That's so great to hear! My SARPE is 3 weeks away. How much time did you take off work? Do you feel it was enough/too much? And has talking with the expander gotten any easier? Honestly that's what's got me the most nervous, as I work in a coffee shop and talk to people constantly. I'm afraid nobody will be able to understand me.LovelyLeah wrote:SARPE was really soooo much easier then I imagined, the worst part is the anxiety. Constantly scouring this board was a blessing to keep me informed but also made me so nervous. I had such an easy recovery and the results were AMAZING! Even though it's small changes everyday, one day you'll see an old picture of post-surgery compared to your true self and be boggled. The build up was the worst for me and here's to hoping double jaw surgery is not too bad!
January - March 2017 Surgery Buddies
Moderator: bbsadmin
Re: January - March 2017 Surgery Buddies
Re: January - March 2017 Surgery Buddies
Anybody doing anything to help prep before surgery?? I bought some supplies and was thinking of getting a full body massage.. to help with circulation, or at the least to help me telephone.
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LovelyLeah
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:51 pm
Re: January - March 2017 Surgery Buddies
"That's so great to hear! My SARPE is 3 weeks away. How much time did you take off work? Do you feel it was enough/too much? And has talking with the expander gotten any easier? Honestly that's what's got me the most nervous, as I work in a coffee shop and talk to people constantly. I'm afraid nobody will be able to understand me"
Hi Collie!
My SARPE was done on 9/14/16 (Wednesday) and returned to work 9/26. My surgeon originally expected that I would need 2-3 weeks off work, so I came back a bit earlier then expected. I'm guessing it's due to my age (25), as I think I healed pretty quickly. I do feel like it was enough time for me as I work in an office setting, sitting most of the day. Just know that as soon as you get the expander put in (mine was installed the day prior to the surgery) it will getting easier with each passing day. The more you practice speaking (I recommend singing to songs out loud during recovery) the more comfortable you'll feel. There are some choice words with E's that were hard to say but it's definitely not as hard to speak as others have said. I had my expander removed on 12/15/16 which compared to others on this site was pretty early, but was approximately 3 months after my surgery.
People will most certainly be able to understand you, every day gets easier and I really didn't have too much trouble speaking close to normal after a week or so.
Hope that helps and just know that I am so happy I went through this process, the night before I was questioning everything but it has honestly made a huge difference!!
Hi Collie!
My SARPE was done on 9/14/16 (Wednesday) and returned to work 9/26. My surgeon originally expected that I would need 2-3 weeks off work, so I came back a bit earlier then expected. I'm guessing it's due to my age (25), as I think I healed pretty quickly. I do feel like it was enough time for me as I work in an office setting, sitting most of the day. Just know that as soon as you get the expander put in (mine was installed the day prior to the surgery) it will getting easier with each passing day. The more you practice speaking (I recommend singing to songs out loud during recovery) the more comfortable you'll feel. There are some choice words with E's that were hard to say but it's definitely not as hard to speak as others have said. I had my expander removed on 12/15/16 which compared to others on this site was pretty early, but was approximately 3 months after my surgery.
People will most certainly be able to understand you, every day gets easier and I really didn't have too much trouble speaking close to normal after a week or so.
Hope that helps and just know that I am so happy I went through this process, the night before I was questioning everything but it has honestly made a huge difference!!
Re: January - March 2017 Surgery Buddies
Nice! Thanks for all the info. I'm actually getting my expander in tomorrow, 2 weeks before surgery! I wish I didn't have to have the thing in so long beforehand, but I guess it'll help me get used to it.LovelyLeah wrote:"That's so great to hear! My SARPE is 3 weeks away. How much time did you take off work? Do you feel it was enough/too much? And has talking with the expander gotten any easier? Honestly that's what's got me the most nervous, as I work in a coffee shop and talk to people constantly. I'm afraid nobody will be able to understand me"
Hi Collie!
My SARPE was done on 9/14/16 (Wednesday) and returned to work 9/26. My surgeon originally expected that I would need 2-3 weeks off work, so I came back a bit earlier then expected. I'm guessing it's due to my age (25), as I think I healed pretty quickly. I do feel like it was enough time for me as I work in an office setting, sitting most of the day. Just know that as soon as you get the expander put in (mine was installed the day prior to the surgery) it will getting easier with each passing day. The more you practice speaking (I recommend singing to songs out loud during recovery) the more comfortable you'll feel. There are some choice words with E's that were hard to say but it's definitely not as hard to speak as others have said. I had my expander removed on 12/15/16 which compared to others on this site was pretty early, but was approximately 3 months after my surgery.
