5 years later and still smiling!
Despite trying to walk away from this blog twice (here and here), I’ve been drawn back yet again. It seems helping people through the experience of having jaw surgery is something of an addiction.
Perhaps most importantly, I should let you know that I am back to help answer your questions (and have been doing so for nearly 2 months already). It’s been encouraging to see people helping each other in the comments as well, so thanks to all of you who are sharing your own wisdom with people new to this surgery.
In case you’re wondering what happened during my 5-year hiatus, I’d like to share a few brief updates on my life since my previous “final” post.
- After 6 years in university, I finally graduated with a degree in Computer Engineering. I’m not sure what that means, exactly, but many adults seemed to think it was a good thing to collect.
- I let all of my professors down by opting to become a traveling bum instead of getting a desk job. In 2012, I traveled around this blue and green orb God gave us (also known as Earth) and discovered friendly, hopeful people all over the place. The year-long experience involved many long bus rides, sleeping on park benches, eating frogs, walking cheetahs, and seeing the number $0 on my bank statements. (I was also lucky enough to spend Christmas in Malaysia with a fellow jaw hero!)
- I met a girl named Roma along the way and then married her a year later.
- We moved to Thailand because we’re wimps when it comes to winter in Canada. We have not stopped sweating since that day. 😅
- My commitment to being a computer geek finally paid off and spurred a career in programming. I now work as a remote software engineer from all corners of the world. (Today, I’m writing this blog post from the town of Siem Reap in Cambodia.)
- I learned that I like cats.
This is the girl I met. (Also, my wife.)
Since this is a blog about jaw surgery, I suppose an update on the current state of my jaw would prove useful as well. 😁
- I still wear my retainer 2 nights per week, a habit lovingly enforced by my wife.
- I now floss every single night, another habit
forcedencouraged by Roma. - I still have permanent numb patches in my lower lip and chin, but they do not negatively impact my life in any way (except maybe for those awkward moments when I have water running down my chin and nobody has the courage to tell me about it).
- I can eat and drink anything and my open bite no longer affects my chewing.
Finally, even 5 full years after my recovery, I still highly recommend this surgery for anyone who has difficulty chewing or feels an extreme lack of confidence due to their smile.
If you have any questions, or perhaps just want to say hello, feel free to leave a comment below and I will happily respond.
I wish you all a very happy new year and hope to meet even more of you in 2016!
January 17, 2016 at 12:07 pm
Hello! I am a Canadian living in the United States and would like to have orthognathic surgery back in Canada. I would like to know approximately how much I would need to pay out of pocket and if anything is covered by OHIP. Look forward to hearing from you all and your stories have been very inspiring. Cheers!
January 17, 2016 at 6:41 pm
Sagal, I had my surgery in Alberta and it cost about CA$5000 out-of-pocket, with the remainder being covered by Alberta Health Care. Note that I also had to pay to have my wisdom teeth removed, the braces treatment, and a retainer afterwards. Good luck!
January 16, 2016 at 4:17 pm
Hey Graham – thank you for helping me get through the first 3 months post-double jaw/genioplasty/palate expansion.
I am feeling really unhappy with the aesthetic results (I was happy with my appearance before). My philtrum looks super elongated and you only see my bottom teeth when I open mouth smile. Did you experience this at all? Could it just be that my face muscles aren’t used to pulling my upper lip up? I feel like I look like a mutant now and don’t know what to do… Any feedback would be much appreciated!
And congrats on your marriage 🙂
January 16, 2016 at 6:23 pm
Hi Hayley, being unhappy with your appearance after 3 months is actually quite common, believe it or not. I also thought I was less attractive and was somewhat unhappy with the results of the surgery. In fact, I was covering my mouth when smiling because I was self-conscious about my new appearance.
However, this is usually a case of a person being their own worst critic. When you see your face in the mirror every single day, small changes can bother you.
To rebuild the muscles in your upper lip, I recommend chewing gum throughout the day and whistling for a few minutes every hour. These activities will help break up scar tissue and strengthen your muscles, both of which will restore movement to your lips.
As for your appearance, I encourage you to ask family and close friends for their honest opinions. More often than not, friends and family respond by saying you look similar, indicating we are just in the middle of a period of adjustment.
Hope this helps!
