tee wrote:I have a date set for lower jaw advancement at the end of February. I've spent the past couple weeks highly anxious. Like, stressed to the point of not eating. I'm feeling a little better now. I'm sure that feeling will come and go because I don't know how you can elect to have a saw taken to your jaw with confidence.
Again, after leaving the surgeon's office, I feel like I didn't ask enough questions or the right ones. I'm sure these have been answered a million times around here, but maybe a few post-op people can offer their experience:
What sort of pain medication did they give you? Antibiotics? How are they administered? Pills? Because I was told I won't be able to take my itty bitty birth control pill?
You'll almost certainly be given opiate pain relievers (the "good stuff") of some sort. In the hospital they'll likely give it as an injection. For home, I specifically requested an Rx for a liquid. When you go to final pre-op, see if you can get the doctor to write your prescriptions then so you can get them filled BEFORE your operation, so your caregiver doesn't have to pray they can get back from the Pharmacy in time before you need your first pain pill. (Or, if the doctor made a mistake and wrote an Rx for something not available as a liquid, you can get that cleared up ahead of time.) Also needed: Liquid Advil, Liquid Sudafed. The Antibiotic was also a liquid. The OTC meds were all available in the "kids" section of the drugstore.
On the BC pill... hmm... I wouldn't depend on swallowing anything. Ask the pharmacist if you can crush it and stir it up in liquid to take. Yes or no, I'd suggest using a reliable backup method until you've been back to taking it normally for a week.
What was your oral hygiene routine like? How long before you can brush and floss properly?
Depends on "normal"... I'd say it was about a week before I could brush more or less normally. I had a wired-in splint, so no flossing on the upper until it came out. It'll probably be a little more than a week before you are flossing what you can, as you have to open your mouth quite a bit to floss.
Does everyone have a splint after surgery?
I think they are only used on LeForts, but ask your surgeon. I think you should expect to be banded with heavy rubber bands instead.
How long were you on a liquid diet before you graduated to soft food? How long before you got back to a more regular diet?
I was on liquids only until I could get my mouth open enough for no-chew ("nothing stiffer than scrambled eggs".) Call it five days or so. But everybody is different.
How did you handle social activities that involve eating, like dinner invitations? When I go back to work in a few weeks, what do I bring for lunch?
You are going to have to bring your own food... and don't expect to feel like going anywhere for a couple weeks. When you go back to work (I was working again in two weeks), just bring whatever it is you are eating at home. I even had to travel once, and I just picked up a six-pack of Boost from the drugstore once I got there.
How long before you felt well enough to leave the house or socialize? Because I'm really uncomfortable having anyone see me puffy, bruised, and drooling.
Thanks
I didn't really go anywhere for two weeks. By that point, most of the swelling should be gone, and you should have the "not drooling" thing down by that point.
I went out for lunch with my daughter when I was about 9 weeks post-op and had a sandwich but couldn't eat the side salad, coleslaw or crisps that went with it, so it felt like a waste of money more than anything else. I went out for a meal for my wedding anniversary with my husband at around 8 weeks and went to an Italian, had sausages and pasta, managed the pasta but not the sausages. Cheesecake went down fine though 
