New member - SARPE tomorrow!

[Bonneville]

Hey everyone, this is my first post here, I've lurked around for awhile but since I'm having SARPE tomorrow and will be laying on the sofa for a week I figured it's time to register.

I'm 33 and I live in Minnesota. (Go Twins! Go Vikes!)

Today I got the expander put in at my ortho's office, wow, who knew you could produce this much drool!

I've had one meal, mac n cheese, since getting the expander and I'll tell you, it was a very weird experience. Got a couple noodles stuck up between metal and the roof of my mouth and had to fish them out with this crazy little brush they gave me.

Definitely am getting nervous about surgery tomorrow, although it helps that I work at the hospital and have known the surgeons (they always operate as a team) for years, I also picked my anesthetist and MDA.

I'm worried how much swelling I'll have, and I'm not excited about getting the huge gap, but once the braces go on in March it should close. This is going to be a cruddy 3 months!

Thanks for reading, I'm sure I'll have lots of questions as this happens!
-Kris
(:D <<<-------That's me in 3 years)

[sauerkraut]

Hi Bonneville and welcome

Especially for you, I shall go and find the mega SARPE thread and give it a bump, since you might have some time on your hands to read it soon

I'm sure you know all the tips about reducing swelling (e.g. ice and sleeping propped upright) and as for the gap, you never know: some people manage not to get one.

All the best for tomorrow. Let us know how you get on!

[Bonneville]

Had surgery today! Wow, I knew it would hurt but I didn't expect the 'hit in the face by a 2x4' feeling. Amazing amount of pressure. Thank God for Fentanyl! I didn't go home from Same Day, too much pain so they sent me up to a room. Its several hours later now and I think I'm over the hump. Started on Percocet, so far no nausea. Really sleepy though so I'll have more to say once I'm back home.
-K

[chicago29]

Bonneville,

Welcome, and congrats on getting through the SARPE. I won't lie to you, the time with the gap and the expander really sucks. But I promise you this...It will go fast and you'll love the end result. And, if you want to feel better instantly, think of what it would be like to have a TOP and BOTTOM expander! I had to have both for 7 looooooooong months...

Anyway keep us posted on your progress, and get some rest. The next few days will be a series of all sorts of weird feelings, bruising, etc. We're all here to help.

Take Care
Chicago29

[Bonneville]

Thanks for your reply.
I got home about 6 (I think) last night. My memories of yesterday are kind of spotty, the Versed will do that!
I slept in the recliner last night and it was kind of a cruddy night of sleep. My breathing is weird, I'm either drooling like mad or dry as a bone, the pain is less today but the swelling is worse. I don't know who I resemble more - Alvin, Theodore or Simon!

Already have almost a millimeter of gap between the front two teeth, I think the surgeon probably gave the crank a couple full turns during the operation. I'm supposed to do a quarter turn every day, for probably the next 6 weeks, and then once fully gapped, they're gonna keep the expander in another 6 weeks while the bone finishes filling in.

Whew, I'm glad I didn't have to have two expanders like you did, that must have been very claustrophobic!

I'm probably gonna hate the big gap the most out of all of this, my family and friends won't really care, but my job is dealing with strangers all day long and I'm sure I'll get some funny looks and questions. But, it's temporary and if I could put up with hating my teeth for 25+ years I can deal with a few months of more suckiness.

Still trying to get the hang of eating, somehow I'm even managing to get soup and jello stuck above the expander!

And, come spring I either will get TAD's implanted or I'll need a Lefort I in about a year.

Again thanks, this board is gonna be a great support during this process!
-Kris

[sauerkraut]

Welcome back! Hope you're feeling a bit more with it now . Is Versed the sort of "twilight" sedative they use? Did you have full anaesthesia as well?

If I remember rightly, my swelling "peaked" at around 3 days post-op and then things started to get a bit better. I got really annoyed with my stuffy nose, though.

Eating is certainly a challenge at first, but you really do get used to it in the end. My daughter had an expander before me and tried to explain to me how to swallow backwards rather than letting the food go upwards first, but it's not something you can really explain and in the end you develop a sort of technique. How chicago managed with TWO expanders I shall never know!

I think you've got the right attitude about the gap. After all, it's only temporary and your super new smile will be for ever!