I am just about fully recovered except for one issue, but ironically this issue seems to be causing me the most trouble out of my entire recovery. Here is an entry I just posted to steadyhealth.com which explains my dilemma.
I had a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy done on November 11, 2009. I am now on three weeks and three days recovery and my throat looks like it’s almost fully recovered. There is only one issue remaining which I’ll explain below.
My problem is that I still have this feeling in the back of my throat that is not going away. It almost feels like there is a piece of food, or piece of hair, on either side of my throat where my tonsils were. It is very uncomfortable and I have gagged and thrown up from it multiple times already. When I go to sleep at night my throat is so dry and I wake up with white stuff on the spots where my tonsils were removed. I would think at this point that my scabs should be gone. As I go through the day and eat, the white stuff goes away, but the uncomfortable feeling remains in the back of my throat. I don’t feel it when I am breathing and only feel it when I swallow. When I go to sleep the white stuff comes back, and I do it all over again the next day. I am wondering whether I have scar tissue where my tonsils were removed which this dead tissue would act as though something were caught in the back of my throat. I am worried that this feeling will never go away.
I am hoping that someone else out there has, or is, going through the same experience I am going through, and has some information they can provide me as I am losing hope at this point. I really hope that I don’t have to go through the rest of my life with this feeling as I just can’t deal with it. I went to see my doctor two days again for my three week post-op follow-up and he said to give it another 2-3 weeks and the feeling should go away. We shall see.
I had a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy done on November 11, 2009. I am now on three weeks and three days recovery and my throat looks like it’s almost fully recovered. There is only one issue remaining which I’ll explain below.
My problem is that I still have this feeling in the back of my throat that is not going away. It almost feels like there is a piece of food, or piece of hair, on either side of my throat where my tonsils were. It is very uncomfortable and I have gagged and thrown up from it multiple times already. When I go to sleep at night my throat is so dry and I wake up with white stuff on the spots where my tonsils were removed. I would think at this point that my scabs should be gone. As I go through the day and eat, the white stuff goes away, but the uncomfortable feeling remains in the back of my throat. I don’t feel it when I am breathing and only feel it when I swallow. When I go to sleep the white stuff comes back, and I do it all over again the next day. I am wondering whether I have scar tissue where my tonsils were removed which this dead tissue would act as though something were caught in the back of my throat. I am worried that this feeling will never go away.
I am hoping that someone else out there has, or is, going through the same experience I am going through, and has some information they can provide me as I am losing hope at this point. I really hope that I don’t have to go through the rest of my life with this feeling as I just can’t deal with it. I went to see my doctor two days again for my three week post-op follow-up and he said to give it another 2-3 weeks and the feeling should go away. We shall see.
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I have been experiencing the same thing with the gag reflex. I had my tonsillectomy on October 1, 2009 and 5 weeks after, I felt this weird feeling one day that felt like a whole was in my throat collecting food, or that something was left hanging as a result of my tonsillectomy. I talked to my ENT about it (who did the surgery) and he said he’s never heard of the gag relfex being irritated after uch surgery, but to give it another 4 weeks and see what happens. I’m still waiting and it hasn’t gone away, in fact, I feel as though it’s gotten worse.
I told my husband I want the Dr. to knock me back out and fix this problem, cause I too, come home evry day after work and throw up pieces (not particles) of my previous meals from that day. Sometimes, it’s just a bile, that leaves a nasty burning taste (almost acidic), and sometimes it gets aggravated when I talk to much without stopping, or not drinking enough fluids throughout the day, but it can’t be water.
It’s really weird, but if you hear anything, please let me know…cause I, like you, can’t live like this!
Have a good night,
Jennie
Jennie,
I actually have felt and am still feeling some of the same feelings that you’ve described in your response to my post.
Around three to five weeks after my surgery I felt an uncomfortable feeling in two locations. The first being the sides of my throat where my tonsils were actually removed. The second being in the top-back of my throat which I am now blaming on my uvula touching the back of my tongue. I did a lot of reading of forums online and have come to the conclusion (mind you I have not spoken with my ENT) that the discomfort from the sides of my throat are from scar tissue. It has actually gotten a little better, but I can still feel some discomfort in certain situations. The sides are much better than they were though.
An issue that remains, which sounds similar to yours, is my uvula. Before my tonsillectomy I had one tonsil larger than the other, and with the way the ENT cut my tonsils out I now have a non-symmetrical shape in the back of my throat. What I mean by this is that my uvula does not sit in the center of the back of my throat but rather far off to one side. This has resulted in my uvula being closer to my tongue on one side, and coincidentally that is the side where I feel like there is always food caught. I am doing so much better than I was a few weeks back, and I am thankful for that, but I have to admit that this is very annoying.
You had commented on vomiting after work each day and I am very sorry to hear that. I wanted to comment on what you wrote about aggravating your throat by talking too much without stopping or by not drinking enough fluids. Shortly after my surgery I also had that same feeling if I talked a lot. My throat would become very dry, as it does each night I am asleep. I try to drink load and loads of water/fluids in order to remain properly hydrated. I can say, with confidence, that this the best thing for me and my throat and has helped me out more than anything else thus far. I actually drink a 1/2 gallon of water at work and another 1/4 to 1/2 gallon at home before I go to sleep. I also keep water by my bedside all night and drink when needed. My throat is much more dry now without my tonsils than it ever was when I had my tonsils so I am trying my best to stay very hydrated. This might not be the best solution, but it is something that helps.
I wish you the best and hope that the uncomfortable feelings you have subside. Feel free to vent or make any additional comments you have as it’s good to speak with someone else who knows what I am going through.
Best regards,
Stephen