Tess in the Burbs Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I have called the on call Dr already. Dd had surgery this morning. At her release she said she felt about 3 on a scale of 10 for pain and was comfortable with going home that way. She's taking tylenol/hydrocodone every 4 hours. It did not make her drowsy or tired OR help her pain in any way this afternoon. She did nap an hour but at the end of the med range...so it didn't make her tired, we had just had a long day! Her pain is now a 9 she said. Dr on call said to add ibuprofen in super small liquid(baby dosage) amount even though multiple people told us no to ibuprofen at the surgery center. Ugh. I hate when Drs in the same practice aren't on the same page. I agreed and she had a tiny amount and does feel better. I had to force her to swallow some soft food to take the next tylenol med mix. The on call Dr also upped that amount by 2 ml for her weight. He knows she is 11 but based on weight she can have the upper amount so I did. She can barely swallow. It's an ordeal watching her try. Popsicles haven't helped. Nor ice. I have done everything the dr said. I have done everything the on call dr said...even though the first dr had said no to some of it. What else works for pain for this type of recovery??? Just hoping someone has some trick we don't know. I do plan on getting her up overnight to keep the tylenol mix going, but she needs to eat something first...and right now that just isn't happening. any ideas? thank you! It scares me that day 3-5 are the worst. I can't imagine getting worse right now.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaVT Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I had my tonsils out as an adult - the first night was by far the worst. I felt like I couldn't breathe unless I was sipping on water. Felt like my throat was closing off. How about some broth to drink? Can she get that down ok? By day 2, I was up and about and feeling a lot better than that first night and by day 3, I went out to dinner with a school group (I only ate mashed potatoes, but I felt ok to go). Hope she feels better soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I'm so sorry, Tess. I know you've tried popsicles I'd try the pedialyte ones simply because the electrolytes in there. It's hit and miss if you can find them around here though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Poor kid and poor mama. I hope she feels better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 my dd also had terrible pain from her nasal surgery...and the surgical center said no ibuprofen. We finally went in to see the doctor after 2 days and he okayed it. Made a *world* of difference and she was fine and back on her feet in less than 48hrs after that. I understand the no ibuprofen rule, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. BTW, she took regular adult strength Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I'm sorry, I don't know what to suggest, except to say that after 24 hours she'll be a LOT better. I'm not sure what you mean by days 3-5 being the worst. My daughter was in absolutely horrible pain that first 24 hours. I just stayed next to her in bed nearly the whole time, being there to comfort her every time she woke up screaming in pain. By the next day, she was SO much better, and her pain only improved daily after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSmomof2 Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I'm so sorry for you and dd. It is a tough recovery. My ds had his out about 2 yrs ago. His worst pain was in the first couple days after surgery, but it took him a full two weeks to really get feeling better. He lost 12 pounds during his recovery, and he's skinny to begin with. We did get the ok to use Advil between the prescription pain meds. He didn't really feel like eating much at all, since he said it hurt too much and everything tasted weird. He pretty much lived on milkshakes from McDonald's for two weeks. These first few nights, definitely wake her to take her pain meds. Our dr was more concerned that ds was getting enough fluids than eating. Keep trying popcicles, or at least water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 I'm sure you're doing this, but it doesn't hurt to say again. Make sure you're keeping up with pain meds. Set a timer rather than wait till she asks for some. It's much harder to get a hold of pain vs keeping it at bay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 My son had his surgery this spring. Our surgeon, at a major children's hospital, alternated tylenol and Ibuprofen from the start. In fact, he had ibuprofen just before discharge. They said the tyleonol/ibuprofen did better than hydrocodone for pain without the constipation and rare other side effects. There are sheets online with dosing for tylenol/ibuprofen post tonsillectomy. The ibuprofen seemed to help my son a lot more than the tylenol. I woke up at night to keep those alternating every 4 hours (or whatever it was) around the clock. My son did get worse later, but he had a more extensive surgery than normal, and was having reflux issues (I think maybe because I was letting him drink chocolate pediasure/I didn't know he was refluxing until the last day of his recovery). He had drinks, including that pediasure and similar stuff, as his sole calories for a while. It took two weeks for him to be able to eat normally. Putting a cool mist humidifier in his room at night helped. His roughest night was before I figured that out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 Thank you for the advice. I'm waking her every 4 hours tonight. She was doing Popsicle OK but it was a struggle. OK we will alternate ibuprofen, glad to hear others are doing that. I don't think she was ready mentally for this pain. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splash Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 My 12 yr old dd took 10-15mls of hydrocodone-acetanub 7.5mg/325mg per 15ml every four hours for first few days. She also gargled with Magic Mouth wash which is a Lido/Antacid/diphen 1:1:1 mixture every four hours for pain. It was pretty miserable for about a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Time is the only thing that helps with tonsils. It's a painful recovery. She should be feeling much better in 48 hours or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaVT Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 How is she feeling today? Hopefully a bit better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 She's been sleeping all day. She had 2 bites of applesauce and 1/8 cup of pudding and went back to bed. Worried about dehydration. Going to call Dr again if she doesn't eat soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hypatia. Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 OK, this blog was for toddlers recovering, but it was definitely eye-opening and I'm glad I read it before DS had his out. He had a miserable recovery, even with setting an alarm and keeping up with the pain meds. We did end up alternating with ibuprofen too, kid was miserable. I agree with the others, it really just takes time. (And do be prepared for the roadkill-breath that hits around day 4-5, I don't remember when. Yeesh.) http://typeamama.blogspot.com/2008/05/recovery-for-toddler-tonsillectomy.html If nothing else, reading through the comments is helpful for seeing the wide range of normal for recovery. I wish his doctor had read it, because he giving the impression that after a day or two, DS would be much improved. I hope she feels better soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 thank you for the link! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 ds had tonsills, adenoids and part of his palate removed two years ago. The surgery center gave us detailed sheet of what he'd experience each day. It was pretty accurate too. I think they had that handout so, parents wouldn't call constantly about symptoms when everything was "normal". I'm sorry I don't have that sheet anymore. There was one warning that I remember I think it was day 6. It went something like "your child will start to smell likes he's decaying" because around that time the scabs in the throat start to slough off. The smell was bad too. If the notes had not warned me I definitely would have been calling. Ds was prescribed a painkiller. We tried it the second day (which was way worse than the first day) and he threw it up. So, ds had only tylenol. The prescription painkiller was in the news a month after ds's surgery with some notice that it could not be prescribed to children who had had tonsilectomies anymore. ds could not eat for 3 days. He did have popsicles and tiny, tiny, tiny sips of liquids. I think ds could not eat more than mashed potatoes and jello for 2 weeks. I was worried because his surgery was slightly more than 2 weeks before Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Hopefully you can get her to drink something or have jello water or other fluids. That is much more important that any eating. Hydration will really help the healing process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted November 7, 2014 Author Share Posted November 7, 2014 OK Dr called in zofran and wow!!!! She has eaten pudding, applesauce, and popcickes all afternoon. She napped 6 hours before so I was glad to have her eating. Now her tummy itches all over so we may drop the good pain meds and just do plain Tylenol. I am just happy she got something down today. My info sheet is lacking....I have called twice. Opted not to bother with the itching thing....legally I can't get another prescription w/o the actual paper in this state. It would be tomorrow. So if we go to plain Tylenol and the itching stops I have my answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Teeny tiny ginger ale ice cubes helped me at age 12. Little square ones, you can get a tray on amazon I think. It sounds like a normal amount of pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Tess, did the zofran work to help stomach upset due to pain meds, or just stomach upset in general? I'm trying to get a handle on this because my college-age dd may get this done sometime in the future. I hope your dd continues to feel better. :grouphug: eta: I had this operation at 13. Terrible pain and missed 2 weeks of school, but I have been so much healthier ever since then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 I hope she continues to get better! I had them out when I was nine, and it was miserable. I missed seven days straight of school and ended up back in the hospital for a night because I started throwing up blood. I remember the pain being so fierce that I couldn't eat or drink anything, and I lost several pounds. I know we had a bottle of chloraseptic throat numbing spray, and I used that liberally because it was the only thing that took any edge off the pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted November 7, 2014 Author Share Posted November 7, 2014 Tess, did the zofran work to help stomach upset due to pain meds, or just stomach upset in general? I'm trying to get a handle on this because my college-age dd may get this done sometime in the future. I hope your dd continues to feel better. :grouphug: eta: I had this operation at 13. Terrible pain and missed 2 weeks of school, but I have been so much healthier ever since then. The hydrocodone/Tylenol made her nauseated. The zofran helped her be able to eat. I highly recommend asking for it just in case!! It has been a different day after she got it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Why does my brain insist on telling me that your daughter had her *toenails* out? Ugh. I sure hope your dd finds relief soon! Sounds absolutely miserable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Tess, hydrocodone makes me projectile vomit. Just thought you might want to know that exciting bit of trivia about me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 I needed anti-inflammatories and warm, not cold, food. Mostly I managed on miso soup until I was able to chew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 Now that it was mentioned. Hydrocodone was the drug ds vomitted (immediately). And in Jan 2013 (ds surgery was Dec 2012), FDA started advising against prescribing it to patients 12 and under who had had this surgery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted November 8, 2014 Author Share Posted November 8, 2014 Interesting. She feels better today....I'll try to just give Tylenol. I hadn't heard that about this medicine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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