Adult tonisillectomy-how much pain

[carole321]

I am 65 years old.I have two reasons for wanting a tonsillectomy and probable uvulopalatopharyngoplasty....I have tonsiloliths (my primary reason) and mild sleep apenea for which I use c-pap sometimes, but I don't tolerate it well.
The ENT I saw said a tonsillectomy at my age would be extremely painful..."more painful then having a baby".  HIs talking about all the pain has got me scared.  Online discussion groups also talk of terrible pain the people have gone through, but I suspect these discussion boards are often used mostly by people who have had problems with the surgery.   I  am aware of the need to stay hydrated and take pain meds, but will this make it tolerable?  Can you tell me how this surgery is for the majority of people my age?
Thank you,   Carole321

[Vivek V Gurudutt, MD]

There is no question that tonsillectomies in adulthood can be painful...temporarily.  However, numerous tonsillectomies are performed on adults every year and if are indicated should be completed.  With adequate pain control and attention to hydration, a more manageable post-operative course is attainable. Best wishes.

[Sklndr]

I am 31 yrs old. I had my tonsils removed this past May. I had thought that since I had a high tolerance of pain, I would be fine. I wont sugar coat this, but it can be quite painful. Its not so much as of when you finally try to get some sleep and you wake up an hour later your mouth automatically opens up and it feels as if your throat was stuck together and it rips apart. That is the only pain that I actually felt. Sorry if that sounds horrible, not my intentions.

I just stuck with the diet they said, just one thing that they never told me. They tell you that you should suck on ice and popcicles and such. At the begining it was fine, but i ended up feeling more pain from cold things after a few days, so the warm things were better for me than the cold. I did use a cold pack on my throat though to help with the pain after waking up. I didnt get much sleep either during that time because of the fear of pain when i woke up.

I have percocet and it worked wonders.

Good luck though!

[Grlsniper]

Gotta be honest.  I had mine at 36 and it was the most painful thing I have ever experienced.  I had 2 natural childbirths and they were a breeze in comparison.  I do not recommend it electively and would recommend a second opinion before proceeding.  Demand lts of pain meds!  Sorry to be so negative but this it a very painful procedure later in life.