Questions about jaw surgery recovery
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Questions about jaw surgery recovery
Hello! This is my first post! I'm 42 and have had braces on now for about 2.5 years. I'm almost there. I have a slight overbite and have (?had) a choice to have this corrected with surgery...a 3mm shift with a BSS (if that's the correct abbreviation!) or a lifetime of retainers. When I decided what to do back at the start I erred towards the surgery and I think I'm still there (eeek!). I had a brace as a teenager, so essentially I've had 5-6 years of braces in my life, I really do want to make sure the teeth dont shift again. Anyway...surgery is getting close. My ortho is in the process of referring me to the consultant for an assesment. I expect the op will be in 2-3 months. I asked the ortho a couple of questions yesterday & recieved answers that were not necessarily consistent with stuff I picked up from the net (I know...it's a dangerous thing the WWB!). So I thought I'd ask you lot!!! I have obvious concerns about a numb lip, buts I guess that's just one of the risks and I'll have to live with that. Question 1 is: After the op do you have to sleep sitting up for a while becuse of the swelling? And Question 2: How long post op does it take to get back to doing fairly serious exercise? I like rock climbing/climbing Scottish hills (1000m + climb in a day), kayaking and going to the gym. I'm no athelete by any means and I do all this to a fairly steady level but the ortho said I'd be out of action for 2 months, which seems a rediculously long period of time with no exercise! Can anybody share their experiences to put my mind at rest? I know the surgeon will advise, but the exersise issue is a fairly immediate concern when I'm trying to plan the rest of the year (holidays, which hills to climb pre-op etc!) Can anybody help?
I wasn't really given any advice in hospital, but was signed off work for 2 weeks and told to do no contact sports or chewing for 6 weeks.
They didn't tell me to sleep sitting upright, but that seems to be what a lot of people were told on here, so I did, for about 1½ weeks. I bought a v-shaped feather pillow, which really helped with getting comfortable. When I went back to sleeping lying down, I did have a lot more early-morning swelling than when I was sleeping sitting upright, so it seems like good advice.
On the exercise front, I think it is safest to follow their advice and avoid anything which could involve contact to your face for at least 6 weeks. If you get a knock to the jaw in those early weeks, you could easily knock the jawbone out of its new setting (even with all the plates and screws). The gym might be OK for stationary stuff like bikes/steppers/cross trainers, but running might jar your jaw a bit too much. The climbing could be risky if you lose a hold and bump against the rockface (or if you're bouldering, even a fall from a couple of feet could jar your jaw too much). I'm not sure how likely you are to knock your face while kayaking!
You may not feel up to anything very vigorous for a couple of weeks - the general anaesthetic can really knock you for six. I'm pretty fit and walking was all I could manage for the first week or so (and even that made me need a nap!). I did try to get out and about every day, though. Just take it easy.
FWIW, I do a lot of cycling (80+ miles a week) and stayed off the bike for 6 weeks. I stayed off my mountainbike for 3 months, because the risks of falling off that are much greater than road riding.
They didn't tell me to sleep sitting upright, but that seems to be what a lot of people were told on here, so I did, for about 1½ weeks. I bought a v-shaped feather pillow, which really helped with getting comfortable. When I went back to sleeping lying down, I did have a lot more early-morning swelling than when I was sleeping sitting upright, so it seems like good advice.
On the exercise front, I think it is safest to follow their advice and avoid anything which could involve contact to your face for at least 6 weeks. If you get a knock to the jaw in those early weeks, you could easily knock the jawbone out of its new setting (even with all the plates and screws). The gym might be OK for stationary stuff like bikes/steppers/cross trainers, but running might jar your jaw a bit too much. The climbing could be risky if you lose a hold and bump against the rockface (or if you're bouldering, even a fall from a couple of feet could jar your jaw too much). I'm not sure how likely you are to knock your face while kayaking!
