On the other side of BSSO

Message

#16 Post by **jackievandam** » Tue May 27, 2008 9:10 am

Meryaten- yes, my muscles seem to be tight especially when it is more painful or if I am sitting there wondering how many days it will take to be back to "normal"...I go to my OS today too!! Hope to get the splint off and lighter bands..thought of asking about a muscles relaxer for night-time- I seem to wake up with the teeth clenched!
ANyway, each day I am looking more human and learning something new to throw in the blender. I dont think I will eat a yogurt for a year after this is over. THanks for the support!

#17 Post by **loulou123** » Tue May 27, 2008 9:50 am

Glad to hear things are improving slowly with you, it really does get better and its a huge relief to get the elastics and splint off i bet

Jackievandam-i had a serious issue pre op with clenching my teeth, especially when i was tightly banded shut. Talk to your ortho about this (or your surgeon) as they did consider giving me something to relax me at night.

#18 Post by **hedybleu** » Tue May 27, 2008 9:57 am

Yeah no splint or bands!!

You must be so excited cmeyer115. I can only hope that mine will come off as quickly. I'm really nervous about the surgery, splint and banding as have heard some rough stories about the whole experience... LOL, and I fully admit that I'm a big ol' baby when it comes to pain and discomfort!!

#19 Post by **cmeyer115** » Tue May 27, 2008 10:31 am

Oh here are a few pics. Nice chipmunk cheeks!

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Ok so I'm not good but this will work. My cheeks are where nost of the swelling is limited to. Bruising is mostly limited to greenish yellowing in the skin from the chin down. Stitches didn't really leave a mark, but the one of the left had to get covered up it's not healed all the way yet. So not to bad huh, I mean it was only 6 days ago!!

I will lett you tho, I was thinking the same thing about the clinching in the splint. I felt like it was almost pinching my tounge a couple times. Guess it coming out took that prob away for me, good luck to the rest of you! Take care

#20 Post by **cmeyer115** » Tue May 27, 2008 1:44 pm

Meryaten, I will certainly give smash mouth a try. The surgeon articulated very well that I am on a no chew for 4 wks, and that as long as I can get food in and not chew I'm ok. I'll give it a try and see if I'm tempted to chew. Right now I'm just thrilled to be able to eat without straining! OOOh the possibilities. Still funny though to have the numbness and keep missing my mouth. I am also glad to be able to take pills by mouth and hope to be correcting the baby bowels this liquid diet has given

Well more later!

#21 Post by **jackievandam** » Tue May 27, 2008 1:55 pm

Hi Guys
Well, I am bummed...I did not get my splint off....must have been dreaming..one more week..Changed my bands out so that I have two on each side. Oh well, next Tues I can get the splint off and go down to just one band on each side. I am going to try smooshing some food too! I am suprised by how hard it is to put the bands on- he said just to go backwards diagonally but that it didn't matter which teeth they were on- but I don't have hooks on all the teeth for them.
Hope everyone has a good night.

#22 Post by **cmeyer115** » Tue May 27, 2008 2:03 pm

jackievandam~ sorry to hear about the splint not coming off! If it weren't for my swelling mine would be on for 4 wks. It hurt like a *&^h coming off too. Did you get to ask about the clinching? What kind of pain meds are you on? I have roxicet liquid (which my mom says is really percocet with tylenol). I know what you mean about feeling like you do it when your sleeping. I have also had trouble sleeping due to being propped up. I slept great Mon nite and then last nite sucked. I haven't been taking the pain meds much but the surgeon said to take them and gave me some percocet pills this time. Well sorry again!

#23 Post by **cmeyer115** » Wed May 28, 2008 6:46 pm

Well today I am doing better, still not good sleep but maybe I'll try the percocet and see tonight. I do however have some allergy problems acting up, I guess when switched over from pill to liquid and missed a day in the hospital it was just enough for the great state of NC to catch me slipping! Now I am batteling runny nose and the feeling that the pressure in my ears is pushing on my lower jaw! I am back on the reg pills for allergy meds and taking some sudafed to try and dry it up. If its not one thing its another. I also felft last nite after a little talking and eating with a baby spoon (and yes no chewing) that my jaw was being ripped off last night. I am using some heat now, just trying to figure out what to do at night, maybe I'll try the sock and rice or beans thing that Meryaten suggested in another post! Well here's to come good sleep!

