Tonsilectomy yesterday. Food??

witcherkar
witcherkar Posts: 138 Member
edited November 14 in Health and Weight Loss
Okay so i had a my tonsils removed yester for having chronic tonsilitis and strep all the time. So i take a lot of medications which i can only get down with pudding and yogurt.
Well i dont want to gain weight by only eating yogurt, pudding, cream soups, ice cream, popsicles, very creamy mashed potatoes etc. So what do i do? Im not used to eating so much sugar and i feel like im starving. But its even quite discomforting drinking water. I take ibuprofen then 3 hours later tylenol then 3 hours later ibuprofen and so on. So its 800 mg of ibuprofen and 1000 mg tylenol every 6 hours but spaces out. I also am taking hydrocodone every 4 hours. And its barely taking away the pain because thw doctor said my tonsils were severely infected.


Anyway back to my original question. How do i not gain weight while eating all this bad food?

Replies

  • Unknown
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  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    Oh and broth is good as well!
  • jonjaxmom
    jonjaxmom Posts: 77 Member
    Greek yogurt, baby food and chicken broth would be my choices. But really, remember this is a long haul. What you choose to eat for 2-3 days until you are feeling better isn't going to hurt more than maybe a pound or two, if that. Remember its all OK its just part of the process. Good luck!!
  • DietVanillaCoke
    DietVanillaCoke Posts: 259 Member
    When i had my wisdom teeth out i couldn't eat for about 11 days (they got infected and then i got dry socket) I ate mainly mash potato and gravy, soups (So many tasty soups), protein shakes, Salmon (If you cook it just right it's mushy and tasty!!!), mashed avocado, mashed bananas, loads of Greek yogurt mixed with apple sauce (which is sweet but low in cals). I lost about 4lbs over those 11 days as i stayed around 1400cals. I also made a curry with mashed beans. It was amazing.

    I'm hoping to have the same diet when i get my tonsils out in Feb. Watch the sodium though, that sometimes got me a few days towards the end as i couldn't eat anything salty for the first week as it just burnt.

    Hopefully that helps. Keep hydrated and focus on your recovery! You'll be back on track and feeling awesome in no time =D
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    I ate a ton of pureed vegetable soups when I had dental surgery.
  • rutzsa
    rutzsa Posts: 52 Member
    edited January 2017
    You shouldn't have anything that is above a warm food temp. It will pull off scabs and increase chance of bleeding. No hot soups, coffee, tea or hot chocolate.

    I make protein shakes with protein powder, greek yogurt, and milk, and add flavor items of choice( pumpkin, cinnamon, fruit, coffee, etc...) and blend with ice. You could also use Carnation Instant Breakfast if you don't have protein powder.
  • Joanna2012B
    Joanna2012B Posts: 1,448 Member
    Lots of great suggestions!! I vote for the shakes with greek yogurt and fruit. When I had my tonsils out the Dr nicked the back of my tongue and I developed an ulcer...it was too painful to even drink water. I thought the baby food idea was quite good as well. You can actually make your own by cooking decent food and pureeing it.
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    Cream soups - try pureed vegetable or bean soups with minimal cream
    Low sugar or no sugar added frozen treats, jello, pudding - or just count their calories and eat under your deficit
    Smoothies/pureed fruit
  • yayamom3
    yayamom3 Posts: 939 Member
    I had my tonsils removed when I was 32. I was so miserable that I pretty much subsisted on ice cream shakes for an entire month. I actually lost 10 pounds during my recovery.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    witcherkar wrote: »
    I take ibuprofen then 3 hours later tylenol then 3 hours later ibuprofen and so on. So its 800 mg of ibuprofen and 1000 mg tylenol every 6 hours but spaces out. I also am taking hydrocodone every 4 hours.

    You probably already know this but Hydrocodone contains acetaminophen (Tylenol). The max recommended dose of tylenol is 3000mg per day to avoid liver damage. If you're taking 3000mg in Tylenol, then taking Hydrocodone tablets (which contain usually 325mg Tylenol per tablet) every 4 hours, that's an additional couple thousand milligrams of Tylenol. Make sure your doctor is aware of that amount. Short term it might be ok, but likely not.

