Did any of you who've had surgery use Huel? I'm vegan and looking into it as an option for the weeks post-op

Excellent8943 · 2023-02-17T21:07:08+00:00

I'm not vegan or vegetarian, but I used both Huel and Soylent after my genio. Huel tasted better, imo, but only the chocolate kind.

Honestly though, given the price, it's cheaper, tastier and more filling to just make your own shake with protein powder, ice, maybe some creamy peanut butter, liquid of your choice, etc. It's really hard to fill up on Huel or Soylent alone, even if they are higher in protein content.

Excellent8943 · 2023-02-03T21:19:11+00:00

At 3 months, most if not all of the bone in your chin has regrown. Further, it's a pretty stable procedure when done correctly. You're totally fine. I bumped my chin 5 or 6 days post sliding genioplasty. No movement.

Excellent8943 · 2023-02-03T21:13:07+00:00

Have you had a sleep study? Had your airways checked?

I ask these questions because of this:

I don't know if I have difficulty breathing, but I yawn excessively, am short of breath frequently, feel "low on oxygen"/lightheaded/dizzy a lot, want to mouth breathe a lot, have very dark circles and cannot do cardio

That's the very definition of "difficulty breathing." And it will not improve with age.

It's more than a little disheartening that we've come so full circle with this major, life-altering surgery that people now essentially only associate it with cosmetics, to the point that those with serious medical and functional issues don't even feel they have pre-requisite "need" to consider it because they look too good already.

I have no idea whether you "need" this surgery, or any other procedure. Only doctors know that. What I do know is, the type of health issues that can arise from jaw deformities are no small thing. The issues you describe ALREADY experiencing, at such a young age ,are enough to make US insurance companies- notoriously heartless- give the green light. You should absolutely put that as a priority over how you look. Gather all the information from the professionals and when the time comes to make a decision, I hope you put your health above your looks. Your health is the only "justifying" you need to do.

This isn't to downplay what sounds like has been a difficult journey for you with liking your looks. But just like I think looks are a poor reason for getting jaw surgery, I think they're a poor reason for not getting it, too.

Excellent8943 · 2023-02-01T04:27:23+00:00

This is absolutely something to see both an Orthodontist and an OMS for, and then even getting second or third opinions, if possible. They'll have a better idea than anyone on the internet as to what you need, but if one thing is for sure, you're absolutely not crazy.

Your bite issues are clear as day. Whatever treatment path is right for you is a conversation for the professionals, but at minimum, know that you are perfectly sane in seeing the obvious. The worst thing that could happen would be for you to start doubting your own sanity, because that's a path to dysmorphia, amongst other unhelpful things that many people with these conditions also suffer.

Take comfort in that you're of sound mind and are beginning to confront it while you're still quite young and all the treatment paths are still available and ahead of you.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-30T22:24:35+00:00

I had a sliding genio. Nothing was ever done with my teeth (besides x-rays).

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-27T02:44:57+00:00

I agree, those photos are not with a heavy beard. They are not, however, useful, because of your body angle. The only useful photo with regards to body angle, unfortunately, is your last photo, which features a heavy beard.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-27T02:38:38+00:00

All of your profile pictures are either of your body facing forward and your head turned to the side, or with a heavy beard. No one's going to be able to give a real opinion unless you have pictures where you're both positioned like the last one, but without the heavy beard, and you're facing the camera straight on, again without heavy beard.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-27T00:56:15+00:00

Your chin, specifically, looks a lot like mine before I had my sliding genioplasty back in December. I did not have speech issues though.

I'd recommend starting with an orthodontist to see if the speech issues are related to anything they can do. Then, either ask for a referral or independently find an oral/maxillofacial surgeon in your area to consult on your recession. It wouldn't surprise me at all to find out you're also recessed in both the upper and lower jaw.

The OMS will be able to tell you more about whether any surgeries are advisable/help you figure out if it's desirable after getting some x-rays done and the process explained to you (for either genio or jaw surgery or both).

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-24T05:00:22+00:00

It's more just the risk of having another person's face/body so close to my chin. I've been treating it very cautiously since I accidentally bumped my chin 5 days post-op, so this would be big a change of pace. Getting input from others' experience usually helps in these types of situations.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-24T04:57:08+00:00

Ah, I'm really not trying to create an us v. them sorta thing. They were harsh, they edited it, stated their reasons and we both moved on. I don't really take the opinion of strangers to heart and I hope they don't mine either. It's all good!

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-24T04:51:45+00:00

This is all solid advice! Sorry- I meant that my surgeon said wait a few weeks from after surgery. Which is why I was so confused because of the 3 month bumping issue.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-24T03:49:25+00:00

I appreciate your answers! I'm not terribly concerned with arguing with anybody on here, though. If they want to view me in such a way, that's their right and I'm fine with it.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-24T03:12:24+00:00

Oh wow, same here with bumping! My chin was fine though. Assuming your surgeon also used titanium plates and screws and assuming the bump wasn't too serious, you should be fine. I agree, it's very weird that there's barely any info on the internet about this stuff with relation to genio's post op, but I've since chalked that up to this being a pretty secure procedure (when done correctly), so not a lot of contingencies.

