FFS pain?

[patstar]

What I want to know is how much does the whole process hurt.  (I know that there is some variation.)  I plan to have a face-lift, along with the FFS.  I have a low pain threshold.  I just don't do physical pain well.  So.... ....how much pain for how long is the norm?  I have not too much of a problem with the temporary (I certainly hope) disfigurement.

[MeghanAndrews]

I have a low pain threshold too. I hurts more than anything I'd been through up to that point and since. They good thing is that you'll be on so many drugs you won't remember the pain. It'll be very, very real at the time, but as soon as you wake up and feel like, you press the button and it's gone. It depends on where you are going and how invasive the work is too. Extensive bone work is super painful. Good luck You'll get through it, drugs = forget.

[patstar]

Thanks, I can be such a baby.

[Meshi]

Really depends on each person and exactly how much work your having done..Also, it depends on your surgeon.  In the first two wks is the most pain..I cant take Vicodin cause it  does noting for me, so i need to take something stronger.  There are a few surgeons that imo are just not aggressive enough. You DO NOT want to have to do revisionary surgeries because your first surgeon wasnt aggressive enough. 

[patstar]

Yes, thank you, that is an excellent point.  I would very much prefer that surgeon go ahead and get it totally right the first time and have just one spell of big suffering than having to through similar pain multiple times.  That's great information.

[SiobhanB]

Hi,

I may be able to help with this one.  I had my FFS done with Dr Bart van de Ven in Belgium on the 17th of November.  I had the full works done, brow bossing, harline re-countouring, rhinoplasty, chin shorten and reshape, jaw reshape, lipofilling of the cheeks, upper lip shorten and re-shape.

The frst three days were the worst, but in terms of pain I haven't really experienced any to speak of.  Don't get me wrong, it's a thoroughly unpleaseant experience as you would expect, but that's more down to discomfort caused by swelling and loss of feeling than pain.  I did get fairly headachy but this was easily countered by the painkillers that I was given. These were only paracetomol and codeine, nothing too strong.

Kind regards,

Siobhan.

[patstar]

Thank you for clarifying this distinction for me.  There's a significant difference (to me especially,lol) between discomfort, some unpleasant sensation, and outright pain.  Discomfort and its like is usually manageable; total pain almost always isn't.  I also gather--if I didn't already know--that finding exactly the right surgeon can make all the difference in the world.   Thank you ladies.  It's it helps greatly to have at least a fair idea what to expect.

[SiobhanB]

You're more than welcome, I would definitely recommend Dr van de Ven in Belgium, but this all depennds on where you are in the world I guess.  I'm in the UK and decided that the trip to Belgium would be worth it for me.

Discomfort is obviously better than pain, and I'm glad I had my FFS done, but that discomfort lasts an awful long time.  I'm only two weeks post surgery but I'm already pretty fed up with not being able to move my lips properly and with having little or no sensation in the face.  I'm sure you're like me in that you know if surgery is the right path for you, and no-one's going to talk you out of it but just be clear, it's no fun!

Let's just hope it's worth it, I'll post some pictures when the swelling's gone down.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Siobhan.

[eli77]

As long as nothing goes wrong it's fairly painless. The first night I was too nauseous from the anaesthetic and the blood draining into my stomach to take any painkillers (I puked up about 2 litres of blood, fun stuff), so that sucked - more miserable than in pain though. Otherwise the only thing that really hurt was having the stitches taken out, but that only takes a minute. I had partial FFS - hairline adjustment without a full advance, brow ridge reduction, nose job, and tracheal shave - with Dr. Spiegel in Boston.

[patstar]

Thanks again ladies.  This is all extremely helpful.  I am definitely completely committed and and will do it as soon as I have enough cash for it.

LOVE,
Patrice in Rhode Island.

[Tristan]

wow. so thats what we have to look foward to. oh well no pain nome gain

[patstar]

Yes that's one bit of unpleasantness that I am sooo much looking forward to.  It's a rite of passage; can't wait until I can afford to get it done!

[Saskia]

I can't say that I had a lot of pain, but it was not pleasant, mostly uncomfortable and difficult to eat anything. Mind you I was on a lot of meds so that probably helped.
I had problems dribbling saliva all the time and I could barely open my mouth. But the post op period where it's not pleasant is only short lived. Every day becomes easier and easier and your face gets better and better