# Major neck swelling post surgery



## vdshelton

Hi all!

First off, I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!!

I need a bit of advice about the neck and jaw swelling I'm experiencing post TT and bilateral neck dissection. I'm experiencing major swelling from my jawline down to the top of the incision, so much so that I'm looking very frog like with numerous chins with no jaw  Anyone else experiencd anything similar? I saw my doc on Saturday morning to remove my drainage tubes and he acted like it totally normal for that amount of swelling but I'm just wondering how long I have to look like a bullfrog.

I'm icing the area down, plan to sleep with my head elevated, low sodium to reduce swelling from water retention....any other suggestions?


----------



## Andros

vdshelton said:


> Hi all!
> 
> First off, I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!!
> 
> I need a bit of advice about the neck and jaw swelling I'm experiencing post TT and bilateral neck dissection. I'm experiencing major swelling from my jawline down to the top of the incision, so much so that I'm looking very frog like with numerous chins with no jaw  Anyone else experiencd anything similar? I saw my doc on Saturday morning to remove my drainage tubes and he acted like it totally normal for that amount of swelling but I'm just wondering how long I have to look like a bullfrog.
> 
> I'm icing the area down, plan to sleep with my head elevated, low sodium to reduce swelling from water retention....any other suggestions?


Poor kid! I am so sorry but I do think this might be expected only 6 days after surgery.

I did not have the surgery so "hopefully" others will be on-line today re the board to comment.

Keeping you in my thoughts.


----------



## joplin1975

I'm so sorry! Not a way to spend the holidays. 

I want to preface this by saying I had a TT but only a central neck dissection...that said, my surgeon's primary concern was not calcium (apparently he's good abt not damaging parathyroids) but swelling. He told me the neck does not drain as well as other body areas and excessive swelling can make breathing difficult. I had virtually no swelling, save for a small amount of inflammation directly on the incision. I was told to go the ER if i had significant swelling... 

Can you breath ok?


----------



## sonnyjane

Yikes!!! I know everyone has different post-surgery experiences, but I didn't have any swelling at all, and "excessive swelling" was printed on my list of reasons to contact my doctor or head to the ER. Are you in pain?


----------



## angel1976

When the lymphatic vessels are messed up (which is routine for radical neck dissesction), the post-surgery "double chin" can develop. Normally this should level off and shrink within 3 weeks but make sure ask your doctor about that especially if that swelling is firm or irregular.


----------



## vdshelton

I'm not in any pain, the swollen area isn't hot to the touch...I'm wondering if I can throw an anti inflammatory into the mix today like ibuprofen. They specifically told me not to take it before surgery but didn't mention anything about it afterwards. I have trouble breathing in only one position but im not sure if that's due to swelling or tightness or some combination of both. I will get my stitches removed this week on Wed or Thursday and I will make sure the surgeon doesn't think this swelling is abnormal.


----------



## desrtbloom

Hello There!

I had terrible neck swelling. I looked like I had a neckacle (instead of a cancakle where your ankle and leg look all in one, I had a neckacle where my face and neck looked all in one). I feel your pain, but it will go away. All I can tell you is to ICE ICE ICE and it will go down. Mine took awhile, but it did go away. Some people just swell more than others. I'm one of those that bruises badly and swells up.

Best of luck!

Patti


----------



## vdshelton

That's exactly what I'm experiencing. You can't tell where my neck ends and my jaw begins.


----------



## Andros

vdshelton said:


> That's exactly what I'm experiencing. You can't tell where my neck ends and my jaw begins.


Even through the holiday, we have posters to the rescue. That is really a nice thing and I hope you are doing better today.


----------



## namebug

I had surgery on the 15th and still have a swollen part right at the incision line. When I tilt my head back, it bulges out more. It's not hot to the touch or too uncomfortable, but I wish it would go away. I didn't have this bulgy problem 15 years ago, but the incision was more unsightly for a lot longer; on the other hand, the incision this time is not so bad. I guess it just takes time. I hope your froggy look dissipates soon.


----------



## Vivian

I still have swelling at my incision 7 weeks post op. But it's slowly getting better. It really stuck out at first, it's getting flatter now. Will be glad when it is completely gone.


----------

