Surgery is 1 wk away . Have a couple of question

[Guest guest]

I just had an appointment with my surgeon who explained my surgery to

me what exactly was going to be done. He is moving my lower jaw

foward about 3 mm. He is not sure whether or not he can straighten

out my midline due to by bite, but he said he'll try. In his opinion

it will be a definite cosmetic improvement but it will not be a

great change because it is not that much movement

Part of me can't believe I am doing this. I know I am complaining way

too much but I am just really scared. In all honesty my main reason

for doing this is the chance that possibly all or some of my tmj

problems will dissapear. I live with a constant off balance feeling

that just feels better when I lean my head against something. It like

my eqilibrim is off. Eventhough I rollerblade and do gymnastics its

still a constant feeling off balance feeling that not right? Has

anyone ever experience this? I have earaches and some hearing loss

and a constant soreness in my jaw. I have had every kind of test done

and they can't find anything wrong with me. I just think all of this

may be related to my jaw. Tonight my doctor told all of my symptoms

could be related to my jaw, because the jaw affects the inner ear,

although there are guarantees that surgery will correct those

problems. I can not tell you how many doctors in the past told me in

the past that all this symptoms with the exception of soreness have

nothing to do with my jaw. As one out there gotten relief from any of

these problems after surgery?

I am also wondering how long it takes to get used to your new

positioning of your jaw? Is it comfortable? When I move my jaw foward

which my Dr told me to do to see how I will look it just feels weird.

What does it feel like after surgery? Does it feel like something is

missing in your jaw bones. Is your face really sore to the touch? I

am going to be wired for 4 to 6 wks? Do you really get used to that.

Can you actually carry on an hour long conversation on the phone?

When do you start to feel like yourself? The doctor told me the

swelling should go down where it is not noticeable except to you

after a week. How long till you resume normal activities like driving

a car? I am a teacher who talks for a living how long will it take

till I can go back to yelling at my students . Did you guys

automatically feel numbness after surgery. Is it similiar to novacaine

The doctor told me himself this evening if you are doing this for

cosmetic reasons its not worth it. I have to keep reminding myself of

the health and functional reasons I am doing it for and if my

health problems don't go away, I will have a much bite and smile and

look better. I am sorry if I am repititious in my questions I am just

more scared of the unknown than I can ever remember being.

Any comforting advice wd be appreciated, Thanks

[Guest guest]

, my lower jaw was moved forward 3 mm as well. I'm 5 weeks

post op, and yeah, it's a weird feeling. My chin keeps sending me

these messages like, um, HEY, did you move me?? It doesn't feel out

of place really, just weird. The numbness, mainly in the chin, is

immediate and apparently long lasting. Yes, it's like novacaine. I

will be banded shut a total of 6 weeks and no long conversations on

the phone for me! It's a rather isolating feeling, but for me, it

really hurts to talk. Probably because I'm fighting the bands. I

mainly wanted to address your " off balance " feeling because I dealt

with that, and headaches, before surgery as well. I recall telling

my surgeon that when I would lie on my back to sleep, I felt like

the right side of my face was falling into me! More of a feeling of

unstability. That is now gone. I don't really know how to explain

it, but while things feel strange, they feel " right " . After surgery

you're a bit sore in the face, the swelling seems to be a main

complaint. I was really nervous pre op as well, and this site helped

calm lots of my fears. You'll do great! Alix

> I just had an appointment with my surgeon who explained my surgery

to

> me what exactly was going to be done. He is moving my lower jaw

> foward about 3 mm. He is not sure whether or not he can straighten

> out my midline due to by bite, but he said he'll try. In his

opinion

> it will be a definite cosmetic improvement but it will not be a

> great change because it is not that much movement

> Part of me can't believe I am doing this. I know I am complaining

way

> too much but I am just really scared. In all honesty my main

reason

> for doing this is the chance that possibly all or some of my tmj

> problems will dissapear. I live with a constant off balance

feeling

> that just feels better when I lean my head against something. It

like

> my eqilibrim is off. Eventhough I rollerblade and do gymnastics

its

> still a constant feeling off balance feeling that not right? Has

> anyone ever experience this? I have earaches and some hearing loss

> and a constant soreness in my jaw. I have had every kind of test

done

> and they can't find anything wrong with me. I just think all of

this

> may be related to my jaw. Tonight my doctor told all of my

symptoms

> could be related to my jaw, because the jaw affects the inner ear,

> although there are guarantees that surgery will correct those

> problems. I can not tell you how many doctors in the past told me

in

> the past that all this symptoms with the exception of soreness

have

> nothing to do with my jaw. As one out there gotten relief from any

of

> these problems after surgery?

> I am also wondering how long it takes to get used to your new

> positioning of your jaw? Is it comfortable? When I move my jaw

foward

> which my Dr told me to do to see how I will look it just feels

weird.

> What does it feel like after surgery? Does it feel like something

is

> missing in your jaw bones. Is your face really sore to the touch?

I

> am going to be wired for 4 to 6 wks? Do you really get used to

that.

> Can you actually carry on an hour long conversation on the phone?

> When do you start to feel like yourself? The doctor told me the

> swelling should go down where it is not noticeable except to you

> after a week. How long till you resume normal activities like

driving

> a car? I am a teacher who talks for a living how long will it take

> till I can go back to yelling at my students . Did you guys

> automatically feel numbness after surgery. Is it similiar to

novacaine

> The doctor told me himself this evening if you are doing this for

> cosmetic reasons its not worth it. I have to keep reminding myself

of

> the health and functional reasons I am doing it for and if my

> health problems don't go away, I will have a much bite and smile

and

> look better. I am sorry if I am repititious in my questions I am

just

> more scared of the unknown than I can ever remember being.

> Any comforting advice wd be appreciated, Thanks