Re: Life after surgery

[Guest guest]

I'm sorry you had such a rough time of it. Thanks for sharing. It's always good

to read about another's experiences. Thanks for sharing it with us and

welcome to the group! =)

Mia

> Before I got lower jaw surgery I went out of my way to research the

> procedure. I asked the surgeons questions,went on the internet, and I

> even got some books from the library. I was told that having surgery

> was going to be just like when I got my wisdom teeth out, and the

> doctors made me believe that I would heal within a few months. Well

> They were wrong!!!! Now I'm just going to explain what it's really

> like to wake up after surgery, the crap that the doctors and websites

> go out of their way to cover up.

> THE FIRST 2 WEEKS: I woke up and my mouth was full of blood, my whole

> body hurt, and it felt like there was a hot cat on my face. I looked

> like Mr. Potato Head and I couldn't feel my face. I was so hungry and

> the only thing I could drink was nasty broth, and even then I could

> still taste the blood in my mouth. The painkillers didn't do much

> because I was in constant pain. I couldn't sleep, sit down, or stand

> up without feeling pain. I was always hungry and the liquid diet made

> my stomach feel terrible, and it took forever to eat finish food that

> wasn't comepletly liquid. I'm not exaggerating it was really that

> bad, infact I remember looking out of a window and then wanting to

> jump out of it.When I woke up I could feel the liquid moving in my

> face and my neck hurt because of all of the pillows I had to use. My

> breath smelled terrible, so thank God I couldn't open my mouth.My

> lower lip and my chin was numb so it was a challenge to control my

> drooling.

> WEEK 4: Most of the swelling went down and I felt well enough to

> return to school. But, I still felt pain in my joints and the inside

> of my mouth hurt because it was all cut up. And lucky me, I still had

> more swelling that made me look like I had a double chin. My head

> looked even bigger because I lost about 10 points after the surgery.

> Even worse, I had dark bruises and veins on my face. Soon the bruises

> turned into dry skin and then I was left with scars that covered my

> entire left cheeck. Imagine having to hear " What's wrong with your

> face? " everday for three months. When I saw the doctor he just

> shrugged and told me to GO BUY SOME MAKE-UP!!!!!!!! talk about

> sympathetic. The surgeons made me feel guilty because they would say

> that I looked like another person, and they talked to me like they

> gave me a new face and that just made me feel like a was a plastic

> barbie who looked like a monster before the surgery. I felt stupid

> and fake until I told myself one day, " Whatever girl you were fine

> before the surgery and anyways no one even noticed that your chin

> moved forward less then an inch, it's not like anyone is mistakening

> you for someone else so who cares if you look a little better. "

> THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOWED: I continued to have the same problems

that

> I experienced in week 4, except not as bad. It's been almost 6 months

> and I still can't feel my lower lip or my chin, and I still can't

> open my mouth that wide. I'm writing this information only to help

> and even though I had to go through hell for this surgery I would do

> it again in a heartbeat ( a very hesitant hearbeat), even if it means

> having a numb lower lip for life ( AWH the risk of having no good

> kissy kissy). Don't get this surgery just to make yourself look

> better, get it because you need to improve health problems. If

> something goes wrong you'll feel really stupid for cutting yourself

> up just to look beautiful. I'm just telling this story because I wish

> that someone would've told me the truth before I got my surgery.

[Guest guest]

Hi!

Wow, I am sorry to hear you had such a rough go of it! Thank you for

sharing your story. I think it is important for people to hear some

examples of what can go wrong. I do however think you may be in the

minority. I had upper and lower surgery 2 weeks ago and can eat soft

foods, open my mouth over an inch, have very little swelling, no

bruising left, and am able to go out with my friends shopping, to

movies, etcetera. I am not saying this to gloat, only to point out

that everyone's experience is different. And ABSOLUTELY I agree that

this surgery is not to be taken lightly. I would not do it for minor

cosmetic imperfections. I hope that your healing continues. Have you

considered looking into your surgeons history? I have not heard of

peopl's mouths being full of blood. This really should have been

easier for you. Take care.

Fay

> Before I got lower jaw surgery I went out of my way to research

the

> procedure. I asked the surgeons questions,went on the internet,

and I

> even got some books from the library. I was told that having

surgery

> was going to be just like when I got my wisdom teeth out, and the

> doctors made me believe that I would heal within a few months.

Well

> They were wrong!!!! Now I'm just going to explain what it's really

> like to wake up after surgery, the crap that the doctors and

websites

> go out of their way to cover up.

