| TMJ Surgery #22
Hello All,
I have been out of the loop for a few months. I had surgery October 21, 2013 to replace my left TMJ Concept mandible & condyle implant and have not recovered as I have in the past. Have been unable to get the swelling off the left side of my face even using steroids. Not really sure what has gone wrong. I feel the "new" implant is too big for my face and since I moved the surgery date out from April to October too many changes took place so the new component no longer fits. My opening has gone from 42mm to 7mm. I can no longer chew and the very worst of it is I am in pain again. I have not felt pain like this in years. I have been so depressed, it took 20 TWENTY JAW SURGERIES and I was PAIN FREE for the first time in over 25 years. Still no explanation as to why my left mandible/condylar implant came unscrewed to begin with in February 2013 and even with that unscrewed and slinging around in my face was not causing me pain. The teams are torn. One side says wait until October, give the new implant a year to "settle" the other says take it out before it breaks apart in my face. I say...if it comes out I AM DONE! I will go joint less on the left side. TWENTY TWO jaw surgeries in the past 17 years! I am done! I have had to begin taking pain medication along with muscle relaxers and I am so depressed and freaked out over the pain I have began having anxiety attacks so now I am on medication for that. I got three years of no pain, no medication and better function than I have ever had and it is all gone. The "new" implant is HUGE! For my fellow TMJ Concept family the left mandible/condyle implant is wider than three fingers and heavy. This is just horrid. I know I will not make it until October so I have given myself until the 1st of May and if the pain and discomfort is still going on then I am having it removed and walking away from the surgery table. This is just too much. I remember thinking years ago, three, three surgeries was my limit no more than that. That didn't happen. So for you "newbies" out there surgery SHOULD ALWAYS BE YOUR LAST OPTION! There is no cure and surgery will NOT CURE YOU. Myself along with others have had very good outcomes with the TMJ Concepts but use caution because nothing is forever. I am grateful for the few years I had pain and medication free but at this time I don't think or feel I will ever be in that place again.
Take care!
Shirlett
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