just had my jaws sawn off!
Discussion
Gruesome though it sounds, I've just had my upper and lower jaws sawn off and re fitted 1cm forward. I had apnea which caused me to stop breathing 47 times an hour at night, which seems to have been brought on after a big crash I had 6 years ago, where amongst many other things, my jaw was left in 3 pieces. So right now I look like a monkey but I'm feeling surprisingly well already and only had it done on Wednesday.
If you are a sufferer and have any concerns about this op, feel free to give me a shout. In the meantime, where's did i hide that banana?
If you are a sufferer and have any concerns about this op, feel free to give me a shout. In the meantime, where's did i hide that banana?
I had my lower jaw extended forward about five years ago. Apart from a little numbness lingering inmy lower lipand chin, everything is great.
I didn't find it too painful either. Had my teeth wired for 7 weeks afterwards but managed not to lose a single ounce despite the liquid diet. It's amazing how many calories you can get in a milkshake. lol
Good luck with the recovery and I hope it helps with the sleep issues.
I didn't find it too painful either. Had my teeth wired for 7 weeks afterwards but managed not to lose a single ounce despite the liquid diet. It's amazing how many calories you can get in a milkshake. lol
Good luck with the recovery and I hope it helps with the sleep issues.
Thanks for the support guys...it does sound extreme but this type of op seems to be going on everyday and they are pretty slick at it now. Surprisingly little discomfort and yes, milkshakes galore. I can't tell you how much I missed my usual Sunday morning cooked breakfast today though! I think a steak is a long way off yet!
MonkeyMatt said:
What other treatment had you tried prior?
I had been using a CPAP machine, which for the uninitiated, is a fighter pilots mask blowing air down your throat all night. It's like trying to sleep with your head out the car window on the M1! Then I had a splint made which is like a double decker brace that holds the jaw in place all night. Both of these were not for me and at 44 hope to double my age, so another 40 odd years of those was not an option.My lower jaw wasn't particularly small but did recede slightly, giving me that slightly gormless tortoise look! LOL. I believe that that type of face shape is more prone to the problem as when you sleep and the jaw relaxes, the tongue drops back and blocks the passage of air. Many people are unaware that they have the problem. Typical symptoms are snoring, then silence and a big snore and intake of breath just before your other half nudges you because they think you just died! Waking feeling breathless is a symptom as when you stop breathing your brain sends a message to the adrenalin department, which gives you a quick 'squirt', then you wake like you've just been for a run. Daytime tiredness is the obvious end result but in time, heart attacks and strokes etc from putting the heart under too much stress and low levels of oxygen.
If you have these symptoms, often caused by being overweight as well as smoking, get to your GP and ask to be sent to the sleep clinic. It could save your life.
If you have these symptoms, often caused by being overweight as well as smoking, get to your GP and ask to be sent to the sleep clinic. It could save your life.
Jeeze serious opp op. When I was 17 I had just my lower jaw done to solve an overbite, that would have caused my teeth to go back to what they were like before braces, if it had not been done.
That was bad enough I have a photo of me looking like something out of Bo Selecta, and living on blended food through a straw for 8 weeks was not fun.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
That was bad enough I have a photo of me looking like something out of Bo Selecta, and living on blended food through a straw for 8 weeks was not fun.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
bernhund said:
I had been using a CPAP machine, which for the uninitiated, is a fighter pilots mask blowing air down your throat all night. It's like trying to sleep with your head out the car window on the M1! Then I had a splint made which is like a double decker brace that holds the jaw in place all night. Both of these were not for me and at 44 hope to double my age, so another 40 odd years of those was not an option.
Wow. Incredible what medical science can do now.A mate of mine has sleep Apnea which went undiagnosed for years....he's used to snore like an absolute basterd....he's a big lad too. No idea how his wife endured it. When we used to go away on ski trips there used to be three of us in one room and him in the other....nobody would share.
He now has a CPAP machine which has done wonders for him....though he does sound a bit like Darth Vader.
Cheib said:
bernhund said:
I had been using a CPAP machine, which for the uninitiated, is a fighter pilots mask blowing air down your throat all night. It's like trying to sleep with your head out the car window on the M1! Then I had a splint made which is like a double decker brace that holds the jaw in place all night. Both of these were not for me and at 44 hope to double my age, so another 40 odd years of those was not an option.
Wow. Incredible what medical science can do now.A mate of mine has sleep Apnea which went undiagnosed for years....he's used to snore like an absolute basterd....he's a big lad too. No idea how his wife endured it. When we used to go away on ski trips there used to be three of us in one room and him in the other....nobody would share.
He now has a CPAP machine which has done wonders for him....though he does sound a bit like Darth Vader.
To be honest, I came home Friday afternoon and today (Monday) I've hoovered the house, touched up some paintwork, mopped the kitchen and got my wood burners running. I can't believe how quick that has happened. Apart from looking like Joseph Merrick himself, I can see no reason why you shouldn't have this op if you suffer from apnea. I even managed to scramble a couple of eggs and get them down me this morning....I'll try to get them in my mouth tomorrow!!!
When I was young I had a brace made to pull my bottom jaw forward. I had a 6mm overbite on my top jaw. The brace was called a "twin-block" as it had a pair of sloping blocks that when I closed my mouth pulled my jaw forward.
I remember it helped me sleep better as it opened my airway.
I wonder if that would have been an option at all.
I remember it helped me sleep better as it opened my airway.
I wonder if that would have been an option at all.
Life Saab Itch said:
When I was young I had a brace made to pull my bottom jaw forward. I had a 6mm overbite on my top jaw. The brace was called a "twin-block" as it had a pair of sloping blocks that when I closed my mouth pulled my jaw forward.
I remember it helped me sleep better as it opened my airway.
I wonder if that would have been an option at all.
I think on the whole these decisions are based on the shape of your face to start with. Bringing both of mine forward kept the face balanced, whereas an under shot lower jaw alone could probably be brought forward to meet the upper and then have the correct 'bite'. My bite has remained the same as it was ok before and has all been advanced together. I'd have ended up like a JCB otherwise! LOLI remember it helped me sleep better as it opened my airway.
I wonder if that would have been an option at all.
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