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I may not do lefort 1, I dont want it
SARPE Surgery
Moderator: bbsadmin
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chipmunkcheeks
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2007 3:59 pm
- Location: Long Island, NY
do what it takes
at this point, i would do whatever it takes to get the perfect smile...youve already been through enough, why not finish it...
i had sarpe last summer, then a bsso, genio, and another lefort I this summer. so, i have experience with sarpe lefort and regular lefort (to raise the jaw). if you are only going to have lefort done in the future, just think, youve already done it, you know what to expect. i think even though i had 3 operations, it was easier than the sarpe last year because i was prepared for it.
plus, my friend had a cleft palate as a child. she had that fixed. and finally at 18, she had her jaw done, and she looks totally amazing with the final results. you need to keep the big picture and prize in mind.....
before anything
after sarpe
bottom braces (8months) top braces (6 months) of course me faking that my teeth actually fit together...
lefort I (again), bsso, genio
profile right before surgery
profile 2 weeks post op
i had sarpe last summer, then a bsso, genio, and another lefort I this summer. so, i have experience with sarpe lefort and regular lefort (to raise the jaw). if you are only going to have lefort done in the future, just think, youve already done it, you know what to expect. i think even though i had 3 operations, it was easier than the sarpe last year because i was prepared for it.
plus, my friend had a cleft palate as a child. she had that fixed. and finally at 18, she had her jaw done, and she looks totally amazing with the final results. you need to keep the big picture and prize in mind.....
before anything
after sarpe
bottom braces (8months) top braces (6 months) of course me faking that my teeth actually fit together...
lefort I (again), bsso, genio
profile right before surgery
profile 2 weeks post op
Hey AjikanPanda, how you doing today? I know by my day 4, I was sooo ready to go out and do anything but stay home watching TV and slurping soup. 
Lower braces: 7/1/08
Expander installed: 7/8/08
SARPE: 7/15/08
First adjustment for lowers: 8/5/08
Expander tied: 8/11/08
Upper braces: 8/28/08
Lefort I & BSSO: 1/8/13
Expander installed: 7/8/08
SARPE: 7/15/08
First adjustment for lowers: 8/5/08
Expander tied: 8/11/08
Upper braces: 8/28/08
Lefort I & BSSO: 1/8/13
Dizziness / Vertigo
Hi,
I had my surgery on 7/24. My recovery seems to be going well, except for the annoying numbness, but last Saturday I woke up with something new ... vertigo!
Has anyone else experienced this?
I still have it: short, severe bouts when I lie down or sit up, or even just move my head suddenly. However I'm getting used to compensating for it by moving gently.
I slept against a backrest for the first week after surgery, and my dizziness arrived suddenly after sleeping the first night back on my usual, low pillow. So I wondered if some swelling might have drained into my ear, but my OS said this was impossible. He suggested I might have low blood pressure from post-surgery dehydration.
Or possibly it might be related to the expansion: I was given a total of 28 turns in the first 8 days after surgery, which seems faster than most, and then woke up with the dizziness the next day.
Any ideas, folks?
I had my surgery on 7/24. My recovery seems to be going well, except for the annoying numbness, but last Saturday I woke up with something new ... vertigo!
Has anyone else experienced this?
I still have it: short, severe bouts when I lie down or sit up, or even just move my head suddenly. However I'm getting used to compensating for it by moving gently.
I slept against a backrest for the first week after surgery, and my dizziness arrived suddenly after sleeping the first night back on my usual, low pillow. So I wondered if some swelling might have drained into my ear, but my OS said this was impossible. He suggested I might have low blood pressure from post-surgery dehydration.
Or possibly it might be related to the expansion: I was given a total of 28 turns in the first 8 days after surgery, which seems faster than most, and then woke up with the dizziness the next day.
Any ideas, folks?
Man, I'm having some trouble with turning my expander. 
I have no idea if I'm doing it right! My ortho showed me how but I've forgotten and its the weekend and they're closed right now...
I know I have to stick the key into the hole. I can see the hole fine, so I stick the key in until it doesn't seem to want to go any further. Then I just pull it out.
Am I supposed to twist it in a direction or something while its in the hole? I do get a slightly funny sensation when I stick the key in, but I honestly don't know if I'm doing it correctly.
Also, is 6mm considered a significant amount of expansion?
I have no idea if I'm doing it right! My ortho showed me how but I've forgotten and its the weekend and they're closed right now...I know I have to stick the key into the hole. I can see the hole fine, so I stick the key in until it doesn't seem to want to go any further. Then I just pull it out.
