Jaw Surgery Forums » Post-Surgery and Recovery Questions

How Long on No-Chew Diet?

(19 posts)
  • Started 5 months ago by BaliGirl
  • Latest reply from ocmama2four
12

  1. BaliGirl
    Member

    During my initial consultation with my surgeon he mentioned a 6-8 week period of no-chew diet, progressing to soft chew and then regular chew items.

    Now that we're getting into the final planning for my surgery, I find out that it's 12 weeks of no chewing at all, not even soft things like eggs and pancakes. If I can swallow it whole or mash it up on the roof of my mouth I'm allowed to eat it, but no chewing is allowed at all for 12 weeks.

    Is this normal? Or is my surgeon just extra cautious? I can't recall seeing any other stories of this long of a no-chew diet unless there were complications.

    On 12/28/11 I had a 4 piece LeFort 1 procedure done to correct an open bite.

    http://jawsurgerysaga.blogspot.com/
    Posted 5 months ago #

  2. kefcorp
    Member

    Sounds extra-cautious to me, since the worst estimate I've ever heard is six weeks, maybe eight if they have to be wired a long time. I'm sure he'll change his estimate around post-surgery depending on your rate of healing.

    Posted 5 months ago #

  3. RachelM
    Member

    I was on a no chew diet for 6 weeks and to be honest, I didn't feel like chewing anything until about week 12. There is tonnes of stuff you can eat without chewing it. I had lots of fish, minced beef, mashed up veg and plenty of puddings! Even sponge puddings are easy when they're moist enough. You'll get the hang of what you can and can't manage but for the first six weeks, putting any pressure on your teeth will be too sore anyway. Just beware not to eat things too quickly. I had a bit of an indegestion problem due to getting a bt enthusiastic!!

    Posted 5 months ago #

  4. Trobb
    Member

    Hey, 12 weeks does sound like a long time but am sure your sergon knows what he's talking about, I was able to start chewing at 7 weeks (last week) and its been heaven!, to be honest I've had no proplems with chewing hasent been sore or anything felt abit strange the first time because I hadent chewed in so long but after that I've demolished everything in sight with no problems but maybe beacsue I only had my lower jaw done,and everyone is different , what are you having done?, good luck with your surgery!

    Posted 5 months ago #

  5. BaliGirl
    Member

    Thanks for the input!

    I'm having upper jaw surgery (3 piece LeFort 1). I'm not worried about finding things to eat without chewing (almost anything can be blended or chopped up into tiny pieces). I do LOVE to eat, though, and the thought of not being able to chew for 3 months is a bit unnerving. That's a really long, long time.

    I'm sure my surgeon has a good reason for recommending such a long no-chew period, and I will follow it to ensure that I have the best possible outcome, I'm just not looking forward to it. I will just hold out hope that I will heal extraordinarily fast and progress to soft-chew sooner than expected. Fingers crossed!

    Posted 5 months ago #

  6. Melinda
    Member

    It has been a question of mine for a while now. While others were banded shut I was able to start soft chewing 11 days after surgery and I had double jaw surgery and SARPE and something done with my nose/lips. I was never wired shut as I had complications of breathing during surgery so they just banded me shut and after 11 days they removed the bands and gave me two elastics to wear and remove to clean my teeth and eat. I'm not sure why some surgeons are rigid and others (like mine) are pushing to get back to normal within a few weeks.

    I'm currently 5 weeks post op and I went and saw my surgeon last Wednesday and I asked what I could start progressing towards as far as food (I'm sick of eggs and pancakes) and I was just basically told that I couldn't have anything like nuts or apples but basically my body would tell me if it was too hard to eat and those were the guidelines I was given. I eat chicken, pizza (no crust), pork, salad, so far with no issues and that's crazy to me that I'm able to eat those types of foods five weeks after surgery. I went into this thinking I wouldn't be eating normally for 3 months. I would love to know why my surgeon is allowing all this freedom and others are basically on a no-chew diet for many weeks.

    Posted 5 months ago #

  7. Blondek1
    Member

    Originally my doctor told me that I would be wired shut 6 weeks but then right before jaw surgery he said I would be wired shut for 8 weeks with a stint and I seriously can not be understood. Tomorrow will be three weeks post op and I am soooo sick of liquid diet already!

    Posted 5 months ago #

  8. readytoroll
    Member

    My surgeon said about 4 weeks liquid diet, but it has now been extended for another 2 weeks as I can't really open my mouth yet, and can't manage anything with a consistency thicker than runny custard or apple sauce.

    Posted 5 months ago #

  9. Drew
    Member

    my surgeon told me i can eat anything except hard stuff like nuts after 3 weeks. your jaw will let u know what u can and cannot eat. u can feel the pressure. right now im just eating foods that are easy to chew. definitely not steak.

    Posted 5 months ago #

  10. OpenBite
    Member

    My surgeon said I could chew from week 2, but I didn't know it 'til week 4. I started to chew yesterday, but it's not easy.

    Posted 5 months ago #

RSS feed for this topic

12

Reply »

You must log in to post.