> THE FIRST 2 WEEKS: I woke up and my mouth was full of blood, my

whole

> body hurt, and it felt like there was a hot cat on my face. I

looked

> like Mr. Potato Head and I couldn't feel my face. I was so hungry

and

> the only thing I could drink was nasty broth, and even then I

could

> still taste the blood in my mouth. The painkillers didn't do much

> because I was in constant pain. I couldn't sleep, sit down, or

stand

> up without feeling pain. I was always hungry and the liquid diet

made

> my stomach feel terrible, and it took forever to eat finish food

that

> wasn't comepletly liquid. I'm not exaggerating it was really that

> bad, infact I remember looking out of a window and then wanting to

> jump out of it.When I woke up I could feel the liquid moving in my

> face and my neck hurt because of all of the pillows I had to use.

My

> breath smelled terrible, so thank God I couldn't open my mouth.My

> lower lip and my chin was numb so it was a challenge to control

my

> drooling.

> WEEK 4: Most of the swelling went down and I felt well enough to

> return to school. But, I still felt pain in my joints and the

inside

> of my mouth hurt because it was all cut up. And lucky me, I still

had

> more swelling that made me look like I had a double chin. My head

> looked even bigger because I lost about 10 points after the

surgery.

> Even worse, I had dark bruises and veins on my face. Soon the

bruises

> turned into dry skin and then I was left with scars that covered

my

> entire left cheeck. Imagine having to hear " What's wrong with your

> face? " everday for three months. When I saw the doctor he just

> shrugged and told me to GO BUY SOME MAKE-UP!!!!!!!! talk about

> sympathetic. The surgeons made me feel guilty because they would

say

> that I looked like another person, and they talked to me like they

> gave me a new face and that just made me feel like a was a plastic

> barbie who looked like a monster before the surgery. I felt stupid

> and fake until I told myself one day, " Whatever girl you were fine

> before the surgery and anyways no one even noticed that your chin

> moved forward less then an inch, it's not like anyone is

mistakening

> you for someone else so who cares if you look a little better. "

> THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOWED: I continued to have the same problems

that

> I experienced in week 4, except not as bad. It's been almost 6

months

> and I still can't feel my lower lip or my chin, and I still can't

> open my mouth that wide. I'm writing this information only to help

> and even though I had to go through hell for this surgery I would

do

> it again in a heartbeat ( a very hesitant hearbeat), even if it

means

> having a numb lower lip for life ( AWH the risk of having no good

> kissy kissy). Don't get this surgery just to make yourself look

> better, get it because you need to improve health problems. If

> something goes wrong you'll feel really stupid for cutting

yourself

> up just to look beautiful. I'm just telling this story because I

wish

> that someone would've told me the truth before I got my surgery.

[Guest guest]

Having hung out on these boards for over three years and three

surgeries I can tell you the OS just give you the basics as everyone

is so different in their healing/recovery.

I think partly not many OS have had this surgery done (should be a

prereq so they can't accurate describe what 'altered sensations'

might feel like for numbness etc.

The painkillers didn't do much

because I was in constant pain.

+now like I said this is my third, I found the best painkiller was

tylenol the oxycontin this time didn't take away all the pain and

made me high, nervous with vivid dreams.. I did my BSSO with only

reg tylenol and found no pain.

With my BSSO I was so hungry, this leforte not hungry one bit.

This last surgery I did experience pretty bad post surgical

depression. I obsessed about the things I hadn't thought about, the

things I forgot were 'normal' and felt like this was just all taking

too long and sucked.

I had constant nosebleeds for 2 weeks everytime I did anything -

stand up talk etc

But, I still felt pain in my joints and the inside

of my mouth hurt because it was all cut up.

=do you mean jaw joints or joints in general? I think this surgery

cause of the weightloss/toxin removal reeks havoc on your body and

without an optimum diet (ha ha) it gets worse. I have never had BO,

I never had to wear deoderant after the surgery it was like wow.

It's been almost 6 months

and I still can't feel my lower lip or my chin, and I still can't

open my mouth that wide.

=relax I am 3 years plus post BSSO and the numbness took a while to

come back like over two years and I'd say I am about 98% normal

except theres a small 5mm by 5mm patch on my lip that feels fuzzy.

I think that's why this group is here, the surgeons do give you

booklets, etc but its hard to translate numbness into oh crap I have

got lettuce leaf on my face for twenty minutes and can't feel it!

