by Julie Grantham-Lawrence

Created on: May 22, 2009

Im 21 and last week had my tonsils removed. I was scared but I had a good friend getting hers out at the same hospital, same day, same doctor, rooms adjoining and everything.

Post-op I woke up and felt like I couldn't breathe because I needed to cough and felt like the oxygen mask was choking me. (not true ofcourse but it felt like it). Everything was really blurry and I couldnt see very well for about half an hour to an hour, I was taken back to my room and was in and out of sleep for a couple of hours.

I was in alot of pain, but the hospital gave me endone and dissolvable panadol for the pain. I was in overnight and went home the next day with anti-biotics and panadiene forte. *Please note: You must take something that has a laxative effect if you are prescribed panadiene forte as the high codiene content will cause you major constipation.

Surgery was on Thursday, went home friday. On Saturday I was just walking into the kitchen, nothing strenuous and I got some mild bleeding that only lasted a couple of minutes. I was drinking lots of water and apple juice (I have found apple juice has a very soothing effect on my throat), eating soft foods such as jelly, ice cream, custard, porridge and mashed potato. On day 5 I managed some small chunks of chicken and day 6 I had a small bowl of butter chicken and rice.

Everything was going pretty well except for severe constipation, as I wasnt advised that the codiene would cause severe constipation. I took some Coloxyl on day 6 to help clear my bowels.

Day 7, I was trying to clear my bowels and straining a little bit. The next thing I know Im bleeding everywhere. I started bleeding around 10-10:30 in the morning, the blood was running down my throat so I was spitting, coughing and then eventually vomiting up blood and blood clots. I had to go to hospital via ambulance to the emergency department, I got into surgery sometime after 2pm.

After surgery where they put stitches in my throat to close the wound I was placed in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). Later that night I was advised I had lost about 35-40% of my blood. I needed to have a blood transfusion of about half a litre of blood, I was as pale as a sheet. They kept me in intensive care overnight, checked my blood levels in the morning and then moved me to a general ward as my levels had improved to a safe level.

They kept me in for another night for observation, my hand was severely bruised from where the catheter went in so I needed to have it removed as it was causing me too much pain. The hospital put me on just panadiene for pain and then expected me to eat things like steak, orange juice, chicken and bacon rissotto with a really nice tasting but very salty soup (which caused me coughing). I had to get them to get me apple juice, water, ice cream, jelly and mashed potato ( what I had asked for).

The ward was way too hot which caused my throat to dry out and be in intense pain, at about 4:30 in the morning I called the nurse and they finally gave me some endone for the pain. I didnt have anymore bleeding so they have let me go home.

Im now at home in my own bed trying to recover all over again. My main suggestion to anyone, is to take your medication on time every four hours, drink lots and lots of fluids and when you can eat soft foods that just slide down your throat.

Its very rare to haemorage, about one in a million. I heard so many success stories while in the ward of people recovering and being able to do things they had only dreamed of. Dont let my problems turn you away from having your tonsils removed, my friend who got hers done at the same time is doing brilliantly. I just thought I would share my experiences thus far.

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