People will most certainly be able to understand you, every day gets easier and I really didn't have too much trouble speaking close to normal after a week or so.
Hope that helps and just know that I am so happy I went through this process, the night before I was questioning everything but it has honestly made a huge difference!!
I'm surprised you only had to wear it for 3 months! My ortho said I'd be wearing mine for about 8 months. yikes.
Was turning the expander post-surgery weird? Did you do it yourself or have somebody do it for you? How long did it take you to be able to eat normally? So many questions sorry!
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LovelyLeah
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:51 pm
Re: January - March 2017 Surgery Buddies
[quote="Collie"][quote="LovelyLeah"]"That's so great to hear! My SARPE is 3 weeks away. How much time did you take off work? Do you feel it was enough/too much? And has talking with the expander gotten any easier? Honestly that's what's got me the most nervous, as I work in a coffee shop and talk to people constantly. I'm afraid nobody will be able to understand me"
Hi Collie!
My SARPE was done on 9/14/16 (Wednesday) and returned to work 9/26. My surgeon originally expected that I would need 2-3 weeks off work, so I came back a bit earlier then expected. I'm guessing it's due to my age (25), as I think I healed pretty quickly. I do feel like it was enough time for me as I work in an office setting, sitting most of the day. Just know that as soon as you get the expander put in (mine was installed the day prior to the surgery) it will getting easier with each passing day. The more you practice speaking (I recommend singing to songs out loud during recovery) the more comfortable you'll feel. There are some choice words with E's that were hard to say but it's definitely not as hard to speak as others have said. I had my expander removed on 12/15/16 which compared to others on this site was pretty early, but was approximately 3 months after my surgery.
People will most certainly be able to understand you, every day gets easier and I really didn't have too much trouble speaking close to normal after a week or so.
Hope that helps and just know that I am so happy I went through this process, the night before I was questioning everything but it has honestly made a huge difference!![/quote]
Nice! Thanks for all the info. I'm actually getting my expander in tomorrow, 2 weeks before surgery! I wish I didn't have to have the thing in so long beforehand, but I guess it'll help me get used to it.
I'm surprised you only had to wear it for 3 months! My ortho said I'd be wearing mine for about 8 months. yikes.
Was turning the expander post-surgery weird? Did you do it yourself or have somebody do it for you? How long did it take you to be able to eat normally? So many questions sorry![/quote]
It will be nice to get used to the expander before your surgery because honestly the worst part about this process, I'm sure you've heard, is the actual trying to just get used to the expander. Truthfully, I've never felt any pain through the process, as weird as that sounds, just more feelings of "uncomfortable-ness". Turning did not hurt one bit, and doing it yourself is waaaaayyy easy and less embarrassing then asking someone's assistance. Just use a handheld mirror and I've always had no issues on the first try! When I first got out of surgery I assumed I would be on an all liquid diet, but my surgeon said I could eat whatever I was comfortable with. I ate mash-potatoes a lot, but I really enjoyed blending up pasta dishes because they didn't lack the flavors I was use to. I still have boxes of jello in my fridge that I never ate because it never came down to that. And since calories are no issue, getting the most delish pastas from your favorite restaurants, will fill you up and give you the calories you need!
Hi Collie!
My SARPE was done on 9/14/16 (Wednesday) and returned to work 9/26. My surgeon originally expected that I would need 2-3 weeks off work, so I came back a bit earlier then expected. I'm guessing it's due to my age (25), as I think I healed pretty quickly. I do feel like it was enough time for me as I work in an office setting, sitting most of the day. Just know that as soon as you get the expander put in (mine was installed the day prior to the surgery) it will getting easier with each passing day. The more you practice speaking (I recommend singing to songs out loud during recovery) the more comfortable you'll feel. There are some choice words with E's that were hard to say but it's definitely not as hard to speak as others have said. I had my expander removed on 12/15/16 which compared to others on this site was pretty early, but was approximately 3 months after my surgery.
People will most certainly be able to understand you, every day gets easier and I really didn't have too much trouble speaking close to normal after a week or so.
Hope that helps and just know that I am so happy I went through this process, the night before I was questioning everything but it has honestly made a huge difference!!
[/quote]Nice! Thanks for all the info. I'm actually getting my expander in tomorrow, 2 weeks before surgery! I wish I didn't have to have the thing in so long beforehand, but I guess it'll help me get used to it.
I'm surprised you only had to wear it for 3 months! My ortho said I'd be wearing mine for about 8 months. yikes.
