PRE & POST-OP SUPPLY LIST---add your list or ideas

[smithie]

This looks like a helpful thread, but I just wanted to point out that I had outpatient BSSO surgery and didn't really do anything out of the ordinary to prepare beyond making sure I had orange juice, ice cream, and yogurt on hand at home, and I didn't end up lacking anything important. Also, the hospital will send you home with anything necessary to cover your immediate needs.

[twinmom]

One must-have of mine that I didn't see listed - a bulb syringe to help suck stuff out of your mouth if you are wired.

This was great for me to get mucus and that frothy-mouth feeling gone. I would close my lips around it best I could and suck stuff out from different spots against my teeth. Almost as good as the vacuum-sucker in the hospital!

[TitaniumAdded]

During my hospital stay:

Laptop
Extra Q tips + Hydrogen peroxide(clears out blood clots) which helped my nose tremendously.
baby wipes for face
Extra cleenex
Lotion for lips if you don't have vaseline

[Lucia07]

Thank you Andante and everyone else who contributed with putting a list of post op supplies. I saw that the posts are from three years ago but they are still helpful today. My upper and lower jaw surgery is only 12 days away and so I want to be prepared as best I can.

Thank you!

[Dentina]

I just went through my SARPE, surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion. What saved me after the surgery was this

Homeopathy:

arnica reduces swelling, I began taking this two days before surgery, and continued until I finished my little bottle. See link at bottom of page.

symphytum officinale for bone healing

staphysagria for surgical wound healing

Nutrition:

zinc (oysters, liver, toasted wheat germ, tahini, cocoa, peanuts, seeds)
lysine (meat, legumes)
proline (eggs)
vit c (inc absorption of iron and involved in collagen formation)
catechins (green tea, decrease breakdown of collagen)
anthocyanidins (berries, strengthen collagen matrix)
protein (meat, legumes, nuts, whole grains, eggs)

Useful links:

study evaluating the effectiveness of arnica in reducing post-operative swelling:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/pubmed/17105693

http://www.whfoods .com/

[PhillipBryant]

New to the board, though I've been reading posts for about 3 months. I got my top braces put on yesterday, so I thought I'd join and make it all official. So great to see that those who have gone before me have laid out everything so I don't really have to worry about it at all!

[bracedblogger]

Thank you for the detailed list! My surgery is in 9 days, this will come in handy!

Tara

[AWSeibert]

This is a really informational post!! There are things in the list that I hadn't thought about! I have my sugery (Lefort I and BSSO) on 30 January!

[e77]

My surgery is in January - these lists are extremely helpful!

[katsface]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions!

I plan on using a lot of supplements to try to get my immune system/body in tip top condition prior to surgery. I'm taking these separately. Not sure if a multivitamin would be as effective.

Pre-surgery (at least 2 or 3 weeks before surgery):

• Vitamin C
• Zinc
• Copper
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin D
• Omega 3 fish oil to reduce pre-surgery inflammation that would otherwise occupy my immune system (discontinue a week before surgery as it can thin blood and you don't want to bleed too much!) If you eat a diet that's high in grains like corn and wheat, I've read that there is no point in taking a fish oil that has both Omega 3 and Omega 6, as a diet high in grains will b high in Omega 6, and the point of fish oil will be to balance it out with Omega 3.
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Probiotics - a good multi-strain capsule with at least a billion active live cultures. If you are ever...shall we say irregular, these will do you a world of good whether you're having surgery or not. In my experience yogurt will not do the same thing. Not even close.

Post surgery:

• Same as above, plus Bromelain to help reduce swelling.
• Daily reminder that feeling bad (physically and emotionally) is NORMAL - I found a daily affirmation to help prevent post surgery depression here http://www.chinaugmentation.com/postop_ ... _print.htm and I plan on printing it so I can keep myself from letting negative emotions get the better of me.
• I will probably resume Omega 3 fish oil sometime after surgery, but I'm going to consult my surgeon before I do this.

**** I am not a Doctor or Nutritionist! Please consult your doctor before starting your regimen, and take my advise at your own risk! ****

I haven't had surgery yet, so I'll come back to this thread to update if I think this strategy helped at all, and add anything else that I think might have been important for recovery.