Am I supposed to twist it in a direction or something while its in the hole? I do get a slightly funny sensation when I stick the key in, but I honestly don't know if I'm doing it correctly.
Also, is 6mm considered a significant amount of expansion?
nesnob: My first thought was the same thing your surgeon suggested - low blood pressure from dehydration, or being weak from not getting enough calories.
Lower braces: 7/1/08
Expander installed: 7/8/08
SARPE: 7/15/08
First adjustment for lowers: 8/5/08
Expander tied: 8/11/08
Upper braces: 8/28/08
Lefort I & BSSO: 1/8/13
Expander installed: 7/8/08
SARPE: 7/15/08
First adjustment for lowers: 8/5/08
Expander tied: 8/11/08
Upper braces: 8/28/08
Lefort I & BSSO: 1/8/13
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crazybeautiful
- Posts: 745
- Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 2:20 am
- Location: Yorkshire, England
You put in the key so it is firmly in (will probably remain there if you let go) and you then pull it in the direction ofthe back of your mouth*, and whilst doing so a new hole will appear ready for the next turn. If you are just putting the key in the hole but not moving it, you're not actually doing anything. It's difficult for me to explain because I had a minion to do it for me (I don't get how you guys manage it, I really don't 
)
* I think this is what most designs are, but look for the little arrows as these show you which way to turn.
Hope that helped a little
I think 6mm is a significant amount. Some have less, some have more, but every extra bit of space is worthwhile. I expanded 10mm in all
)* I think this is what most designs are, but look for the little arrows as these show you which way to turn.
Hope that helped a little
I think 6mm is a significant amount. Some have less, some have more, but every extra bit of space is worthwhile. I expanded 10mm in all
I should have said - the reason I know it's not my blood pressure is that they took it, and it's normal.lueyfufu wrote:nesnob: My first thought was the same thing your surgeon suggested - low blood pressure from dehydration, or being weak from not getting enough calories.
Also, I get vertigo just from moving my head suddenly, even while seated. So pretty sure it's something in my ear ... hmmph
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sauerkraut
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:57 pm
- Location: Germany
Hi Nesbob
I don't have any answers but just wanted to let you know I suffered from dizziness too and still do up to a point, nearly a year after my SARPE. Like you, I've got used to compensating. Also like you lying flat makes it worse, especially if I turn over whilst lying down. The best comparison I've been able to find is it's like my head's a bowl half-full of water and when my head turns, the water slops around for a while until it settles in the new position.
I've had all manner of tests, including some not very nice ones at the ear-nose-throat specialist's but no-one's been able to find out what's wrong. I have a tendency to low blood pressure but it's usually been normal when they've measured it.
The leading theory is that the nerves which were severed during surgery haven't finished joining back together again yet, and that's throwing my sense of balance into a tizz, Which means there's not a lot can be done about it - I just have to wait until the nerves re-join. And apparently that can take a while... Oh and I also had a short course of physiotherapy to teach me some exercises to strengthen the cervical spine (?) but I'm not sure that did a great deal of good.
Please let me know if your doctors come up with any better ideas!
I don't have any answers but just wanted to let you know I suffered from dizziness too and still do up to a point, nearly a year after my SARPE. Like you, I've got used to compensating. Also like you lying flat makes it worse, especially if I turn over whilst lying down. The best comparison I've been able to find is it's like my head's a bowl half-full of water and when my head turns, the water slops around for a while until it settles in the new position.
I've had all manner of tests, including some not very nice ones at the ear-nose-throat specialist's but no-one's been able to find out what's wrong. I have a tendency to low blood pressure but it's usually been normal when they've measured it.
The leading theory is that the nerves which were severed during surgery haven't finished joining back together again yet, and that's throwing my sense of balance into a tizz, Which means there's not a lot can be done about it - I just have to wait until the nerves re-join. And apparently that can take a while...
Oh and I also had a short course of physiotherapy to teach me some exercises to strengthen the cervical spine (?) but I'm not sure that did a great deal of good.Please let me know if your doctors come up with any better ideas!
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sauerkraut
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:57 pm
- Location: Germany
Hi ElspethElspeth wrote:
I know I have to stick the key into the hole. I can see the hole fine, so I stick the key in until it doesn't seem to want to go any further. Then I just pull it out.
Am I supposed to twist it in a direction or something while its in the hole? I do get a slightly funny sensation when I stick the key in, but I honestly don't know if I'm doing it correctly.
