First, wanted to say thanks for all of the well wishes for surgery.
I have a couple of questions.
I work 12 hr shifts as an Labor and delivery RN. Although it doesn't sound like it this is often a high paced and streneous job. My OS said I should be able to return to work in 2 weeks. I know everyone is different, but does this sound realistic?
In posts I have read, you all say you can blend just about anything. However, I am a very picky eater and have issue with certain consistancies of food. My OS said average weightloss is 5-10lbs.
How much weight did those of you having upper and lower surgery loose?
Did any of you just drink a lot of protein shakes?
?'s about work and weightloss
Moderator: bbsadmin
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4beauty4symmetry
- Posts: 226
- Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 5:58 pm
- Location: boston
Most of what I know about recovery comes from reading accounts of people in this forum and in some of the yahoo ortho surgery forums.
Many people go back to work in two weeks, but I don't recall reading of anyone who comfortably resumed working a demanding 12 hour shifts. Perhaps you are someone with deep reserves. Your OS understands what your work is like?
Many people go back to work in two weeks, but I don't recall reading of anyone who comfortably resumed working a demanding 12 hour shifts. Perhaps you are someone with deep reserves. Your OS understands what your work is like?
Dec 2006--RPE followed by SARPE surgery
Jan 2007--Braces
Nov 2007 BSSO mandibular setback, genioplasty, and two implant anchors. Surgery-eve reprieve from Lefort.
May 2008--Debraced
Surgeries in Costa Rica, Orthodontics in Massachusetts.
All to fix an openbite, crossbite, underbite, and two missing bottom molars.
Jan 2007--Braces
Nov 2007 BSSO mandibular setback, genioplasty, and two implant anchors. Surgery-eve reprieve from Lefort.
May 2008--Debraced
Surgeries in Costa Rica, Orthodontics in Massachusetts.
All to fix an openbite, crossbite, underbite, and two missing bottom molars.
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Brandyleigh35
- Posts: 1018
- Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:25 pm
- Location: Alaska
- Contact:
Yep, I would agree with the others. I blended absolutely everything, and ate a ton of protein. I took vitamin's, supplements, and was in very good physical condition prior to surgery. My healing went off very smoothly and without a hitch. I, however, would not have been able to work after two weeks. I was still feeling pretty run down then, and was still quite puffy. At 4 weeks post op, I took a trip to Vegas for 1 week for a conference. I was wiped and wasn't doing much but sitting at the conference and laying out in the sun by the pool. I couldn't wait to get home though just so I could rest.
This surgery takes a big toll on your body. I think a normal 8 hour day would be tough after 2 weeks, but I cannot imagine working as a nurse on 12 hour shifts. I think it would be very difficult, and would probably impede your healing progress. Honestly I can say that I didn't start feeling back to normal until about 6 weeks. Many I have talked with have reported about the same. Obviously many people do not have the option of taking 6 weeks off work, but personally if you could get at least 4 weeks I think it would be better for you. You are going to be worn out, and it takes a decent amount of time for your body to really recover from all the trauma that goes along with surgery. If you rush back to work and overdo it you risk wearing yourself out and being out of work even longer.
The eating could be rough, as well as the weight loss. I lost 16lbs within 2 weeks, and I was eating like a horse, and not being picky at all. I never felt weak due to the amount of ground up protein I was able to get into myself but even still I was tired. Plus I don't think I really started sleeping very well until about the 2nd to 3rd week. You have to sleep sitting up for about the first 10-14 days and due to being uncomfortable and achey you really don't get very much sleep, little lone quality sleep for awhile. When I began sleeping I would sleep 10-11 hours a day, and had to take frequent naps throughout the day. This was very unusual for me as I'm sooo not a napper, but man I couldn't have made it through without them.
If you can't take more then two weeks off is there anyway you can cut your schedule in half for a few weeks? I'm not telling you this to scare you, but just so you can be prepared for the worst. I mean best case scenario would be that you could go back to work at 3-4 weeks feeling great, but if you aren't feeling good, and you HAVE to go back that soon it is going to be rough for you. It is one of those things that is sorta hard to really understand until you have actually been through it. Seriously though the fatigue is the worst part of it, or at least it was for me.
Sorry for such a long post, but I hope this helps you some.
