Updated everyones arguing over me - oops

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#1 Post by **loulou123** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 6:18 am

Hi guys

heres an update of whats been going on since my bsso and wisdom teeth removal 4 weeks ago.....(for the full story check out my blog-link at bottom of post)

The right hand side of my face is doing really well, and alot of the swellings gone down, leaving only abit of puffiness. I can really see the difference in my profile now

The left side tho, has been a nightmare, it was the side that hemorraged after surgery, and now the side thats infected

the swelling comes up and down abit, but is still really bad, and its pretty painful at times too.

Looks like ill be having further treatement on that side now, tho it doesnt really bother me as i just want the whole thing over with now.

Im still tightly banded shut, and still not allowed to chew

and will remain like this for at least another 2 and half weeks yet.

This pic is the good side 4 weeks post op...

This is a picture from a few days before my op (you can see the differnece in my profile)

And last but know means least, heres the pic of the infected side, 4 weeks post op:

sorry the pics are so small, but theres clearer ones on my blog.

#2 Post by **OverJetSet** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 8:58 am

i am glad to see you are posting your progress, even tho the news is quite mixed. so sorry to hear of the "rumbling" infection. i checked out the "high points" on your blog & very good of you to recognize how brave you are. sounds like you have good support, too. you will get better.

i don't pray so i will keep my fingers crossed for you.

#3 Post by **Andantae** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:23 pm

Oh, so nice loulou! Really great results in your profile!

You know, I think I would feel the same way as you do regarding needing another treatment for your left side. Whatever! Just do it, make it feel better and heal! As it's not like going for full blown jaw sawing &replacing again, it shouldn't be nearly as invasive. When do you find out about that? Let us know, hopefully it's just a little chip of bone that got left behind and easily retrieved.

Again, SUPER looking! Aren't you excited????

#4 Post by **loulou123** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 4:49 am

Ahhhhh Just been to the ortho and orthodontically my bites now doing well

this is obviously good (tho i do still have couple of teeth that need some work on them)

But there was some concern that the inside of my mouth is now swelling from the infection, so the ortho paged in the surgeon again and an infection around the plate has now been confirmed (on the left side) the plate cant be removed until the jaw is stable

so im on antibiotics to try and keep it under control.

I have another appointment in 2 weeks to meet with the surgeon again and schedule the operation to remove the plate. But the thing that has really anoyed me is that my surgeon was meant to remove a back molar at the top during my op, and app he "forgot"

which has meant ive been chewing on my cheek for the last 4weeks, as the tooths too far back. Now i no mistakes can happen etc, but he changed the constant form on the day of the op to include the molar and then still forgot to take it out!

Thanks everyone for the kind words, and for saying my profile looks good

im pleased with it from one side at least

#5 Post by **Andantae** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 4:19 pm

I'm so happy to hear about your bite coming along so nicely! That is great news and it's nice to know that those EVIL little elastics do have their good side!

Wouldn't you think that a nurse or someone assisting in surgery would double check the chart before bringing you to? Also, it's a bit scary that he forgot the same day he changed the consent form---sounds like something I would do

!

What does the new procedure to remove the plate involve?

#6 Post by **loulou123** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:11 pm

Andantae\-the evil elastics do have a good side and the movement has been incredibly quick, unfort they aslo have a bad side

The new proceedure involves going back into hospital for another general anesthetic, them cutting open my mouth and jaw-again

and unscewing the plate, checking around for anything loose that may be agravating the infection, cleaning out and then re-stitching me up, along with taking the molar out he forgot

Cos of my probs with the anesthetic last time and the bleeding its at least 1 night in hospital. Will know more next time i go back.

#7 Post by **Rach** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:27 pm

Hey Lou, I have to agree that your profile is great!! And at least you know now that everythings on its way to be fixed. A bit annoying about Mr.W forgetting that molar, and you said that caused you to bite your cheek, is that on the same side as your infection? Another night in hospital? poor you! but I guess it is all worth it!

Rach xx

#8 Post by **clairet707** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 1:01 pm

Oh Lou, you are struggling with this arent you, though on the plus side the half that isnt swollen looks fab!!!

Sorry to hear that its going to be another op, I really hope things improve after it...

Hugs heading your way..

#9 Post by **Andantae** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 6:21 pm

loulou~

I'm sorry to hear about a second operation.

Do you know if they'll use the same incision site, or can they go in from the side?

Silver linings:

You will heal really fast afterward with that infection gone.
You can be 'out' when they extract the forgotten tooth.
A soft tissue procedure is far less invasive than sawing bones.

#10 Post by **loulou123** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 3:39 am

Thanks everyone

Tho the situation seems pretty aweful at mo, i just want the 2nd op over and to be better!
The left side is pretty painful and because of this im grinding and clenching which seems to be setting my TMJ issues off too

plus taking loads of antibiotics seems to be making me feel run down as well. So im actually happy that theyve decided to go ahead so quickly.

Rach thanks for the kind words abt my profile

yep the tooth he forgot to remove is on the same side as the infection, but at the top

Hope its all worth it in the end!!

Clairet707 Thanks for the hugs and kind words, how are things with you now?

Andantae i dont know if they use the same incision site, id guess so, but not sure. I think they must have gone in from the side anyway, as the stitches i had, went from behind my back molar about an inch and half towards the front, along the crease between my teeth and cheek (if that makes sense!)
Thanks too for the silver linings, all great points

Meryaten thanks for the support (as always

) im not sure if having the plate out so quickly makes things easier or harder, guess only time will tell.

#11 Post by **clairet707** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 10:45 am

loulou123 wrote:Thanks everyone Tho the situation seems pretty aweful at mo, i just want the 2nd op over and to be better!
The left side is pretty painful and because of this im grinding and clenching which seems to be setting my TMJ issues off too plus taking loads of antibiotics seems to be making me feel run down as well. So im actually happy that theyve decided to go ahead so quickly.

Clairet707 Thanks for the hugs and kind words, how are things with you now?

Things here are ok, Im still wearing the elastics at night, my left jaw is fine the bite is fine etc, the right side is still not good, the teeth dont meet at all on that side, and my jaw / teeth look lopsided.

Will see what the 'team' say at the beginning of april..

Hope things improve your end too

#12 Post by **JayC** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 2:00 pm

hey luouluo, just out of curiosity, how were they able to pinpoint that the infection is indeed the plate, and not where the sutures are? and how far along post op did the infection start? because, when i had my surgery they prescribed me with antibiotics right away to prevent any chance of infection.

with that said.. its been about a mont for me and the stitches on my left cheek tore a few days ago and that area got infected. gargled with salt water and cleaned my mouth thoroughly but it still didnt go away and my cheek is a bit tender/swollen (but not nearly as much as yours or as red either). i went to the walk in today and got a prescription for antioiotics and hopefully that will do the trick. i really hope my plate isnt infected and its just because of ripped suture.

#13 Post by **loulou123** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 2:37 pm

meryaten-cant wait to be on "the other side" myself, as at the moment is seems to be a case of being in "the middle" but i know ill get there in the end.

clairet-sorry to hear things arent going too smoothley for you, hopefully in april your get good news-ill have my fingers crossed for you.

JayC my sutures began to fall out within the 1st week, and were all gone by 2 and half weeks, which im guessing shows it healed ok. Ive seen the surgeon or my ortho every week since op and the area around the stitches has been clean etc. So guess this is how they know. I think within a few days of surgery i had a clue something was wrong with that side, but it was about 2 weeks post op it became an issue. I was given some antibiotics into my drip whilst in hospital, then i had a second course 2 weeks (ish) post op, and am now taking another lot.

Sorry to hear your having problems too, if it doesnt get better perhaps you should contact the surgeon. My surgeon said its quite uncommon to have an infected plate, so fingers crossed for you.

#14 Post by **JayC** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 5:25 pm

i was put on antibiotics for 10 days from the time i was released from the hospita. so all the areas where you were cut inside are healed? and the "ooze" is coming from the roots of your molars rite? hmm.. yea im hoping my issue is just the incision site. i really doubt the plate would get infected 1 month post op, it wouldn't make any sense. anyways, i hope everything goes well for you. ill be reading up to see how you are holdingup, and ill post as well any updates in my situation. other than this annoyance, my recovery has been great (so far)

#15 Post by **loulou123** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 4:11 am

JayC everywheres healed inside as far as i can tell, all looks clean and ok. Not 100% sure where the oozing is coming from, but guessing from the docs comments its behind my back molar. (Dont think this means anything tho, just think the pus lower down is using any spot it can find to drain out

)

Have to agree with meryaten (sorry wish i had better news) and say that its usually later on after surgery that the plates cause problems and think its actually pretty uncommon to have probs straight away like me. My surgeon actually said that usually the plates dont begin to cause problems for a few months after surgery. But as meryaten points out this is pretty uncommon and ive struggled to find anyone else on here thats needed the plate removed. Good luck.