Hey,
Been lurking on here for a while, learnt so much from it, but this is my first post.
I've been ready for surgery for the last couple of months but because of uni exams, jobs etc I haven't been able to have surgery till now so it looks like it'll be in the next month hopefully. I'm having BSSO and Genio.
Got a consultation with the surgeon this coming tuesday (8th May) and am trying to put together a list of questions I'd like to ask. I've got the usuals; diet, recovery times, when to start exercising, contact sports, time in hospital. I'm sure I'd thought up others but can't remember them.
Anyone got other questions you asked or would like to have asked your surgeon that might be helpful?
Cheers, Andy
Questions for surgeon
Moderator: bbsadmin
questions
AndyH,
Sounds like you've got all the good questions ready for beforehand. THe important thing is that your surgeon is available to answer questions in the weeks post-op, because you don't really know what your going to experience until its done, seeing as everyone here has had a different story.
My surgeon gave me a cell phone number, so if I had any worries of things that hadn't been mentioned I could give him a call.
Here are a few items I wish I had known to purchase...:
A baby toothbrush, Medicated Lipbalm, a Humidifier, and Liquid Gravol!
Good luck with your surgery!
Sounds like you've got all the good questions ready for beforehand. THe important thing is that your surgeon is available to answer questions in the weeks post-op, because you don't really know what your going to experience until its done, seeing as everyone here has had a different story.
My surgeon gave me a cell phone number, so if I had any worries of things that hadn't been mentioned I could give him a call.
Here are a few items I wish I had known to purchase...:
A baby toothbrush, Medicated Lipbalm, a Humidifier, and Liquid Gravol!
Good luck with your surgery!
Hi Andy,
I have a consulatation coming soon as well and I am asking the following plus some others related to upper jaw surgery:
1) How many patients have not had nerve sensation return/chances of this?
2) How many procedures do you perform a year?
3) Are most people happy with the outcome of your work?
4) Have you ever had a case of infected screws or plates?
5) Can you feel the screws and plates?
6) How long will I be banded/splinted?
7) Chances of needing tightening of screws in future?
Good luck with your consult!
I have a consulatation coming soon as well and I am asking the following plus some others related to upper jaw surgery:
1) How many patients have not had nerve sensation return/chances of this?
2) How many procedures do you perform a year?
3) Are most people happy with the outcome of your work?
4) Have you ever had a case of infected screws or plates?
5) Can you feel the screws and plates?
6) How long will I be banded/splinted?
7) Chances of needing tightening of screws in future?
Good luck with your consult!
Hi andy
im due for surgery in a couple of months myself, ive already met the surgon once who went over everything but i get to speak to him before the op again to.
Question wise id be asking:
How long the surgery is
How long the stay in hospital is
how long i will be wired or banded shut for
ive read on here that you are unable to lay down flat for quite a while after surgery so id want to know for how long
Expected recovery time
Time off work etc
Id also want to know all the risks both during surgery and afterwards such as lose of sensation and poss removal of the screws in the future...but thats just me i have to ask the questions everyone prop shys away from!
Im sure your think of lots more as he starts talking and if your worried you wont remember it all than id advise either taking a mate or relative as an extra pair of ears or a notepad to take notes.
Hope you dont mind me asking but what are you having done? im in the UK to, although at the opposite end to you! Im having double jaw surgery, with a bone graft from my thigh/hip bone on the lower jaw, which is all being carried out on the NHS.
Good luck with your appointment.
Louise
im due for surgery in a couple of months myself, ive already met the surgon once who went over everything but i get to speak to him before the op again to.
Question wise id be asking:
How long the surgery is
How long the stay in hospital is
how long i will be wired or banded shut for
ive read on here that you are unable to lay down flat for quite a while after surgery so id want to know for how long
Expected recovery time
Time off work etc
Id also want to know all the risks both during surgery and afterwards such as lose of sensation and poss removal of the screws in the future...but thats just me i have to ask the questions everyone prop shys away from!
Im sure your think of lots more as he starts talking and if your worried you wont remember it all than id advise either taking a mate or relative as an extra pair of ears or a notepad to take notes.
Hope you dont mind me asking but what are you having done? im in the UK to, although at the opposite end to you! Im having double jaw surgery, with a bone graft from my thigh/hip bone on the lower jaw, which is all being carried out on the NHS.
Good luck with your appointment.
Louise
Braces on 11th June 2006,~ BSSO and Wisdom tooth removal 11th February 2008,~ Plate Removal 14th May 2008,~ Braces off 28th August 2008.
http://adultwithbraces.blogspot.com/
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Brandyleigh35
- Posts: 1018
- Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:25 pm
- Location: Alaska
- Contact:
When I talked to my surgeon I brought two pages of questions to ask him that I got off the Yahoo orthonathic surgery board. I also added other questions to my list were not on there. My OS spent 1.5 hours going over every single question on the list, and it helped me feel a lot better about things. Here is a copy of the two lists I went off of.
Pre-op questions
1. What procedures? Upper, lower, genio?
2. How long will surgery be? How does length of surgery affect the recovery time?
3. What hospital will my surgery be performed at?
4. How long will I be in the hospital?
5. How soon after surgery will your doctor visit you and how often?
6. How soon after leaving the hospital will you need to visit your surgeon and how often?
7. How soon after surgery will you need to return to the orthodontist?
8. What is their recommended time off for recovery, i.e. need help?
9. What is projected recovery time after surgery?
10. How long after surgery before I can drive? How soon until I am going to be able to travel?
11. Titanium plates and screws, correct? Genioplasty – wires or plates?
12. Will I be wired or have bands? What is the likelihood of being wired? If wires, why? Will I have bands after?
Either way – how long?
13. Will I have a splint? If so, how long will splint be in?
14. Will I require a bone graft? Where will that be – hip or skull?
Will it lengthen my recovery? Will splint support graft area & help with eating?
15. What medications are they likely to prescribe for the recovery period?
16. What can I eat/drink to keep from getting nauseous when taking antibiotics and pain meds?
Some have had extreme nausea from antibiotics, oxycodone.
17. What medications do I need to avoid before surgery?
18. Will I have steroids? Why? What kind? How long? Any side effects?
19. Will all tubes be taken out before I wake up? Catheter?
20. I’ve been told day 3 is the worst for swelling and day 7 for congestion? What is your experience?
21. What do you suggest for congestion? Hot showers, bulb syringe & nasal spray
22. Amount of swelling depends upon gentleness of surgeon – is this true?
23. Can you take homeopathic arnica pre and post-op for swelling?
24. Will the upper surgery affect my breathing?
25. How long on ice/heat?
26. How do you keep your mouth clean?
Salt water does not get rid of bad taste in mouth.
Prescription for Peridex and use syringe to get to back of mouth.
27. When do the stitches dissolve?
28. Will I be given a Diagram of stitches so that I can avoid them when cleaning my teeth?
29. How long until the bones are fully healed? 6 weeks like broken arm? Will I have an x-ray to check?
30. How long until I will be able to apply full force?
31. How long until I can open mouth all the way? Any exercises to help?
32. After completely healed, will I be open more or less than I can now?
33. Some peoples TMJ improved after surgery, what has been your experience?
34. Will I stop clenching my teeth after surgery? If not, will it affect my recovery?
35. How soon can I resume exercise? Light walking? Running?
36. Lasting numbness? How long until full feeling is back? Likelihood of permanent numbness?
37. How long on liquid diet?
38. How long on soft?
39. How long until I can actually chew (steak, etc.)?
40. Will my nose change shape? Stitch to keep it in place?
41. No nose blowing, not using a straw, no coughing – is this correct?
42. How many of these have you done? How many years have you been doing this? How many per year?
43. Have any before/after pictures?
44. Can I get a computerized estimate of facial changes?
45. Will you do a computer generated surgery or surgery on the models?
My Expectations
Likely: Congestion, Trouble breathing, Swelling
Possible: Nausea, vomiting at hospital
Probably feel very tired and will not be able to concentrate.
Frustration about eating, congestion, breathing.
Feel hungry often because liquid diet is digested much faster than solids.
Pre-op questions
List number 2
1. If you will be wired/splinted, how long? Will you have to wear elastics afterwards? How many?
2. What is their recommended time off for recovery?
3. What is projected recovery time after surgery? Can I work from home?
4. What medications are they likely to prescribe for the recovery period?
5. How soon after surgery will you need to visit your surgeon? ortho?
6. What hospital will your surgery be performed in and how equipped is the staff to handle this kind of surgical recovery? Will they know how to take care of my special needs after surgery?
