Post-surgery depression

Message

#1 Post by **ajl1239** » Fri Aug 20, 2010 2:54 pm

Hi all,

I just had upper and lower jaw surgery for severe open bite yesterday morning and am feeling pretty depressed. I can't talk at all--can only mumble--and can only drink/"eat" with a syringe. When I look in the mirror, I see someone swollen and different and worry that my friends will judge me for having this done.

My surgeon wants to keep the splint in my mouth constantly for 2.5 weeks, which scares me.

Can anyone offer any words of optimism or support? I know I shouldn't be feeling this way, but this is the most extreme thing I have ever done and I am scared and worried.

Thanks so much.

#2 Post by **shanalouis** » Fri Aug 20, 2010 5:17 pm

i'm soooooo depress too but i didnt have surgery yet. i'm worried about what i will look like, being banded shut, and just waiting for it all to happen!!!!!!!!!!!..........

#3 Post by **ajl1239** » Fri Aug 20, 2010 5:19 pm

Ohhhh, I didn't mean to scare anyone--it's just really hard, but most people do say that it is worth it in the end.

#4 Post by **James0099** » Fri Aug 20, 2010 5:25 pm

Give it some time, you'll feel much better soon enough.

#5 Post by **James0099** » Fri Aug 20, 2010 5:29 pm

Oh and the swelling will just be gone one day, it feels like it never will go but it will go down and then you will just have little puffiness around your face that isn't as noticeable that IDK when it goes down since I am a month removed from double jaw and it hasn't gone away, but I look pretty much normal now.

Don't take what you look like right now too seriously, I didn't like how I looked out of surgery, thought I had no chin anymore. But that was just because of the swelling.

#6 Post by **sadpanda** » Fri Aug 20, 2010 6:03 pm

Hi -

I've never had a big surgery like you, but when I had surgery to take out my impacted wisdom teeth, my face was very swollen. I had to go to work and people called me "Puffy Face." I thought my face would always be puffy and it really hurt to bite down and eat things. Luckily, with time, it got better. I know your recovery will take a lot longer, but it will get better and when it's all over, I'm sure you'll think it was worth it.

#7 Post by **WiredRunner** » Fri Aug 20, 2010 6:23 pm

ajl1239 wrote:When I look in the mirror, I see someone swollen and different and worry that my friends will judge me for having this done.

I felt the exact same way right after surgery. I tried to look down any time I went in the bathroom or walk past a mirror. I was really making myself crazy! There were a few days when I'd really start to regret the whole thing. "What will my co-workers think? What will my friends think?" It didn't help that I sent my boyfriend a picture once the swelling finally started to go down and he kept telling me how different I looked.

After a few days, the swelling really started to improve and I started looking a little more like me. Now I like the way I look even though I know I still have a ways to go. Just focus on the outcome (perfect smile, perfect jaws, teeth that actually work, etc). Keep reminding yourself that the swelling will go down but never as quickly as you want it to. The first few days really are the worst. Hang in there; it does get better.

#8 Post by **cvn** » Fri Aug 20, 2010 6:46 pm

The medications (in particular the anesthesia) can give you the blues pretty badly for a few weeks, and it sucks to be really hungry and you cant eat anything. It's normal. Cry where no one can see you and then throw something at the wall that hopefully you don't have to clean up and then soldier on. It gets better.

#9 Post by **aliciaj212** » Fri Aug 20, 2010 10:07 pm

I was really worried about the bite splint, too.
I went in for my 10 day check up yesterday, and the super industrial rubber bands I had in my mouth were removed and replaced with more lax rubber bands. I can open my mouth now, though the doctor said that chewing is still a no-go, I can now eat stuff like oatmeal, grits, porridge. It's a huge improvement over just drinking Ensure and watery soup.

And I can also start to communicate, too! I was watching some videos on Youtube and noticed that ppl can talk fairly well despite having a bite splint, so there's hope for us after all.

Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:55 am

I sure felt depressed after the surgery and it lasted until I was discharged 3 days after my surgery.

My jaws are still wired shut. I remember my doctor made a splint for my upper and lower teeth. I bit on this piece of plastic or something before my surgery and my doctor kept it. I wonder if it is in my mouth at the moment!

I am now 13 days post op and my teeth are still wired shut! This sucks. I still cannot insert food by making a gap in between my upper and lower teeth. I have to try to suck food down my throat by pumping food into the left and right side of my teeth.

#11 Post by **redfoxjo** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 4:19 am

I am exactly the same. I'm 6 days post-op from upper and lower jaw surgery with a palate expansion/bone graft from my hip. I am depressed too and feeling constantly weepy. Thankfully being discharged from the hospital has helped because it was driving me mad. I got elastics fitted yesterday so have been reduced to sticking a syringe in my mouth to eat. I'm constantly dribbling and look like a monster. My fiance is being amazing at looking after me but the pain is ruining everything. I am in constant pain, especially since having these elastics fitted. Sleeping is a nightmare too. I am trying to be positive but each day is a fight. So glad this board exists for support. When did the swelling significantly go down for those further post-op? X

#12 Post by **vincejawsurgery** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 7:59 pm

My swelling started getting better every day after the surgery. I think it was during day 7 or 8 that I started to look more normal.

I remember it felt like a rock in the first few days! Hang in there!

#13 Post by **redfoxjo** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 2:21 am

Am glad your swelling went down so quick. Did you have double jaw surgery? Mine doesn't seem to be any different from day one post op. Sigh. I hope it clears soon.

#14 Post by **vincejawsurgery** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 2:41 am

redfoxjo wrote:Am glad your swelling went down so quick. Did you have double jaw surgery? Mine doesn't seem to be any different from day one post op. Sigh. I hope it clears soon.

Yes, I had double the fun. When I was at day 5, I was feeling so upset that my swelling did not go down as quickly as I thought it would... then it happened a few days later.

I take photos every single day to compare the difference. It is hard to spot the difference in the mirror every day because your memory may fail you.

#15 Post by **nineeyes** » Wed Aug 25, 2010 8:05 am

The splint is definitely not fun, but I had to keep mine in for 6 weeks. I was able to get back to work at 2 weeks out, but the splint made me really hard to understand. I actually had some fun trying to get people to understand what I was saying, but it did get pretty frustrating sometimes.

Metal Mouth Message Board

Post-surgery depression

Post-surgery depression

............................

Re: Post-surgery depression