Swelling/Problems after Tonsillectomy?
I just had surgery on Wednesday and I’m having trouble. I have some questions and cannot find the answers anywhere.
The first thing: my uvula (the dangly thing) is swollen and is huge and I’m having a hard time swallowing even water because of it and nobody can really understand me when I try to talk. How can I quickly reduce the swelling?
The second: I’ve found that I can eat jello, but I’m incredibly hungry because it’s the only thing that I can get down. Applesauce is still too thick because of the swollen uvula. I’ve tried swallowing buttered noodles, which do down nicely, but they get stuck in the holes where my tonsils once were, which is painful. Is this normal?
The third: When they start scabbing, will the scabbing coat the area where the tonsils left holes, or will the scabbing create a wall and eliminate the empty spaces? I ask only because of the problem addressed in question 2.
I can’t take my pain medicine because it makes me throw up if taken on an empty stomach, which feels even more terrible.
Thanks a lot.
I forgot to mention one thing: I am 18 years old and this is the first time that I have had surgery.
… and that he took my adenoids, too.
Tagged with: after • Swelling/Problems • tonsillectomy
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My
name is Lesli Paterson, and welcome to my blog. I created this blog to
help other people like me who are suffering with tonsil stones.
Sleep and lay down with upper body slightly raised. Ice chips or iced drinks help reduce swelling. ice cream or sherbet. No straws. Try to be not too active for the first week. Citrus/acidic juices may burn going down. Try Gatorade. Keeps your electrolytes more balanced while you’re unable to eat normally.
The holes will eventually lessen. The first 48 hours are the worst. There’s no scabbing. The holes will be slowly filled in with throat tissue.
Try instant pudding with extra milk to keep thin enough to swallow. If need be, put some in mouth, slowly tilt head back and let it begin to roll down throat, then swallow. Baby foods ae a good source of nutrition. Don’t heat too hot.
Once you get some baby food down you can take pain med.
Have a pleasant holiday and hope you heal fast.
-not much you can do about the uvula. its gonna stay swollen for about the first 4 days or so.
-YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HAVING THINGS LIKE NOODLES UNTIL DAY 3! this is what you should be having for the first 3 days:
-tons of cold water
-apple juice
-passion fruit juice
-peach juice
-gatoraid
-jello
-popsicles
-soup broth
after the first 3 days you can start having:
-mashed potatoes
-mac n cheese
-soup
-oatmeal
-apple sauce
-peas
-baked beans
-the scabs sort of grow into the spaces and thats when you start having a terrible taste in your mouth but you are not allowed to use mouth wash or brush back there cuz the scabs and smell are part of the healing process. the scabs have to fall off on their own to ensure that you are healing properly. they usually start coming off between day 8-12. and the scabs make your throat hurt worse just to warn you.
-i understand about the pain killers but you can’t stop taking them all together. take them at the times you are supposed to but just don’t take as much at one time. if your prescription says 3 tea spoons every 4-6 hours then take 2 tea spoons every 4-6 hours instead.
what you’ve described sounds like a perfectly normal healing process so far.