For me a trip to the hairdressers usually takes about 3-4 hours, (I'm not a natural blonde) So that time is my time to be pampered, to have a good old chat to my hairdresser, to read trashy magazines, to have a head massage, to relax and to just do nothing for 3-4 hours and come out looking fabulous.
It was lovely, but the hairdresser high was well and truly gone by about 6pm and I was again feeling rather sad and miserable. I just cant seem to shift this negative, sad, miserable feeling that I have at the minute, the good news is I've stopped crying for no reason at work (thank god!) but I just don't feel like myself. I'm a rather upbeat, positive, can-do kind of girl and I haven't been any of those things over the last month or so.
Then yesterday it dawned on me, I have been on a new contraceptive pill. The bloody pill has been messing with my hormones, I had a look at my patient leaflet and some of the side effects are low self esteem and depression.
Now I'm not saying that this pill is the reason why I dislike my face or why I have been struggling with the whole Orthognathic surgery process recently, I think that is to be expected and I'm sure I will have many more moments of panic, upset, and questioning if I have done the right thing or not. Yes I think there will be much more of that to come over the next year or so!
I think this pill and the change in my hormones has just made it harder for me to pick myself back up, shake off all the negative thoughts and feelings and put on my positive happy face again. I'm off to the doctors on Thurs to try a different one and hopefully I will be feeling back to normal again.
In more jaw/teeth related issues, my bite has been moving like crazy over the last week. The connection between my top and bottom back teeth seems to be changing daily, my mid line is way off and my jaw is all sore and aches, I'm waking up really clenching my jaw again. Just realised that in all my misery I completely forgot to update on my last tightening!
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| Mid Line Movement - 4 Months |
Mr O'Neil said he was (and I quote) very happy with the movements considering I've only had my braces on for a short amount of time. I had a thicker top wire put in, no change to my bottom wire, just another ligature added. He said that my wisdom tooth holes were healing really well and on my next tightening he thinks he will add brackets to my very back teeth to start moving them. So rather positive all round! My teeth were much more sensitive and sore for a couple days after than last time, but I'm sort of glad that it hurt, feels like the braces are doing something!
Who'd of thought the wimp would ever say that!
Thank you for writing this blog. I've been reading your posts and i'm also from the UK and facing double jaw surgery. Unfortunately i'm currently on a waiting list before I will be getting my braces, but I can identify closely with the reasons you wanted the surgery. It's helpful to get an insight into your progress and looking perhaps at some issues i'll be facing in the future. Can I ask whether you are you having a genioplasty along with the jaw surgery, or just the bi-max on its own, and secondly how do other people e.g. colleagues react when you explain what you're having done? Thanks
ReplyDeleteHey, thanks for reading.
DeleteDuring my first consultation with my surgeon we did discuss including genioplasty with my bi-max. Nothing was confirmed, it was all just an estimate with the intention of assessing my face and jaw once my teeth were in a better position for surgey.
I hadn't even considered genioplasty as an option before my surgeon mentioned it but to be honest he can do whatever he thinks is best, he's the expert after all!
I'm going to have to have this surgey and my face shape will change, so why not throw in a genio while I'm there if it will improve my appearance.
In terms of response from colleagues, friends, family the first response is generally the same, shock, followed by ouch, followed by asking why. Most people don't know that this kind of treatment exists, let alone that I have difficulty eating, speaking and all the other emotional/self esteem issues that come with an underbite. So it's generally an inquisitive response at first.
I work for a small company so most of my colleagues ask how things are going, or listen patiently while I moan about sore teeth and eating soup again for lunch. I am also fortunate to have an incredibly understanding and supportive boss, which helps a lot with time off for ortho visits.
How long have you got on the waiting list? how are you feeling about all this so far? It's pretty daunting isn't it!
Yes it is daunting but to be honest reading all about the process in advance has in a way helped as I know what i'm letting myself in for!