January 12, 2016 at 9:23 pm
Hi Graham,
I must say I have my own double jaw surgery coming up in March and your blog has been a huge source of reassurance, not only as far as preparation and what to expect, but also in your feelings about how worthwhile it still has been long term.
Didn’t need to write a novel, but did want to thank you for being such a generous person in creating such a comprehensive blog and being so open to answering so many questions.
Enjoy your beautiful life 🙂
January 13, 2016 at 4:58 pm
Kaitlin, thank you very much for your kind words. Good luck with your surgery in a few months and let me know how it goes! 👍
January 18, 2016 at 10:16 am
Thank you! I definitely will – surgery is St. Patrick’s Day.
January 10, 2016 at 9:51 pm
Graham,
In my previous post I forgot to ask you the question I originally got on here for, I got sidetracked when I saw “Five Years Later” & wanted to see what was going on with you! 😃 Anyway It’s a little over 3 months since surgery for me, do you remember eating real food & having no idea where some of it went? It’s like I am numb in some parts of my mouth like the cheek area in the back near your teeth & grossly food gets lost & I find it later because I can’t feel it, so I am constantly rinsing. If so do you ever get feeling back again there? My lower lip & some of my chin still don’t have a lot of feeling either.
January 11, 2016 at 10:32 am
Emily, I can’t say I recall the inside of my mouth being numb. That being said, your nerves may still be healing, so it’s not uncommon to receive more feeling during months 4–6. Try not to lose hope just yet… those nerves may just be stubborn!
January 11, 2016 at 10:47 am
Hoping your right! Thanks for the positivity and encouragement! 🙂
January 10, 2016 at 9:22 pm
Graham, I am so thrilled to see you are back on here. I never commented or questioned before because I figured u were done checking in. I am currently just over 3 months into my “recovery” from double jaw surgery. I don’t know how I would have made it this far without your blog & the comments of others on there. You have had so many similarities to my experience, you helped me so much with my worries & your humor made it easy to even laugh at myself at times instead of cry. This has by far been one of the most difficult recoveries I have ever experienced ( and I had surgery for a dieaveted septum & thought that was bad, not even close). I think it’s because it takes so long.. Especially when u have a giant splint in your mouth for what feels like forever, I too gave up on trying to eat anything even when I was allowed soft foods while that monster was still in there, so I hope I never see another boost or ensure again until I’m 80! I’m still learning to chew normally since prior to surgery barely any teeth touched & I had an over bite & open bite so it’s very strange to eat like everyone else does. I can’t thank you enough for all of the information & detail you supplied I could never have gone on as good as I have this long without checking your timeline & you have obviously helped so many others as well. Congratulations on your marriage & your new venture in life!
January 11, 2016 at 10:29 am
Emily, thanks for all your kind comments! I’m happy to hear you’re enjoying your new bite as well.
And c’mon… I’m sure a day will come when you’re craving an Ensure again. 😝
January 11, 2016 at 10:50 am
LOL!!! Maybe there will be a better meal supplement created if that day ever comes! I feel the slight urge to puke just thinking about it. 😉
January 10, 2016 at 12:00 pm
Hi I’ll be having this surgery at the end of the month. I am an avid drinker and smoker and I understand that neither are beneficial for my recovery. When can I start using them after surgery without delaying or damaging my recovery? After a month or after a full 3 months? Otherwise it’s the perfect time for me to quit, right?
Kind regards
Ps is it 3 or 6 months for a full recovery? Is there a huge difference between your status at the 10 and 12 week mark?
January 10, 2016 at 5:13 pm
Hi Jim, there are 2 primary reasons to avoid alcohol and smoking during recovery:
1) You will have open wounds (well, stitched wounds) in your mouth where the surgeon makes their cuts and you want to avoid infection.
2) Your body will be devoting a huge amount of energy to healing the bone in your jaw and you want to avoid “stealing” some of that energy to metabolize the alcohol.
In theory, once the wounds in your mouth are healed and your sinuses have cleared up enough to breath normally, you can probably start smoking again. I would expect this to happen about 5–6 weeks into recovery. I would also recommend avoiding alcohol for a full 2 months in the name of letting your body heal as effectively as possible.
Do note that I’m not a doctor, though, so it would of course be best to ask your surgeon for their advice. 😊
January 10, 2016 at 11:59 pm
Hey Graham thanks for the quick reply!