Was turning the expander post-surgery weird? Did you do it yourself or have somebody do it for you? How long did it take you to be able to eat normally? So many questions sorry![/quote]
It will be nice to get used to the expander before your surgery because honestly the worst part about this process, I'm sure you've heard, is the actual trying to just get used to the expander. Truthfully, I've never felt any pain through the process, as weird as that sounds, just more feelings of "uncomfortable-ness". Turning did not hurt one bit, and doing it yourself is waaaaayyy easy and less embarrassing then asking someone's assistance. Just use a handheld mirror and I've always had no issues on the first try! When I first got out of surgery I assumed I would be on an all liquid diet, but my surgeon said I could eat whatever I was comfortable with. I ate mash-potatoes a lot, but I really enjoyed blending up pasta dishes because they didn't lack the flavors I was use to. I still have boxes of jello in my fridge that I never ate because it never came down to that. And since calories are no issue, getting the most delish pastas from your favorite restaurants, will fill you up and give you the calories you need!
Re: January - March 2017 Surgery Buddies
Just had my expander put in 
soooo much saliva. I feel like I can't swallow anything, even water. Please tell me this gets better!
soooo much saliva. I feel like I can't swallow anything, even water. Please tell me this gets better!-
LovelyLeah
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:51 pm
Re: January - March 2017 Surgery Buddies
Yes, it gets better...I mean you wont get back to normal saliva status but better. Always keep water near where you go!! But I'm telling you, it's all up hill from here. You've got the process started, you should be VERY proud of yourself!
Re: January - March 2017 Surgery Buddies
Thank you Leah, I appreciate all your positivity in this threadLovelyLeah wrote:Yes, it gets better...I mean you wont get back to normal saliva status but better. Always keep water near where you go!! But I'm telling you, it's all up hill from here. You've got the process started, you should be VERY proud of yourself!
Swallowing has gotten much easier but I'm still having a tough time speaking, its so embarassing 
I was off work today so it was ok but I'm nervous about going back tomorrow and trying to interact with customers. Also the hooks on the sides are digging into my cheeks, such a pain. I'm using a little of the wax right now even though my ortho told me I should force my cheeks to get used to it. This is gonna be a long 8 months hahaRe: January - March 2017 Surgery Buddies
Thought I'd add my name to the list! The big day has arrived and I'm waiting to go down to theatre for lower jaw surgery to correct an overbite. The plan is for a forward sliding saggital split osteotomy with a backward genioplasty (move the lower jaw forward and then the chin back).
Measurement wise, my top teeth are 6/7mm in front of my lower ones and I think the surgeon is going to move my lower jaw by atleast 3+mm. Hopefully I will like my results, but from other people's stories, it'll be a good few weeks/months before you see your final face!
Both appearance and function are important to me, but my life hasn't really been limited by having an overbite, all be it i can't eat an apple or a slice of pizza properly but over the years you adapt and it becomes the norm. I'd also like to have a less goofy appearance (side profile) which should be fixed with the surgery.
Best of luck to those of you who are in the process of considering / preparing for surgery and it's nice to know that most people have had a good experience. I can't say I'm looking forward to to help liquid diet but it's only for a short amount of time and I'll check back in after my operation.
Measurement wise, my top teeth are 6/7mm in front of my lower ones and I think the surgeon is going to move my lower jaw by atleast 3+mm. Hopefully I will like my results, but from other people's stories, it'll be a good few weeks/months before you see your final face!
Both appearance and function are important to me, but my life hasn't really been limited by having an overbite, all be it i can't eat an apple or a slice of pizza properly but over the years you adapt and it becomes the norm. I'd also like to have a less goofy appearance (side profile) which should be fixed with the surgery.
Best of luck to those of you who are in the process of considering / preparing for surgery and it's nice to know that most people have had a good experience. I can't say I'm looking forward to to help liquid diet but it's only for a short amount of time and I'll check back in after my operation.
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Lala082008
- Posts: 59
- Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2015 6:46 am
Re: January - March 2017 Surgery Buddies
Jabbed - how did your surgery go?? Are you feeling ok? I have a 9mm overbite and am set to have a BSSO in a few months once I've met with my surgeon again, so I'm interested to hear how things went
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LovelyLeah
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:51 pm
Re: January - March 2017 Surgery Buddies
Looks like birds of a feather flock together, when I started this process I was told I have a 12 mm overbite. Hope all goes well for you surgery Jabbed! I am now 4.5 months post op from SARPE and hoping by my next Ortho appointment I can get a better idea when my double jaw surgery will take place. I've already been approved awhile back and just hoping to get some more concrete info soon! Still have numbness issues on my front gums, which I've heard is still normal.
