Re: LeFort Osteotomy II -question for Cheryl...

[Guest guest]

Hi Cheryl,

I'm fairly knew to this site although I have posted a couple of times

already. I happened to read your response to s with regards to

his surgery. I am too looking at having the same type of surgery next

summer or early fall, 2003. I am 34 year old female. I work full

time and I am very active. I also run and lift weights and cycle a

lot during spring/summer months. If you don't mind me asking how old

are you? You said you are a stay home mom... what helped you the most

with the way your recovery went? Was there anything specific that you

did? Or a number of things to get yourself ready for the surgery? I

am 34, 5' 3 " tall and 125lbs. I know that I will lose some weight,

but how much? I really don't need to lose any but I know that I

will. How long did it take you to get back up to your regular weight?

Do you think that I'll need to take more than two weeks off from

work? And you said you were back at the gym within two weeks after

the surgery? Were you able to get back to lifting right away or did

you start off slow, with just walking? Sorry for all the questions...

but I'm very nervous about the surgery and the recovery process/speed.

I don't want to be laid up for too long but from everything I read

here most people are out for at least 6 weeks. :-( I don't know if

I'll have the patience for that. :-( Were you wearing a splint if you

were not wired shut? I will have to wear one but I don't know for how

long? How does that affect your eating? And were you able to talk

right away? I know that most of the people here that have a double

jaw surgery have a lot of trouble communicating. I have a family and

my six year old will not understand why mom can't talk. Well, for a

day maybe, but after that...that's it! I'll have to be able to

communicate somehow, and since she can't read all that well yet it may

be difficult to write things down and expect her to read it! And how

are you doing now? You said your surgery was in August... how are you

coping now? Do you have a lot of troubles still with certain things

or are you back at 100%. I sure hope that all is going well for you.

And those are just some of my concerns. Any help and information

would be greatly appreciate it. :-) Thank you in advance.

Gosia

> Hi s,

>

> I had the LeFort procedure on August 5th of this year. I'll try to

> answer your questions. You also might want to read the archives for

> my old posts (CSHECMIA) around the time of my recovery.

>

> The surgery was 5 1/2 hours. Felt like the blink of an eye to me.

I

> woke up with no pain but some nausea. I told them to discontinue

the

> pain meds (morphine) and the nausea stopped. I spent one

> uncomfortable night in the hospital, changing ice packs and

urinating

> every 1/2 hour. Still no pain. I forced myself to drink fluids,

and

> could manage from a small cup almost immediately. I was not wired

or

> banded shut and could speak.

>

> Once home, the swelling, numbness and congestion set in. This

lasted

> for about 6 days. The 7th day is heaven. Avoid milk products and

> take sudafed for the congestion. Ice for 48 hours and then apply

> heat. Get a humidifier. Continue to force liquids.

>

> I was back at the gym and driving my car around 1 1/2 weeks. At two

> weeks I was pretty much my old self but achey in the afternoons. I

> never had any pain requiring more than tylenol. I'm a stay at home

> mom but could have gone back to work full time at two weeks. Some

> people require more time at home to recover, depending on their age

> and physical condition. I am an avid runner and weight lifter which

> greatly speeded up my recovery.

>

>

> Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions,

>

> Cheryl

[Guest guest]

> Hi Cheryl,

>

> I'm fairly knew to this site although I have posted a couple of

times

> already. I happened to read your response to s with regards

to

> his surgery. I am too looking at having the same type of surgery

next

> summer or early fall, 2003. I am 34 year old female. I work full

> time and I am very active. I also run and lift weights and cycle a

> lot during spring/summer months. If you don't mind me asking how

old

> are you?

Thirty-nine, forty in March.

You said you are a stay home mom... what helped you the most

> with the way your recovery went? Was there anything specific that

you

> did? Or a number of things to get yourself ready for the surgery?

(1) Working out and running in the months before the surgery.

(2) Reading this board and utilizing the offered support.

(3) Forcing fluids/nutrition after the operation.

I

> am 34, 5' 3 " tall and 125lbs. I know that I will lose some weight,

> but how much? I really don't need to lose any but I know that I

> will. How long did it take you to get back up to your regular

weight?

I lost seven pounds the first week which I regained by the third week.

> Do you think that I'll need to take more than two weeks off from

> work? And you said you were back at the gym within two weeks after

> the surgery? Were you able to get back to lifting right away or

did

> you start off slow, with just walking? Sorry for all the

questions...

I only had single jaw surgery. I lifted carefully to be sure that I

wasn't clenching my jaw or raising my heart rate too high. I was

back Spinning and running at two weeks. I made sure that I ate/drank

enough and slowed down or stopped if I felt tired or dizzy.

> but I'm very nervous about the surgery and the recovery

process/speed.

> I don't want to be laid up for too long but from everything I read

> here most people are out for at least 6 weeks. :-( I don't know

if

> I'll have the patience for that. :-( Were you wearing a splint if

you

> were not wired shut?

I only had upper jaw surgery. I was neither wired, splinted or

banded at first. I did get banded at the 2 week mark.

I will have to wear one but I don't know for how

> long? How does that affect your eating? And were you able to talk

> right away? I know that most of the people here that have a double

> jaw surgery have a lot of trouble communicating. I have a family

and

> my six year old will not understand why mom can't talk. Well, for

a

> day maybe, but after that...that's it! I'll have to be able to

> communicate somehow, and since she can't read all that well yet it

may

> be difficult to write things down and expect her to read it! And

how

> are you doing now? You said your surgery was in August... how are

you

> coping now? Do you have a lot of troubles still with certain

things

> or are you back at 100%. I sure hope that all is going well for you.

I'm doing very well. Expecting to get my braces off shortly. Jaw

pain and migraines are gone. Still have some grinding in the

joints. Still left with some residual numbness. Appearance change

is nice. Bite is nice.

Let me know what else I can answer for you. Thanks for asking how

I'm doing!

Cheryl