SARPE Surgery

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#46 Post by **katemm06** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 5:27 am

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all of your responses. I'm doing well since surgery. I'm able to open my mouth a lot wider and I'm starting to brush my teeth now. My upper lip is still pretty numb, but I'm guessing that will last for quite a while. I have really become meticulous about cleaning my mouth. After every meal I brush my teeth and rinse with the salt water. My mouth looks a lot better since the blood went away!! My oral surgeon told me to brush over my extractions, but I haven't had the nerve to do that yet.

I went to the oral surgeon's office on Friday and he turned the key one time for me. He tried to show my mom how to do it but he made her so nervous that she could not do it correctly! He wants to see me back on Monday for the next turning. I'm sure that I can figure it out myself if my mom can't do it.

The only thing that kind of disappointed me was that he said that my face will swell and bruise a lot by Monday, as I will no longer have the steriods in my system. I was hoping that this would be reduced. How much did your face swell get after going off the steriods DM or Joplin? Did it bruise at all?

Is there any type of medicine that anyone took before turning the key each time, like Motrin or Advil??

Mic~I wish you the best with your surgery next week!! You will do fine. It has definently been an adjustment for me since the last time I had surgery I was only 15 months old! Taking the painkillers definently helped me to stay calm after surgery, especially since I had never experienced the feelings of numbness or swolleness before.

#47 Post by **decisionmade** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 2:58 pm

Hi katem,..Happy recovery!!and good luck to you Mic!!..My mom too freaked out about truning my expander the first night in fact we had to make a special trip to see her dentist since i was 1 1/2 hrs away from my ortho during my recovery but he gave her an additional lesson in doing it and it all worked out.
I didn't have numbness in my lip but in my gums which I've heard could take a really long time to come back..I don't notice it too much though except when I brush it feels weird. I had almost no bruising just a small bit under my upper lip but I swelled a lot..I don't know anything about "steroids"..and was only under lots of strong local for the surgery, antibiotics, percoset and eventually alleve... maybe you had more since you had wisdom extractions at the same time...As for the swelling I followed my drs directions and used ice for the first few days and warm damp cloths after the swelling began to decrease..i found both very comforting and assume it helped all the swelling as well which i am happy to say is finally gone...a little bit lingered for a long time..

An hour before each "turn" I took alleve and I was never in much dicomfort during the expansions..just some pressure which quickly went away a few minutes after a turn....
I know just what you mean about the painkillers calming you..I also had never had any kind of surgery ..so it was nice to snooze through the first few days...Rest up Katem and and treat yourself to lots of ice cream, shakes,and smoothies
My teeth still feel like they are moving all over my mouth.I can't wait to be braced:)

#48 Post by **katemm06** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 10:03 am

Hey DM,

That's great that your gap is starting to close. It might seem that it's going slowly, but I can definently see the difference in the gap size between your photos. Congrats!

When do you get braced?

Starting tomorrow my key will be turned once again by my oral surgeon. That's a good idea about going to the dentist for a lesson if need be. I'm kind of nervous about this week, as each day my expander will have to be turned. I just do not want to be in a lot of pain. Hopefully if I take motrin or aleve before turning, I will be fine. I've stopped taking the pain meds and I'm now only taking motrin when I feel discomfort in my teeth.

Talk to you soon.

#49 Post by **decisionmade** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 6:35 pm

Hey Katem, Aren't you proud of yourself? I know that when I started to come around and was off pain meds it would just suddenly strike me how happy iiwas even with a swollen face...I hope you feel that way too

....
not to say I didn't have some down days too but the good out numbered the bad in terms of my outlook...

I have to wait til 9-28 to be braced and that really is the hardest part...the waiting...I have a lower extraction on 9/15 that I am actually looking forward to..now that is a weird thing to say!!...I am actually so excited to have braces and think I will be more attractive with them than I have been without them....and believe me I have not always felt this way but I now feel great satisfaction in getting this all underway..a dream come true after 34 years!!!!

I hope you are taking pictures of your transformation and that when you feel comfortable , you wil post them here...it took me a while but watching my own progress as well a the progress of others is very motivating and inspiring...

keep taking care of yourself and enjoy your new wider smile:)

#50 Post by **katemm06** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 7:19 am

Hi DM,

I just got back from the oral surgeon's office and things went great! He held a magnified mirror up to my face and had me turn the key. I was able to do it without a problem! It was not painful either probaly because I took Motrin several hours before. I will be turning it once a day for the remainder of the week and then I will go back to him on Friday for a checkup.

Unlike you, I will not be getting braces on the top of my mouth until 4 or 5 months from now, so I have a while to go.

It really is amazing though how each day after surgery I start to heal more and more. I'm so glad I got this done!