[annepanne]

Omg. This is the most scary thread I've read! It sounds like you are all going for an expedition to the Moon or something. I have only been here sometimes to get some advices or learn something. I'm really not gonna make this surgery be the most important factor in my life. I have had plenty of surgeries before. Though this is jaw surgery and quite huge, I will do as smithie, and just have a juicer and not prepare that much. There seems to be a lot of people here obsessed with how to do this and how to do it right.. I know I don't have to read it. I just wanted to say that I hope there are some poeple here that has a more relaxed approach to this surgery... ?

[slb1982]

I think this thread is EXTREMELY helpful. I'm 31, and my SARPE/LEFORT expansion surgery is less than a week away (Feb 26) and from what I've read, there is no way to expect how much bruising or swelling or pain I will be in, because everyone is different. In regards to the last post, I'm sure it is so much better to be prepared than not - I'd much rather be overprepared than be wishing I had certain things, because I'm sure I won't feel upto going to store with a swollen/bruised face the day after surgery. I can just imagine how much MORE miserable I will be if I'm drooling all over the place without a container or kleenex OR if I don't have a little mirror, so I can't feel or see my face to tell if I'm getting food into my mouth or not. I've read alot of websites trying to get prepared for my upcoming jaw surgery, and this is what I've decided to get beforehand.

*Note- I do have to drive 6 hours to get to my oral surgeon, so I'm driving there the night before and staying in a hotel since my surgery is at 9am. (surgery will be done in his office - not a hospital), so then I'll have a 6-hour car-ride home on the day of the surgery. Since I know I'll feel super depressed laying around in a hotel bed after the surgery (and my husband and I have to take our 2 new puppies with us, so a 2nd hotel stay would be really hard), we are going to drive straight home afterwards while I'm the most numb. SO, I've got a couple lists of what I need. One list for what I will need at home, and One list for what I will need for my 6-hour car ride home (post op).

For Car Ride Home After Surgery:

* husband and good music
* cooler with ice in it (taking a couple ziplocks so I can take hotel ice)
* 2 leakproof bags (with screw on cap) specifically made to hold ice (from grocery store "first aid aisle") (each holds 1 quart of ice or cold water)
* mini garbage can to hold in my lap (with plastic bag liners) - for drooling, throwing up, etc
* a couple washcloths, a handtowel, and a towel (all red, so I don't ruin my good while towels with bleeding)
* neck pillow
* chapstick (I use carmex in a little round container that I can apply with my finger)
* liquids - water bottle, ginger ale, and apple juice
* food - "Happy Squeeze" packets of organic pureed fruit/veggie applesauces (sold in my Walmart applesauce aisle) (I hate regular applesauce but these have a TON of flavors, like Strawberry Coconut Milk, Orange Mango Coconut Millk, Strawberry Kiwi Beet, Apple Mango Kale, Caramel Apple, ETC)
* Emergen-C Vitamin C packets
* box of soft kleenex
* container of wetwipes (not antibacterial - these are for cleaning blood off my face)
* wall cellphone charger & car charger (because texting will be my way of communicating with my husband)
* handheld mirror
* q-tips & a small bottle of saline (to clean out my nose)
* my glasses (I usually wear contacts, but I'm taking my glasses since I shouldn't sleep with my contacts in obviously)
* I am also thinking about getting some sort of suction thing for getting saliva out of my mouth since I won't be used to my expander at all (getting it in the day before my surgery)

***IF I was staying in a hotel for one night after the surgery, I would also bring my dental cleaning kit (including my childsize "Spongebob" toothbrush that will make me smile because he has the gap too!), some comfy pjs, soft earplugs, and a sleep mask (since my puppies would surely bark on occasion). I might still bring these things IN CASE we decide to stay a 2nd night after the surgery instead of driving home.

