whsikey, I was able to get it down. Now today it too tends to gag me and some of it is coming out through my nose. If anyone has any ideas I would be very greatful. Jordan (2005-09-27): Sir, I comend you on your recovery. I have found your website to be a wonderful source of information and, as cheesy as it sounds, inspiration. Let me enlighten you on my situation. I am curently 15 and have just had my tonsils removed, adnoids removed, turbines shortened, and a deviated septum fixed. It has been a week since the surgery, well the second one, (emergency surgery 11 a.m. after a breif ambulance ride and what was believed at the time to be moderate convulsions)and I am still having trouble swalling mere WATER! Water, as odd as it may seem, still ventures to pain by the mere sip. I am asking, neigh BEGGING you, You MUST email me so that I might strike a converstaion and thus gain some INVALUABLE knowledge as to the treatment, and dare I say cure, to this unfortunate ailment. Please dont make me BEG! E-Mail: Theupsmanhatesme@aol.com (Ignore the e-mail address, Teens may be teens) Lawrence Gould (2005-09-28): I had the tonsils and the uvula trim done exactly a week ago. For personal reasons I decided that I needed to do this without narcotic pain killers - just tylenol and ibubrofren. I have to say that it didn't hurt as much as I feared it would, but it did hurt quite a bit. In fact, at day 7 it still hurts quite a bit. The first thing that I learned was that it actually gets worse before it gets better. It gradually got worse for about 5 or 6 days. Today, at day 7, it is not quite as bad as it has been. Swallowing is still very painful, but I am forcing myself to drink lots of water. I can't really eat much - plain yogurt.. but even that hurts quite a bit. I've lost about 8 pounds in the last 7 days. I think as long as I can stay hydrated I'll be ok. Have been back at work since Monday, but can't yet put in a full day - get too tired. Talking hurts a bit, but only if I try to put some volume in it. I'm really ready for this to start getting easier - at day 7 I had expected a bit more improvement. I'm still hopeful for a better day 8. I'm reasonably sure I'm sleeping much better and do feel very rested. Lawrence Gould (2005-09-29): Day 8 is a bit better. Still hard to eat. I actually couln't eat even ice cream last night... kept feeling like it was going into my nose. I've decided that I'm going to live on infant formula for the time being, and forget about solid food until it doesn't hurt quite so much. Still only on advil. Hurts like hell at night and first thing in the am. Saw my doctor today - he says all is progressing as it should and in about 4 days I should be in the clear. LGould@KilpatrickStockton.com Tanja (2005-09-29): I had my UPPP done on Wed. Sep 14. I ended up taking the whole next week off from school. There was no way I could teach with the pain I had and the medicine I was on. I was not prepared for missing that much work. Luckily I had wonderful coworkers that helped. I recommend to anyone having this sugery to plan for at least ten days before you try to go back to work. There is no reason to push yourself. The first 6-7 days was rough. I was able to drink a lot of water. I used slimfast drinks to make sure I was getting vitamins in my diet, since food was hard to eat. I started with soft scrambled eggs, pudding, jello, and slimfast. Even after two weeks I am still eating pretty soft stuff, but improving every day. My husband says he has not heard me snore once. THe first week I slept in the recliner. It was just easier that way because I would wake up every hour hurting, so I drank more water. I stopped the pain meds after a week and just started using liquid tylenol. I recommend that to everybody. I agree with Mark that this surgery is not for everyone. I know two people that have had the surgery and still use the CPAP. My ENT explained that I was not the typical apnea type. I am 5'9 and 150. He did a couple of tests in his office and said that I was a good candidate for the UPPP and gave me an 85% cure rate. I elected to do the surgery. As I said before, my husband hasn't heard me snore since. I wish everyone the best of luck and a speedy recovery. Lawrence Gould (2005-09-30): Day 9 - a bit better. Still not food. I discovered this liquid stuff called "Boost" that is like a meal drink. Now I feel pretty alert, since I'm hydrated and have calories. Haven't eaten any solid food yet, but I sure am thinking about pizza a lot. Hoping that tomorrow is the day I can eat again. Swallowing still hurts a lot. It is worst at night and first thing in the morning. During the day, if I drink a lot of water or Boost, then swallowing doesn't hurt so much. By the end of the day though, even talking hurts a bit. Remember, I did this without narcotics, and have been back at work since day 5. I don't really reccomend either, but that's the way it worked out for me. I will say that this week at work has been pretty light... which is good..... I don't think I could have handled a really tough week. The main thing was staying hydrated when it hurt like living hell to swallow at all. Like swallowing razor blades.... dee (2005-10-01): Any thoughts? My 15-year old (6 feet a mere 145 pounds, all muscle, basketball player) has OSA. On October 14 he is having surgery to have tonsils and adenoids removed and uppp. Ideas of preparation for this or suggestions how to encourage the liquid intake or how mom can survive her son's pain? Mark (2005-10-01): Dee - I just had this surgery 3 weeks ago and am doing great. My recommendation is to NOT fall behind on pain meds - take exactly as prescribed, even if your son may not be hurting at the next scheduled dosage. I even set my alarm the first week to get up every 5 hours to take my meds as prescribed, and that helped me stay ahead of the pain. Also, I drank Ensure so that I wouldn't get so weak from not being able to drink. Gatoraide is also a great alternate to water --- I got tired of drinking water all the time so I drank Gatoraid too. Have plenty of chicken broth on hand for the first week. I'm sure your son will do great -- keep us posted. Elaine (2005-10-01): Tanja is very correct in planning to be out of work for two weeks. I also teach and my ENT had told me to plan to be out that long and I really didn't think I would be ---- but I was! I haven't snored since the surgery and I wake up sooooo much more rested. anonymous (2005-10-02): Dee- have Boost or Ensure on hand, I found the chocolate Boost to be good. I also ate a lot of whipped yogurt. The regular kind seemed to kind of "stick" in my throat but the whipped kind was easier to eat. I also had very running mashed potatoes made with chicken broth! Also, I totally agree with Mark, make sure you stay on top of his meds. That is the MOST IMPORTANT thing to do. DO NOT fall behind or he will pay for it while he's waiting for the meds to kick in. Also, be prepared, as someone else said, days 6 and 7 are pretty rough- at least they were for me. That is when the scabs came off. I was doing great on day 5, even went grocery shopping but on day 6 I was in tears! Just hang in there and best of luck to you and your son! Tanya- I substitute teach and I had my surgury done the end of May and I still find my voice hoarse and sore when I teach several days in a row. Hope your recovery continues to go well. I no longer snore either! It's great to not have husband complaining! :-) Now a question for all of you who had the surgury a while back. If you had morning headaches before did they return? Mine have suddenly returned and it'm making me nervous. Is the OSA back, but with no snoring?? What's up. I'm sure it may possibly just be that my allergies are bad because we've had virtually no rain since August and it is so dry and nasty. that's what I'm hoping is the culprit. Beth (2005-10-02): oops, did it again. The above post is from me! Sorry I keep forgetting to put my name in! :-) Dee (2005-10-02): To all, thank you for your advicea and kind words. I have minor panic attacks and then remember the alternatives to this surgery really stink (at least for my son). I will let you know how it goes..... Randall (2005-10-04): Dee - I just remember being TERRIFIED before this surgery and after I had it, it hurt, but it wasn't as bad as I had predicted. I agree with the above posts -- STAY ON TOP OF THE MEDS!!!!!! That is the most important because they will keep your son comfortable. Also -- remember it like this: a couple of weeks of pain beats a lifetime of suffering from OSA and feeling exhausted all the time. I have never had more energy in my life -- I feel GREAT and it was the best thing I've ever done for myself. The healing time is the worst -- it seems like forever -- but after you heal -- you are so thankful and glad you did it! Matt (2005-10-04): Dee - Tell your son not to be anxious or nervous. It is not nearly as bad as he or you think it will be. I was a wreck the night before my surgery on September 26th. Didnt sleep at all the night before I was so nervous. But the procedure was over before I knew it and I was waking up in recovery. I was in some pain right away and was very very dry. I asked for a popsicle immediatly because it makes the pain worse when you are dry. That night in the hospital wasn't awful, but it wasn't pleasant either. I didn't sleep for more than 30 minutes at a time due to the pain. But then, day 2 through 5 steadily got better. I was eating chicken noodle soup and even soft bean burrito's from Taco Bell. (Although they were a little rough - I don;t advise unless he is feeling really good) What I WASN'T prepared for, and I guess I should have been because EVERYONE on here says this, was day 6 and 7. That was the absolute worst! I was in so much pain and could not eat, drink or suck on ice chips. I didn't know why until late in day 7 when the scabs started coming off. My God what a relief it was when they came off!! I felt like I was choking and I just couldn't do anyting about it. The pain medicine only helped for 30 minutes, so I would be in pain for the next 3 and a half hours until I could take another dose. But here is the thing, on day 8 I felt a TON better. And besides my tongue being very tendor still, I could swallow quite well. And now, on day 9, I feel almost 90% recovered! I have slept great the last 2 nights and I think that in the end this week of pain is well well worth the suffering. I haven't had a good nights sleep in 10 years! Tell him to think of how great he will feel after the surgery and help him relax! Also, if you get a choice, you may want to stay away from HYDROCODN/APAP Elixer for the pain meds. I think I could have swallowed actualy Vicodins easier than getting this stuff down my throat. All it is is liquid Vicodin, but the taste is the worst thing you can imagine and when taking the dose, it would hurt very badly because, like with many strong tasting medicines, it is hard to swallow down and takes MANY MANY swallows to get it down and keep it down. The pain of taking this medication was so awful, I actually called my family doctor on Saturday and asked for a script for regular Vicodins. He did not return my call and so I was forced to stick with this stuff, but it made me not want to take my pain meds because they themselves were so painful to take. Good luck to you and your son! Better to get it done now at his young age than to wait and do it in your 30's like I did! Let me know how it turns out for him. I am interested to know how he feels after he has it done! Beth (2005-10-05): About the hydrcodine and bad taste. I found out AFTER I had gone off the meds that you can pay a mere $2 extra and get the medicine flavored- like they can add cherry or grape flavoring at the pharmacy. wish I had known this before!!! dee (2005-10-07): Sorry I did not get to read these wonderful postings sooner. I have had a rotten week at work. Thank you all, again; I am thrilled to have you all on our side. I have bought various flavors of Boost-like drinks, Gatorade (a mainstay for my son the althlete anyway)and liquid cherry-flavored Tylenol. I will ask for both a flavored liquid pain killer and a prescription for the pills in the event the flavored is just as disgusting. Matt, can you tell me a bit more about the choking with scabs? Is it a day or two of feeling you are choking or does it hit all at once, they fall off and then fire hits? What did you do those two days of burning--it sounds like nothing will help, huh? I am pulling my emotions together and putting on a cheery face (smile)....... Matt (2005-10-08): Dee, it wasn't two straight days of scabs just hangin there choking me. Its just that they kept coming off and each time it was a feeling of choking briefly. They just came off between days 6 and 7 a little at a time. The problem will be that they will be coming off, but not completely detatched (at lest this is how it was for me) and so you have this feeling like something is stuck in the back of your throat. You can't swallow it and you can't spit it out. But, little by little they came off. Its rather gross to describe, but it was like a large flem ball in the back of my throat that I could not get rid of, and I had to keep clearing my troat for about 10 minutes and I finally coughed it up. It had a flesh look to it so at first I didnt know what it was. Once the scabs come off he will feel so much better, however, during this time, he will probably just be miserable. Just have him keep taking the medication. Again, this was my experience, and may not be common. Healing is different for everyone and for me, its been a roller coaster. I have thought I was fine more than once, only to find out I am still quite sore and having problems eatingt. I thought I was 90% better last Monday, but on Tuesday I was miserable again. Wednesday I was OK, Thursday I was bad again. Its been up and down for me. Today is now day 13 and I am still a bit sore. Just ate a real meal last night for the first time. Went to the doctors yesterday and he said I am healing slower than most usually do and I should be fine by now. He said its probably because I haven't eaten in so long and my body has nothing to help it heal. Make sure your son eats. It will speed his recovery. Also, I asked Kroger pharmacy about the flavoring of the medicine. They do not flavor their medicines, but the pharmacist said some small little pharmacies do. I dont know where you go, but make sure they can flavor it before they fill it. I am on the Vicodin tablets now (thank God) and I have felt better ever since I started them. Good luck to your son! Hope I have helped you. dee (2005-10-09): Matt, Most definitely you have helped me. I see great value to this string of information and will be sure to post as my son goes through his recovery after surgery this Friday (October 14)so the next person reading these will have another example of how it will all turn at great in the end. I hope it is all positive for you now and you are feeling 110% shortly. Take care! Beth (2005-10-09): Anyone who had the surgery have insurance problems. Prior to the surgery the doctors office called for pre-authorization. Now my insurance is saying they will not cover the surgery. We're talking over $5000. I am so upset. I received the letter yesterday. They say they cover it if it is "medically necessary", which is why I thought I saw teh pulmonologist and he wrote a letter saying the surgery was the best choice. Evidently they say I should have done a CPAP trial first. Why didn't they say that when they called for the pre-autorization. I am sick to my stomach worrying about this now. Tomorrow A.M. I am calling both the doctors office and the insurance company. UGH!!! Erik (2005-10-09): Good luck Beth! Sounds like they're trying to screw you. It might be worth calling a lawer if they stick to it. Matt (2005-10-09): If the office called for pre approval it is on them Beth. Either the insurance company gave them the approval and are now going back on that, or the doctors office never got the pre approval and did the surgery anyway, which is on them. Get a lawyer if they try and stick you with this. It is either the doctors office or the insurance companies fault. That is why they have pre approvals.....so they know for sure that it will be covered. If they submitted the approval, and they were denied, they had to tell you that before they did the surgery. Beth (2005-10-10): Thanks guys. I am getting ready to call the doctors office now. I did get notice earlier-AFTER the surgery-that the claim was denied and I called the doctors office. The lady said they HAD called and gotten pre-approval. She said and I quote "we'd be fools to do surgery without pre-approval". So I know they called. Let's see what happens now. Funny that I got NO denied claims from the anesthesiologist or the surgery center. Just the doctor. I thought that was strange. Who knows. I'll keep you updated. Jeff (2005-10-10): Beth, I am an attorney in Florida. You are not liable for the cost of the surgery because the insurance company denied the claim. Your doctor's office is required by state statute to receive verification for the surgery. This is why there is always a 10-day window prior to the surgery where it could be cancelled. It is the responsibility of the doctor's office to provide all necessary documentation to the insurance company and the doctor's office knows PRIOR to surgery if your claim is denied or approved. If it is denied, your doctor's office must contact you. Because you have not received notification that your claim was denied and the surgeon went ahead with surgery, it is his responsibility to eat the cost. It is not your fault this happened and you cannot be held liable for the doctor office's mistakes. They are responsible for notifying patients if clients' claims are denied. If you continue getting a run-around on this, I strongly suggest you contact an attorney in your hometown and pursue this. But do not give them one dime. Beth (2005-10-10): Thank you Jeff. The doctors's office has not returned my call- maybe that's a hint that they screwed up! Jerri (2005-10-10): 10-10-05 ENT Dr. wanted to do the U triple P which is short for having the uvula & part of the palate removed with Septoplasty & turbinate reduction. I chose not to have the U triple P done because my sister had it done due to having a deformed uvula. This procedure did not stop her snoring by any means and the surgery is very painful for most people. My brother also is certified in performing the Sleep Apnea tests and found most patients did not fair well a year after surgery. I also found sites on the internet that stated most patients after 5 years started having problems again and sometimes worse. I also was diagnosed with sleep Apnea but could find no benefit from the C-pap machine due to my deviated septum. I also found losing 50 lbs helped tremendously for weight can push on the neck muscles causing pressure. It is always best to check all avenues before relying on what a doctor states. Weight can be a big factor in sleep apnea as well as allergies. I am doing extemely well just having my deviated septum fixed and turbinate reduction. I also do a sinus rinse once a day or at least every other day to help keep the sinuses flushed. Unfortunately if people have severe allergies it may take a total turbinate removal for the turbinates can swell up again and cause problems. I am hoping that is not going to be the case for me. I am going in for another sleep study to see if losing weight and surgery was enough to fix my sleep apnea. I believe so since I have not been tired for a couple of years now and since my surgery recently 9-27-05 I sleep much better. :-} Erik (2005-10-10): Jerri, good point. Surgery may not be the best answer, and definitely should not be the first avenue of pursuit. If I could have found an antibiotic that worked on my chronic tonsillitis, I would have far preferred to use that than go through surgery. Todd M (2005-10-11): Wow! I'm glad I found this site! Lots of good info here. I just got home this morning after having UPPP and Septoplasty done yesterday. The surgery was a breeze (at least for me since I was out cold). I woke up in recovery and my throat was hurting at about an 8 on the 1 o 10 scale. I was given a shot of Demeral which helped a LOT! I had one other shot that night. This morning I started the Darveset. It's doing a good job in controlling the pain. My nose hasn't hurt at all, and my throat is tolerable most of the time. I was told to stay on a cold, soft diet for 2 weeks. I don't think so! I just can't find anough of a variety of cold, soft food that is actually nutritious AND tastes good. Tonight, I had some bean soup for dinner. I let it cool to close to room temperature. It was easy to swollow and tasted great after all the jello, ice cream and yogart I've had over the past 20+ hours. Pasta will be my next "treat". Anyway, the only things that has really been bothersome is the nose thing... trying to keep it flushed and the blood coming out the front instead of down my throat. It's already slowed down a lot (the bleeding). My throat seems a bit aggitated in the back, almost like it's scabbing already. I've always been a "fast healer", but this seems a bit too fast. Maybe it's the sutures I'm feeling. I'm not even sure what the doc used to close up the wounds. After what I've read here, I guess the worst is yet to come... around days' 6 and 7. Oh well... It's worth it after living the past 40+ years without a good night's sleep! I've always had to work the night shifts. That was I could sleep until I woke naturally. I have always been allergic to alarm clocks! LOL! Overall, the entire experience so far hasn't been bad at all... at least not as bad as I thought it would be. I've been up and around all day with no problems. I'm just taking things a bit slower than usual. I'm planning on going back to work on Thursday (Day 4). My job is with field service, so we spend 95% of the time just sitting in the office surfing the web anyway... nothing too strenuous. If I start to feel tired, I'll just go home early. I just can't afford to lose too much time... no sick or vacation days left. Here's a question for ya all.... Who has gotten the hiccups after this procedure? I've had them since late last night. They come and go, but are pretty rough and last about 10-15 minutes at a time. I hope this stops soon! It can be really painful, or at the least, very annoying. I've been trying to keep the nostrils flushed with saline about every hour. I have read that I shouldn't blow my nose. The doctor didn't say anything about that, but I imagine that it's because you don't want to blow the healing scabs out too early. I'm just blowing very, very, lightly while the saline solution is in there. That's the only way I can get anything to come out. So far, so good! Thanks everyone for the great information! It's already helped me out a lot. dee (2005-10-15): Okay, we've made it through 24 plus hours. My 15- year-old had his tonsils removed and UPPP at a Children's Hospital (if only we all could go to a children's hospital--the care and gentleness is great). He spent the night for monitoring and came home in the morning. Last night was particualry rough (mind you, he really has never even had a sore throat, so this truly is an experience that could not be understood ahead of time). However, there has been a definite improvement this afternoon. Life seems to have returned, although the pain is certainly there and eating is minimal (great the 6-foot kid only 145 pounds will now blow away....). Really, I am not terribly worried, as my husband says "if he is awake he is eating"--he will make up for it, I am sure (smile). A trick we learned from the hospital" rather than eating a popsicle they have us heat it in the microwave for 19 seconds and turn it into a slushy. Also, I have no idea if it will help, but based on my own experience with four broken noses that finally had to be fixed, a plastic suregeon had me take arnica montantana and bromelin for days before and after surgery to relieve the swelling, brusing and bleeding so I sought permission from my son's doctor before starting it with him. I'll let you know if the healing seems any better than that discussed by many on this site. I guess it can't hurt. Oh, by the way. My son did not have one single episode of breath holding last night (and believe me, I heard every breath he took!!!). I am very hopeful!! Karen (2005-10-16): Erik, the posting by Jerri has me a bit concerned regarding the UPPP. My brother-in-law is a pulmonoligist who runs a sleep study program. He is not found of the UPPP either but does believe it works for a small percentage of people and does help snoring if not apnea. I am thin, in good health and could not stand the CPAP. My doc has recommended tonsils, adenoids and UPPP. Are your results as good out in 2005 as they were when you first had surgery? Erik (2005-10-17): Dee, that's great! The best thing I had during my recovery was my girlfriend taking care of me, your son is lucky to have you! Karen, I have not studied statistics on long-term surgery effectiveness. If you're worried about it, you really need a good statistical sampling. Asking a few people just isn't accurate enough. I'm sure there's some university study somewhere out there. However, I do still feel great, but then I might be the minority. Matt (2005-10-17): Dee - Glad to hear your son is doing so well. Sounds like he will recover quite well! Good luck with everything. Dee (2005-10-18): Thanks, Erik, Matt, all. Things are progressing much better than I would have imagined. My son ate a lot yesterday (at least relative to the prior days)including oatmeal, a quesadilla and pizza (do you see the phlegm-building diet going on here?), and a lot of liquids (bless his heart!). We are bracing for the scab-falling-off days, but I must say my son is the trooper! I am crossing my fingers as I believe I heard some breath holding (still much shorter in duration than before) this morning. I am writing it off to the fact that he had too much dairy yesterday and the scabs are probably in the way. Also, I am ignoring some of the previous writings becuase while I know that this was no guarantee, like Karen's comments, Jake is not over weight and not able to tolerate CPAP, so we chose to take a leap in faith. Matt, are you up and about and feeling well? Are you eating well (I am a mother after all--smile). Be well to all who are reading this and congratulations for your desire to improve your health. You are courageous and making a great choice to care about yourself! Matt (2005-10-18): Dee - Thanks for your concern. I wish I could say I am feeling better. The healing from the suregry was finally coming to an end, and I was eating and feeling so much better, and then I got sick this past weekend and I feel miserable again. The aches and pains are much worse due to the recent surgery too. I can't yawn or caugh without feeling it quite sharply in my throat. On the plus side though, I can eat anything again and have been able to for about a week and a half now. I am down to just taking pain medication in the early morning when I get up and sometimes after work, when I am run down, sick and exhausted. I am almost out of pain medication though so I will be ending this routine soon and will just have to deal with any pains I may encounter. Sounds like your son is a great healer. I hope his day 6 or 7 isn't nearly as awful as mine was. So far, from what you have stated, it sounds like he is recovering much better than I did. Looks like it is true what they say about youth helping in the healing process. Either that, or I am a huge wimp and sissy boy. lol They do say grown men act the worst when sick. We act like we are dying when we get the slightest cold. Keep him hydrated like you have been and he will make it through the next few days easily and be back to normal in no time. Dee (2005-10-19): Matt, I actually read this is the number one most painful surgery; you are not a wimp. How rotten to get sick on top of this. You must be exhausted. Youth and luck are on my son's side (plus a hovering mother!). He seems to sleep a fair amount; he has always had this sixth sense about what his body needs to get over a cold or whatever. Of course, he has the luxury of just missing school and no pressures of having to get back to work to pay bills. On the bad side, only 5 days in and my son has already lost 9 pounds. On the good side, this must be the calm before the storm, because he is having a super day. He shot some baskets (don't worry, he didn't break a sweat or over do it), is enjoying being all guy playing Playstation games with a friend and eating much better. So the story continues and will certainly have a good ending...keep tuned. Matt (2005-10-20): Dee - How is your boy doing? Any "Day 6" symptoms yet? I hope that he doesn't have to experience any of what I, or others did. I am sure many just breeze through all this, which he has done so far, so maybe he will not have any problems. I figure, today should be Day 6 so I wanted to check and see if you had any postings. Dee (2005-10-21): I am almost hesitant to tell you all, my son is breezig through this, at least relative to what others have experienced. Day six, yestereday, was one of his best days. He was able to eat some more (still not up to par, but I am not complaining) and did some homework (now isn't that a feat!). I even looked inside his mouth for the first time last night to make sure they really did something in there. He still has the white scabs although it looks like some must have come off without his knowing it. So there is still an "event" pending and I will let you know how that goes. As for today, day seven, he was up earlier, ate an obligatory amount, did some homework and now is at a friend's house for a few hours. He is taking Tylenol during the day and the "heavy stuff" just at night. He is an anomoly or could it be the homeopathic combination, too??? Matt (2005-10-21): LOL @ anomoly. He is young and is doing great. That's all that matters. If he is not recessing by day 7, I bet he isn't going to have any problems. I did heal extremely slow and had a rough go of it all, as some others on here did. Sounds like your son is in the other percentile of those who just breeze though it all. I had my second follow up appointment yesterday with my ENT doc. He was concerned 2 weeks ago when I had come in and wasn't even close to better, so he scheduled a second follow up. I told him, aside from being sick currently, I feel great. He looked at my thoat and agreed that it was all healed up, but may still be swollen, and that could take over a month to go away. He thinks that is why I am still not getting any real rest. Once that goes away, I should be better. He scheduled another sleep study for early January to see if I have gotten rid of the sleep apnea. If I could just shake this cold, or flu, or allergies, whatever this is, I would probably feel 100% better and rest just fine! Well, back to bed for me. Baby is sleeping so its my only time to get any sleep myself. lol Had a rough week between the sick feeling and a restless 5 month old. Jerri (2005-10-21): Hi Karen, yes any surgery needs to be researched and thought through to see if is something that you think will work for by exhausting all the avenues you can without surgery, but sometimes it may come to it. I am glad there are some of you who have had good luck and fairly easier recovery. I hope you can find comfort in whatever you decide and best of luck to you. :-} Dee (2005-10-22): Matt, All this and a baby? No wonder you haven't been able to get good sleep or heal quickly. You must be wiped out. It sounds like things are starting to improve--best of luck to you. You have been a gem for me and I truly appreciate you. Today is day 8. My son now says that his pain is a 4 and at different times of the day it is even better. He is up and about and finished with being pampered (you know, those 15-year-old hormones). So I think we are through the worst of it. He thinks he swallowed some more scabs today(yum)and eating has been much easier since that episode. For what it is worth, a couple of other things we did was put bricks under the head of his bed to raise his head without stuffing pillows underneath him and possibly putting a problematic bend in his neck (that would be stinky for an OSA kid, don't you think?). Additionally, as mentioned I think by others, we ran a humidifier 24-hours a day. I hope whoever reads this will find help and support as I have. Erik, did you ever think you would help so many people? Thank you and thank you again. Todd M (2005-10-23): I'm back. Everything is going very well. The scabs are almost all gone and I've been eating solid food for the past 3 days. The pain has been minimal since about day 9 or so, and I took myself off the pain meds. My throat still hurts very slightly when I cough and during the first few swallows of water in the morning. Nothing really uncomfortible at all. The nose had a slight setback last week when I developed a slight sinus infection. I'm on antibiotics now and feel much better. I can actually breathe through my nose for the first time since I was 7 yrs. old! My girlfriend says that I am no longer snoring, although I did for the first few days after surgery, most likely due to the nose being plugged up. I'm also dreaming again!! Most of my life, I've remembered maybe 2 or 3 dreams a year... now I'm dreaming every night! I don't think I've yawned at all during the past two weeks, either. I used to yawn constantly. I don't have that all-day groggy feeling anymore (now that I'm off the Darviset). I have to say that the week or so of pain and not eating well (I lost 14 lbs in 10 days) were well worth the results! I do not regret getting this surgery done and I'd do it again if I had to. I hope the rest of you are getting good results, too. Hang in there, it's worth it! Good luck! Erik (2005-10-25): Thanks Dee, no, I never expected this much popularity for this page (or any really). I'm glad I could help! Lee (2005-11-03): Hello all. I am having the uvula, soft pallet, tongue shaven, tonsillectomy and deviated septum surgeries together on DEC. 2nd. I have lived with snoring and deteriorating memory loss added to the crankiness and total change in attitude over the past 2 years at least. I have snored since I was around 9 and I am now 31. I have noticed over the past few years that heartburn began about the time I started to feel lethargic and lacked my normal attitude towards exercising and everyday activities. I found myself not enjoying my spouse and my daughter like I had in the past. Trips to the store seemed excruciating because I would be tired around 2 p.m. When I would run even a 3K I would have to sleep afterwards because I just had to shutdown. I feel as though I have live in a fog and I have told myself, for what seems not very long, that I will just snap out of it. That brings me back to the surgery. I had a sleep study and was surprised to receive the call a few weeks later that I needed to see the ENT doc ASAP. I visited the ENT doc and was told I needed to get surgery scheduled ASAP. I am in the military so the doctor will not be available in NOV. so we had to go with DEC. 2nd. I can not wait, not that I have false hopes, to see just what I will wake up as in a few months. I feel as though I am waiting to break free of this cocoon and reveal myself, transformed, into a new man. Erik (2005-11-04): Good luck Lee! What the heck is a tounge shaving? That sounds like it would hurt! Dee (2005-11-04): Quick follow up. My son had his post op. yesterday (with surgery originally on 10.1/4/05. Everything is healing well. I learned something interesting that perhaps all facing UPPP should ask about. Caveat: I have no medical background and don't want to pretend I understood all about what I am writing, it is my imperfect understanding...Part of the reason for the realitively quick rebound is because this doc does not believe in cutting everything off, rather he takes off the first 4 layers of the area and then actaully pins up what is left of the uvula and flacid tissue to that area, in essence creating a covering for the exposed part. I have the impression it is almost like a graft. If anyone is interested and running into unfamiliarity, let me know and I will give you the doctor's name and number. There is still significant pain, but at least for my son, not as excruciating for as long a time period. Lee (2005-11-05): Erik they have to shave the back part of your tongue down. My tongue is too large in the back and when I relax my tongue it falls back to the back of my throat. The doc said I will be out for 4 weeks. He said the scab from the uvula and soft palete will be bad and the tongue will be worse!. I can`t wait. HAHAHAHA I was told this will cost me about 40-50 lbs because I won`t be able to eat for at least a month or more. I can`t wait to stop yawning all day long. Anthony (2005-11-05): HI all I am in day 5 of my recovery. I also had the three procedures done. The pain really isnt that bad, tolerable with Percoset. The thing that is driving me nut is the plugged sinuses. After sleeping my throat is very dry and painful. I have tried taking hot steamy showers, all the rinsing etc..to no avail. I do get the stints removed on Tuesday maybe that will help. Any other ideas? I do have to say that this procedure was not nearly as horrendous as some websites make it out to be. I would decribe it as the worst cold sore throat I have ever had. Anyway, I am sure I am rambling, gotta love Percoset. Erik (2005-11-07): Good luck Lee, keep hydrated! Anthony, no idea about the stints, sorry. Beth (2005-11-07): Insurance update: still noting solved. I received another notice from the insurance company. Called the doctors office who said they hadn't received anything yet about the claim being denied. This was about 3 weeks ago. They still haven't called me back. Should I contact them or just wait for them to do something about it? I am goign to appeal to the insurance company. I just find it strange that the doctors office has not contacted me about this! Well, I am not 5 months post op and still doign great! Still getting the best sleep I have had in years. And so is my husband since I no longer snore. I still have an odd sensation in the back of my throat. Does that ever go away?? Oh and once in a while I will still have liquid come out my nose- usually only if I drink really fast! Continue success in the recovery for everyone who has had this surgery recently!!! Jody (2005-11-09): Hi my name is Jody. I am 37 and have had a problem with sore throats, tiredness and snoring for about 2 years now. I have had enlarged tonsils most of this time too. I had a sleep study and was told I had it, but not bad enough for insurance to pay. I went in to an ent. dr. and he said I would benefit from the tonsillectomy, uvulaectomy and soft pallette surgery. My ins. wouldn't cover the surgery since the sleep study was not severe enough to warrant the surgery. I let it go for about 3 months and I decided to go back to the ent. dr. because the snoring was tearing me and my hubby apart(not to mention the couch). The ent. dr. said he would do the tonsillectomy but it wouldn't fix all of the problem. But since the ins. wouldn't pay for all I had to do whatever I could to try