MOUTH SURGERY...how to control pain and best foods to eat

[CornishTeaTime]

So....any advice would be much appreciate on pain relief, foods and healing asap!!!

Wedn night op, dosed up on fentanyl, kept me in. Slept 2 hours.

Thurs in hosp was okish had shot of morphine in morning and waok during day slept alot

Trying to sip on water as dehydrated...they did put me on a drip for 2 hours - should have been 5 hours but they said I could go home after 2 hours so Thurs night home.

Slept ok. 9.30pm till 6am

Friday took ibuprofen during day as felt okish I thought brill no more pain

Didnt sleep last night as in pain, took paracetomol at 1am

Today...worst pain all day can hardly swollow hence not taking much water in as it hursts. Have started on the liquid morphine today which seems to help abit as in it takes the edge off the pain a bit and allows me to drink and eat a little yoghurt, custard etc. Still painful each swollow

DH spoke to pharmasist at Boots today... who suggested keeping to the liquid morphine and if needed ibuprofen inbetween morphine dose. Bottle says morphine only for 3 days.

Pain must be a delay or I was so dosed up leaving hosp its all starting to wear off.

Im so worried about the dehydration my skin is slow pinching back still but I am weeing - 3 times so far

Foods...although not hungry I know Ive got to eat something to help aid recovery. Been told cold desserts for 2 weeks.

Have tried custard pot, managed a third but too creamy worried about being sick

Fromage petite felious bit too thick and creamy

DH is going to get some jelly, will try.

Hopefully Im doing all this right as the hosp didnt give me any real advice on pain just handed me the meds.

Any advice anyone?

What was the surgery for?

You can buy liquid paracetamol and ibuprofen to go in between the morphine.

Complan or other fortified drinks will help keep "food" getting into you (they come in various flavours some of which are vile)

Ive got coated ibuprofen and paracetomol but jandy to know about liquid form. Dont think I could stomach the complan or fortified drinks.

2 weeks of cold desserts seems so long but once Ive got pain under control sure will be fine

If the morphine is pure morphine, I’d be dosing along with paracetamol and ibuprofen at max doses all day and night. The trick is to stay on top of it.

I have cancer and have just had a big head and neck operation (not in my mouth, but it caused swallowing issues). Don’t be afraid of the morphine. I was on daily cocodamol for a least a month pre-op, then syringe driver in hospital for 3 days, then cocodamol at home for a week and I came off it just fine.

Try using a straw for liquids. Consider making some oral rehydration solution to drink as will give you fluids, sugar and salt. Try jelly, ice cream, different yoghurts. Can you have anything hot? When I had my wisdom teeth out, I lived on tomato soup, jelly and ice cream.

rehydrate.org/faq/how-to-prepare-ors.htm

Have you spoken to an after-care staff member about the pain? Not wishing to alarm you, but I would let them know.

I was given difflam spray. I would do a spray before trying to eat or drink

But I do agree that you should ring your care team.

I got through a whole bottle of liquid morphine and came off it with no issues, don't be scared of it

Bless you @mindutopia sounds like you've bern through alot 🥰

Nothing hot.

It says morphine sulphate on the bottle. Ive never taken any meds so was a bit scared of the morphine - but has def calmed and helped me abit today had 2 lots so far.

I just wished hosp had explained properly to take the morphine and other mefs in between to keep on top of it as today I was in credibly stressed and in pain.

Yes using straws for water.

What surgery did you have? Teeth extraction, tonsillectomy or something else? I agree with getting in touch with the surgical team/nurse specialist/dentist hospital etc.
Paracetamol also comes in a suppository form- so avoids the mouth altogether! Another anti-inflammatory in suppository form is diclofenac- but it might be on script only.

You are right to try to keep your fluids up. That is more important than 'food'. Depending on the surgery, high protein can help with wound healing. Some ideas:
-ice cream or make your own sorbets without cream and are lighter
-jelly
-watery soups like tomato, broth etc or creamy chicken/asparagus. Gazpacho and ajo blanco are both cold soups https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/international/european/spanish/ajo-blanco-%E2%80%93-chilled-almond-soup

Im going to feedback when I see the consultant in 2 weeks as no aftercare leaflet or advice on what to do when I left.

