1 MORE MONTH!!!

[Guest guest]

hey,

one more month to go, and i think i'm just about ready, but i can see

the date creeping up on me before i fully realise how close i am to

the surgery. I've been reading as many posts as i can over the weeks,

months, to be as prepared as possible, but i want to ask if there's

anything that they really didnt expect about the operation/post op?

how much pain can i expect? the one think no one has done is compare

it to something, does it hurt like a punch to the face afterwards or

like a scrape or a dull ache or anything else? if someone could give

me a comparison, i'd appreciate it (it would prolly be easier if i

didnt know, but i figure i better be ready). Also, does anyone who

had their upper jaw expanded have any information about rapid palatal

expanders or any other devices they had to wear after the operation?

thanks, this club/group has always been great at answering all my

questions and i really appreciate any and all help.

[Guest guest]

> /post op?

> how much pain can i expect? Also, does anyone who

> had their upper jaw expanded have any information about rapid

palatal

> expanders or any other devices they had to wear after the operation?

Azeri47,

I had SARPE done in June 2001. The pain for me was a major throbbing

for several days. I was on Vicodan every 4 hours for 4 days and I

really should have asked for another day or so of pain medicine.

The palate expander is an annoyance. It does affect speech. Several

sounds I couldn't pronounce were sh, ch, long e. I felt like I was

spitting on people. Just talk slow and enunciate carefully. It also

was a miserable food catcher. I didn't eat in public until after i

had it removed. Removal was 5 months after surgery. Just keep

telling yourself it will be removed, it will be removed, this is not

permanent, this is not permanent!

Sandy

[Guest guest]

Hi there, I had surgery 2 months ago and I don't have anything to

compare it to because I have never been hit in the face before.

<VBG> It was definitely a dull ache with pressure instead of a sharp

pain. Most of my pain seems to come from the swelling because after

the major swelling went down the pressure went away. I stopped

taking pain meds at one week post-op and the 6th and 7th day were

just ibuprofin. The pain would wake me up in the middle of the

night sometimes during the first few days but the meds made all the

difference in the world. Take them on time before you really even

need them.

This was my 5th surgery and was by far the hardest one yet. It was

definitely managable but my previous surgeries were on my knee,

ovaries and gallbladder. You can separate yourself from parts not

connected to your head but your face is RIGHT THERE and there is no

escaping it. My biggest fear before surgery was that I wouldn't be

able to breathe when I woke up and that the appliances in my mouth

and being wired shut would make me feel claustrophobic. I was also

afraid of throwing up because of the anesthesia. When I woke up it

was the easiest recovery room experience I have ever had. I woke up

easily and didn't feel all that bad. I never got nauseated nor

stuffed up even though I had upper done as well as lower. The

claustrophia never set in and I was up and going to the bathroom

within 8 hours after surgery. Even though I was wired I could talk

a little and the doctor told me I talked better than any of his

previous patients.

Just take it easy and don't try to do too much too soon. I think

some people get so antsy to get up and go that they set their

recovery back a few weeks. Let the pain and/or discomfort be your

guide and remember that you will be somewhat numb at first and I do

think that keeps the pain level manageable.

[Guest guest]

Owwww! Sorry that was so tough for you!

Cammie