Getting through jaw surgery: what actually helped me

Yeah, the numbness drove me nuts for weeks. I’d poke my chin just to see if it was still there - so weird. I totally get what you mean about smoothie fatigue too. I started adding instant mashed potatoes (super runny) and watered-down soups just to mix it up. Audiobooks were a lifesaver when talking felt like too much effort. The boredom is real, but it does get better... eventually.

The numbness thing is so odd, right? Mine lasted almost two months and honestly, I started to worry it’d never go away. For food, I got desperate enough to try pureed scrambled eggs - sounds gross but it helped break up the monotony. I found switching up the flavor (even just adding a bit of hot sauce to broth) made a difference. Podcasts worked better for me than audiobooks since I could zone in and out. It’s such a weird recovery... slow but you do get there.

That numbness freaked me out too. I kept poking my chin to see if it was getting better, which probably wasn’t helping anything. Mine dragged on for weeks and honestly, I started googling “permanent nerve damage” way too much. It did eventually fade, but yeah, the waiting is just… weird.

Food was a whole saga for me. I tried blending up mac and cheese at one point - wouldn’t recommend unless you’re desperate, but hey, it’s calories. I got so tired of sweet stuff (why is everything a smoothie?) that I’d have killed for something spicy. Hot sauce in broth is genius - wish I’d thought of that.

Podcasts over audiobooks makes sense, now that you mention it. I had trouble focusing on stories but could handle random conversations or comedy shows. Recovery felt endless some days but looking back, those tiny wins (like moving my jaw a bit more) actually kept me going.

Man, reading about the blended mac and cheese just brought back some memories I tried to block out... I remember attempting to blend chili once because I was desperate for something savory. Not my finest moment, but hey, at least it wasn’t another banana protein shake. For anyone still in the thick of it, salty broths and adding a splash of soy sauce or sriracha made things way more tolerable for me.

The numbness thing is wild, right? I kept doing that gentle tapping thing on my lower lip just to check if sensation was coming back. The waiting game messes with your head - Google is definitely not your friend during those weeks. Eventually, mine faded too, but it took longer than I wanted.

Podcasts saved me from losing my mind. Couldn’t focus on books at all, but listening to people chat about random stuff weirdly made me feel less isolated. Small wins like yawning without pain or finally getting a straw past my teeth felt like major victories. It’s a weird journey for sure.

Blended chili... that's a new one, haha. I totally get the desperation for something that isn't sweet though. I lived off miso soup and watered-down mashed potatoes for way too long. And yeah, that numbness is so trippy - I’d poke my chin all the time just to make sure it was still attached. Podcasts were a lifesaver for me too, especially because I couldn't really concentrate on anything else. You’re right, those tiny wins feel huge when you're in it.

- Gotta disagree a bit on podcasts - my brain was too foggy from meds to follow any storyline.
- Ended up binging YouTube tech reviews instead... mindless enough to keep me entertained.
- Also, I weirdly found cold apple sauce way more satisfying than mashed potatoes. Maybe it’s just me?
- That chin-poking thing is real though. I kept thinking I’d drool and not notice.

Cold apple sauce actually makes sense - less chewing, plus the cold probably felt good on sore tissues. Did you try anything else cold, like yogurt or ice cream? I’ve seen folks get really into popsicles after jaw surgery, but I always wonder if the sugar’s a pain for teeth. That chin-numbness is wild, right? Ever catch yourself drooling and not realize it until it’s too late? I remember someone once telling me they kept a little towel handy just in case...

The chin-numbness is no joke - felt like half my face was asleep for weeks. I did try yogurt because it was cheap and easy to find, but ice cream was kind of out for me since it’s pricier and my budget was already tight with all the meds and follow-ups. Popsicles seemed fun, but I worried about the sugar too, especially since I couldn’t brush well at first... Did you find anything cold that wasn’t full of sugar? Also, props to anyone who manages not to drool - my shirt took a few hits before I learned that towel trick.

I totally relate to the chin-numbness thing - mine felt like it belonged to someone else for at least a month. You’re right, yogurt is a lifesaver, but I gotta mildly disagree about skipping out on ice cream altogether. I mean, yeah, it’s pricier if you go for the fancy stuff, but I found those big generic tubs at discount stores were cheaper per serving than some of the Greek yogurts (which, by the way, are weirdly expensive for something that tastes like sour glue).

But if you’re trying to dodge sugar, I get it. My dentist would probably faint if he saw how many popsicles I went through. I ended up freezing little cups of plain kefir and eating them with a spoon - tangy, cold, and not sweet at all. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but it did the trick for me when everything else felt like a cavity waiting to happen. Also, I tried blending up frozen berries with unsweetened almond milk and just letting it melt a bit so I could sort of “drink” it - no added sugar and still cold enough to numb my mouth (and my soul).

And yeah...the drool situation is real. First time I tried to sip soup, half of it just dribbled down my chin onto my hoodie. Towel trick is genius - wish someone had told me sooner instead of letting me ruin every shirt I own.

Anyway, don’t let anyone tell you you have to eat nothing but sweet stuff post-surgery. There are definitely ways around it...even if they’re not as fun as ice cream sandwiches.

Freezing kefir - now that’s clever. I never thought to try that, but I might’ve actually enjoyed the tang. Totally agree about the drool disaster, too.

First time I tried to sip soup, half of it just dribbled down my chin onto my hoodie.

I also lived on pureed soups, but honestly, after week two, even the smell of chicken broth made me want to run. It’s wild how much you start craving something crunchy, even if you know you can’t have it yet.

Totally relate to the smoothie incident - every time I thought I had a handle on it, gravity had other ideas. It’s like your mouth just forgets how to function for a while. And yeah, after days of pureed stuff, I started fantasizing about potato chips…or even just a carrot stick. I tried to get creative and blend random things, but let’s just say not everything should be liquefied. Did anyone else get weirdly obsessed with food commercials, or was that just me?

I tried to get creative and blend random things, but let’s just say not everything should be liquefied.

Haha, I get that, but honestly, I didn’t mind the pureed food as much as I thought I would. Maybe I’m weird, but experimenting with soups and savory smoothies kept things interesting for me. I actually avoided food commercials on purpose - felt like torture. Never got into the food fantasy thing, I just focused on making the best out of what I could actually eat.

I get what you mean about food commercials - those definitely made things harder for me, too. I’m curious, did you have any go-to soup or smoothie combos that actually tasted decent? I tried a few things that sounded good in theory but were pretty gross in reality.

I tried a few things that sounded good in theory but were pretty gross in reality.

Totally get this - my kiddo went through the same thing after her jaw surgery. Some of those “healthy” smoothie recipes were just… not it. We ended up sticking with simple stuff like blended chicken noodle soup (strained really well) and strawberry-banana smoothies with a scoop of vanilla protein powder. Honestly, it was trial and error, and there were a few kitchen disasters along the way. Hang in there, it does get easier once you find a couple combos that actually taste like food.

Honestly, it was trial and error, and there were a few kitchen disasters along the way.

Interesting - my experience was a bit different. I actually found that sticking to savory purees worked better than sweet smoothies after my surgery. The protein powder in fruit smoothies always left a weird aftertaste for me, no matter the brand. Did you guys ever try things like blended lentil soup or mashed avocado with cottage cheese? I wonder if the key is more about texture than flavor sometimes...

I wonder if the key is more about texture than flavor sometimes...

I get what you mean, but honestly, I was so paranoid about choking that texture stressed me out more than taste. Even mashed avocado felt risky at first. I stuck with super thin broths and those gross meal replacement shakes for weeks. Maybe I was just too anxious to experiment much...

Even mashed avocado felt risky at first.

Totally get that. I remember eyeing applesauce like it was a wild animal, just waiting for it to attack my throat. Texture definitely freaked me out more than taste too. Thin soups were my best friend - boring, but safe.

Texture definitely freaked me out more than taste too.

Same here. I tried to save money by pureeing my own food, but let's just say lumpy mashed potatoes were a betrayal I didn't see coming. Yogurt was cheap and smooth - my MVP for weeks.

I get what you mean about yogurt being a lifesaver, but after day three, I couldn’t even look at it without gagging. Maybe it’s just me, but I needed something savory after all that sweet stuff. Broths were my go-to - super smooth if you strain them, and they actually felt like real food. I tried making mashed potatoes too and yeah... the lumps were a nightmare, especially with the numbness. Honestly, I started rotating soups just to keep my sanity.