Tonsillectomy in my 50s advice please.

Thank you. I'm dreading it but fingers crossed.

I had mine out mid 30s and I was totally unprepared for it. It was about 40 yrs ago so maybe things have improved since. I had no voice for a week and I could hardly eat. I also had awful bad breath. Please talk to your consultant so you are prepared as to what to expect.

I had mine out when I was 59 and yes, I was advised to eat rough food to clear the wound area. It was very painful afterwards but having lots of ice to suck helped. I hope it goes well for you OP.

No personal experience to share I'm afraid but I did have a work colleague some years ago who had her tonsils removed in her 40’s IIRC.

I would follow the instructions you are given very carefully as there is, as you've correctly identified, a risk of severe bleeding afterwards. My colleague told me that after the op, if she opened her mouth wide to look at her throat she could see what looked like dark threads hanging down at the back. She asked her doctor what these were (thinking possibly stitches that would dissolve) and he said those were the blood vessels that had been tied off. So obviously care has to be taken until those heal properly. My colleague was off work for several weeks, not due to pain but because she was told she must avoid infection.
Hope all goes well for you

I had mine out aged 4 or 5. Lots of ice cream for weeks, but also frozen jelly which is very nice! Never had a problem with throat infections since, unlike a friend who had repeated bouts of tonsillitis until she finally got them out aged about 16 after getting and infection during serious exams.

I was in my twenties when I had mine out. I was put in with the children. All boys I think. Po in middle of floor. One kicked it over so pee everywhere.
Given tomato. Agony. Ice cream. Lovely.
Got home to find baby and toddler refused my husbands cooking.
Husband started new job next day so I had to cope!

My sister was told to drink plenty, she drinks nothing but cooled boiled water anyway, the warm liquid was soothing, she was also given some medication to gargle with.

Funnily enough, sfter I had mine out at age 6, the nursing home said that I could eat whatever I wanted, I requested toast and marmalade, still my comfort food!

I had mine out when I was 9. I recall eating lots of jelly and ice cream. I had a sore throat for a few days and some bleeding but nothing much.
The child in the bed next to me bled a lot, a nurse sat with him for quite a long time.

I have also heard the myth(?) that rough food like cornflakes was given after tonsillectomy to help healing. But common sense surely tells us this has to be utter rubbish.
If there's no ice cream available ask your visitors to bring some in, it can;t do any harm .... can it?
The nurses will know you're at risk of bleeding, they will be taking extra care about that, and you're a big girl now so keep reminding them and tell everyone how frightened you are, people in hospitals are basically kind and caring.

Modern pain control is adequate for post operative pain. If it's still too sore tell the charge nurse .

Where is Agnurse? She usually talks sense.

Totty, friction with rough or irritant foods does not help a wound to heal. Quite the opposite.

Totty, nowadays patients are consulted as to what they want to eat and have done to them in other ways. An adult in her right mind can refuse or request anything they like and do not have to do as they are told.

The wound heals with plenty of protein and vitamin C specifically .Ice cream is made with whole milk , is rich in protein, and it's easy to add vitamin C from bland sources

I have had mine out twice!! Once at five and then again at seventeen. They obviously didn’t do it properly the first time! Sore for a couple of days. Not the same scenario as you Ninja an18 but it was worth it the second time anyway .

I had mine removed at 21 and remember crying into a bowl of cornflakes the next morning and a visitor bringing me salt and vinegar crisps!! I wondered where the ice cream was that kids used to get after tonsillectomy!! But apparently adults need rough foods to aid recovery of the op site. I did have stitches which were uncomfy, but recovered quickly after about 3 days of feeling unwell and uncomfortable. Good luck making your decision and hope you go on well.

When I was a nurse a century ago children who had tonsillectomies were fed a lot of ice cream as the cold helped to stop bleeding and ice cream is nice to eat. I expect the same applies to a fifty tear old today.

My Mum had hers out in middle age and was warned it was a biggish op to undergo. It was and very painful afterwards. One of the benefits (about 1969) was that having had to give up smoking pre-op, she never smoked again.

It is painful afterwards, but the benefits are ten fold! A very reassuring post from Lady Gracie - that good to
' hear' .

Thank you so much for replying. That has made me feel a bit better. Did she find anything in particular helped in the recovery period?

Thank you. 😃

Can you ask to speak to a specialist nurse about recovery?
Tell her you are anxious.

My sisters had her tonsils out at 73, she dreaded it but was amazed how quickly she recovered after the initial expected pain and soreness.

I hadn’t given it much thought, but I still have my tonsils and my appendix at 71…..
Never had a problem with either, but now I’m aware that it can cause problems in later life…😬

My husband had one removed in March. I'm sorry to say that he found it very painful, partly because he was sent home with just paracetamol. When we went back to see the consultant he called the surgeon in and gave him a real telling off. Apparently ge should have been sent home with morphine, insist that your husband is given proper analgesia.