The junior dr who came round just said as yr not bleeding you can go home and see the consultant in 2 weeks a letter will be sent. I had to ask...ok but what can I eat and for how long, I didnt even think to
ask what happens or what should I do if Im bleeding. ask...prob too drugged up and been through a lot - it was such a whirlwind as saw consultant on Tues, Op Wedn night!

More I think about it, the more annoyed I am

I’ve had a lot of oral surgery. I think you should ring the team for advice. Be very careful of using straws as although it can seem like a good idea it actually creates a sort of vacum / suction in your mouth which can be counter productive for healing - people think this only relates to tooth extractions (ie can cause dry socket) but it can actually be an issue with any oral surgery.

I spent about 3 weeks at one point eating McDonald’s milkshakes with a spoon as that was all I could manage so you have my sympathy.
(I’m under two different oral specialists).

Bugger Im ditching the straws then. Will just sip out the glass.

Not tooth rrlated had a lump removed from.the very back of my tongue and think they also took some tisdue from my throat...glands I think.

Now Im abit calmer and have got my head around the meds I will see how I am by Monday if still in tons if pain will ring the dept up where I saw the consultant....no aftcare number etc given

I had a tonsillectomy and the pain was excruciating after a few days - I realised that as the initial slough came off it exposed a nerve, so traditional painkillers weren't touching it. I eventually worked this out this myself in the end, the duty doctor at the hospital was hopeless and just said it looked fine. No one mentioned exposing the nerve, but when I googled it, it seems like something that does happen sometimes. Once it started to heal, it was okay again. When I could eat, I ate quite a lot of mushed up avocado and scrambled eggs, but practically nothing for a few days, sometimes I couldn't even swallow saliva. I also tried protein smoothies. I lost quite a bit of weight, though it didn't take long to put it back on again! Hope you start to feel better soon.

Yep Im spitting saliva into tissues at the mo.

i think Im worrying about food too much... I know Ive lot weight already...a week ago to the build up to the initial appointment I just couldnt eat, in fact last solid food I had was prob Monday night I ate a few chips

post mouth surgery I drank ready made huel (more calories and lots of vitamins) and agree with the liquid paracetamol. I struggled with tablets for ages. The hospital advised drinking dioralyte rather than water to help with hydration.

Funnily Ive just remembered before my op one of the drs did go through what to eat...Ive just remember her saying no hot foods, stitches will disolve in time ... fast forward the op itself...maximum dose of fentanyl, morphine etc how on earth would I remember all that!!!! Def should have been given some form of care sheet

Constipation!!! Obvs not eating so not going to the toilet, I last went on Monday!

Did they discharged you on oramorph and no laxatives??? 😦

I realise this isn't your question OP. The fentanyl and morphine etc can bung you up terribly. I know you aren't eating, but I would start taking a laxative such as lactulose, laxido or movicol. All of which you can get from a pharmacy. Unlike senna and other laxatives, the bowel doesn't become reliant on them.

In addition to fluids and movement, the position on the toilet can have a massive effect on the bowels. There are squatty potty devices/stools you can buy, but anything to raise your feet up will help- bricks, old telephone books, paint cans etc does the same. Its a game changer and really makes it difference.

Yep never mentioned laxatives. Will get DH to get some tomorrow. I just dont want any other complications Ive got enough to deal with.

On the 3rd dose of morphine been having 2.5ml each time and had 1 ibuprofen inbetween and must say a game changer. I feel relaxed, calm and pain - although still there, Im managing to drink and Ive just had a bit of jelly from one of those pots and it was refreshing and slide down ok.

Going to have one more dose at 10pm that makes it 10ml today - hopefully I will sleep

I am embarrassed to admit I was discharged eith a bottle of oramorph and didn't realise you were only supposed to take 2.5 ml. I took a big swig every few hours. Hallucinated but no pain 😅

My bottle says 5ml dose but when DH spoke to pharmacist today they said do 2.5ml doses up to 4 a day with at least 4 hours between. No more tham 10ml for whole day.

What about weetabix. They go super soft. The fibre will help constipation too.

Porridge really cooled to Luke warm maybe add some syrup or something for flavour.

I found both of the above helped me

Get some of the baby fruit puree nice on there own or added to yogurt

No advice for you but I wish you a speedy recovery. It sounds thoroughly miserable.