Hello everyone,
I'm guessing it's been a year since I last posted on this board, but I thought I might as well pop back since my surgery is fast approaching.
I was originally diagnosed with an ~10 mm overjet, which was causing excessive tooth wearj, as well as some jawclicking and locking. Recommended treatment was braces and lower jaw advancement surgery, fun fun. Fast forward to today, and my overjet has been reduced to 8mm thanks to braces. My teeth actually moved very quickly and I really was ready for surgery back in June. Unfortunately, due to a shortage of surgeons and hospital beds, I've had to be patient. But that is soon to end!
My surgery is now scheduled for Oct 17th, and it's going to be outpatient surgery (YAY!). I'm very excited about this, as I'd much rather be recovering at home than stuck in a hospital bed with a wacky neighbour. I'm also giddy about the fact that my surgeon has said that I can eat soft mushy food as soon as I feel up to, even if that is the next day -- so no mandated liquid diet!
So I'm just in waiting mode now, and doing my final prep. So far this has included:
- making a list of foods that I want to eat so my caregiver can spoil me
- ordered my office pack of zip n' squeeze bags, as well as their jaw bra
- bought a baby tooth brush and baby spoons
- have oodles of DVDs waiting to be watched
Do you have any other suggestions of things I should be doing to prepare?
Anyways, this has not exactly been the most entertaining post, but I'll keep everyone posted with my experiences as I go through them. I have a feeling that I'll have a lot of free time on my hands after the surgery!
It's been a year, and now time for surgery
Moderator: bbsadmin
-
hippyhippo
- Posts: 136
- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:14 pm
- Location: Canada
-
hippyhippo
- Posts: 136
- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:14 pm
- Location: Canada
Sleeping arrangements have already been made. I'm "imposing" myself on my parents, though I think my mother is really looking forward to babying me again. I'll basically be sleeping in a lazy boy for the first while, which happens to be situated ion what will be my own floor, in front of a 52" SPAM, with a wet bar right beside it. Tough life, eh? 
I think I'll need to have surgery more often! ha!
I've just had my last pre-op appointment, and my surgeon prescribed me some special mouthwash for helping me keep my mouth clean. He said this would help especially for that first week when I likely wouldn't be able to clean the inside of my teeth with a toothbrush.
In fact, my surgeon has actually loaded me up with prescriptions! Two for painkillers (motrin and tylenol 3's, though he said to not even fill the T3's unless I really need them), antibiotics, and the above mentioned mouthwash. On top of my regular meds and vitamins, I'll be popping pills like no tomorrow!
I think I'll need to have surgery more often! ha!I've just had my last pre-op appointment, and my surgeon prescribed me some special mouthwash for helping me keep my mouth clean. He said this would help especially for that first week when I likely wouldn't be able to clean the inside of my teeth with a toothbrush.
In fact, my surgeon has actually loaded me up with prescriptions! Two for painkillers (motrin and tylenol 3's, though he said to not even fill the T3's unless I really need them), antibiotics, and the above mentioned mouthwash. On top of my regular meds and vitamins, I'll be popping pills like no tomorrow!
-
hippyhippo
- Posts: 136
- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:14 pm
- Location: Canada
Replying to my own postj. There were a few things that I noticed after talking to my surgeon that seem to be different that many people's experiences. I just thought I'd share them here. Keep in mind that I'm just having lower jaw advancement surgery
* Out patient surgery in the surgeon's office (not in a hospital). I have to be at the office 45 mins before my surgery is scheduled, expect 1 hour for surgery, and then 2-3 hours of recovery afterwards. So all in all, I should be able to go home 4-5 hours after I arrive.
* No being wired shut, no splint in the mouth, just elastics holding my jaw in place. I can remove these elastics to eat and brush my teeth, though he really won't be showing me how to do this until my first post-op appointment (~4-5 days after surgery). I'll be wearing these elastics for approximately 5-6 weeks.
