Re: I'm back and in DIRE need of help/support!!!

[Guest guest]

Kele - Sorry to hear you're having so much pain. It sounds like

your problem might be your TMJ joint. Maybe you've read about some

others on this site with TMJ problems. I've had TMJ surgery myself

about 16 years ago for a dislocated disc in the TMJ joint. My

particular TMJ surgery helped me lot, and helped the pain

tremendously. You might want to go to a TMJ specialist, if your not

already, and I hope there may be some options for you other than

surgery. Or if you do need surgery, sometimes they can do it with

arthoscopic surgery, which is much less invasive.

P.S. I had upper jaw surgery 7 weeks ago to fix an open bite.

> IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING JAW SURGERY AND MAY BE HAVING DOUBTS DO NOT

> READ THIS POST. THIS IS INTENDED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD

> SURGERY, AS MY PROBLEMS ARE NOT NORMAL.

>

> I am now 7 weeks post op. (lower 14mm forward, wired for 5.5

weeks)

> The weeks immediatly after surgery were unremarkable. My pain was

> minimal and would go away with liquid motrin. At about 3 weeks I

> began to experience an extreme pain at night in my left ear. I

told

> my OS that I thought I had an ear infection because that was what

> the pain felt like. He told me that the muscle was just reacting

to

> the move and that he totaly expected me to complain about it

because

> of the distance of the move. He told me to continue taking the

> motrin and also gave me Flexoril to relax the muscles at night. 2

> weeks ago he cut me out of my wires and so began my problems.

>

> My OS told me to open and painfully helped me open to 8mm (about

the

> width of your index finger. As I was trying to talk to the tech

in

> the room, I bit my tounge causing me to jerk my mouth open sending

> the MOST EXCRUCIATING PAIN through my head. I still had the

splint

> and screws in my mouth and was scheduled to get them taken out two

> weeks after he cut my wires. Over the course of the next 2 weeks

I

> continued to bite my touge when I tried to talk or eat or

sometimes

> even drink. On Tuesday I went in to have them removed and my OS

> told me that I was only opening about 4mm. He sedated me to take

> the screws out and when I woke up he told me that he was able

> to " manipulate " my jaw to open about 20mm. The OS told my husband

> that I would probably require further surgery ???to fill the disc

> inbetween my jaw joint?? I have no idea what he is talking

about.

> I do know, however, that I have NEVER felt so much pain my entire

> life. My jaw does not hurt where I had the surgery, but up in the

> joint beside my ears. I have a very high pain tolerance and have

> never had to use pain meds, but now I cant find anything that

makes

> the pain go away.

>

> Has anyone heard of this second surgery? What in the world is he

> talking about. It feels like my jaw is going to slip out of place

> at any moment.

>

> PLEASE HELP!@!!!

>

> Kele

[Guest guest]

Kele - Sorry to hear you're having so much pain. It sounds like

your problem might be your TMJ joint. Maybe you've read about some

others on this site with TMJ problems. I've had TMJ surgery myself

about 16 years ago for a dislocated disc in the TMJ joint. My

particular TMJ surgery helped me lot, and helped the pain

tremendously. You might want to go to a TMJ specialist, if your not

already, and I hope there may be some options for you other than

surgery. Or if you do need surgery, sometimes they can do it with

arthoscopic surgery, which is much less invasive.

P.S. I had upper jaw surgery 7 weeks ago to fix an open bite.

> IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING JAW SURGERY AND MAY BE HAVING DOUBTS DO NOT

> READ THIS POST. THIS IS INTENDED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD

> SURGERY, AS MY PROBLEMS ARE NOT NORMAL.

>

> I am now 7 weeks post op. (lower 14mm forward, wired for 5.5

weeks)

> The weeks immediatly after surgery were unremarkable. My pain was

> minimal and would go away with liquid motrin. At about 3 weeks I

> began to experience an extreme pain at night in my left ear. I

told

> my OS that I thought I had an ear infection because that was what

> the pain felt like. He told me that the muscle was just reacting

to

> the move and that he totaly expected me to complain about it

because

> of the distance of the move. He told me to continue taking the

> motrin and also gave me Flexoril to relax the muscles at night. 2

> weeks ago he cut me out of my wires and so began my problems.

