How long for total recovery for upper and lower surgery

[Guest guest]

I'm going into having my upper jaw brought forward and my lower set

back near the end of the year. I know the recovery time can vary

greatly, but I'd love to hear your experiences.

How long did it take to recover enough to:

Talk

Eat without a syringe

Eat solid food

Go out in public without scaring people

Exercise

Work (office job)

How long were you noticeably swollen / bruised.

Thank you all so much!

us

[Guest guest]

> How long did it take to recover enough to:

>

> Talk

I was intelligible in recovery, although later when I got banded

only my family could understand me for a week or so.

> Eat without a syringe

Three hours out of recovery they gave me soup, and I ate it from a

spoon. I only used the syringe the week I was banded 24/7.

> Eat solid food

Six weeks before I was allowed to put any pressure, even soft

chewing pressure, on my teeth. When I got the bands off at week

one, I ate any normal food I wanted, mushed up into something I

could put in and swallow.

> Go out in public without scaring people

I got out of the hosptial on day 1 (the day after surgery). I went

straight to choir practice that I was missing and checked in with my

fellow members to assure them I was OK. Then I went home and

SLEPT. I was out and about again the next day. I never let

bruises, swelling, or drooling keep me away from public places.

> Exercise

I was walking the night of surgery. I'm not much into exercise, but

I certainly didn't like anything that jolted my face for weeks.

Even going up and down stairs too quickly made my face

uncomfortable. But definitely walking right away. At week six the

doc told me to go back to a normal life, and I told him it was too

late - I had been back for a while already. I think it was week 4

or 5 when I started doing the things I normally do, only more

carefully.

> Work (office job)

I'm a housewife, but if I had a desk job I could have gone back at

week 2.

> How long were you noticeably swollen / bruised.

3-4 weeks for the bruising, which turned many beautiful colors.

Except for my lower lip, I didn't really swell up, even immediately

post-op.

I had an upper only, 3 months ago to correct an open bite.

Kris

[Guest guest]

you're right.. it varies. here is my experience:

Talking:

i was able to talk right away althought i sounded muffled. i was

wired shut for the full six weeks and by the end of the six weeks, i

was talking so well, that most people forgot i was wired.

Eating without a syringe:

i gave up on the syringe a week after my surgery. i had a small

opening at my front teeth so i could easily use a straw. i wouldn't

advise this for most people... it was just the way my teeth were

positioned post-op - it was the easiest way for me to eat.

Eating solid food:

again, i was wired for six weeks (which is rare nowadays). so full

liquid diet for six weeks. the night i got " unwired " , i ate some

soft bread and pasta. two weeks after being unwired (8 weeks post-

op), i ate my first hamburger, but my jaws were still tight. now, i

am 2 1/2 months post-op and i can eat anything i want, although i can

tell that my jaws don't open as wide as they did before... this

doesn't hinder me, its just kind of a weird feeling.

Going out in public without scaring people:

i went to the bank six days after my surgery. the teller sort of

looked at me funny and i told her that i just had surgery. she was

sympathetic and that was the end of it. my swelling was MINIMAL

though... i was really suprised.

Exercise:

can't answer that b/c i am super lazy. seriously, though i did

go for a walk a week after surgery and it felt great to get outside.

but again, i don't do aerobics or anything more strenuous than light

walking, so i'm not the best person to tell you that.

Work:

i work an office job. i went back 9 days post-op (this includes the

weekend). it was fine. i just brought in my liquid meals and that

was it. one guy thought my puffy cheeks were cute.

Swelling/bruising:

MOST of the swelling was gone in two weeks. i didn't have any

bruising. however, 2 1/2 months post-op, i still notice some minor

puffiness. i don't know if its just the way my " new face " is shaped

now. i've always had a round face, so its hard to tell if its

swelling or just my normal chubby cheeks. mind you, i'm 5'4 " , 120

lbs, so any chubbiness in my cheeks would pretty much be there to

stay, not having anything to do with weight gain. oh well...

hope this helps!

> I'm going into having my upper jaw brought forward and my lower set

> back near the end of the year. I know the recovery time can vary

> greatly, but I'd love to hear your experiences.

>

> How long did it take to recover enough to:

>

> Talk

> Eat without a syringe

> Eat solid food

> Go out in public without scaring people

> Exercise

> Work (office job)

>

> How long were you noticeably swollen / bruised.

>

> Thank you all so much!

> us