November Buddies
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On Friday the 22nd I had my appointment where they take measurements, molds and pictures.....What fun that was!! However, some good news coming out of that appointment was that I may not have to be wired shut for 10-12 weeks!! The Surgical Residents taking the molds and such told me that once they have me on the table and opened up, they may be able to use bands instead of wire, in which case I will only be banded for up till 6 weeks. Man I hope that is the case!
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sauerkraut
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:57 pm
- Location: Germany
Aw, let's hope that prediction works out, beowulf . Six weeks banded shut sounds bad enough, but a whole lot better than 12 weeks wired! Have they told you why it needs to be for so long -- are they not using plates and screws for fixation, or something?
And yes, the measurements appointment is fun, isn't it. I had new impressions (= molds) done the other day and that turned out to be an interesting experience. The top tray got stuck. And I mean, really stuck. Somehow every time the tech tried to pull it out it got hooked up on my front tooth. She must have been battling with it for a good five minutes and in the end she had to gouge all the material out with a probe thing before the tray would come out of my mouth.
Not the most pleasant experience of my life. And of course as the mold was ruined we had to do the whole thing again right afterwards, though it worked fine that time, thank goodness. The tech said she'd never had anything like that happen in all the (many) years she's been doing the job, and we can neither of us figure out exactly what went wrong.
Oh well, I'm hoping that's my bad experience over with so that surgery itself can go really smoothly! The date is looming so fast I hardly dare look at my ticker any more!
. Six weeks banded shut sounds bad enough, but a whole lot better than 12 weeks wired! Have they told you why it needs to be for so long -- are they not using plates and screws for fixation, or something?And yes, the measurements appointment is fun, isn't it. I had new impressions (= molds) done the other day and that turned out to be an interesting experience. The top tray got stuck. And I mean, really stuck. Somehow every time the tech tried to pull it out it got hooked up on my front tooth. She must have been battling with it for a good five minutes and in the end she had to gouge all the material out with a probe thing before the tray would come out of my mouth.
Not the most pleasant experience of my life. And of course as the mold was ruined we had to do the whole thing again right afterwards, though it worked fine that time, thank goodness. The tech said she'd never had anything like that happen in all the (many) years she's been doing the job, and we can neither of us figure out exactly what went wrong.
Oh well, I'm hoping that's my bad experience over with so that surgery itself can go really smoothly! The date is looming so fast I hardly dare look at my ticker any more!
SARPE: Sept 2007
Braced: May 2008
BSSO: Nov 2010
Debraced: March 2011
Braced: May 2008
BSSO: Nov 2010
Debraced: March 2011
Yeah it was great to hear that I might not get the wires, but I'm not banking on it. Might as well plan for the worse and anything that happens that is better is just gravy!!
I was a little surprised too when the surgeon told me about being wired for 10-12 weeks. I told the surgeon that I had been doing research on the web and that it seemed that most jaw surgeries are done with Rigid Fixation now which doesn't usually require wiring shut. My surgeon told me that he still wires his patients because in his 20 + years he's seen too many patients relapse or suffer other complications with just rigid fixation. He went on to further say that he can pretty much guarentee a 93%-95% success rate without relapse for sleep apnea sufferers (that's why I'm having this surgery) if he wires one shut.
I was a little surprised too when the surgeon told me about being wired for 10-12 weeks. I told the surgeon that I had been doing research on the web and that it seemed that most jaw surgeries are done with Rigid Fixation now which doesn't usually require wiring shut. My surgeon told me that he still wires his patients because in his 20 + years he's seen too many patients relapse or suffer other complications with just rigid fixation. He went on to further say that he can pretty much guarentee a 93%-95% success rate without relapse for sleep apnea sufferers (that's why I'm having this surgery) if he wires one shut.
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sauerkraut
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:57 pm
- Location: Germany
beowulf: great that your surgeon sounds so experienced and confident. You can hang on to that during the liquid diet weeks and know it will all be worth it in the end! My husband has sleep apnea so I have some idea what a pain that is. He's had one minor op already for it but I don't think he's a candidate for jaw surgery. They haven't quite got to the bottom of it yet.
Sokk, welcome to the November crew. I had a quick look at your other thread. Your jaw will be moving back while mine is moving forward! I've been waiting quite a while, too. Three years since my last op, and something like four years since this whole saga started. It's good to see light at the end of the tunnel at last. But I can tell how nervous I'm getting by the ever-increasing amount of chocolate I'm consuming
Sokk, welcome to the November crew. I had a quick look at your other thread. Your jaw will be moving back while mine is moving forward! I've been waiting quite a while, too. Three years since my last op, and something like four years since this whole saga started. It's good to see light at the end of the tunnel at last. But I can tell how nervous I'm getting by the ever-increasing amount of chocolate I'm consuming
SARPE: Sept 2007
Braced: May 2008
BSSO: Nov 2010
Debraced: March 2011
Braced: May 2008
BSSO: Nov 2010
Debraced: March 2011
sauerkraut: It sounds like your husbands sleep apnea isn't as bad as mine....Hopefully it stays that way. I've tried all sorts of things before going the Jaw Surgery route. I have a CPAP machine, but I hate it and can not imagine using that for the rest of my life. I've had nose surgery twice to try to help with breathing, which did help somewhat while I'm awake, but didn't do anything while I'm asleep. I also had a partial glossectomy (burn/melt a groove in the back part of my tongue) in March but that failed too. It seems my mouth/jaws are just too small. So, I have no choice but to get my Jaws fixed. The last sleep study I had was showing increasing heart arrhythmias which could down the road end me (NOT GOOD).
Well I'm 2 weeks out from surgery and am getting a little freaked out. First it was the fact that I was going to be wired shut which was a little un-settling. Now, depending on how swollen I get, one of the Surgical Residents said that I might wake up in SICU with a breathing tube still in. What other stuff could happen???
Well I'm 2 weeks out from surgery and am getting a little freaked out. First it was the fact that I was going to be wired shut which was a little un-settling. Now, depending on how swollen I get, one of the Surgical Residents said that I might wake up in SICU with a breathing tube still in. What other stuff could happen???
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sauerkraut
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:57 pm
- Location: Germany
No, my husband's not that bad, thank goodness. Can it progress & get worse then? A woman on the ward next to me when had I had my last operation had a CPAP machine and it drove me mad, so I can't imagine what it must be like to need that every night. Hope this surgery gets you sorted finally. And I suppose in a way it's good they're preparing you for the worst case scenario, though I'm sure that doesn't help the pre-op nerves!
SARPE: Sept 2007
Braced: May 2008
BSSO: Nov 2010
Debraced: March 2011
Braced: May 2008
BSSO: Nov 2010
Debraced: March 2011
I guess it's possible sleep apnea could get worse most likely due to gaining too much weight or some other type of new obstruction. But if the apnea is due to ones jaw being resessed and blocking the airway, than I doubt it. That scenario would require a resessed jaw to become even more resessed which I don't think can happen.....At least naturally anyway.
The noise the CPAP machine makes doesn't bother me or my wife, but the blasted mask with it's high air pressure makes me feel so claustrophobic. I some times wake up feeling like I'm dying and rip the mask off my face. I HATE IT!!
The noise the CPAP machine makes doesn't bother me or my wife, but the blasted mask with it's high air pressure makes me feel so claustrophobic. I some times wake up feeling like I'm dying and rip the mask off my face. I HATE IT!!
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sauerkraut
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:57 pm
- Location: Germany
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shanalouis
- Posts: 277
- Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 7:17 pm
...............
its normal...i'm scared too though.......... 
really nervous..........
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sauerkraut
- Posts: 573
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:57 pm
- Location: Germany
Sounds perfectly normal to me!
I honestly thought I'd have to wait until next year for my surgery and was quite resigned to that. Then when I was suddenly offered an early November date my initial thought was "Great! The worst will all be over with by Christmas." Now, with the date looming next week, I'm wondering what I was so pleased about!!
On the other hand if I'd waited until next year I'd have had the thought of surgery hanging over me all over the holiday season. So I spose 'tis better as it is. She sez, convincingly.
Sorry if the above makes no sense. I think mild hysteria is setting in
I honestly thought I'd have to wait until next year for my surgery and was quite resigned to that. Then when I was suddenly offered an early November date my initial thought was "Great! The worst will all be over with by Christmas." Now, with the date looming next week, I'm wondering what I was so pleased about!!
On the other hand if I'd waited until next year I'd have had the thought of surgery hanging over me all over the holiday season. So I spose 'tis better as it is. She sez, convincingly.
Sorry if the above makes no sense. I think mild hysteria is setting in
SARPE: Sept 2007
Braced: May 2008
BSSO: Nov 2010
Debraced: March 2011
Braced: May 2008
BSSO: Nov 2010
Debraced: March 2011
Yay finally there are some November buddies! 
I'm having my surgery on the 2nd at 8am, about 36 hours from now. I don't know the terms (can't read the Dr's hand writing) but I'm having the lower jaw brought forward, Genioplasty, and the upper jaw moved up and forward. He is also thinking of opening the airways in my nose as well. I have my final appointment with him tomorrow - so should have some idea on what the measurements will be. I had the braces fitted 2 years ago, so it's been a long process.
I'm having alll of the above done because I too also suffer from OSA. Basically my bottom jaw is set to far back, which causes my tongue to block my airway.
To make a long story short, I tried the CPAP machine for 6 months but it does not work on me. I had UPPP (the uvula removed) back in 2005 to help with the snorning. But in 2007 it was found (after a sleep study and seeing a respritory specialist) that it was Obstructive and my Uvula should never have been removed. Because of this I cannot create the seal that happens between the tongue and the uvula and the air escapes out of my mouth.
So I have everything crossed this surgery works for me because I don't know what else is left for me to do.
Which is a scary thought.
But it's great that I have some people to chat too as I'm starting to get extremely anxious now.
I'm having my surgery on the 2nd at 8am, about 36 hours from now. I don't know the terms (can't read the Dr's hand writing) but I'm having the lower jaw brought forward, Genioplasty, and the upper jaw moved up and forward. He is also thinking of opening the airways in my nose as well. I have my final appointment with him tomorrow - so should have some idea on what the measurements will be. I had the braces fitted 2 years ago, so it's been a long process.
I'm having alll of the above done because I too also suffer from OSA. Basically my bottom jaw is set to far back, which causes my tongue to block my airway.
To make a long story short, I tried the CPAP machine for 6 months but it does not work on me. I had UPPP (the uvula removed) back in 2005 to help with the snorning. But in 2007 it was found (after a sleep study and seeing a respritory specialist) that it was Obstructive and my Uvula should never have been removed. Because of this I cannot create the seal that happens between the tongue and the uvula and the air escapes out of my mouth.
So I have everything crossed this surgery works for me because I don't know what else is left for me to do.
Which is a scary thought.But it's great that I have some people to chat too as I'm starting to get extremely anxious now.
Dani73: Good luck on your surgery this Tuesday! It sounds like you are having almost the same type of surgery as me. The only difference being that my upper jaw isn't being move up just out to the same distance as my bottom being moved. Being that were having similar surgeries, did your surgeon happen to say how you're going to get air to your lungs effectively with your jaws being banded or wired (I would suspect you're getting wired?) and your nose congested and blocked up? Some people post on this board that they had tubes put in their nose to help them breathe. Others say they just had to tough through it and breathe as best as they could through their banded or wired mouth. The breathing part is what is freaking' me out the most about my upcoming surgery.
It also seems you had braces for quite a while. Do you also have a bite issue that needs to be corrected? My surgeon did not require I get braces unless I wanted them for cosmetic reasons, thus I am only going to wait 4 months before my surgery.
It also seems you had braces for quite a while. Do you also have a bite issue that needs to be corrected? My surgeon did not require I get braces unless I wanted them for cosmetic reasons, thus I am only going to wait 4 months before my surgery.