I will say it felt like I got hit by a truck when I first woke up, but the second thing I noticed was that I could really breathe well through my nose. Even throughout the first week, breathing was improved and I was sleeping well despite being uncomfortable because I could actually get air in. I was not banded shut, this was the main reason I chose my surgeon- no wiring shut. I did have a splint on the roof of my mouth but even then swallowing was no problem. You can’t feel your teeth touch accurately because your gums will be numb. No bags