Fall/Early Winter 2016 Surgery Buddies

[tdhenson86]

Regretting the bone graft. I think this is the reason that side of my face looks like a softball in it. The other side the swelling has gone down dramatically.

I'm sorry to hear about all the swelling! I hope you're able to look back and have good results from it. In the meantime, I'm sure it's pretty awful! Thank you for updating us!

[kpw818]

Hi all!

Surgery went well on Tuesday. Not a lot of pain so far, just some at night (I think my jaws get stiff while I sleep). Still on prescription meds, and those are making me a bit dizzy and groggy. Definitely got some good swelling in my cheeks--I'll post some pictures up later this afternoon!

I have noticed my upper teeth aren't quite right, but they said it was due to swelling--anyone else experience this?

How is everyone else doing?

[CandyApple]

Yay kpw!! Congrats on getting through it! Glad to here it went well. Be careful with the narcotic pain meds they can cause barroom issues if you don't take the colase just a reminder. 5thats why I stopped them. Take it easy the first week will be over before you know it!

Thx tdhenson! It's going down just real slow and my stitches are bleeding on that side so not sure what's going on but giving it time.

[kpw818]

Thanks! Almost a week out now. Saturday was the worst day. Lots of nausea dizziness. Felt better for a bit in evening, then it came back. Yesterday was pretty good.

I'm not wired or banded, and I don't have a splint. I have been able to get baby spoons in for food, but my mouth is pretty numb, so its a bit messy. I see my surgeon tomorrow for my first follow up, and I expect I will be getting some bands on then, since my upper jaw does have some funkyness. It looks like my right side is a bit higher--apparently it is normal to have some movement after surgery from what I have read--the muscles and swelling affect the perfect bite that was once there. Surgeon didn't seem concerned when he checked on me on Wednesday morning.

I am not sure how to post up pictures. I will have to check on that! I am still quite the chipmunk and do have some bruising on the right side.

[pantlover]

had my jaw surgery on the 20th. can genuinely say that this has been the worst 4 days of my life.

is anyone else feeling extreme stiffness? i can't even physically muster a smile because my nose, cheeks, chin, and lips are so swollen and numb.

[CandyApple]

Thanks! Almost a week out now. Saturday was the worst day. Lots of nausea dizziness. Felt better for a bit in evening, then it came back. Yesterday was pretty good.

I'm not wired or banded, and I don't have a splint. I have been able to get baby spoons in for food, but my mouth is pretty numb, so its a bit messy. I see my surgeon tomorrow for my first follow up, and I expect I will be getting some bands on then, since my upper jaw does have some funkyness. It looks like my right side is a bit higher--apparently it is normal to have some movement after surgery from what I have read--the muscles and swelling affect the perfect bite that was once there. Surgeon didn't seem concerned when he checked on me on Wednesday morning.

I am not sure how to post up pictures. I will have to check on that! I am still quite the chipmunk and do have some bruising on the right side.

kpw, I got dizzy the first week also it wasn't until today day 11 that I felt good enough to drive myself about 40 miles away and back. The couple of time I went out to the store I was really week and wore my jaw bra with out the ice to cover my swelling. We are so close in our post op times will have to see how we all fair. Let us know what the doc tells you about that swelling.

[CandyApple]

had my jaw surgery on the 20th. can genuinely say that this has been the worst 4 days of my life.

is anyone else feeling extreme stiffness? i can't even physically muster a smile because my nose, cheeks, chin, and lips are so swollen and numb.

PantL,
Oh Yes yes and yes all of the above. Mine was on the 13th and that first week is so hard just have to let time pass is all you can do and try to stay comfortable. Im on day 11 and was feeling pretty good minus the difficulty talking. It did start to gradually go down though but my ROM is not what it was before surgery obviously, but I can see that it does gradually loosen. I feel like my smile looks smaller because of all the swelling and extra puffy tissue around it.

[kpw818]

pantlover: Glad to see you post! Sorry you have had such a rough time. I had a lot of stiffness as well for the first few days. Things got better on day 5 (Sunday for me).

CandyApple: Yeah the dizzyness comes and goes. I felt really good yesterday, then kind of worn out and achy today. I think I overdid it on some cleaning and cooking this morning and that kind of set the stage for the rest of the day. I did make some crockpot white chicken chili which blends beautifully though! My boyfriend will drive me to work next week when I go back since I'm still feeling off. I think the swelling is affecting my eyesight a bit?

