Surgery Date Nov 4- Double Jaw- Excited!

Message

Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:24 am

@RyanVaughn- yickes! well I'm happy to report that while the hook still isn't great, but it is getting better

#122 Post by **candycin** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 5:54 am

feeling kind of depressed today and since you have been through it and are still going through it knew you would understand...it seems i have a great day,the swelling is down lots i can talk more clearly, i have no pain, then last night i dont sleep very well, all my bottom teeth hurt, i have achy on my right side and wake up this morning swollen, cant talk clearly and i am frustrated!!!!!!
Did this happen to you? why does the swelling come back? my gosh i almost looked normal and today i can barely close my mouth again....is the pian normal? should i call my OS? i see him monday....i mentioned to him the last time about pain on my right side and he said it wasnt hard so no infection and it still isnt hard...i am annoyed and tired of feeling like this

Thu Dec 17, 2009 8:52 am

@candycin- i totally understand your frustrations! I have days where in the middle of the day my face has less swelling then it comes back. I think this is normal. It just depends on how active your jaw is. Are you still sleeping elevated on your back? Are you tipping over? I've STILL prop myself up with pillows on both sides of me and two pillows under my knees just so I don't fall over or try to roll over in my sleep. You are eating more during the day now, right? And talking more...so the swelling could be a reaction to that! I would just say try taking it easy during the day...slow and steady wins the race, right? I'm sorry, I don't have any other advice...this really is a test of strength, patience, and endurance! I think as long as your swelling isn't hard and/or painful then I wouldn't worry about it. Try putting heat on it! That really works for me!

#124 Post by **candycin** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 12:55 pm

heat? really? i would think heat would make it worse...this afternoon i feel worse...tight like the bone needs to crack if that makes any sense....i am sick of this already..

Thu Dec 17, 2009 1:11 pm

yes really heat! it works wonders for tight muscles. I have not used ice once since surgery. Heat really helps! Try it on your neck too, it feels awesome. I have the Ace brand ice/heat packs, but I've heard rice in a sock, or a hot wet washcloth works too!

Sat Dec 19, 2009 1:35 pm

So Thursday night while doing my exercises I noticed my right jaw was starting to click while opening and closing...PANIC. I called the doctors office, all the assistants were already gone for the day and Dr. G was in Surgery....so I had to wait till Friday morning to hear back...the clicking is "normal" or "can happen" at this point post op, I had to up my Vit. D and they checked to make sure I was on all of my other supplements. They say this clicking will go away with time. Let's hope because I had this surgery because of horrible TMJ. Luckily, on Friday and today I haven't had the clicking...now...3.5 weeks to soft food...so help me, I will make it!!

#127 Post by **Marisama** » Sun Dec 20, 2009 3:31 am

Hopefully you can get the clicking to subside! I know how frustrating clicking and popping is! The discomfort of a clicking jaw can make you go crazy. I've been meaning to ask you more about your TMJ. If you don't mind, can you describe your TMJ symptoms pre-op. What was is like exactly and how did it affect your life? i.e. social life, self esteem... Did you have more clicking on one side than the other? Sometimes I describe my discomfort as if there were a tight rubber band on my left joint and a loose band on my right, along with unstable clicking joints.
I really hope this surgery can help with the joint discomfort.

Sun Dec 20, 2009 10:14 pm

Good news! Only one more click type feeling since Thursday! So I think the supplements and movement are really helping!

@RYANvaughn- I don't mind describing at all! I had ALL of the TMJ symptoms besides lockjaw. That is the only thing on the list I couldn't check off. I had clicking & grinding noises (I think more on my left, but it really went back and forth), pain in my head so bad it would bring be to tears, swelling, clenching, ear ringing, ear pain...total exhaustion. I was in a splint for 2.5 years to try and stabilize my jaw before being able to have surgery. As far as my social life, I met my boyfriend about 2mo. after I found out I had to wear a splint, and that I had arthritis in my joints...He has stuck by me 130%...I could not have gotten through any of this without him. My friends, going out, and jobs have all been good. At first I had a problem going out and talking and meeting new people with my splint in, but having confidence was everything. I think the biggest hit my social life took was my energy level...the worse my TMJ symptoms the lower energy levels I had. My self esteem before surgery I guess ties into the splint, like I said, at first I had problems, but like all of this process for me...it is like a mental game. I have many friends who didn't and don't understand my situation, but they are all supportive. I do have some friends who I have lost touch with, but I attribute that more to people moving, and it's natural for some relationships just to dissipate. There were days where I would be so tired and stressed and couldn't see a light at the end of the tunnel that I just wanted to cry and I'd let myself. Some days that was the only way I could release the stress. Ultimately the TMJ symptoms were something I had to learn to cope with, and am so glad I am on the other side now!! I think i just did a lot of rambling, but I hope it helped. And please, if you have any other questions do not hesitate to ask!!