>

> My OS told me to open and painfully helped me open to 8mm (about

the

> width of your index finger. As I was trying to talk to the tech

in

> the room, I bit my tounge causing me to jerk my mouth open sending

> the MOST EXCRUCIATING PAIN through my head. I still had the

splint

> and screws in my mouth and was scheduled to get them taken out two

> weeks after he cut my wires. Over the course of the next 2 weeks

I

> continued to bite my touge when I tried to talk or eat or

sometimes

> even drink. On Tuesday I went in to have them removed and my OS

> told me that I was only opening about 4mm. He sedated me to take

> the screws out and when I woke up he told me that he was able

> to " manipulate " my jaw to open about 20mm. The OS told my husband

> that I would probably require further surgery ???to fill the disc

> inbetween my jaw joint?? I have no idea what he is talking

about.

> I do know, however, that I have NEVER felt so much pain my entire

> life. My jaw does not hurt where I had the surgery, but up in the

> joint beside my ears. I have a very high pain tolerance and have

> never had to use pain meds, but now I cant find anything that

makes

> the pain go away.

>

> Has anyone heard of this second surgery? What in the world is he

> talking about. It feels like my jaw is going to slip out of place

> at any moment.

>

> PLEASE HELP!@!!!

>

> Kele

[Guest guest]

Kele - Sorry to hear you're having so much pain. It sounds like

your problem might be your TMJ joint. Maybe you've read about some

others on this site with TMJ problems. I've had TMJ surgery myself

about 16 years ago for a dislocated disc in the TMJ joint. My

particular TMJ surgery helped me lot, and helped the pain

tremendously. You might want to go to a TMJ specialist, if your not

already, and I hope there may be some options for you other than

surgery. Or if you do need surgery, sometimes they can do it with

arthoscopic surgery, which is much less invasive.

P.S. I had upper jaw surgery 7 weeks ago to fix an open bite.

> IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING JAW SURGERY AND MAY BE HAVING DOUBTS DO NOT

> READ THIS POST. THIS IS INTENDED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD

> SURGERY, AS MY PROBLEMS ARE NOT NORMAL.

>

> I am now 7 weeks post op. (lower 14mm forward, wired for 5.5

weeks)

> The weeks immediatly after surgery were unremarkable. My pain was

> minimal and would go away with liquid motrin. At about 3 weeks I

> began to experience an extreme pain at night in my left ear. I

told

> my OS that I thought I had an ear infection because that was what

> the pain felt like. He told me that the muscle was just reacting

to

> the move and that he totaly expected me to complain about it

because

> of the distance of the move. He told me to continue taking the

> motrin and also gave me Flexoril to relax the muscles at night. 2

> weeks ago he cut me out of my wires and so began my problems.

>

> My OS told me to open and painfully helped me open to 8mm (about

the

> width of your index finger. As I was trying to talk to the tech

in

> the room, I bit my tounge causing me to jerk my mouth open sending

> the MOST EXCRUCIATING PAIN through my head. I still had the

splint

> and screws in my mouth and was scheduled to get them taken out two

> weeks after he cut my wires. Over the course of the next 2 weeks

I

> continued to bite my touge when I tried to talk or eat or

sometimes

> even drink. On Tuesday I went in to have them removed and my OS

> told me that I was only opening about 4mm. He sedated me to take

> the screws out and when I woke up he told me that he was able

> to " manipulate " my jaw to open about 20mm. The OS told my husband

> that I would probably require further surgery ???to fill the disc

> inbetween my jaw joint?? I have no idea what he is talking

about.

> I do know, however, that I have NEVER felt so much pain my entire

> life. My jaw does not hurt where I had the surgery, but up in the

> joint beside my ears. I have a very high pain tolerance and have

> never had to use pain meds, but now I cant find anything that

makes

> the pain go away.

>

> Has anyone heard of this second surgery? What in the world is he

> talking about. It feels like my jaw is going to slip out of place

> at any moment.

>

> PLEASE HELP!@!!!

>

> Kele

[Guest guest]

I know exactly what the pain your feeling feels like. It sounds

like your doc is talking about open joint surgery of some type, but

it might also be an arthroscopy. I've had an arthroscopy, which I

can confidently say is nothing like orthognathic surgery - it's very

minor in comparison to orthognathic surgery. My OS has also told me

to think about open joint surgery to repair or remove the cartilage

in my left joint. He says I'd need two weeks off from work, but

that it's also easy compared to orthognathic surgery.

