Guest guest Posted August 18, 2004 Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 Tom, I wouldn't do any serious exercises without talking to your surgeon about it. You can always call and ask, that's what they're there for. Myself, I could only open a baby finger's worth after the first week. At that point, the surgeon said I could take the rubber bands off for eating & subsequent cleaning. In the evening, I would leave them off for a bit longer, and gently, gently stretch the mouth open, no resistance, no forcing it. I did fine. After 3 months, my ortho gave me some specific resistance exercises to do, in order to get my jaws opening further. He did not want me doing any resistance exercises early on, but at that point he told me " use it or lose it " . Hope that helps. Your surgeon is the expert here on what you should & shouldn't do, not the internet, sorry! > I went back to my OS yesterday and he took the really strong bands > off and put the guide ones on. Well he told me that I'd be able to > eat soft foods now like mac n cheese...stuff like that. Well I can > probably only open my mouth a quarter of an inch...which isn't enough > to chew food. He didn't say anything about jaw exercises to help in > opening the mouth more. I REALLY want to be able to eat something > besides liquids. And I know the splint is sorta hindering my food > intake as well. But where can I find info on jaw exercises after > surgery? > Thanks! > > Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 18, 2004 Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 Tom, I wouldn't do any serious exercises without talking to your surgeon about it. You can always call and ask, that's what they're there for. Myself, I could only open a baby finger's worth after the first week. At that point, the surgeon said I could take the rubber bands off for eating & subsequent cleaning. In the evening, I would leave them off for a bit longer, and gently, gently stretch the mouth open, no resistance, no forcing it. I did fine. After 3 months, my ortho gave me some specific resistance exercises to do, in order to get my jaws opening further. He did not want me doing any resistance exercises early on, but at that point he told me " use it or lose it " . Hope that helps. Your surgeon is the expert here on what you should & shouldn't do, not the internet, sorry! > I went back to my OS yesterday and he took the really strong bands > off and put the guide ones on. Well he told me that I'd be able to > eat soft foods now like mac n cheese...stuff like that. Well I can > probably only open my mouth a quarter of an inch...which isn't enough > to chew food. He didn't say anything about jaw exercises to help in > opening the mouth more. I REALLY want to be able to eat something > besides liquids. And I know the splint is sorta hindering my food > intake as well. But where can I find info on jaw exercises after > surgery? > Thanks! > > Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 18, 2004 Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 Tom--I am almost in your same boat and this is one of my questions. I will be 5 weeks post op tomorrow and next Thursday my OS will remove all my rubber bands and put the guide ones on and I was wondering what I will be able to eat and how wide I will be able to open my mouth. Did you have your lower or upper done? (I had lower only). How long since your surgery? (Mine was July 15th so I AM REALLY READY FOR SOMETHING NOT PUREED!!!!). I do not have a splint. I am curious to hear the answers from the group. Helen > I went back to my OS yesterday and he took the really strong bands > off and put the guide ones on. Well he told me that I'd be able to > eat soft foods now like mac n cheese...stuff like that. Well I can > probably only open my mouth a quarter of an inch...which isn't enough > to chew food. He didn't say anything about jaw exercises to help in > opening the mouth more. I REALLY want to be able to eat something > besides liquids. And I know the splint is sorta hindering my food > intake as well. But where can I find info on jaw exercises after > surgery? > Thanks! > > Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 18, 2004 Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 Tom--I am almost in your same boat and this is one of my questions. I will be 5 weeks post op tomorrow and next Thursday my OS will remove all my rubber bands and put the guide ones on and I was wondering what I will be able to eat and how wide I will be able to open my mouth. Did you have your lower or upper done? (I had lower only). How long since your surgery? (Mine was July 15th so I AM REALLY READY FOR SOMETHING NOT PUREED!!!!). I do not have a splint. I am curious to hear the answers from the group. Helen > I went back to my OS yesterday and he took the really strong bands > off and put the guide ones on. Well he told me that I'd be able to > eat soft foods now like mac n cheese...stuff like that. Well I can > probably only open my mouth a quarter of an inch...which isn't enough > to chew food. He didn't say anything about jaw exercises to help in > opening the mouth more. I REALLY want to be able to eat something > besides liquids. And I know the splint is sorta hindering my food > intake as well. But where can I find info on jaw exercises after > surgery? > Thanks! > > Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 18, 2004 Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 My OS strongly advised me against exercises until 6 weeks when the bone is healed. You do not want to exert undue presure and cause your jaw to shift. Check with your OS before doing anything like that. Marsha > I went back to my OS yesterday and he took the really strong bands > off and put the guide ones on. Well he told me that I'd be able to > eat soft foods now like mac n cheese...stuff like that. Well I can > probably only open my mouth a quarter of an inch...which isn't enough > to chew food. He didn't say anything about jaw exercises to help in > opening the mouth more. I REALLY want to be able to eat something > besides liquids. And I know the splint is sorta hindering my food > intake