Had a Tonsillectomy as an Adult? PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT IT

[Anonymous]

I am considering getting one for chronically infected tonsils/tonsil stones and would love to hear others' experience about the recovery....I've heard it's brutal and lengthy....Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

I had a tonsillectomy in college after many years of fighting throat infections. I won't sugar coat it ... the recovery was not fun. My ENT told my mother not to be alarmed if I lost a lot of weight recovering. It was really a struggle to eat or drink anything for over a week. My tonsils were extremely infected so when they removed them the infection was exposed in the rest of my throat. Your ENT will probably tell you that despite what you've heard things like ice cream and popsicles are impossible to eat ... the dairy and sugar really burn when you try and swollow. A family friend who went through a tonsillectomy brought over a ice shaving machine. I lived off of crushed ice for a week!! The first week was the worst and it took probably 3 weeks total to get back to normal. It made for a miserable month, but in hindsight it is better than dealing with chronic throat issues.

[Anonymous]

I haven't had it done but my sister did when she was about 23. She was told the recovery would be brutal but it ended up being a lot easier than she thought. She even ate a big mac a few days later. no lie.

Everyone is different so you may get lucky and have an easy recovery. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I had it done at age 19 after many years of tonsillitis and throat infections. It was utter hell. Much, much worse than childbirth. But, everyone's different so maybe you'll have a better experience? Good luck to you, OP.

[Anonymous]

I had it done in my twenties. I didn't think it was horrendous. It definitely wasn't fun, but it was well worth it to never have strep again! I got mine out on a Friday, took off the following week and returned to work on Monday - so about 10 days recovery. I took the pain medicine religiously - even if I wasn't in pain. If you miss a dose the pain gets so bad that you can't get ahead of it.

[Anonymous]

I had it done at age 41. Recovery was not that bad, I took my pain pills by crushing them and putting them in ice cream. I would also put a couple of crushed up graham crackers in my ice cream. A relative made me soup on day 5 or so and I burned my throat a little because it was too hot so be careful of soup! It needs to be a lot cooler than you would normally have it. I am allergic to percocet so I tried to get by with extra strenght tylenol, but no luck- I did need to take a different prescription, can't recall the name. It took about 2 weeks for mt throat to stop hurting, but I probably made myself worse with the hot soup. It really wasn't that bad. Make sure you get plain ice cream, no chunks of anything like brownies or candy cause those will feel like swallowing rocks. In the beginning slushie type drinks were a lot easier to swallow than ice cream.
Good Luck!

[Anonymous]

Just what I learned from Mary Tyler Moore:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/700#i0,p16,d0

[Anonymous]

Not quite and adult but I had it done at age 15 and thought the recovery was quite easy...an no more strep or tonsillitis. SO GLAD I had it done!

[Anonymous]

I had it done at age 20 and it was the best diet I ever went on Lost 15 lbs in 11 days. Truly, the pain was really bad, I also couldn't eat things like ice cream that other people say you can. I actually didn't eat anything for the first 3 days post-op, then for the next 5 days I ate chocolate pudding. I tried other things like apple sauce but everything but chocolate pudding killed. But...it was worth it! Didn't get sick all the time and pain is temporary.

Best advice I got from my doc--time your pain meds so you know to drink as much water as you can as soon as they "kick in" and it doesn't feel quite like shards of glass in your throat. Apparently a lot of post-tonsillectomy patients end up in the ER for dehydration because it hurts to drink.

[Anonymous]

One of the best things I've ever done! Had to stay overnight at the hospital, but I NEVER get sick anymore. Lost 10 lbs and recovery was about a week. I had to sleep sitting up for a night or two, but it was worth it.

[Anonymous]

I had it done at 20, it was horrible. Horrific. I've had kidney stones and I think this worse. Worse than my c-section.

However, I don't think I've been really sick in the 20 years since that time (knock wood) - it was probably worth the 2 nightmare weeks of recovery. The vomiting, the pain, etc.

If you are heavy - get excited, you will lose about 10-15 lbs.

[Anonymous]

You won't want to hear this but a friend's husband at 39 went in for a tonsillectomy and never came out. Left her with three children and no income.

[Anonymous]

Reviving an old thread, and not sure if OP will see this, but wondering if OP had the tonsillectomy and how recovery was?

I'm in my early 40s and was just told by an ENT that I can have a tonsillectomy for recurrent, chronic, painful tonsil stones. Is it worth it? Whenever I have a tonsil stone, I really wish for a tonsillectomy because they can be so uncomfortable and gross.

[Anonymous]

I had it done last year at 36 years old, for the same reason tonsils stones. It was not that bad as people says. Maybe a week of rest and 2 weeks of being uncomfortable, but that it. Good. Luck

[Anonymous]

Thanks, 15:11! Are you glad you had it done? Would you do it again/recommend it to a friend or anonymous internet stranger?