Truth About Recovery

[stupidjaws]

It is my understanding that the US media is telling lies about the recovery to avoid losing any potential future patient. Just like Edward Snowden, i'm risking my life to tell the truth:

Everybody is...oh recovery who cares, i'll be ok.

You shall know:

1) Sleeping is the biggest issue. NOT eating or running a marathon: sleeping. It's close to impossible that in the first days (i'm at day 7, still never happened) you will sleep soundly. You will manage to sleep, but in this fashion: 2 hours ...awake other 3 hours...you sleep other 30 minutes and so on.

2) imagine on top of this kind of insomnia, you're lying with multiple fractures in your face. It's an unpleasant feeling. You feel like a super rubber band has been strapped to your face and Mike tyson is pulling it from behind it. Again, not a pleasant feeling. Imagine you obviously stay still, yet tyson is applying his maximum pressure. Not a pleasant feeling.

3) you drool like a snail. 24/7. Drool, drool drool. And drooling is pretty ugly. Imagine moving your ass any second with a tissue because otherwise you drool.

4) on top of all of this, imagine eating only liquids. Other than dreaming a filet mignon, rare, you won't feel like you're eating well

5) Antibiotics. Very powerful antibiotics for 2 weeks. Along with that, you (maybe) need some pain killers. At day 7 i take one every 24 hours, but it's to avoid pain from coming. What the painkillers can't take is the discomfort that is 24/7 and un-relievable.

6) breathing through your mouth. dry mouth becomes an issue

The list could really go on for a bit, but these are the main issues. The whole of them will render you always f**kin tired and I, I just hope this second week will move forward fast.

From what i heard, the first week is utter hell, the second is s**tty but more manageable, and the third starts becoming cool.


I will keep you posted, and don't trust the government when it comes to jaw surgery recovery: they lie.

NO TO 'MURICA

[x]

I really don't see what the country has to do with it at all, doctors in general just gonna downplay the negatives; it's important to find someone you feel you can trust.

[stupidjaws]

Ps. another reason why i'm a little bit pissed is that i thought i'de be way less swollen.
the only guy who is swollen like me (or just a little bit more) is znewtown.

I thought that being young and all that crap i could be in the top of the minor swelling...

Swelling is not a big deal...but more swelling means more time to recover.


These are minor complaints. I'm not depressed or anything. I'm just tired and f**k and hope these days will be over soon as they are pretty boring

[msmixmaster]

It is my understanding that the US media is telling lies about the recovery to avoid losing any potential future patient. Just like Edward Snowden, i'm risking my life to tell the truth:

Everybody is...oh recovery who cares, i'll be ok.

You shall know:

1) Sleeping is the biggest issue. NOT eating or running a marathon: sleeping. It's close to impossible that in the first days (i'm at day 7, still never happened) you will sleep soundly. You will manage to sleep, but in this fashion: 2 hours ...awake other 3 hours...you sleep other 30 minutes and so on.

2) imagine on top of this kind of insomnia, you're lying with multiple fractures in your face. It's an unpleasant feeling. You feel like a super rubber band has been strapped to your face and Mike tyson is pulling it from behind it. Again, not a pleasant feeling. Imagine you obviously stay still, yet tyson is applying his maximum pressure. Not a pleasant feeling.

3) you drool like a snail. 24/7. Drool, drool drool. And drooling is pretty ugly. Imagine moving your ass any second with a tissue because otherwise you drool.

4) on top of all of this, imagine eating only liquids. Other than dreaming a filet mignon, rare, you won't feel like you're eating well

5) Antibiotics. Very powerful antibiotics for 2 weeks. Along with that, you (maybe) need some pain killers. At day 7 i take one every 24 hours, but it's to avoid pain from coming. What the painkillers can't take is the discomfort that is 24/7 and un-relievable.

6) breathing through your mouth. dry mouth becomes an issue

The list could really go on for a bit, but these are the main issues. The whole of them will render you always f**kin tired and I, I just hope this second week will move forward fast.

From what i heard, the first week is utter hell, the second is s**tty but more manageable, and the third starts becoming cool.


I will keep you posted, and don't trust the government when it comes to jaw surgery recovery: they lie.

NO TO 'MURICA

Sounds like there's a wide range of post-op experiences...

It's 6th day post op for me, and I haven't had any problem with sleeping. In fact, I probably slept 20 out of 24 hours every day during the first 4 days. I maxed out the morphine and prescribed pain killer usage during that time, which may have helped...it was as if I couldn't stay awake more than 10 min at a time.

I've also had minimal drooling. I was able to drink things off of a paper cup from day 1.

What has sucked for me so far:
1) the congestion in the first few days really sucked. Very unfomfortable. I got over it by day 4, and breathing has become so much easier since then. In fact, breathing thru the nose is easier now than pre-op.
2) Swelling. I still look like a catoon characeter, not a cute one at that.
3) a relatively high fever that came about on day 2.
4) liquid only diet sucks, even with homemade soup with organic veggies and homemade cashew milk and occasional gourmet ice cream. I am dreaming of fried chicken and Brazilian BBQ.
5) medz taste horrible, esp after you gain your sense of smell back.
6) weird sensation on the face, including the burnning sensation on the lips that started on day 5

Over all, day 2-4 were the most challenging. As of now, the biggest challenge is more pyschological than physical. 
 

[Lazlo]

SJ, let's get some pics of you dude.

[stupidjaws]

SJ, let's get some pics of you dude.

lazio, i'll pm you some profile shots only in a few minutes. At the moments my frontal looks like a balloon so i'd rather wait.

ck...no pain no gain. such a true story.

[stupidjaws]

Sounds like there's a wide range of post-op experiences...

