Tonsil Removal & My Tonsillectomy Recovery Diary

"This post may contain affiliate links. Check my disclosure policy for more information"

So I hadn’t actually suffered from tonsillitis prior to having children – I know pregnancy can be a massive strain on women’s bodies and I know for sure that’s where it all began…. I used to be very rarely ill! Although I got alot of sore throats when I was little but I never got tonsillitis.

Tonsil surgery recovery

Since giving birth the first time in 2011 it was clear I no longer had the immune system I used to and unfortunately the slightest bit of stress or when I got run down it caused, almost immediately, enlarged tonsils!  

I started writing this blog post as I lay at home recovering from what I hope will be my last dealings with as far as my throat or at least tonsils are concerned having had them removed last Thursday!

Can adults Get Tonsilitus?

Errrr yep .. adults CAN get tonsillitis & don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! I feel it’s becoming more and more common too due to the stresses and strains of modern life. I used to feel terrible. Really terrible! I was out of it for days and lost probably at least half a stone each time I got it due to one minute would be sweating cobs; the next a shivering wreck!

I got tonsil infections & tonsillitis 5 times in 5 months… I was even poorly for my 30th birthday and I was pretty gutted!

The pattern seemed to be that I would start getting the early symptoms of tonsillitis on my last day of work from a busy crazy hectic week meaning I ended up suffering all weekend missing out on things and not being able to spend time with the kids and do things as a family.

Sign of Tonsillitis

A lot of people think tonsillitis is ‘just a sore throat’ we’ll aside from what feels like you have swallowed knives for a week, the swollen tonsils that can even cause you to not be able to swallow properly. Other signs of tonsillitis included white spots on tonsils & as I’ve already touched on the swollen glands.

My glands grew probably 5 times bigger than they were meant to be in fact when I went for my initial consultation, expecting a battle as they don’t take them out for fun, he said my glands look to be now permanently swollen with or without the infection being present which clearly wasn’t right and welcomed me with open arms to get them out!

It is virtually impossible to swallow anything when you have severe tonsillitis; even tablets! Besides the pain, other tonsillitis symptoms included aches, pains, fever and sleepless nights were probably the worse (hubby told me numerous times that I wasn’t the best person to share a bed with whilst I had it put it that way!)

Tonsillectomy pain

All that being said… THIS recovery is SUPER painful!

I had never struggled with my ears when I’ve had tonsillitis before but this op has made me have the worst pain in my ears! Apparantly its normal so don’t worry if you get it too!

It is also a massive struggle to swallow the horse-sized tablets they have given me! They advised me to break them up but they are really sharp… didn’t think that one through did they!? They’ve given me soluble tablets too but they are so awful they make me bork…. they have to be the most disgusting tablets ever made!

Even though my tonsillectomy recovery is really painful, I just keep reminding myself of the fact I have no fever and I have no aches or pains that usually go with tonsillitis. My ear pain does seem to be making up for it but it could be worse!

I think it would be able to cope if it was just my throat, I don’t really feel much pain in that until I talk, move, eat or swallow but absolutely nothing is taking the pain away in my ears that’s making my whole jaw ache!

What to eat after a tonsillectomy?

I was really anxious and worried about what I could eat after my tonsillectomy. I knew it was going to be painful. I had heard they force food down you… they don’t but they don’t give you an alternative – they push you right in at the deep end so to speak!

I was sooooo looking forward to my dinner on Thursday night but I couldn’t bloody well eat it … I was gutted! This was breakfast and it was this meal I realised that infact toast would surprisingly become my best friend.

I don’t quite know why… I thought it would be the last thing I would think of making myself but it’s really soothing. The scrambled egg was amazing too!

Diary Of a Tonsillectomy recovery in adults day by day

Saturday…

A couple of days post op now and feel a little more comfortable eating and less scared to eat than I did. Last night I had scrambled egg and mashed carrots/swede which was gooood! Today I actually managed some McDonald’s fries and a burger which again I wasn’t looking forward to but Alex said the salt might actually help – it was nice having something bland but with a slight bit of taste.

We all know I’m not 100% though because NO ONE had ketchup today… I am obsessed with ketchup normally but no way am I trying any of that yet so because I didn’t have any no one else wanted any either! Don’t think I’ve ever ate chips with no tomato sauce before!!!  The beans on my baked potato on Thursday night wasn’t the best thing to eat so I don’t think I’ll be rushing to try them again either just yet.

It’s odd because although I liked the ice cream I’m not that keen on cold/room temp stuff. Warm/hot stuff I like… and find very soothing. My breakfast was awesome this morning warm milk and weetabix 🙂 and I had bowl when I went to bed last night too to allow me to take my ibuprofen with some food.

It’s Sunday…

3 days post op and I have woken up struggling again! I could really do with jumping in a nice hot shower but oh yea we have no shower after a leak we had a week ago that we are waiting to dry out ??  I don’t fancy tipping my head up and over the bath just yet …

Tonsillitus medicine

I took some co codamol that I had kept in the cupboard after I was prescribed it in labour with Harper and am going to continue with that today in place or the paracetamol…. this ear pain is sooo bad right now I am actually holding a hot water bottle to my head 🙁

The kids are being really good with me they aren’t being so good with Alex mind ? but they understand I’m poorly and helped me attempt to empty the dishwasher today ?