to fix the problem. We scheduled tonsillectomy surgery for Oct. 27, 2005,(the day before me and my husband's birthday). I was looking at this as his bday gift from me. Hopefully it will end up being both of our gifts. I was scared like a lot of the people getting ready for surgery. Will I wake up-or worse will I not ever wake up. I wasn't too worried about the pain although the doctor did a graet job describing the horrific pain involved (he said I would wish I were dead for about 5-10 days.) I hoped he was exaggerating. Tommorow will be 2 weeks and I think some days were that bad but not all. By the way he also went ahead and removed 3/4 of the uvula even thought the ins. wouldn't pay. He did it free so I would have a greater benefit of the surgery, with the snoring. Like a lot of patients on the page have said, the 3rd day was the worst, till the 6th day. I quit taking pain pills on about the 5th nite, I couldn't hardly get them down. My doctor really pushed the idea of eating regular food from day one for a faster recovery. But that is easier said then done. Now that it has almost been 2 wks. the only problem is the remaining stitches still in my throat. He put in quite a few and they are supposed to disslolve but a few have there are still a lot in there. I will gag on them a lot. I guess they are rubbing in the wrong place because if you say something sometimes it will catch and almost make me throw up. That is not a nice feeling because it is still sore and it stretches the back of your throat. I am scared to yawn, but I have half yawned and it scares me because to does hurt. But what the heck is gonna happen if I sneeze? I am so scared. Usually sneezing feels good but I know it wouldn't now with stitched and soreness. Oh please God don't let me sneeze. I enjoyed the web site. I am going back to work Mon. That will be 2 1/2 wks. off. I want to go back to work. I feel good enough except gor the little gagging episodes, but I work in a sewing facotry and I know the fabric particles are gonna do it-- they are gonna make me sneeze. Bye Jody Erik (2005-11-10): Good luck at work Monday Jody, be careful! Anthony (2005-11-12): Jody, sneezing sucks bad. I had a sneezing fit about 12 hours after my surgery. OUCH! You might want to try a dust mask at work. Day 11 for me! I finally ate real food today, a soft taco! Best taco I have ever had. The pain is down to a sore throat now. I think I am going to go to work Monday. I would encourage everyone who is thinking about this surgery to try other alternatives first such as a CPAP. This is quite a painful experience to go through when the odds are not in your favor. I also read in several post where the Dr is prescribing medicore pain medication. I would demand from your doctor (since you are paying him/her good money for this) that he prescribe nothing less than Percoset for the pain. Tylenol and Lortab don't have the umph! necesary to quell this level of pain. I hope the benefits from my surgery are good, although I expect to continue using the CPAP but with better results. Hopefully I will be selling my CPAP machine in a couple of months!! Good luck to all! Melissa (2005-11-21): Hi my name is melissa and i am 38 years old i had my tonsils took out on nov 9th and it was so bad lol the pain omg but i am not snoring anymore well on friday nov 18th my throat started bleeding bad so i called the dr at 6:30 in the morning and i was by myself my hubby works 3rd shift dr said i had to come right there so i had to go there and they sprayed this stuff in my throat to numb it then they burned it back well it had busted open for some reason so now i am on day 13 of recovering my throat hurts again where they had to patch it and i have not been able to eat anything but like soup and grits i cant wait to eat a hamburger again ..has anyone else had trouble with bleeding before i had my tonisls and my adnoids taken out he said when he got in there my tonsils was rotten.. please let me know if anyone else has had any bleeding and they had to repair it thanks alot melissa Erik (2005-11-22): Melissa, lots of people here have had trouble with bleeding. (Check the archive of comments by clicking above, where it says "Click here for the first XXX comments") Be careful, don't let your throat dry out at night. Good luck! anonymous (2005-11-22): my throat does get dry at night i tried eating today some real food and it hurt to eat i guess i better stick to grits i have been doing good eating them i know everytime i go to sleep and wake up my throat is really dry and hurts also i have ear pain dr said that was normal my sister keeps telling ppl i should be better now..i hope to be able to eat thanksgiving dinner oh i want food bad lol ty all talk to you later Melissa (2005-11-22): oops that anonymous was me forgot to put my name ok i am still taking my pain meds dr gave me 3 different ones but the tyleonol with codene seems to help the most..especially with my ear pain Erik (2005-11-23): If you have to, set your alarm to wake you up every hour so that you can sip some water. A dry throat, or being generally dehydrated will set back your healing a lot. Good luck! MELISSA (2005-11-23): HAPPY THANKSGIVING ERIK BOY I WISH I COULD EAT ALL THAT FOOD LOL I TRIED EATING FOOD TODAY IT FELT LIKE IT SCRATCHED MY THROAT OH WELL BACK TO GRITS FOR A FEW MORE DAYS FRIDAY WILL BE 7 DAYS SINCE THEY HAD TO REPATCH WHERE IT HAD BUSTED OPENED AND STARTED BLEEDING THEY HAD TO REPATCH THE HOLE AND THAT HURT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS JUST A BIG QTIP LOOKING THINGY..GOOD LUCK ALL HEY ERIK DID YOU KEEP YOUR WEIGHT OFF THAT YOU LOST I HOPE I DONT GAIN MY WEIGHT BACK TKS MELISSA Beth (2005-11-28): LAtest update: Thanks to everyone that gave advice about the insurance mess. My doctor has sent in a "level two" appeal to the medical director of the insurance company stating the surgery was necessary. I am also sending in an appeal. On to other news. My recovery is still going great. It was 6 months yesterday. The only problems I'd say is still feeling a weird sensation in the back of my throat and my throat getting dry at night. Also, I have noticed much more drainage in the back of my throat. Those of you that had the turbinate stuff done, have you noticed any drying out of your nasal passages? I really am dried out in the mornings, but that could be the allergy medicine I am taking. Overall, it has totally been worth the pain and suffering!!! Still no snoring!!! And I am still sleeping much better than I was before!! Erik (2005-11-30): That's great news Beth! Matt (2005-11-30): Beth, I also have a strange sensation in the back of my throat from time to time. Seems to happen when something gives me the chills or something seems weird or odd. It has dulled a bit, but was strong for about 2 months. Also, as strange is it may be, water tastes funny to me now. I could never drink Dasani bottled water because I thought it tasted funny, but even regular tap water and my favorite, Aquafina, taste weird now and I cannot drink much. Its been 2 months since my surgery now. I have been feeling 100% since the first of November. Only problem, I am still exhausted every damn day. I have another sleep study scheduled for January 19th. I am not really too happy at the thought that I went through al this misery for nothing. Not to mention the price tag...a cool 3K and growing AFTER insurance. Melissa (2005-12-01): hey matt what did you have done? melissa (2005-12-01): Has anyone that had there tonsils and adnoids out ever have anything that they have been spitting up like cold stuff it is so nasty but ever since my surgery i have been doing it tks Beth (2005-12-06): Melissa, I have constant drainage. I had this before the surgery, just seems to be a little worse now. I attribute that to the fact that there is more room back there now. My allergist says it has to do with my sinuses and has put me on a nasal spray that is really helping. Matt, I still have a little trouble with sodas and sometimes spicy food. Just still burns a little. And what I hate the most is that I sometimes still have nasal regurgitation (liquid coming out my nose) but that only happens if I drink way too fast. I've learned to drink much slower!! :-) melissa (2005-12-07): this is really getting on my nerves i know a nurse at my church said because of my age and i am a diabetic is way i am healing slow it seems i am always spitting this stuff up i cant chew gum yet and i love gum the lady said it could take 6 to 8 weeks to heal i am into my 4th week Erik (2005-12-07): Hang in there Melissa, everyone heals differently, but you will eventually heal completely. todd (2005-12-10): thanks everyone for scaring the shit out of me. I get my tonsils and Uvula shortened december 16. Im really looking forward to the pain. damnit.... todd (2005-12-10): About how long after the surgey can you drink alcohol. Because new years will be comming soon and I don't want to miss out on a good night of drinking. Erik (2005-12-10): Good luck Todd, it'll suck, but when the healing is done, you'll feel a lot better. Regarding the alcohol: You can ask your doctor, but at two weeks, you'll probably still be on pain killers, and pretty raw in the throat. I don't think you'll be wanting to put any alchohol in there. Melissa (2005-12-12): it will be a while todd for the alcohol it well sting so bad if you drink it good luck with surgery it is worth the pain but it is a rough surgery..I am going into my 5th week and i am eating better but i am still spitting some but i have noticed a difference since last week but i am also a diabetic so i heal slowly..you may heal fast good luck BostonGuy (2005-12-13): I'm 29 years old and having my extra large tonsils and adenoids removed on the 29th of December. Did anyone else's doctor prescribe Oxycontin? I just had my prescription filled and felt like a criminal when I was there. I hope this stuff works! I have zero tolerance for pain so it better. todd (2005-12-14): What kind of food will i have to eat for the first 2 weeks. my surgery is in 2 days. and im excited to write you guys and let ya know how much pain im in. that is if the surgery is as bad as all of you are saying. BostonGuy (2005-12-14): I heard nothing warm/hot for the first 3-5 days. Popsicles I guess is what I keep hearing! Lots and lots of popsicles! todd (2005-12-16): Well i just had my surgery today and so far so good. surgert was at 12:00 and its not 5:00 and no pain. first meal i ate was chinese food and that was not so hard to eat. unless i get alot worse the surgery was a nothing to worry about. Melissa (2005-12-16): wow Todd so proud of you that is wonderful keep us updated and i hope it goes really well for you i couldnt eat for 3 weeks but i am 10 years older then you wtg Todd todd (2005-12-17): Im still feeling good . last night i ate pizza, my throat was a little sore i had to chew my food up a little more than usual. i only slept for about 3 hours last night and when i woke up my throat was the sorest its been. but on a scale of 1 - 10 id say it was a 4. But now that im awake i feel just fine and i dont have any pain. Melissa (2005-12-19): Hey Todd how are you feeling now let us know how you are doing also i have to go back to dr on wed they seem to think i may have a infection is why i am doing all the spitting i will let you know what they say i sure hope they dont put that thing down my nose to find out if i have a sinus infection i didnt like that at all has anyone ever been checked for sinus infection please help i am nerves about going thanks BostonGuy29 (2005-12-19): T-Minus 9 days... I have my surgery next Thursday. Did anyone else get oxycontin for their pain? Erik (2005-12-20): Good luck BostonGuy29, don't worry about the Ocycontin. Percoset, Vicodin, etc... They're all opium derivatives. Dee (2005-12-20): The anticipation is the worst. The moments of "crap why did I do this?" short and end result worth it if only to not snore and keep your partner up or if you are lucky, to get better sleep. 2 months post surgery and while there is still sleep apnea, it is not as bad and at least others don't have to bury their heads under a pillow to try and muffle the sound. Good luck to all! Jim (2005-12-20): just got my uvula removed, pretty uncomfortable after 2 hrs, had a large growth on it, anyone else have this ? anonymous (2005-12-21): OK. today is the 5th day after my surgery. Now the pain is comming. todd (2005-12-21): that was me Erik (2005-12-21): Good luck Todd, keep hydrated! Melissa (2005-12-21): Hey all I told ya i would update after the dr visit to see why i am spitting so much i have a sinus infection and alot of drainage in my throat so he put me on antibotics keep drinking todd dont let it get dry it could start bleeding good luck todd (2005-12-22): Holy S*%#, ok the doctor told me the 3rd and 4th day was going to be the worst. im on the 7th day and my throat and ears are KILLING me. before these last couple day s i really didnt need to take much of my pain medicice but now i have to take it every hour or else the pain hits me like a ton of bricks. i was prescribed liquid hydrocodone and im supposed to take it every 4 - 6 hours. and the pain medicine made me constipated once already im worried if i keep taking it like i am it will happen again. Melissa (2005-12-22): Todd sory to hear that but yes your ears will kill you omg i remember that pain so good keep taking your pain meds is all you can do it really helps and keep drinking Jody (2005-12-24): Erik, Do you miss your uvula? Erik (2005-12-24): Jody: Nope all it did was make me snore. todd (2005-12-24): this is my 8th day after the surgery. i dont have to take much of the pain medicine but i have to CONSTANTLY sip water every minute of every hour. i cant drink ice water bc its too painful and i cant drink anything to warm bc that also hurts. in the past 2 days i have slept a total of 5 hrs and i regret ever falling asleep. i try to stay up as much as i can bc when i wake up after those short naps the pain in my throar is unbearable. im so freaking tired and im in such a bad mood all i want to do is fall asleep. this surgery better be worth it. melissa (2005-12-24): Merry Christmas all hope you feel better soon todd.. my snoring has stopped and i sleep so much better sometimes i make noises but i also have alot of drainage right now due to a sinus infection my nose is not runnning because it is going all in my throat grrrrrrrrrrrr todd if you have a cool mist humidfer that will help alot when you are sleeping..eat alot of popcicles you will be happy after you feel better i had a rought time of it so i know jan 9th will be 2 months and i am still healing i cant chew gum yet not sure why but every week i feel better so i am getting there take care Jody (2005-12-26): Erik, you don't gag for no reason from the scar tissue where the uvula used to be? And you don't get fluid or food in your nasal passage? Erik (2005-12-26): Jody: I can't feel any scar tissue, now that everything is healed, and while I did have trouble with getting fluid into my nasal passage for a while, I fairly quickly re-learned how to swallow. For me, if I remember right, I trained myself by swallowing like I was chugging water, or trying to get a big pill down. It's all in the movement of the tounge. But since a few weeks from the surgery, I haven't had any problem. Beth (2005-12-29): Jody, I had the fluid in the nasal passage problem too. For me it happened when I drank too fast. I'm 7 months post op now and don't have the problem very often. Todd- I totally agree with Melissa, run a cool mist humidifier. I have a cold now with lots of drainage and coughing and I'm having trouble with my throat being really dry and sore when I wake up and the humidifier is helping some. And yes, your ears will hurt on and off. Best of luck and I hope you are on the mend soon!! STILL fighting with the insurance company about paying for the sugery. I should hear back from appeal number one in the next few weeks. UGH!!! bostonguy29 (2005-12-31): I had my surgery yesterday. The doctor had to cut out a lot more than normal because I was so scarred but I have yet to feel really any pain. I was given Roxicet and Oxycontin and have yet to use that. I'll avoid taking the Oxy unless I get a lot of pain. I have been totally fine and my throat hurts less than some of my most painful strep infections. I hope that it continues like this but from what I have read I'm afraid that the pain is coming. Anyone here not have the pain come after day 2? bostonguy29 (2006-01-04): Oh god...everyone is right...the pain starts around day #3...today is day #5 for me. this sucks. The pain is out of control. I'm literally counting down the minutes until I can take more pain medication! I should have started the OC's but I was too nervous to take them, and now I'm paying for it! Erik (2006-01-04): Sorry guy. It'll only get better from here! Amber (2006-01-08): hi everyone my name is amber im 12 and i had my tonsils removed wensday today is sunday so it is my 4th day from the surgeory... i have big white bulges in my throat i have been notified that they are scabs and you cannot pick them well i had a small one on my euvela and i picked it i am lucky i did not bleed but it definitely hurts worse my tongue and my ears is what has hurt the most and i really havent eating anything but icecream and popsicles and i have not thrown up or spit up at all i play volleyball and im in the band so i cannot participate in thesea ctivities for 2 weeks and well that seriously sucks im currently takin 2 tsps of amoxicillan 3 times a day and 1 tsp of liquid percocet every 4 hrs as needed...when i wke ^ from my surgeory i was confused and i could not stop coughing it hurt 2 brush my teeth i also couldnt stp napping and sleeping the 1st couple of days i live in ohio and i had my operation done at the valley surgeory center where my nurses were VERY friendly and i was treated with respect im actually getting better and 4 every1 who says its awful it reallly isnt soo dont worry Erik (2006-01-08): Amber, it's great you're healing so well! That's definitely one of the greatest advantages to youth! BostonGuy29 (2006-01-09): She's only on day 4. Wait! It's day 10 for me and I'm just starting to feel a bit better. I was feeling great from the day of the surgery until day 4 and then all he** broke loose! holly (2006-01-09): My husband wants to have the sinus surgery where they take out the uvula, tonsils, part of the pallet, etc. Has anyone heard of people who have had this done and have continual problems of choking and food going up their nose for the rest of their lives? Anthony (2006-01-09): I am about 8 weeks post op. A very expensive way to stop snoring. Absolutly no benefit from the surgery. I do choke on saliva often (sometimes 4 or 5X a day). I do not have anything go up my nose fortunatly. I have not had a sleep study done yet, but I tried sleeping without a cpap and that didn't go over well. Oh well, I knew the odds going in. Sorry to hear about you all in pain. Day 8 and 9 were the absolute worse. make sure that you keep your throat moist with lots of liquid and keep on top of the pain meds. Try malt o meal for a change of something to eat. Nice to get substance besides yogurt jello and ice cream. Hang in there, it does get better!!! Jeanette (2006-01-10): I too had the Tonsillectomy, Uvulaectomy and Turbinite Reduction in August 2005. Before surgery I had frequent sinus infections; the drainage led to bronical infections and normally I would end up with a lung infection. My lung doctor sent me to an ENT. I suffered from shortness of breath, even from a walk in the shopping mall and now that is gone. I do have some difficultlies with eating since surgery. Eating