Neck Lift: Stories

You might want to have it checked by an ENT specialist. I didn't have neck surgery but did have an enlarged saliva gland (parotid). Turns out it was a tumor and had to be removed. Be safe.

Hey, I am way late to this thread, but I wondered if you had checked into the possibility of salivary stones? I have had them myself since I was a kid.

Salivary stones are similar to kidney stones -- small, calcified little stones build up in your gland and eventually can move in and block the salivary duct, requiring a bit of surgery to remove if they don't work themselves out naturally. It might be worth a check with an Otolaryngologist to see if this could be an issue for you? : )

Best of luck, and I hope you are happy with your neck lift results.

REALLY!?! PERFECT TIMING !!! I meet with my PS at the end of next week -- when I turn 6 months. This was the "wait until it settles" time.

Thanks, NHaven!

Are you sure it's your gland that's descended? I thought the same thing with my neck. When I went for my annual physical my doctor reached to feel my glands and jumped a foot in shock; my neck looked so, so horrible and as if my glands were swelled and lowered. Actually, it was just a poor job securing the neck muscle. My ps repeated the neck lift with major undermining and the problem is nearly resolved (now it's only slight and not noticeable when I look up...big, big difference from watermelon neck!)

Kathy - I'm going to drop you a private message with what my other Private Message friend was able to share.

More soon!

K.

Aw, carp, Kathy -- I'm so sorry! That's SO not the outcome I was hoping for you or any of our folks on, responding to or considering this thread. It's simply mind-blowing when you've invested all the research time and money to overcome one situation that embarrasses you, just to have the solution create a whole 'nother problem.

I have an ENT appt set for next Mon, but frankly, post- whatever testing she may/may not suggest, I'm expecting similar news. And tomorrow, Feb. 1, is the line I've drawn in the sand (barring no changes -- none positive of which have occurred to date*) ... that I'll ask my PS if he'd be willing to suture at least my right gland upwards as was done for the goddess who dropped me a private message. I'm at almost exactly where you are post-op -- mine turns 12 wks on Feb. 10.

I REALLY like my PS and would love for him to do my tummy tuck next Nov., but if he can't help with the salivary gland, I'm inclined to select a PS closer to my home. He & his staff have been professional and truly terrific, but at all not geographically-desirable for my current sitch. If suppose if I've found one doc I trust, I can find another.

Hugs, amiga! I'm thinking of you!!!!

Kim

*I'm nearly back at my surg day weight -- what can I say, I ate my way through the holidays ... and I think it's actually MORE noticable. I think Earth is really on to something when she mentioned that Available Real Estate may come into play. *sigh*

I am completely bummed. I went to see my primary care physician about the gland that is now hanging after my neck list (11 weeks post op) and he said it may not go away. He also said the healing inside the neck could take up to 8 months and that I should continue to massage and put warm packs on the gland, which might help push it back into place.

He found no evidence of any inflammation and so no need to go to ENT.

I am so sad.

Kathy

Has ANYONE had a hanging gland after surgery that eventually got smaller?

have you been to an ENT?

some of the possibilities for an enlarged salivary gland:

- infection
- salivary gland stone
- narrow salivary gland ducts
- scary stuff (cancer)

you can have the area checked with an x-ray, ultrasound, CT Scan, and so on

don't assume it's only because of the face lift until you've ruled out other things

ace bandages on your head, bad, bad idea

warm compresses are good, drinking lots of water, sucking sour sugar free candies, sucking on a lemon, those sorts of things are all good

ice = bad idea as well

I actually read that lymphatic massage could be helpful so I had this done twice, but it did not get better. It does seem that if I put a warm compress on it and place an ace type bandage around my head, the lump gets smaller for a bit. (the bandage applies a small amount of pressure on the lump, gland, whatever the heck it is.

I just want to get on with my life! And all I do now is look at a lump instead of a turkey neck.

touching and playing with the gland can cause it to swell and become rather painful

also, there are lymph nodes in the same area, and touching the area frequently can cause these nodes to swell and become painful as well

I'm guilty of touching mine too, and I'm trying to break the habit!

Earth & Kathy -- you rock!

Earth, thank you SO much ... I'm heading to YouTube in a few minutes! I recognize I could use a chill pill. I suppose that maybe my neck may not have a lot of extra room to disguise stuff (5'5", 125 lbs though a probably gland-dropping almost 48 years old), I just wish my body hadn't chosen this particular opportunity to be normal. :)

Kathy, I had to laugh at "you're pushing it" as I've apparently developed a habit of playing with mine ... A LOT. I sorta roll it around and see if I can jam it into any little void I can find. Gives me something to do when I'm on conference calls ... or driving ... or watching TV. Bummerly though, I've kinda resigned myself to the fact that I may never wear another turtle neck sweater as I look as if my chin has (errrr...) manly bits. D'OH!

The Goddess who responded to me in private message mentioned that her Dr eventually did a little extra lipo on her and then at the 12-month mark, recently sutured hers back a bit. She's only a bit post-op, but she says she's already happy with the results. (I'm not certain if there's a "what" that The Beast could be sutured to, but I'm waiting until February 1, then asking my Dr. if he'd consider doing the same for me. I do so getcha on the, "you wait so long" (and pay so much!), only to be mocked by your own body. NARG.

Anyhoo, yet another interesting adventure, I suppose!

Thanks again, ladies -- you've been a gift!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Note to moderator: I swear, I DID try to place my original post on the Dr. Q & A section, but the web site is mocking me. Won't allow me to enter any content into the question box. At least my intentions are pure. :)

I wanted to tell you you're not alone!

I found your post while searching for salivary gland info.

My right salivary gland is larger than the left - and I went through all sorts of tests, including a CT scan to be certain it was okay.

We're all asymmetrical, and these glands start to show more as we age, especially if we are thin.

There are some anatomy videos on youtube which I watched, to see other salivary glands! One video helped me a lot because the narrator explained how these glands are not always tucked up under the jaw, for some of us, they are simply more visible.

I hope this helps you out! You're normal!

Hi, Daphne-

Thank you so much for your kind reply!

Nope unfortunately, mine isn't "new swelling" it's definitely a freakish body part that's become far more noticeable (slowly over time) now 9 weeks after surgery. I apparently just have enormous salivary glands -- particularly on the right side. (The left is pronounced enough to throw a shadow, too, but it pales in comparison to my right one.)

Gawd help me, I woman at work asked me last week if I had a sore thoat. I *had* just finished a quick bout of ALLERGY sneezing, but nothing more than that so I replied with, "no, why?"

And to my HORROR, she said, "It just looks like your throat is swollen."

GAAAAAAAAK! (Thanks for feeding THAT complex, lady!)

I rec'd a terrific private message on this board from another woman with a matching situation who was one year post surgery. Her surgeon was able to correct the situation without cutting the gland. I'll be sharing that note with my surgeon in hopes that he can do something similar. If he isn't able, I'll need to at least interview to find a surgeon with resolution ideas. (

I have had swelling the way you describe since day one of my neck lift which was 9 weeks ago. My physician has indicated it will eventually go down and it slowly has but, it is driving me nuts. I did not have it before the surgery so I am expecting it will go completely away. It is unacceptable to me...if yours showed up all of a sudden 8 weeks after surgery, perhaps things are shifting around a bit?