#129 Post by **Marisama** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 3:48 am

Thank you for the detailed response. Everything you mentioned is exactly how my life is affected also. I try not to let the TMJ get the best of me but sometimes it takes so much energy out of me and I go crazy trying to get the popping and clicking to stop. It's nice to know that your situation is exactly like mine or was, and I will soon be in your shoes. So you are about a month and a half post-op right? How is your pain level? What's it like this far out? Is speaking difficult? Could you see yourself returning to a stressful work environment? Oh, and how much did you pay out of pocket for Dr. Gunson?

Thanks,
Ryan

Tue Dec 22, 2009 9:14 am

No problem! I am going to blog today basically answering all your questions...but I'll respond here too!

Tomorrow will be 7 weeks. My pain level after going back on the Feldine for arthritis in my TMJs last week is now down to a 3-4/10. I do have burst of horrible pain with the hook that holds my front band when I put the band on. I have come to be very good at the closed teeth talking, only when i am very tired to I get people asking me to repeat myself. I think this took me 3 weeks to "master." You cannot talk with your teeth apart and have bands on because it can pull and move the bones that are trying to heal. I think at week 5-6 I would have been able to start going to a stressful work environment, although my energy comes in bursts. If I were working in a stressful environment I would make sure to load up on calories and protein to keep me going. For Dr.G everything was upfront (via credit card...). My insurance, CIGNA, covered $16 out of the $47ish thousand dollars. I am fighting this. I have a family friend who is an attorney who works medical coverage cases. CIGNA did cover 100% of my hospital bill.

#131 Post by **jdon** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 9:31 am

Ahh!! I am 19 days post-op now and the clicking is really starting to bug me. My jaw seems to be clicking on the left side every time I swallow and my ear is starting to hurt too. asmileconnectsus, may I ask if there was anything in particular that you did to make the clicking subside? Or will it go away on its own... I read in the information pamphlet provided by the surgeon that clicking is normal and should subside after 6 weeks, but its really discouraging me from eating..

Tue Dec 22, 2009 12:22 pm

@jdon- I am still on a liquid diet @ 7 weeks, cleared for a soft food diet @ 10 weeks. Maybe you could try using a liquid /protein shake diet for a couple of days to let your jaw just relax. I would try using heat on it. This works for me. Also, are you on any supplements? I am on calcium, vit. d, multivitamin, and fish oil to help out the joints. My doctor says this should really help. Good luck!

#133 Post by **candycin** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:47 am

Jdon,
i am now almost 4 weeks post op and still feel like i cant really open my mouth comfortably to "eat"
i dont have any clicking but when i lie down my ears do hurt like crazy, i still get pain on my left side at night and the bone feels like it needs to crack...very annoying
i tried the heat and it does work thanks asmileconnectus!!!! i do it every morning and every evening...
eating is painful and the act of swallowing hurts too...i try to chew and it just doesnt work yet....
what kinds of jaw exercise does the surgeon tell you to do?
all he told me was to take the bands off eat and brush and open a nd close my mouth ....any ideas to get the range of motion working?
oh and not to complain too much but i now have a HUGE cranker on the top at the back from the back braket cramming into my swollen cheek....oh what a Christmas this is going to be this year

#134 Post by **jdon** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 2:15 pm

Hi all,

Thanks for the responses. I will try using the heat on it as you guys recommended. I am not taking any supplements but I feel like I should start because I don't think I'm getting enough nutrition...

@asmileconnectus - Are you taking those vitamins in liquid form? I do have most of those vitamins at home but they are like huge and since my throat is like numb sometimes when I swallow a pill it feels like it went in the wrong way lol

@candycin - Yeah I am approaching the 3 week mark and the painful swallowing is discouraging. I met with the surgeon today and he told me the clicking is the joints getting used to their new position and also because of the swelling and stuff. In terms of jaw exercises he has me doing facial exercises like holding a pencil between my lips, puckering, and grimacing.

You take your bands off when you eat? I've been leaving mine in because its so hard to reach the back tooth to put them back in. I have a bunch of cuts in my mouth too but that was from putting the elastics in - I accidentally keep on pressing my mouth against the braces and that hurts

Some good news though is that the surgeon told me I'm now allowed to blow my nose and I did so and it's the first time I can breathe through my right nostril in 20 days!!!!!

#135 Post by **candycin** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 2:37 pm

i only have one band on each side and they are fairly close to the "fang' tooth so they arent hard for me to take off and put on...
the cranker inside my mouth is killing me so i ahev been doing warm water salt rinses...when will it ever stop?
chewing is painful so i chew for a bit then just swallow everything...
most of my pain is at night when i lie down the pressure in my ears is intense and my jaw aches too ...