is not always a simple task, some foods are difficult to swallow it is as if I am retraining myself to swallow. I have also had difficulty in the past few months with food and liquid going up my nose however it seems to get better with time. When I came home from surgery my husband purchased a small kids($20.00)snowcone machine from our local department store and I ate shaved ice for two weeks. The shaved ice was a life saver for me. The doctor told me the most important thing was to stay hydrated, and without the shaved ice that would have been a problem for me. Beth (2006-01-11): WARNING- before you have surgery be completely sure it's all covered by insurance. I posted about this earlier but got my second denial today!! Denied because "not medically necesary". Well you can bet I'm fighting this. Not with the insurance company but with the doctor. I was told they would schedule AFTER getting approval from insurance. Insurance company says it was not pre approved. Wish me luck in my FIGHT!!! Beth Eileen (2006-01-12): (1-11-06) Just had an almost complete uvulectomy yesterday,plus FESS and something with the turbinates. Tonight I noticed white stuff under the stitches on the incision in the back of my throat.It is redder than a raw piece of steak. As my surgeon promised, it is the worst sore throat of my life. Did anyone else have this problem with the white stuff. Is it and infefction or pus?? I am taking Hydrocodone elixer for pain and I will start my antibiatic tommorrow from the pharmacy, which should help very well. Please respond. Eileen (2006-01-12): Hello Beth- Fax or send your insurance company a certified letter or both, that if anything happens to you because of their decision, you will hold them legally and morally responsible. It is also helpful to tell people what insurance you have so they do not participate in this insurance company. It is usually the for-profit HMO's that pay and approve poorly. Try to change to a not for profit HMO. Bill (2006-01-12): I'm on day 14 of my tonsil removal does anyone know if I can drink alchohol? Beth (2006-01-12): Eileen- I had the surgery done in May- they are now saying it wasn't approved. I really think this in on the doctors office now! Believe be I'm gonna fight!!! I have BCBS of NC insurance!! Eileen (2006-01-14): Hello Beth; One problem that I found out that sometimes interferes with payment is the medical receptionist will code the diagnosis or the procedure wrong. Ask your insurance company what codes the surgeons office used for billing, than compare it with a copy of the doctors operative report.You are entitled to both under the freedom of information law. Another problem that I and my family encountered, is that the doctor will not bill the insurance company until after the billing period, so the insurance company refuses, and then the doctor tries to get his full fee from the patient. Keep in mind that most HMOs usually pay the doctor only fifty to seventy percent of his original fee, especially the FOR PROFIT HMOs. If doctors are not happy with what they get paid, then they should not take the insurance. Everyone shopuld try to have a Not for profit HMO. Eileen (2006-01-15): to my knowlege, all blue cross and blue shield is now a FOR PROFIT. Try to change to a not for profit if you can.We all need to stay away from For Profit HMOs. Good Luck. Kirsten (2006-01-15): My 20 mos old son is having his tonsils and adnoids out on the 17th. I hear how painful it has been for some people. But I thinks its going to be 10x harder for me seeing him go through this. Iam taking 2 weeks off of work to take care of him. I don't know if he'll be able to have to strong of pain meds because of his age. I hope everything will go ok for him. Beth (2006-01-16): Kirsten, Although neither of my kids has had their tonsils out, I have heard that is pretty much a breeze for children. A friend of mine's son had his out and he was up running around the house two days later!! Best of luck to both you and your son!! Ann (2006-01-16): Did anyone have their tonsils removed due to bad breath? If, so was it effective? Nina (2006-01-17): Kirsten, I've also heard it's very easy on children. Don't be worried about your son, he'll bounce right back. Adults are much bigger babies. Eileen (2006-01-18): Had my partial uvulectomy, Fess and turbinate reduction on Jan 10 2006. Today, Jan 18, The upper palate in my mouth is white. Has anyone else had this problem? Anthony (2006-01-18): Eileen, the white you are seeing is scar tissue. It is a very good thing. Anthony (2006-01-18): sorry not scar tissue, the white stuff is scabs Derrick (2006-01-24): Hello all, I to am having the uvula, tongue shaven, adnoid and tonsillectomy surgeries together. A little nervous, but look forward to great results. Anyone heard from Lee who had similar surgery on Dec 2, 2005? Almost forgot, Erik thanks for the site...best prep surgery informaiton I've found so far. I meet with the surgeon Monday, Jan 30th. Sher (2006-01-29): I had tonsillectomy & uvulectomy on Dec 16. My ETN said the adnoids did not have to be removed. I find I sometimes have liquids come out my nose when I swallow. Also, I have a squeaking noise when I swallow liquids and food. What can I do to prevent this? Beth (2006-02-06): Sher- Had the very same problems for a while. I promise it will get better. Give it another couple of weeks. Hang in there!!! melissa (2006-02-06): anyone had problems with spitting after there tonisls surgery it has been 3 months and still spitting and i know a little boy that had has out the day after mine and he is still sptting please help so tired of spitting after i eat Derrick (2006-02-09): I had my tonsillectomy & uvulectomy this past Tuesday. Dr kept me in hospital overnight due to pain level. I miss the 24-hour nursing care. Taking pain meds and feeding through an IV was great. Now I'm suffering becuase it's soooooooooooo hard to swallow plus it's almost that my throat won't allow me to sallow...the amount of mucus build-up is horrible. It's very hard for me to swallow...anyone have any suggestions on other ways to take pain medication (i.e., patches, via veins, etc)? Anthony (2006-02-11): Derrick, try crushing them up an mixing them with pudding. karen (2006-02-11): Derrick, I asked for all my meds to be liquid and then I used a syringe to stick in the back of my mouth as far as I could. Good luck. LisaUSA (2006-02-16): Is this still active? I am one week post tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy and would really like to talk to anyone about it. My family is okay -- but I do think they think I have gone overboard with it. Would be nice to have someone to whine with. :<) Thanks! Erik (2006-02-16): Lisa, Check the dates on the above comments, this page is the most active on my web site by far! It's great to have family to take care of you, isn't it?! LisaUsa (2006-02-16): Hi Erik. Yes, thanks. I am married, 40, with 2 children. Actually, my husband is mostly caring for our children -- which in turn, helps me. It's nice not having to be "the mom" 24/7 when you don't feel well. It has been interesting reading many of the posts -- the discrepancies among doctors -- to eat rough foods vs. not to, etc. My doctor's guidelines just included plenty of fluids (water & chocolate milk -which is smoother than white) and whatever you think you can handle for food. I was brave the first couple of days (in a daze from anesthesia) and probably bruised parts that shouldn't have been. Since then, I am sticking mostly with softer foods. I am anxious to have a chicken sandwich and a salad -- and oh, yes, CELERY. Also, I completely agree with those who have had sores from the device that keeps your mouth open during surgery. YIKES! Very painful indeed. I had a fabulous doctor and it still happened -- couldn't be avoided. I am still in the throes of pain meds (tylenol w/codeine rotating with 2 ibuprofen (not much help) every 4-6 hours -- yes tablets, which you can get down if you really need to), but I think I am starting to feel a little better. Am anxious for the swelling in my throat and nasal passages to do down and the white scabs to slough off (feeling VERY thick still). Prior to surgery, I had strep throat pretty much continually for 6 weeks -- so I am ready to feel better! Also, nagging tonsils and stuffy adenoids for years which pulled on my immune system. I am feeling some of the benefits from having the adenoids out -- I am (sorry, gross) able to blow out BOTH sides of my nose now -- which is absolutely glorious! Unfortunately, the immense amount of green crap (again, sorry) draining is never-ending. Those sinuses must have been really packed in there -- but now are draining. The actual shape of my face seems to be different (maybe not, but it feels like it). Looking forward to being able to breath through my nose at night -- and not waking with tonsil pain and cotton mouth. Sleeping through the night is a goal. I am allergic to latex, so in addition to all the meds most people have, I was given an IV drip an hour prior to surgery. This included benedryl, a steroid, and some other anti-inflammatory thing. I was also given a shot of penicillin in the leg (while on the table, asleep). I feel like a pincushion! One interesting side-effect I had was when they wheeled me into the OR to do the surgery, I had to go to the bathroom (from the excessive IV's)-- so for whatever reason, they had me WALK out to the bathroom! I remember waving at the nurses saying "I had changed my mind". They must have thought I was absolutely whacko -- but at that moment, I didn't seem to care. I'm sure they have worse stories....;<) In the end, you have to keep your sense of humor. I don't know how many times I've had to tell myself "This too, shall pass". Thank God it is a one-time-only thing. I don't know how people get through the laser-type tonsillectomy -- from what I understand they have to keep going back to have layers removed. I am glad I did this in one shot -- get it over with and move on. It is still very fresh to me -- but as with childbirth, the memory fades. I am determined to let this be a new lease on life for me -- anything that allow more oxygen to my brain has got to be a benefit, right? :<) LisaUSA (2006-02-16): Grocery List for preparing for tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy: 1) Popsicles, ice cream (plain choco or vanilla -- less acidic), applesauce, chocolate milk (sometimes the only thing I can get down), instant oatmeal, chicken broth, baby food -- LOVE Gerber "Blueberry Buckle", baby pears, baby veggies if you can choke them down (great nutrition if you can handle the flavor). 2) Tissues, tissues, and more tissues (adenoid surgery) 3) Saline solution nasal spray (helps clear passages -- this is NOT the Afrin type -- saline has no chemicals in it -- which would be more painful. 4) Soft, warm headband -- helps with ear pain that often accompanies tonsil surgery -- around Day 5-7. I've been sleeping with a headband on and the warmth has really helped. 5) Humidifier -- a MUST. Warm air/cold air -- whichever is easier for you to keep clean/maintain. Helps with dry mouth at night (but does not alleviate it). 6) Hot/cold pack (microwaveable/freezable) 7) Alarm clock - wake up for those meds -- don't let the pain get ahead of you or you'll be asking for trouble. 8) Chapstick 9) Neosporin or antibiotic cream/ointment -- helps with sore nose exterior or sores around mouth (from mouth stretcher). 10) Frozen leftovers or frozen dinners for your family -- if you are the main cook in the family, trust me, you won't feel like cooking for a while. 11) Cups that don't spill easily, but don't take a great deal of suction to extract the liquid -- not Sippy cups that your kids use (I picked up a couple at Walmart in the picnic-type aisle) At night when your tongue is shriveled to 1/2 it's size, you'll appreciate some water without being drowned in it. 12) GUM! Chew lots of it -- as a public service for your family (vile breath), as a moistener for your tongue, and muscle strengthener for your throat. Also helps you feel more normal, like you didn't just have your tonsils ripped from your throat. Really it does help! 13) Flashlight -- as gross as it is, you'll want to check out the back of your throat -- leave the bathroom light off and really get a good look with the flashlight. Actually quite interesting. Drink TONS of water -- keep you from getting dehydrated -- which causes fever. Also, helps maintain digestive system (you may not need it much yet, but you will) and helps strengthen your tongue and throat muscles. In my best motherly voice (which I have little of right now) You will get through this ......Good Luck.... This, too, shall pass. :<) Take care! LisaUSa (2006-02-16): One more quick thing -- Hiccups are a common side effect after surgery. My mother is retired from an Oral Surgery unit and according to her, the thing that stretches your mouth during surgery often stretches a certain muscle that has to do with hiccups. SO, don't be freaked if this happens to you.... normal. Erik (2006-02-17): Lisa, that's a fantastic shopping list! That should save a few people a lot of agony. LisaUSA (2006-02-17): Thanks you Erik for having this forum. I guess when you are trying to get through something, it helps to try to help others too. Being prepared can only help. Mary (2006-02-17): Hi Lisa, I'll gladly whine with you. :-) I had a tonsillectomy one week ago exactly. Thanks for the info on the hiccups. Will this symptom go away? The hiccups are very painful and when I'm having them, it feels like everything is coming undone. I'm at the stage now, where the scabs will begin to fall off. I heard this happens mostly between days 7-11. I also heard that this phase presents the easiest chance for hemorrhaging, which is not fun news. Behind the white scabs, in areas, I can see a few bright red splotches. So, I'm a little nervous. Do you see any red behind your white scabs? Thanks, Erik, for this helpful and comforting page. :-) LisaUSa (2006-02-17): Hi Mary!! So great to have someone to commiserate with! I think that's 1/2 my problem -- I just need to talk it out. How about you? Yes, I have a bit of redness back behind the white -- back behind the very swollen uvula (hanging way down still) Actually this morning I woke up spitting a tiny bit of blood -- which really freaked me out. You read so much about hemorrhaging and it is very frightening. Anyway, I sucked on some ice and it quickly stopped. It wasn't all that much blood, just enough to be disturbing. I'm trying to go without the tylenol w/codeine today too -- hoping to just use them at night -- so far not TOO horrible. Took a couple of ibuprofen an hour ago to hopefully eat some dinner. Your hiccups should go away soon. How often have you had them and for how long at a time? I must have had them 10 times/day the first couple of days. Thankfully only a couple of times since then. During normal times I just sip water 3 times fast and can usually get rid of them. During these abnormal times, it hasn't been so easy. How are your ears? Before surgery, the office nurse did tell me it that sometime in days 7-10 post-op, it is common to have pain in your ear and eustachian tube area. There is a nerve there that for some reason likes to act up around this time. Mine is pretty sore right now -- right on schedule (at least I know it is real, not just in my head :<)). Can you breathe through your nose at night? I really thought that by now I'd be able to breathe better through my nose. Not sure if it is still just swollen up in there (I had my adenoids out too), or if I am getting a new infection. I know this all just takes time to heal, hard to be patient sometimes. Can you talk much? It hurts to talk -- and when I do, junk seems to feel like it is collecting in the back of my throat more. Even too much whispering is uncomfortable. Are you staying in most of the time? I am starting to go a bit stir-crazy staying in so much. I feel the need to get out, but don't want to catch any bad germs from other people either. I may be a bit paranoid about that -- but don't want to take chances either. It has been hard enough to get through this, I don't need anything additional. I do have that hemorrhaging fear too -- great reason not to lug around full laundry baskets. :<) What foods are you currently eating? What are you craving? :<) LisaUSA (2006-02-17): Is your tongue still really sore? It wasn't bad the first couple of days, but seems to be getting more sore -- no matter what I eat or don't eat. Are you still taking meds? Mary (2006-02-17): Hi Lisa, yes, it's great to have someone to commiserate with, especially since we had our surgery on practically the same day, and we're close in age. We are probably going through similar stages together -- though your surgery was more extensive. Lisa, I was told not to take ibu profen or aspirin for the week before and 2 weeks after the surgery because they're blood thinners. Please check with your doctor before taking more ibu profen! I have about 2 bad bouts of hiccups a day. SO painful!!! You're right, it's harder to stop them under these circumstances. They last 2-3 minutes. Today is day 7 for me, and I'm only just starting to feel some discomfort in my ears -- not enough yet, to act on. I'm breathing through my nose, but cannot sleep flat on my back. Still too much swelling. Like yours, my uvula is still shapeless and hanging way down. Today has been tough. No pain, just discomfort and SO tired of soft foods. I started with apple sauce which was lovely on my throat those first few days, but now I'm over it. ;-) Add to that -- yoghurt, chicken noodle soup, scrambled eggs, popsicles, pudding, tea, jello, mashed potatoes, and mashed yams. A friend is on her way over with baby food -- not sure if I'll like it, but it gives me some variety. I also asked for frozen creamed spinach and creamed corn. Any suggestions of what I can add to my menu of culinary delights? You asked what I am craving. CRACKERS, PIZZA, POPCORN and just a plain old sandwich. Never realized how much I love crunchy food or non-soft food. What are you craving? Can't talk much because it hurts when I do. Staying in every day except to check the mail. Though tomorrow I will venture out to Blockbuster -- for more movies. :-) May also go to the grocery store to try to find better soft foods. And, the good part? We get to watch all the movies we want, get all the sleep we want, catch up on our reading and paperwork, and the Olympics are on -- so we get to watch that, too! I won't add "eat all the ice cream we want" because the excitement of that lasts about 1 day. ;-) Hang in there, Lisa! Lisa (2006-02-17): Good to hear from you, Mary! Actually my doctor prescribed the 2 ibuprofen -- or actually Motrin -- which is equal to 2 ibu. I know what you mean about blood thinners though -- I guess I have to trust he knows why/what he says to me. Trying to take them sparingly nonetheless. I'm going to take some of the tylenol w/codeine soon for sleep. Hoping to be able to sleep for a number of consecutive hours tonight. Between waking for the pain meds and (with the ton of water I've been drinking), it seems like I am up constantly. Sorry it that was too much information. :<) I am extremely tired of soft foods too! Tonight I did have some macaroni and cheese -- which went down okay. Good to have something a little more solid -- at least one meal per day. Have you tried the Blueberry Buckle (Gerber) baby food? YUM! Getting the veggies in is the hardest part. I had made and frozen some broccoli cheese soup a couple of weeks ago and that has been really good. Bean soup has been good too -- just the Campbell's canned kind -- not too chunky. I am