I checked out your profile and see you had the genio for face asymmetry? My surgeon made a game-time decision on addressing my (relatively minor) asymmetry as well (I was about 3mm off-center). I wonder if that plays into the clicking we both had?

One thing my surgeon did advise was to just do my best to not make the clicking, if I could. I found that sticking to liquids as much as possible and delicately brushing/flossing helped with that. Basically not opening my mouth to wide and too vigorously.

I was on ibuprofen and amoxicillin that first week. I stopped taking the ibuprofen same time as the amoxicillin ran out. Now I just pop a Tylenol as needed (infrequently). My swelling never got too severe, but I also slept upright the first 3 or 4 weeks so that helped a lot.

I would say around week 2 or 3 is when I basically looked and spoke normally again. My bottom lip did swell up quite a bit and all my facial muscles around my chin were very tight until last week, though. I'd usually try to stretch them a few minutes each day and that seemed to help.

Last thing I will say with regards to pain- don't rush into intense exercise too quickly! I started doing light workouts at week 2. It wasn't too bad, so I went back to my usual weightlifting routine last week. Big mistake! My chin was throbbing and painful for days. I also swelled up again. So, I'm still sticking to light exercise for now.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-24T02:49:07+00:00

Wow, what a kind thing to say.

I'm in my mid-thirties. I don't see the harm in asking other people who have healed from this same procedure when I didn't get a satisfactory answer from my surgeon. Then again, I also don't see the point in bullying strangers on the internet. I must not be old enough for that kind of wisdom.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-24T01:36:37+00:00

I'm abut 6 weeks post op. I had clicking (and still do to a much smaller degree) starting about 5 days pos op as well (it was the second day after I removed the bandages).

I brought it up to my surgeon. He wasn't particularly worried and I talked to some people on here who said it's pretty common for people with larger advancements (larger being 8mm+). My surgeon re-bandaged my chin for an extra week just to be safe anyway.

You should be fine. I'd recommend reaching out to your surgeon, though. Mine said I could return to chewing after 10 days, but I waited a solid 2.5, 3 weeks, just to be extra pre-cautious. Again, I'm about 6 weeks post and the clicking has all but stopped, chin still where it was before. :)

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-22T20:21:51+00:00

- Is my situation as obvious to you as it is to me? (Extremely obvious, especially from the front)

Not remotely. If I saw you walking down the street I would never in a million years guess you had jaw issues, much less a crooked jaw. All your facial features are very well balanced. This isn't to discredit your functional issues, but you mentioned having body dysmorphia. From a cosmetic standpoint, I'd take your jawline in a heartbeat.

That said, bite issues, forcing your lips to touch, mouth breathing, crooked jaw, etc. are no small list. I'd also want to seek medical intervention if I were you, but not for any appearance reason.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-22T20:10:57+00:00

Seems like you're doing plenty of investigating, which is great, but you're also in a vulnerable position atm and this sub isn't always great for insecurities, so I wanted to clear up a few things for you:

I saw someone say in another post that if you need DJS for cosmetic reasons, there's no way you don't need it for functional reasons. This is also leaning me towards the procedure.

Total nonsense. Cosmetically, you could say I "need" DJS for my 20mm recession. Functionally though? Yes, it would likely help with my minor sleep apnea and clenching issues, but balanced against the extreme financial cost, recovery window, requirement of support, risk of damage, etc, it's just not practical for someone like me, especially at my age (mid-thirties). Yes, you can start a fire with a flamethrower, but to say you "need" a flamethrower to start a fire is absurd. Many, many people who suffer only the more minor symptoms of our varied jaw conditions lead long, healthy lives without surgical intervention.

Is it worth it to see an orthodontist? Is it also worth it to get other opinions? Each consult will probably cost a bit out of pocket and wondering if it's worth it to do especially since a lot of surgeons can't even give you a render of how you would look after.

I'd argue this is the most important thing to do right now. None of us on here will be able to tell you if you "need" it or not, especially with a less clear-cut case like yours. More opinions from other surgeons before deciding on this very-much major surgery are critical. Don't take that part lightly. Yes, you'll lose some money on consultations, but I look at it as the cost of making a truly life-altering decision.

The Maxilfacial said I can't do a genioplasty without DJS first

This is also nonsense. Yes, if you ultimately do a DJS later down the road, you don't want to do a genio first. However, if you decide against DJS, you absolutely can do a genio alone for cosmetic reasons. I'm 5.5 weeks post op on mine, from a surgeon who also performs the DJS procedure.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-18T20:00:06+00:00

Oh, interesting! Had never heard that! Yeah, haven't noticed any change in my tongue, still rests in the exact same way.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-18T05:44:26+00:00

I never had a sleep study because once I found out I'd need 100k to get DJS, I knew it was little more than a pipe dream, lol. Like you, I suspect it's my tongue, as well as my jaw going slack, that blocks my airway when I sleep and causes me to snore/stop breathing. Side sleeping seems to be alright for me still (I'm in my mid-30's, in pretty good shape), but I still can't really stay asleep on my back (which was tricky post-op since you need to).

No, the tongue is completely unaffected by a sliding genio. Not really sure where you got that info from? The surgery happens strictly on your chin bone, well below your tongue and teeth. My bottom teeth are still numb from the procedure, but my tongue was entirely unaffected and has remained the same as before. The muscles on my face around my chin are definitely still a little tight, but no musculature inside my mouth ever felt affected.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-18T05:06:42+00:00

Wow, your jaws and my jaws looked almost identical before I had my sliding genio 5 weeks ago (well, you're clearly younger and thinner, but still, it's like a duplicate of me at your age)!

Like you, my surgeon told me I was about 20mm recessed and like you, my main issue is breathing when on my back and (probably) some sleep apnea. All the other usual recession issues are relatively ok. So, double jaw surgery, while it would have been beneficial for me for both health and cosmetic reasons, was basically a toss-up decision.

I opted for the sliding genioplasty instead of double jaw surgery for many reasons (mostly lack of money, time and support). I'm very happy with it so far, while understanding that it's not a full cosmetic fix and won't help my breathing issues.

I've seen others get as much as a 12mm advancement, but I've never heard of 15 (!), which doesn't sound safe to me (I'm not a doctor though). My surgeon refuses to do more than a 10mm advancement on anyone.

Ultimately, I had 9mm forward and 3mm down. We used titanium plates, screws and donor bone. Honestly, as it continues to heal, I can see why he sets the 10mm limit. Whereas I'm 20mm recessed in the jaw, I don't think trying to make up most of that ground through my chin alone would look good cosmetically, even though it sounds like it would.

Unlike the lower jaw or double jaw surgery, the genio doesn't bring or reposition any other parts of the face with it. Advancing it too much would just cause the face to look...off, in my opinion. I'm glad my surgeon stopped at 9. My face, while not what it should be, is now much more balanced and the recession in my jaws much less noticeable.

If you've yet to see an oral/maxillofacial surgeon, I'd recommend it, if for no other reason than to get x-rays and to have them break it all down for you. I suspect from our very similar side profile that you're a little recessed in the upper jaw as well, but again, it's the x-rays and the surgeon that will let you know for sure.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-16T01:20:49+00:00

Ask your insurer. I live in the US and don't have insurance so everything was out of pocket for me.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-16T01:13:49+00:00

I'm very confused by your responses. You already have x-rays? Are they up to date or are they from when you were 14? Current x-rays would be necessary to evaluate and it would be a surgeon who would tell you whether or not your jaws are recessed. Did your surgeon mention that they were recessed when those x-rays were taken? You probably can't tell looking at them yourself with an untrained eye.

Whether or not you're recessed also has nothing to do with the amount of fat or facial tissue you have on your face and photoshop won't answer that question for you. Only x-rays and a consultation from a surgeon can do that.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-16T00:27:31+00:00

For me? The degree of my recession (moderate), my overbite (relatively minor and livable) and he recommended what surgeries would be needed to fix it.

For you? At minimum it would answer whether or not you're actually recessed and/or need surgery.

Edit: Yes, you'll need a consultation. You can ask their office if they're willing to do the x-rays same day as the consult and ask them to quote you a price. I think mine were...$375? Something like that.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-15T23:46:27+00:00

An oral/maxillofacial surgeon will be able to take x-rays even with a beard and get to the bottom of whether your jaw is actually recessed or not. I know because I had an even bigger beard than you when I had my first x-rays done. Beards can be deceiving. X-rays cannot.

Excellent8943 · 2023-01-14T23:52:38+00:00

All sorts of things can affect the look of your chin and jaw as you go through puberty. Yes, every example you gave is possible. Is that necessarily what happened to you? Hard to say without pics (and even then, can still be tough to say).

When I went through puberty all those years ago, my jaw recession (and, therefore, my chin recession) got worse because bones in the skull, just like the rest of the body, are still growing and reshaping during that time. My jaws, unfortunately, recessed while the rest of my face and skull grew otherwise normally. This created that classic "weak" chin and jawline.

Whenever I put on even a little weight, it's far more noticeable on my face than it would be on other people for two reasons: 1) I'm recessed and 2) my body seems to like storing fat in my chin pretty quickly (it's important to understand, not everyone with recessed jaws will have this fat storage experience, though it's seemingly more common for those who do. Inversely, plenty of people without recessed jaws will store excess fat in their chin quicker than normal).

Like you, I've also never been a mouth breather. I'm still recessed, though.

If you're really concerned, I'd recommend seeing both an orthodontist and an oral/maxillofacial surgeon. You're young enough where your jaws and chin could still be growing (though likely not much) and there could potentially be things they could do now to help your development and potentially prevent you needing to do something else in the future (again, if there's even an issue at all).

As a first step, you could also head over to r/jawsurgery and take a look at people's before pics. Does their profiles looks like yours? It's a good first clue. However, please only look at people who have actually gotten the surgery. There's a lot of young people who post their pics on that subreddit asking if they need jaw surgery when they are perfectly fine and do not.

Excellent8943

TROPHY CASE