That’s actually super helpful to hear. I keep reading “everyone heals differently,” but it’s hard not to want a checklist for what to expect. Did your surgeon give you any benchmarks, or was it mostly “wait and see”? I’m trying to figure out if the lingering soreness I have at 8 months is just par for the course or a red flag. Also, journaling is a good idea—I might try that, though mine will probably just be a list of foods I miss...
I keep reading “everyone heals differently,” but it’s hard not to want a checklist for what to expect.
Totally get this—my surgeon was mostly “wait and see” too, which honestly drove me nuts. I wanted a timeline, some kind of chart... anything. At 8 months, I still had soreness (especially in the mornings), and sometimes I’d panic thinking something was wrong. But my doc kept saying it’s normal for nerves and muscles to take their sweet time. Still, I’d sometimes overthink every ache. Also, your idea about journaling food is hilarious—I had a whole list of “things I will eat again” after soft foods for so long.
At 8 months, I still had soreness (especially in the mornings), and sometimes I’d panic thinking something was wrong. But my doc kept saying it’s normal for nerves and muscles to take their sweet time.
That “wait and see” approach really does mess with your head, right? I can’t help but wonder if we’re doing enough to help people manage those lingering aches—like, is there something missing from typical post-op care? I’ve seen patients who were told to just power through, but sometimes a bit more hands-on therapy (physio, gentle exercises) made a big difference, even months out.
I know everyone’s healing curve is different, but do you feel like your team gave you enough guidance on what to look out for vs. what’s just part of the process? The checklist thing bugs me too—seems like we could at least have a range of “normal” timelines for stuff like nerve tingling or stiffness. Or maybe that’s just wishful thinking...
Also, love the “things I will eat again” list—had a patient once who swore she’d never take pizza crust for granted again. I’m curious, did you notice any foods that actually helped with healing, or was it just about comfort?
I totally relate to the checklist frustration—mine felt like “you might have tingling for a week… or a year, who knows?” Not super reassuring. I did get some PT, but honestly, I wish they’d pushed it more. As for food, yogurt was my hero, but nothing magical healing-wise—just easy on the jaw and nerves. Pizza crust is still on my “someday” list...
That whole tingling thing is wild, right? I remember reading the aftercare packet and thinking, “Wait, so I could be drooling on myself for months… or maybe never?” Not exactly the confidence booster I was hoping for. My PT was kind of a mixed bag too—they gave me a few exercises but it felt more like a “do what you can” situation. Sometimes I wonder if being more aggressive with it would’ve helped my jaw get back to normal faster.
Food-wise, I basically lived on mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs for weeks. Yogurt was good, but I got so tired of it. The day I managed to eat a soft piece of bread felt like winning the lottery. Pizza crust is still a no-go for me too—honestly, anything chewy just feels risky. It’s weird how something as simple as chewing can become this big milestone after surgery.
I do think the surgery helped with my TMJ pain overall, but there’s definitely stuff they don’t warn you about. Like, nerves just do their own thing sometimes...