Re: January - March 2017 Surgery Buddies
I survived my surgery! It all went to plan and was down for around four hours including time in the recovery room. I'm not going to sugar coat it but after the operation I was feeling really rough.The night seemed to last forever and I was repeatedly sick due to the amount of blood that I must of swallowed during the surgery.
However, this morning was a much better state of affairs. After throwing up all the blood so it was out of my stomach, I felt really good and managed to start eating food. For breakfast I had a chocolate milkshake, mushroom soup and ice cream for dinner and cottage pie for tea. It did take me 50 minutes to eat the smallest portion though!
My swelling has got worse as the day has gone on and I feel like my face is about to pop (at least x3 it's normal size but aesthetics wise, the operation appears to have been a success. My bottom teeth still sit further back than the top ones, but I don't have anything apart from the screws holding my jaw in its new position and will be getting elastics put on first thing on Monday morning. After less than 24 hours since my surgery I'm relieved to be back home and it has never felt so good to have an ice pack on your face! I'll get some photos up over the coming days to hopefully help people see the swelling process better. I have a long road ahead, but I'm definitely on the road to recovery even if I don't feel that comfortable atm.
Thanks for your kind words Lala and Lovely, before I had braces fitted in July 2014, my over bite was 13mm and up to the point of my jaw surgery had went down to 7mm. I had a brief chat with my surgeon today who said that he had moved the lower jaw forward and swung it round by 3mm one way and 7mm the other, but I'm not sure which measurement represents what movement. On the numbness front I'm very surprised as to how much I can actually feel! My lower lip is mostly numb apart from the sides, but I can feel my chin in most places(all be it with less sensation than before the op).
However, this morning was a much better state of affairs. After throwing up all the blood so it was out of my stomach, I felt really good and managed to start eating food. For breakfast I had a chocolate milkshake, mushroom soup and ice cream for dinner and cottage pie for tea. It did take me 50 minutes to eat the smallest portion though!
My swelling has got worse as the day has gone on and I feel like my face is about to pop (at least x3 it's normal size but aesthetics wise, the operation appears to have been a success. My bottom teeth still sit further back than the top ones, but I don't have anything apart from the screws holding my jaw in its new position and will be getting elastics put on first thing on Monday morning. After less than 24 hours since my surgery I'm relieved to be back home and it has never felt so good to have an ice pack on your face! I'll get some photos up over the coming days to hopefully help people see the swelling process better. I have a long road ahead, but I'm definitely on the road to recovery even if I don't feel that comfortable atm.
Thanks for your kind words Lala and Lovely, before I had braces fitted in July 2014, my over bite was 13mm and up to the point of my jaw surgery had went down to 7mm. I had a brief chat with my surgeon today who said that he had moved the lower jaw forward and swung it round by 3mm one way and 7mm the other, but I'm not sure which measurement represents what movement. On the numbness front I'm very surprised as to how much I can actually feel! My lower lip is mostly numb apart from the sides, but I can feel my chin in most places(all be it with less sensation than before the op).
Re: January - March 2017 Surgery Buddies
Well I had my SARPE this morning, it went smoothly I'm told. The pain is pretty bad though, I already had to double up on my Vicodin dose I can't belive some people can handle this with just ibuprofen. Maybe I'm just a wimp haha. And my nose is bleeding soooooo much. I think I'm going through a piece of gauze every 20 minutes. yuck. BUT there is already a tiny gap in my two front teeth which is such a trip to see since they've always overlapped. Progress!! Good luck to everybody!
I can't belive some people can handle this with just ibuprofen. Maybe I'm just a wimp haha. And my nose is bleeding soooooo much. I think I'm going through a piece of gauze every 20 minutes. yuck. BUT there is already a tiny gap in my two front teeth which is such a trip to see since they've always overlapped. Progress!! Good luck to everybody!Re: January - March 2017 Surgery Buddies
I had my double jaw surgery + genioplasty on Thursday. Despite doing a lot of reading and preparing for the recovery I definitely underestimated how it would go. It's been quite a bit harder then expected, and I am quite swollen, numb, drooling, and having difficulty getting enough calories down. Eating/drinking is a mentally draining, full-time job. I figure it can really only improve from here on out though, so I'll keep plugging along. Glad to have these last few days behind me. Hope everyone elses recovery is going smoothly