When I was seven weeks post-op from the orthognathic surgery, I had

an arthrocentisis to flush out the joint (couldn't sleep lying down

without waking up like someone was sticking an ice pick in the

joint). That helped tremendously, but I still have problems with

the joint (it's arthitic and has been for at least 2 1/2 years). At

any rate, it was tedious, but I found that alternating moist heat

and ice every half hour helped with my initial post-op joint pain,

so you might try that.

In the meantime, ask your doc more questions about further surgery.

I know that's probably the last thing you want to think about right

now, but not knowing so shortly after your orthognathic surgery will

drive you nuts!

Good luck, and know that you're not alone.

> IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING JAW SURGERY AND MAY BE HAVING DOUBTS DO NOT

> READ THIS POST. THIS IS INTENDED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD

> SURGERY, AS MY PROBLEMS ARE NOT NORMAL.

>

> I am now 7 weeks post op. (lower 14mm forward, wired for 5.5

weeks)

> The weeks immediatly after surgery were unremarkable. My pain was

> minimal and would go away with liquid motrin. At about 3 weeks I

> began to experience an extreme pain at night in my left ear. I

told

> my OS that I thought I had an ear infection because that was what

> the pain felt like. He told me that the muscle was just reacting

to

> the move and that he totaly expected me to complain about it

because

> of the distance of the move. He told me to continue taking the

> motrin and also gave me Flexoril to relax the muscles at night. 2

> weeks ago he cut me out of my wires and so began my problems.

>

> My OS told me to open and painfully helped me open to 8mm (about

the

> width of your index finger. As I was trying to talk to the tech

in

> the room, I bit my tounge causing me to jerk my mouth open sending

> the MOST EXCRUCIATING PAIN through my head. I still had the

splint

> and screws in my mouth and was scheduled to get them taken out two

> weeks after he cut my wires. Over the course of the next 2 weeks

I

> continued to bite my touge when I tried to talk or eat or

sometimes

> even drink. On Tuesday I went in to have them removed and my OS

> told me that I was only opening about 4mm. He sedated me to take

> the screws out and when I woke up he told me that he was able

> to " manipulate " my jaw to open about 20mm. The OS told my husband

> that I would probably require further surgery ???to fill the disc

> inbetween my jaw joint?? I have no idea what he is talking

about.

> I do know, however, that I have NEVER felt so much pain my entire

> life. My jaw does not hurt where I had the surgery, but up in the

> joint beside my ears. I have a very high pain tolerance and have

> never had to use pain meds, but now I cant find anything that

makes

> the pain go away.

>

> Has anyone heard of this second surgery? What in the world is he

> talking about. It feels like my jaw is going to slip out of place

> at any moment.

>

> PLEASE HELP!@!!!

>

> Kele

[Guest guest]

I know exactly what the pain your feeling feels like. It sounds

like your doc is talking about open joint surgery of some type, but

it might also be an arthroscopy. I've had an arthroscopy, which I

can confidently say is nothing like orthognathic surgery - it's very

minor in comparison to orthognathic surgery. My OS has also told me

to think about open joint surgery to repair or remove the cartilage

in my left joint. He says I'd need two weeks off from work, but

that it's also easy compared to orthognathic surgery.

When I was seven weeks post-op from the orthognathic surgery, I had

an arthrocentisis to flush out the joint (couldn't sleep lying down

without waking up like someone was sticking an ice pick in the

joint). That helped tremendously, but I still have problems with

the joint (it's arthitic and has been for at least 2 1/2 years). At

any rate, it was tedious, but I found that alternating moist heat

and ice every half hour helped with my initial post-op joint pain,

so you might try that.

In the meantime, ask your doc more questions about further surgery.

I know that's probably the last thing you want to think about right

now, but not knowing so shortly after your orthognathic surgery will

drive you nuts!

Good luck, and know that you're not alone.

> IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING JAW SURGERY AND MAY BE HAVING DOUBTS DO NOT

> READ THIS POST. THIS IS INTENDED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD

> SURGERY, AS MY PROBLEMS ARE NOT NORMAL.