Surgeon was super pleased with bite. My swelling is actually really calm apparently. The entire office was like, whoa! I do have more on the right side. No bands yet--I will get those on my next appointment 11/1 to help move some things around. He actually said I could start soft food on Saturday

[senecastudent]

Three weeks out! Met with my surgeon and his assume that was pretty surprising: he won't move my lower jaw back hardly at all, just rotate it/readjust it slightly and move my upper jaw forward+a two piece LeFort. Still a double jaw surgery and I'll be wired shut for about ten days, but it seems, just by that description, to be less of a deal than I was expecting for an underbite. I figured they'd move both jaws more. I'm meeting with him again next week for the final pre-op meeting so I'll ask him then, but does that sound like a lesser deal and a lesser recovery than a typical DJS for underbite where they move the lower back and the upper forward?

[pantlover]

Three weeks out! Met with my surgeon and his assume that was pretty surprising: he won't move my lower jaw back hardly at all, just rotate it/readjust it slightly and move my upper jaw forward+a two piece LeFort. Still a double jaw surgery and I'll be wired shut for about ten days, but it seems, just by that description, to be less of a deal than I was expecting for an underbite. I figured they'd move both jaws more. I'm meeting with him again next week for the final pre-op meeting so I'll ask him then, but does that sound like a lesser deal and a lesser recovery than a typical DJS for underbite where they move the lower back and the upper forward?

good luck senecastudent! that sounds similar to my surgery. the majority of the movement was in the upper jaw (lefort 1 piece forward) and my lower jaw was moved back less than a mm and rotated to fix a slight cant. in terms of recovery, i think it just varies from person to person, not necessarily in how dramatic the movements are.

[pantlover]

pantlover: Glad to see you post! Sorry you have had such a rough time. I had a lot of stiffness as well for the first few days. Things got better on day 5 (Sunday for me).

CandyApple: Yeah the dizzyness comes and goes. I felt really good yesterday, then kind of worn out and achy today. I think I overdid it on some cleaning and cooking this morning and that kind of set the stage for the rest of the day. I did make some crockpot white chicken chili which blends beautifully though! My boyfriend will drive me to work next week when I go back since I'm still feeling off. I think the swelling is affecting my eyesight a bit?

Surgeon was super pleased with bite. My swelling is actually really calm apparently. The entire office was like, whoa! I do have more on the right side. No bands yet--I will get those on my next appointment 11/1 to help move some things around. He actually said I could start soft food on Saturday

the recovery has sucked since it's def no walk in the park. but I'm counting my blessings. luckily i had little to no nausea/dizziness and i was able to eat/drink/walk right off the bat. the main thing is that i used to have a very big smile that i loved before surgery but because of the stiffness i have this weird freaky half smile for now. lol not only that but the insides of my cheeks feel so raw and hurts/stings every time i try to move it.

kpw818, good to hear that your bite is looking good! I'm a little nervous about moving on to soft foods. let me know how that goes!

[tdhenson86]

I'm 13 days out from surgery. The nerves are starting to kick in! I've started a blog ahead of time to let my friends and family know what's going on. I figured I would share it here too for anyone interested:

http://timsdoublejawsurgery.blogspot.co ... c-man.html

[littlebird]

Hi all!

Surgery went well on Tuesday. Not a lot of pain so far, just some at night (I think my jaws get stiff while I sleep). Still on prescription meds, and those are making me a bit dizzy and groggy. Definitely got some good swelling in my cheeks--I'll post some pictures up later this afternoon!

I have noticed my upper teeth aren't quite right, but they said it was due to swelling--anyone else experience this?

How is everyone else doing?

Hey kpw, just wanted to say hi, I'm so glad your surgery went well!

[littlebird]

had my jaw surgery on the 20th. can genuinely say that this has been the worst 4 days of my life.

is anyone else feeling extreme stiffness? i can't even physically muster a smile because my nose, cheeks, chin, and lips are so swollen and numb.

Hey pantlover, glad your surgery went well! Hope your swelling has subsided!

10 days til surgery for me! Yikes! I'm getting nervous again. I also have this fear that it'll be postponed yet again.

[CandyApple]

I'm 13 days out from surgery. The nerves are starting to kick in! I've started a blog ahead of time to let my friends and family know what's going on. I figured I would share it here too for anyone interested:

http://timsdoublejawsurgery.blogspot.co ... c-man.html

Good Luck TDhenson!! It really does get better quickly. Just did my 2 week follow-up and am amazed how much better I feel. You will sleep so much better when you teeth and jaws are happily in the optimal place. The surgeon told me today then moved my lower jaw 6mm forward and I have 3 screws on both sides.