You may not feel up to anything very vigorous for a couple of weeks - the general anaesthetic can really knock you for six. I'm pretty fit and walking was all I could manage for the first week or so (and even that made me need a nap!). I did try to get out and about every day, though. Just take it easy.
FWIW, I do a lot of cycling (80+ miles a week) and stayed off the bike for 6 weeks. I stayed off my mountainbike for 3 months, because the risks of falling off that are much greater than road riding.
Braced May 2005
Bimaxillary surgery Aug 2007
Debraced Jun 2008
Bimaxillary surgery Aug 2007
Debraced Jun 2008
I slept upright for the full week after surgery as directed by my OS. I think it IS much better for two reasons. 1. You're leaking "fluids" out of every hole in your face so sitting up helps drain everything, and 2. It helps (I was told) reduce the amount of swelling in your face when you wake up in the morning.
Personally, I don't think I slept at all the first week anyway other than some medicated passing-out so it didn't matter if I was sitting up in bed or sitting in a chair. The whole week is pretty unpleasant.
Regarding exercise, as dubnobass said, I didn't feel like doing anything for a few weeks and like you I enjoy exercising and sports. I just wasn't up to it. I think I got back into the gym for some light exercising after a month and then around 2 months felt comfortable going more aggressive.
I'm at 4.5 months now and I still feel a little cautious when my 1-year old hits me in the chin.
And just as FYI, the feeling has completely returned to both of my lips although they were uncomfortably numb for months.
Personally, I don't think I slept at all the first week anyway other than some medicated passing-out so it didn't matter if I was sitting up in bed or sitting in a chair. The whole week is pretty unpleasant.
Regarding exercise, as dubnobass said, I didn't feel like doing anything for a few weeks and like you I enjoy exercising and sports. I just wasn't up to it. I think I got back into the gym for some light exercising after a month and then around 2 months felt comfortable going more aggressive.
I'm at 4.5 months now and I still feel a little cautious when my 1-year old hits me in the chin.
And just as FYI, the feeling has completely returned to both of my lips although they were uncomfortably numb for months.
For the first week and a bit, I slept on maybe two or three pillows . Not flat but not totally upright either. And I agree with KarlClay - The morphine totally knocked me out so it didn't really matter.
As for exercise, the only thing I can remember being told was not to go swimming. That was because I had a bone graft taken from my hip so I had an incision there. I started doing a bit of rock climbing about 12 days after surgery. I stayed off my bike for a good three weeks at least. Walking was no problem, and I highly recommend taking walks as soon as you are able. I tried some light jogging at about three weeks after surgery, but the bone graft site was still bugging me a bit at that point.
As for exercise, the only thing I can remember being told was not to go swimming. That was because I had a bone graft taken from my hip so I had an incision there. I started doing a bit of rock climbing about 12 days after surgery. I stayed off my bike for a good three weeks at least. Walking was no problem, and I highly recommend taking walks as soon as you are able. I tried some light jogging at about three weeks after surgery, but the bone graft site was still bugging me a bit at that point.
I slept upright (well, semi-upright) for 2 weeks. I didn't really pay attention to the effect it had on swelling, but in the beginning it really helped me with my breathing. Not to mention, I find sleeping flat on my back quite uncomfortable, and my jaw was too tender to sleep on my side.
My surgeon recommended staying away from vigorous exercise for 2-3 months. Granted, I'm treating this as an excuse and not a punishment.
My surgeon recommended staying away from vigorous exercise for 2-3 months. Granted, I'm treating this as an excuse and not a punishment.
Im glad to get some input on the exercise portion of recovery as well.
While they have postponed my surgery to July-ish, I havent had a chance to ask my surgeon yet. We have a home gym, and I have gym membership, so I am hoping to at least make it from upstairs to our gym downstairs (elliptical, some free weights, tv w/ exercise dvd's) at least after the first week, along with walking the dog with m husband w/ hat to cover swollen face and incision marks (will have incisions next to ears for TMJ arthroplasty)... I imagine I will look like one of those celebrities who cruise around in hats and glasses post cosmetic surgery... but oh well. And back to cycling (once the weather is clear, I usually bike about 60-100 miles a week on my road bike) after 2-3 weeks, and actual gym as well. I can't even imagine being inactive for more than 2 weeks... Ill go stir crazy!