>

> I am now 7 weeks post op. (lower 14mm forward, wired for 5.5

weeks)

> The weeks immediatly after surgery were unremarkable. My pain was

> minimal and would go away with liquid motrin. At about 3 weeks I

> began to experience an extreme pain at night in my left ear. I

told

> my OS that I thought I had an ear infection because that was what

> the pain felt like. He told me that the muscle was just reacting

to

> the move and that he totaly expected me to complain about it

because

> of the distance of the move. He told me to continue taking the

> motrin and also gave me Flexoril to relax the muscles at night. 2

> weeks ago he cut me out of my wires and so began my problems.

>

> My OS told me to open and painfully helped me open to 8mm (about

the

> width of your index finger. As I was trying to talk to the tech

in

> the room, I bit my tounge causing me to jerk my mouth open sending

> the MOST EXCRUCIATING PAIN through my head. I still had the

splint

> and screws in my mouth and was scheduled to get them taken out two

> weeks after he cut my wires. Over the course of the next 2 weeks

I

> continued to bite my touge when I tried to talk or eat or

sometimes

> even drink. On Tuesday I went in to have them removed and my OS

> told me that I was only opening about 4mm. He sedated me to take

> the screws out and when I woke up he told me that he was able

> to " manipulate " my jaw to open about 20mm. The OS told my husband

> that I would probably require further surgery ???to fill the disc

> inbetween my jaw joint?? I have no idea what he is talking

about.

> I do know, however, that I have NEVER felt so much pain my entire

> life. My jaw does not hurt where I had the surgery, but up in the

> joint beside my ears. I have a very high pain tolerance and have

> never had to use pain meds, but now I cant find anything that

makes

> the pain go away.

>

> Has anyone heard of this second surgery? What in the world is he

> talking about. It feels like my jaw is going to slip out of place

> at any moment.

>

> PLEASE HELP!@!!!

>

> Kele

[Guest guest]

I know exactly what you're feeling like, too. Further surgery could

mean several different procedures. Are you going to have an MRI or

CT scan to evaluate your joints? That can help your doctor decide

what you need to have done.

There is a moveable disc in the joint that helps cushion it. It can

dislocate relatively easily and many people live without it without

an difficulty and others have a limited opening and pain like you.

Mine were dislocated for many years and I had minimal symptoms until

after I had orthognathic surgery. For most people, TMJ problems get

better after orthognathic surgery but others can get worse. Did you

have any joint problems before surgery?

It sounds like your doctor thinks your problem is with the discs.

They can sometimes be put back in place simply through manipulation

while you're sedated in the office (which I had done numerous times

as a teenager and it was no big deal). Other patients need

arthoscopic surgery (done at a hospital usually as an outpatient

procedure) to pull the disc back and suture it in place (which I had

done last May on my right side - again very easy and no big deal).

If there is a lot of damage to the joint and disc, you may need an

open joint procedure (like had years ago and I had done on

the left side last May). That was a little more involved than

arthroscopy but still much easier than the orthognathic surgery.

Hopefully it will never come to this for you, but if things are

really bad in the joints involving bone loss, they can do surgery to

reconstruct the joints using either distraction or bone grafts or

even artificial joints. You shouldn't worry about that at this point

though. I hope everything can be taken care of with either

manipulation or arthroscopic surgery.

Good luck and keep us updated about your progress.

> > IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING JAW SURGERY AND MAY BE HAVING DOUBTS DO

NOT

> > READ THIS POST. THIS IS INTENDED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD

> > SURGERY, AS MY PROBLEMS ARE NOT NORMAL.

> >

> > I am now 7 weeks post op. (lower 14mm forward, wired for 5.5

> weeks)

> > The weeks immediatly after surgery were unremarkable. My pain

was

> > minimal and would go away with liquid motrin. At about 3 weeks

I

> > began to experience an extreme pain at night in my left ear. I

> told

> > my OS that I thought I had an ear infection because that was

what

> > the pain felt like. He told me that the muscle was just

reacting

> to

> > the move and that he totaly expected me to complain about it

> because

> > of the distance of the move. He told me to continue taking the

> > motrin and also gave me Flexoril to relax the muscles at night.

2

> > weeks ago he cut me out of my wires and so began my problems.

