I recently had my tonsils and adenoids removed and would like to start running soon. I am in college, so the recovery period is supposed to be 10-14 days, but I'd like to start in 7.
Does anyone have experience with this? What are the possible dangers of running too early? What should I look out for?
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possible dangers is a yeast infection. apply a large dose of vagasil and get out the door the next day
it wouldn't hurt to try and test it out on day 7. if you feel uncomfortable, then stop and wait the full recovery period.
HAd similar experience.
7-10 days minimum. If you dislodge the clot, you will know it because the back of your mouth will feel and taste like it is covered in blood (which it will be).
Depending on how bad it is, you might have to go to the emergency room, and have them cuaterize it all over again. Not so fun if you a conscious....have a hot wire shoved into the back of your throat while you are awake.
another 7 days will not hurt you...
How long did you wait before starting running? Did it start bleeding right away or did it take a few miles?
running hopeful wrote:
How long did you wait before starting running? Did it start bleeding right away or did it take a few miles?
My doctor said 3 weeks with no aerobic exercise. I had mine out 2 weeks ago, but I scheduled the surgery on my normal break from running. I think the reason is, as someone said, to prevent bleeding. I know someone who bled and had to have their throat cauterized. They said it was worse than the surgery.
I could see how aerobic exercise could be bad, but I asked my doctor and he said if I felt up to it in a week I could go. I am a little hesitant because of the dangers, but maybe doing the elliptical would be alright since that is less aerobic. I also may just stick with WiiFit, I've already done that a couple of times even though it isn't much.
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Any doctors with knowledge/experience on the subject?
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I'm 18. Had mine out at the beginning of the summer, took exactly one week off and then started running again. It wasn't comfortable, but I didn't start bleeding or anything like that. After 2-2.5 weeks it's barely noticable.
I did nothing until I got off of the codine after 7 days...then tried some easy walking. Doctor told me to wait for the scabs to disappear because otherwise I could bleed pretty bad. It took almost 4 weeks. The good news was that I still had a pretty good track season when all was done in August. The doc said I was an extreme case though since I did not have much body fat around my tonsils so my neck wall (and blood supply) were right next to my tonsils.
Listen to your doc and wait until the scabs are gone. It is not worth the risk.
Yup, been there, done that. My doc recommended two weeks off running. I took the day after the tonsillectomy off and then went for an easy three miler the next day. There were no problems so the next day I went five miles. I gradually built up to a solid ten miler a week later. I did an intense track workout two weeks to the day after surgery. No problems to report.
I am 35yo and had it done in Dec 08. My advice would be to taper off your pain meds and start running only when you are just about ready to stop taking the pain meds.
My surgery was no problem and I thought I was healing well since I was able to eat shaved protein from day 1 and I was planning on start running on day 7.
However, on day six I started bleeding. I thought the best way to stop it was to drink ice cold gatorade, but I guess I ended up drinking too much blood with it and I vomited blood all over my car on the way to the ER at 1am.
Fortunately, they put me out prior to sewing me up.
1) Do not take any addition pain meds besides the one that your doc prescribes. (No advil or aspirin)
2) Do not gargle with salt water
3) Ensure Pudding is the best tolerable food to eat post surgery
4) Stay away from dairy and ice cream (they cause mucous buildup)
5) Drink lots of fluids unless you are bleeding. Don't drink your blood.
6) Make sure you are eating lots of fruits with lots of water content once you are ready to eat again because the pain meds could leave you constipated for several weeks even if your throat is healed.
I had my tonsils removed when I was 5. I waited until I was 16 before I started running.
As for running too early, I don't think there are any laws as to when you can run. I like running in the afternoon, but I guess running before dawn is ok. You just can't see as much as when you run during the day. I would look out for moving cars and big dogs when I am running.
I had my tonsils out in college ... two weeks not running is nothing compared to the time you will spend feeling like crap while your immune system adjusts. I didn't ever feel bad after having them out...unless I encountered someone with the sniffles and then I developed debilitating and gnarly sinus infections. This pattern of serious sinus infections persisted for about 1.5 years until my immune system recovered sufficiently for me to fight off the germy college environment. Take care to stay well rested and live an immune system-friendly life!
I was supposed to have my adnoids and maybe my tonsils taken out a few years back but didn't have it done for some reason. I've thought back recently and wondered if this was a bad decision. I'm a decent runner but have often wondered if the surgery may have helped my breathing and allowed me to be better. Anyone with experience have any thoughts?
Obviously OP has figured out his perfect wait time these 7 years later, but for anyone who is looking at this post in context, my mom is a board certified ENT and removed my tonsils this past month. I am 20 yo and run cross country in college. In 2015 almost all ENT's are using sonic wave technology to remove tonsils instead of scalpels or lasers, which result in longer and more painful recovery. Mom told me walking anytime was fine as long as I was monitored, but that was solely because of the pain medication. One week after surgery she said it would be fine to pick up a light jog so long as I didn't feel my throat getting sore or my sinuses swelling up, because of the freshly removed adenoids. It was uncomfortable, but only because breathing dried my throat out. In general, get your throat moist, don't push yourself too hard, and start very slow. I was back to 13 miles in 2 weeks. But if you bust your scabs, you will wish you sat your butt down. Mom said the most important thing was keeping scabs wet while you ran so they wouldn't be strained against the throat but would stretch to allow real movement. Also, try level ground without any inclines because the bouncing will make you want to die.