What to expect after tonsillectomy:

1) PAIN
Expect very significant pain, especially during the first week. This tends to peak at day 3-4 post-op. By the end of teh second post-operative week, it is usually more or less settled.

2) EAR PAIN
Nerves that supply your throat also supply the ear and the brain can be tricked into the perception of ear pain (referred pain).

3) SLOUGH and SWELLING IN THE OPERATED AREA
In the first week especially, the back of your mouth can look swollen and sloughy (whitish debris where the tonsils used to be). This is normal and does not mean there is infection.

What to do after tonsillectomy:

1) EAT
2) EAT
3) EAT. This is very important. The action of chewing and swallowing, help clean the tonsil beds and facilitates them healing quickly and without infection.
4) Take regular painkillers. Most patients are prescribed Voltarol 50mg 3 times/day and codeine/paracetamol (30mg/500mg) 2 tablets 4 times/day. This means 7 lots of painkiller per 24 hours. Space them out to keep on top of pain most of the time.

What to look out for after tonsillectomy:
1) Bleeding. Let me know via the hospital straight away (Alexandra: 0161 4283656)
2) Not coping with pain/finding painkillers inadequate. Contact me via the hospital, or my secretary. The concern is that this leads to not eating, which then leads to secondary infection, further bleeding and possibly bleeding.

More information can be found at:
http://www.entuk.org/patient_info/throat/tonsil_html