Brandy
This surgery takes a big toll on your body. I think a normal 8 hour day would be tough after 2 weeks, but I cannot imagine working as a nurse on 12 hour shifts. I think it would be very difficult, and would probably impede your healing progress. Honestly I can say that I didn't start feeling back to normal until about 6 weeks. Many I have talked with have reported about the same. Obviously many people do not have the option of taking 6 weeks off work, but personally if you could get at least 4 weeks I think it would be better for you. You are going to be worn out, and it takes a decent amount of time for your body to really recover from all the trauma that goes along with surgery. If you rush back to work and overdo it you risk wearing yourself out and being out of work even longer.
The eating could be rough, as well as the weight loss. I lost 16lbs within 2 weeks, and I was eating like a horse, and not being picky at all. I never felt weak due to the amount of ground up protein I was able to get into myself but even still I was tired. Plus I don't think I really started sleeping very well until about the 2nd to 3rd week. You have to sleep sitting up for about the first 10-14 days and due to being uncomfortable and achey you really don't get very much sleep, little lone quality sleep for awhile. When I began sleeping I would sleep 10-11 hours a day, and had to take frequent naps throughout the day. This was very unusual for me as I'm sooo not a napper, but man I couldn't have made it through without them.
If you can't take more then two weeks off is there anyway you can cut your schedule in half for a few weeks? I'm not telling you this to scare you, but just so you can be prepared for the worst. I mean best case scenario would be that you could go back to work at 3-4 weeks feeling great, but if you aren't feeling good, and you HAVE to go back that soon it is going to be rough for you. It is one of those things that is sorta hard to really understand until you have actually been through it. Seriously though the fatigue is the worst part of it, or at least it was for me.
Sorry for such a long post, but I hope this helps you some.
Brandy
I had bimax surgery and went back to work after 1½ weeks. I work in an office, and after a typical 9-5 day, I was very, very tired in the evenings. I found it hard to scrape the energy together to even prepare something to eat after work and did something most evenings which is a very rare thing for me - fell asleep in front of the telly! By 2½ weeks post-op, I felt more or less back to normal and not tired anymore.
I didn't have much trouble sleeping personally - the first few days after the op were not so good because of my stuffed-up nose, but I got quite used to sleeping propped up on plenty of feather pillows, and returning to work left me so tired that sleeping then was no problem at all!
I eat absolute rubbish but am very fit, so maybe other peoples' experiences differ. I would guess that 12-hour shifts doing physical work would be really quite tiring post-op, but I think it would be possible to manage 6-8 hours, just probably not the full 12 to begin with.
I had my surgery done midweek, so had two weekends and 7 weekdays to recover. If you could schedule it for a Friday, you'd have 10 weekdays and two weekends to recover, which might be enough to recover from the surgery enough to resume normal working hours.
Weightloss-wise, I lost 10lbs in the first couple of weeks and I am not a picky eater - however, I found it hard to eat normal quantities of food because I could only open my mouth a little bit and my jaws got incredibly tired after even a small bowl of mush. I also found it quite frustrating to eat because food went down my chin and front because of the numbness and I hate getting messy. For these reasons, at home I ate mush, and at work I drank protein shakes, fruit smoothies, all-milk coffee etc and didn't bother trying to eat solid food. It was just too slow and messy.
I'm not sure what consistencies you have issues with, but some things can be eaten without being blended - cake with custard, rice pudding, yogurts, soups, soft fish, rice-based foods like risotto and paella. These can all be swallowed without needing to be chewed. The standard advice seems to be to add cream to things to boost your calorie intake, but I never fancied the idea of adding saturated animal fats - healthier to add olive, flaxseed or nut oils, I would have thought, particularly as omega-3 is found in flax and hemp, and is supposed to help with nerve repair.
I didn't have much trouble sleeping personally - the first few days after the op were not so good because of my stuffed-up nose, but I got quite used to sleeping propped up on plenty of feather pillows, and returning to work left me so tired that sleeping then was no problem at all!
I eat absolute rubbish but am very fit, so maybe other peoples' experiences differ. I would guess that 12-hour shifts doing physical work would be really quite tiring post-op, but I think it would be possible to manage 6-8 hours, just probably not the full 12 to begin with.