as well. But where can I find info on jaw exercises after > surgery? > Thanks! > > Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 18, 2004 Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 My OS strongly advised me against exercises until 6 weeks when the bone is healed. You do not want to exert undue presure and cause your jaw to shift. Check with your OS before doing anything like that. Marsha > I went back to my OS yesterday and he took the really strong bands > off and put the guide ones on. Well he told me that I'd be able to > eat soft foods now like mac n cheese...stuff like that. Well I can > probably only open my mouth a quarter of an inch...which isn't enough > to chew food. He didn't say anything about jaw exercises to help in > opening the mouth more. I REALLY want to be able to eat something > besides liquids. And I know the splint is sorta hindering my food > intake as well. But where can I find info on jaw exercises after > surgery? > Thanks! > > Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 18, 2004 Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 well actually...after reading how long since your surgery...i shouldn't be complaining. i had upper, lower, genio, and turbinectomies done a week ago today! i can't imagine being on a liquid diet for 5 weeks!! there were so many questions i wanted to ask my OS yesterday, but since I can't really talk...it's pretty hard. if you don't have a splint...it should be a little easier i think. because it not only hinders your speech...but also your cleaning, swallowing, and chewing. Tom > > I went back to my OS yesterday and he took the really strong bands > > off and put the guide ones on. Well he told me that I'd be able to > > eat soft foods now like mac n cheese...stuff like that. Well I can > > probably only open my mouth a quarter of an inch...which isn't > enough > > to chew food. He didn't say anything about jaw exercises to help > in > > opening the mouth more. I REALLY want to be able to eat something > > besides liquids. And I know the splint is sorta hindering my food > > intake as well. But where can I find info on jaw exercises after > > surgery? > > Thanks! > > > > Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 18, 2004 Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 well actually...after reading how long since your surgery...i shouldn't be complaining. i had upper, lower, genio, and turbinectomies done a week ago today! i can't imagine being on a liquid diet for 5 weeks!! there were so many questions i wanted to ask my OS yesterday, but since I can't really talk...it's pretty hard. if you don't have a splint...it should be a little easier i think. because it not only hinders your speech...but also your cleaning, swallowing, and chewing. Tom > > I went back to my OS yesterday and he took the really strong bands > > off and put the guide ones on. Well he told me that I'd be able to > > eat soft foods now like mac n cheese...stuff like that. Well I can > > probably only open my mouth a quarter of an inch...which isn't > enough > > to chew food. He didn't say anything about jaw exercises to help > in > > opening the mouth more. I REALLY want to be able to eat something > > besides liquids. And I know the splint is sorta hindering my food > > intake as well. But where can I find info on jaw exercises after > > surgery? > > Thanks! > > > > Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 I'm jealous!!! Yeah, 6 weeks on a liquid diet sucks but I trust my surgeon and I hope that I'll reap the rewards next Thursday at 8:45 when he removes all these rubber bands and only adds two and says that my bite looks beautiful (I'm keeping my fingers crossed). The good news for me at least is that the lack of splint may make eating easier for me and other than sounding like I have my teeth clenched (which I do) I can talk fairly well and have been back to work full- time since 2 weeks out. I tell you though, I never want to see another Atkins protein shake or pureed soup again! Good luck on your recovery! Helen > > > I went back to my OS yesterday and he took the really strong > bands > > > off and put the guide ones on. Well he told me that I'd be able > to > > > eat soft foods now like mac n cheese...stuff like that. Well I > can > > > probably only open my mouth a quarter of an inch...which isn't > > enough > > > to chew food. He didn't say anything about jaw exercises to help > > in > > > opening the mouth more. I REALLY want to be able to eat > something > > > besides liquids. And I know the splint is sorta hindering my > food > > > intake as well. But where can I find info on jaw exercises after > > > surgery? > > > Thanks! > > > > > > Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 19, 2004 Report Share Posted August 19, 2004 I'm jealous!!! Yeah, 6 weeks on a liquid diet sucks but I trust my surgeon and I hope that I'll reap the rewards next Thursday at 8:45 when he removes all these rubber bands and only adds two and says that my bite looks beautiful (I'm keeping my fingers crossed). The good news for me at least is that the lack of splint may make eating easier for me and other than sounding like I have my teeth clenched (which I do) I can talk fairly well and have been back to work full- time since 2 weeks out. I tell you though, I never want to see another Atkins protein shake or pureed soup again! Good luck on your recovery! Helen > > > I went back to my OS yesterday and he took the really strong > bands > > > off and put the guide ones on. Well he told me that I'd be able > to > > > eat soft foods now like mac n cheese...stuff like that. Well I > can > > > probably only open my mouth a quarter of an inch...which isn't > > enough > > > to chew food. He didn't say anything about jaw exercises to help > > in > > > opening the mouth more. I REALLY want to be able to eat > something > > > besides liquids. And I know the splint is sorta hindering my > food > > > intake as well. But where can I find info on jaw exercises after > > > surgery? > > > Thanks! > > > > > > Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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