I've read good and bad outcomes from both methods. how each method was a success or not=also what determines success? Do you fell it was the method or the doctor?
I had my right extraoral in 1990 with complete resolution of symptoms.
Extraoral on left twice with poor outcomes.
Left inneroral soon so I'm taking a poll.
This is mainly due to the fact surgery is coming up and I'm freaking out after 2 failed surgeries. Looking back is no good but it clouds the present and I'm looking for some reassurance after 2 external failures for my first and hopefully last intraoral.
shawn
anybody have both?
Hi Sustain; just the one to get at the styloid. Yes I've been opened up twice on the outside and either nothing or the wrong thing removed. So since there's not much left I think they can only remove the styloid. this doctor sees what I see so he can't make an error, right? As for the hyoid mistake, I doubt he was in the OR. He has always swore he removed 3.5 cm of styloid no matter what post op x-rays showed--ego run rampant. He even told me "he knew what he did and I didn't need an x-ray. still always stuck on covering himself up. A mistake I might understand but the subsequent obvious lies were too much. Many doctors told me what he did but promised me they would never testify-so I became a hospital gossip story.
I hope this one ends better.
thanks
Good luck on your upcoming surgery, Shaw. My extraoral surgeries both had great results. My pain was totally gone until about a week ago, and I've had a few twinges lately and some real pain today. Not sure if I'm causing it with my neck PT, or if the weather (very rainy today) is swelling it up? Anyway, before today's pain I'd call my surgery results "miraculous."
I hope and pray that your results from this upcoming surgery are wonderful.
Shaw, good luck on your surgery. After all you've been through, I sure hope this one finally does the trick. Can I ask - who is the surgeon? What hospital is he with?
Hi heidemt;
I hope this is it! 3rd time's a charm? RIGHT? I sent you dr and hospital--no names until he does it right then I'll be singing his praises as opposed to the 2 previous goofs.
He says as compared to other patients he's done this on, mine is so palpatable in the mouth, inner oral will be fine. He has done it extraoral but with those he couldn't even feel it but saw it on the CT. So with that knowledge and different experiences and how he's talked to me and consulted with other doctors I don't think he can be anymore prepared. So I have happythoughts.
Shawn
Happy thoughts are good. It all sounds good.
Sept 11th! I thought that date sounded familiar. 9:15am eeek!
You will do fine. It is a special day to remember those we lost on that day. Never Forget! It will be a positive day for you, the beginning of your life without your last tusk. I will add you to my prayer list that day.
Hey all;
I thought the date sounded familiar when they said it was the 11th. I just forgot they meant September! I feel ok-nervous etc. Funny though-all the pain meds I've taken for my back seem to have taken the edge off of my throat-not a substitute for removal but I just noticed I haven't had any severe flare-ups lately.
My doctor says after this-we need to consider the 4 vertebral fusion of my L-2 thru S-1. Oh more fun stuff to look forward to.
I like wine tasting and found that a winery does a panama canal wine tasting trip from LA to Florida. 2 weeks and look fantastic--I might go after all this.
Good luck to everybody here having surgery, dealing with doctors, look for doctors etc. !
Shaw
Sorry to post one day late after your surgery, Shaw. I wish you a swift and uncomplicated recovery from your surgery. I know that the next couple of days will be the pits!! Take it easy and when you are up for it, please give us an update on your status, o.k. I am praying for you to get through the next couple of weeks without a hitch! Take care, my friend, and know you are being thought of!
Your lost eagle chat friend,
Viperbone
shaw said:
Hey all;
I thought the date sounded familiar when they said it was the 11th. I just forgot they meant September! I feel ok-nervous etc. Funny though-all the pain meds I've taken for my back seem to have taken the edge off of my throat-not a substitute for removal but I just noticed I haven't had any severe flare-ups lately.
My doctor says after this-we need to consider the 4 vertebral fusion of my L-2 thru S-1. Oh more fun stuff to look forward to.