I had my surgery done midweek, so had two weekends and 7 weekdays to recover. If you could schedule it for a Friday, you'd have 10 weekdays and two weekends to recover, which might be enough to recover from the surgery enough to resume normal working hours.
Weightloss-wise, I lost 10lbs in the first couple of weeks and I am not a picky eater - however, I found it hard to eat normal quantities of food because I could only open my mouth a little bit and my jaws got incredibly tired after even a small bowl of mush. I also found it quite frustrating to eat because food went down my chin and front because of the numbness and I hate getting messy. For these reasons, at home I ate mush, and at work I drank protein shakes, fruit smoothies, all-milk coffee etc and didn't bother trying to eat solid food. It was just too slow and messy.
I'm not sure what consistencies you have issues with, but some things can be eaten without being blended - cake with custard, rice pudding, yogurts, soups, soft fish, rice-based foods like risotto and paella. These can all be swallowed without needing to be chewed. The standard advice seems to be to add cream to things to boost your calorie intake, but I never fancied the idea of adding saturated animal fats - healthier to add olive, flaxseed or nut oils, I would have thought, particularly as omega-3 is found in flax and hemp, and is supposed to help with nerve repair.
Braced May 2005
Bimaxillary surgery Aug 2007
Debraced Jun 2008
Bimaxillary surgery Aug 2007
Debraced Jun 2008
Thanks for the insite.
I have a pre-op appointment in the AM. I am definetly going to discuss the extent of my job with my OS.
My manager is pretty flexable. Mabey I could opt for 8hr shifts instead of 12's for a while.
My biggest concern is being able to take great care of my patients. I worry that between working nights, not sleeping well, decreased food intake and not being able to communicate as effectively my patient care will suffer along with my heeling.
dubnobass- you ?'ed what consistancy i have issues with. Pretty much anything that is mushy that is not supposed to be.
My first nursing job I cared for neurobrain injury patients. All of their food was pureed. To this day just the sight of it make me cringe.
I will let you know how the pre-op goes.
NCRN
I have a pre-op appointment in the AM. I am definetly going to discuss the extent of my job with my OS.
My manager is pretty flexable. Mabey I could opt for 8hr shifts instead of 12's for a while.
My biggest concern is being able to take great care of my patients. I worry that between working nights, not sleeping well, decreased food intake and not being able to communicate as effectively my patient care will suffer along with my heeling.
dubnobass- you ?'ed what consistancy i have issues with. Pretty much anything that is mushy that is not supposed to be.
My first nursing job I cared for neurobrain injury patients. All of their food was pureed. To this day just the sight of it make me cringe.
I will let you know how the pre-op goes.
NCRN
What is it that you're having done?
I had upper and lower and I think I could have worked full time after 3 weeks. I didn't have a job at the time so I am just guessing. Probably I could have worked after two weeks if I had to, but not with much gusto.
I had sort of an interesting post-op diet. I never really ate anything pureed. I was wired shut for 10 days, so obviously doing liquids only. That didn't go so well. I had all these great plans for meals, but everything I made was too thick to get through my teeth so I ended up eating a bit of soup here and there, some juice, etc. When I got my wires cut off I went straight to "real" food (pasta, fish, mashed potatoes, etc). Nothing too hard or crunchy for a while.
I don't know how much weight I lost - I don't have a scale. Maybe 5 pounds? I think it's best to focus on eating the best that you can and the weight will take care of itself.
I had upper and lower and I think I could have worked full time after 3 weeks. I didn't have a job at the time so I am just guessing. Probably I could have worked after two weeks if I had to, but not with much gusto.
I had sort of an interesting post-op diet. I never really ate anything pureed. I was wired shut for 10 days, so obviously doing liquids only. That didn't go so well. I had all these great plans for meals, but everything I made was too thick to get through my teeth so I ended up eating a bit of soup here and there, some juice, etc. When I got my wires cut off I went straight to "real" food (pasta, fish, mashed potatoes, etc). Nothing too hard or crunchy for a while.
I don't know how much weight I lost - I don't have a scale. Maybe 5 pounds? I think it's best to focus on eating the best that you can and the weight will take care of itself.
