On Monday, I am having a tonsillectomy at 28 years old. Anyone else had one as an adult? Im facing a minimum 7-10 day recovery and even then wont be 100%. But it needs to be done, so wish me luck!!

I had one done when I was 22. I took two weeks off of work -- and needed it all. Just take all the drugs they give you and you'll be fine. Good luck!!

Same here SoFla...I also had it at 22, and I hated it, I took a week off work then went back, and within 5 minutes of being back I realized I needed another week and went right home.

UNC, make sure you get Percosets!!!!! Good Luck!!

[ February 19, 2005, 04:05 AM: Message edited by: Merloni26 ]

Hey Dallas...I had one done at age 29. I had large tonsils all my life, and it finally got to the point that in addition to frequent sore throats, etc.; they thought it also might help my sleeping problems some. To be sure, it sucked and the throat was very sore...the key is to just keep going and keep swallowing. If you try not to swallow much, it actually will take longer to heal...at least that's what they told me. I think I had it done on a Friday, so I had a full week off plus two weekends. I hope everything goes well. I haven't hardly had a sore throat since then, and if I do get any type of infection, at least I don't have a throat full of blown up tonsils!

Sounds good. Most people tell me the horror of the pain and thats it. Good to hear the benefit. Im going to try and go back to work on the 8th day or so since I just sit on my butt. But I told my boss I wont be able to talk on the phone at least for 14 days so dont expect me answering phone calls. But we shall see.

Oh they gave me liquid narcotics basically. Ive got acetometaphin mixed with codeine. And liquid amoxicillin. So Ill see how good they are after my surgery tomorrow morning.

Good luck Dallas! just be sure to take it easy. While the procedure isn't open heart surgery, it is still surgery. You need to time to recuperate as any surgery is a bit of a trauma to the body.

All the best!

good luck dallas!

I wonder if I can get one as elective surgery just to get time off work? wink Good luck, DallasUNC.

Hope all goes well, DallasUNC. Don't try to be a tough guy hero following surgery-- TAKE WHATEVER MEDICATIONS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED and enjoy the wonderful loopy feeling one gets from them!

~Adam

Are there any sexual advantages to having your tonsils removed?

No.

*(cancels elective surgery)*

The Inevitable Seinfeld Reference...


ELAINE: I still have my tonsils. Everyone in my family has their tonsils. In fact, we were forbidden to socialize with anyone who didn't have their tonsils.

DOCTOR: That's interesting. Because, no one in my family has their tonsils, and we were forbidden to socialize with tonsil people.

JERRY: (Sarcastically) Well, it's like the Capulets and the Montagues.

.......

GEORGE: I have to have my tonsils taken out.

KRAMER: Oh man.. No.. George, we gotta get you outta here. Get out! Right now! They'll kill ya in here.

JERRY: (Trying to calm George down) It's routine surgery.

KRAMER: Oh yeah? My friend, Bob Saccomanno, he came in here for a hernia operation.. Oh yeah, routine surgery.. now he's sittin' around in a chair by a window going [in high-pitched voice], "My name is Bob" .. George, whatever you do, don't let 'em cut you. Don't let 'em cut you..

OK, obscure reference that has nothing to do with tonsils:

"Montague and Capulet
Whispered thru the wall
Words that they could not forget
AFter all"

If anyone knows what this is, you are cool!

(actually, you might be more cool if you don't LOL)

Hope you're doin' ok UNC

IT SUCKS!!!!!!!!

I had it done about 5 years ago in conjunction with deviated septum surgery.

I was out for a couple of weeks but I was on some good painkillers--liquid lortabs

and as for the sexual aspect--I don't have nearly the gag reflex that I used to

[ February 24, 2005, 02:43 PM: Message edited by: theodoresdaddy ]

Doing ok, just in annoying pain. I dont forsee myself going to work next week. It wouldnt be so bad if my throat wasnt still swollen right now and I could eat something. But the benefit will outweigh all the pain I have to put up with right now. I'll be sure to test the gag reflex thing out later on, lol.

well buddy, hopefully our men's win over Maryland and our gals beating Dook made you feel better this weekend!

Hi Everyone!!

Im 24 and had my tonsils removed 18 days ago. I really just wanted to share my experience. Before hand I read lots of forums & articles & it scared me to death, but it also gave me warning and info on what to look out for. I had been suffering from bad recurrent tonsilitis(up to 6 times a year) and decided I'd had enough of my 'red, pitted, swollen' tonsils!! ;o) It certainly was an experience that can only be sympathised by those who have had it done, and maybe those who have watched their love ones. I had the op on the Friday. It went really well, I stayed in over night and ate toast the next morning so was allowed to go home. The next 2 days were only slightly uncomfortable, but definately bearable. The pain killers were working great and I was managing to eat quite well.(set your alarm during the night to take your pain killers - you'll get more sleep) I felt so sorry for my boyfriend sleeping beside me and my alarm, bless!!! On the Tuesday, however, I was in such agony. The pain killers appeared to be no longer working.I knew from other people's experiences that the pain could get bad, but it was just unbearable so I went back to see my doc. It turned out that I had post op infection and was given anti biotics to take home. Unfortunately my body obviously couldn't handle all the pills as I vomited all the food I had managed to force down and the anti biotics, and then starting throwing up blood too. Not loads, but i was naturally scared and it was far from pleasant. I got re-admitted for IV anti-biotics. I was so grateful to be in hospital, to know I was being stabalised and watched by professionals. After 2/3 days in the dreaded 'Ward 3' I was ready for home. I've come through the other side of the tunnel now and feel absolutely fabulous. After lots of tears, pain, being sick and popping plenty of pills, I'm still glad i went through with it. The moral of my experience and my advice for any adult tonsillectomy patient would be :- to not be afraid to go back and get checked by your doctor. It will be sore, but it shouldn't so unbearable that the pain killers don't work. Also, my experience was quite rare. I just wondered had anyone else been through this with their operation? Im back at work now, still recovering and I truly feel great. My sense of taste has improved greatly and I'm sleeping like a baby now. My boyfriend says my sleep anea has definately improved, and because of more sleep I feel great already. Once the real recovery begins, its all downhill and its like the operation never happened. I would encourage any adult who suffers bad infections, strep throat etc to be brave and go for it! You won't regret it! ;o) Good luck to all tonsillectomy buddies and to a better quality of life, which is what its all about after all!! xx

Wow! What an interesting topic. I had mine a few years ago because of sleep apnea and my throat passage was too small. The initial surgery went well and I was sent home the next day. I started to notice a little blood in my throat when I got back home but could not tell if it was old blood or new. I contacted my doctor, but he was out of town and I was instructed to call his partner. He asked me to come back in so he could take a look at it. When I arrived, he was in another surgery so I had to wait in the emergency area. One of the office interns took a look at my throat and asked a nurse to get the suction machine. He probably saved my life with that move. I guess the blood clotted in my throat and when it unclotted I started to bleed profusely. If it was for the suction, I probably would have choked to death. They rushed me back into surgery and I thought I was not going to make it. I was so happy when I woke up in the recovery room after the surgery that I actually high fived the doctor that was watching over me. I guess there is a 1 in 100,000 chance to develop the problems that I had in my surgery. My throat is fine now and I sleep much better. It is funny, my doctor told me that my throat would be sore for 7 days. On the eight day, the pain subsided so much that I did not need to take my medication. I don't want anyone to scare anyone away from getting this surgery, but warn them to be careful with monitoring their recovery. Don't be afraid to go back in to have your doctor take a post surgery look at it if you feel something is wrong.

Hi Rick62!!

Well, I thought my experience was bad, but yours sounds so awful. Its so scary isn't it. I can understand why people say its worse than child birth! hee hee Anyway, glad you lived ;o)

Is everyone in here from or living in America? Im from N Ireland, but I have lived in England for 5 years now. When I was reading forums before my surgery it sounded like you got better/stronger medication there? Is the National Health Service good? (ok, wondering off topic....sorry ;o)

Selexy, we don't have National Health Coverage. Health Insurance in the US; it is up to the individual/employer and not the government.

Thanks Selexy!! Believe me, I am so glad that I survived too!!! wink

Selexy--at least you got to stay in the hospital--mine was done on an outpatient basis

All of the info has been great, but has anyone has horrible pain in their ears from this surgery? My throat hurts, but my ears are killing me. I had the op 7 days ago and feel like I'm never going to get better. :confused:

Ucharra, I had terrible pain in both my ears up to at least day 10 (or more due to the post op infection incident) Apparently its because the nerves of the ears and throat and so closely linked that the brain can't distinguish where the pain is coming from. You will get better and better now each day. Trust me, I felt like it would never end but you'll get it through it ;o) Keep taking the painkillers regularly as you recover better without so much pain. Good luck with the last few days, and look forward to never having tonillitis again! YIPEEEEEEEEE!

I'm having a tonsillectomy done in a couple weeks. I'm 22 and completely freaked out by all the info I've been getting. In addition to the tonsillectomy, I'm also having a septoplasty (correcting a deviated septum), sinus surgery and turbinate resection. Needless to say, I'm less than excited about all this stuff. Lots of you have had an adult tonsillectomy, anybody have more that one of these surgeries together? Just looking for some advice on healing time or little tricks you may have picked up along the way? wink

Well, unfortunately I can't help you there, sorry ;o( I only had a tonsillectomy (thank god) Are you having all this done at once? If you need to go under anasthetic for all of them, I think its good that you have them done at the same time and only going under once ;o) You'll have to let us know how it goes....;o) good luck!

I'm 24 and going for a tosillectomy on April 5th. Doc says it will be 10 days of horrible pain. I'm dreading it but I'm sure it will beat the frequent sore throats and disgusting cryptic debris.

OH DEAR GOD! A week ago I had my tonsills out here in Hamburg, Germany. To anyone overseas thinking about doing it... GO HOME TO THE USA!!! They kept me in the hospital for a week... and this is the best part... The only painkiller I have recieved has been Advil... not advil with codine or anything fun like that... just plain old advil! The pain is sill horrible. If I get through this, I'll at least know never to trust any foreign medical system!!!!

I just had my tonsils taken out a week and a half ago expecting to experience the worst pain ever known to mankind (as I had been warned). I am 34 and had been warned by almost everyone that the pain was excruciating. But it wasn't that bad at all! I have had worse bouts of tonsillitis pain than the pain from this operation-and believe me i don't like pain. I took my painkillers for the first 5 days 3 times a day, and then once a day after that. After a week I didn't need the painkillers.

When I was a senior in high school (sort of adults??), my sister and I both had our tonsils taken out at the same time. I can remember my parents and all the doctors saying 'Oh, we'll give you all the ice cream you can eat after the surgery'. The pain when I tried to swollow was so severe, I did not want to eat or swallow ANYTHING, not even ice cream. The pain lasted for about a week.

Apparently, both of us had tonsils that had gotten so big that after the surgery they had to rig up some bizarre cotton ball-with-a-string-attatched to it type of contraption. The string went in the nose and then down and out the mouth. The cotton balls (right after the surgery, when we were in our room recovering) were saturated in blood, which caused my mom to pass out when she first saw us...LOL! I guess this was to keep us from losing any more blood than we had to. The day after the surgery, they removed this odd contraption. To do so they had to clip the string and pull the cotton balls out through the nose (they started out in the back of the throat). The sensation was very nauseating...it caused my sister to throw up blood!

Anyway, I'm guessing that my threshold for pain was worse in high school...but it was one of the most painful things I can remember.

[ April 12, 2005, 09:51 AM: Message edited by: CHIathlete ]

I had the tonsils out and the sinus surgery

Get plenty of rest and have lots of good drugs on hand--you'll need them

and you won't be able to sleep flat--get one of those big pillows that prop you upright

I had deviated septum, Uvula reduction and Tonsils removed on March 25, 2005. The surgery was for snoring/sleep apnea. All on that front is great. I am having a terrible time eating, has anyone else had this trouble, and how long before I can eat a steak, or a Wendy's Burger. I gag on everything unless it has sauce, or is REAL liquidy. The other thing, everything tastes either bland or worse than bland. I can smell food just fine. Don't know if this is from the general anesthetic or what. Thanks for the replys. J.P.

[ April 19, 2005, 09:18 AM: Message edited by: J.P. ]

Guess more of us had this done than I thought. My surgeon said cutting the uvula was the most painful thing he ever performed, so I guess our tonsillectomy is only the 2nd most painful Honestly, it wasnt as bad as everyone had said. So to those still waiting to have it done, dont get too freaked out by it. It will be a good week and a half at least before youre remotely close to feeling better. But Ive felt worse from the flu and rocky mountain fever than I did from the tonsillectomy.

Hi there, I am 49 year old and had a tonsillectomy, sinus surgery and septoplasty done on April 7th, 2005. I was in the hospital overnite. Surgery went well and was on doses of moraphine while in the hospital. Pain wasn't too bad. I went home on the Friday with percocets for pain and antibiotics in case of infection. The first few days were very uncomfortable and painfull. I lived on my pain killers and water for 4 - 5 days. After the 5th - 6th day I started to feel a bit better and could get some soup down me. I was off work a total of 12 days and needed it. I am back to work now feeling much better. My throat and nose are still a bit uncomfortable but not too bad at all and am eating solids. Pretty well back to normal. The surgery was well worth it. Not snoring at all and breathing much better.

Hi guys, just wanted to say that these all provide very good information about the procedure! Thanks
I just have one question, i am 24 year old male, and i dont get tonsillitis at all, but i do get those nasty little stink balls in the pits and can not take it anymore!! Some are quite large, others fairly small.. i just cant keep up with them, seems like there's always some in there. I have thought ALOT about getting my tonsils out (they say that is the only perminent solution for this). I am not scared to have them out, i am actually very willing to go under and go through the pain, i dont care anymore lol. Just wanted to know if a doctor will submit me just for that, or if i actually need sore throats and so on? Also any temporary solutions for me, to rid of these terrible curds haha. I tried a waterpik today and almost took my tonsils off myself hahaha not the best idea.. anyways, thanks to anyone that can help =) take care!