looking forward to a grilled chicken sandwich, regular green salad, and celery. May sound strange, but I NEED some celery! :<) Went to the store today for the first time in over a week. Woo-hoo, an outing! Gosh I feel like I'm about 105. I really haven't felt like watching much TV or movies -- but we did rent and watch Chitty Chitty Bang Bang tonight. I hadn't seen that in forever -- it was fun to watch it with our kids Yes, I am over the excitement of ice cream too (and anything sweet). Looking forward to returning to normal -- which does seem within grasp at this point. Hope you sleep well, will check back in with you tomorrow. Lisa (2006-02-17): Almost forgot -- you mentioned missing pizza. Try melting some shredded cheese in the microwave for 10 sec or so-- just plain on a glass plate. Just enough to melt some of the fat out of the cheese -- about as close to pizza as we're going to get for a while. The acid in the tomato sauce even sounds painful! Lisa (2006-02-17): If/when your ears start hurting, I have found it helpful to wear a warm, fleece headband -- especially at night. I am sure I am very beautiful in it (as my family will tell you), but sometimes function over beauty prevails! I am anxious to have popcorn again too! Nick26OH (2006-02-18): How funny that I found this site right now! I had a tonsillectomy 9 days ago now. My pain level is still pretty high, especially in the morning, oh god how the morning sucks. Anyway, I really haven't been eating much of anything because of my pain level but I wanted to thank you all (esp Lisa) for the food suggestions, I'm on my way out to get some baby food right now! It actually sounds like it might go down as well as supply me with some nutirents that I am no doubt missing. So far my experience seems on par with what most people have felt, which is good to know. I had some light bleeding on day 6 which stopped right away, but the flashlight showed me some serious gross throat. Um ya, so on day 9 now and the pain is still pretty high until my vicodin and lidocane swish (nasty awful stuff), but I'm only on those every 4 hours or so. It was really nice reading all of the comments here, thanks to Erik and all of the rest of you! Nick26OH (2006-02-18): Oh, and just something I've been experiencing is that pretty much any food that is creamy leads me to some very intense pain, which water does not help. My spit (ew) is still very thick all by itself and the only thing that helps the pain is to continually swallow or spit, then after 5 minutes or so, the pain goes away.. so basically milk (even choc), apple sauce, and ice cream are all out for me.. boooo. On the up side, I can do eggs.. and well, so far that's about it :) Lisa (2006-02-18): Hi Nick! Welcome to the club! :<) I hear you about how mornings are tough. Are you getting sleep through the night? If only I could breathe through my nose, then I think the nighttime would be better -- as it is I wake up about every 1-2 hours with dry tongue/throat pain -- which is horrid. I know I have to drink water to get moisture in there -- but then that hurts it even more. Vicious cycle. I can't wait until this is over. Tell me more about that swish -- my tylenol w/codeine is doing nothing for the pain -- actually increases the pain trying to get them down. What all did you have done? Sorry to hear you aren't able to eat any milk products. Chocolate milk has been my saving grace. I just had some instant oatmeal (apple crisp) and that went down ok. Water is the only thing that seems to actually be doing any good. Hopefully it is helping those scabs wear off and also reduce my mucous levels -- sorry, gross. Lisa (2006-02-18): Mary -- how are you doing this morning? They say it will get worse before it gets better -- so I am SURE I must be due to get better soon. Hope you had a good night. I am tired and cranky due to the lack of sleep, but being vertical seems to be better than horizontal right now. Have you tried any new foods? What is working best for you right now? Lisa (2006-02-18): I had found this website before my surgery and read through some of it. It really scared me -- I thought that no way would I be one of those whiners out there. But, here I am! Thank you SO MUCH Erik for this place! It does seem to help to be able to share with other people that are going through the same thing. It's nice to know you aren't alone in this. Thanks! Nick26OH (2006-02-18): I am sleeping through the night finally. I sleep on my stomach and wake up on my stomach. I'm a back-sleeper so my body is obviously telling me that the belly is the way to go for now. Even still, I'm pretty sure that I'm mouth breathing the whole night which is why I'm so sore in the morning. I'm just thankful that I can make it through the night. I only had tonsillectomy, no adenoids or uvula so I can't even imagine all the additional pain that must be involved there, my hat's off to ya. The funny thing about water, which is probably a false observation is that it seems to wash away the mucous and it actually really really stings. My drink of choice over the last 4 days has been chamomile mint tea. Nice a warm and soothing and it really makes me feel better.. another tip that works for me when things get really bad is to cup my hands around the mug and breathe the hot steam in through my mouth. The vapor really feels good on my throat. I just hope that the liquid is helping the healing, water or otherwise. The swish is a three-part mixture of "dipeh..." + maalox + lidocane. The dipeh... I think is basically liquid benadryl, but I'm not sure. I heard my doc refer to it as somthing-or-other's miracle mixture or something like that (he was in the other room). It's really retched stuff, tastes awful, like.. maybe melted plastic or something but I give it a swish for a minute or two, gargle for a few seconds and then drink it down (two teaspoons) and it numbs me up very nicely. I give the lidocane like 5 or 10 minutes to do it's work and then I can finally eat some food. I only use it when the pain is really bad, like in the morning s or right before bed. If you would like more specifics, let me know and I'll ask my doctor exactly what's in it so that you can ask your doc about it. On another note, I am eating some gerber sweet potatoes.. they are wonderful and are going down with no assistance and they aren't even burning me! Thanks so much for the idea because I REALLY need some nourishment! Hope that helps! Lisa (2006-02-18): Don't eat too many sweet potatoes -- the exterior of your nose will turn orange! No, just kidding -- when our kids were babies and they ate a lot of orange veggies, their faces did turn a bit orangey -- but I'm sure your's won't. Thanks for the info on the swish. I'll just hold out until Monday (just endure the agony) and then call the ENT if it hasn't gotten any better. I did try some green tea and that was a bit comforting. Trying to just keep my mind on other things. Chewing gum is helping too. On another note, my son said that if I smashed my thumb in the car door, maybe my mouth/throat wouldn't hurt so much -- hey, maybe he has something there!?? Hang in there, this has GOT to start subsiding soon.... doesn't it.... please, please?? Mary (2006-02-18): Hi Lisa and Nick! I'm on day 8 now and just had half a can of refried beans which added a little excitement to my day by exploding in the microwave (they were on a plate -- it was the *beans* that exploded!). I slept in my bed for the first time last night (the sofa was easier for sleeping with my head way-elevated), so that's getting better. I've slept well every night since the surgery, but I only had my tonsils removed, so my situation is a little different. Also haven't had to take pain meds in 2.5 days, but am still taking nasty liquid antibiotic. :-P A great discovery for me was the STRAW -- the bendy kind. If you're having trouble drinking water, get some of those bendy straws -- the suction through a straw is different and easier, so I'm drinking 3X the water I was drinking before the straw. Nick, I just read that chamomile tea is an anti-inflammatory, so I'm going to try to get some today, since I can't take ibu profen or aspirin. Would love for some of this uvula swelling to subside. My throat looks like a horror show and feels ... like there's debris in it. I guess that's the scabs peeling up? Another *great* discovery was a tea called Lemon Echinacea Throat Coat made by Traditional Medicinals (www.traditionalmedicinals.com), bought at Whole Foods. *Very* nice on the throat and comforting. I know lemon (citrus) sounds scary, but I found this tea only soothing! Lisa, I haven't tried the Gerber Blueberry Buckle, but have tried the pear/blueberry combo. Baby food does seem nutritional, but so far, not too tasty. Now I know why babies are always spitting their food back at their parents. Why is it so bland? And then, when kids get old enough for regular food, everyone wonders why they don't want to try anything new -- they've become accustomed to tasteless food!!! But, I digress. ;-) I *loved* your son's comment about smashing your thumb to make your throat pain feel less --- HA! :-D That made me laugh! May venture out to Blockbuster and Whole Foods. I'll let you two know if I find anything good. It gets better!!!! Lisa (2006-02-18): Hi Mary and Nick! What has the highlight of your day been? I'm guessing what foods you ate -- same here. Oatmeal for breakfast, chicken noodle soup for lunch, and I think I'll try scrambled eggs for dinner. Trying to get back into a framework of mealtimes -- not just "whenever" I feel brave. :<) How were the beans, Mary? Do you get to eat any of them? Sorry your antibiotic is gross, Mary. I guess I'm glad they gave me a shot in the leg while I was asleep -- supposed to take me 2 weeks past the surgery. I'm off the pain meds today too. The tylenol/codeine didn't really seem to give any pain/discomfort relief -- just made me feel loopy. Starting to feel more human today -- can think a bit clearer off the meds. Tonight the plan is Benedryl before bed (allergic to other decongestants). Hoping that helps with the sleep. Are you two on steroids too? Mine started out 2/day, then 1/day, and now down to .5/day. Supposed to help decrease the swelling in the throat/nasal passages. Only 3 more days of that to take. You're right, baby food is very bland. They don't need all the salt and sugar we are accustomed to. :<) I remember tasting the foods when our kids were little -- only a couple seemed edible -- though they seemed to like most of them. Isn't it weird that a straw can make such a huge difference? I agree. I have a cup with a straw/handle attached. Kind of hard to explain, but it has been great to get the water down. Has the thickness in your throat started to feel any less the past couple of days? Mine doesn't look any different -- yep, still a drippy horror show -- but I thought it would be substantially less by now ... ?? Wondering when people who have gone completely through this would say that should occur? Any idea? Mary (2006-02-18): Today has been a good day. Was great to get out. I managed the grocery store, but that took all the oomph out of me, so didn't make it to Blockbuster. Mixed Gerber Toddler ravioli and peas (Lil' Entrees) into Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup. Actually pretty good. Then mixed a little fruit cocktail into pear baby food for dessert. So, I'm getting adventurous. ;-) But, I just have felt stronger all day. Lisa, I hope you sleep well tonight. I hope the Benadryl does the trick. How did the scrambled eggs go down? They've worked well for me. I add a bit of milk to make them fluffier and cook them a little less time than normally. Both makes them softer and easier on the throat. I wasn't given steroids -- really nothing for swelling. And, I've had a lot of swelling. I'm hoping the camomile tea will help. I noticed that even Safeway carries the Throat Coat tea. It's good stuff. You're lucky to have gotten an antibiotic shot that lasts 2 weeks! I can't wait to finish my thick, gritty nasty antibiotic. Perhaps tomorrow will be the last day for it? Your throat should start feeling less thick tomorrow? Mine felt less thick today and we're on a similar time schedule. Sleep well! jogrady2391@yahoo.com (2006-02-19): They say misery loves company, so I must be in the right place. I had a hat-trick, the uppp, septoplasty and tonsillectomy four days ago. I have the exact same symtoms as those listed by the others. A lot can be said for character building by sleep deprivation, pain, starvation and dehydration.It is hard to keep a sense of humor after such a surgery, but a little humor goes a long way to keeping the spirit up. Get well wishes to all patients and I'll raise my glass for a little sip of water to salute your health and mine. I would like to also thank Erik for the web site. Means a lot pre and post -op. Nick26OH (2006-02-19): Hey all. Day 10 and I woke up with no pain what-so-ever! Too bad it only lasted for one swallow! The pain is definately getting better but I still medicated this morning after about 20 minutes.. the pain gets bad until I get a few cups of tea down. Other than that, I had an excellent night of sleep. I only got 6 hours but woke up totally refreshed. I really think that the lack of tonsils has dramatically helped my apnea which means when I get better I'll get far more better sleep. I didn't get an Rx for either steroids or antibiotics. I vaguely remember the doc saying something about loading me up with zithromax (i'm alergic to keflex) in my IV. I have no idea why I didn't get steroids, but maybe something to do with the procedure used to do the tonsillectomy because the doc said he was using some "new method" or something. Whatever... :) Jogrady, my advice is to get as much liquid as you can. stay hydrated! If you dyhydrate, the pain gets worse, which in turn makes you not want to drink any more and it turns into a viscious cycle. At least if you can keep drinking you keep the pain at an even and manageable level and still stay healthy. Good luck to you, it'll start getting better in a week :) Mary (2006-02-19): Welcome, Jo! Have you tried using bendy straws for water? It's so much easier, that you may find you're able to drink much more water than previously. It's really important to stay hydrated -- it keeps the scabs moist, so that they won't start coming off sooner than they're supposed to. Also, will just make you feel better in general. I only was able to really start drinking water when I started using straws. Also, baby food provides so many nutrients, that you'll get a lot of what you need, even in small quantities. I hope you feel better soon. You had a lot done. Just think, once you're healed you'll no longer have to deal with all the issues that brought you to the surgery. What kind of pain med do you have? I just got off my liquid hydrocodone a few days ago. It actually aided my sleep. Good morning, Lisa and Nick! How are you today? Lisa, were you able to get a good night's rest? I hope so. Lisa (2006-02-19): Good Morning my fellow tonsil-free recuperators! Welcome to the club, Jo! I just chuckle every time I come to this website... how we all just stumbled in. Erik -- must make you feel good to know you provide such a haven for us. :<) I had a rough night. Slept a little longer at a time, but I think that only made the dry throat more painful. All along I had wondered why my doctor didn't give me LIQUID pain meds (though it wasn't too bad at the beginning).... last night I was really unnerved because of it. So .... lesson to learn if you are still in the pre-op stage .... BE SURE YOUR DOCTOR GIVES YOU LIQUID MEDS. DON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. Even if you think you can tough it out, there will be moments (middle of the night; sleep deprived) where you will need them. I think the benedryl helped a little -- just wish it work for more hours at a time. If I could just get a really good night's sleep, I know I could get through the last bit of this ... it can't be that far off. I have facial sinus pressure -- not sure if I am starting a new infection (though I shouldn't because I have had so many antibiotics in the past month or so), or maybe it is the normal healing process of the adenoids/nasal passages. Trying to just give it time to heal .... in nature's course ... but getting hard to do that. Will be calling doctor tomorrow if not better. Glad to hear that you, Mary and Nick, are doing better. What is on the menu for today? I am going to go back to the not-much diet and not take any chances today. I feel like there is just this last stretch to get through and don't want to disrupt anything -- fine line between helping/hindering healing. I have Lipton little noodle soup cooking right now. Jo, I hope you have someone there to help you through this -- it does help a lot. Take care and check in again soon. Holly (2006-02-19): Due to have surgery on Tuesday the 21st. I'm having T&A and a UPPP I've been reading on this site for over a week. This site has both scared me and reassured me. At least I know some of what I will go through and I'm gearing up for the pain and misery. lol I'm concerned with the mouth stretching and tongue stretching... I have been trying to repeat in my head... be nice to all that will take care of you... you need them :) I'm trying to keep mid march in my mind as being a better and happier time. I'll survive and pain will pass. Thanks to all who have contributed to this site. Hopefully I will feel like posting next week sometime. I know I will need to talk. Mary (2006-02-19): Hi Holly! It's good you're checking this before the surgery, so that you can prepare for certain things. Like Lisa just mentioned, be sure to ask your doctor to prescribe only liquid meds (pain med, antibiotic, etc.). You know, after my surgery, I couldn't see any evidence of the mouth/tongue stretching (could anyone else?). Except for the bouts of hiccups that followed for 3-4 days after the surgery. Lisa heard that when they stretch the mouth, it also stretches a muscle associated with hiccups. The hiccups have finally subsided -- thank goodness!!! Lisa, have you tried calling your doctor about switching your pain med to liquid form? My first prescription for antibiotics was for pill form (and they were as HUGE as horse pills), and 2 days later I called and asked for liquid instead. I was having to crush the horse pills which turned into a pile of sharp pieces, so it was just wrong in a lot of ways. A couple of hours after calling and asking for liquid form, it was waiting for me at my pharmacy. Nick, thanks for turning me onto the camomile tea -- I really like it (with a little sweetener). Glad you're doing better. The menu for today .... hmmmmm .... And the Iron Chef ingredient for today is ...BABY FOOD!!! Who can come up with the tastiest most tantalizing recipe? ;-) Lisa (2006-02-19): Welcome Holly! "They" say it is all worth it ... so that is something I think each of us holds on to. :<) My mantra is "in the long run". The short run is tough, so now I am telling myself "it is darkest before the dawn". Not sure if I am fooling myself or not, but it is something that I am trying. I'll let you know. Do you mind if I ask your age? I am 40, so I am thinking that is why this is so tough. I also have med allergies, so I am limited to what I can take. That may be why they didn't give me liquid meds ... I'll be calling my ENT to ask tomorrow. Tempted to call today ... but you never seem to get your own doctor on the weekends ... and I don't really have the energy to deal with one of the associates. Plus, I live in a small town and the pharmacy is closed for the day. I'm doing okay without pain meds during the day, it's just at night that I may still need them. There again, IF I could breathe through my nose, then my throat wouldn't get so dry and then I wouldn't need any pain meds! My nose is my #1 problem -- and that probably just needs time to fully heal. Yes, Holly you're right .... be as nice as you can now to your caregivers ... and remember you will probably owe them after this is all said and done. ;<) This being President's weekend, that means no school last Friday or tomorrow. My husband and kids are out for a walk right now ... nice to have a quiet house. Overall they have been great, but (here's another saying) "When Momma ain't happy, an't nobody happy!" :<) It sure has made me realize that I set the tone of the household. Just had some vanilla yogurt. Makes me think that we need to come up with a new line of nutritional foods for people that just had throat/mouth surgery. Way too much sugar out there. I had made the diet resolution on Jan 1 ... but woke up with strep throat on Jan 1 ... so maybe this is the way I am supposed to jumpstart my diet ... 