These additional instructions are to help you enjoy a smooth and uneventful recovery. Feel free to ask your doctor or the nurses about any specific questions you have. If they give you any instructions that differ from these, please follow them.

Having your tonsils and/or adenoids out isn't easy! There are some common problems you could experience as a result of your procedure. You will have a significant amount of pain, especially the first week. To keep the pain under control you should take your pain medicines on a regular schedule. This pain can be a lot like a bad strep throat infection. During the second week, post operative pain normally begins to improve slowly with each passing day. By the end of the third week you should be just about back to normal.

It is possible to have ear pain. This can be caused by a phenomenon called 'referred' pain. Referred pain is where injury in one area causes pain in another. It's sometimes hard to tell exactly where the pain is coming from, because the areas are so close together. Tell your doctor if it persists for more than a week or if it's extremely severe.

Your uvula may swell up for 3 or 4 days after surgery. It can give you the feeling that there is something constantly in the back of your throat that needs to be swallowed. Don't be alarmed - this is normal! You may also have a low-grade fever for a few days. Notify your doctor if it persists or if it goes above 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bleeding can sometimes occur after leaving the hospital. This occurs in a small percentage of patients. The most likely time is the second week after the procedure. If this happens, do your best to stay calm and immediately go to the nearest Emergency Room. And, if you can, have a friend or family member notify the Emergency Room that you're on your way.

In general, you should restrict strenuous exercise for at least 2 weeks after surgery. Ask your doctor for more specifics on this.

Drink plenty of fluids. It is very important that you stay well hydrated. You may want to avoid citrus juices and fatty milk products during this first week. Juices that are sour can irritate the raw area where the tonsils used to be, and fatty milk products can leave a thick mucous in the back of the throat that is hard to swallow. You might also want to eliminate rough or spicy foods from your diet until the tonsil area is more fully healed.

It is not unusual to be constipated after this procedure. Increasing your fluid intake can help with this problem. Another benefit is that drinking lots of fluids helps to cleanse the back of the throat. Patients who get dehydrated tend to have more problems after surgery than those who stay on top of their fluid intake.

Take all the medications your doctor prescribes. Avoid products that contain aspirin because they interfere with blood clotting. You can gargle gently with warm salt water to cleanse the back of the throat after eating and to help remove any bad taste.