<p>ENT recommended a tonsillectomy for my 10th grader and it’s scheduled for the end of next week so she can recuperate the following week which is her spring break. I’ve just done a little reading and it sounds like it’s a pretty easy recovery for kids, tough on adults and teens fall somewhere in between.</p>
<p>Has anyone been through this with a teen? Any and all suggestions are welcome to help us get through what sounds like a pretty painful post-surgery period.</p>
<p>Also, she’s the goalie on her varsity lax team and there’s one game 11 days post op (we’re planning on her needing to miss this one but everyone would be very happy if that turns out not to be the case) and another 15 days out which we’re thinking she’s likely to be able to make.</p>
<p>I would consider a 10th grader closer to an adult when it comes to recovery.</p>
<p>From what I’ve read and heard, the first few days are tolerable, but then around days 6-10, it gets pretty miserable. </p>
<p>One thing I’ve never gotten about pain management for tonsillectomies is why don’t they prescribe some sort of oral sublingual drops instead of having them swallow a pill? There are so many different ways to compound narcotic pain medications so that one doesn’t have to take them in pill form. Why don’t more doctors offer this? </p>
<p>The biggest issue is staying on top of the pain with judicious use of pain medications so that the person continues to eat and drink. </p>
<p>There’s another mom who doesn’t post much on CC anymore, whose daughter had this done around 20 years old and it was a most miserable experience. But I think they were all glad after it was done as it basically cured all the infections she’d been getting for so many years. </p>
<p>Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it could likely be pretty rough.</p>
<p>Did it at age 17. Not a pretty recovery. 10 plus days of being in bed made me weak and shaky for quite awhile after. Playing in a LAX game at 11 days might be pushing it. A lot. 15 days out might be doable, but don’t plan on her being 100 percent for 3 weeks or so. </p>
<p>I know of two people who had hemorrhages a week or so after surgery - me at age 18 and a friend’s daughter at age 16, so take the advice about possible complications for days 6-10 since it does seem possible. Hope you end up being lucky, but don’t count on it or push it.</p>
<p>DS#1 had his out at 19. All I can tell you is the stuff you read about how hard it is on adults is true. He was down for two weeks. Took the prescription pain meds for as long as he had them–in fact was kind of stretching them out toward the end to make them last a few more days. </p>
<p>I think your thoughts about the games are probably pretty good (missing one, making the second), but have you considered waiting until school’s out? DS had his surgery a few days after coming home from freshman year of college, and it was really really nice that he didn’t have any obligations during the first few weeks.</p>
<p>DD had her tonsils out at age 20, over her Christmas break sophomore year of college. First 5 days were miserable for her … and for me. Day 5 was the worst with marked improvement every day after that. This was the expected course according to her surgeon. DD was a new kid and was eating anything by Day 8, including chips and salsa.</p>
<p>DD took pain meds around the clock through Day 5 or 6. That’s what made it miserable for me, because I was up every 4 hours to give her meds, get food and drink, etc. Although they told her that she needed to eat and drink to help her recover faster, DD found this to be a real struggle.</p>
<p>I have one suggestion - get the prescription for the pain meds filled PRIOR to surgery. We weren’t given the Rx until we were leaving the surgical center, and DD was miserable while waiting for the pain med Rx to be filled. That was our only option because I couldn’t leave her at home by herself while I went for the Rx. Also, be sure to ice, ice, ice for the first 48 hours or so.</p>
<p>If you asked DD about the surgery and recovery, she would tell you that it was horrible, but that she is so glad she had it done. No more tonsillitis, very few colds, no more snoring.</p>
<p>DD had hers out about 2 years ago at age 21 and we did much the same as cincy girl. I set the alarm to do the pain meds every 4 hours for the first 5-6 days. Force liquids. I had gator aide, water, flavored water, anything she wanted. Problems arise when they don’t drink enough and the scabbing drys out. That is when hemorrhaging is most dangerous about 8-9 days out. Ice, ice, ice chips. We also got 2 of the cold packs that wrap around the neck so that she had the neck totally circled with ice packs. </p>