I like wine tasting and found that a winery does a panama canal wine tasting trip from LA to Florida. 2 weeks and look fantastic--I might go after all this.
Good luck to everybody here having surgery, dealing with doctors, look for doctors etc. !
Shaw
Hi everybody-I had my 3rd styloid attempt yesterday! Intraorally. I was told they were surprised. the idea was they would remove the 1 cm left after the 3cm were removed 10 years ago. They found 3cm to remove. I had a feeling as before, that the more cartalligy part wasn't showing in my CT like I could feel.
Ok so now it hurts to swallow a lot but I feel that the best was done. This Doctor was the most attentive, interested, helpful I've had during this 15 year ordeal. I think it over-I know it has to be since there isn't anything more to remove!
Thanks to you all for your encouragement and recovery hints. I'm just supposed to rest now. :o)
Shawn
Yay!!! I am so happy for you, Shaw. Isn't it a pain when you know it's big but they assure you it's not? Glad they did the surgery anyway and found your 3 cm styloid!
The same thing happened to me when I was pregnant with my first. I kept expressing concern about the size of my baby, and they kept assuring me that I was a dumb first time mom and that the baby was tiny. Saying "I told you so" wasn't satisfying enough to make up for the pain and long-term damage of delivering a 10 1/2 lb baby! (I am not a big lady, and I was 6 lbs when I was born.)
Anyway, congrats on getting that evil styloid out of there, and here's hoping that you feel TONS better very soon!
Hi y'all
how long is this supposed to hurt? I'm not a big pain baby but wow-my sutures are stabbing me---how long do they stay in. I think my ear pain symptoms are gone--no tenderness there now. seems like a great start!
How long did people stay out of work? I can lift anything for 2 weeks.
The neck swelling makes me look like half a chipmunk.
shawn
I don't mean to be facetious, but those stitches tend to stay as long as they want. Your surgery was almost 3 weeks ago, so they should be dissolving soon. If they don't, you might need to go back to the surgeon. I think sometimes they just don't dissolve properly. Another week, and I might be calling the doctor. They do stab like heck.
I really hope you start feeling better soon. Keep ice on the neck. Do you have any fever? Is the neck swelling going down any? Keep swallowing ice chips, jello, ice cream, pudding, popsicles until that swelling goes down. I am so sorry that you had all that pain for so long and went through so many doctors before you had surgery and I wish you a complete recovery. Did you get your doctor to take pictures and give you one? I have made copies and given them to all my doctors and my dentist and my periodontist. Education and pictures speak quite loudly.
hi emma---only 3 days ago surgery was, (I wait 2.5 more weeks? boo hoo) i'm impatient and they are stabbing me. I don't think these dissolve. no fever. I saw my picks and video as I was coming around--I hope to get them on Monday--i'll post them hooray!
I give Dr. Henry Chen 5 stars--great doctor with a great technique both operating and pre-op. nice person to discuss procedures with no ego attached. Its good to find a doctor who understands that he is going to cut you open--not vice-versa and is able to build trust with his ability to listen and consult my previous doctors.
There is nothing left to remove on that side-styloid or hyoid, this is over, all that could be done to correct an incompetent egomaniacal doctor's screw up has been done.
I might send the picks to the incompetent Dr. The jerk left me hanging because he couldn't admit he removed the totally wrong thing which left me searching for 10 additional years--due mostly because his screw up made me radioactive to other doctors.
I kinda hate him-a bit.
shawn
Addendum to previous comment;
I have been the recipient of great support here! I have noticed after this past surgery that I have gone backwards focusing, remembering the past bad surgeries, wasted time and 15 years more than last weeks successful one. I am venting here to remind myself to focus on the good that occurred and how hard I worked to get here. Not on the not-so-great past.
Venting can be ok but when it takes over is when I need to see that I don't own a time machine and that occurrences only move forward-this time for the best. :o)
I am focusing on popsicles!
Shawn