Adenoids and nose surgery recovery and food?

[Mickey'snewestfan]

My DS14 is having his adenoids removed and his turbinates "reduced" on Tuesday. We were supposed to get a phone call from the nurse with instructions last week, but it got pushed back to Monday. Which is a problem, because I'd like to go grocery shopping tomorrow for next week and I don't know what to buy.

Should I have a houseful of ice cream? Or will he want things like soup, or will he be able to handle other things?

Also, if you've had either or both of these surgeries, what was recovery time like. My family moved it's thanksgiving dinner to Sunday, in hopes that he'll feel up to

 

[kirstenb1]

When dd was 5, she had tonsils/adenoids/ear tubes. After the first day, she was asking for simple foods. The third day, she was back to eating regular foods.

 

[disfan07]

When I had my tonsils and adenoids out when I was 12 ice cream and milkshakes made things worse. I later found out that dairy products are not good to have post op. I don't remember why but I know with me I ended up aspirating the ice cream into my lungs because it was too thick to swallow post op.

We stuck with Popsicles ( no red or purple), cold chicken broth (nothing warm), gatorade (again no red or purple), juice.

Nothing acidic or warm for at least a few days post op.

I know that the older you are, the more difficult a tonsillectomy recovery is. I don't know if it's the same with adenoids since I had other done at the same time. I just know that it took me about a week to recover enough to go back to school for half days and 2 weeks before I could handle a full day back at school.

 

[taterheads]

Tonsils and adenoids out when I was 16 years old. Absolutely positively make sure you have a humidifier running 24/ 7 until he is completely healed!!! Popsicles are the best and jello- COLD is best because it helps with swelling and nothing creamy as it coats and makes it even harder to swallow. It took me about 2 weeks to heal because I just wanted to sleep through the pain! I got dried out because I slept a lot and breathed through my mouth- you have no choice. Because of that my tonsils burst and started bleeding at 10 days (when I was told they'd be healed by) when I started crying because I was out of pain killers and I was in pain- the drier you are the more pain. I had to go to the er and have them chemical cauterized. Please, please, please don't let your child dry out! Most of these things don't normally happen, they did to me because I didn't know to not do what I did. I hope his procedure goes well and he heals quickly.

 

[minnie mum]

Tonsillectomies in older children and adults can be hell on wheels. Seems like the older the patient, the harder the recovery.

But since the Adenoids and turbinates are more to do with the nose and less with the throat, you shouldn't see the same degree of eating problems.

The immediate post op period (the first 24 hrs), the main problem is with pain on swallowing and, more importantly, nausea and vomiting. The nausea comes from both the anesthetic and from the blood that is invariably swallowed by the patient. We always used to warn parents: what goes down WILL come back up. The human stomach does not handle fresh blood at all well.

Keep him on clear fluids for the first day. Popsicles are good- the cold is just like a cold compress for the throat, and they get a bit of fluid from it. If he wants some clear broth, let him have it- but served just warm, not hot. No hot beverages. Try to encourage him to have small frequent sips of water, apple juice or flat gingerale or sprite. NO STRAWS!!!! You don't want the negative suction that straws create.

After the first day he can have whatever he wants to eat, provided the nausea has settled. The doctor may recommend that he stick with a soft diet for a few days. So you can then bring on the ice cream, if that's what he wants.

 

[DLgal]

My son had his adenoid out over the summer. He didn't have any pain after the day of the surgery. The first day, he threw up in the car on the way home, so be prepared for that! He had some Popsicles and for dinner, scrambled eggs and pancakes. The only eating restriction he had was no sharp foods like tortilla chips, for two weeks. Straws were fine and he drank a lot of smoothies. Truly, though, the adenoid is so high up it doesn't interfere with eating. You probably don't need any special foods other than the same kinds of things he tends to want when he's sick. You know, comfort food type stuff and something bland at least for the first day.

 

[JusbKoz]

A best friend just went through adenoid and tonsil removal. No straws. No spicy foods, no red dye.
1. Broths for the first time eating
2. Soups such as chicken and stars or soups easy to swallow there after
3. She then moved up to heavier soups such as minestrone
4. Here is her go to foods now. Mash potatoes , mash bananas, oatmeal, pudding, non red dye jello, and Mac and cheeses.
5. Could eat ice cream just no acidic or red dye foods.

Hope this helps and good luck!

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

My daughter (12 years old) just had her tonsils and adenoids removed as well as a septoplasty done on Thursday. So far ice cream seems to be the only thing she is wanting to eat.

The nurse said ice cream, pudding and jello for the first few days as well as juice (avoid orange and other citrus types) water and soda (avoid coke). After a few days she recommended switching to foods such as scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes and mac and cheese that have been allowed to cool a bit. She said my daughter would let us know when she was ready to advance her diet.

Her surgeon told me to expect a bad first 2 weeks with both sore throat and head ache due to doing both surgeries at the same time. For pain medication they gave my daughter lortab and told me to make sure she takes it every 6 hours but my kid doesn't want anything to do with it (it has a bitter taste and totally knocks her out for hours) so I have been giving her OTC liquid Tylenol instead. She hasn't complained of a headache but the sore throat is really bad and she is still having a hard time swallowing anything.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Thanks everyone! To be clear, he's not having his tonsils out. My understanding is that tonsils are a much bigger problem for eating, because they are lower in the throat.

Has anyone had their turbinates reduced? My pediatrician said the adenoids are the "worse" part, but the ENT made it sound like maybe the packing they put in the noise is the worst. Apparently there are 2 ways of doing the surgery. Cauterization, which doesn't require packing but isn't a permanent fix, and using a microdebrider which does require packing, but is more permanent. He's having the latter.

His ENT says he can go back to school in 3 days, but obviously he won't since there's no school that day (Fri after Thanksgiving). He said he could go back to contact sports in a week. I'm hoping that's true.

 

[SandiH]

My son was 17 when he had this exact surgery. He slept the first day but was fine after that. He had surgery on Friday, went to school Monday. It caught up to him a bit by that next Friday and stayed he home. No real issues with recovery at all. I don't remember what he ate. He didn't even really take the pain meds but he doesn't feel pain the same way I do. He did take Advil. He was given a mucous catcher to wear under his nose but he didn't need that either.

I would think a few days resting, he'll be great by Sunday.

I hope surgery goes well.

 

[bokolo]

My son had adenoids removed and ear tubes when he was 8. The doctor said he would need to miss 2-3 days of school. He had the surgery on a Thursday morning. We were home by that afternoon and he was completely fine...no pain, very minimal discomfort (if any--can't remember since this was 4 years ago). He was begging to go to school on Friday because he was "bored" of taking it easy (he stayed home to follow doctor's orders). Hopefully, your child will be the same! As far as food, we were told to keep the diet mild for the first day due to the anesthesia. He felt fine eating anything and did not have any pain in the throat area that was aggravated by any foods.

My 2 other children had tonsils and adenoids removed. They were 3 and 5 years old for their surgeries and both did really well. I have heard that the recovery is "easier" the younger they are. They did eat all the soft foods that others have mentioned and avoided "sharp foods---chips, etc. for 2 weeks. All 3 did really well with their surgeries and have had nothing but positive results.