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WhiteLurcher
- Posts: 173
- Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 12:48 pm
- Location: Near Glasgow, Central Scotland
Hi NCRN
I would discuss it with your surgeon, mine recommends 4 weeks. I had my chop redone at 2 weeks so ended up returning to work after 6 weeks. My job entailed a lot of lifting but I only did five hour shifts. I was completely knackered the first week and would nap when I got home. How do you feel you could cope, it really is up to you and you don't want to push it?
All the best!
I would discuss it with your surgeon, mine recommends 4 weeks. I had my chop redone at 2 weeks so ended up returning to work after 6 weeks. My job entailed a lot of lifting but I only did five hour shifts. I was completely knackered the first week and would nap when I got home. How do you feel you could cope, it really is up to you and you don't want to push it?
All the best!
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I didn't get to talk with OS today about time off work. The surgery cordinator mixed up the dates soooo... my appointment is actually scheduled for next Mon. After working last night then driving 45min to the OS office wheren I was told "there was a mix up";needless to say I was ******off.
You all have good advice for eating. I will just see how it goes. I guess when you get hungry enough you eat whatever you can regardless of how it looks.
Ohmyjaw- I am having a BSSO and Lefort 1 and some TMJ work.
You all have good advice for eating. I will just see how it goes. I guess when you get hungry enough you eat whatever you can regardless of how it looks.
Ohmyjaw- I am having a BSSO and Lefort 1 and some TMJ work.
Not that I'm the very best to go by, but I figured I'd input as I'm a very picky eater myself.
I'm taking 6 weeks off from work. I can take 8 weeks, but I'm already going stir crazy. My surgeon said I could return to work at 2-3 weeks but because I'm a hotline person and talking a lot, he agreed with taking more time off too since I can to recoop.
So far in a week time from surgery I lost 15 lbs. I'm still losing and trying to insert as many calories as I can to no avail. I'm also the type that when the weightlosss starts I have to get to a platue.
Anyway, First week I lived on tea, gingerale, chicken broth, soupy instant potatoes, milkshakes, carnation instant breakfasts.
This week, though I probably shouldn't be too much. Rice with gravey to make a soup, jello, cheesecake (I have enough room to insert tiny amounts of food on fork. Like what you would feed a small just learning to eat baby.) smoothies (made with froze fruit, oj, and yogurt. only way I will actually eat yogurt.) oh and scrambled eggs. I like mashing those on the roof of my mouth to feel like I actually chewed.
I'm planning on weighing myself again...well soon as I get upstairs to the scale. Ha ha ha. I know I dropped a ton. I'm down a pant size now.
I'm still hungry and I want things with taste. And let me tell you, I have never seen so many freaking food commercials on tv in my whole life. Yeah and most of them feature pizza which I want to sell my soul for at this point.
Pretty much, I am just making slup concoctions. Something that isn't mush and has taste. Like my rice and gravey thing. It was my fave meal minus the beef that goes in it. So it had all the flavours; I swear it tasted soooo good. ha ha ha.
I'm taking 6 weeks off from work. I can take 8 weeks, but I'm already going stir crazy. My surgeon said I could return to work at 2-3 weeks but because I'm a hotline person and talking a lot, he agreed with taking more time off too since I can to recoop.
So far in a week time from surgery I lost 15 lbs. I'm still losing and trying to insert as many calories as I can to no avail. I'm also the type that when the weightlosss starts I have to get to a platue.
Anyway, First week I lived on tea, gingerale, chicken broth, soupy instant potatoes, milkshakes, carnation instant breakfasts.
This week, though I probably shouldn't be too much. Rice with gravey to make a soup, jello, cheesecake (I have enough room to insert tiny amounts of food on fork. Like what you would feed a small just learning to eat baby.) smoothies (made with froze fruit, oj, and yogurt. only way I will actually eat yogurt.) oh and scrambled eggs. I like mashing those on the roof of my mouth to feel like I actually chewed.
I'm planning on weighing myself again...well soon as I get upstairs to the scale. Ha ha ha. I know I dropped a ton. I'm down a pant size now.
I'm still hungry and I want things with taste. And let me tell you, I have never seen so many freaking food commercials on tv in my whole life. Yeah and most of them feature pizza which I want to sell my soul for at this point.
Pretty much, I am just making slup concoctions. Something that isn't mush and has taste. Like my rice and gravey thing. It was my fave meal minus the beef that goes in it. So it had all the flavours; I swear it tasted soooo good. ha ha ha.
