Well, I just had my surgery Teusday April 3rd morning. It was a lower jaw advancment (BSSO). Of course I dont remember any of the surgery, and I dont really remember the recovery room either. The night in the hospital was pretty good, I think that was because of the morphine. Actually, the morphine caused a little bit of a problem. I guess I got all giddy that I could have as much of it as I wanted to, which prevented me from urinating by myself. After suffering, the nurse had to put a catheter in since my bladder was full. Luckily, After a few more hours, I could go by myself. Other than that, my hospital stay was fantastic. Two out of the three nurses I had were amazing. I loved the oxygen mask thing. I actually miss that the most from the hospital.
Strange thing: My surgeon never checked up on me after immediately after surgery. He was originally suppose to come the night of the surgery, for the go ahead to remove the tube from my nose, but just called it in. And then, he didnt come by in the morning to discharge me, again he called in to say that I could be discharged. I don't know what to think of this.
I'm extremely tightly banded shut, so only a pure liquid diet for me. My swelling has been getting worse still, hopefully, it will start going down. Going into this, breathing was my biggest worry since I have breathing problems through my nose. Luckily, it hasnt been that bad, fingers crossed. I had to take afrin last nite, my first nite home. Hopefully, I only have to do that at night so I won't get a rebound affect.
Surgery Update
Moderator: bbsadmin
You and me are surgery buddies! I had my second surgery April 3rd as well. What a great feeling to be on the other side!
My hospital stay was uneventful. My breathing tube was removed while I was in the recovery room and I had no problems taking in fluids or urinating soon after I awoke. I was walking so much that one of the nurses jokingly asked if I was running a marathon. In fact, they wanted to let me go home the evening of the surgery but I elected to stay the one night since the surgeons wanted to take follow-up x-rays the next morning and I didn't feel up to traveling an hour home and back within the span of a few hours.
Like you I'm tightly banded with elastics ... the surgeons said my jaw muscles are really trying to move back into their old positions so I'll be banded shut at least the first week. Hopefully at my first follow-up they'll remove the elastics and replace them with guiding elastics.
I think my swelling is more pronounced than it was during the first surgery three weeks ago. This may be due to the residual swelling from the first surgery in conjunction with the second surgery. Hopefully it'll peak soon ... once that happens it's all down hill.
-Bill
http://semper-braces.blogspot.com/
My hospital stay was uneventful. My breathing tube was removed while I was in the recovery room and I had no problems taking in fluids or urinating soon after I awoke. I was walking so much that one of the nurses jokingly asked if I was running a marathon. In fact, they wanted to let me go home the evening of the surgery but I elected to stay the one night since the surgeons wanted to take follow-up x-rays the next morning and I didn't feel up to traveling an hour home and back within the span of a few hours.
Like you I'm tightly banded with elastics ... the surgeons said my jaw muscles are really trying to move back into their old positions so I'll be banded shut at least the first week. Hopefully at my first follow-up they'll remove the elastics and replace them with guiding elastics.
I think my swelling is more pronounced than it was during the first surgery three weeks ago. This may be due to the residual swelling from the first surgery in conjunction with the second surgery. Hopefully it'll peak soon ... once that happens it's all down hill.
-Bill
http://semper-braces.blogspot.com/
Bill - I hope your recovery is going well. Surgery buddy.
My swelling peaked yesterday and is starting to go down a bit. The 72 hour swelling peaking seems to held true for me. I'm getting tired of the liquid diet alraedy and its only day 4 for me. My doctor called yesterday to move up my follow up appointment one day to monday. Hopefully, he'll remove these tight bands and put in less constrictive bands so I can eat mush food.
People who had lower jaw surgery, when did your os remove the tight bands with looser ones? one week? two weeks?
The pain isnt bad at all, very manageable. My lower jaw has shooting pains, which I think is just getting used to its new position or trying to move back.
My swelling peaked yesterday and is starting to go down a bit. The 72 hour swelling peaking seems to held true for me. I'm getting tired of the liquid diet alraedy and its only day 4 for me. My doctor called yesterday to move up my follow up appointment one day to monday. Hopefully, he'll remove these tight bands and put in less constrictive bands so I can eat mush food.
People who had lower jaw surgery, when did your os remove the tight bands with looser ones? one week? two weeks?
The pain isnt bad at all, very manageable. My lower jaw has shooting pains, which I think is just getting used to its new position or trying to move back.
The post surgery instructions I got from the hospital said I should switch to heat after 48 hrs. I waited till the 4th day and heat has worked great. At first I was using those water packs that can be heated in warm water, but they didnt work that great. So I switched to putting rice in a sock and heating it up in a microwave, which is great because it can mold around ur face then. Swelling is going down, excpet for my lower lip which is still huge. I still have a lot of numbness, but I feel tingly sensations in my lower lip/jaw/chin area. So hopefully, thats a good sign.
