Lower Jaw Surgery July 21st

July 14, 2004

Hey,

I am very thankful for the information, but I have to admit all this

information has made me very nervous.

I had a 4 wheeler accident in Dec. 2001 and broke my upper jaw bad

with the helmet. I was wired shut in the trama unit for 9 weeks. I

got braces Nov. 2002. I had a Leforte I maxillary osteotomy, what I

call upper expansion surgery in Dec. 2002 and Jan. 2003 to install

the expansion device, that I turned with a key twice a day. Both

surgeries did not work because of the scar tissue, etc. from the

accident. The left side would not move out like the doctor wanted

it too. They are hoping that lower jaw surgery will fix my horrible

bite that I have been left with. I will have a Bilateral Sagittal

Split Osteotomy with rigid fixation on July 21st.

When I had my surgeries in Dec. and Jan. I had no problems. Dec

surgery was done in the hospital, I woke up in recovery room and was

ready to go home, but my doctor made me spend the night. The Jan.

surgery I talked my doctor into doing it in his office so I could go

straight home afterwards. I had surgery on Wed. and I was back at

work on Mon. So far the accident was the worst I have had to deal

with, as far as pain, but I don't remember a whole week after the

accident due to pain meds. Braces have been more of a pain to me

than the surgeries and the accident.

After reading all the posts, I am scared to death now. I am not

worried about swelling and not being able to eat, I have been

through that before. I get the impression that this surgery might

kick my butt. I am trying to get an idea of how I am going to deal

with this surgery from my past experience. Has anyone had the

surgeries separtely, and did fine with the upper jaw surgery and

lower jaw surgery? I know that lower jaw surgery is worse. Does

anyone have any calming words of wisdom?

Thank you for any imput you may have.

July 14, 2004

Hi -

There are probably very few of us on the board who have had the

upper and lower procedure separately, but there are some who have

had the lower only, BSSO with rigid fixation, including me. I had

my surgery 5 weeks ago today.

I was banded shut for 5 days, and back to work in 13 days. I didn't

feel 100% energy-wise for another couple of weeks after that, but I

had enough to get by.

I can't say from personal experience that recovery from the BSSO is

harder or easier than from the upper. We'll see what others say but

my guess is that if you have been through the upper, the lower will

be easier for you. There's none of the sinus and breathing

problems, and in general I think people get back on their feet

quicker with lower-only.

Jay

> Hey,

> I am very thankful for the information, but I have to admit all

this

> information has made me very nervous.

>

> I had a 4 wheeler accident in Dec. 2001 and broke my upper jaw bad

> with the helmet. I was wired shut in the trama unit for 9 weeks.

I

> got braces Nov. 2002. I had a Leforte I maxillary osteotomy, what

I

> call upper expansion surgery in Dec. 2002 and Jan. 2003 to install

> the expansion device, that I turned with a key twice a day. Both

> surgeries did not work because of the scar tissue, etc. from the

> accident. The left side would not move out like the doctor wanted

> it too. They are hoping that lower jaw surgery will fix my

horrible

> bite that I have been left with. I will have a Bilateral Sagittal

> Split Osteotomy with rigid fixation on July 21st.

>

> When I had my surgeries in Dec. and Jan. I had no problems. Dec

> surgery was done in the hospital, I woke up in recovery room and

was

> ready to go home, but my doctor made me spend the night. The Jan.

> surgery I talked my doctor into doing it in his office so I could

go

> straight home afterwards. I had surgery on Wed. and I was back at

> work on Mon. So far the accident was the worst I have had to deal

> with, as far as pain, but I don't remember a whole week after the

> accident due to pain meds. Braces have been more of a pain to me

> than the surgeries and the accident.

>

> After reading all the posts, I am scared to death now. I am not

> worried about swelling and not being able to eat, I have been

> through that before. I get the impression that this surgery might

> kick my butt. I am trying to get an idea of how I am going to

deal

> with this surgery from my past experience. Has anyone had the

> surgeries separtely, and did fine with the upper jaw surgery and

> lower jaw surgery? I know that lower jaw surgery is worse. Does

> anyone have any calming words of wisdom?

>

> Thank you for any imput you may have.

>

July 14, 2004

,

With what you've been through, you have definitely been through the

worst! In fact, from what I've read the upper surgery is actually

tougher than the lower because of the involvement of the sinuses. If

I had my BSSO earlier in the day, I would have definitely gone home

the same day. Within 8 hours of the start of surgery I was set to

go. The toughest part of recovery for me was getting rid of the

effects of being under a general. You'll do GREAT!

Dammit

> Hey,

> I am very thankful for the information, but I have to admit all

this

> information has made me very nervous.

>

> I had a 4 wheeler accident in Dec. 2001 and broke my upper jaw bad

> with the helmet. I was wired shut in the trama unit for 9 weeks.

I

> got braces Nov. 2002. I had a Leforte I maxillary osteotomy, what

I

> call upper expansion surgery in Dec. 2002 and Jan. 2003 to install

> the expansion device, that I turned with a key twice a day. Both

> surgeries did not work because of the scar tissue, etc. from the

> accident. The left side would not move out like the doctor wanted

> it too. They are hoping that lower jaw surgery will fix my

horrible

> bite that I have been left with. I will have a Bilateral Sagittal

> Split Osteotomy with rigid fixation on July 21st.

>

> When I had my surgeries in Dec. and Jan. I had no problems. Dec

> surgery was done in the hospital, I woke up in recovery room and

was

> ready to go home, but my doctor made me spend the night. The Jan.