So does that mean I can start breathing and talking properly after six weeks? Well if I won’t be able to smoke until then, maybe it’s my golden opportunity to kick my smoking habit for good~
For the alcohol, drinking in moderation after six weeks should be fine right? About a few glasses of wine or a few shots of vodka are what I am anticipating.
Would you say that double jaw surgery recovery is done for good (ie recovered 100%) at the three or six month mark? For how long after the surgery do you have to get your jaw and overall status checked?
Is there a huge difference between my recovery at the six and eight week marks? I’m pretty much done recovering by the 10th week right (about 95%)?
Once again, thank you so much for your blog and for responding to people’s comments.
January 11, 2016 at 10:37 am
Jim, you should be breathing and speaking clearly after 6 weeks as long as you don’t have a splint in at that point. That being said, if you want to take the opportunity to quit smoking, that may be an added bonus to the recovery. 😄 Drinking in moderation after 6 weeks should be okay as well, but I do recommend getting the go-ahead from your surgeon before doing these things.
After 3 months, the bone in your jaw will be completely fused back together. The following 3 months will see your swelling go away completely and the muscles in your jaw stretch back to their former selves.
Lastly, you will still be noticing changes between 6 and 8 weeks. Please take a look through the recovery timeline for an example of what to expect.
January 10, 2016 at 11:54 am
Hi I’ll be having surgery this Thursday. What do you do between the time you arrive and when surgery starts besides getting anesthetized and getting changed? Do they just ask questions and they measure your height? Also what’s it like getting anesthetized?
Will I be able to listen to music or watch movies or do anything on my laptop at all in the first day or the first week? I need sometime to pass my time while recovering since just lying down will do me no good.
And I love fried chicken and sushi, my favorite foods. Whenabouts do you reckon I can start eating them?
I love your blog and thank you so much for your time.
January 10, 2016 at 5:09 pm
Hi John!
1) When you arrive at the hospital, they’ll follow standard procedure. They’ll get you to sign a few papers, take your measurements, and insert an IV needle into your wrist. If you’re worried about the IV, remember to simply look away and take a deep breath when they insert it. The pain literally only lasts for about 2 seconds.
2) Receiving anesthetic will cause you no pain. When you’re moved into the operating room, you’ll likely meet your surgeon for a brief moment before being put to sleep. The anesthesiologist will then add the anesthetic into your IV tube and you will be sound asleep within 20 seconds. You will probably feel something cold entering your arm, so start counting down from 20 at that point and see how far you get. 😉
3) When you wake up from surgery, you’ll likely be very groggy for the first day. If the hospital allows, feel free to bring your laptop and headphones to listen to music and watch movies. No harm in that!
4) Being able to eat solid food again happens at a different point for every person. If you’re having both jaws operated on, you will be probably be restricted to liquids and soft foods for about a month. I wasn’t able to eat solid food for a full 7 weeks, but I haven’t met anyone who had to wait as long as me.
You’ll do great, man! Try to remain calm and keep yourself occupied with sleeping and movies for the first couple of weeks (this surgery sort of gives you a free pass to be really lazy for a couple weeks without judgement). 😁
January 10, 2016 at 9:39 am
Hi Graham,
I loved reading your blog as it helps me know what to expect. I live in South Africa and will be going for double jaw surgery this coming Saturday.
What scares me the most is the actual op, and the breathing afterwards, what can I do to make breathing easier and not feel like I’m suffocating?
January 10, 2016 at 5:00 pm
Hi Yusraa, the nasal congestion following the surgery is certainly one of the more uncomfortable parts of recovery. The most important thing to do is to be aware of it so that you do not panic. Remember that the congestion is temporary and you will be breathing normally again after only a couple weeks of recovery.
I promise that you will be able to get enough air, but if you’re feeling a bit panicked during those first 2 weeks, try going for a 15-minute walk outside. Being upright, moving, and breathing in fresh air are all incredibly helpful in calming a person. You can also try rubbing a bit of Vaseline under your nose in hopes that the menthol will clear you up a bit.
Good luck and remember: the recovery is only temporary, but the results will last the rest of your life! 😄
January 10, 2016 at 9:31 pm
Yusraa, I found that breath right strips (used for snoring or congestion) helped. Just make sure when you remove them you are very gentle, or take it off in the shower water helps loosen them. The not breathing through the nose scared me too, you will have some difficulty but just try to stay calm like Graham said its temporary. You will be fine. Good luck!
January 8, 2016 at 4:46 pm
Hi Graham! I had surgery on both of my jaws and chin 3 weeks and 2 days ago. You’re blog has been super helpful in my recovery. And I have a question-did you have any pain in your nose? The tip and the middle inside part of my nose is more sore than what was actually operated on. I did have to go to the icu after some breathing problems and quite a few tunes shoved up my nose. Thankfully all of the breathing problems are gone, and now I just am waiting for the day that I can have chipotle again. So again, did you have any pain or discomfort with your nose?
Thanks!
Anne Marie
January 8, 2016 at 6:04 pm
Hi Anne Marie, I had pain in my nose for about the first 6 weeks of recovery, if I remember correctly. It’s expected that your pain will increase after the first 2 weeks because your nerves will begin healing enough to feel said pain once again.
If the pain is throbbing all day long, you may want to give your surgeon a quick call to ask if it’s normal. If it’s not throbbing, I would wait another week to see if it begins to decrease on its own. 😊
January 6, 2016 at 8:13 pm
hi Graham,
congratulations! i had double jaw surgery back in 2013 and moved to Canada from Australia for work – understand about the winter!. today i noticed i can kind of see two of my tooth roots through my lower gum – is this normal after braces? also does your retainer ever make some of your teeth sensitive while chewing? cheers!
January 7, 2016 at 8:09 pm
Hi Lauren, braces are known to lead to receding gums. I have this problem personally as well. While there is something called “periodontal surgery” (basically, grafting tissue from the roof of your mouth onto your gums to rebuild them), I would recommend asking your doctor to prescribe a few tubes of Colgate PreviDent toothpaste to solve this problem for you. A friend of mine introduced me to PreviDent and my gum problems went away almost immediately.
http://www.colgateprofessional.com/products/colgate-prevident-5000-plus/overview
Regarding your retainer leading to sensitive teeth, this is normal as well. Since your retainer moves your teeth to keep them in the right position (versus your body’s tactic of moving them back to their “natural” position), it’s expected that the teeth that are continually being moved will be slightly sensitive during the first few hours after taking your retainer out. This will eventually go away over the years as your teeth settle into their new position.
January 5, 2016 at 5:50 am
Hello Graham,
Great to hear from you!! you have been more than an inspiration and help for me since the day I chose to go through the surgery in 2012! now i’m three years post surgery and I still check your blog, your blog has been a major help for me and i’m sure many many people out here who were going under double jaw surgery are grateful for your blog
You were the number 1 motivator for me and many others to have the surgery, even when i had doubts, i’d go on your blog and read about your experience and get strength again!
you are an inspiration really! I don’t know if you remember me i’m all the way in Dubai and wanted to meet you up when you were here but we didn’t get the chance to
but surely, i’d like to meet you one day Graham :)!!
Maysan
January 7, 2016 at 7:54 pm
Hi Maysan, I do remember you! That feels like so long ago already. 😊 I hope life is treating you well over in Dubai. I’d like to show your country to my wife at some point, so maybe we will still have a chance to meet!
January 4, 2016 at 3:44 pm
Ahhhhh, so good to see you back here 🙂 We miss you guys! I’m happy to help here with questions, as well, as time permits.
Love to both of you <3.
Aim
January 7, 2016 at 10:15 am
Hello Aimee! I have a question for you… I just had my mouth shut for 4 weeks yesterday they finally removed the rubberbands and told me I could start soft foods but my mouth won’t open much it opens about the width of a quarter lol so how long did it take you to open your mouth at least to fit a spoon or a toothbrush to brush the inside of your mouth?? I know is been only a day 😁 they told me no exercise in till the 2 month post op… Hope to hear from you soon 😊
January 7, 2016 at 11:00 am
Hi Rachel! Oh yes, I remember those times well! It’s going to feel very strange at first and not being able to open your mouth is frustrating. One word – EXERCISE! I don’t mean the weight lifting, running miles kind of exercise. I mean simple stretching exercises for your jaw. Now, I am not saying to try your damndest to open your mouth. Just do some simple open/close routines. Remember that these muscles haven’t been used in weeks now, so they’re likely as weak as those I have in my arms LOL. They just need strengthening and stretching. You can maneuver a spoon and toothbrush in even now, you’d be surprised what you can do if you have a little patience and go slowly. Definitely brush your teeth, do the best you can. At the very least, rinse with some salt water, it’ll help to keep your mouth clean.
Just wait till you eat the first time, it’ll be awful LOL It’ll be good, but really, it’ll feel like you’ve never done it before. You jaw is completely revamped now, so you essentially have to learn how to eat all over again. Don’t worry, it’ll come back quickly and boy, you’ll think food is amazing!
The day that I got my splint out, my husband took me out for dinner. I ordered 4 things, just because I COULD! I’ll try to dig up the pictures, they’re classic.
January 7, 2016 at 7:47 pm
Aimee, thanks for helping people out on here — always appreciated! Also, how weird is it that this very website is where we met? 😁
January 7, 2016 at 7:50 pm
I know, right?? Our little group of crazies (Suzie, Audra). Such fun we had! Hey, wanna go to NYC for our next anniversary? 😛
January 7, 2016 at 9:45 pm
Go to NYC again? I think it’s about time you visited Canada… 😝
January 3, 2016 at 6:47 pm
Hi Graham,
I have been reading your blog sporadically for the last two years because I knew I would have to get double jaw surgery. I finally did 11 days ago on December 23rd, 2015. Your blog has been such a help these past few years and especially now that I have gotten the surgery! I have a few questions. Is it normal that my tongue feels weird and kind of painful to try and stick out? And will it ever go back to feeling normal? I feel like I can hardly even stick out my tongue a little with out it being so painful. Also my lips are huge! How long did it take for your lips to finally go down? After 11 days I thought I would be able to talk a little better, but my lips, swelling, and stiffness, still have me sounding like I can hardly speak. =[ I hope I could talk more clear soon because I start school again on January 21st! Thanks for sharing your journey because it has really helped me get through this surgery!
January 7, 2016 at 7:27 pm
Hi Joanne!
1) It is normal for your tongue to be raw and somewhat immobile. This is due partly to the muscles in your tongue not being able to stretch for a few weeks and partly to all of the acid in your mouth from being unable to brush and rinse. Your tongue should be back to normal by the 6th week.
2) It is also normal to have huge (and often funny-looking) lips. They should also appear more normal by the 6th week.
You’ll be able to return to school on January 21, but you will still be swollen. Hopefully your peers will be understanding… this is a very invasive surgery! 😊
January 24, 2016 at 8:45 pm
Hi Graham!
Thanks for responding 🙂 I appreciate it so much.
I am now 32 days post-op and doing a lot better!
I am a little worried though because 3/4 of my bottom lip and all of my chin is still numb. I did have a genioplasty done , so I do not know if that has an affect on it. If this is normal? How long does it take until you regained feeling back in your lower lip and chin?
January 25, 2016 at 9:00 am
Joanne, it can take up to 6 months for your nerves to completely heal, though most people say their feeling returns within 3 months. That being said, it is very normal to be numb at 32 days post-op, so you have nothing to worry about at the moment. 😊
January 2, 2016 at 3:57 pm
Hi Graham. I had double jaw surgery last Tuesday and I stumbled on your blog while searching for liquid recipes 🙂
I enjoyed reading every post. Thank you for sharing your experience.
I’m gonna share it with my friends and family so they can understand better what I’m going trough.
Asja
January 4, 2016 at 3:51 pm
Hey Asja –
This is Aimee, Graham’s friend and fellow jaw surgery survivor LOL.
You’re gonna think I’m nutty, but if it’s food, you can liquify it. Don’t strain yourself trying to find liquid recipes. Instead, make your own!
Yes, I’m completely serious. I did the Ensure drinks for as long as my stomach could take them. And then, I had a hankerin’ for a burger. So, I my hubby made one for me! He grilled the burgers as he normally would. He even toasted the buns as he normally would. Then, he put the burger patty, bun, cheese (if you like it) and ALL the normal burger fixins right in the blender. Add some beef broth (to this particular meal) and blend. Add more beef broth to make it a liquidy consistency. Some people are allowed to eat with spoons so if this is the case for you, great! You can just spoon it up and eat it. For me, I had to use a catheter tip (like a syringe) for the first 6 weeks so I had to use a gravy strainer to get any extra chunks out.
I know it doesn’t sound all that appealing, but I promise you that it’s no different than taking a bite out of a burger and getting it all mushed up in your mouth. You don’t get the texture like you normally would, but it tastes good.
