6 days post-op-warning, very long and whiny post!

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I posted to this site a few times before my surgery and I finally

had it last Tuesday, December 14. I had my lower jaw reduced

(osteotomy)and LeFort on my upper jaw (it was tipped so OS brought

down the right side so that my upper jaw is straight across). The

surgery was outpatient and the OS said that everything went

beautifully and couldn't have gone better. Surgery was supposed to

have taken 3 1/2 hours, and only took 2. I felt good the morning of

surgery, not too nervous and I was completely ready to have this

surgery (I've been planning on it for 5 years now, braces for 9

months) and was just ready to get it over with. I was ready and

prepared to be wired shut-its my winter break from grad school and

have four weeks off from my job. When people would tell me how awful

it sounded, I'd just reply " oh well, its just a few weeks and the

rest of my life will be that much better with so much less pain. " I

was actually looking forward to some down time because I have been

so busy for so many months now with no breaks at all. Well, now that

its time for recovery I don't seem to be taking my own advice and I

feel a lot worse than I thought I would! Unfortunately for all of

you reading this, I am taking this opportunity to vent to those who

have been there...

Where should I start? For one, I am still taking pain medicine and

thought I wouldn't need it by now. Pretty much from under my eyes

and down hurts. There are times when I have a searing pain that

feels like a stabbing in the jaw joint on the left side. Whenever my

body tries to yawn, I try to make it go away but I still end up with

a shooting pain on that side. Parts of my face are numb, parts are

sore, my skin seems to be peeling, I can't feel my nose at all and

just can not beleive how fat and swollen my face looks. The swelling

is just huge and I feel like I'm carrying a giant yellow-green

bowling ball around on my body. Every time I accidentally look in

the mirror (something I try to avoid) I am shocked that face belongs

to me. Because my jaw is wired shut, eating is just such a chore and

requires so much effort. My throat is still really sore from the

breathing tube and I am extremely congested. I threw up three times

the second day after surgery and it was so horrible that I am very

nervous it will happen again. It is such a strange sensation to have

my jaw wired shut and I hate that I can never relax my jaw, its so

uncomfortable with the muscles so tightly clenched all the time. Not

being able to talk well is worse than I was expecting, and I feel so

lazy just sitting around watching TV and napping all day, but I

don't feel like I have the energy to do anything else.

On the bright side, I slept in my bed for the first time last night

(I've been sleeping on a reclining chair on the sofa) and that went

pretty well, and this is actually the first morning I've been up and

around before 9:00 am, so I guess I am making progress. I know that

I will be extremely happy with the results when all is said and

done, I can see how good my teeth look and my teeth meet correctly

for the first time ever.

I am wondering if anyone else had a very bright outlook going in to

this and then were suprised how difficult it actually was? Does

anyone have any tips for relaxing your jaw when you are wired shut?

Has anyone sneezed with their jaw wired shut? I've had a sneeze

coming for days now and I keep willing it away, but I don't know if

it will stay away forever. From reading all these posts it seems

like the recovery is easier than most people were expecting, so I

feel like I'm being the world's biggest baby. I am usually such an

optimistic, upbeat, active person and I am struggling with being the

opposite right now. Anyway, I do apologize for the negative tone in

this post, it is unlike me but I'd rather vent to you guys than

those around me who can't fully understand what I'm going through.

Oddly enough, I am already feeling a little better having written

this. Anyway, thanks for your time in reading this and any advice

would be appreciated!

-Colleen

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I posted to this site a few times before my surgery and I finally

had it last Tuesday, December 14. I had my lower jaw reduced

(osteotomy)and LeFort on my upper jaw (it was tipped so OS brought

down the right side so that my upper jaw is straight across). The

surgery was outpatient and the OS said that everything went

beautifully and couldn't have gone better. Surgery was supposed to

have taken 3 1/2 hours, and only took 2. I felt good the morning of

surgery, not too nervous and I was completely ready to have this

surgery (I've been planning on it for 5 years now, braces for 9

months) and was just ready to get it over with. I was ready and

prepared to be wired shut-its my winter break from grad school and

have four weeks off from my job. When people would tell me how awful

it sounded, I'd just reply " oh well, its just a few weeks and the

rest of my life will be that much better with so much less pain. " I

was actually looking forward to some down time because I have been

so busy for so many months now with no breaks at all. Well, now that

its time for recovery I don't seem to be taking my own advice and I

feel a lot worse than I thought I would! Unfortunately for all of

you reading this, I am taking this opportunity to vent to those who

have been there...

Where should I start? For one, I am still taking pain medicine and

thought I wouldn't need it by now. Pretty much from under my eyes

and down hurts. There are times when I have a searing pain that

feels like a stabbing in the jaw joint on the left side. Whenever my

body tries to yawn, I try to make it go away but I still end up with

a shooting pain on that side. Parts of my face are numb, parts are

sore, my skin seems to be peeling, I can't feel my nose at all and

just can not beleive how fat and swollen my face looks. The swelling

is just huge and I feel like I'm carrying a giant yellow-green

bowling ball around on my body. Every time I accidentally look in

the mirror (something I try to avoid) I am shocked that face belongs

to me. Because my jaw is wired shut, eating is just such a chore and

requires so much effort. My throat is still really sore from the

breathing tube and I am extremely congested. I threw up three times

the second day after surgery and it was so horrible that I am very

nervous it will happen again. It is such a strange sensation to have

my jaw wired shut and I hate that I can never relax my jaw, its so

uncomfortable with the muscles so tightly clenched all the time. Not

being able to talk well is worse than I was expecting, and I feel so

lazy just sitting around watching TV and napping all day, but I

don't feel like I have the energy to do anything else.

On the bright side, I slept in my bed for the first time last night

(I've been sleeping on a reclining chair on the sofa) and that went

pretty well, and this is actually the first morning I've been up and

around before 9:00 am, so I guess I am making progress. I know that

I will be extremely happy with the results when all is said and

done, I can see how good my teeth look and my teeth meet correctly

for the first time ever.

I am wondering if anyone else had a very bright outlook going in to

this and then were suprised how difficult it actually was? Does

anyone have any tips for relaxing your jaw when you are wired shut?

Has anyone sneezed with their jaw wired shut? I've had a sneeze

coming for days now and I keep willing it away, but I don't know if

it will stay away forever. From reading all these posts it seems

like the recovery is easier than most people were expecting, so I

feel like I'm being the world's biggest baby. I am usually such an

optimistic, upbeat, active person and I am struggling with being the

opposite right now. Anyway, I do apologize for the negative tone in

this post, it is unlike me but I'd rather vent to you guys than

those around me who can't fully understand what I'm going through.

Oddly enough, I am already feeling a little better having written

this. Anyway, thanks for your time in reading this and any advice

would be appreciated!

-Colleen