January 2016 Surgery Buddies!

[StefanoMI]

[quote="PashaBursi"]Well I am officially post op now! I'm on my 3rd day now! I've got to be honest, the first night was not pleasant. My nose was completely blocked and still is but I've just gotten used to breathing out of my mouth now. I actually slept okayish last night. The surgeon told me I can sleep on my side as long as my head is elevated. I've got some of my appetite back which is good so I can start healing but bad because I just want actual food. My jaws are totally banded shut for a month so it's a total liquid diet for me My swelling is pretty bad but not really bothersome, it just feels tight around my mouth but I can't talk much anyway and don't feel like laughing just yet so it's not an issue. Haven't really had any pain but I'm taking my ibruprofen and Tylenol regularly. I just get terrible headaches especially when I'm trying to sleep, but no actual jaw pain just a bit of pressure.

I've read a lot of recovery stories and everyone's different. What I have noticed is that I feel completely different today than I did yesterday. My journal entry and general messages to friends and family were totally miserable and would put anyone off from having this surgery. I think I underestimated how difficult recovery would be in the beginning because I always read recovery stories from one week post surgery.

In terms of my face, it's hard to tell. I obviously look incredibly different but I have an incredible amount of swelling so I don't know what I actually look like at all, it's much too early. It's interesting to look at though, the human body is fascinating! I can't believe what's been done to my face and I'm sat sipping on pineapple juice while my facial bones have been broken and repositioned![/quote]
Congratulations for being on the other side! Did you puke after surgery or get any nausea?
My surgery is on Monday but since I have a cold (and a cough) I don't know if they're gonnna carry on with the procedure. Hope they don't postpone it
I'm feeling better everyday but only three days left!

[CandyApple]

Congratulations!! Sounds like you are doing good for so soon.

[dnbull]

Had mine on Jan 6. This marks 11th day. The recovery process was definitely did foul the first 3 days but bearable. Swelling is finally going down. My only concern is that my surgeon plans to take my splint off next week which makes it two weeks. He wants to do that so that I can return to work (teacher). I hope it turns out well.

[PashaBursi]

Congratulations for being on the other side! Did you puke after surgery or get any nausea?
My surgery is on Monday but since I have a cold (and a cough) I don't know if they're gonnna carry on with the procedure. Hope they don't postpone it
I'm feeling better everyday but only three days left!

Thank you! It doesn't feel too good just yet, still feeling sorry for myself You should get in contact with them because if they suspect an infection they won't be allowed to operate until it clears! Hopefully you're fine and it'll be totally clear by then, it's awful waiting for a date for so long and having it postponed!

I woke up fine, I remember just murmuring I feel sick and the nurse injected me with something straight away on top of the meds in my IV. I wasn't actually close to throwing up, I just felt sick for half a minute. I was totally expecting to throw up blood but thankfully none of that! Everything I worried about didn't even happen but the one thing I didn't worry about (breathing) was and has been the most miserable thing. Oh and the hunger! Eat all the foods, because liquids never ever fill you up!!

[PashaBursi]

Congratulations!! Sounds like you are doing good for so soon.

It doesn't feel it But the best part of recovery is every day you think, this is it, I'm going to be in hell forever, and the next day something improves and you feel better! I look forward to the next day now instead of dreading waking up!

[PashaBursi]

Had mine on Jan 6. This marks 11th day. The recovery process was definitely did foul the first 3 days but bearable. Swelling is finally going down. My only concern is that my surgeon plans to take my splint off next week which makes it two weeks. He wants to do that so that I can return to work (teacher). I hope it turns out well.

Oh you're 6 days ahead! Are you feeling a lot better than last week? I didn't have a splint, I'm basically wired shut! I'm sure the surgeon knows what they're doing, unless you insisted on having it removed so soon yourself? I think if you're having regular checkups you'll be fine! How do you feel about going into public with the swelling? I'm no where near ready right now. I've been going for late night drives but with a scarf around my face

[missesfood]

My swelling is still bad and to be honest I just say eff it. It's good to get out and move around and do some normal things. People might glance but whatever, they'll forget about you a minute later. I had a problem with drooling the first few weeks, so I even carried tissues around with me. Scarf is up to you, personally I didn't use one. I found a nice quiet park to take some walks in too.