<p>They gave her a good dose of pain meds before we left the hospital so that I had time to fill the prescription. However, she never used all they gave her in the elixirs. One day about a week in she felt better without them than with and we slowly weened her off them. </p>
<p>It was 5-6 weeks before she could sing. Several more before strength and control started to return. But it was the best thing we ever did. She has hardly been sick since.</p>
<p>If at all possible, I would suggest waiting until after the LAX season, if not possible, do not plan on playing for at least a month or more when her scabs are gone. There is just too much risk for bleeding, especially in a physical sport like LAX.</p>
<p>Stay on top of the pain meds–she will say she feels fine but that is because she has pain meds in her system, keep giving them as prescribed. </p>
<p>Had mine out at 21. Post-op was scheduled for 10 days after surgery. I went at 7 because I had to get back to my college town and work. MISTAKE! The doctor cleared me, but in no way was I ready to go back. That LAX game 11 days after surgery? Don’t count on it.</p>
<p>Had mine out at age 29…bad choice! (actually I am glad now…but at the time…not so much!) Ended up hospitalized for three days as I needed the IV…lots of bleeding …swallowed blood=lots of vomitting, vomitting after tonsillectomy=lots of pain, vomitting=dehydration which increases the nausea…awful cycle.<br>
Strangely as bad as those first few days were…after less about a week I was fine!</p>
<p>This is a great idea for any procedure – especially if only one helper is available. Surgery centers let people go while they’re still stoned. You don’t want to have to take the patient with you into a pharmacy or leave the patient alone while you go to the pharmacy. </p>
<p>And yes, definitely ask for liquid medications if they’re available. Even chewables would be better than pills that have to be swallowed, if the medicines the doctor wants to use don’t come in liquid form.</p>
<p>Almost every medication out there can be compounded into a liquid form, ESPECIALLY pain medications. You might need to find a compounding pharmacy that does it, but even the Walgreens/CVSs, etc. might be able to compound narcotic pain medications. There are some that are truly sublingual… just a few drops under the tongue. Not even an elixir that you have to swallow.</p>
<p>I would definitely ask about getting the pain med in a liquid form (or compounding it.) The throat will be sore enough without having to worry about swallowing pills. Weirdly, days 1-2 are often easier than days 3-5 post-op. Stock up on Italian Ice and popsicles…they are not only soothing, but help with keeping hydrated.</p>
<p>Rent some movies or books-on-tape to pass the time. Although the recovery is a pain, the surgery is very effective and successful.</p>
<p>Wow, am I dreading this! (Although I’m sure not as much as my daughter.) Thanks for all the helpful tips but this is sobering.</p>
<p>Will definitely get the rx beforehand and ask that it be liquid. Based on paperwork I received in the mail, it appear the dr prescribes tylenol with codeine. Don’t know much about d’s pain threshhold as she’s not had much go wrong to date. Just hope it’s strong enough.</p>
<p>Will load up on her favorite drinks as noted above, popcicles, etc. Did you all stay away from dairy (i.e. ice cream)?</p>
<p>Also, I don’t think I’ve ever noticed ice packs for the neck–are such things made or will I just be piecing a few together…</p>
<p>D has been asking that we get netflix…I think the time has come.</p>
<p>Again, thanks for all the feedback and suggestions.</p>
<p>Dairy was too “sticky” and DD did not want something coating the the throat. Tried it and it was a quick reject. The ice pack around the throat was a long thin one I found in the drug store that you put in the freezer. Might not have been advertised for throat but it worked. It has a velcro closure. The hospital also sent us home with one that you filled with ice cubes and tied.</p>
<p>And on another note: Recovery for kids is not easy. S1 had his out at age 4 and S2 at age 3. Both were absolutely miserable for about three or four days. In fact, for S1, the only liquid I could get him to take was popsicles.</p>