Re: Just starting the whole process - is it normal to feel terrified?

[Guest guest]

Hey Lucy!

I'm in the UK in Reading - I'm getting my braces on

the 28th November (13 days!) and will be having an

operation when my teeth have moved into their new

places (hopefully 12 months time!)

You can follow my journey from July to getting my

braces in 13 days here;

http://www.livejournal.com/users/miramanga/tag/braces

- 10 entries of braces thinking!

Mira xx

--- lucyh_uk wrote:

---------------------------------

Hi,

I started the whole process about 6 weeks ago - I'm 29

and I have never

liked my teeth and absolutely hate my side profile. I

recently got

married and after seeing how much I hated all the

wedding photos of me,

my husband persuaded me to look into what could be

done to make me feel

better about myself.

My orthodontist knows his stuff but needs to work on

his chairside

manner as I came out from my first appointment feeling

like the

elephant man as he listed all my tooth and jaw

problems! I saw my

surgeon last week for the first time and again he was

very good but

after he had described all the risks, I was pretty

uneasy. Death from

general anaesthetic, infection (which is something the

press in the UK

go on and on about - our health service is a political

hot topic) plus

all sorts of other potential complications. Then he

described the

surgery, which to me sounded like he was going to chop

off the bottom

half of my face and then screw it back on - I felt

terrified! Again I

came out of the appointment feeling awful and I

haven't slept well

since. I don't have any related health problems (yet)

and I was very

close to walking away. Did anyone else feel that way?

However this group has been a great help so far and

after looking at

all the photos, I'm persuaded to go through with it.

Braces go on in a

couple of weeks - hopefully surgery in about 18

months. I don't know

any of the technical detail yet - just that my lower

jaw will be moved

forward and my upper jaw moved down.

Is there anyone who's been through this in the Leeds

area of the UK?

chances are we have the same surgeon so I'd like to

find out more.

[Guest guest]

I felt the same way when my OD told me I needed jaw surgery. The

first time I met with my surgeon I felt the even worse. He pulled out

a plastic skull and basically took it apart in front of me. But

having thought about this for the past year, the benefits (depending

on your situation) far outweight the risks. (I think so anyway). Its

ok to be scared at first, its a big deal.

Krystal

>

> Hi,

>

> I started the whole process about 6 weeks ago - I'm 29 and I have

never

> liked my teeth and absolutely hate my side profile. I recently got

> married and after seeing how much I hated all the wedding photos of

me,

> my husband persuaded me to look into what could be done to make me

feel

> better about myself.

>

> My orthodontist knows his stuff but needs to work on his chairside

> manner as I came out from my first appointment feeling like the

> elephant man as he listed all my tooth and jaw problems! I saw my

> surgeon last week for the first time and again he was very good but

> after he had described all the risks, I was pretty uneasy. Death

from

> general anaesthetic, infection (which is something the press in the

UK

> go on and on about - our health service is a political hot topic)

plus

> all sorts of other potential complications. Then he described the

> surgery, which to me sounded like he was going to chop off the

bottom

> half of my face and then screw it back on - I felt terrified! Again

I

> came out of the appointment feeling awful and I haven't slept well

> since. I don't have any related health problems (yet) and I was

very

> close to walking away. Did anyone else feel that way?

>

>

> However this group has been a great help so far and after looking

at

> all the photos, I'm persuaded to go through with it. Braces go on

in a

> couple of weeks - hopefully surgery in about 18 months. I don't

know

> any of the technical detail yet - just that my lower jaw will be

moved

> forward and my upper jaw moved down.

>

> Is there anyone who's been through this in the Leeds area of the

UK?

> chances are we have the same surgeon so I'd like to find out more.

>

[Guest guest]

Lucy - Congratulations on starting the process, also known as the

Orthognathic Journey. It is completely normal to feel terrified, so

don't worry. You came to the right place and we are here to help and

answer any questions you may have, so feel free to ask away! Welcome

to the group! ~~~ Diane (Idaho)

>

> Hi,

>

> I started the whole process about 6 weeks ago - I'm 29 and I have

never

> liked my teeth and absolutely hate my side profile. I recently got

> married and after seeing how much I hated all the wedding photos of

me,

> my husband persuaded me to look into what could be done to make me

feel

> better about myself.

>

> My orthodontist knows his stuff but needs to work on his chairside

> manner as I came out from my first appointment feeling like the

> elephant man as he listed all my tooth and jaw problems! I saw my

> surgeon last week for the first time and again he was very good but

> after he had described all the risks, I was pretty uneasy. Death

from

> general anaesthetic, infection (which is something the press in the

UK

> go on and on about - our health service is a political hot topic)

plus

> all sorts of other potential complications. Then he described the

> surgery, which to me sounded like he was going to chop off the

bottom

> half of my face and then screw it back on - I felt terrified! Again

I

> came out of the appointment feeling awful and I haven't slept well

> since. I don't have any related health problems (yet) and I was

very

> close to walking away. Did anyone else feel that way?

>

>

> However this group has been a great help so far and after looking

at

> all the photos, I'm persuaded to go through with it. Braces go on

in a

> couple of weeks - hopefully surgery in about 18 months. I don't

know

> any of the technical detail yet - just that my lower jaw will be

moved

> forward and my upper jaw moved down.

>

> Is there anyone who's been through this in the Leeds area of the

UK?

> chances are we have the same surgeon so I'd like to find out more.

>