I looked like a zombie but not anymore!! Braces off 11/12/07

[WhiteLurcher]

Hi all Well, I've made it to the other side then!

I'm ok but I look and feel like a zombie extra from "28 Weeks Later" all I need is the red contacts.

Everything went ok apparently, although the seemed quite surprised at the amount of bruising and swelling so soon afterwards!
I also can't quite get my right side to meet but the think it's the swelling. I was to go for x-rays as a matter of urgency but nobody told the x-ray dept or me. By the time I got down to get them done (late afternoon) the Surgeon was waiting at the door so he could see them immediately. Apparently they were considering taking me back to theatre. Well, I'm home now I've just been to the doctor. Signed off for 4 weeks and got stronger pain killers as it hurts to swallow when I eat. Got a go as I'm not feeling to great see ya later

Sorry about that, had terrible stomach ache, got a hottie bottle now

Has anyone had a problem with their "Palatine uvula" that dangly thing in the back of yer throat. Mines been bugging me since the op, I feel I should swallow it as it keeps sitting on the back of my tongue ugh! I guess its swollen but thought it would have gone down by now! I'm 5 days post-op.

Anyway I have got two guiding elastics in at the moment, trying to realign my bite I guess. My midline is way off kinda looks like I have one central tooth rather than two looks a bit odd!:roll:

It turns out everything got kind of moved up and rotated somewhat as the measurements were different on both sides. I guess my jaw was canted off probably to the left as the swelling is worse on the right side where I had the previous op.

I am rambling on, my brain is just not with it I feel like my head is floating in bucket somewhere else

I have my first post op appointment sometime tomorrow I better phone and find out before I forget!

See Ya!

[freerideuk]

well done =]

and i hope you swelling goes down as fast as possible so you can see your results a little better =]

and i hope you have a fast and easy recovery

xxxxxxx

[kate0310]

atleast you are on the other side now, no more anticipation for what it's like!

as for your throat --> I had a TERRIBLE time with mine- and my surgeon said it is 100% normal to have a sore throat from the breathing tubes they put in you. Some people get it worse than others if they accidently scrape your throat badly with them- I remember being in agony on the 5th day from my throat and at the 7th day it starting to improve and at about 2 weeks it was pretty good. Hopefully yours will get better soon!! I highly reccommend a humidifyer in your bedroom so your mouth doesnt get dry, as well as herbal teas to soothe it, and throat lozenges if you are able.

Things are going to get better soon!!! The 5th day was my worst one and I vividly remember feeling like a crazy person by then.

[Clover]

Wow, your swelling sounds interesting! I've told my ortho I want to swell up like a blowfish so I'll have a good picture for my Christmas card . From what I've read of other people's experiences, the first week is the worst and you're almost over that. Well done, I hope you're feeling a bit better soon.

[WhiteLurcher]

Hi thanks for replying!

Yup crazy person about sums me up at the mo! I've just come in from stotting round the park with my doggie. My head feels like a balloon on a string just floating out there, sinuses probably!

Actually my throat isn't sore. The dangly thing just won't go away like it should do, catches on the pills I'm popping! It's a patch on the roof of my mouth that throbs right to my ear when I swallow food i.e. puree. Puts me off eating so it does, but I am trying to eat anyway.

I phoned for my appointment tomorrow, the ward hadn't made one I wasn't on the list Am now 2pm, can't wait they'll probably say all's well come back in a month! They are so helpful. The guy who put my elastics on said change them whenever, when they go slack, then shrugged!! Surgeon guy said change em once a day and to keep my mouth super clean brush and mouthwash 4x a day. No mention of the stitches or fact I can't actually feel or see my teeth! That was the advise I got before I left, oh and a leaflet which basically said I would get advise on "Diet, Mouthcare, Sport and Going Home" before I left

Sorry I seem to be rambling and moaning again but my head is really out there

[WhiteLurcher]

Thanks Meryaten!

The kids toothbrush I have is too short on the bristles so I'm just being very careful with my usual one and doing a lot of swilling around with two mouthwashes, it seem to work

I'm not sure what I expected my bite to look like post-op, but I hoped it would be better than it is now. I no longer have a large openbite and can close my lips without too much straining, but I think the ortho has her work cut-out and I'll be in braces for sometime

I finally worked out pictures This is before on the top and then now. I'm thinking maybe they should have left the splint in and my midline was only 1mm out beforehand I'm not sure what I'd call it now????

[twinkie]

Wow, your bite looks a whole lot better!!

I'm glad you made it to the other side!! It's all downhill from here!!

[WhiteLurcher]

Hey Meryaten you were right about the elastics!

I've just been to see the surgeon, says all is looking good, praised me on how clean I'm keeping things
Unfortunately I have got a new set of elastics to try and pull my bottom jaw into alignment and boy do they hurt I've to go back next Tuesday afternoon, busy day as I have the ortho in the morning aswell! Hopefully I won't be off my head next week, I was a bit spaced when I saw him today not sure if it was the Tramadol pain killer I took or the sinus pressure I keep getting but my head was floating and I was grinning alot
I'm going to try and do without the pain meds if I can and try and get my head clear. At least if I need a laugh all I have to do is look in the mirror I look so weird!!


My new elastic config.

[WhiteLurcher]

Busy day today saw the Ortho this mornng and the Surgeon this afternoon.

On the plus side I have no elastics

Unfortunately after gaining a second opinion from the consultant ortho and then talking to the surgeon, by the time I got to my second appointment, it was concluded that they need to redo my op.
So here I am packing my bag again in prep. for getting re-chopped on Thursday. It could have been tomorrow but he's busy (thank heavens!)
I'm not sure what they're doing, just my upper jaw I think (nope they re-did both and I now have the screwdriver holes on both sides, didn't have them first time round!!!???)
My midline is about 5mm to the right and none of my teeth, from my left K9 to the right wisdom's, touch. They are totally at a loss as to what's gone wrong and are adamant that everything was perfect before I woke up!
So thats that I guess I haven't quite made it to the other side yet after all!!! Just as I was starting to look normal again!

[ohmyjaw]

Hi WhiteLurcher,

I am so sorry to hear that you have to have another surgery - after just 13 days! If I were you I would be having a melt-down right about now - are you okay?

I hope everything goes really well for you on Thursday. Hopefully it will easier on you than the first round.

[iBorg]

I'm so sorry to hear that you have to go through this again. I can only hope that this time things go better for you than the first time.

Mike

[WhiteLurcher]

Hi all thanks for the good wishes!

I'm fairly cool with it, as I don't really have much choice. I was a bit worried when I left the Ortho that I would have to decide whether or not to go back to theatre, but it was already decided when I met the surgeons. So that's me, bed reserved, bags re-packed, ready if not raring to go This will be my 3rd jaw surgery, here's hoping it's a lucky last! At least I know what I'm in for more or less.

I will try my bestest to "wake up right" this time honest!!!

[HighandLo]

WhiteLurcher,

Best of luck on your surgery! I must say, you have a very good attitude - just get the next surgery over with!

I hope your results are great this time. We'll be thinking of you and sending healing thoughts your way.

Lo

[Happysmiler]

Hi Whitelurcher

Your poor thing! - You are so positive which will undoubtedly help your progress after this op.

I'm sure the bones would not have healed that well at this point so it will probably be a lot quicker and a case of just tweaking those bones a bit to get them into the right position - they are going to be so careful this time to ensure they get it right for you I'm sure.

You are going to have a perfect bite very soon.

Best Wishes
Happysmiler

[Eeegsy]

Hope all goes well next time round!

This really seems strange though, did you notice any movement from when you left hospital until 2 weeks after? And they didn't use a splint?

I'm starting to think that some surgeons have differnt views on procedures for certain reasons, each having positives and negatives.

I know I was in a splint for a month, and very tightly banded, but I guess at least you know nothing is going to move during that time! And when things don't go as planned I think they should look very carefully at what has gone wrong, and I hope they tell you.

Good luck this time round!