Submandibular gland removal

Hi Liz,

May I ask why you had to have the gland removed and what your symptoms were please? Not sure why your wound should feel hard but the obvious thing is to go back and have it checked out to hopefully give you some reassurance. 

I’ve got problems at the moment and I’m awaiting an appointment which just can’t come quickly enough. I think my problem may be due to a salivary gland but who knows............ the waiting is agonising. 

My Dentist was very disappointing in when I first asked her to refer me and I don’t think she took me seriously at all. 

My mouth just doesn’t feel right following a dry socket and huge abscess following a tooth extraction after I cracked my tooth in half biting on something hard. 

I have very dry mouth on the left hand side and my neck on the left hand side Is beginning to hurt. If anyone else has had similar symptoms I’d be really grateful to hear from you.

In the meantime good luck Liz and take care.

Jane 

Hi,

1 week is a very short period of time in respect of recovery from this operation, so I wouldn't be surprised if you are experiencing some odd sensations.

The hard feeling may be due to some localised nerve damage which will likely improve over time. This could however take months.

Could also be some scar tissue or blood that didn't drain fully after the operation which again should reduce over the next few weeks.

I had to go back to hospital after a couple of weeks to get mine drained again with a syringe. 

Full story of my op is on here somewhere.

 

The thread has been 'Locked' due to old age , but if you click on, or cut & paste the link it might come up.

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/submandibular-gland-surgery-not-straight-forward-488709?page=0#2567741

I had mine removed a month ago - I put moist heat packs and ice packs on the area for 2 1/2 weeks after surgery . The hardness should go away as your body absorbed the fluids from surgery . I am getting better every week , hope you do too !

Hi Liz,

I am 3 months post op and I still have the hardness where the gland used to be. It has changed over the 3 months, i.e. it has moved downwards and decreased in size but there is a considerable lump  still there. It is not visible to the naked eye though, it's just when I feel around the area, you can feel it. It's about 2 inches in diameter. I also still have some numbness around the area too and only within the last 2 weeks or so have I gained full control of my mouth back. What I mean by that is, when swirling liquid around in my mouth, it always leaked out the side of the op and I had no control, now that's pretty much back to normal.

I am seeing my surgeon next week for my 3 month check up and I am looking forward to finding out what the hardness is and how much longer I might have it. From phone conversations I've had with my doctor, it sounds like it's drainage. I had my op done in NYC and they did not put in a drainage tube like they do in the UK (from what I can tell). Are you in the UK?

Also, around the lump wasn't painful (apart from the normal few weeks after surgery) until I got on a plane at the start of May and since then it's been mildly painful. As Brian above mentioned, I also have what feels like a lump in my throat that I'd had mildly since I got the infection but which was also exacerbated after flying.

The swelling around the area for me did not last too long at all. I had major swelling around the whole side of my face for about a week and then the incision itself was swollen for about a month. Now I do not have any swelling, just the hard lump under the skin where the gland was removed. 

I'll update this again after my follow up visit in a few days' time.

Hi Liz,

I am 3 months post op and I still have the hardness where the gland used to be. It has changed over the 3 months, i.e. it has moved downwards and decreased in size but there is a considerable lump  still there. It is not visible to the naked eye though, it's just when I feel around the area, you can feel it. It's about 2 inches in diameter. I also still have some numbness around the area too and only within the last 2 weeks or so have I gained full control of my mouth back. What I mean by that is, when swirling liquid around in my mouth, it always leaked out the side of the op and I had no control, now that's pretty much back to normal.

I am seeing my surgeon next week for my 3 month check up and I am looking forward to finding out what the hardness is and how much longer I might have it. From phone conversations I've had with my doctor, it sounds like it's drainage. I had my op done in NYC and they did not put in a drainage tube like they do in the UK (from what I can tell). Are you in the UK?

Also, around the lump wasn't painful (apart from the normal few weeks after surgery) until I got on a plane at the start of May and since then it's been mildly painful. I also have what feels like a lump in my throat that I'd had mildly since I got the infection but which was also exacerbated after flying.

The swelling around the area for me did not last too long at all. I had major swelling around the whole side of my face for about a week and then the incision itself was swollen for about a month. Now I do not have any swelling, just the hard lump under the skin where the gland was removed. 

I'll update this again after my follow up visit in a few days' time.