> >

> > My OS told me to open and painfully helped me open to 8mm (about

> the

> > width of your index finger. As I was trying to talk to the tech

> in

> > the room, I bit my tounge causing me to jerk my mouth open

sending

> > the MOST EXCRUCIATING PAIN through my head. I still had the

> splint

> > and screws in my mouth and was scheduled to get them taken out

two

> > weeks after he cut my wires. Over the course of the next 2

weeks

> I

> > continued to bite my touge when I tried to talk or eat or

> sometimes

> > even drink. On Tuesday I went in to have them removed and my OS

> > told me that I was only opening about 4mm. He sedated me to

take

> > the screws out and when I woke up he told me that he was able

> > to " manipulate " my jaw to open about 20mm. The OS told my

husband

> > that I would probably require further surgery ???to fill the

disc

> > inbetween my jaw joint?? I have no idea what he is talking

> about.

> > I do know, however, that I have NEVER felt so much pain my

entire

> > life. My jaw does not hurt where I had the surgery, but up in

the

> > joint beside my ears. I have a very high pain tolerance and

have

> > never had to use pain meds, but now I cant find anything that

> makes

> > the pain go away.

> >

> > Has anyone heard of this second surgery? What in the world is

he

> > talking about. It feels like my jaw is going to slip out of

place

> > at any moment.

> >

> > PLEASE HELP!@!!!

> >

> > Kele

[Guest guest]

Thank you to all who responded. I have an appt with my OS on

wednesday and will find out then what he wants to do. It has been

my experience, however, that when he voices an idea outloud that he

normally follows through with it. I dont know which surgery he is

talking about, because I was just waking up from sedation and he was

talking to my dear dear husband. But when it comes to anything with

a medical theme, my husband only

hears " jaddfhndhgfbvhduyghruihugh " .

That sure doesnt help me out any, but I would rather hear it

straight from my OS anyways than from DH. I will definatly keep you

posted and let you know what is going on. I didnt have any TMJ

problems before the surgery, other than the occasional clicks and

pops while chewing gum. Other than that i had no probs.

thanks again for your help!

Kele

> > > IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING JAW SURGERY AND MAY BE HAVING DOUBTS DO

> NOT

> > > READ THIS POST. THIS IS INTENDED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY

HAD

> > > SURGERY, AS MY PROBLEMS ARE NOT NORMAL.

> > >

> > > I am now 7 weeks post op. (lower 14mm forward, wired for 5.5

> > weeks)

> > > The weeks immediatly after surgery were unremarkable. My pain

> was

> > > minimal and would go away with liquid motrin. At about 3

weeks

> I

> > > began to experience an extreme pain at night in my left ear.

I

> > told

> > > my OS that I thought I had an ear infection because that was

> what

> > > the pain felt like. He told me that the muscle was just

> reacting

> > to

> > > the move and that he totaly expected me to complain about it

> > because

> > > of the distance of the move. He told me to continue taking

the

> > > motrin and also gave me Flexoril to relax the muscles at

night.

> 2

> > > weeks ago he cut me out of my wires and so began my problems.

> > >

> > > My OS told me to open and painfully helped me open to 8mm

(about

> > the

> > > width of your index finger. As I was trying to talk to the

tech

> > in

> > > the room, I bit my tounge causing me to jerk my mouth open

> sending

> > > the MOST EXCRUCIATING PAIN through my head. I still had the

> > splint

> > > and screws in my mouth and was scheduled to get them taken out

> two

> > > weeks after he cut my wires. Over the course of the next 2

> weeks

> > I

> > > continued to bite my touge when I tried to talk or eat or

> > sometimes

> > > even drink. On Tuesday I went in to have them removed and my

OS

> > > told me that I was only opening about 4mm. He sedated me to

> take

> > > the screws out and when I woke up he told me that he was able

> > > to " manipulate " my jaw to open about 20mm. The OS told my

> husband

> > > that I would probably require further surgery ???to fill the

> disc

> > > inbetween my jaw joint?? I have no idea what he is talking

> > about.

> > > I do know, however, that I have NEVER felt so much pain my

> entire

> > > life. My jaw does not hurt where I had the surgery, but up in

> the

> > > joint beside my ears. I have a very high pain tolerance and

> have

> > > never had to use pain meds, but now I cant find anything that

> > makes

> > > the pain go away.

> > >

> > > Has anyone heard of this second surgery? What in the world is

> he

> > > talking about. It feels like my jaw is going to slip out of

> place

> > > at any moment.

> > >

> > > PLEASE HELP!@!!!

> > >

> > > Kele