Does speech w/ the RPE applilance get better w/expansion?

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#1 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 4:27 pm

Just got my RPE yesterday. Still having a rough time with it. I have a job where I have to talk A LOT! and it is killing me. I'm going in for my SARPE on Friday and was wondering if eating, and talking might improve a bit once expansion starts to happen.

Can those of you who have had one of these torture devices tell me does it get easier? I'm salivating like crazy, and my tongue is really sore from having to talk. It is very hard to understand me, and I feel like I"m having to "slurp" every 30 seconds to get rid of the excess spit. (Sorry if this is too much info but I'm just a bit stressed with this thing at the moment) I know I will survive with it, but a little bit of moral support would be greatly appreciated at this point

Brandy

#2 Post by **rsprouse** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 7:51 pm

Hi Brandy,

Not likely, if anything you will develop a lisp with your "Uncle Cleatus" diastema. You will adapt your speech and and it will improve slightly, but will probably not get back to normal. Others may not notice your speech, but you will. If it makes you feel better I am a couple months behind so you have somebody to suffer with. Best of luck in the surgery.

Regards,
Rory

#3 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 10:38 pm

Oh Rory...that was so NOT what I wanted to hear!

My tongue is so sore, I honestly can't wait for my SARPE so I can be off of work for 3 weeks and allow things to heal. I don't want to have to talk all day (which I might add is highly unusual for me.) I had completely forgot about the gap also!

DM, Mia, Kate, what has been your experience with this???

Brandy

Wed Mar 01, 2006 11:14 pm

Oh Brandy, I'm sorry you are going through such misery. I can't say I know how you feel because I don't, but it sounds horrible.

Good luck on Friday, and hang in there !

#5 Post by **rsprouse** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 6:08 am

Hey Brandy,

Let me be a little more clear, I think I scared you and I am sorry for that. Things will get easier and you will adapt to the appliance. It will get more comfortable, you'll stop drooling all over yourself, your tongue will stop hurting (don't forget your warm salt water rinse!!) and will be able to carry on a normal life. You will want to stay away from some foods because of the appliance but it is not going to be a miserable existence while you have it. On the other hand you will probably have a tough time talking for a while as you adapt. But the human body is very resilient and you will make it. Maybe we can have an RPE Destruction party together in a few months. Hang in there, every day gets easier.

All the best,
Rory

#6 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 9:14 am

Thanks.....now I feel better! Pheeww...I was getting a little bit stressed about all of this. Things seem a little better today, although my tongue is still very sore. I have been using wax, but OMG it is so bloody hard to get off this appliance once it is in place. My mouth feels like it isn't producing so much saliva which is good, but I wish I just didn't have to talk, as my touching this thing with my tongue is very uncomfortable right now.

Tomorrow is my SARPE at 10:30 am,

thanks for the well wishes, and keep your fingers crossed that all goes well. I want zero complications!

LOL!

Thanks again for the support Rory!, oh and that burn the appliance party sounds awesome at this point!

Brandy

#7 Post by **summergirl** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 2:18 pm

hi Brandy ,it does get better .You will always Hate it but as days go by it gets a little easier.I have had mine in for months and still I hate it some days are worst than others.I hate the fact that it is soooooo hard to talk with this stupid thing in our mouths.But just think about the day it comes off , every day you have it is 1 less day you need it.That is how I am dealing with it.WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS !!!!!!!!!!!
Summergirl

#8 Post by **Slawdawg** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 2:31 pm

Brandy, Brandy, Brandy...so sorry you are not doing so well. I had my little mouth-toy installed yesterday and the tongue-rub is about the only thing that is not bugging me. As I put in my journal, my ortho explained that when your mouth figures out the appliance is not food, the saliva should stop flowing. My biggest problems include the roof of my mouth being dried out and not being able to swallow without effort. Both of these caused a somewhat sleepless night last night. I pray your ssurgery goes well tomorrow and will be praying for you, dear. I have finally gotten my procedure scheduled for April 5th. Hopefully, I can get back to teaching the Monday following, but I would certainly rather take the three weeks as you are doing. I'm going to need the sick days, though, when the second surgery comes for me a little later. Best wishes! I look forward to hearing from you post-SARPE.

#9 Post by **Brandyleigh35** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 3:43 pm

Hey Slawdawg,
Trust me when I say I feel your pain! LOL.. ok, here is the latest, as of today I think my mouth is finally figuring out that this intrusion is not food. The water works have slowed down and I'm not feeling so totally miserable with this thing. Now with that being said, my tongue is very sore and I'm having to keep wax on my appliance so it doesn't continue to get irritated. Talking is still a challenge and I'm afraid it might be this way the whole time I have to wear it, I could probably suffer with this aspect of it as I pretty much work with kids, and they don't care what I sound like.

The eating thing is excrutiating. It is so much work and so hard and frustrating to get the food out of all nooks and crannies! Even putting wax on the appliance makes me crazy as its just so hard to get it all off and out of everywhere. Bascially I had another smoothie, and a little bit of scrambled eggs today. PRetty much that is it. I wait until I'm starving and then eat something semi easy to chew usually swallowing most of it whole. As soon as it hits my stomach I'm done......no patience for the eating drama, it is just too exasperating. I'm eating to survive, but nothing more. Perhaps that will change but at this point I just don't have it in me to work at it so hard. In my opinion no food is worth that much work

I'm glad that you are not struggling so much with eating though, and even though I have no idea what a Varsity chili dog is, it sounds really really good right now!

I will keep you all posted after the SARPE tomorrow and will be posting pics post surgery to my blog.

SummerGirl, Thanks for the support, I know it will all be worth it and hey I might even lose a few pounds during the process so I guess its not so bad!

It is nice to know I'm not the only one going through this though! Thanks go both of you for the moral support....we can all be partners in pain! LOL...

Brandy