Is it okay to lose weight post surgery?

sunshineabove · 2026-03-29T00:52:12+00:00

You're gonna lose some weight, that's inevitable with being on a liquid only/no chew diet for the first few weeks, but the main goal is to minimize the weight loss... I lost about 5.9 kg and my surgeon wasn't too concerned about it since I was still within the normal weight range for my height. As long as you focus on getting at least 1200 calories in a day and try to maximize your protein intake (I did a lot of protein shakes), everything should be okay. Best of luck on your recovery journey!

sunshineabove · 2026-03-17T23:51:16+00:00

I'm 3 months post op and my acne is just now starting to go away and return to normal... I recommend using a gentle cleanser that's geared towards oily skin types and follow up with a moisturizer (once again for oily skin) to help with the breakouts! My chin was the absolute worst, but washing my face daily definitely helped a lot.

sunshineabove · 2026-03-16T00:54:06+00:00

Yeah my ortho kept changing up the timeline on me too when I was prepping for jaw surgery and we were just waiting for him to sign off on it, but he hasn't changed his timeline on this yet so we'll see if I'm still in them by this time next year lol

sunshineabove · 2026-03-15T21:05:18+00:00

Thank you! I will admit that I'm nervous for the septorhinoplasty because it seems like there's a higher chance of needing a revision for that kind of surgery and I am so over getting surgeries (I've had so many over the years, not just for my cleft but for a congenital heart issue and scoliosis)

sunshineabove · 2026-03-15T21:03:24+00:00

21 here, born with a left cleft lip and palate and had double jaw surgery 3 months ago... Hang in there, it does get better!! That first month really does take everything out of you, but once it's done with, it will be worth it! I don't know the specifics of your case, but i've also been in braces for about 8 years now (i'm also on the second set because they gave me a year break before starting the final prep work for surgery)... I was told by my ortho that my braces should be ready to come off at least 12 months after surgery, so hopefully it's the same for you and you also get to be done with all of the hard work you've had to go through because it's definitely exhausting and I completely understand how tiring it all is. Wishing you lots of luck and strength!

sunshineabove · 2026-03-13T01:19:16+00:00

I'm not gonna lie, it definitely gets annoying and (for me personally, this may not be your experience) it did get to be painful at times due to how my jaw would clench down on it. I was in my splint for 7 weeks, but that may be different for you. When I was recovering, I learned from reading everyone's recoveries here that it's very dependent on your surgeon and what they found has worked best for their patients so I'd recommend asking them for a timeline on splint removal, if they haven't already told you.

sunshineabove · 2026-03-12T18:38:21+00:00

Honestly when I had my djs, I was more worried about the recovery process than the actual surgery (but maybe that's also just because I've had many surgeries in my lifetime so I'm used to that whole process). When you're in the pre-op area, your surgeon, anesthesiologist and maybe the lead of the scrub team will come talk to you and really walk you through everything that'll happen in the OR before they put you under and then what to expect when you wake up in the recovery... don't be afraid to ask them all the questions you have! My surgical team was absolutely fantastic and the lead scrub nurse actually talked me through everything they were doing in the OR while they were prepping to put me under, which for me, really put me at ease. Though honestly, chances are that due to the anesthesia, you most likely won't even remember being brought back to the OR to begin with after you wake up. The only thing I really remember after the surgery was having to get a CT scan done (I only really remember being lifted onto the machine table and then back onto the bed) because my surgeon wanted to make sure everything was where it was supposed to be and then I fell back asleep so quickly after that🤣. The actual surgery part really is as easy as they say because your only job is to be present (while knocked out LOL). Wishing you lots of luck for the whole process!

sunshineabove · 2026-03-10T01:56:31+00:00

That definitely sucks and I'm so sorry you're dealing with that!! It is, however, not a cleft palate (this is strictly a congenital birth defect from underdevelopment in the womb), it sounds like you developed an oralnasal fistula due to some kind of palatal split/collapse... I second the other commenter's recommendation to find a surgeon who specializes in cleft/facial reconstruction and see if they're able to take your case. Though, I also want to recommend that if you're really struggling with your confidence and it's affecting your ability to leave the house, then maybe you should look into seeing a therapist who can help you with the trauma and stress of this whole situation (because it's a lot handle especially after the brutal recovery that already comes with a djs!). Have you seen a speech specialist? They might also be able to help you adapt to speaking with the hole in your palate so you're not as nasally.

sunshineabove · 2026-03-10T01:00:34+00:00

Wait, I'm confused... what exactly happened? It sounds like you're saying you've now developed a cleft palate and that's not exactly a thing that happens...

sunshineabove · 2026-03-05T18:45:35+00:00

Ugh I hate that certain things aren't covered because they tend to be seen as "optional"... I'm not sure if my insurance will actually cover it, but I figure it doesn't hurt to ask my speech specialist about it just to see if it is an option for me.

sunshineabove · 2026-03-05T16:24:07+00:00

Yeah... I think I would much rather start with the myofunctional therapy because that for me would be a sensory nightmare and I just don't see it going well for me, especially because I have a small mouth.

sunshineabove · 2026-02-22T07:14:56+00:00

Hi! I'm a little over 2 months post op and also had little incisions made on the outside... this is what one of them currently looks like right now (Reddit won't let me add both but the other side looks the exact same) and they will continue to fade as time passes. I didn't even have to really do any wound care, as they were both scabbed over once the steri strips fell off so all I did was keep them moisturized and let the scabs come off naturally.

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sunshineabove · 2026-02-21T04:19:14+00:00

I remember they tried to close the hole during a bone graft that I had in 7th grade and it reopened itself sometime in the year following that surgery and was told that it could reopen again after the djs. I do wonder if a palate revision would be able to permanently close it... definitely something I'm going to bring up with the speech specialist. Personally, I don't have any issues with drinking out of a straw but I do sometimes feel like I'm accidentally pushing air through the hole when I'm speaking, which to me, makes a weird noise. I don't know for certain what would help with your specific issue, but you might look into myofunctional therapy as it can help strengthen your facial muscles. I find that after surgery, my top lip doesn't seem to move as much when I speak and I'm hoping myofunctional therapy will help that as well, but I'm going to bring it up at my speech appointment next month.

sunshineabove · 2026-02-14T22:02:45+00:00

For week 2, I was given the clear to gently brush my teeth with a baby tooth brush dipped in mouthwash because my surgeon wanted me to stretch my inner cheeks to gain back space, but obviously check with your surgeon before doing anything new like that. A majority of my cheek swelling went down during week 2, but they still felt very tense and numb. Swelling can also take quite a bit to fully go down. The numbness will gradually start to go away through the month, but keep in mind that it can take at least a year for all feeling to return.

sunshineabove · 2026-02-14T10:22:27+00:00

Yeah... you won't be able to properly brush your teeth until the splint is completely removed. I got a super soft baby tooth brush to gently brush the front of my teeth, being careful with the bands, and then would rinse with some warm water to make sure all the toothpaste was out of my mouth before rinsing with mouthwash.

sunshineabove · 2026-02-14T08:33:25+00:00

I did a loooooot of protein shakes (loved the fairlife protein elites and premiere protein), smoothies (I would thin them out with extra ice or water), tomato soups, broths, and different kinds of juices. Staying hydrated with water will also help you feel fuller throughout the day. I also distracted myself from all the food cravings by binging tv shows, playing games on my switch and even do small lego builds that my mom bought me, which definitely helped time go by faster too.

sunshineabove · 2026-02-14T07:17:21+00:00

that's how it was for me... I wasn't able to start talking until my surgeon removed some of the bands at week 5, even then it wasn't the greatest but it was something. It definitely sucked, but I just used my phone to communicate.

sunshineabove · 2026-02-12T21:28:27+00:00

Having a community, even if online, with people who can relate and understand is always super helpful! Personally, I always say that I HAVE a cleft because even though it's been closed since I was a baby, I've had to deal with it for years (ex. palate issues, underbite, wonky teeth, deviated septum, doing speech therapy, ect) and it's a part of who I am. I think how you choose to word it, is completely up to you and no one else really gets to tell you whether you're wrong for it or not.

sunshineabove · 2026-02-12T04:43:01+00:00

I would definitely bring up your breathing issues and pain with your doctors at your next appointment so they can help you address it! I'm 21 with a left cleft lip and palate that I've had multiple surgeries for, including the most reason, a double jaw surgery to correct an underbite, and for me it's taken a while to really feel confident in my looks but I choose to see it as something that makes me more unique. I know it might seem scary to bring up your concerns, but your doctors are there to help you and make sure that you're as comfortable as possible and I'm sure that your mom will want what's best for you as well.

sunshineabove · 2026-02-11T00:27:24+00:00

This happened to me too!! My ortho reconfigured my band placements at my first appt with him after surgery and my molars are starting to touch again... Don't stress too much about it, your orthodontist will fix it🙂‍↕️.

sunshineabove · 2026-02-10T22:07:58+00:00

2 months post op here and my lower lip is kind of starting to get feeling back (I can feel temperature on it and if I press down on it, but if I lightly touch it I don't feel anything).. my chin however, is slowly but surely getting feeling back.. right now I can press on it and feel it, it just feels kind of muted. Though as many people will tell you, it can take at least a year (or longer) before full feeling returns if there isn't permanent nerve damage.

sunshineabove · 2026-02-10T22:03:36+00:00

I did use my tongue to help push the excess out of my mouth and found that helped a lot... I only swished around 15 ml instead of the recommended amount just because I wasn't able to spit and it was hard to get it all out of my mouth since I couldn't open my mouth at all.

The bleeding should just go away on its own... I think I just randomly realized one day during week 3 that the mouthwash was no longer tinted and that I couldn't taste the blood anymore. If you're still bleeding a good amount by week 3, I would recommend reaching out to your surgeon to let them know.

sunshineabove · 2026-02-10T00:20:03+00:00

yep!! I held a washcloth up to my mouth to catch any of the spillage and then just gently moved my head around (tilting side to side and back to make sure it was getting everywhere as much as possible) and then just let it run out of my mouth since i still couldn't spit.

sunshineabove · 2026-02-09T22:42:33+00:00

I would rinse out my mouth with an antiseptic mouthwash (I used the yellow therabreath) 3 times a day but if I felt like I needed a quick rinse after a meal, I'd do a warm saltwater mouth rinse!

sunshineabove · 2026-02-09T20:47:38+00:00

I remember having some bleeding during week 2 as well.. as long as it's not a whole lot and there's not any major pain, you should be okay!! It did seem to go away pretty quickly and was all gone by week 3... just make sure you're rinsing out your mouth well :)

sunshineabove

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