Once we did burgers, we realized that we could do this with anything we wanted so for the next several weeks, I had:
pizza
mashed potatoes & gravy
chicken & alfredo sauce with fettuccini
curry & rice
ham and cheese sandwiches
chicken sandwiches
And the list goes on and on. You’ll want to use chicken broth for some recipes, beef for others. Just depends on what you’re making. But don’t knock it till you try it. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised, and you’ll have SO much more energy.
Let me know if you have questions!
Aimee
January 7, 2016 at 7:21 pm
Aimee, you basically had no fear when it came to blending things. Some of the meals you ate liquid-style sounded so weird! 😂🍕🍔
January 7, 2016 at 7:49 pm
This is so true! Once I got the burger down, there was no stopping me! Hey, we both know how tired YOU got of Ensure (the tower lol). Nothing better than some blended pizza. LOL
January 2, 2016 at 1:34 pm
Hey! Been reading your blog the past (almost) 2 weeks, since I had double jaw surgery on December 22nd, so I’m only 11 days out, but I feel pretty great. Most feeling has actually returned to my face, though my bottom lip and chin still feel numb, I’m having the pins and needles sensation. It’s quite annoying really, but I hope it means I’m recovering pretty quickly. Your blog has been an absolute life saver and I’ve been enjoying reading through it. There were days where I felt so terribly depressed at how I looked and felt, but knowing you and many others have been through the same has helped.
I’m really happy to see a new update on here about how your life has been since, and it sounds like you’re leading an incredible life. Congratulations on your marriage and basically doing what you want to do! I hope you’re loving Siem Reap, Cambodia! I was just there over the summer volunteering in the villages and elephant sanctuary. I hope to go back one day, it’s a great place! Hope you check out the temples, especially Angkor Wat during sunrise – nothing like the reflection of the temple in the water as the sun rises!
January 7, 2016 at 7:20 pm
Gavin, glad to hear my rants on here were helpful! Life should be getting a lot easier for you now that you’re nearly 3 weeks into recovery.
This was actually my second time in Siem Reap — such a neat town! I’m always surprised when I visit Cambodia because their agricultural practices are still so manual and hands-on. However, given their recent history, I suppose this makes a lot of sense.
Good luck with your recovery!
January 2, 2016 at 9:47 am
Hi! I remember reading that early on in your recovery you got a rash around your nose and upper lip. I am at 3 weeks and some change post op and I also have a rash. My surgeon hasn’t seen it before and referred me to a dermatologist. So, in curious to what ever happened with your rash? Thanks! And thanks for posting an update!
January 2, 2016 at 6:32 pm
Hello jesika my name is Rachel and I also develop a rash all over my face and my surgeon doesn’t know why either…I’m also 3 weeks of double jaw surgery… Hopefully You get some answers with the Dr. Because on top of the pain, numbed, and being swollen now rash 😭 I feel like a want to cry..
January 2, 2016 at 9:20 pm
Rachel!!! Yes!!!! I want to cry, the rash, on top of everything else you mentioned, is horrible! The only thing I can think of is that my face was very swollen, and very greasy (I don’t know why, I washed it like normal), but I think both of those things contributed to this horrible rash/acne/who knows. Mine is starting to get better, I use astringent on it a couple times a day, but it’s still really noticeable and quite annoying!
January 3, 2016 at 7:03 am
Jesika!!! Thank you for your response! My face was very oily too! Maybe it is that😳 I go see my OS on Wednesday the 6th of jan. And I’ll keep you posted on what he tells me! I try benadryl and it didn’t do nothing but made me sleepy lol I also went to my regular Dr, and he thinks I have an infection and gave my amoxicillin but I don’t think I have an infection because I don’t have a fever or a bad odor coming from my mouth so will see if the antibiotics work, I just got the meds last night… He said it’s because our tongue contains lots of bacteria and since we are not able to clean it, you get an infection 😒 but I told him that I rinse my mouth with warm water/salt after each meal so I don’t really know what is going on… Very frustrated 😔
January 7, 2016 at 7:15 pm
Jesika (and Rachel), I think part of the reason people so easily develop skin rashes during the initial weeks of recovery is because your body is spending so much energy healing the bone in your jaw that it cannot also fully devote itself to healing everything else. So even if the rash is a minor thing, it may last longer than usual because your body may be focusing on healing your bone, which is a higher priority for it.
