Getting your Tonsils out as an adult

[numnum]

Hello

I've just found out I'm getting my tonsils out in a couple of weeks time and just wondered what my day will be like from going into hospital in the morning, my stay overnight then leaving the next day?

This might be a random question but I just wondered if you get a catheter in? I hope not.

Thanks

[Buenchico]

I can't think of any reason why a catheter would be needed. Reading 'Surgery', here, might help:
http://www.nhs.uk/Con.../Pages/Treatment.aspx

Chris

[numnum]

Also, what is it like to speak afterwards or are you in that much pain you don't talk for a few days?

[Sqad]

Having your tonsils out as an adult,is indeed a bigger deal than having them out as a child.
The operation may be technically marginally more difficult than for a child but the post operative recovery is more prolonged and more painful.

It there are no complications, you should be in hospital for 2 days.

You will arrive in the hospital starved from the night before, you will be checked by the Anaesthetist and when it is your turn, you will be taken on a trolley to the theatre.
An oxygen mask may well be put over your face, whilst the anaesthetist gives you an injection into your arm and within 8 secs you will be asleep.

Main problem after the operation and for the next 7days will be difficulty in swallowing and earache. To minimise these, eat solid foods and not just soft food.

No bladder catheter should be necessary.

Good luck

[carmalee]

numnum I had my tonsils out when I was in my thirties - the op is a doddle and no worries but it is painful for a while afterwards - rather like an extremely bad ulcerated throat. However pain relief is usually to hand if necessary and what I found helped was inisting I could only eat my favourite foods puree'd. I hate ice cream btw which is what I was offered ad nauseum. You'll soon feel so much better with them out which will improve your general health too.

[carmalee]

ps..... a catheter was never mentioned.

[numnum]

i asked the lady at my pre-op appointment whats worse - a section, forcep/ventouse delivery or tonsils out. she said i'd have to wait and see

has anyone here had their tonsils out that can compare it to either??? i thought the section was fine but the forcep delivery was awful

[karenmac60]

My ex had his out in his late 20s. He wasn't even in hospital overnight. He went in the day before and had some routine tests done, then was sent home with instructions not to eat after midnight, went back the next morning and was out by night-time. He was only off work for a few days and said his throat was pretty sore, but not as bad as when he had tonsilitis (which he would get every few months). He never got a catheter. Oh, and he had to eat crisps before they let him home.

[carlton23]

And dry toast.

[numnum]

whats it like getting put to sleep? i'm slightly worried about that

[jb190281]

I had a gorgeous anesthetist when i had my tonsils out, think george clooney in his ER days...made it all worthwhile!

[boxtops]

Numnum, if you have a pre-med before you go to theatre you will be dopy and getting put out is not unpleasant, they ask you to count backwards and you are gone before you get to about 5....

[numnum]

jb190281 fingers crossed i get the same luck as you!! hehe

[jb190281]

fingers crossed!

In all seriousness, I didnt find it too painful in the days and weeks after the op. My doc told me that compared to the problems Id had previously (abscess after abscess), it'd be nothing. Best of luck to you xx

[numnum]

thanks for all your advice

[xstitcher]

I don't know if you do but don't worry if you do. They don't put it in when you can feel it and it doesn't hurt taking it out. You will have a sore throat for a while so have lots of easy to eat stuff at home.....baby porridge, smooth soups, jello, ice cream etc

[ilovemarkb]

they made my two year old eat nice crispy cornflakes b4 he could leave the hosp!

[Sqad]

ilovemarkb.........that is excellent management of post tonsillectomy care, the eating of jelly and ice cream only is total nonsense........in my opinion.

[jb190281]

oh yes, I had to eat dry cornflakes and dry toast! and they made damn sure I could eat a 'proper' meal at lunch time, not jelly!

[bushbaby_de]

I had mine out in my mid twenties. I had to fast the night before. I asked for the same pre-meds they give to the children since I was so nervous. I was practically out of it when I left the ward. I felt pretty bad when I came round and needed morphine for the pain. I also had a pessary painkiller but certainly no catheter. I only stayed in over night but had a bad reaction to the anesthetic and had frozen muscles for a couple of days. I was off work for 14 days and it just felt like bad tonsillitis but I didn't eat or drink a whole lot during that time.

[numnum]

they're out. i didn't find it that bad

apparently i had quite a bad nose bleed whilst asleep, nothing to do with the tonsils coming out. my tounge swole up and took over a week to calm down and i had a fat lip which is still numb but the swelling has gone down

i was sick the evening i got them out but that was purely due to hunger. I'd fasted the day before and I never got my supper till 10.20pm that night (after ringing my buzzer from 7pm wondering when supper was. apparently it was 9pm). i then ate 7 slices of toast no problem but apart from that i was fine .

my main problem now with my recovery is low blood pressure think it was either 57/41 or 67/41 so i've been feeling like i'm walking about like a drunk person!!!!

the hospital sent me home with paracetamol and ibruprophen which my doctor change for cocodamol and diclofenic and also gave me a mouthwash. i found the change in painkillers made all the difference to my pain relief