* While most of my surgery will be done intraorally, I will be having a small incision on each side of my neck so my surgeon has the best angle to put in the screws. These will be closed with a single stitch, and it shouldn't leave a scar
* I can eat food right after surgery if I want, using my own comfort as a guide as what I can and can't eat. So likely just mashed potatoes, fish, overcooked pasta, etc right off the bat. He doesn't recommend trying carrots for at least a few weeks though
Think that's about it for now in terms of "differences". I can't say I'm complaining about any of them, except I'm not 100% thrilled about having to put the screws in extra-orally. But hey, if it works best for my surgeon then I'm not going to argue. I've heard very good things about this surgeon from medical staff not in the oral surgery field (i.e. when I was getting my pre-op physical, my nurse saw my surgeon's name and she couldn't help but exclaim how great of a reputation he had) so I feel pretty confident about his skills.
More useless rambling from me!
* Out patient surgery in the surgeon's office (not in a hospital). I have to be at the office 45 mins before my surgery is scheduled, expect 1 hour for surgery, and then 2-3 hours of recovery afterwards. So all in all, I should be able to go home 4-5 hours after I arrive.
* No being wired shut, no splint in the mouth, just elastics holding my jaw in place. I can remove these elastics to eat and brush my teeth, though he really won't be showing me how to do this until my first post-op appointment (~4-5 days after surgery). I'll be wearing these elastics for approximately 5-6 weeks.
* While most of my surgery will be done intraorally, I will be having a small incision on each side of my neck so my surgeon has the best angle to put in the screws. These will be closed with a single stitch, and it shouldn't leave a scar
* I can eat food right after surgery if I want, using my own comfort as a guide as what I can and can't eat. So likely just mashed potatoes, fish, overcooked pasta, etc right off the bat. He doesn't recommend trying carrots for at least a few weeks though
Think that's about it for now in terms of "differences". I can't say I'm complaining about any of them, except I'm not 100% thrilled about having to put the screws in extra-orally. But hey, if it works best for my surgeon then I'm not going to argue. I've heard very good things about this surgeon from medical staff not in the oral surgery field (i.e. when I was getting my pre-op physical, my nurse saw my surgeon's name and she couldn't help but exclaim how great of a reputation he had) so I feel pretty confident about his skills.
More useless rambling from me!
hippyhippo,
That sounds great! Yours is much the same as my surgery and recuperation, too. I also had BSSO and left 2-3 hrs after surgery. I also did the mushy food diet and had bands I could remove (after a few days). Only difference is that I didn't have any cuts outside my mouth. My recovery was almost boring as I had no complications.
Best wishes and don't forget to take a little walk each day!
Lo
That sounds great! Yours is much the same as my surgery and recuperation, too. I also had BSSO and left 2-3 hrs after surgery. I also did the mushy food diet and had bands I could remove (after a few days). Only difference is that I didn't have any cuts outside my mouth. My recovery was almost boring as I had no complications.
Best wishes and don't forget to take a little walk each day!
Lo
-
hippyhippo
- Posts: 136
- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:14 pm
- Location: Canada
Just posting an update. One week to go, and I just got my surgical hooks put in place. They definitely aren't the most attractive, but they aren't as intrusive as I thought they would be (no need for wax so far!).
I'm really looking forward to surgery for two reasons right now. First, it means my treatment once again is moving forward! Yay! And secondly, surgery should help me stop my insane eating!! It started about a week ago, and I think it's just that knowing I won't be able to eat solid food has left me with stupidly huge food cravings. I can't seem to control myself at all, so now I've been binging for a week and my clothes are no longer fitting! Yikes! I must say, as someone who is normally very particular about what I eat, this last week has been both very stressful and depressing.
On the positive side, I initially was a bit concerned with the idea of losing any more than 8 lbs after this surgery b/c I'm not overly huge to begin with, but hey... maybe this large pre-surgery weight gain will mean that I will be back to a normal weight at the end of it all!
I'm really looking forward to surgery for two reasons right now. First, it means my treatment once again is moving forward! Yay! And secondly, surgery should help me stop my insane eating!! It started about a week ago, and I think it's just that knowing I won't be able to eat solid food has left me with stupidly huge food cravings. I can't seem to control myself at all, so now I've been binging for a week and my clothes are no longer fitting! Yikes! I must say, as someone who is normally very particular about what I eat, this last week has been both very stressful and depressing.
On the positive side, I initially was a bit concerned with the idea of losing any more than 8 lbs after this surgery b/c I'm not overly huge to begin with, but hey... maybe this large pre-surgery weight gain will mean that I will be back to a normal weight at the end of it all!