Like CrazyB I didn't turn my own expander but I do know with mine the key sort of hooked in so that it couldn't fall out when you pulled it forward to expand. Just to complicate things, my key pulled forward towards the teeth but I think most people's push back towards the throat.
Whichever direction it is, the key has to move whilst hooked in, and as you pull (or push) the next hole appears.
If the hole you stuck the key in is still in exactly the same place when you take the key back out again, then you haven't expanded properly.
I hope that hasn't confused you even more!
sauerkraut
That's exactly the same symptoms I have ... I'm sorry to hear they haven't cleared up.
Did your ENT doctor consider if it might be BPPV: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benign_par ... al_vertigo? Or Labyrinthitis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labyrinthitis?
I'm kind of hoping it might be this, as the "benign" bit sounds not too scary, and also apparently it can be treated. Still it's rather worrying.
Many thanks.
That's exactly the same symptoms I have ... I'm sorry to hear they haven't cleared up.
Did your ENT doctor consider if it might be BPPV: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benign_par ... al_vertigo? Or Labyrinthitis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labyrinthitis?
I'm kind of hoping it might be this, as the "benign" bit sounds not too scary, and also apparently it can be treated. Still it's rather worrying.
Many thanks.
I know this is weird, but did anyone else's nose hurt during/after expansion? I just completed what I hope to be the last of the expansion on Saturday, and I've noticed that my nostrils and the middle of my nose are kind of sore.
This whole SARPE thing is really just so strange.
This whole SARPE thing is really just so strange.
Lower braces: 7/1/08
Expander installed: 7/8/08
SARPE: 7/15/08
First adjustment for lowers: 8/5/08
Expander tied: 8/11/08
Upper braces: 8/28/08
Lefort I & BSSO: 1/8/13
Expander installed: 7/8/08
SARPE: 7/15/08
First adjustment for lowers: 8/5/08
Expander tied: 8/11/08
Upper braces: 8/28/08
Lefort I & BSSO: 1/8/13
lueyfufu,
This was my experience as well--actually it felt like BEHIND my nose there was pressure.
It makes sense, since it's all attached.
Just remember, this is not a natural thing that you are going through, and so strange physical sensations do come from time to time.
Be well, and at peace,
Phil
This was my experience as well--actually it felt like BEHIND my nose there was pressure.
It makes sense, since it's all attached.
Just remember, this is not a natural thing that you are going through, and so strange physical sensations do come from time to time.
Be well, and at peace,
Phil
There are no ordinary moments.
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Check out my blog! http://pcadams.wordpress.com/
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sauerkraut
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:57 pm
- Location: Germany
nesbobnesnob wrote:sauerkraut
Did your ENT doctor consider if it might be BPPV
He didn't tell me the names of all the things he was testing for, I'm afraid. But I was in his practice for over 3 hours being tilted around on tables, having hot & cold water squirted in my ears, and goodness knows what else so I imagine they checked out just about everything! He told me in the end that they'd found nothing wrong with any part of the ears or balance mechanism. Which I suppose is a good thing
I forgot to say my dizziness started immediately after the operation, though, so it might not be quite the same as you're suffering from. The doctors also seemed to find it significant that my dizziness is more an up/down rocking motion rather than a spinning round and round sensation (I think for it to be vertigo it has to be the spinning kind of dizziness).
It's annoying, but I suppose I'm learning to live with it and I think it is very gradually and very slowly getting better by itself, which speaks for the nerves growing back together idea. I just hope it's gone by the time of my next operation!
I hope you find some answers soon. Have your docs got any tests lined up for you, or have you got to wait and see for a while?
Hi sauerkraut,
I haven't had any tests yet, as I'd been hoping it might clear up by itself.
But I'm due to see my OS again next Wednesday, and if it hasn't cleared up by then I'll try and get something done: either get him to recommend someone or go to my family practitioner.
The tests you describe do sound like the ones I was reading about, and I'm glad to hear yours might be getting slowly better.
I hate to say it, but I'm really not sure this SARPE business was such a good idea. I think in retrospect it was a very reckless thing for me to have agreed to: one's overall health is too important to go screwing around with lightly!
I haven't had any tests yet, as I'd been hoping it might clear up by itself.
But I'm due to see my OS again next Wednesday, and if it hasn't cleared up by then I'll try and get something done: either get him to recommend someone or go to my family practitioner.
The tests you describe do sound like the ones I was reading about, and I'm glad to hear yours might be getting slowly better.
I hate to say it, but I'm really not sure this SARPE business was such a good idea. I think in retrospect it was a very reckless thing for me to have agreed to: one's overall health is too important to go screwing around with lightly!