From: mhosea@seas.smu.edu (Mike Hosea)
Subject: Re: Tonsilectomy ..
Summary: Mine
Keywords: Seeking info ..
Organization: SMU School Of Engineering and Applied Science
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 07:01:49 GMT

In article <1992Nov10.215715.10472@uc.msc.edu> jwabik@uc.msc.edu (Jeff Wabik) writes:
>If you can, please provide some commentary on the following:
>
>1)  Did you have your tonsils removed as an adult?  If so, can you
>    describe your recovery period/etc, and anything else about the
>    procedure that stands out?  How long was it before you could 
>    eat again?  What kind of "pain killers" did you use?  Were
>    they effective?

I had my tonsils out at the age of 22 or so.  Compared to the chronic
tonsillitis and occasional strept throat infections it wasn't bad at
all.  I did it as an outpatient--went in early in the morning and was
released in the middle of the afternoon.  I went under general anesthesia--
sodium pentathol (sp?) and mixed narcotics.  Next thing I know it was over.
It was late in the evening before I had slept off the drugs.  I still can't
believe this, but I actually ate some pizza that night.  Of course, I had
to chew it until it was a smooth paste!  :-).  Swallowing hurt for the
better part of a week, and I developed one of those annoying mouth sores
of the common variety in the back of my throat.  I was fully recovered in
about a week.  Percodan worked fine to take the edge of the pain of      
swallowing, but stock up on popsicles--they help the most.

>	  last?  What is it like to "come out of" the effect?

You feel very sleepy.  It feels good to go to sleep.  When you have
finally rid your body of the drugs, you will probably feel a bit
over-rested.  

>
>       B) How in the world do they manage to cut those babies out
>	  of there?  How do they get down into your throat to 
>	  actually get to the point where they can sever 'em?
>	  What do they sever them with?

There are a few different ways.  One way I know of is by using a device
with a thin "slip" wire that forms a loop at the end of a handle.  They
grab on to the tonsil with something, pull it through the loop, and then
pull the wire to make the loop disappear (and your tonsils connection 
to your throat with it).  

>
>       C) How do they manage to keep your mouth open for the procedure?

Probably by wedging something between your top and bottom molars.  I'm 
speculating now so I'll skip forward to something I know about.  

>       F) How soon can I eat again?  They say I wont be able to eat 
>	  for 3 days -- does this mean, "it will mess up the 'wound'", 
>	  or, "its okay to eat if you can stand the pain, but, trust 
>	  us, you can't stand the pain."

The pain will keep you from doing anything really stupid, and you will
learn to chew well.  It sounds as if your being fed (no pun intended) a worst 
case senario.  I think my surgeon even encouraged me to eat.  If memory serves,
he told me that it would take longer to heal if I didn't eat.  I ate from day 
one and it healed very quickly.  The thing you have to worry about is bleeding.
If the wounds start to bleed at the slightest provocation, you may have to 
wait some time before going back to solid food.  This has to be where the 3 
day figure is coming from--three days is about how long it should take before 
sufficient healing should have taken place to make excessive bleeding a 
remote possibility.  Even if you don't eat you will have to pay attention to
the wounds to see if there is excessive bleeding.  After all, you can't
avoid swallowing for 3 days! 

>       G) How "risky" is this procedure?  People have told me that
>	  there are potentially serious complications for adults.. ?

As surgery goes it is not very risky, but you could die.  Of course,
a DC10 might crash into your car on the way to work tomorrow.  I took
the risk and have never regretted it (of course, I lived).  I used to
get stay-in-bed-and-take-my-antibiotics sick 2-3 times a year before
they came out.  In the last six years since they came out I have been
sick only a few times, and never with more than minor throat infection.

It's a good excuse to take a week off from work, maybe two, but 
if my experience is any indication, don't expect to be incapacitated 
for more than a few days.
-- 
Regards,
Mike Hosea (mhosea@seas.smu.edu)