    Anyway doesn't answer your original question, just food for thought.
  • witcherkar
    witcherkar Posts: 138 Member
    Spliner1969 wrote: »
    witcherkar wrote: »
    I take ibuprofen then 3 hours later tylenol then 3 hours later ibuprofen and so on. So its 800 mg of ibuprofen and 1000 mg tylenol every 6 hours but spaces out. I also am taking hydrocodone every 4 hours.

    You probably already know this but Hydrocodone contains acetaminophen (Tylenol). The max recommended dose of tylenol is 3000mg per day to avoid liver damage. If you're taking 3000mg in Tylenol, then taking Hydrocodone tablets (which contain usually 325mg Tylenol per tablet) every 4 hours, that's an additional couple thousand milligrams of Tylenol. Make sure your doctor is aware of that amount. Short term it might be ok, but likely not.

    Anyway doesn't answer your original question, just food for thought.

    Yes sir im keeping track of how much tylenol im taking in. Thank you for caring.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Your main goal is to get better. You'll be back to normal in a few days. It's unlikely that you'll gain fat during your recovery time, but you might gain water weight from the healing process and effects on anesthesia. You can't control that, and it's not fat. Just eat reasonably and see where you're at in a few weeks.
  • whiplashy
    whiplashy Posts: 52 Member
    I had my tonsils out a few years ago. The best advice I got on food was from my surgeon. He said if I forced myself to eat toast the recovery time would be a lot less. I'm not going to lie, it wasn't pleasant but I had 1 slice at least twice a day and I was fully recovered within a week. The soft food option is very appealing but it makes recovery longer. As for putting on weight there are lower calorie options like home made smoothies, sugar free jelly etc. If you do put on a little it will come back off again when you're feeling better
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,192 Member
    Ask your doctor not the people in MFP or the internet. What is good and recommended for one person may not be the same for you. Most of the doctors recommend cold or room temp food, not hot or solids for at least a week. If your doctor or nurse didn't give you any guidance, then ask; if they did, just follow their instructions.
    Your main concern should be healing from the surgery, you can concentrate in your weight later on. Good luck and I hope that you feel better soon.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    witcherkar wrote: »
    Okay so i had a my tonsils removed yester for having chronic tonsilitis and strep all the time. So i take a lot of medications which i can only get down with pudding and yogurt.
    Well i dont want to gain weight by only eating yogurt, pudding, cream soups, ice cream, popsicles, very creamy mashed potatoes etc. So what do i do? Im not used to eating so much sugar and i feel like im starving. But its even quite discomforting drinking water. I take ibuprofen then 3 hours later tylenol then 3 hours later ibuprofen and so on. So its 800 mg of ibuprofen and 1000 mg tylenol every 6 hours but spaces out. I also am taking hydrocodone every 4 hours. And its barely taking away the pain because thw doctor said my tonsils were severely infected.


    Anyway back to my original question. How do i not gain weight while eating all this bad food?

    if you are taking hydrocodone you arent supposed to take ibuprofen or tylenol with it(depending on if they hydro has one or the other ingredient in it.and you are supposed to take the others every 4-6 hrs apart.
    Spliner1969 wrote: »
    witcherkar wrote: »
    I take ibuprofen then 3 hours later tylenol then 3 hours later ibuprofen and so on. So its 800 mg of ibuprofen and 1000 mg tylenol every 6 hours but spaces out. I also am taking hydrocodone every 4 hours.

    You probably already know this but Hydrocodone contains acetaminophen (Tylenol). The max recommended dose of tylenol is 3000mg per day to avoid liver damage. If you're taking 3000mg in Tylenol, then taking Hydrocodone tablets (which contain usually 325mg Tylenol per tablet) every 4 hours, that's an additional couple thousand milligrams of Tylenol. Make sure your doctor is aware of that amount. Short term it might be ok, but likely not.