Keep in mind that I am not a doctor and I literally have no medical experience, so these are of course just my personal thoughts.
In any regard, I don’t think there is any serious concern with a rash following surgery. If it’s an infection, an antibiotic can fix it, and if it’s simply dry skin, a cream should be able to soothe it until your body can heal.
Please let me know once you solve the problem. I’d be interested to know what actually worked so I can pass that information along to people in the future. Thanks! 😊
January 1, 2016 at 10:54 pm
Hello Graham, your blog is astounding in its content, your words resonate deeply for sure. I’m day 51 post op, double jaw surgery..it’s been rough as hell, but so far an experience that shapes life in a interesting way for those who undergo such a journey, and journeys are some of the most important things I uphold. Your blog has inspired me in a few ways, that will likely stick with me. That’s awesome you updated this, I have been reading your blog since day 3 of surgery recovery..I hope your New Year brings more new beginnings and wisdom to the heart, of you and yours. Be well!
January 7, 2016 at 7:04 pm
Thanks for your kind words, Tony! It’s good to hear you’re nearly 2 months down the road to recovery. Life should be back to normal for you pretty soon.
Here’s to hoping 2016 is a positive year for you! 🍻
January 1, 2016 at 10:20 am
Hey, Graham! I just want to tell you how thankful I am for this blog.
Thanks for being awesome and sharing your experience, I’m now four months post-op, and I feel amazing.
But really, in the beginning, I had never thought that jaw surgery could be so hard, and reading your blog has helped me especially through my first week when I was literally freaking out about everything.
Thank you so much for this amazing blog!!!!
You’ve made my recovery experience so much better. 🙂
January 7, 2016 at 6:56 pm
Hi Laura, great to hear you survived and made it past the 90-day mark! I still remember how surprisingly difficult it was to get through each day in the initial few weeks of my recovery. I guess, like many recoveries, patience and ample distraction is key. 😉
January 1, 2016 at 9:15 am
Hey man, thanks for doing this. I had my double jaw surgery three days ago and your blog has helped me through the harder parts of my day. I really appreciate all the work you have put into this website. Thank you .
January 7, 2016 at 6:52 pm
Yaron, always happy to provide a bit of insight for people just beginning the recovery. You’re almost in your third week now, woohoo! Are you feeling better?
January 12, 2016 at 4:02 pm
Lots lots better. My swelling is way down, can finally move my mouth. Still on a liquid diet, but it’s a lot better. Sleeping was hard the first week, thankfully now I can go for a few hours a night. I appreciate you following up on me (and everyone else here), you are great.
Thanks for all the hard work.
December 31, 2015 at 1:43 pm
Hi! I had double jaw surgery almost three years ago and after another two days will be my third year anniversary!
I remember before, during, and after it, I referenced your blog a lot. I’m pretty sure I went through all your blog posts before… I took every bit of advice, and I’m incredibly thankful for each and every one of them.
It was odd that today you made a post… I just started dental school this year (the surgery and braces definitely inspired me to become a part of the field).. and just now I was looking into developing a research topic. I came across some articles of Class III patients, and I thought of googling “double jaw surgery” and bam, your blog site came first. I’m not one to comment on anything, but I feel compelled to this time.
Before I started dental school, I worked at a ortho office, and I came across a bunch of patients who were thinking of double jaw surgery. I honestly considered them all family, I can totally relate to all their thoughts and feelings.
Thanks so much again for sharing your experience! Happy for you!
December 31, 2015 at 7:17 pm
Hi Chris, thanks for sharing your story. That is certainly an interesting coincidence that I happened to make a post the very day you began researching the topic. Good timing, I guess!
I’m happy to hear you’re in dental school and are on the path to helping people make the right choices when it comes to braces, jaw surgery, etc.
If you do decide to make double jaw surgery your research topic and would be willing to share the paper when it is finished, I’d love to read through it. I’m probably fairly ignorant on this topic beyond a practical level.
Take care for now!
January 1, 2016 at 9:31 am
Yes!! I think I will not be able to do double jaw surgery research–couldn’t really think of any doable projects! but hopefully someday I can! I don’t have a whole lot of knowledge on it too, but someday I will learn more!
Take care too! and biggg thanks again !! oh and happy new year!
January 7, 2016 at 6:53 pm
Happy New Year to you as well! Definitely let me know if the research project somehow works out. 😊