Agentzero,
Great to hear your recovery is going so well. I swear, the most nerve wracking part of this whole experience is the time leading up to it. After the surgery it's all gravy (pun kinda intended
).
Almost one week post surgery, like you, and I'm still in tight elastics. My first post surgery appointment is this coming Wednesday (11 April) so I'll find out then if they're going to keep them on, remove them and leave me band free, or remove them and put me in guiding elastics. Based on my first surgery not working out as planned I'd guess they'll remove the tight elastics and replace them with guiding elastics.
As far as the ice/heat instructions go, I had ice the day/night of surgery and was told to use I the next 24 hours. After that I could switch to heat if I wanted. I used the "jaw bra" from the Zip-N-Squeeze web-site (http://www.zip-n-squeeze.com) and it worked wonderfully. The little gel packs that come with it are removable and can either be frozen or heated. I simply put the gel packs in the "jaw bra" and microwaved it for 60 seconds. I had two of them so I rotated them around a bit. Not sure if the heat actually helped with the swelling but it sure felt good.
-Bill
http://semper-braces.blogspot.com/
Great to hear your recovery is going so well. I swear, the most nerve wracking part of this whole experience is the time leading up to it. After the surgery it's all gravy (pun kinda intended
).Almost one week post surgery, like you, and I'm still in tight elastics. My first post surgery appointment is this coming Wednesday (11 April) so I'll find out then if they're going to keep them on, remove them and leave me band free, or remove them and put me in guiding elastics. Based on my first surgery not working out as planned I'd guess they'll remove the tight elastics and replace them with guiding elastics.
As far as the ice/heat instructions go, I had ice the day/night of surgery and was told to use I the next 24 hours. After that I could switch to heat if I wanted. I used the "jaw bra" from the Zip-N-Squeeze web-site (http://www.zip-n-squeeze.com) and it worked wonderfully. The little gel packs that come with it are removable and can either be frozen or heated. I simply put the gel packs in the "jaw bra" and microwaved it for 60 seconds. I had two of them so I rotated them around a bit. Not sure if the heat actually helped with the swelling but it sure felt good.
-Bill
http://semper-braces.blogspot.com/
Well, I didnt get my tight bands removed. I had my first follow up appointment on monday, and my doctor said that he would remove the tight bands the next appointment. So I have to wait till next thursday, day 16, to get them off. I'm really getting frustrated with this thing now. Not being able to talk, not being able to eat, and just plain not being able to open your mouth to release the tension is getting really stressfull.
Hey, first I want to say that this forum is a great asset in these post-op days. Should have registred before, but better late then never! hehe.
I got some quick questions for yall guys. When I was going into this I feared the worst. As far as I can see, almost everybody having jaw surgery ends up banded shut. Why is it that I was so lucky and did not get bandet even though I had a double+ jaw surgery?
Furthermore I am at day 4 post-op, and I am still swelling up. (Hope the swelling has peaked by now). Is there anything that can be done to make the swelling go away faster? The only thing I do is, I sleep in an upright position. I noticed that almost everyone got some ice treatment right after surgery, again I did not recieve any of that. I think I got some kind of good stuff into my arm.
And my nose is still bleeding, a mix of water and blood, does anyone know what that means? None of this is directly unpleasent, it is just a bit annoying.
I got some quick questions for yall guys. When I was going into this I feared the worst. As far as I can see, almost everybody having jaw surgery ends up banded shut. Why is it that I was so lucky and did not get bandet even though I had a double+ jaw surgery?
Furthermore I am at day 4 post-op, and I am still swelling up. (Hope the swelling has peaked by now). Is there anything that can be done to make the swelling go away faster? The only thing I do is, I sleep in an upright position. I noticed that almost everyone got some ice treatment right after surgery, again I did not recieve any of that. I think I got some kind of good stuff into my arm.
And my nose is still bleeding, a mix of water and blood, does anyone know what that means? None of this is directly unpleasent, it is just a bit annoying.
Yarr, congratulations on a successful surgery! One of the things I've noticed is that there are as many different post-surgery procedures as there are Oral Surgeons.
Elastic Bands ... I wouldn't worry if you weren't banded while others were ... that just means that your Surgeon didn't feel it necessary. With rigid fixation (titanium plates and screws), a lot of post-surgery patients are banded immediately after surgery and then put into guiding elastics the morning after or prior to discharge from the hospital while there are many who are released as you were.
Swelling ... My Surgeons had me use ice for the first 36 hours or so after surgery and then I switched to heat for the next 48 hours. I actually used it for a longer period but only because it felt so good on my swollen cheeks (I don't believe it really helped with the swelling post 48 hours). I really think drinking plenty of water / fluids along with mild exercise (walking) did the trick here. If nothing else, it made me feel better.
