Tips For Quick Tonsillectomy Surgery Recovery
1. Drink!
2. Drink!
3. Drink! A steady flow of cool liquid is probably the single most important thing within your control.
4. Don't Sleep. For the first week, sleep was my worst enemy. While I lay, mouth agape, my throat dried out and punished me every time. Set an alarm for 1/2 hour intervals to allow regular hydration
5. Get a good humidifier and run that thing. This also helps for strep throat or tonsillitis.
6. Keep a written log of your medications as you take them. It's easy to forget what you've taken and when. If, God forbid, you would have problems that require help from the doctor, it can come in handy. (The ER DOC was impressed but failed to offer me a full time position)
7. Read about others' experiences and share your own. (Check out the tonsillectomy surgery forum)
8. Stock up on items you'll need ahead of time.
9. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer! (Netflix 3 at a time-unlimited. nuff said!)
10. Don't try to come back too fast. The pizza will still be there in another week, and my 17 year old son will shovel for you. (They're always more polite around strangers!)
11. Chew gum. When pain gets referred to the ears, and it often does, chewing a sugarless gum can ease the ear pain. It also keeps the swallowing process active, which many believe aids in recovery.
12. Many people get depressed at the end of their tonsillectomy surgery recovery. My feeling is that being on a narcotic painkiller for 5 to 10, then weaning off, has a chemically depressing effect. This pretty normal and, in my experience, only lasts a few days.