10 lbs gone so far! That'll probably be right back on soon enough. Let me know what you come up with Mary! Want to start a new line of foods together? Tempted to try some mashed carrots, mashed potatoes, and jarred baby food beef to have a roast beef dinner. May sound gross, but I am seriously considering it. Need some protein. Have had some peanut butter on a spoon (chased directly with water) and that has been good. Good Luck Holly! I'll be thinking of you on Tuesday. You are going into this with a good attitude. Kiani (2006-02-20): hi there all, hope your recoveries are coming along nicely (& best wishes holly). i am into day 11 post-tonsillectomy and have noticed lollipop-step improvements since day 8. i had a lot of nausea and vomiting to start with but the pain that comes and goes in waves is even more surprising. i'm going to try and get some sleep now while i'm not hurting but i wanted to say THANKS as this site has been very comforting to me and i wish i had found it earlier. like lisa i'm trying to remain as positive about the next few days as possible. i'll try and think of some tips for next time (tho i think i've ticked off mostly "dont's" unfortunately!), take care, and good night. x anonymous (2006-02-20): Thanks for your well wishes. Lisa I just turned 41, so I'm right there with you on age. I have a small mouth is why I am concerned with the mouth stretching and whatever they do with your tongue. My boss keeps telling me to stay off this site cause it's freaking me out but it's kinda addictive somehow. She is the one who found it for me so it on her. ha ha HollyTX (2006-02-20): Forgot to put my name above, noticed there was another Holly from before so I've added TX to mind :) Lisa (2006-02-20): Hello everyone. I am happy to report that I got some sleep last night!! Not fabulous sleep, but at least 5X better than the past week has been. I found Aquadrops -- sold as a mint (by the gum, etc in the store), but kind of like a cough drop too. They are to hydrate your mouth. See website: http://www.aqua-drops.com/ Anyway, whenever I would wake up with the painfully sore dry mouth, I would put one of these in -- it helped immensely. Then I was able to take a drink of water and go back to sleep. I didn't even need pain meds in the night either. I'm not confident enough to say that I've turned the proverbial corner yet, but I think I can start to see it. Welcome Kiani! Sounds like we are on the same time schedule for when we had our surguries. Sorry to hear you had so much nausea and vomiting. That is one thing I did not really have, thankfully. I do agree though that there are certainly waves in the pain department. Very much a roller coaster. My family told me to stop reading online too... but once you start, you just can't stop. Very addicting. Good that your boss knows what you are in for -- how much time off work will you have? Hopefully your boss will be very understanding. It is strange to stop and think that you just never know who out there will read what you are writing. It's a big old world out there -- but seems very small when people from all over fall into the same place. Very 21st Century. HollyTx (2006-02-20): I'm scheduled to be off from the 21st until March 6th... 14 days, hopefully I will be in ok shape to get back to work. holly smith (2006-02-20): Hello i am 13 years old and i have had my tonsills out on the 17th febuary since then i have been in so much pain i can't talk or eat and i keep on having bleeds from my throat and nose. GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE ELSE THAT HAS THERE TONSILLS OUT, AND I HOPE THAT YOUR THROAT IS NOT AS BAD AS MINEXXXXX P.SMy email address is lil_holly13@hotmail.com Mary (2006-02-20): Hi All! Day 10 for me, and I finally feel I've "rounded the bend." The swelling is almost completely down and the scabs seem to be ... dissolving? From what I can see with the flashlight, they don't appear to be peeling up or falling off, but instead I can just see more of my throat poking through. I can sleep flat on my back for the first time and am eating food with more substance. Throat feels like a mild sore throat. I drank oodles of tea yesterday -- all camomile and Throat Coat, so I don't know if that made the difference, but I literally drank tea or water the *entire* day. I'm doing the same thing today. HollyTX, your surgery is tomorrow and I wish you the best. Stay focused on why you're doing this, your quality of life/sleep will improve after these next two weeks. Stay hydrated!!! You'll heal faster. Note to All: Exercise caution in using this (or any) site. Best wishes to you all. :-) Lisa (2006-02-20): HollyTX -- yes I would think 14 days should give you a nice recovery. Maybe not 100%, but close. HollySmith -- you are lucky to get this over with while you are young! I only wish I had -- they say it is worse the older you get. Hang in there -- it does get better. Mary -- My scabs seem to be dissolving a little too. I talked to my doctor's office today and they say that what I am going through is normal. It is normal to still have substantial swelling in the nose and nasal passages (had adenoids out) this long. I was concerned I was starting a sinus infection because of all the green (sorry, gross). Evidently because the nasal passages are so narrow, "it" turns green in the time it takes to move through.... or something like that. The nurse said that if I don't have major progress in breathing by Day 14, they should see me. I have seen good progress in the tonsil/throat area, so that is reassuring. I'm keeping water close at hand all day too ... maybe flooding it out is the key. :<) New subject: bad breath. Has anyone told you just how disgusting it is? I, myself, cannot smell it. However, my kids seem to enjoy telling me. I am supposed to go to a banquet for my son's Cub Scouts tomorrow night -- I think I feel well enough to go (but probably wouldn't eat there since it will be italian food (ouch, tomatoes!). Here's my dilemma: I don't want to offend everyone in my 10 foot radius (or embarrass my son!) I asked the nurse today and while she didn't say not to go, she did say that earlier today they had a young boy in that had recently had his tonsils out -- and that they bad smell filled the room -- and that the brother of this kid was throwing a fit because of it. SO? I guess I won't be going. Take care HollyTX -- good luck with your surgery tomorrow. I am hoping to be completely done with this in a matter of days, but will check back in to see how you are doing. Kiani (2006-02-21): loving the chamomile tea (thks!) and an anti-inflamatory throat spray with the extension thingy that reaches way back there! anyone got a free tip as to why we're advised not to use ibuprofen? does that still apply at this late stage? (Day 12).... x Lisa (2006-02-21): Good Morning Kiani! Ibuprofen thins your blood -- so if you were to bleed from your throat -- or if a scab came off prematurely you could hemmorhage and lose a lot of blood. Questionable about this late stage -- I've read you're supposed to wait 2 weeks from surgery to take ibu -- but then, my doctor prescribed Motrin (which is equal to 2 ibu) as a pain reliever right after surgery. My pain meds were Tylenol w/codeine every 4 hours and Motrin every 6 hours. I'm Day 12 too -- and for discomfort I am taking just regular tylenol to be on the safe side. Just wondering, have you shed your scabs? I can see lots of white back there still, but it does feel different -- thick. possibly loosening, and kind of itchy. Anxious to have them gone, but slowly -- don't want a raw throat either. Kiani (2006-02-21): thks lisa. ibuprofen would be my pain reliever of choice is all. i have no scabs to my knowledge. i can only see more of my own throat and it's quite red. the white stuff (scabs?) seemed to have dissapeared on its own. i vomited several times daily until day 6, and a couple of times after then (but never saw any blood). so i don't really know what that means, not seeing my surgeon for follow up for another couple of days yet. (i practically stalked him when i was vomiting so i thought i'd leave him alone 4 a while if i could!!). i'm glad you mention the discomfort as that and sleeping are my main problems at the moment. i must keep popping some pain relievers as i'm also still scared to eat properly. i'm flying on a holiday o/s for 3 weeks in 7 days and want to make sure i'm spritely. i am staying positive as i do improve a little every day but if i'm not eating properly by then i don't think the pain etc will have been worth it. hope your scabs are coming along properly (such a bizarre thing to say to someone isn't it?!?) Lisa (2006-02-21): Kiani -- you poor thing! I am so sorry you have been so nauseous. Almost sounds like a reaction to the anesthesia. That must have been absolutely horrible. I can see why you'd be afraid to eat properly -- but you really do need to try to start so that you can get some energy and vitamins in you to help the healing. Have you tried eating lukewarm soups? Baby food? Some nutrition without being edgy/sharp on the throat. Macaroni and cheese and green beans (regular/not baby) have been a staple for me the past couple of days. Having not eaten for so long, my tummy has not been real accepting -- though I haven't vomited. It will take time to build back to a "normal" diet. You said you had your tonsils out -- anything else? I had my adenoids out, so my nasal passages are just now getting to a stage where I can breathe through my nose. My nasal swelling really went down today -- so I am looking forward to *hopefully* getting some good sleep tonight -- will be good to not wake up with my mouth hanging open to breathe and having the dreaded throat-on-fire and dried-up-sponge-of-a-tongue. Once I have succeeded having a good night's sleep, I will be able to say this was all worth it. I hope soon you will be able to say that as well. Stay positive -- and lucky you -- a vacation coming up! You deserve it!!! Sleep well. Lisa (2006-02-21): Oh, and yes, my scabs do seem to be coming along properly -- drinking loads of water to help wear them away. Hope you are staying hydrated as well -- it really does help. Kiani (2006-02-22): i have only had the tonsils out. ate the most i ate in one sitting last night after i read your message. it was good for me as physically i felt relatively full and relaxed going to bed. so thank you! i have a feeling at this stage it's a bit like you say having not eaten properly for so long coupled with my vomiting experience i've gotta break thru the psychological barrier to return. today i have only had some warm mashed-up cereal so far but i will have some soup. some of the food you mention i tried when i was nauseous so it's like i've developed some aversion to them. soooo odd for me as i am such a foodie Lisa, literally there is nothing i will not eat! i just keep thinking to myself that one day i wil endure pregnancy and childbirth so this is probably all good practice for me?!!! it's great you can breathe, cos i guess thats prob why they needed to come out!! last night i was thinking my throat feels like a "drafty hallway"! re hydration you are soooooo right, when the doctor said to me "keep up your fluids" i really didn't grasp the full impact of the difference it makes. amazing really. how is your progress today? Kiani (2006-02-22): oops! A TIP for any other patients: i have found it very soothing (especially b4 eating) using ice in the shape of a straw against the area. it seems to numb, soothe and re-generate (or similar!) the nerves there. weird but wonderful. i'm in australia so i got the ice trays from IKEA, if you have the same where ever you are x Lisa (2006-02-22): Hi there Kiani! So glad to see your reply. Congratulations on getting some food in you! I hope you are able to eat more today too. I did really well today (I'm in the US and it is Wednesday evening). I had a banana, oatmeal, bean soup, and some rice casserole! Yippee! I still have some scabs back there, but definitely seeing more pink too. I have found that it is essential that I run the humidifier at night or my throat will become even more sore. Forgot to turn it on last night -- and have had a sore throat and ears today. It is cold and windy here (dry air), so that doesn't help either -- plus my husband just caught a cold -- hoping I don't catch it from him. Funny you should say that this is good practice for pregnancy and childbirth. We have 2 children and I had c-section deliveries with each of them -- and truly, having my tonsils and adenoids out has been harder to get through! I feel like such a big baby saying that -- I have friends that have been through cancer treatment and here I am complaining about my tonsils! Embarrassing! Pregnancy and childbirth isn't usually an easy time -- sometimes quite difficult -- but you are so centered on your child that you really don't think about yourself. :<) It'll be a breeze for you since you've gone through this! Tomorrow is Day 14 -- supposedly the "magic day" where I will be completly healed! Sure wish I could hold the doctor to that! I don't expect to be 100%, but will settle for 85%! I can already feel energy that I haven't had in ages -- must be the increased oxygen to the brain since shedding my huge tonsils! I know they had been draining my immune system for months -- maybe years. Hooray -- happy to be rid of them! Continued progress to you, Kiani! You are lucky to have your holiday to look forward to -- hopefully you will be able to get additional rest (and eat yummy foods!) while you are away. Take care. Kiani (2006-02-23): Me too Lisa, day 14 tommorrow also!! good luck if i don't get a chance to log on then. gosh you had such a good day today food wise, well done! i had a bit of regression today with the nausea but i still remain positive. thanks so much again, this site has definitely been the most helpful part of my recovery. HollyTX (2006-02-23): Well, I made it through everything ok. Didn't really want to post on 1st or 2nd day because everyone says the 3rd day is bad. Is that counting the day of surgery? So I'm either on day 2 or 3 however you count it. I sure can set my clock by the pain in my tonsils when the medication wears off. Within 5 to 10 min. my throat feels like it is going to close up and the pain is bad. Hard to even swallow water or the medicine. I've already called in today for a refill on the liquid pain medication. It's scarey to think of running out of it. I've tried not to try too many things to eat on the first two days. I don't want to scratch or irritate my throat prior to the bad days #3 through #9? Surprisingly I'm not starving yet. I'll be having rice and beans tonight that I cooked then blended then pushed through a sieve. Smooth but still tasty, better than baby food. Sick of sweet stuff already... ice cream, pop sickles,malts...I'm ready for protein. :) Well, it looks like some of ya'll will be dropping off here since your well now or almost there. Keep in touch and let us know how great it is later. I'm having no trouble breathing through my nose. Sleeping good until the pain comes back then take a dose and go right back to sleep. Hard to drink lots though... that's be a challenge but I'm keeping up with it because I don't care to have anymore pain than I have right now. take care everyone. Lisa (2006-02-23): Hi HollyTX! Glad to hear everything went well for you. I would say you are Day 3. I am Day 14 and feel really good. Eating is back to normal. Going to try pizza tonight (a bit nervous about the tomato, but willing to give it a try). Still a little of the white scabs back there so I have a really foul rusty horrid taste in my mouth -- and according to my family -- just as horrid smelling. I REALLY hope this part is over with very soon. I feel fine and want to get out more -- but I can't -- just too stinky -- even after brushing my teeth and while chewing gum! I wasn't quite prepared for how long this part would last. Yesterday I started doing a salt water gargle to help assist the healing -- so hopefully that will help speed things up a bit. I don't plan to eat ice cream, popsicles, fudge bars, applesauce, bean soup, or chicken noodle soup again for a long, long, long time! Good for you with the rice and beans! Definitely better than baby food -- some taste! Hang it there -- it does get better! Nick26OH (2006-02-24): Hi all. I took some time away from the site to continue recovering. I actually went back to work on day 12 (desk job, no biggie). It's now day 15 for me and I feel about 90%. I can eat normal food and I feel good most of the day. If you can tough out the pain on the surgery, the reward is worth it. Not much to say, I still get a little pain when I talk a lot but just because my throat dries up. I'm still guzzling tea and water just to keep things moist, even though my scabs are all but gone. The sad part is that I asked my doctor and he said no serious physical activity for another week. After tonight I'll have missed 6 volleyball games, which really sucks.. I can't wait until next week so that I can start playing again! Nick26OH (2006-02-24): Oh, and Lisa, I found that seriously scrubbing my tongue (even way in the back) really helped with the bad breath. HollyTX (2006-02-24): what is this the 4th day? worse day yet... pain and everything feels so swollen...don't care to eat because everytime I do it seems the food produces thick mucous that is impossible to get rid of. Beans and rice were good for my system but they seemed to stay in my throat forever. just trying to keep liquids in my system for the moment, I know I don't want to be dehydrated but I may put off trying to eat to just once a day. Hour by hour right now (actually 4 hours by 4 hours) pain meds. ya know.... Lisa (2006-02-24): HollyTx -- I feel your pain! Hang in there! Don't worry about the foods -- just push the water. It really does make a huge difference. The whole thing is a roller coaster, isn't it? There were days where I only ate once a day -- and that might have been only a popsicle. Making up for it now -- that 12 lbs. I lost will be back before I know it. And here I was hoping to use this as a springboard to a diet! Oh, well, just glad to be feeling better than ever. You had your adenoids out too, right? I had a lot of swelling from that -- but now, it's weird, it almost feels like I have 2 huge holes on the front of my face -- I am getting SO much more air in. What a weird thing to say -- but you'll understand in time. :<) I never realized just how congested I must have been prior to all of this -- it does feel like a new lease on life. Last night I slept SO good -- it was wonderful! Nick -- thanks for that -- yeah, I've been