I managed a bath today too and it did feel goood… so refreshing but I hate baths compared to showers.. I feel like I’m getting bathed in my own muck ?

Tuesday….

I have to say today seemed to be my hardest one however only in the morning oddly enough… I’m still really struggling to get up as I always wake with the worse ear pain ever! I’m ok to get up to the kids in the night early on but the later in the night it gets the harder it is – don’t really understand why but there’s no way that I could yet get up and get ready for work/school etc – Alex is still getting up with the kids so it’s a very good job he’s on lates this week and he’s here because I would really struggle – he brings me up a hot water bottle when he gets up too ?

Wednesday…

Nearly a week after the op and although this morning was still hard it got easier quicker if that makes sense. I’ve decided to stop with the cocodamol now and just stick with the ibuprofen – it wasn’t clearing up my ear pain in any event to be fair so I didn’t feel it necessary. My throats still sore but it no longer feels as sore down the sides as it did before; it seems to be now just that dangly thing in the middle of my throat (sorry I’m no doctor!) that still feels swollen and hurts when I eat. I’m looking forward to feeling a bit better this afternoon again though if yesterday’s anything to go by.. once I’ve had my lunch (although I still feel very sore) I feel a little bit more normal ??

One week post op…

…and today is feeling odd! I haven’t taken anymore pain killers – i don’t feel they touch or really stop anything hurting the only thing that does is the not talking/eating – the cocodamol didn’t even get rid of my ear ache only the heat from a hot water bottle. Still suffering with that but it’s certainly not as bad as it was. Mornings are still bad but I was able to get up earlier this morning and even went to bed without one last night! Throat is still hurting but it feels more like a sore throat now – I mean it did before but like a really REALLY bad one; like someone had ripped out my tonsils with a knife…. oh wait yea that’s exactly what happened!!!! ..but it really is easing now.

I still can’t eat citric foods like tomatoes sauce and orange juice but blackcurrant I’m getting used to and gravy is a nice alternative to sauce which I had with some corned beef, mash potato, carrot and swede tonight (& last night!).

Tonsillectomy scabs

When I said it feels odd today it almost feels like they are starting to scab or certainly heal.. I have twice today had it feel like a scap is falling off.. it wasnt very nice! I’m feeling funny tastes today too like a bit acidy – a bit like there’s blood there but I’m not bleeding.  Tonsil scabs I think it is… they’re just coming off and I can taste the fresh skin. Sounds gross I know but I’d much rather tell you everything because I could not have been prepared for this even though it was described as a ‘planned attack’ I didn’t really have a clue… I’m just thankful I’m not poorly with it and having true tonsilitus symptoms – not eating was fine because not only couldn’t I eat but I didn’t want to eat as my whole body suffered…. right now my stomach is wondering why it isn’t getting fed!!!!

Friday..

…and I woke today feeling ok!? Just ok still not right and still sore with ear ache (not half as bad as it has been mind!) but I can actually say today I feel OK! I felt more of the scabbing coming away last night which isn’t the nicest feeling or taste but I suppose it’s good and means they’re healing. I actually managed some dinner today too (chicken nuggets!) that wasn’t actually that painful …. yey go me!! I’ve taken no more pain killers for a couple of days… I’m not one to pop pills as such (& certainly not illegal ones!) but I don’t like just taking them for the sake of taking them – I don’t want my body to become immune to the pain relief when there maybe a time that it actually needs it.

My grandma tells me to keep taking them (I haven’t told her I’ve stopped!) ? but I feel I can manage this, what just feels like a sore throat now. Today’s the only day I’ve felt like I can see light at the end of the tunnel!!!

I am now 2 week and 2 days post op and I think I can safely say I am 99% ‘fixed’! I still wake with a ‘stuffy’ right ear (that’s the only way I can describe it – it’s not achy anymore but feels like it’s just a bit blocked) and my mouth/throats feels weird but not sore/swollen weird I think it’s genuinely because I no longer have these big permanently massive glands residing in my throat that it just feels different. My righthand side was always the worse too so I am not surprised that side is taking longer to heal; when I wake in a morning my throat still feels dry and the right a little sore but after a drink it’s right as rain (it’s probably because I’m still sleeping with my mouth open ALL night!)

After tonsillectomy…

I remember the doctor asking at my initial consultant appointment if I snored (I don’t Alex tells me – dunno if he’s just being nice but I’m pretty sure I he would tell me if I did!) so I reckon the dryness of my throat is to do with my sleeping pattern and getting used to the fact I can probably breath a lot better on a night; it’s just getting used to the change I think.

I’m back to eating crap now haha with no pain and everything pretty much tastes as it should too ??

I really feel for anyone who has/had tonsilitus, I don’t think anyone who HASN’T had it truly understands how painful and awful it is – a week ago I was regretting having them taken out; even saying to Alex at one point that I can’t see this healing full stop let alone in a week (tonsillectomy recovery time they say is two weeks) but it’s all done and dusted now and exactly two weeks on I’m just about fit and healthy… if you have a chance to get them out do it!

I do hope this helps.. if anyone has any questions about the op, how I coped with tonsillitus, or the recovery of the tonsillectomy just ask!

Thanks for reading & feel free to pin to read again later!

SaveSaveSaveSave