> surgery I talked my doctor into doing it in his office so I could

go

> straight home afterwards. I had surgery on Wed. and I was back at

> work on Mon. So far the accident was the worst I have had to deal

> with, as far as pain, but I don't remember a whole week after the

> accident due to pain meds. Braces have been more of a pain to me

> than the surgeries and the accident.

>

> After reading all the posts, I am scared to death now. I am not

> worried about swelling and not being able to eat, I have been

> through that before. I get the impression that this surgery might

> kick my butt. I am trying to get an idea of how I am going to deal

> with this surgery from my past experience. Has anyone had the

> surgeries separtely, and did fine with the upper jaw surgery and

> lower jaw surgery? I know that lower jaw surgery is worse. Does

> anyone have any calming words of wisdom?

>

> Thank you for any imput you may have.

>

July 14, 2004

,

No worries, you will be fine.

I was glad to read your posting, bec I am sorta in a boat with you. I

had jaw surg-wired shut for 7 wks about 12 yrs back for an accident

(but mine was not nearly as much fun prior to the incident, I just

passed out and fell forward breaking it in 2 places --broke front

lower and right side----and making a mess of my chin, teeth, tounge-

yadda) and well I got through that-like you did.

Then the scare tissue and what not, my teeth went screwey and nothing

was where it was supposed to be anymore. And after lots of pain evry

day from my gums or teeth not meeting or whatnot, I finally said

alright, if I did it once, I can do it twice. But there are a lot of

things to consider, I am a professional now, not a college student

who can duck out of class if it hurt too much...and like you, I was

back to school in 1 week...almost unheard of but there was no

stopping me.

Still feel that way inside, but after an out-patient surg in Feb

(unrealated) kicked my ass royally, I am reminded that I am older now

and my body may recover just a little slower than my gogogogogo mind

thinks it can. So what that means is I am going to think twice before

getting up to make that snack myself when I am first home or

going back on line for work week 2-3...recovery is most impt for the

long haul.

I think you and I can do this . I am sched 8/9 upper out over

and up and genio, maybe lower. I will be closed 3 or 6 wks,

depending. Find out Friday (gulp), but with a good blender, some pain

meds, a supportive family, an " understanding " employer, and some damn

determination....what can't we do KELLY!!!

Just think, been there, done that and can do again.

When's the big day?

keep in touch, Jo

> Hey,

> I am very thankful for the information, but I have to admit all

this

> information has made me very nervous.

>

> I had a 4 wheeler accident in Dec. 2001 and broke my upper jaw bad

> with the helmet. I was wired shut in the trama unit for 9 weeks.

I

> got braces Nov. 2002. I had a Leforte I maxillary osteotomy, what

I

> call upper expansion surgery in Dec. 2002 and Jan. 2003 to install

> the expansion device, that I turned with a key twice a day. Both

> surgeries did not work because of the scar tissue, etc. from the

> accident. The left side would not move out like the doctor wanted

> it too. They are hoping that lower jaw surgery will fix my

horrible

> bite that I have been left with. I will have a Bilateral Sagittal

> Split Osteotomy with rigid fixation on July 21st.

>

> When I had my surgeries in Dec. and Jan. I had no problems. Dec

> surgery was done in the hospital, I woke up in recovery room and

was

> ready to go home, but my doctor made me spend the night. The Jan.

> surgery I talked my doctor into doing it in his office so I could

go

> straight home afterwards. I had surgery on Wed. and I was back at

> work on Mon. So far the accident was the worst I have had to deal

> with, as far as pain, but I don't remember a whole week after the

> accident due to pain meds. Braces have been more of a pain to me

> than the surgeries and the accident.

>

> After reading all the posts, I am scared to death now. I am not

> worried about swelling and not being able to eat, I have been

> through that before. I get the impression that this surgery might

> kick my butt. I am trying to get an idea of how I am going to deal

> with this surgery from my past experience. Has anyone had the

> surgeries separtely, and did fine with the upper jaw surgery and

> lower jaw surgery? I know that lower jaw surgery is worse. Does

> anyone have any calming words of wisdom?

>

> Thank you for any imput you may have.

>

July 15, 2004

Kim,

That was brilliant to read your post. The surgery sounds awful but since I am

only having lower, your comments relaxed me a lot.

Can I ask why you got wired. My surgeon says wiring doesn't happen much these

days. I am from Australia.

Thanks

Suzy

Kimberlie Countryman kimberanne83@...> wrote:

From what I have heard, lower jaw surgery is actually easier. I had lower jaw

surgery only (about 6 weeks ago) and everything went wonderfully. I actually

was wired shut for 6 weeks and just got unwired yesterday!! I really had no

pain (pain meds are great), and left the hospital 3 hours after I woke up from

surgery. I had no nausea, no bruising... I did have swelling, but it went down

substantially after the first week. I would honestly have to say that this was

not a bad experience. I would do it again if I had to. I was back at work 2

weeks after surgery, but I was feeling pretty darn good after the first week. I

went shopping during week 2, layed out in the backyard and got a tan, and

started to talk. I think, if you are just getting lower done, that you have a

lot less to worry about actually. You don't have the problems with your nasal

passage and other problems. So if you have already had jaw surgery (which it

sounds like what you went through already was 10x's

worse than what I experienced) then this one should be easy! Hang in there!

Kim

prissy2809 kglazner@...> wrote: