I had a slightly different experience with dairy actually. My surgeon didn't mention avoiding it, and I ended up having quite a bit of yogurt smoothies early on because they felt soothing and filling. Didn't notice much mucus buildup personally, but everyone's body reacts differently, I guess. One thing I did struggle with was anything too cold—like ice-cold smoothies or shakes made my jaw ache like crazy at first... room temp was definitely the way to go for me.
I totally relate to the cold sensitivity thing. I remember right after my surgery, I was so excited to finally have something other than broth that I made myself this huge strawberry smoothie. Didn't even think about temperature—just threw in a bunch of frozen berries and ice cubes. Big mistake... my jaw felt like it was being stabbed by tiny icicles, lol. After that, I stuck strictly to room temp or slightly warm soups and smoothies for at least a week or two.
Interesting about the dairy though—I was actually warned off dairy by my surgeon because of mucus buildup, but honestly, when I tried almond milk smoothies instead, they just didn't feel as satisfying or filling. Eventually, I cautiously went back to yogurt-based smoothies and didn't notice any major issues either. Guess it really does depend on the person.
Anyway, glad you found something soothing that worked for you! It's all trial and error at first, isn't it?
I totally get what you mean about almond milk smoothies feeling kind of...thin? I tried them too, hoping to avoid dairy, but they never really hit the spot. I ended up experimenting a bit and found coconut milk was a nice middle ground—creamy enough to feel satisfying, but didn't give me that mucus-y feeling dairy sometimes did. Maybe worth a shot if you're still exploring options.
Also, about the cold sensitivity, same here. I remember thinking ice cream would be the perfect comfort food post-surgery (soft and delicious, right?). Nope, my jaw was not having it. It felt like brain freeze but way worse, lol. Warm oatmeal blended smooth was my lifesaver in the end. It wasn't exciting, but at least it didn't hurt.
You're right though—it's definitely trial and error. Everyone's body seems to react a bit differently, so you just gotta find your own sweet spot. Glad you figured out what worked for you in the end!
I had a similar experience with almond milk smoothies—they always felt watery and unsatisfying. Coconut milk was decent, but personally, I found blending avocado into my smoothies really helped with creaminess and nutrition. Also, totally relate to the cold sensitivity issue. I thought chilled soups would be soothing post-surgery, but nope...warm blended veggie soups ended up being my go-to comfort food. It's definitely a learning curve figuring out what your jaw can handle comfortably.
"I thought chilled soups would be soothing post-surgery, but nope...warm blended veggie soups ended up being my go-to comfort food."
Same here—I remember trying gazpacho thinking it'd be gentle and refreshing, but it just made my jaw tense up more. Ended up sticking to lukewarm potato leek soup for weeks...safe and boring, but comforting.