7. Will I be in intensive care or on a surgical recovery floor?
8. How soon after surgery will your doctor visit you and how often?
9. What about bathing?
10. Can you take homeopathic arnica pre and post-op for swelling?
11. When can I use the Hydro Floss?
12. How do I clean my mouth?
13. When do the stitches dissolve?
14. Will I be given a Diagram of stitches so that I can avoid them when cleaning my teeth?
15. How long will surgery be? How does length of surgery affect the recovery time?
16. How long will I be in the hospital?
17. Will all tubes be taken out before I wake up?
18. I’ve been told day 3 is the worst for swelling and day 7 for congestion? What is your experience?
19. How many plates and screws will I have? Will they remain or be removed? What are the chances of infection?
20. Will any of the screws be put in though the outside?
21. Will the upper surgery affect my breathing?
22. Will my midline be corrected during or after surgery with ortho?
23. Ice and Heat? For how long
24. Will I have steroids? What kind? How long? Side effects?
25. When can I have Caffeine?
26. Will I stop clenching my teeth after surgery? If not will it affect my recovery?
27. What do you suggest for congestion?
28. Will my nose change shape?
29. How long after surgery before I can drive?
30. Pre, intra, post op music
31. Back Problems post-op?
32. Reabsorbable polymer vs. rigid fixation?
33. When can I go to the chiropractor?
34. Will you do a computer generated surgery?
Insurance questions
1. Will this be fully covered?
2. What will my co-pays be?
3. When will we hear back from the insurance?
Hope this give you some help.
Brandy
Pre-op questions
1. What procedures? Upper, lower, genio?
2. How long will surgery be? How does length of surgery affect the recovery time?
3. What hospital will my surgery be performed at?
4. How long will I be in the hospital?
5. How soon after surgery will your doctor visit you and how often?
6. How soon after leaving the hospital will you need to visit your surgeon and how often?
7. How soon after surgery will you need to return to the orthodontist?
8. What is their recommended time off for recovery, i.e. need help?
9. What is projected recovery time after surgery?
10. How long after surgery before I can drive? How soon until I am going to be able to travel?
11. Titanium plates and screws, correct? Genioplasty – wires or plates?
12. Will I be wired or have bands? What is the likelihood of being wired? If wires, why? Will I have bands after?
Either way – how long?
13. Will I have a splint? If so, how long will splint be in?
14. Will I require a bone graft? Where will that be – hip or skull?
Will it lengthen my recovery? Will splint support graft area & help with eating?
15. What medications are they likely to prescribe for the recovery period?
16. What can I eat/drink to keep from getting nauseous when taking antibiotics and pain meds?
Some have had extreme nausea from antibiotics, oxycodone.
17. What medications do I need to avoid before surgery?
18. Will I have steroids? Why? What kind? How long? Any side effects?
19. Will all tubes be taken out before I wake up? Catheter?
20. I’ve been told day 3 is the worst for swelling and day 7 for congestion? What is your experience?
21. What do you suggest for congestion? Hot showers, bulb syringe & nasal spray
22. Amount of swelling depends upon gentleness of surgeon – is this true?
23. Can you take homeopathic arnica pre and post-op for swelling?
24. Will the upper surgery affect my breathing?
25. How long on ice/heat?
26. How do you keep your mouth clean?
Salt water does not get rid of bad taste in mouth.
Prescription for Peridex and use syringe to get to back of mouth.
27. When do the stitches dissolve?
28. Will I be given a Diagram of stitches so that I can avoid them when cleaning my teeth?
29. How long until the bones are fully healed? 6 weeks like broken arm? Will I have an x-ray to check?
30. How long until I will be able to apply full force?
31. How long until I can open mouth all the way? Any exercises to help?
32. After completely healed, will I be open more or less than I can now?
33. Some peoples TMJ improved after surgery, what has been your experience?
34. Will I stop clenching my teeth after surgery? If not, will it affect my recovery?
35. How soon can I resume exercise? Light walking? Running?
36. Lasting numbness? How long until full feeling is back? Likelihood of permanent numbness?
37. How long on liquid diet?
38. How long on soft?
39. How long until I can actually chew (steak, etc.)?
40. Will my nose change shape? Stitch to keep it in place?
41. No nose blowing, not using a straw, no coughing – is this correct?
42. How many of these have you done? How many years have you been doing this? How many per year?
43. Have any before/after pictures?
44. Can I get a computerized estimate of facial changes?
45. Will you do a computer generated surgery or surgery on the models?
My Expectations
Likely: Congestion, Trouble breathing, Swelling
Possible: Nausea, vomiting at hospital
Probably feel very tired and will not be able to concentrate.
