Time off post surgery - doable or delusional?

[peanutella]

Hello everyone Nice to finally join this forum!

I'm hoping to get some advice on this seeing as many members on here have gone through ortho surgery. I am considering a Lefort I osteotomy procedure to impact my maxilla approx. 2-3, maybe 4mm + genioplasty. I have had my braces on for just over a year now.

Unfortunately due to my studies, surgery dates haven't worked well for me and long story short, I will have to take time off studies to do the surgery. The maximum time I can take off would be a week, maybe 2 if I put on my best pity-me show. Just wondering if any seasoned members out there can tell me if getting back into the swing of thigns 2 weeks post surgery is just plain delusional or potentially doable? I am a dental student, so will have to interact and talk to patients, as well as have the energy to handle full days of clinical work which I am already foreseeing will be a huge struggle on a liquid diet and with a watermelon face! If you guys don't mind I would love to hear about your experiences post surgery

[jaime]

It took me about that long to stop drooling...I would be concerned about all the time you'll spend looking down at patients. You may drool and holding your head that way may be uncomfortable. I also was still pretty swollen and not speaking clearly. You will fare a little bit better since you're only having your upper jaw done, but you won't be back to normal.

Personally, I would not have been ready to handle that kind of thing at two weeks post-op. I was 29, so perhaps you are younger and have more energy, but I'd say two weeks would be pushing it at least somewhat.

[EWUgal15]

I could have gone back to work at 2 weeks post op, but I have the comfort and flexibility of working from home. Which is exactly what I did when I went back to work at 3 weeks post op. I was still pretty swollen, bruised, and I couldn't really speak all that clearly with the rubber bands. Not to mention that my energy was still running down pretty quickly, likely from not really trying all that hard to return to a somewhat normal activity level.

[uneunsae]

I might be a wimp, but I'm 4 weeks post lower jaw and genio only and if I had a job, I would just be going back unless it was a quiet desk job, which would be doable after 2 or 3 weeks. However, I think working with patients in a dental school setting is going to be too much. Lack of energy alone is going to be an issue let alone all the other issues. It might not just make it harder on you, but also on your patients. And it will prolong your recovery time. You need to take it easy for a long time so your body can heal.

Having said that, everyone's recovery and there's no way to tell until you have surgery.

Can you ask your surgeon to schedule your surgery at the start of winter break? I know that's four months away, but it would give you enough time to recover before you resume spring semester. That's what I would do personally.

[glennstanzalone]

I'm on my 6th day of recovery and just getting my energy back. Still drooling all over myself so I don't want to be in public. Still on pain meds too so I'm not sure I could learn anything now. I wouldn't want to be forced to do anything until a couple weeks from now.

[Snophik]

The surgery affected my whole body afterwards for quite some time. I took time off from my job for four weeks I think. I could take short walks the second week, but I was really swollen and blood kept dripping from my nose (!) constantly. So it wasn't fun to be out in public. I would recommend three weeks, but you could just as well have a much more easy recovery than what I had. I hope your surgery goes really well and wish you best of luck!

[Snophik]

I meant at least three weeks.

[adorkable8605]

I did the surgery while I was in nursing school and got almost exactly 2 weeks off. I just made sure to use LOTS of ice, heating pads, and got lots of exercise (walks in the neighborhood). I looked fine when I went back to school and other than the splint, no one could tell that just two weeks ago I was swollen and yellow with bruises. I've always been a quick healer though and you have to assess yourself and determine if you can do it.


If you sit around and don't get moving, you will be tired and it will take longer. I hate sitting around and I was up and about, running errands and walking the dogs from about day 3 post-op.

I had double jaw surgery without a genio with about the same movements you are talking about...my over jet was probably like 9 to 10 mm.

[sirwired]

Two weeks, minimum. And even that may or may not be enough. Two weeks was enough for my 2-piece LeFort, but I have a work-from-home job.