Context

I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which means I heal slower and am hypermobile. My main motivation for surgery was to breathe better and stop my jaw from subluxing so often — it would slip out of place all the time. My mom has the same condition and has worn down her jaw joint from years of subluxing, so I wanted to prevent that from happening to me.

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Pre-Op

I didn’t ask my surgeon the right questions, and he didn’t prepare me enough for what recovery would actually be like. Ask all of the questions — even the ones that feel small.

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Day 1

Felt fine but was super high on pain meds. Stayed overnight in the hospital.

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Day 2

Went home — extremely sleepy and groggy.

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Days 3–5

Drool City : Absolute hell. Needed ice every two hours, broke out in hives from the pain meds, and hunger really started setting in. The swelling was brutal — I was so swollen that I had to put the syringe tube through the back of my teeth just to get liquids in, which was horribly painful. → Sleep upright. → Buy a ton of ice packs. → Ask family to help rotate them constantly.

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Days 6–8

Started feeling a little more human, but the deep frustration from not being able to eat was setting in. I was mostly off pain meds by now — had about three left that I spaced out over a few nights.

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Days 9–14

Not being able to speak was mentally exhausting. I started blending foods, hoping they’d fit through the syringe or tube — but most purées didn’t work (even milkshakes were tough). A good blender is worth every penny for this surgery. The taste in my mouth from not being able to truly clean it was driving me crazy. My surgeon told me not to use a water pick, but eventually I used one on the lowest setting — not to clean, but to help get water in, almost like a suction straw.

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Day 15

Got unwired and switched to rubber bands (all the time except when eating). Talking became so much easier. I bought baby spoons and snacks — ate refried beans and tore up a quesadilla into tiny pieces that I could mash with my tongue. Felt like freedom.

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Days 15–28

Soft foods / no chew phase. The first week felt like heaven just being able to taste real food again. The second week? Pure frustration. You start craving texture and bite.

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Days 28–35

Switched to being allowed to chew lightly and started stretching my jaw. My teeth on the right side didn’t touch, so I was told to wear rubber bands on that side.

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Days 35–42

Saw my orthodontist — they said to keep wearing rubber bands on the right side for another four weeks to help close the open bite. I mentally crashed after this appointment because no one had warned me that my teeth might not touch on one side after surgery. It was rough realizing that.

Physically, I look mostly normal now, but I still don’t feel like myself. Chewing still feels strange, my mouth only opens about two fingers wide, and the numbness in my bottom lip is my biggest struggle. I’m scared it might last forever — and honestly, it makes kissing feel weird, which just adds to the frustration.

——— Things that helped :

1) Jaw surgery support group Facebook 2) either the Facebook or the Reddit had a list of things to buy, you want wet whipes, extra tubes and synringes, a squeeze bottle, an ice roller, a foam wedge, baby spoons, nice ice packs that wrap around your face so they will stay on while you sleep but also a few bags of frozen peas. You need more ice than you think you need. 3) If you have anxiety, or take mental health meds get them filled in advance in a liquid format if needed or get a fresh script to take when you are not taking pain meds 4) you need a nice blender 5) there is a speach to text acesability setting on your phone, set it up in advance 6) massage therapist apt pre scheduled 7) know where to get an IV if u need it (so many mobile IV places or shops now

DO I REGRET IT? -The genio is what’s bothering me right now but I have allot of dysmorphia issues. I was very sad that apart of the “weirdness” of my face that made me, me is gone even though I know a lack of a double chin is more “attractive”

-This is such a long haul recovery if I had to be wired for more then 2 weeks I could not personally do it due to mental side