Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Recovery Time?

All,
I'm going in for surgery next week. Doc is going to remove my tonsils, trim my palate and do something to my tongue(?) I've been diagnosed with sleep apnea and I refuse to wear one of those C -pap air pumps so this surgery is in order. I plan on going on a two week moose hunt 10-12 days later. Doc says I should wait at least 14 days before any strenuous activity. Does anyone know what the recovery time is for something like this? I sure hated scheduling it this late in the game but the med insurance kept hem-hawing around with the Doc. Comments or advice appreciated! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

MtnHtr

Mtn Hunter,

Most of recent moose hunts have only taken a short time to recover from. But in my younger carousing, drinking days, it used to take at least two weeks, like the Doctor said. And he doen't even know me.

Is the hunt you are going on a guided hunt? How strenuous do you have to be on the hunt? Will there be other buddies along to do the heavy totin' and haulin' if you pull the tricker on one? Lot's of variables. Hope you make the right choice. And if you don't go, can I take your place?

Oh $hit, man. I had that done last summer. They removed my tonsils, most of my palate, and did some renovations in my sinusus. Most people think removing the tonsils is a minor thing because for a child, it is. Not so for Adults.



You are in for a tough ride. That is the most painful recovery. My entire head felt like it was in a vice for a month. I was on some heavy pain meds for quite a while. You won't feel like $hit for four weeks. Then as you heal, scabs break loose and you bleed like a stuck pig. I could eat nothing but liquids, jello, or ice cream for six weeks. And I lost weight on a steady diet of Blue Bell. There is no friggin' way I could have gone hunting two weeks after that surgery. That's about the time I started bleeding and went into the ER twice to get it stoped. You don't just put a bandage on the inside of your throat, man. You best get a refund or a rain check on that hunt. That's the bad news.



The good news is; I feel 20 years younger now that I can sleep. My blood presure is going down, I have some enegry now, and my general quality of life is greatly improved. I had no idea what was wrong with me prior to being diagnosed with sever sleep apnea. I thought I was having heart problems. I woke up from a nap once feeling like I was dying. Really, I thought I was having heart failure. I had stoped breathing during my sleep. Talk about scaring the chit out of you. I went through six months of testing. They ran CAT scans, they did every kind of blood test, they put radio active crap in my veins and ran me through a MRI. They checked for anurisims, they shot my azz full of testostrone, Finally they had me go in for a sleep study. That showed I was not going into REM sleep and I stoped breathing for as long as 90 seconds at a time.



I tired that C-pap device for about six weeks and that made things worse. I could not sleep at all, or even rest, with that thing. It keept me awake blowing air into my belly or leaking air from around the mask into my eyes. I reached the point of fatuge and depression that I was becoming sucidial. I went through some dark times last year.



Don't put your surgery off, get it done. It's a bitch but it is a hell of alot better than what you are going through now. After it was all said and done, I am dam glad I went through it. I complained to my Doctor about my symptoms for six years and he blamed it on stress. I am dam glad I finally changed Doctors and got it diagonosed and corrected. I could just kick my first MD is the nuts for not taking me seriously when I keept telling him something was wrong with me.



Sorry to paint a bleak picture for you. But you best take care of yourself and re-schedule that hunt.



added thoughts; I no longer snore, I dream now, and I can whistle for the first time in my life. I had a concern about what the sugery might do to my trumpet playing. The Doc asked me if I would rather breath or play trumpet? But it turns out that my tone is better now that I have a more open airway.

PDS,

Thats not the reply I was hoping for! The Doc says a two week recovery time is needed. He said I would be sore but should be able to hunt. Problem is he's not a hunter so I'm not sure he understands my hunting situation. I asked him how I was going to feel afterwards and he said I would be on liquids for a few days and then soft foods for the remainder of the two weeks. "Avoid any crunchy foods for awhile" he added. He asked me if I could leave for my hunt after two complete weeks in which I replied well yea but I would like to be there around Oct 1 (peak of the rut) Doc also asked how far from the nearest hospital I would be from in case some bleeding started, however this was when I informed him I would be leaving 10 days after the surgery. He's not going to mess with my sinuses. On my palate, Doc says he's going to trim and tuck my palate, not remove most of it.



I was diagnosed with mild to moderate sleep apnea. Doc says to take care of it now before it becomes worse. I remember a co-worker had the procedure done by the same Doc, seems he was off work only a week or so. I'm hoping someone will chime in and post "It only took a couple weeks and I was back in commission!" <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> If not I think I'm going to re-schedule this surgery after Oct, me's gots some critter whacking to do! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> This moose tag cost me $1010 and I waited 7yrs to gain enough points to draw.



MtnHtr

Mtn Hunter,
Good luck to you. I had sinus surgery several years back and shortly after went on a hiking trip. Do yourself a big favor and take plenty of Vick's thrat spray because your throat is going to be raw as hell, and breathing hard will just make it worse. I imagine you could make it work provided you spend the first few days after the surgery doing nothing but resting and recovering.

That being said, I'm guessing that if you whack a monster you'll forget all about your surgery.

I have no suggestions as to recovery, but will second your motion to move the surgery back! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I did some research and found some info here:

http://www.doctorhoffman.com/xton.htm

I just got off the phone with the scheduling nurse and she had no problem with re-scheduling my surgery date for early Nov. The doctor was concerned with post -op bleeding while I was out in the boonies with no phone or ER nearby. I feel better now that I re-scheduled, I will continue wearing a mouthpiece called a Snor-ban in the meantime. This mouthpiece is similiar to the ones the football players wear, it seems to help as I'm always dreaming of bagging the big one! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Thanks to everyone for your support and advice.

MtnHtr

Good deal, let us know how the hunt goes, and keep us posted on your surgery. Kinda get the best of both worlds huh <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />



Did ya check out my post on my hunting report? Though you might be interested since you're after moose. That was a fun Day <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Glad you were able to re-schedule and I hope your hunt is sucsesful. Perhaps your recovery will not be as rough as mine was. I would not wish that pain and misery on anyone.

That's a better plan for sure. (Maybe not for your tent-mates though........ <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />)

JimF

Ahhh, that 'aint nothing! Heck, I went hunting less than 3 months after having a vasectomy! Man, if THAT had started bleeding, I don't think I would have gone to just any old hospital- no sirreeeee Bob!

At least my tentmates didn't have to worry about me snoring! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />- Sheister

Actually I don't snore too bad when I wear the snor ban mouthpiece except when I'm really tired. Its a drag wearing it and cleaning it but better than nothing at all. I feel it works some of the time but what if the manufactor goes out of business? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Most of the people including PDS who have had the sugery related it made a world of difference so thats why I am having the procedure done. I've had three specialists look down my hatch, they all agreed my tonsils are pretty large and should be removed due to my sleep study score. Sleep apnea is pretty common and missed by alot of physicians too.

MtnHtr

Mtn Hunter

Good to hear you got it rescheduled. Now you will have peace of mind and will no doubt get more enjoyment from your hunt. It's always hard to juggle these things and they never seem to be the same for any 2 people. That's why I refrained from replying earlier.

As to snoring. That made me remember when I was out with sone friends on a remote hunt and 2 of them were brothers and they slept in one tent and me and another friend slept in our own tent. After the second night the one brother asked if I snored and before I could reply my friend who was sharing the tent with me chimed in with; "God yes he snores and he farts like hell in his sleep too." That was so unexpected that we all just about hit the deck laughing. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Mtn Hunter, I would have rescheduled also, good move. Good luck on your hunt. Roger

I agree with the others. It is a painful surgery, but you feel 10 times better after its all over. I had terrible ear aches and sore throats all the time and I felt tired all the time. I would wake up at night gasping for air because I would stop breathing at night. The local doctor kept telling me that it was just a cold and kept giving the same medicine, and I was at the doctor's office just about once a month if not more. I finally got tired of that, and went to a specialist, and he looked at my throat and ears and said that my tonsils were very huge and they had to come out. I had the surgery back in January and the first three days were the hardest, after that it seemed all downhill. I would recommend drinking sprite and eat things such as chicken noodle soup and ice cream for the first week. I was unable to go hunting for a week because I had fever and all that, but I was able to start back deer hunting that second week. I know you are probrably dreading the pain, but it is well worth it because you will feel so much better and have tons more energy. Good luck on your hunt and I'll be praying for you.

Jonathan

Have you tried the mouth guard that thrusts your lower jaw forward slightly. This is said to stop snoring and apnea and could be of some help.

I've been wearing a device called a Snor-ban which does that (moves your jaw forward) some of the time. Problem is on some nights if I'm really tired my jaw relaxes too much and I snore while even wearing the device. I think to really gain the maximum benefit from this device, one should wear a chin strap also to hold the jaw shut. Thats one of the reasons I'm opting for the surgery, less hassles and devices in the future I hope! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Thanks again,
MtnHtr