For home:

* Same Items as Above
* Arnice tablets and Arnica creme (for swelling) (I'm not taking these before surgery because I heard Arnica is a blood thinner & might increase bleeding from surgery?? - anyone know if this is true?)
* Recliner to sleep in
* Re-freezable ice packs
* Brandy's rice-sock heat packs (it's listed on her blog - this won't let me post the URL)
* More liquid beverages (gatorage, oj, apple juice, coconut water, vitamin water....), Protien powder, applesauce, and yogurt
* Bromelain (for swelling) - I still haven't bought this, but I may start taking a few days before surgery
* napkins/kleenex

Not looking forward to this "controlled car accident" as my husband & I call it, although I am looking forward to the end result. (My mouth is EXTREMELY crowded)
Wishing the best to everyone else going through this as well!

[Dolphinbite]

a bell for your bedside table!
frozen peas

[GS839]

Hospital checklist.... things to remember ....

Going into hospital for an operation can be a very daunting experience. Fear and worry can make us forget the most simple but necessary things and I personally would have been grateful for a last minute check list of items I may have needed for my stay.
For this reason I have devised this easy tick chart in order to assist anybody who may have to stay overnight in hospital.

steffies-orthognathic-surgery. blogspot
OR Facebook STEFFIESSTUFF

Things to remember

Make a note of any last minute questions you may have regarding your stay or your surgery
Mobile phone, charger or money for a pay phone (your lifeline to the outside world)
Money for drinks and food from the ward trolley
Money for TV cards or phone top ups (if available )
Nightwear: something with easy access for IV drips and that is comfortable to sleep and rest in
Slippers (hospital floors can be cold and dirty)
Underwear (for dignity)
A dressing gown (for the middle of the night toilet trips)
Bathing essentials (towels and flannels)
Shower gel, shampoo and conditioner (if required)
Hair brush or comb (if required)
Hair ties if you have long hair (these can be useful when you are unable to wash your hair)
Toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwash
Tissues, baby wipes and facial wipes (for a quick freshen up when you are unable to get out of bed)
Flip flops (they are non-slip and they keep your feet free from other peoples germs)
Antibacterial wipes to clean your own table tops, cupboards and toilet seat (vital with NHS cleaners or should I say lack of them)
Bottle of water to drink
IPod, games console and chargers, crosswords, magazines, papers, books, pen (these help to relieve boredom, help to divert your attention from any pain and can aid sleep)
Reading glasses (if required)
Any medication you take regularly (e.g inhalers, antihistamines as these will not be provided during your hospital stay)
Spare clothing, jacket or jumpers in case you venture outside the ward
Last but not least a pillow, teddy, blanket, lucky charm or anything that may bring you comfort whilst being away from home

[slb1982]

It is now Sunday night and I had my SARPE surgery last week Tuesday morning, so this was day 6 of my recovery week. Last week I posted a list of everything I was getting together before the surgery, but I just wanted to pop back in and tell you what I ended up needing the most. I REALLY NEEDED a few things that weren't even on my list, and I did use everything on my previous list EXCEPT the qtips & saline solution (my nose only bled once after surgery, so I didn't need those to clean out my nose. I just used a little kleenex)

VERY IMPORTANT ITEMS I USED THE FIRST WEEK:

Children's Liquid Ibuprofen (SO Helpful! I took throughout each day and also with my prescription painkiller at night)
Sudafed nasal decongestant tablets (I need these for the first 5 days or my nose would drip and get congested)
Baby spoon (because I couldn't open my mouth very far to eat)
Lots of paper towel for wiping my mouth
Carmex chapstick (in round container, so I could apply it with my finger)

The most important items for my 6-hour car ride home after surgery:

camera (to document my recovery)
small garbage can and liner (for throwing up) (I did throw up once because I was nauseous from the IV, but I did NOT throw up blood or anything)
papertowel/kleenex for wiping drool
wet wipes for cleaning off my face
handheld mirror
2 medium-sized ice bags & ice (for my face) (Brand I used: Faultless) (sold on Amazon)
neck pillow & also a regular pillow
towel laying over me

On day 3 I started using some heat instead of just cold, and Brandy's rice socks were ESSENTIAL!!! (I used about 1 3/4 cup white rice PER sock, and microwaved for about 2 minutes). They feel so good on my face. I also am still sleeping upright in a recliner.