Questons for those that had double-jaw surgery..

[marycotter5678]

1. How long were you wired shut for?
2. How long were you on a liquid only diet and when were you allowed to start eating soft foods again?
3. How long were you on prescription drugs and what skind of drugs did you need to take? Were the drugs required or only if you wanted/needed them to deal with pain?
4. How long until you were able to walk around and care for yourself? (take shower, make your own foods, go to work)

Thank you so much in advance!

[chrisk]

Hi mary
I had upper and lower jaw surgery, genioplasty (and a cant in my jaw levelled in August 2006.
1. I wasn't wired shut, but banded. These came off about 1 -2 weeks after

2. I was allowed soft food (but no chew) within a week after surgery. So anything I could squish between the gap between my teeth (I couldn't open my mouth very wide because of the banding) - scrambled eggs, jelly, baked beans (one at a time), rice with curry sauce, porridge all washed down with lots of water I could eat.

3. I had steroids for about a month after surgery to help with the swelling, and was prescribed a strong painkiller which I didn't use at all - I got by with mild paracetomol and sleeping tablets at night for the first couple of weeks.

4. Showered the next day, walking the next day but didn't get full energy back for 'proper' walking for about 8 - 9 days. I went back to work 4 weeks post-surgery. As a teacher, you really need your voice and I didn't have a lot of projection for a while. It was about 9 weeks before I felt back to normal speaking - wise with voice projection and not having a sore jaw at the end of the day.

Hope this helps

[PJ]

1. I was not wired shut--I purposely chose a surgeon who doesn't do that, because, frankly, the idea of it scared me too much. When I woke up I only had some light rubber bands on.

2. I was able to eat soft mushy foods pretty much right away--applesauce, oatmeal. If you are going to be wired, I am sure you will have to stick with liquids for awhile.

3. I was given hydrocodone for the pain, but there really wasn't too much--I quit taking it after a few days. They also had me on an antibiotic for the 10 days following surgery--as a preventive.

4. I actually showered in the hospital the morning after surgery and could easily get up to go to the bathroom at home, but mostly I wanted to lay around for the first several days. After about 5 days I was taking walks around the block, and then I went back to work at about 2 weeks post op--I walk dogs for a living, so I didn't have to try to talk much, and I wasn't too concerned about how bad I looked--the dogs still loved me.

[moth]

1. I was not wired shut

2. Liquid diet for 6 weeks

3. I actually didn't end up taking any pain medication after my surgery. It wasn't so much pain, it just felt weird, and lots of pressure. Though I did get pretty intense joint pain for awhile whenever I lied down, but I toughed it out.

4. I think it took me almost a week to have a shower... I tried to have one earlier, but I couldn't even stand in the heat of the water because it made me dizzy, so I just resorted to washcloths for the first while lol. I also had an exam at school scheduled for 2 weeks after my surgery date, which I thought I would have been able to attend no problem, but there was no way in hell I could have even written an exam at 2 weeks after. I felt so spaced out all the time, and a lack of energy from the diet, I couldn't do it. Then again, the day after my surgery, I had to go in for a second surgery because we thought my lower jaw shifted -- so I suppose having 2 surgeries, double the anesthetic, etc, have contributed to my slower recovery.

[projo198]

I am almost 4 weeks post op; not wired but banded, last week they changed my bands allowing my mouth to open further, weekly appts from now on will allow more and more opening, all gear comes off at week 6.

Still on liquid diet, doc says I can eat soft foods but honestly with the amount I can open my mouth it's almost a waste of time. I cam drink thicker soups though, so don't have to worry about the chunks as much.

I'm on percocet and hydrocodone, although I only take them in the morning. Wake up in some pain. At the beginning I took them regularly though. Also for the first week or so I was on about 8-10 liquid medications.

I was walking around fine the day after; your not going to be totally laid up just fatigued. The wife halped me with baths for the first few days which was comfortable, but I'm sure I could have showered just fine. Still not back to work, I could go but I worry about having to talk to people and eat around them. I'm in the military, so I got 6 weeks of convalescent leave. I do plan on going back next week though, after my next appt.

Hope this helps.

[vtmike1283]

1. How long were you wired shut for?
2. How long were you on a liquid only diet and when were you allowed to start eating soft foods again?
3. How long were you on prescription drugs and what skind of drugs did you need to take? Were the drugs required or only if you wanted/needed them to deal with pain?
4. How long until you were able to walk around and care for yourself? (take shower, make your own foods, go to work)

Thank you so much in advance!

I had a Lefort I and saggital split (double jaw surgery for an underbite and misalignment)

1. Never wired shut. For 3 days after surgery, I had nothing. Then a rubber band was attached on each side to guide my bite and hold it closed when I'm not doing anything. This adds a slight bit more pressure but each day feels a little better.

2. Not having regular food has been a bit of a pain. I'm 6 days after surgery and today I was able to get some tilapia and mashed potatoes down. The real problem is guiding the food to a spot in your mouth where you can swallow it. If it slips to the side or somewhere between your cheek and teeth, it can get lost. I'm still very numb around my lips and nose. This causes me to be a sloppy eater. Using a mirror helps and not putting more food than you can handle in at a time.

3. I've been taking a powder (mixed with water) called Enantyum. I ran out after 4 days and bought a few more just because it's nice to have before bed and in the morning. Laying down definitely can be a little uncomfortable. I'm really in no pain, just numb, a bit swollen, and uncomfortable.

4. I have people taking care of me still but I think I would have been capable two or three days post-surgery. The worst is at night when you wake up and need to change ice packs the first few days. Having someone cook liquid meals and mix shakes is awesome.

[Esoteric]

I have been wired shut now for just shy of 6 weeks. tomorrow I find out when I get to be unwired.

Being wired, I have been on a liquid diet from day one. I didn't really start eating anything till day 3 but was drinking gartorade and water from the start. Keep hydrated!

I had pretty much zero pain. I went home with the same medication they were giving me in intensive care unit. It was probably the equivalent to tylenol 800. I really didn't need much of it at all. Mostly took it to make me drowsy.

Walking around, well I walked around my hospital room. The 2nd day is when I started showering etc, but my mom helped with food for the first week or more.

I went back to work after 3 weeks. I could have taken more off but I was super bored.

[Emaciated]

1. How long were you wired shut for?

I was banded for 1-week. The splint stayed in for 2 weeks following being unbanded.

2. How long were you on a liquid only diet and when were you allowed to start eating soft foods again?

I started eating soft food around 4 weeks post-op after the splint came out, egg-salad and whatnot.

3. How long were you on prescription drugs and what kind of drugs did you need to take? Were the drugs required or only if you wanted/needed them to deal with pain?

I was on liquid codeine, antibiotics, and anti-anxiety meds. (alprozolam I think) I stopped the codeine after 3 days or so because I didn't need it, but I continued the anti-biotics for the whole cycle till the bottle was empty.

4. How long until you were able to walk around and care for yourself? (take shower, make your own foods, go to work)

I was able to take care of myself (alone) on my first day home from the hospital. I was myself other than my numb-alien face. Could shower, watch TV, prepare meals, put myself to bed no problem whatsoever. I didn't go back to work until 4-weeks post op and I advise everyone to take AS MUCH TIME OFF as humanly possible. Even 4-weeks seemed early to me. Sure, I could've probably gone back to work at 2 weeks but WTF, it still would've sucked. It sucked at 4-weeks. Keep in mind that even though you can dress up in work clothes, type on a computer, and completely act like yourself, you're still limited to eating liquids, you're still drooling on yourself when you eat, dribbling food down your chin, still have a numb face. Even at 4-weeks I found myself sitting at my desk unable to concentrate on anything other than the fact that I cannot feel my face. Also keep in mind that your co-workers don't think of you as "back to work but still recovering," they think of you as "back to work."

Anyway, sorry for the rant, I definitely advocate taking as much time off as you can afford to take. Pre-op, in your head you think, "Eh, I can handle oatmeal for lunch, I can still get stuff done. I can go back after 1-week, I'll be THAT person that can do it." But then post-op when you're numb, exhausted after 5-minutes of talking, and frustrated because no one can understand you, you'll remember me telling you this and will wish you were back in the comfort of your home with no boss asking you to get such and such report on his desk by 5:00.