Does this sound feasible?
While they have postponed my surgery to July-ish, I havent had a chance to ask my surgeon yet. We have a home gym, and I have gym membership, so I am hoping to at least make it from upstairs to our gym downstairs (elliptical, some free weights, tv w/ exercise dvd's) at least after the first week, along with walking the dog with m husband w/ hat to cover swollen face and incision marks (will have incisions next to ears for TMJ arthroplasty)... I imagine I will look like one of those celebrities who cruise around in hats and glasses post cosmetic surgery... but oh well. And back to cycling (once the weather is clear, I usually bike about 60-100 miles a week on my road bike) after 2-3 weeks, and actual gym as well. I can't even imagine being inactive for more than 2 weeks... Ill go stir crazy!
Does this sound feasible?
Well, from what I recall, its not only so much the pain meds but just the inability to feel your face that keeps you (or kept me at least) reluctant to do too much physical activity.
When you think about it, for a few weeks after surgery, a large percentage of YOUR FACE is only held onto your skull by a few tiny screws, and it feels like it too so you're not exactly pumped to go jump around too much or make sudden bouncing movements. Even just lightly tapping your chin after a genio feels really weird and very "unstable" so you can imagine the horror that would go through your head after a serious bump from a weight or accidental knee bump or something while doing squats or whatever.
Walking the dog will be fine and it will actually feel really good to get out of the house. As far as exercise DVDs/aerobics/cycling and whatnot, that's really up to you and your doctor but it sounds a bit ambitious to me at 2 weeks. I think you'll still be feeling sort of "loose." Who knows though.
When you think about it, for a few weeks after surgery, a large percentage of YOUR FACE is only held onto your skull by a few tiny screws, and it feels like it too so you're not exactly pumped to go jump around too much or make sudden bouncing movements. Even just lightly tapping your chin after a genio feels really weird and very "unstable" so you can imagine the horror that would go through your head after a serious bump from a weight or accidental knee bump or something while doing squats or whatever.
Walking the dog will be fine and it will actually feel really good to get out of the house. As far as exercise DVDs/aerobics/cycling and whatnot, that's really up to you and your doctor but it sounds a bit ambitious to me at 2 weeks. I think you'll still be feeling sort of "loose." Who knows though.
Its definately possible to maintain a good weight, i was tighted banded for nearly 7 weeks and am still on a non chew diet now, but the only weight i lost was a couple of pounds in the 1st couple of days when i was in hospital. (and too be honest i could do with loosing a few anyway) You really will be surprised how ingenious you get with a blender after a few days! 
Braces on 11th June 2006,~ BSSO and Wisdom tooth removal 11th February 2008,~ Plate Removal 14th May 2008,~ Braces off 28th August 2008.
http://adultwithbraces.blogspot.com/
Thanks everyone, I will try to keep a better attitude.. Im a notorious pessimist, and much as I hate to admit it 
I think I will be investing into a Magic Bullet, I keep reading that those are a lifesaver.
And I will be tightly banded for 2 weeks, and then able to do no chew, or soft foods after that. Im not quite 100%, but thats what I was told in the beginning.
I think I will be investing into a Magic Bullet, I keep reading that those are a lifesaver.And I will be tightly banded for 2 weeks, and then able to do no chew, or soft foods after that. Im not quite 100%, but thats what I was told in the beginning.
Yeah, I dont really have any space, and I was definitely planning in Zip Squeeze bags. We have a nice Cuisinart blender we got as a wedding gift and it does well, but even when I blend now, I still get a lot of chunks, and there there is the pain in the rear of having to take the blender apart and clean it.
Thanks!
Thanks!