Re: 4 1/2 weeks post op (upper/lower/chin)

[Guest guest]

Hiya,

I am a bit confused... My teeth are banded shut- same thing with the

midline being off and the rubber bands going every which way....

How do you eat anything? I can't imagine where I would put a baby spoon

or how I would eat scrambled eggs... my teeth are totally rubber banded

closed and what does not fit through the tiny spaces between my teeth,

does not get eaten. Am I missing something?

Tova

>

> am doing great.  He changed the configuration of my rubber bands as

> my midline is off.  I knew my front teeth weren't lining up with the

> middle of my lips but thought maybe it was due to swelling.  He said

> no.  So instead of my rubber bands going up and down they are like

> sideways.  He asked what I was eating and I said still blended food

> b/c I haven't been able to get a baby spoon in there (he wanted me

> to start eating soft food last week).  He told me to practice more

> and to exercise my jaw a little and not to be scared of opening my

> mouth.  Said have to get the muscles working again.  So last night I

> tried again.  I used the wrong side (flat side) of a baby spoon to

> get baby food in there and it works.  It took me 2 hours to eat 2

> stage 2 baby food jars.  It hurt and it was hard to do like i have

> no control of my mouth or what goes in there.  He also told me to

> try scramble eggs and that I could try chewing them gently.  Well I

> made some and broke into small pieces and used my finger to try and

> shove the small pieces in my mouth.  The pieces wouldn't even go but

> once I managed to get them in I had no control and got upset.  So

> this morning tried again with adult oatmeal thinned and actually

> managed to eat a bowl of this with the backward spoon. Yipee.  So

> now my face hurts more and I feel pain in my joint area which I

> assume is from the new rubber bands pulling and from using my

> muscles to open and eat this soft food.  All of this is normal right?

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi. I was wired shut for 3 weeks with a splint. I had these

removed on 2/7 and now have 1 rubber band on each side of my mouth.

At first the rubber bands just went up and down, as of yesterday

they are more sideways at an angle like. So only 2 rubber bands in

my mouth. I can open in the front like 5-6mm and can't fit the soft

baby spoon part in there but can now fit the flat end in there

barely. The doctor told me to practice opening and eat soft no chew

kind of food, I have (painfully) and can get that back end of spoon

in there although difficult b/c lips are numb and my mouth just

doesn't seem to work anymore, like I forgot how to eat or

something. I try to get the food on my tongue and then swallow.

This is extremely slow, annoying and depressing b/c it is sooo hard

to do. I am eating oatmeal thinned right now at my desk at work and

it will take forever.

I can't open enough to brush the insides of my teeth or tops of

molars or anything or even behind front teeth.

>

> >

> > am doing great.  He changed the configuration of my rubber

bands as

> > my midline is off.  I knew my front teeth weren't lining up

with the

> > middle of my lips but thought maybe it was due to swelling.  He

said

> > no.  So instead of my rubber bands going up and down they are

like

> > sideways.  He asked what I was eating and I said still blended

food

> > b/c I haven't been able to get a baby spoon in there (he wanted

me

> > to start eating soft food last week).  He told me to practice

more

> > and to exercise my jaw a little and not to be scared of opening

my

> > mouth.  Said have to get the muscles working again.  So last

night I

> > tried again.  I used the wrong side (flat side) of a baby spoon

to

> > get baby food in there and it works.  It took me 2 hours to eat

2

> > stage 2 baby food jars.  It hurt and it was hard to do like i

have

> > no control of my mouth or what goes in there.  He also told me

to

> > try scramble eggs and that I could try chewing them gently. 

Well I

> > made some and broke into small pieces and used my finger to try

and

> > shove the small pieces in my mouth.  The pieces wouldn't even

go but

> > once I managed to get them in I had no control and got upset. 

So

> > this morning tried again with adult oatmeal thinned and actually

> > managed to eat a bowl of this with the backward spoon. Yipee. 

So

> > now my face hurts more and I feel pain in my joint area which I

> > assume is from the new rubber bands pulling and from using my

> > muscles to open and eat this soft food.  All of this is normal

right?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

OK- that makes sense... My surgoen told me this morning that I have one

more week of rubber bands all around holding my teeth completely shut.

next week they will be switching me to just one rubber band on either

side. I guess then I will be in the same situation as you.

Thanks, Tova

>

> removed on 2/7 and now have 1 rubber band on each side of my mouth. 

> At first the rubber bands just went up and down, as of yesterday

> they are more sideways at an angle like.  So only 2 rubber bands in

> my mouth.  I can open in the front like 5-6mm and can't fit the soft

> baby spoon part in there but can now fit the flat end in there

> barely.  The doctor told me to practice opening and eat soft no chew

> kind of food, I have (painfully) and can get that back end of spoon

> in there although difficult b/c lips are numb and my mouth just

> doesn't seem to work anymore, like I forgot how to eat or

> something.  I try to get the food on my tongue and then swallow. 

> This is extremely slow, annoying and depressing b/c it is sooo hard

> to do.  I am eating oatmeal thinned right now at my desk at work and

> it will take forever.

>

> I can't open enough to brush the insides of my teeth or tops of

> molars or anything or even behind front teeth.

>

>

>

>

> >

> > >

> > >  am doing great.  He changed the configuration of my rubber

> bands as

> > >  my midline is off.  I knew my front teeth weren't lining up

> with the

> > >  middle of my lips but thought maybe it was due to swelling.  He

> said

> > >  no.  So instead of my rubber bands going up and down they are

> like

> > >  sideways.  He asked what I was eating and I said still blended

> food

> > >  b/c I haven't been able to get a baby spoon in there (he wanted

> me

> > >  to start eating soft food last week).  He told me to practice

> more

> > >  and to exercise my jaw a little and not to be scared of opening

> my

> > >  mouth.  Said have to get the muscles working again.  So last

> night I

> > >  tried again.  I used the wrong side (flat side) of a baby spoon

> to

> > >  get baby food in there and it works.  It took me 2 hours to eat

> 2

> > >  stage 2 baby food jars.  It hurt and it was hard to do like i

> have

> > >  no control of my mouth or what goes in there.  He also told me

> to

> > >  try scramble eggs and that I could try chewing them gently. 

> Well I

> > >  made some and broke into small pieces and used my finger to try

> and

> > >  shove the small pieces in my mouth.  The pieces wouldn't even

> go but

> > >  once I managed to get them in I had no control and got upset. 

> So

> > >  this morning tried again with adult oatmeal thinned and actually

> > >  managed to eat a bowl of this with the backward spoon. Yipee. 

> So

> > >  now my face hurts more and I feel pain in my joint area which I

> > >  assume is from the new rubber bands pulling and from using my

> > >  muscles to open and eat this soft food.  All of this is normal

> right?

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >