SARPE Surgery

[Soph26]

My op was much shorter, the surgeon said it took about an hour to implant the bar, do the Lefort I (the horizontal fracture that you get all the stitches from along your top gum line) and the palatal split. It was done under general anaesthetic and, like John, I had an appointment with the anaesthesiologist a couple of weeks before the op (she took some blood and went through a form with me). I think the operation takes longer if you have your wisdom teeth extracted at the same time but mine were taken out under local in two batches a few months ago.

They let me go as soon as I felt up to it which was a few hours after surgery. Before I went they gave me an injection (something for clotting (don't know if it was to stop it or to encourage it!) and that was it, I was allowed to go.

I've revised my optimistic back to work time of 2 weeks this week though. It's OK for me because I can work from home and can get by without speaking on the phone to people but I get tired quite quickly. Maybe 3-4 weeks is more realistic.

Good luck Anastasia! Let us know how you get on. A tip I picked up from someone on this thread was drink a lot of water, it really helps with the healing (and the hunger too!).

[Anastasia8]

Just a quick one to say I survived! Had it done on Wednesday and flew back to the UK on Thursday which was absolutely knackering but I was glad to be home.

I'm drinking gallons of water (thanks for the tip Soph) in the hope that it gets rid of this swelling - at the moment I resemble a butternut squash, not a good look!

No pain yet but start expanding on Wednesday so we'll see what joys that brings, I only need an extra 5mm so hopefully the experience won't be too torturous! Any tips on expanding will be gratefully received!

[johnluxir]

The best tip I can give on expanding is to get someone else to do it for you. It worked best for me when lying flat on a bed.

Assuming you have the same device as I had make sure to flip the wrench 180 degrees after every small turn (otherwise it's tricky to reattach for the next small turn). 3 small turns should get you to the next colour.

Good Luck

[kitkatx]

Hello all!

I'm getting SARPE Surgery done this Wednesday (July 25th, that snuck up on me!) and was wondering if anyone had any tips about what to have on hand after the surgery? Also, I requested two weeks off from work (I'm a waitress which involves a lot of running around, talking and smiling ), do you think in two weeks I'll feel up to working? I know everyone's experiences are different, just wondering what other people will say.

Thanks!

[Soph26]

Anastasia, congrats and Kitkat, best of luck for tomorrow!

Tips for turning—completely agree with getting someone to do it for you, although I've done it myself a couple of times with no huge problems (I just have to psych myself up first). When I started doing it properly I could really feel the pressure on the spanner when I turned the bar and definitely felt the pressure in my head! Before then the bar felt loose and it felt like it could turn back on its own (basically I think the bar wasn't turned tight in surgery so I was winding it on the first few days without it actually expanding). Every time I do the turn I tense in preparation for pain but it never hurts, it's just uncomfortable.

Post-surgery list of things I had on hand:
- baby teaspoon
- Petit Filous!
- proper ice pack
- cotton buds (for cleaning around the bar in a couple of days, not immediately, too sensitive)
- baby toothbrush (for use from day 2)
- paracetemol (the hospital gave my tramadol for night time and strong ibuprofen but I needed paracetemol to take with the ibuprofen during the day)
- lots of pillows/soup/smoothie ingredients!
- I ordered some Monavie Active Gel too, high in antioxidants.

Two weeks is a bit optimistic but really you should be fine as long as you've kept your calories up! I fainted a week after surgery because I wasn't getting enough food in me.

Good luck!

[johnluxir]

Hi,

I think if you really want/have to work then you could manage after two weeks. As Sophie says it would probably be the energy levels that would be the biggest obstacle rather than the talking and smiling.

Good luck!

[kitkatx]

Thank you all for the advice. My surgery went well and ive just been chilling and drinking smoothies. I have heard that the second and third days are where things get worse before I get better but I'm still hopeful. Thank you all again

[Soph26]

Congrats kitkat! Glad to hear it all went well.

I thought I'd post a gap update... I stopped turning 5 days ago and I already think I can see the gap closing slightly (no-one else would notice, just me!). It measures 7mm so nowhere near as big as some, but still very noticeable. I might be kind of perverse but I actually don't mind it at all. I've even stopped wearing the dental wax in the gap at work (I don't want to block the teeth moving back in!).

I was worried about my face changing shape before the surgery, especially hearing some people say their nose got broader! But I'm happy to say that the (extremely subtle) change has been all good. Nose is the same. It even looks like I have slightly more pronounced cheekbones which is a bonus. I don't think there is any residual swelling left even, although some people say it can take months to fully go down.

Good times!

[SARPEY]

Hi fellow sarpeys. I had SARPE on monday. last night i began to vomit blood and have stomach cramps. Im extremely swollen and feel so sick. Anyone else experience this?x

[Anastasia8]

Hi fellow sarpeys. I had SARPE on monday. last night i began to vomit blood and have stomach cramps. Im extremely swollen and feel so sick. Anyone else experience this?x

Sometimes swallowing blood during the op can irritate the stomach and cause vomiting, try not to worry too much. Get lots of rest and drinks loads of water and you'll start to feel a bit brighter soon, I promise

[Soph26]

Hi fellow sarpeys. I had SARPE on monday. last night i began to vomit blood and have stomach cramps. Im extremely swollen and feel so sick. Anyone else experience this?x

You poor thing! Peppermint tea worked for me when I was feeling nauseous. It's horrible on top of everything else! I hope the swelling has gone down a bit by now and you're feeling better.

[petem8nz]

You all seem to have expanders put in during surgery.. I think we are backwards in NZ I have my expander in now... a week an a half before my surgery as to get used to it.

[Soph26]

I think there are a few different types, the less common one being the bone-borne (this what I have) which they implant during surgery and screw it into your palate on either side. Ouch. From what I can tell reading people's experiences it's way more common to have the one that brackets around your back teeth which you can have put in before because it doesn't require anaesthetic.

I had to have mine implanted because I'm having Invisalign and I wouldn't have been able to get the retainers on otherwise!

Good luck for the surgery!

[Anastasia8]

How's your gap doing Soph? Mine seems to be closing rapidly, about 1mm a week - think I'm going to miss it in a funny kind of way.

[Soph26]

Completely gone, and I totally miss it too! I couldn't believe the rapid healing power of the body—it closed as quickly as it opened. I think I was at maximum 7mm for maybe a 1.5 weeks and then it just disappeared over the course of 3 weeks. I have a tiny triangle of space at the top (the bottoms moved together first) but it's not noticeable. There was a hope that my slightly angled right front tooth would straighten and sit perfectly next to the other one when it had more space. No such luck, it's crossed over at an angle just like before the surgery!

How's your bite?