Questions regarding my surgery. Super Strange stuff.

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#1 Post by **superspin** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:31 am

So I am exactly 3 weeks post op and although a significant amount of swelling has gone down, this isn't to say that i am still not swollen a good amount.

My case:
Orthognathic Surgery at 20 years of age. Male. Lefort to rotate the maxilla. BSSO to rotate the mandible and bring it back due to class III maloclussion and crossbite/underbite. Sliding Genioplasty to prevent the "sunken face" look. 7 plates and 34 screws are now in my skull. So far the results have been pretty good. Wired shut for 11 days and then on light elastics (taken off to eat and brush). OS puts me on soft chew diet and expects me to return to 100% jaw function by 1.5 months post op and 3 fingers width opening 1 month post op (very high expectations in my opinion compared to you guys)

Anyways, I have am questioning the normalcy of my symptoms:

1. Although most of the swelling has gone away in my cheeks, my chin and lower lip are still swollen, especially my lower lip. My lower lip is actually normally a darker color but now its all swollen and hurts (although my lips and chin are numb I can still feel pain) and is all red. My lower lip constantly peels skin even though it doesn't really get chapped and I put chapstick on it...Whenever I brush my teeth my lower lips get wet and there is white skin that peels off as if it had been chapped...is this normal???

2. My lower lip ( I guess due to the crazy swelling) and upper lip do not meet in resting position. Probably about 2-3 mm gap. I am hoping that this lip incompetency will go away after all the swelling goes down but it has improved a little. It also feels as though the braces on my top arch are much more obtrusive than normal (maybe because prior to this I had an underbite). Normal? When the braces are taken off does lip incompetency and feeling of obtrusiveness go away?

3. I am salivating like crazy!!! I can't sleep with my head lying to the side. Otherwise I'll pour rivers of drool because my lips don't meet in resting position!!! lol. Normal?

4. Each day after the operation my skin was VERY oily/greasy and exfoliated quite a bit. At about day 8 post op my skin was probably in its prime condition in terms of blemishes and actually looked pretty good despite the jaundice swollen color. Since then my acne has broken out pretty badly although the oiliness has gone down to near-normal amounts. Normal?

5. My gums are about 80% numb and I feel like I'm chewing with plastic teeth. My new bite certainly feels very strange to me still. Although my teeth do not respond to touch I certainly feel pain, and quite a bit of it. It feels as though I just got braces a few days ago! The funny thing too is that I looked at my pre and post op xrays and my teeth have already begun shifting a little! And I don't mean the exposed portions, but my roots seem to appear more curved and bone has grown in the spaces between my roots. SUPER WEIRD! Normal?!?

Anyways, I think I have a few more questions but I can't think of them right now. Thank you in advance for reading my dreadfully long post, but I'm a bit concerned so details would probably help, heh.

#2 Post by **FuzzyPants** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:40 pm

Hi superspin,

It sounds like you are handling recovery quite well!

I'm 3-1/2 weeks out of bimax surgery and can relate to some of what you are experiencing. Judging from the other posts here and my own experience, it seems that everything you are going through is normal. I too have swelling that is in my lower jaw area and my upper teeth and gums are numb. I have read other posts describing the skin oiliness/dryness (people react differently) and the need for copious amounts of drool towels.

Your peeling lips may be reacting to your toothpaste. Try switching to a different kind to see if that helps. There is a certain brand of whitening toothpaste that makes my inner lips peel a bit, so I don't use it frequently. As for the lip incompetence, that will likely resolve as the swelling goes down and your lips are accustomed to their new positions.

#3 Post by **phil** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 5:18 am

superspin.

You might throw the word "normal" away. Your world has changed, and who knows what "normal" is?

Good advice from FuzzyPants about the toothpaste.

Try taking Omega-3 for swelling (my bandwagon, but it won't hurt you, and could help).

Welcome to the drool club. Eventually your body will re-adjust, and this will be less of an issue.

Numb gums and "plastic teeth?" Sounds a lot like my experience.

Hang in there, my friend. You'll be just fine.

Make sure you are getting proper nutrition, rest, and moderate exercise as cleared by your surgeon. All of these things will speed your recovery.

Thirty four screws is a lot! I think I only have a total of about half that, if you count the ones that hold the plates in, although I'm sure there is someone on the forum who could top your number. Everyone's different.

Be well, and at peace,

Phil

#4 Post by **nutmeg** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:54 am

Oily skin is definitely normal. My surgeon warned me about it and I experienced it myself. Not sure why it happens, though some forums and websites say it is due to the anaesthesia. For me, it was pretty bad for the first three weeks but after that, I got back my pre-surgery skin.

I also had very dry lips - my own theory is that I drank a lot using a straw rather than straight from a cup and so my lips don't get moist.

#5 Post by **amd** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 10:44 am

I agree with Phil, toss out the word"normal".

Dry lips - I don't have that.
Drooling - I don't drool per se but sure have a hard time keeping up with the extra saliva in my mouth. Drooling is very common.
Oily skin - I had that. I don't think its from any of the drugs we were given but rather the fact that we touch our face so much after surgery and we are constantly applying either ice packs or heat. I personally think this is what does it for me.
Swelling - my bottom lip and chin and inside of cheeks are still very swollen -not visually though. Again, very common.

I think I top your number of screws - 38 on top and 6 on the bottom for 44 in total.

#6 Post by **~danielle~** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 5:23 pm

Right after my surgery my skin was flawless (very uncommon for me), with the exception of the shrek-green and red-wine colored bruising and HUGE amount of swelling... then it started to break out with acne and get quite oily again. This went back to normal around 5-6 weeks post-op.

I'm guessing this was from all the swelling, but i swear i shed my entire bottom lip like 5 times. OUCH.

(even though it was still totally numb I could also still feel pain) Carmex saved my life.. so if your lips keep on peeling, maybe you should consider getting some. My lips still do not close totally tight at resting position, but as the swelling has gone down more, it has gotten a LOT better. And the drooling that went with the lips not meeting properly has mostly gone away too (only happens in my sleep-thank god lol)

#7 Post by **Arvensis** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 9:57 pm

My lips were chapped out the kazoo and peeling, but that only lasted for the first two weeks or so. It's because of the drool. That and I couldn't breath through my nose, that was what caused my drill (lips not closing b/c couldn't breath)?

Anyway, once the swelling goes down it should help so don't worry about the drool too much! Try for a few hours to tip backwards in a recliner to let the lips dry out, that's what I did. Boring, yes, but beneficial!

#8 Post by **kaycee** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 5:20 am

Hi Superspin,

I had upper and lower jaw surgery on July 2nd and my face has finally stopped breaking out just this past week. Thank goodness. And I feel my braces more, I think its because they are touching my mouth in a different spot than before surgery.

My lips finally meet for the first time, so I don't have the drooling problem except when I'm sleeping and I'm a side sleeper too. The best part is, since my lips do meet, this is the first time I haven't had chapped lips in forever!

kaycee