Glad to hear you guys are doing well!

[dnbull]

[quote="PashaBursi"][quote="dnbull"]Had mine on Jan 6. This marks 11th day. The recovery process was definitely did foul the first 3 days but bearable. Swelling is finally going down. My only concern is that my surgeon plans to take my splint off next week which makes it two weeks. He wants to do that so that I can return to work (teacher). I hope it turns out well.[/quote]

Oh you're 6 days ahead! Are you feeling a lot better than last week? I didn't have a splint, I'm basically wired shut! I'm sure the surgeon knows what they're doing, unless you insisted on having it removed so soon yourself? I think if you're having regular checkups you'll be fine! How do you feel about going into public with the swelling? I'm no where near ready right now. I've been going for late night drives but with a scarf around my face [/quote]


My swelling was pretty bad the first three days which is normal. Now, right my side is barely swollen and my left side is OK but I now look like a chubby face person. I went to the grocery store two days ago and didn't get weird looks.

[StefanoMI]

It's day two since double jaw surgery and I'm feeling quite well. I'm not on painkillers since yesterday and I'm only taking antibiotic.
Surgery lasted 4 hours and the night after surgery was tough...I fainted twice and they had to put a catheter on me because I couldn't go to the bathroom....it hurt a lot!!
Now I'm ok, I ate chicken broth, yogurt, fruit juice and a protein shake for lunch and I made some long walks (30 minutes each) around the hospital. My nose is clear and I don't have any problem breathing.

I'm very swollen and my doctor told me the peak of the swelling should be on the third day (tomorrow) then hopefully it should go down slowly.
I'm not very numb....I can feel at least some sensation everywhere even on my lips and chin but it's not normal yet. It's weird because I don't feel any pain at all and on day 2 I'm not taking any painkillers whatsoever...

I eat with a straw and luckily I'm not drooling a lot...just a little bit...I can't wait to reach the 1 week mark and get over the hardest part of the recovery!!

Wish everybody a good recovery!!

[snapdresser]

Hope all you peeps that just went under the knife heel up quickly and smoothly! Chug that Ensure like a champ!!

[CandyApple]

You guys are so brave!! I talked to surgeon yesterday and Im still scared. Im getting lower only and feel like I don't have a big enough bite problem to get surgery for. Makes it so hard. I hope doing this will give me benefits Im not yet aware of.

[snapdresser]

CandyApple - Not trying to hijack this thread, but for what it's worth, I had no bite issues at all and I had the top AND bottom (+genio) done.

[CandyApple]

snap how was your numbness after? Thats my biggest worry. If the nerve wasn't there I would do this no problem. I have already experienced IAN nerve damage from a dental implant. I still don't have a tooth there because it had to be removed.

[StefanoMI]

Day 17: I want to eat...I hate liquids, ensure, protein shakes, smoothies, chicken broth ecc.
My surgeon said he won't change my elastics for another 2 and a half months!! So basically he wants me to be banded shut completely with heavy elastics for 3 months straight. I don't know if he's crazy or something....other people generally change elastics after a couple of weeks and wear lighter and less elastics...I don't understand why my surgeon is so conservative.

I've already lost 12 lbs.

Everything else is ok.

[EWUgal15]

My surgeon said he won't change my elastics for another 2 and a half months!! So basically he wants me to be banded shut completely with heavy elastics for 3 months straight. I don't know if he's crazy or something....other people generally change elastics after a couple of weeks and wear lighter and less elastics...I don't understand why my surgeon is so conservative.

That's pretty crazy. I wore 6 elastics for 6 weeks post op. I wasn't allowed to start changing elastics until I hit 3 weeks post op, after I had 2 snap on me in two nights right before my post op appointment. At that point, my surgeon said my orthodontist could take over with the elastics...and he did. At my 6 week post op appointment, my surgeon wanted to change my elastics and I told him I'd been doing it myself for 3 weeks per the orthodontist's instructions and he was ok with that. 3 months is crazy...and trust me, by 3 weeks, you'll be going insane with how nasty your tongue feels. I'm sure things will lighten up though, just be patient.