It's 6th day post op for me, and I haven't had any problem with sleeping. In fact, I probably slept 20 out of 24 hours every day during the first 4 days. I maxed out the morphine and prescribed pain killer usage during that time, which may have helped...it was as if I couldn't stay awake more than 10 min at a time.



I've also had minimal drooling. I was able to drink things off of a paper cup from day 1.

What has sucked for me so far:
1) the congestion in the first few days really sucked. Very unfomfortable. I got over it by day 4, and breathing has become so much easier since then. In fact, breathing thru the nose is easier now than pre-op.
2) Swelling. I still look like a catoon characeter, not a cute one at that.
3) a relatively high fever that came about on day 2.
4) liquid only diet sucks, even with homemade soup with organic veggies and homemade cashew milk and occasional gourmet ice cream. I am dreaming of fried chicken and Brazilian BBQ.
5) medz taste horrible, esp after you gain your sense of smell back.
6) weird sensation on the face, including the burnning sensation on the lips that started on day 5

Over all, day 2-4 were the most challenging. As of now, the biggest challenge is more pyschological than physical. 
 

The difference could be in the meds? I have a nazi surgeon who is extremely conservative. i never took morphine (only super high doses of toradol and other painkillers) and now i'm taking only ibuprofen less than once every 24 hours.

maybe many meds aid you in your sleep? who knows

[msmixmaster]

Yeah, I'm still taking tramadol 7.5 ml every 6 hours...was taking 10 ml every 4 hours the first 4 days.

[stupidjaws]

Yeah, I'm still taking tramadol 7.5 ml every 6 hours...was taking 10 ml every 4 hours the first 4 days.

lol...tramadol is a narcoletic...no wonder you're sleeping 20 hours a day!

[stupidjaws]

guys...did you receive the pm???

[Cmonster]

It is my understanding that the US media is telling lies about the recovery to avoid losing any potential future patient. Just like Edward Snowden, i'm risking my life to tell the truth:

Everybody is...oh recovery who cares, i'll be ok.

You shall know:

1) Sleeping is the biggest issue. NOT eating or running a marathon: sleeping. It's close to impossible that in the first days (i'm at day 7, still never happened) you will sleep soundly. You will manage to sleep, but in this fashion: 2 hours ...awake other 3 hours...you sleep other 30 minutes and so on.

2) imagine on top of this kind of insomnia, you're lying with multiple fractures in your face. It's an unpleasant feeling. You feel like a super rubber band has been strapped to your face and Mike tyson is pulling it from behind it. Again, not a pleasant feeling. Imagine you obviously stay still, yet tyson is applying his maximum pressure. Not a pleasant feeling.

3) you drool like a snail. 24/7. Drool, drool drool. And drooling is pretty ugly. Imagine moving your ass any second with a tissue because otherwise you drool.

4) on top of all of this, imagine eating only liquids. Other than dreaming a filet mignon, rare, you won't feel like you're eating well

5) Antibiotics. Very powerful antibiotics for 2 weeks. Along with that, you (maybe) need some pain killers. At day 7 i take one every 24 hours, but it's to avoid pain from coming. What the painkillers can't take is the discomfort that is 24/7 and un-relievable.

6) breathing through your mouth. dry mouth becomes an issue

The list could really go on for a bit, but these are the main issues. The whole of them will render you always f**kin tired and I, I just hope this second week will move forward fast.

From what i heard, the first week is utter hell, the second is s**tty but more manageable, and the third starts becoming cool.


I will keep you posted, and don't trust the government when it comes to jaw surgery recovery: they lie.

NO TO 'MURICA

1. I totally agree sleeping is a PAIN !!! I was given Tramadol to sleep and I took the smallest dose every 6-12 hours just to sleep because without it I'd be agonizing. Tramadol is one hell of a drug, makes you woozy, dreamy, and is mad addictive imo. Once I weaned myself off it I hated myself because my sleep was very shallow would wake up with every noise/sound etc.

2. Yeah in the early stages you feel so much pressure like you're about to burst from your own skin or even picture an elephant sitting on your face, its just overwhelming... but it does subside with time. The rubbery feeling is well your face is stretched and there is a fair amount of scar tissue restricting your movement, I still have lots of that.

3. Agree with this, keep a towel with you at all times below your lips because you will drool with or without knowing- ALSO some people bleed from their noses anytime they move/get up etc I was one of those people for almost 2 weeks was not fun.

4. This is the worst part, especially if you love food for the first week or two- you get burnt out, but at some point you give up and keep going.

5. The meds taste like poison, especially the liquid tramadol HOLY CRAP- liquid poison, nothing you down after that helps.

6. Humidifier helps and keep your lips super hydrated 24/7 with a lip balm/chapstick.

What else, yeah the recovery the first part of it blows terribly, there is no denying that, and some days you'll feel you've got enough in you to keep going and on others you will wish you never signed up for this hell- but regardless you keep trekking, it will pass. 

[Kristen]

Oh my god....recovery sounds like absolute hell !

[falcao]

If I do my surgery overseas, I may find myself alone for three weeks during the recovery. Is this manageable or do I absolutely have to plan for family/friend to come and stay with me during those weeks? Is it unrealistic to expect that I can manage on my own?

[Modigliani]

Good question falcao, I'm going abroad too and was considering doing it alone...not so sure now.

[stupidjaws]

If I do my surgery overseas, I may find myself alone for three weeks during the recovery. Is this manageable or do I absolutely have to plan for family/friend to come and stay with me during those weeks? Is it unrealistic to expect that I can manage on my own?

it's manageable after the first 3 days.
but try to stay in clinic 3 nights at least