#24 Post by **cmeyer115** » Thu May 29, 2008 3:22 pm

Alright guys I need some help here! I am working the swelling issue with heat no instead of ice, however the pain is tolerable during the day but I can't sleep at nite. I tried to take a percocet last nite, even tho I've had problems with it before I just ate some pudding before. I even tried to sleep on my side since the right side is almost completed down to normal from swelling. I thought the percocet would do the trick but I just continued to stay awake. I don't want to be a zombie all day long by taking meds round the clock, also my Mom is leaving Sat morning and I would have to call someone to go somewhere. I also dont want to look like I'm out for drugs but should I ask the surgeon for something else? Thanks!

#25 Post by **ssspidermom** » Thu May 29, 2008 6:33 pm

Can you get propped more upright, so you don't roll onto your side? I couldn't sleep on my side until just recently (5 weeks out). I slept on our couch for 3 weeks, with a wedge pillow, but a big couch cushion would work also.

Sorry about the problems sleeping. I hope that resolves soon.

#26 Post by **cmeyer115** » Fri May 30, 2008 6:04 pm

So after one more sleepless nite and watching the clock by the hour for the next dose I decided to call for a med change. They wanted me to come in to be seen, so ok. Then after checking me out and even taking some Xrays to see why the left side is bothering me so much, the doc told me to take 2 percocet instead of just 1. So we'll see if that does the trick this evening or another nite of watching the clock! Thanks!

#27 Post by **Raspberry** » Sat May 31, 2008 5:26 am

Hi CMeyer,
Glad to see that you are on the other side! I had the same surgery as you about a month ago! If you are at 10 days you'll be feeling a lot better soon! That's when I started feeling a lot better.
I'm so jeleous that you go the splint off already. I had heavy bands for 2 weeks, and I still have the splint until next thursday, when they will hopefully take it off (fingers crossed, as i'm tired of lisping). I also have 3 lighter elastics on, since they took off the heavy bands.
I have been sleeping on my side since about week 3, it makes my jaw muscles hurt, but it's better for me to actually sleep, and deal with the pain for a bit in the morning. i asked the doctors and they said it was ok.
Hope you start feeling better soon

#28 Post by **loulou123** » Sat May 31, 2008 6:28 am

Hope you manged to get that nights sleep?

I found i was unable to sleep too flat or on my side for about 4-5 weeks, i found the best solution was to have about 20 pillows all around me to stop myself rolling over! I also had a kinda v shaped pillow, which i laid in the middle of and that was really comfy at night and for watching the tv as it was very supporting.

It will get better, tho i know it doesnt feel like that at times. Big hug.

#29 Post by **cmeyer115** » Sat May 31, 2008 8:42 am

Well sleep last nite was a little better, but the 2 percocet made me feel loopy and gave me a slight hangoverish feeling. I had to get up early this morning to take my Mom to the airport. I came home and took two naps that totalled 4 hrs on the recliner. I am seriously thinking of discarding the drugged bed sleeping for the recliner if it works! I am evil without sleep

The doc called to check on me this morning, and made sure I had enough meds to make it to my next appt. So we'll see how it goes until then. I am starving so up to find some no chew few! Thanks for checking in on me guys!

#30 Post by **nullalux** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 4:54 pm

Oh, yeah, certainly try the recliner. Do you have a wedge pillow?

Sounds like the hosp made a bit of a mess with your recovery; I'm so sorry. I think you're handling it gracefully.

I always hear to take pain meds before you're in pain, at least for the first few weeks after surgery. Don't feel bad about taking them--you just had major surgery!

Keep us posted.