Nose bleed ... this is to be expected, especially with upper jaw surgery. I was told to try and not sneeze for the first two weeks as that could cause a relapse in bleeding (although I only had lower jaw surgery).
-Bill
http://semper-braces.blogspot.com/
Elastic Bands ... I wouldn't worry if you weren't banded while others were ... that just means that your Surgeon didn't feel it necessary. With rigid fixation (titanium plates and screws), a lot of post-surgery patients are banded immediately after surgery and then put into guiding elastics the morning after or prior to discharge from the hospital while there are many who are released as you were.
Swelling ... My Surgeons had me use ice for the first 36 hours or so after surgery and then I switched to heat for the next 48 hours. I actually used it for a longer period but only because it felt so good on my swollen cheeks (I don't believe it really helped with the swelling post 48 hours). I really think drinking plenty of water / fluids along with mild exercise (walking) did the trick here. If nothing else, it made me feel better.
Nose bleed ... this is to be expected, especially with upper jaw surgery. I was told to try and not sneeze for the first two weeks as that could cause a relapse in bleeding (although I only had lower jaw surgery).
-Bill
http://semper-braces.blogspot.com/
Tnx for the reply BillN!
But still I get a bit worried when I eat for example. Im afraid to make a bad move with my jaw and that something breaks off.. Although I guess I just have to take it easy and try to relax more.
So fluids help with swelling, I guess I will have to do more of them then. Will try to drink more that is for sure, even though I have a wierd sensation inside of my mouth which make it a bit hard to "want" to drink/eat anything. Still, I have a posititve attitude about all this and think the small annoyng parts of the post-op prosedure will end in a couple of days.
I checked out your blog Bill and it looks like you are doing very well. For a person that does not know your face well, the swelling is almost unnoticable. I on the other hand still look like a chipmunk. hehe.. Still wish you a good recovery! now I am gonna go get som wather.
But still I get a bit worried when I eat for example. Im afraid to make a bad move with my jaw and that something breaks off.. Although I guess I just have to take it easy and try to relax more.
So fluids help with swelling, I guess I will have to do more of them then. Will try to drink more that is for sure, even though I have a wierd sensation inside of my mouth which make it a bit hard to "want" to drink/eat anything. Still, I have a posititve attitude about all this and think the small annoyng parts of the post-op prosedure will end in a couple of days.
I checked out your blog Bill and it looks like you are doing very well. For a person that does not know your face well, the swelling is almost unnoticable. I on the other hand still look like a chipmunk. hehe.. Still wish you a good recovery! now I am gonna go get som wather.
Tnx Meryaten. As for the information from the surgeon there was not much to get out of him. I saw him two times and did not get to ask alot of questions. Apperently the whole surgery was preformed by several surgeons, and when they came to see me, they were talking to eachother rather then me. I kinda felt like a circus attraction, in a good way. hehe. And I did not get an checkup date even. They said I would be recieving a letter in about six months. but who needs surgeons when I got you guys! tnx again for the tips!
tnx again for the tips!i had a bit of scare last nite, day 13. I went to lift a full laundry basket, and I thought I felt something in my jaw. Then I remembered you weren't suppose to lift anything heavy and I got all worried. For the next hour, I had a small anxiety attack and I thought my jaw was moving, which I know can't happen since I'm tightly banded. Anyways, that hour was terrible, I had no pain but some weird sensations in my jaw and teeth that completely freaked me out.
Has anybody had something like this happen to them??
Has anybody had something like this happen to them??
paranoia
I can join the paranoid club too about things moving around. Everytime I get a new type of pain, like a sharp pain in my ear, or a new ache in my chin, within 2 seconds my mind is saying...INFECTION FOR SURE...--> its hard to not assume the worst
Im only a week in so trying to relax about things since it still pretty fresh.
Last night I was syringing my mouth to clean all the guk out and after I syringed beneath my upper lip (theres stitches there) blood started dripping out into the sink...so I took 3 deep breaths, took a few gulps of water, and left it alone. I have to constatnaly step back and remind myself that all these things are normal.
Jaw Surgery = Serious Mind Game
I've said it before, I have a hugeee amount of respect for everyones whose gone through this =)
Im only a week in so trying to relax about things since it still pretty fresh.
Last night I was syringing my mouth to clean all the guk out and after I syringed beneath my upper lip (theres stitches there) blood started dripping out into the sink...so I took 3 deep breaths, took a few gulps of water, and left it alone. I have to constatnaly step back and remind myself that all these things are normal.
Jaw Surgery = Serious Mind Game
I've said it before, I have a hugeee amount of respect for everyones whose gone through this =)