    Anyway doesn't answer your original question, just food for thought.

    some hydros contain ibuprofen and some contain aspirin as well,but I agree she should not be taking both together. OP if you are taking ibuprofen and tylenol it should be spaced every 4-6 hrs apart. if you are in that much pain call your doctor and let them know how much of what you are taking and if you are in pain.as for gaining weight you want to try and get enough calories and nutrients to heal, so if you can eat,eat. your tonsils were infected(my daughter had the same issue you did and she had to have her tonsils and adenoids out),they took them out, the pain you are feeling is probably where they cut them out and then cauterized the area.call your dr. that is way too much medicine to be taking
  • runlikeagirl1985
    runlikeagirl1985 Posts: 178 Member
    To be honest I really don't think you should worry about it until your throat heals. When I had my tonsils out I ate all the soft things and didn't really gain any appreciable weight. I just made sure I slept a lot so that I could heal while resting. My tonsils were also severely infected so they gave me antibiotics and a pretty tough pain reliever so I was super drowsy anyway. But eat the soft things, make shakes with nutrition supplements if you're worried about nutrition (it is only about two weeks or so don't forget so it's not forever) and get a crap ton of rest!
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Why so many meds?
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,192 Member
    edited January 2017
    kbmnurse wrote: »
    Why so many meds?

    Because it is a painful surgery. Aren't you a nurse?
  • jagodfrey08
    jagodfrey08 Posts: 425 Member
    edited January 2017
    Sam's Choice (Walmart) makes an amazing chicken and beef bone broth that has 7g protein per cup and is 100 calories. Maybe sipping that could help? It comes in reduced sodium, which might go down easier.

    I second baby foods. While they aren't the greatest, they are low calorie and very soft. Sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots...and the fruits are pretty good.

    Maybe cream of wheat for a morning breakfast? It's pretty smoothe.

    Protein smoothie or a meal replacement shake for a few meals?

    It's really tough, but like others have said, focus on getting better for now. When you are well, then you can focus more on your weight?

    I hope you feel better soon!
  • pebble4321
    pebble4321 Posts: 1,132 Member
    Keep it simple - follow the advice from your medical team and eat anything that fits their advice and that you can tolerate for now. You will soon be eating normally again, this is just a blip, don't overthink it.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,647 Member
    Gisel2015 wrote: »
    kbmnurse wrote: »
    Why so many meds?

    Because it is a painful surgery. Aren't you a nurse?

    I'm sayin. It's a list of pain meds.
  • Mavrick_RN
    Mavrick_RN Posts: 439 Member
    edited January 2017
    Spliner1969 wrote: »
    witcherkar wrote: »
    I take ibuprofen then 3 hours later tylenol then 3 hours later ibuprofen and so on. So its 800 mg of ibuprofen and 1000 mg tylenol every 6 hours but spaces out. I also am taking hydrocodone every 4 hours.

    You probably already know this but Hydrocodone contains acetaminophen (Tylenol). The max recommended dose of tylenol is 3000mg per day to avoid liver damage. If you're taking 3000mg in Tylenol, then taking Hydrocodone tablets (which contain usually 325mg Tylenol per tablet) every 4 hours, that's an additional couple thousand milligrams of Tylenol. Make sure your doctor is aware of that amount. Short term it might be ok, but likely not.

    Anyway doesn't answer your original question, just food for thought.


    Actually hydrocodone does NOT contain any acetaminophen (Tylenol). Combination drugs like Vicodin or Norco contain both hydrocodone and acetaminophen. Vicodin generally has 500 mg of acetaminophen per tablet and Norco has 325 mg. If your doctor actually did prescribe just hydrocodone then it's just that. Read your label to be sure.

    Also recommended daily maximum for acetaminophen is 4000 mg, so 1000 mg every 6 hours is within that limit.

    10 days after tonsillectomy is the most common time for scab to fall off and cause significant bleeding. I have been called in more than once for a tonsil re-bleed in the middle of the night.

    Most of the time the pain is short lived, a few days. Some people find warm salt water gargles soothing. Call your doc for if you have questions.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    It's best to keep to your doctors recommendations. Cold creamy shakes (not blended with ice, but with ice cream for example) are best. Don't worry about the calories for now. Your body needs to heal and it's only a couple of weeks. Just log your foods to make sure that you are more or less maintaining weight (set MFP to maintenance) and don't worry too much if you go above occasionally, your body would do a better job healing when it has the calories for it.
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