They also fail to go into the emmotional aspects of the surgery,

that you really do look 'warped' after and you think I am supposed

to function and look better. LOL.

But that's why we are all here. The limited opening you might want

to try the tongue depressor stretching method.

Alison

[Guest guest]

colony,

It sounds like you had a very hard and distressing recovery and that

it is still not over and I am VERY sorry to hear that. My sympathies

are with you. HOWEVER, since it is only fair to provide a balanced

perspective about the pros and cons of this surgery I would like to

add that just as there are very difficult recoveries such as yours

there are also very easy recoveries. I consider mine to be one of

them and feel very lucky in this respect. Your doctors do sound quite

inconsiderate of your feelings and what you have had to go through

but I don't believe doctors are " lying " when they say most surgery

recoveries go well because STATISTICALLY speaking this is true so

statistically speaking they are telling the truth. I don't want to

tale away from your painful experience. You have every right to cry,

stamp your feet, vent and rage. All pre-opers should be aware of the

potential problems they may encounter post-op and should be prepared

to deal with them. But they should also know that there are good

stories out there. I'm glad to hear that you don't regret doing the

surgery DESPITE the problems you've had. That is encouraging. One

question - what's this about scars on your face??? From bruising?

That sounds very odd. Have you been to a dermatologist? I would

recommend it.

I hope that you find some relief finally from all your pain. You

truly do deserve it.

Sara

5 weeks post-op

> Before I got lower jaw surgery I went out of my way to research the

> procedure. I asked the surgeons questions,went on the internet, and

I

> even got some books from the library. I was told that having

surgery

> was going to be just like when I got my wisdom teeth out, and the

> doctors made me believe that I would heal within a few months. Well

> They were wrong!!!! Now I'm just going to explain what it's really

> like to wake up after surgery, the crap that the doctors and

websites

> go out of their way to cover up.

> THE FIRST 2 WEEKS: I woke up and my mouth was full of blood, my

whole

> body hurt, and it felt like there was a hot cat on my face. I

looked

> like Mr. Potato Head and I couldn't feel my face. I was so hungry

and

> the only thing I could drink was nasty broth, and even then I could

> still taste the blood in my mouth. The painkillers didn't do much

> because I was in constant pain. I couldn't sleep, sit down, or

stand

> up without feeling pain. I was always hungry and the liquid diet

made

> my stomach feel terrible, and it took forever to eat finish food

that

> wasn't comepletly liquid. I'm not exaggerating it was really that

> bad, infact I remember looking out of a window and then wanting to

> jump out of it.When I woke up I could feel the liquid moving in my

> face and my neck hurt because of all of the pillows I had to use.

My

> breath smelled terrible, so thank God I couldn't open my mouth.My

> lower lip and my chin was numb so it was a challenge to control my

> drooling.

> WEEK 4: Most of the swelling went down and I felt well enough to

> return to school. But, I still felt pain in my joints and the

inside

> of my mouth hurt because it was all cut up. And lucky me, I still

had

> more swelling that made me look like I had a double chin. My head

> looked even bigger because I lost about 10 points after the

surgery.

> Even worse, I had dark bruises and veins on my face. Soon the

bruises

> turned into dry skin and then I was left with scars that covered my

> entire left cheeck. Imagine having to hear " What's wrong with your

> face? " everday for three months. When I saw the doctor he just

> shrugged and told me to GO BUY SOME MAKE-UP!!!!!!!! talk about

> sympathetic. The surgeons made me feel guilty because they would

say

> that I looked like another person, and they talked to me like they

> gave me a new face and that just made me feel like a was a plastic

> barbie who looked like a monster before the surgery. I felt stupid

> and fake until I told myself one day, " Whatever girl you were fine

> before the surgery and anyways no one even noticed that your chin

> moved forward less then an inch, it's not like anyone is

mistakening

> you for someone else so who cares if you look a little better. "

> THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOWED: I continued to have the same problems

that

> I experienced in week 4, except not as bad. It's been almost 6

months

> and I still can't feel my lower lip or my chin, and I still can't

> open my mouth that wide. I'm writing this information only to help

> and even though I had to go through hell for this surgery I would

do

> it again in a heartbeat ( a very hesitant hearbeat), even if it

means

> having a numb lower lip for life ( AWH the risk of having no good

> kissy kissy). Don't get this surgery just to make yourself look

> better, get it because you need to improve health problems. If

> something goes wrong you'll feel really stupid for cutting yourself

> up just to look beautiful. I'm just telling this story because I

wish

> that someone would've told me the truth before I got my surgery.