scrubbing away, hoping that helps -- the real test will be when my kids get home -- they'll tell me the truth for sure! :<) Glad you are feeling better and feeling the rewards. Congrats on getting back into at least part of your real life! Becky (2006-02-25): Im 33 and had my tonsils out and my soft palette cut out and tightened (the dangly bit it in middle!) on the 16th February and I am still only drinking water. I havent eaten since then cos everything tastes so disgusting. Everyone keeps telling me I need to force my self to but I cant its horrible. I was hoping to read some of you may have found this too but you havent so am more deflated now as dont know how long this will last???? Becky (2006-02-25): Did just read lisas comment that she had rusty taste in her mouth and she is still eating. I just cant force myself too althoug I really want to it just tastes so horrible. How long did it last Lisa?? Does it get better?? Has it gone yet?? Please give me a glimmer of hope!! Lisa (2006-02-25): Becky, Hi there! You haven't had anything in 9 days? You really do need to get some nutrition in your body -- it will help the healing by restoring some energy in you. Do what kids do when they don't want to eat something -- plug your nose and choke it down. Start with something simple -- maybe mashed potatoes with some butter? You need the calories. I hope you are drinking lots of water and staying hydrated. Water really helps reduce your mucous level. I am Day 16 now and the gross taste is lessening. It's all because of the scabs -- so when they go away the horrible taste should too. You had a lot of work done back there -- so I'm sure your taste buds are messed up right now too. It will heal -- but it all just takes time. I know it is hard and it is difficult to be patient -- especially since you aren't eating and possibly you aren't sleeping real great either. But, really, it will get better, just give it time. Hang in there! :<) Becky (2006-02-25): hi Lisa. No I hadnt had anything for 9 days until today I did force down a piece of toast this morning and tonite I just forced some mash and peas down but only about 10 mouthfuls its just so hard to force myself cos it tastes so horrible. I am drinking water but probably only about 3 glasses a day Im not good at drinking! It has been really sore today cos I got up yesterday and the day before and done some coursework and housework and think I over did it but its so hard to just lay in bed for 2 weeks and do nothing but I did lay on the settee under a blanket all day today under orders! I am just not very good at being patient I want the horrible taste to go now. It will be day 18 when I go back to work I will find that really hard and tiring if it hasnt gone by then and Im still not eating. I will try and hang in. Thank you :) Kiani (2006-02-25): hi becky! today is day 17 for me and this is the best i have felt so fair. comfort-wise, pain-wise, food-wise, sleep-wise, energy-wise. i know EXACTLY what you are saying about the foul taste. for the first 6 days i had nausea and vomiting and have had a couple of similar incidents even since then. i am also on the receiving end of orders from family to rest and eat but have been finding it so hard as anything brought to my mouth has a likelihood of coming back up again. i've been relatively disappointed in my surgeon's post-operative care but two initiatives from this website have stuck with me and i wish i had realised the full benefit of them earlier. they are PAIN MEDICATION and HYDRATION. i got lazy with my pain medication cos i was scared of it coming back up and i thought i could tough it out. i was dreaming. the less pain you experience the more you will be able to consume food and drink and the more you will be able to care for yourself properly. re hydration, it's beyond just "keeping up your fluids" - it has to be constant. this will assist with the pain and the healing. i'm the same in the sense that i usually love my food and only take small sips of water, struggling to get my 6-8 glasses in when i'm healthy. i also have kept pushing myself with coursework and housework but unlike hydration, i can't honestly measure how (un)helpful this may have been to my recovery. as lisa has said, it's a roller coaster. i've had good & bad days consecutively even for the last 5. apparently it is in 3 months that we are to compare ourselves to our pre-op condition. it seems like a long time becky but today at day 17 i feel almost like a normal person again, i think my taste buds are growing back! suggested foods: jelly, custard, ice blocks, ice creams, soup, chamomile tea. and remember - pain relief and hydration. good luck i hope this has been helpful. x HollyTX (2006-02-26): Ok people I'm dying here...I'm on the beginning of my sixth day..... my tongue is swollen... I swear if it wasn't I would be lovely... Did anyone elses tongue swell? It kills me to take the pain medication which is liquid Hydrocodone. I'm a ibu kinda girl so it's killing me not to take some IBU to try to get the swelling down. Someone tell me the rest of day six will be ok...:( Becky (2006-02-26): Hi Kiani. Thank you for your comments they were really helpful and I will keep trying. I was also very sick the first 4 days in the end the hospital had to change my medication to suppositories!!! Thank fully I have finished them now. I promise I will try and drink more and keep trying different bits of food. My throat does feel a lot better today than it did yesterday was really sore yesterday. I think I may try rice pudding tomorrow. x Becky (2006-02-26): Hi Holly. My tongue didnt swell up but you must feel awful Im an IBU girl to I couldnt stand the taste of my medication. Im trying not to take too much now. Try sucking an ice cube it may help your tongue. Stay in bed or on the settee and look forward to a better day 7. x Lisa (2006-02-26): Good Morning everyone. I am now day 17 and feel absolutely great! I almost feel bad saying that -- reading how miserable you all are -- but that should give you hope -- hope so anyway! HollyTX -- Becky is right, suck on ice cubes, that should help everything back there. How is your nose doing? Are you able to breathe through it at night? Looking back that was my single worst symptom (other than the obvious throat pain) -- it made everything else worse. I also made a new discovery regarding having my adenoids out. Earlier on I mentioned the horrible smell that permeated from me -- it is more the adenoid scabs that are stinky -- waaay more so than the tonsil scabs. So, to anyone out there that had your adenoids out: around Day 14 or so(for me one on Day 14, the other on Day 15), you will (sorry, this next part is very gross) blow out of your nose (one, each nostril) 2 black, vile, disgusting (the smelliest things EVER), scabs. These are the scabs from where your adenoids were removed. Once these are gone, you no longer will have such putrid, digusting breath. Your breath probably will still require gum or a mint to be near people, but at least it will be within your ability to control. Mine are gone now and I feel like I can get out and live again. Becky and Kiani -- Kiani, I know you said you were in Australia -- are you also, Becky? In Australia, do you have your tonsils out in a hospital and stay overnight? Here in the US, it is usually same-day surgery (I had mine out in a surgical center, not a hosp), and went home 5 hours later. Just wondering. Becky -- Glad to hear things are looking up for you! As Kiani said, it is so vital to drink water. Kiani -- Glad to hear you are doing so much better too! Have a great holiday! Lucky You!! It sounds like we are all ibuprofen girls. Once I got past Day 14, I did switch to ibu. I really think they work so much better than tylenol -- even better than tylenol w/codeine. That stuff just made me loopy. Just wondering, did your doctors give you any brochure/papers outling what to expect in recovery? Mine didn't give me anything and I'm tempted to type something up for him to give adult patients. But then, maybe this wouldn't be a good idea -- don't want to freak patients out TOO much -- they might back out of the surgery. What do you think? Would you have gone ahead with the surgery knowing what you were in for? Or is it too soon to say -- since you are still in the thick of the recovery. Have a good day! :<) HollyTX (2006-02-26): I was in so much pain last night and today. I also think I was having anxiety because my hydrocodone wasn't working as long and was about to run out for the second time. I called my doctors office this morning crying and he called back 2 hours later so by then I was really upset, crying and whining... He said I could take more and I said I didn't have enough that he was only prescribing enough to last for 2 1/2 days at a time. He said he would call in a larger bottle for me. So now that I have had ample medication and a shower and clean sheets I feel alot better. Lisa, I've been able to breath through my nose the whole time. No problems there and I have even been spitting up stuff the whole time... scab here,black stuff there, green junk, yellow junk it's kinda tricky to do but I would rather slowly get rid of some of the gunk. Well I better go down some water... or I will be up crying again at 2:30 in the morning Kiani (2006-02-26): oh holly you poor thing, you are so right i felt like i was dying too!! unlike you i only endured the tonsillectomy so i shudder to think of your discomfort. i hope the blow is softening day by day for you. reading back over all the 600 or so entries on this site, unfortunately it really seems to be a waiting game. lisa - i was in a public hospital overnight and could've stayed longer if i wanted, but the first day i think i was pretty high and deluded thinking "i'll be fine" - yeah right!! you're correct; i do wish i had received some post-operative literature from my dr. i have been somewhat disappointed with his briskness and lack of availability. i don't feel as if i was fully prepared for what to expect at recovery time. i think you have a great idea there, i'm sure that you could come up with something that was balanced but realistic. for me personally, i think i still needed to have the surgery so yes i would've gone ahead BUT it would've been an INFORMED DECISION. i certainly would've appreciated not having to deal with the shock and (nausea, vomiting, pain, dehydration) in addition to everything else. this could only be helpful in reducing the 'trauma' of it all. anyway everyone, i prob won't be logging on again for a while as i'm off to the states (never been to your homeland lisa - v excited!) and the uk / europe for 3 weeks for a wedding and to visit friends and family. believe me the pendulum has swung from me feeling very sorry for myself to feeling very grateful about my life. crazy. as i said before this site has been the most helpful part of my recovery. so thank you very muchly and take care, xoxo Lisa (2006-02-26): I don't know if it is the great pain we all endure going through this, the drugs that we take or what -- but it is definitely an emotional journey as well as a medical/healing journey. I don't even know any of you people and as happy as I am about being almost completely done with my recovery (just a tiny bit left!), it is just a tad bit sad to be leaving you all. It has been great to be able to commiserate with you -- comrades in arms, if you will. Farewell Kiani, HollyTX, Becky, Nick, HollySmith, Jo, Mary, and of course, Erik Burrows, the owner of this website. Your website has been a true blessing to each of us! Take care everyone and enjoy your lives in a whole new way! :<)!!!!!! Tracey4Andrew (2006-02-28): Hi my husband has just had his tonsils out and his uvula shortened(I think thats what they did to it)...I was just needing some advice in general on how best to care for him. This is day 2 he seems to be in alot of pain even though hes not saying much about it. I am feeding him a little bit but often and hes drinking only about 2 glasses of water a day. He just doesnt like water any suggestions on another beverage that wont sting or make things worse. Thanks so much :) Lisa (2006-02-28): Hi there Tracey. I just said goodbye to everyone around here and here I am checking back in. I had my tonsils & adenoids out on Feb 7 and doing great now. Like it or not, your husband NEEDS to drink a ton of water... even if he doesn't like it. In the long run (and even in the short run) he'll FEEL much better when he drinks the water. He'll heal faster and generally just get through his recovery better with the water. It makes a HUGE difference in overall ability to get rid of the mucous that builds up and helps everything along. All the doctors say don't worry about food -- just push the fluids. Water really is the best. Doctors debate over daily products (some say dairy makes more mucous whereas other docs don't believe that at all)... so depending on what your dr (and you) believe, milk is good to drink as well.... but still MORE WATER than anything else. 2 glasses a day isn't anywhere near enough ...more like 2 glasses an hour at this point.... yes, really... as others have pointed out on here, a straw is the easiest way to get the water down. If he falls behind in water now, he is in for an even rougher recovery... and with that being said ... it's already hard no matter what. Good Luck and yes, it IS worth it in the end. Tracey4Andrew (2006-02-28): Thanks Lisa,,I told him what you said and he has promised to drink much more water. I keep stressing to him how important it is. He was trying to run into work to sign for something today and I told him that was a really bad idea and that he should stay in bed. Its day 3 thats too early to be going anywhere right?? Lisa (2006-03-01): Yes, WAY to early. He is on meds, isn't he? With most meds (I was on tylenol w/codeine) they say not to drive or sign important papers, etc while on them as they can impair your senses. Be ready for a roller coaster -- he'll have good days (where he'll "think" he is good to go) and bad days. I hope he has adequate time off work. Supposedly this surgery is easy on kids (I'm starting to doubt that), but for adults it is much more serious -- not a surgery he is just going to bounce back from in a few days. Tell him the more he rests now (and drinks water :<)), the better off he'll be. Good luck -- everyone says husbands are the worst patients. ;<) I sure hope mine never has to go through it. Becky (2006-03-01): Hi Gang havent log on for few days, been feeling sorry for myself!! I still cant eat anything due to this awful taste in my mouth. Today is day 14 but it hasnt magically gone I am trying to force myself to eat little bits but I just cant manage more than 2 or 3 mouthfuls. The weight is dropping off and I am due back at work on Monday. The actual pain of my tonsils and soft palette are loads better really its worse first thing in the morning when it is so dry and sore. Glad you are still logging on lisa. Holly in answer to your earlier question, sorry I havent answered earlier but I am in the UK and I stayed in hospital overnight because I had both things done. Hope you are feeling better now than you were a few days ago. Tracey, Lisa is right she was my saviour when I was really bad he has got to drink lots of water and he must rest for 2 weeks or it will take him longer to get over it. Darlene (2006-03-01): Hi Everyone! I got my tonsils taken out Friday Feb 24 and it is hell!! I just noticed today that where the tonsils used to be it is coated with white stuff. It looks like mold is growing in the back of my mouth. Anybody experience this? Im wondering if I have an infectionof some kind. Lisa (2006-03-01): Becky -- Hi there! Doesn't it make you mad when you hit Day 14 and you aren't completely healed? ;<) EVERYONE says 2 weeks --- but I think it is often a bit more than that -- to be completely through with this. You should be good to go by Monday. Does your work require you to talk a lot? I am still finding (above I said I had mine out Feb 7 -- that was wrong -- it was Feb 9 -- so I am Day 20 right now) that if I talk a lot in the morning, my throat hurts the rest of the day. I am also finding it best when I continue to drink lot of water. Disgusting taste is 95% gone -- just yucky in the morning now. You really need to get some food in you -- even if it doesn't taste good. I don't think my tastebuds are working right yet -- which makes me sad! I feel good, I am able to eat, but food isn't as good as it used to be. "They" say that can take a while to return -- maybe that's a blessing in disguise for me -- good time to diet. You are so sweet! I feel like I am such a Mom on here! Glad I've been able to help you. Becky -- So you are in the UK? I figured you were from either Australia or the UK -- could read the British influence. We just got the BBC America channel and we are enjoying some of the programs -- and learning the way you talk over there -- my kids have picked up "brilliant" (they say it ALL the time on Changing Rooms), and "telly" instead of TV. Just having a little fun. :<) Darlene -- what you are experiencing with the white stuff is 100% normal! You've probably heard about the scabs that will form in your throat -- that is what that white stuff is. You are Day 5 now -- so yep, you are in the middle of the worst of it. You will have good days and bad days -- just try to drink LOTS of water -- it is by far the single most important part of your recovery. Hang in there -- you've come this far -- you can get through the rest of it! Darlene (2006-03-01): Thanks, Lisa! You've made me feel better. Im trying real hard to drink lots of water. I see that there's more stuff to come i.e. yucky taste in my mouth! Frustrating!! There better be a happy ending after all this pain. Darlene (2006-03-01): I am quite humoured at how I just stumbled across this site. Who would have known there's a forum for tonsillectomy's. I am so glad. I was begining to think I was the biggest baby on earth. Im 27 years old and this was my first surgery ever. Needless to say I was quite scared about the whole thing. The surgery itself was a piece of cake but this recovery process is horrible. I've found that popsicles help a great deal. Im on day 5 and still cannot talk properly. I've never done so much grunting in my life! Anyways, Im glad we have our own sub culture going on. Bye for now. Ben Greer (2006-03-02): I was walking through the forest one day, and I stopped breathing. I couldn't even talk to the squirrels. My tongue was so swollen from my tonsillectomy, that the squirrels began to laugh at me. Okay, so this may not be so cohesive because I am still on the good pain medication... you know what I am saying? Having said that I have some thoughts. Maybe the squirrels, weren't actually laughing, maybe they were just jealous of my tongue. You see, maybe if a squirrel had a larger tongue he could gather larger acorns. So in my post surgery state I apparently have become selfish, trying to make everything about me... clearly the squirrels just need to eat. I clearly need to sleep. Oh right, that leads me to my original thought... I can't really sleep because I can't breathe and I can't breathe because my tongue resembles the state of California (with handles, like a bicycle). Any suggestions? Lisa (2006-03-02): Darlene -- I agree, the surgery was the easy part -- it's the recovery that stinks (figuratively and literally!). Popsicles saved me in the beginning too -- that, and being able to commiserate with people that were going through the same thing I was going through on this website! If you really want to drive your family crazy, instead of grunting, ring a bell when you want something. ;<) Ben -- Since you seem