This may sound silly, but can you smile? My mouth is still so stiff that it is difficult to smile, but I keep trying to!!

I don't have a digital camera, but I might consider investing in one to track my progress.

Talk to you soon.

#51 Post by **decisionmade** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 7:47 am

Thats great news!! I knew yo wouldn't regret it!
I know what you mean about smiling..it comes back slowly and then suddenly you realize you have a big one and can see so many more teeth!..and I was amazed at how fast the incisions heal up..The yucky part of that is when the strings start to dissolve and you feel them hanging in your mouth..yuck

Are you braced on the bottom yet?
I saw a friend who hadn't seen me in a week and she said that definately the space is filling in..no question about it..that was good to hear from someone else....I rolled my eyes every time I read a post about those six months with the expander flying by..but ya know I'm already 5 1/2 weeks in and time just keeps going by and there are times now i forget I have it and then go oh my gosh I can't believe I forgot about it even temporarily!! I'm barely worried about how I look any more and actually think I may venture out socially this weekend..I figure I should drink as much red wine as possible beore my ceramic braces go on with those stainable ligs!! Have a great day!

#52 Post by **katemm06** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 7:58 am

DM,

You deserve to have a fun time out this weekend. Enjoy yourself! It made me feel so good this morning to go to the local convenience store for a cup of cappucino. It might seem like a small thing but it made me feel like a normal person to venture out into public.

I head back to school next week, so I will definently be back in the public eye and on my own. I think for the first few days though I might choose to sit in the back of the class!!

You are going to have a busy September getting the extraction out and being braced, but your on your way to the other side!

My oral surgeon told me today that my extractions from my wisdom teeth have healed, which is quite amazing. I already have bottom braces on my teeth, and in my opinion, braces are the easiest part of the whole experience. After a week, you will not even notice them in your mouth. It's amazing how straight my bottom teeth are already after only a few months of having them on.

#53 Post by **RachelP** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 4:21 pm

Well - I just got the first official denial from my insurance company today. So, I guess I am beginning the appeals process - which stinks. Otherwise I will be funding it myself which I hear can cost upwards of $11,000! (once you pay the Oral Surgeon and the hospital fees) Thank god for Uncle Sam and Student Loans! Oh well.

It is good to hear you are doing well Katemm...it gives me hope because with this insurance nightmare I was beginning to wonder it is really all worth it. Part of me wonders if this is a sign that I should just not have straight teeth! I don't know. It is all very frustrating - so I hope I am as happy with the results as you all seem to be.

Rachel

#54 Post by **decisionmade** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 4:34 pm

Hi Rachel..I am sorry you are so frusturated...and I am sorry I didn't get back to you about my costs...to be honest I don't remeber the exact cost for me..(no insurance coverage by the way) I haven't wanted to think about it

but I can tell you it was well under $11,000...but of course there are so many factors involved so it would make sense we may have big differences in cost....

but for me, as you may be able to tell through all my posts, this is one of the best thing I've ever done for myself and I am so thrilled that this whole process is underway. I've not hheard of anyone who has regretted having it done... so I hope everything works out for you ..Best wishes!!-D.M

#55 Post by **katemm06** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 7:07 pm

Hey Rachel, Sorry to hear about your insurance denial. Keep on fighting! I really would not pay out of pocket for the surgery unless it is the only option left to you, especially since your a student like me, probaly with lots of loans and expenses. What does your oral surgeon say about the denial? He might need to word the appeals letter in a different manner. Good luck!

I am only 7 days post op but I am glad I had the surgery done. My teeth have looked terrible for years. I've always been embarrassed when photographs are taken of me. So far, the recovery has been going pretty smoothly. I was happy today because I ate my first soft food~mashed potatoes! I lost about 7 or 8 pounds, but thankfully, I've kept my calories high, especially with lots of ice cream and milk!

I'm still working on turning the key, though. I turned it halfway today, and then I couldn't get it all the way. I had an orthodontist appointment today and he was able to fix it for me. Hopefully the magnified mirror I purchased today will help me see the hole better. It didn't exactly boost my confidence today when my orthodontist told me to my face that I probaly wouldn't be able to turn it by myself. Now that gives me even more motivation to do it!

Take care.

#56 Post by **mic26** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 7:08 pm

Well,
I had the SARPE surgery today. The doc told me he did what's called a Laforte I. When I first got home I was in so much pain I thought I wanted to die. My face is so extremely swollen, I look like one of the Planet of the Apes characters. I couldn't get my nose to stop bleeding and I kept crying.
I took some pain pills and have kept ice on my face all day, and I feel better now. Still extremely swollen and living off liquids. My nose has stopped bleeding (hopefully for a little while). I'm starting to bruise on my face now too.
I had the surgery done at 7:30-9:00 am Mountain time and it's now been almost 12 hours post op.
Does anyone have any useful hints for yummy shakes to drink? Or any other advice would be appreciated. I'm just so glad I'm not the only one who's experienced this.