Frustration about eating, congestion, breathing.
Feel hungry often because liquid diet is digested much faster than solids.
Pre-op questions
List number 2
1. If you will be wired/splinted, how long? Will you have to wear elastics afterwards? How many?
2. What is their recommended time off for recovery?
3. What is projected recovery time after surgery? Can I work from home?
4. What medications are they likely to prescribe for the recovery period?
5. How soon after surgery will you need to visit your surgeon? ortho?
6. What hospital will your surgery be performed in and how equipped is the staff to handle this kind of surgical recovery? Will they know how to take care of my special needs after surgery?
7. Will I be in intensive care or on a surgical recovery floor?
8. How soon after surgery will your doctor visit you and how often?
9. What about bathing?
10. Can you take homeopathic arnica pre and post-op for swelling?
11. When can I use the Hydro Floss?
12. How do I clean my mouth?
13. When do the stitches dissolve?
14. Will I be given a Diagram of stitches so that I can avoid them when cleaning my teeth?
15. How long will surgery be? How does length of surgery affect the recovery time?
16. How long will I be in the hospital?
17. Will all tubes be taken out before I wake up?
18. I’ve been told day 3 is the worst for swelling and day 7 for congestion? What is your experience?
19. How many plates and screws will I have? Will they remain or be removed? What are the chances of infection?
20. Will any of the screws be put in though the outside?
21. Will the upper surgery affect my breathing?
22. Will my midline be corrected during or after surgery with ortho?
23. Ice and Heat? For how long
24. Will I have steroids? What kind? How long? Side effects?
25. When can I have Caffeine?
26. Will I stop clenching my teeth after surgery? If not will it affect my recovery?
27. What do you suggest for congestion?
28. Will my nose change shape?
29. How long after surgery before I can drive?
30. Pre, intra, post op music
31. Back Problems post-op?
32. Reabsorbable polymer vs. rigid fixation?
33. When can I go to the chiropractor?
34. Will you do a computer generated surgery?
Insurance questions
1. Will this be fully covered?
2. What will my co-pays be?
3. When will we hear back from the insurance?
Hope this give you some help.
Brandy
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WhiteLurcher
- Posts: 173
- Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 12:48 pm
- Location: Near Glasgow, Central Scotland
-
freerideuk
- Posts: 229
- Joined: Thu Dec 14, 2006 7:44 am
- Location: Glasgow , scotland
Thanks for all the suggestions, lots of help there.
I'm having lower jaw advancement and chin advancement for the person who asked (loulou?).
Yeah seems to be quite a lot of Glasgow patients about but I'm actually just in Glasgow for uni. Originally from Aberdeen (any sheep jokes will not be appreciated
) and having ortho and surgery in Edinburgh. Basically all over the country at the moment!
Andy
I'm having lower jaw advancement and chin advancement for the person who asked (loulou?).
Yeah seems to be quite a lot of Glasgow patients about but I'm actually just in Glasgow for uni. Originally from Aberdeen (any sheep jokes will not be appreciated
) and having ortho and surgery in Edinburgh. Basically all over the country at the moment!Andy
Aberdeen....isn't that in the Highlands? We would never think of making any sheep jokes. Don't you know that the world knows all about Highlanders? On the cover of every romance there is a very hunky Highland lord of some sort with a drop dead beautiful woman. We would never make fun of a region full of such buff people 
For the record, I'm in Mexico.....no donkey jokes please
For the record, I'm in Mexico.....no donkey jokes please
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science teacher
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2006 7:31 pm
- Location: kansas
andy
Welcome to the board!
kim
kim
SARPE 11/23/06
Expansion over 12/18/06 8.5mm
Brace day tops 1/15/07
Brace day bottoms 3/19/07
all expansion devices removed 9/19/07