to be of a creative mind, I'll answer your question in the immortal words of Vanilla Ice -- "Ice, Ice, Baby" .... it should help your swelling. Did your doctor put you on prednisone? It helps reduce the swelling too. Good Luck. Darlene (2006-03-02): So I went to the Doctor just to double check this white stuff. Long and behold it's a yeast infection from the antibiotics!!!!!!!!!!GROSS! I knew there was something odd about the "white stuff". So now not only do I have to take pain killers and antibiotics but I also have to ingest 2 other types of medicine. How life just gets better and better. Ben - When did your procedure take place? I like the squirrel story. At least you're creative under all this craziness. I can barely read a book. One because I cannot comprehend the words(thanks to tylenol 3) and secondly Im too weak to hold the book up!! Lisa - What's your take on going back to work? I've been off for a week now. For sure Im taking another week off but Im wondering how will I be the 3rd week? Probably still sore especially if I have to talk lots. Lisa (2006-03-02): Darlene -- Really? That IS gross! I've never heard of such a thing -- usually the white scabs are a normal part of all of this -- but, obviously, you had something more than the normal stuff. Do you have liquid meds or pills/tablets? On going back to work -- does your job require constant talking? Everyone recovers/heals at a different pace -- so your scabs may heal up faster than mine have -- you are quite a bit younger than I am; so that is a positive. If you go back to work after the 2 weeks, you'll just have to pace yourself. Maybe the first day or two you could work just a 1/2 day? You could see how things go then -- is that an option? I work part-time from home (I have my kids here too), so I have a different situation. Other than conversing with my family, I am able to email most of my work, so that is good. Hope you are beginning to feel a little better -- just think how strong you'll be by getting through all of this! For your first surgery, you picked a doozy! :<) Any future surguries you may require will be a piece of cake! Darlene (2006-03-02): Lisa-- There's something about the "white stuff" that I thought it's not the typical scabs. I can't explain it. It's disgusting!!!! Just thinking about it makes me wanna vomit. I have pill meds but also a liquid one for the yeast. I can work 1/2 days which is probably what I will do. I knew it would be a difficult recovery but not this difficult. It's so difficult we have a special forum for it!! Jonny (2006-03-03): Hi there. I got had a coblation tonsillectomy one week and 12 hours ago today, and I'm still in similar-or-worse than day 1 pain. The pain is managable to where Ive only been given tylenol codiene when leaving the hospital. But the pain seems to be steady and sometimes worse as the days go on. The gross white stuff that looks like chewed gum stuck in the sides of the throat remain, but some disappeared tonite after eating some pizza(which was a chore). I almost choked on a sandwich at work today, scary. About the quicker-recovery/less-pain theory of the coblation tonsillectomy, i would say "not substantially". There is a less chance for bleeding, in fact, i never even had blood right after the surgory. But the pain is still there, and its especially spreading to my left ear, driving me nuts. I can compare it to getting my wisdom teeth out and having dry socket. So tommorow is day 8 or 9. I can't wait to get this hell over with. I tried to do some moderate excersize yesterday (a small dumbell) and small hints of blood was showing up as I spit into the sink. I went back to work on day 5, not fun, since talking really hurts and makes the tonsil-less areas swell. I was told not to go to work for 10-14 workdays. That is insane! Unless you live in Europe (im in the US) where 2 months vacations are common, we dont have time for that. Good luck with everyone else, maybe i'll let you know my day 14 progress. Jonny- again- o yea! (2006-03-03): By the way, Im 23, almost 24, so healing might take a bit longer!! Darlene (2006-03-04): Jonny - You went to work on day 5!!!!??? Im on day 8 and still can't talk properly. And the pain!!! I was going to try moderate exercise but decided against it due to the bleeding. My left ear is killing me as well. Im 27 so the healing will take even longer. Pizza? That sounds good! Im not that brave. Lisa (2006-03-04): Good Morning. Welcome to the club, Jonny. You are back to work on Day 5? Wow, that is amazing, but I do understand about not being able to take more time due to your job. That is too bad. You are brave eating such regular food so early on -- especially the pizza with the tomato sauce -- so acidic. Make sure you are drinking tons of water too -- that really helps speed up the healing process. The nurse at my doctor's office pre-warned me about that left ear thing -- said it usually shows up around Day 6 or 7 -- so what you are going through is pretty normal -- horrid, but normal. Hi there, Darlene! Is it getting any better? Are you getting decent sleep? Is the extra white stuff starting to go away? I went to my dr yesterday and found out that unbeknownst to me, when my dr was doing the adenoidectomy (along with the tonsillectomy), he also reduced a turbinate (just the tissue; not the bone)! Until yesterday, I didn't even know what my turbinates were!! Anyway, because of this reduction (extra bleeding, etc), I have extra gunk going on back there -- so I'll be doing nasal irrigations to decrease that. Controllable now that I know what is going on and how to treat it. After the surgery, he did tell my husband that he "reduced additional inflammed tissue" -- well, that was the turbinate thing. Evidently if he would have labeled it "turbinate reduction", then he would have had to have it coded and billed. Hey, so I guess he did a little something for free! He was right near there anyway, so did a bit extra. Can't complain about that! Becky (2006-03-04): Lisa - Ok mom how are you!! Youve got a lot more patients to now!!!!! Its now day 17 and still not much food, 2 mouthfuls of my tea and the rest went in the bin. I am being good and drinking more water though like you told me! Have been back to the doctors and theyve signed me off for another 2 weeks and said I have to give it time and get better properly. Have got some green medicated mouth wash stuff to gargle with 4 times a day and have to try and eat natural yoghurt, yukk! Aparantly its got bacteria in it that will help return my mouth to its natural balance. Glad you are feeling loads better and you got a freebee, I already had a full nose job done in june last year to improve my nasal passage luckily all our treatment is free here on National Health Service its a bit mean you have to pay for it. Hope you have a good weekend. Darlene - hang in there and do whatever Lisa tells you she is everyones saviour. I cant tell you when it gets better cos im still waiting. I found this website by accident too and Im so glad I did. Darlene (2006-03-04): Lisa- Yes, it is getting a little better. The mornings are still horrific. I still cannot talk properly. As far as food goes: popsicles, eggs, soup, macaroni&cheese, chocolate(gotta have that!!), jello. Still struggling with drinking 8 glasses of water. It's great you got some surgery done for free. I take it you have to pay out of your own pocket? Im from Canada so our Health Care covers this sort of stuff. Nasal irrigations...does not sound like fun. Take Care. Becky - I received some type of liquid stuff as well. I have to use it 4 times a day. It's for the lovely yeast infection I got. Wow, you're on day 17 and still got signed off for 2 more weeks?!! Hang in there. I know this is so difficult. A couple of my co-workers told me it's nothing more than having Strep throat. What were they talking about??? This is 100 times worse. Hope you get better soon. Bye for now. Lisa (2006-03-04): Hello! Becky -- Nothing more than having strep throat? What planet are they from?? ;<) Unless people have been through this themselves (as adults, not as children); people have NO CLUE what this is all about. And since most people think this is just a little thing, when you tell them just how awful it is -- they think you are a big baby. Good thing we can come here to talk among ourselves. Becky and Darlene -- So, the UK and Canada both have National Health Care Services -- you don't have to pay for ANY healthcare at all? Yes, here in the US we do pay for healthcare -- but not 100% of it. We have health insurance that pays for a portion of it. We pay the deductible (the first $1000) and then our insurance policy picks up 80-90% of the remainder. We are able to choose the doctor and the surgical center or hospital where we will have procedures done. With National Health can you choose your doctor or are you assigned one? Do you have to pay for prescriptions? Through our insurance policy, we pay only $20 for each prescription -- whereas if we didn't have the insurance (insurance is deducted from a paycheck through a person's workplace) some prescriptions can be over $200 or more. It is a lot to understand -- especially if you get it all for free. People in the US who cannot afford to pay for healthcare do get some things for free -- but they may not have as many choices either. Becky -- since your country does things differently, could you explain what it means to be signed off for 2 more weeks? Does that mean that if you are feeling better you can't go back to work for 2 more weeks? Will you still get paid if you aren't working? I am feeling so much better that I just spent 5 hours today out in the cold weather watching my son participate in some scouting activities. We identified the pelts of numerous wild animals (minks, bobcats, mountain lions, raccoon, various types of fox, muskrats, etc), we hiked, they played kickball, we learned about Search & Rescue on frozen lakes, learned about turkeys and how a person uses a turkey call, and we roasted hot dogs on a campfire. It was freezing cold and windy, but it was kind of fun too -- good to get out after being inside for so long. Nasal irrigation -- no not exactly fun, but so helpful. If your doctor suggests it, do it. It makes a HUGE difference in the ability to breathe clearly. It sounds worse that it really is -- and once you understand correctly how to do it, it isn't any big deal. Good luck to both of you getting some food down. Becky, I'm a little worried about you. Not getting even the tea down? What did the dr say about that? Yogurt really is a great food -- you said natural yoghurt -- so does that mean no flavor in it? It the yucky taste in your mouth lessening? Darlene -- so glad you are getting food in you! Be happy you are only 27 -- I'm 40! When I was at the dr yesterday he said that the tonsil beds (place where the tonsils "were") are doing really well. They look a little grainy, but he said that is normal for the stage I am at -- and that will be replaced with "mucous membranes" in time -- which just means tissue like what is around your throat. So, it all just takes time. Take care everyone. I hope you get good sleep tonight! Becky (2006-03-06): Morning. I did have a little to eat last night. I am trying I think the taste is slowly going but it is a very slow process. We cant choose our surgeon we just get allocated one. We have to pay £6.50 for prescriptions. My doctor has said I cant go back to work for 2 more weeks and has given me a certificate but I am getting paid from work I think I have only been there 4 months but I should do. If I do feel better before then I can go back to the doctors and she can sign me off as being fit to go back to work. But she said I need to be eating properly before I go back and build my strength up. The natural yoghurt is to help restore the natural balance in my mouth so I suppose it is more effective if I dont put anything in it. May try a little honey just to sweeten it. Take care all. Darlene (2006-03-06): Hi Everyone. Im on day 10. I've decided to get off the pain meds but my throat is still sore. The razor blade feeling is gone (thank God!!!!). I still cannot talk properly nor eat a lot of solid food. My parents made ribs last night for supper. I figured no problem. The meat is soft enough to swallow. So I take a piece. Bad Idea! The BBQ sauce was way too spicy for my throat. I wanted to cry. Not because I felt like someone lit my throat on fire but because I couldn't eat any ribs:( So back to the soup I went. Becky, keep eating!! Lisa, are the nasal irrigations helping? Take care! Lisa (2006-03-06): Hi there! Yes, the nasal irrigations are helping immensely. My ENT dr suggested I use the NeilMed Nasal Rinse premeasured packets mixed with distilled or boiled water. They are so easy to mix and use -- I had used other irrigations methods previously, and this is by far the quickest and easiest. Keep it in mind if you ever need to do this. Darlene -- glad you are getting somewhat better -- you should begin to see improvement daily from now on. Bummer about the ribs! It is good to be able to eat regular food again now -- though my tastebuds still aren't 100% -- hopefully soon. Becky -- thanks for the lesson! Very different indeed. Have you tried eating baby food from a jar? You really need some nutrition. Were you able to get the yogurt down today? Hope so! I've gotta go run kids to activities! I'll check back again later! Darlene (2006-03-07): Hi everyone! The throat is getting better. Still sore but tolerable. I now have caught the flu. That's my luck! Im still very weak and get tired quite easily. How are you all doing? Lisa (2006-03-08): Darlene -- Hi there! Glad to hear your throat continues to improve. Sorry about the flu. That's not good! Your immune system must really be down. I hope nights are getting better and that you aer able to nap during the day. Hope you feel better -- flu-wise and tonsil-wise soon. I don't know about you -- but I am really ready for Spring -- warmer weather and getting out more. Take care! keith jax (2006-03-08): go in 9 am 3-9-06 for up3 tonsils and septum hope for fast healing! Lisa (2006-03-08): Good Luck, Keith! After your surgery, if you feel well enough, try to eat! Not to be the bearer of bad tidings -- but Day 2 it will be more difficult to eat than Day 1. Nothing about the recovery from this is easy, but the most helpful thing that most of us have found is that when you drink LOTS and LOTS of water (even if you don't feel like eating), it will help immensely. Keep a large glass of H2O around at all times and keep sipping (much easier to get it down when you use a straw -- especially the bendy kind). Best of luck tomorrow. Darlene (2006-03-08): Good Luck, Keith! Im not gonna sugar coat it for you but recovery is horrible. Lisa's right. A lot of water!! Popsicles were my saving grace as well. Try to eat as much as you can. I didn't eat enough nutrients and caught the flu. Keep us posted. Becky (2006-03-09): Oh well here we are day 22 and still not eating properly but taste is getting better very slowly. Am having toast in mornings now as they are better as taste gets worse as day goes on?? Am trying every day when I do my partners tea to force a small amount down. Managed about 8 mouthfuls. Trying really hard and cant wait till things taste normal again as I love my food so much. Meant to be going out for meal tomorrow night for my dads 60th birthday, I guess I will pick and watch everyone else enjoy their meal!!! Oh and drink water!! Lisa and Darlene - hope you are both ok. Lisa make sure you dont over do it all this rushing around. I am still napping during day! Darlene hope your flu is getting better and your throat. Nina (2006-03-09): I read that Jonny had a "Coblation" tonsillectomy and he seems to have had an easier recovery then everyone else. I did some research on Coblation and it seems to have better post-op outcomes. It may be a better way for a tonsillectomy. Does anybody know any more about it?? Darlene (2006-03-09): Hi everyone! Im on day 13. My throat is still sore especially the left side. My left ear is also paining. Becky- Are you not eating because it's painful of because of the taste? Are you back at work? Im still napping too. Lisa- I agree with Becky. Don't overdo it. Nina- I don't know anything about "Coblation" tonsillectomy. Are you having this procedure done? Lisa (2006-03-09): Hi Becky, Nina, and Darlene! Thanks to all for your concern -- I am doing fine. Today is Day 28 for me -- and I'm back to my regular life. Still some nasal/throat congestion gunk, so I'm hoping that there is just a bit of healing yet to happen -- but this could be the way I am going to be (but I sure hope not). Nasal irrigation helps control it, but it could end up being allergies too. My adenoids were swollen for such a long time that my sinuses never completely drained -- I'm talking years here. Now my adenoids are gone and the draining just keeps going and going and going. Could be increased allergies. Time will tell. Rushing around (remember, I have kids, I'm a soccer Mom :<)) is just a part of my normal life -- I live in my mini-van. ;<). However, this weekend, my husband and one of our children will be going out of town -- so my other child and I will be napping! Currently, my project is sorting photos and papers from the past 5 years -- time consuming -- but not energy-consuming. One of those things I've "been meaning to do when I get the time" -- well, the time is here and now. Next step, start scrapbooking! Becky -- Glad to hear you are eating a bit more. Yay for water!! Hope you are able to enjoy your Dad's birthday! Hey, maybe they'll serve ice cream!! :<) Nina -- I've read a little about coblation, but it is still pretty new. What I did read was that some (but not all) adult patients seemed to have a little easier recovery -- but hard to judge that I would think -- since they didn't really have prior experience to compare it to. If someone told me that I had a new technique, I might "think" that I had an easier recovery than some. Know what I mean? As difficult as my recovery was, I just try to keep in mind that we all have it easier than people 100 years ago. My son's class visited a museum and they showed the students how tonsils were removed 100 years ago -- sheer torture! It was this metal instrument that was inserted in the person's mouth (no anesthesia, nothing) and the tonsils were basically cut off. The only sterilization they had for the instrument was to put it over a candle flame. YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think we all have to agree that medicine has come a long way in 100 years! :<) Darlene -- Are you getting over the flu? Your left side/ear pain should subside soon. Have you been able to get some food in you (and keep it down?) Nina (2006-03-10): Hi Darlene & Lisa, I'm looking into having my tonsils out and i've heard nothing but great things about Coblation. Two of my friends had it done and they said it was not that bad. My surgeon really believes in it. If I can feel better in less time, I'm all in. It's not that new, it's been around for 5+ years. I think I'm going to go for it. Lots of surgeons use it in my area (Los Angeles.) Coblation is the latest thing in Tonsillectomies!! Melissa (2006-03-10): Hello everyone. I had a tonsillectomy on 3/7/06 and for me the pain in my throat is not all that bad. My tongue is what really hurts. i think the doctor clamped my tongue too hard. Melissa (2006-03-10): My tongue is swollen from where they clamped it. I am able to swallow and eat okay. I was talking the minute i came out of the recovery room. I have had severe sore throats in my 24 years of life so his does not hurt all that much, only my tongue. Has anyone |