Thanks you guys! I'm going to bed now, and will try to check back in the morning.
~mic26

#57 Post by **RachelP** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 7:40 pm

Katemm - thanks for the reply! I think you will be able to turn it. I was able to do it by myself - but that was without surgery so I'm sure it is harder after surgery...I guess I'll find out. But I have faith - you seem determined enough to make it happen - just don't get down if you can't at first...you are recovering from major surgery after all!!

I am really starting to worry about the surgery and the cost and the value of doing it. My problem is probably alittle different than most - in the front of my mouth I have one slightly overlapped tooth, but otherwise I look fine. In fact I usually get compliments on my smile. All my crowding is around my molars where you can't see it, which makes it odd to chew apparently - but I don't notice so much because it has always been that way. My big concern is that mine has been causing me to have headaches and stuff, and my ortho says that will only get worse. It is just a big question of what I will regret more in the next 5-10 years: more headaches or more debt! Ahh...decisions decisions...where's my crystal ball?!?

Mic - good luck on your recovery. Keep us posted! Hopefully my insurance appeal will be approved and I won't have to worry about the debt part, and then I will be right there with you recovering from surgery -only not for a couple months! If you look through some of the old postings another member talks about yummy high calorie shakes...I think it is either on page 2 or 3 of the posts. I don't know any yet b/c I haven't gotten to that part, but I remember reading it before. Good luck!!!

#58 Post by **katemm06** » Tue Aug 23, 2005 7:45 pm

Hi Mic,

I totally understand how your feeling. I had my surgery exactly 7 days ago. Keep putting ice on your face and resting. At one point I even slept with the ice around my face. Try to stay calm because things will improve each day for you and make sure to take all your medicines regularly (antibiotics, steroids, pain meds, etc). It was upsetting for me to feel the swolleness in my face and the numbess in my mouth, but it does start to get better.

My nosebleed lasted the entire day of surgery, however, it is important to continue to elevate your head over the next several days so that the blood in your nose clots. It was really disgusting for me. I still am having trouble breathing out of my nose. I also continue to bring up blood from my throat, but I'm hoping that stops soon.

As far as diet, I recommend smoothies and milkshakes. A lot of times I would add chocolate carnation instant breakfast to my milkshakes for extra protein. I also put a lot of milk in my smoothies, tofu, and fortified milk. Other ingredients I put in to my drinks were eggs, pineapple juice, and peaches. Each day I also make sure that I drink at least one chocolate boost. The diet is so important! Make sure to eat as much as possible!

Hang in there!

#59 Post by **decisionmade** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 4:15 am

Hi Katem, Mic,and Rachel!..so great there are four + of us regulars here to advise and motivate..you just can't get enough of that when you are going through all of this...nice determination Katem with the expander key...My ortho said if I wanted to I could go in and see them every day for the turning but luckily my mom figured it out..Is your doc nearby your school? is that even an option?..And mic I would just echo evrything you heard from Katem especialy about keeping your head elevated..I slept with a whole bunch of pillows keeping my torso and head upright for the first couple of weeks...and as for shakes..I made my own smoothies with frozen strawberries or other fruit, yogurt, oj and Trader joe's soy protein powder...I also like Kashi high fiber energy shake mixes and Spiru-tein made by "nature's plus" which is a high protein energy meal..The packets are all sold seperately so you can pick lots of different flavors..I continue to have a smoothie a day but I can eat almost anything now that the insisions are all healed and i can open my mouth normally...except for crunchy/hard things and the usual suff you avoid with braces..now, for me its just a matter of sensativity in my teeth and how much effort I want to put into cleaning out my expander when I am done eating

.Mashed potatoes, cream of wheat, pudding, applesauce,and of course ice cream were my particular favorite during recovery...oh and I too have lost 8 lbs....but could afford to..my doc had me gain weight prior to surgery..
Rachel, My two front teeth were ovrlapping too along with lots of crowding...Its a big decision and sounds like you are getting all the info you need to weigh the pros and cons along with the insurance issues..I am sure you will make the best decision for you.
I hope you recover easily mic, You may find everyday is better than the one before.

#60 Post by **rda_79** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 6:40 am

you guys make this all seem like it is going ot be ok, its giving me alot of encouragement!!!
I just want to get the ball rolling, i have been in braces for a year now and im ready to go to the next step!
so i tried to read through posts to answer some questions but they werent answered yet!!!
do you have your surgery in a hospital or at the oral surgeon surgical sute in office??
General anestheitc or IV sedation??
does it change teh look of your facial structures at all??
thanks for all your help!

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SARPE Surgery

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