Hi there - I would recommend that you try to take off as much time as you can possibly get. I am an instructor at a university teaching students various clinical methods related to the field of speech therapy. Sometimes my job involves sitting at a desk for long periods, walking to client rooms to monitor therapy, and A LOT of talking...not physically demanding like your job, but I wish now I'd taken more than 2 weeks off. When I went back to work I was EXHAUSTED beyond belief by the end of a work day, especially from talking/teaching so much as part of my job. After a 6-8 hr work day, I still had to take a nap at the end of the day, which I rarely did before surgery. I would go to bed exhausted, and by noon, barely making it through the rest of my day.My OS told me 2 weeks is a MINIMUM, and if I wanted him to, he'd write an order to be off work for up to 6 months......I might have considered at least 4 weeks (I had enough sick/leave time built up), but figured I'd be fine after 2 weeks. I have no idea how you could tolerate 12 hr work days after only 2 weeks. Just like another poster said, you'll be sleeping upright for 10-14 days which is not conducive to quality sleep, and may need to nap during the day. I know I did even before going back to work. And then talking, talking, talking all day on the job just about wore me out completely.
I'm 6 months post-op now and can finally say my energy has returned to normal. It took at least 3 months to return however. Remember...your jaws are bones, and "broken" bones can takes MONTHS to heal and can impact your energy, appetite, sleep, etc for a long time.
I'd recommend talking with your OS about a longer recovery time at home for you. He or she should be supportive of what you need, and not just consider the average. He needs to know exactly how demanding your job is in order to understand that 2 weeks may not be enough for you.
Good luck to you!
Katie A
I never slept upright. But I used a couple of pillows, so I wasn't horizontal either. I didn't have any trouble sleeping, but I think the drugs helped with that!
I think I was functioning pretty well after 3 weeks, but probably not 100% until 6 weeks or so. I went rock climbing on day 12, but then I slept most of the day after that. So there are ups and downs, and one day you think you're healed, and the next day...not so much.
In short, if I were you I'd try to get three weeks off, and then play it by ear after that.
I think I was functioning pretty well after 3 weeks, but probably not 100% until 6 weeks or so. I went rock climbing on day 12, but then I slept most of the day after that. So there are ups and downs, and one day you think you're healed, and the next day...not so much.
In short, if I were you I'd try to get three weeks off, and then play it by ear after that.
Hi,
I am a teacher and so its fairly easy for me to get a substitute to take my place. I teach both Geography and Physical education. My own doctor in town told me that after an operation lasting about 5 hours, that the minimum I should expect to be out for was 8 weeks. However my surgeon warned me that up to 12 weeks would be required if the healing of the 6 "breaks" in the bones were to be strong enough to withstand an accident in class. He was thinking that PE would be a real risk, possibility of being hit in face!!!!!!do not even want to think of it. So for me I intend heading back in January.
For first 5 weeks I was shattered by mid afternoon anyway, cannot imagine what school would have been like. Talking is the worst and after about 1 hour chatting my bottom lip feels quite tingly and uncomfortable.
I dropped about 4 kilo in total.
I am a teacher and so its fairly easy for me to get a substitute to take my place. I teach both Geography and Physical education. My own doctor in town told me that after an operation lasting about 5 hours, that the minimum I should expect to be out for was 8 weeks. However my surgeon warned me that up to 12 weeks would be required if the healing of the 6 "breaks" in the bones were to be strong enough to withstand an accident in class. He was thinking that PE would be a real risk, possibility of being hit in face!!!!!!do not even want to think of it. So for me I intend heading back in January.
For first 5 weeks I was shattered by mid afternoon anyway, cannot imagine what school would have been like. Talking is the worst and after about 1 hour chatting my bottom lip feels quite tingly and uncomfortable.
I dropped about 4 kilo in total.
In braces since 13th June 2005. Upper and lower on the 15th August 2007 and braces off 23rd October
After hearing my sob story of how difficult my job is; my OS decided 3 weeks off and then return with a couple of weeks of 8hr shifts would be more appropriate. He doesn't want me to take any chances of getting hit in the face by a out of control pregnant lady. (sounds rediculas but you would be suprised!)
Thanks for all the insite.
4 days till surgery
Thanks for all the insite.
4 days till surgery