DeleteUnfortunately I seem to be in a part of the country where there is a significant wait for orthodontic treatment, although I'm grateful that i'm ultimately getting this done by the NHS. I have had several consultations with my orthodontist and one with the surgeon, however I will probably have to wait over six months at least inbetween my last consult and actually starting treatment, which is obviously frustrating, as there was a long wait to even have the first consult.
I feel very self conscious about how I look and it does not help when some people in the past have made negative comments, which does nothing for my self esteem. The few people I have told about my future treatment don't really seem to understand what the 'problem' is and I hope when others see me in braces they don't just assume I'm wearing them for straight teeth.
It's hard to explain but it's now at a point where I sometimes feel my whole life is consumed by this issue!
Yes, reading blogs and doing your research helps a lot! I remember reading my first blog and seeing the after surgery pictures! I cried and cried and cried, I felt sick with fear, nerves, worry. I still do a bit hahaha! But I suppose the more you read about the process and see surgery pictures etc you get used it, it becomes normal really.
DeleteThat sucks that you have to wait so long, but don't get too disheartened, you will have your braces on soon enough and be on your way to treatment. You're on the list now so it's just a matter of time.
I meet new people all the time with work and find that most people don't ask me anything about my braces, they probably do just assume that I'm getting nice straight teeth, in a way I am, I'm just having double jaw surgery in between. I'm happy to explain to people that ask, but if they don't then I don't mind what they think.
As I said, it is difficult for those that don't have an underbite or an overbite to understand what the problem is, and why you have chosen to go through this because they don't experience the difficulties like you do.
I can relate to that feeling, and really once you have your braces on it can feel like it consumes you a whole lot more at first. You have to get used to speaking with them on, eating with them, cleaning them and as I've said before in posts, just as I get used to how they are in my mouth and I manage my speaking, they move again! it's a pain but it's worth it.
Sometimes it feels like it will never end and that it's a constant struggle, but I just try and keep thinking about the day when I can look back at all these posts and pictures with my new jaw, biting through an apple with a big straight teethed, proper bite smile and feel good about myself, and proud that I did this and that I made it.
Hey there! Blog follower in San Francisco, CA here reading up on your details. I am a fellow blogger and underbite surgery patient myself and I just wanted to drop a line and tell you how beautiful you are! Amazing how this process changes our psychology. I've been having terrible depression spells too, somedays worst. But I know in the end it will all be worth it. So when is the estimated time frame for your surgery?
ReplyDeleteHey, thanks for getting in touch,
DeleteYes this process is a bit difficult on the old self esteem as well as the teeth! It is important to focus on the end goal and try to remain positive throughout all this but I think the sad days are expected, so as long as we pick ourselves up again and keep going then all will work out fine!
Do you have any dates? How far along are you?
I don't know what my time frame is, I've only had my braces on for 4 months so it's probably a long way off yet.
I'm sure if I asked my Orthodontist he would give me some dates, I just don't want him to feel like he has to give me a date because I'm asking. Then if things change or don't go to plan and dates move then I'll end up feeling deflated and miserable.
I've read so many blogs where surgery gets postponed because teeth aren't in the right place, or they need a bit longer in braces so proposed time frames are pushed back etc and quite rightly, people get really upset and disappointed. I just want to try an avoid that as much as I can. When my Ortho wants to tell me I'm ready for surgery then he can, but I'm not going to push him for a date.
The way I look at it is, I'm having double jaw surgery at some point, whether its 4 months away or 24 months away I'm still having double jaw surgery(eeeeeek!)I need to get head round that rather than the time it happens.
The whole process has done a number on my self esteem as well. I know it's hard, but keeping the end result in mind has helped me when I've been down on myself. My fiance has been really supportive as well, giving reminders that this is what I want for myself and how much better my bit is going to be functionally and aesthetically.
ReplyDeleteHi Tiff,
DeleteYes, your loved ones around you are so important to help keeping you on track. Sometimes I get consumed by these negative feelings sometimes and it helps to have someone who loves me, to give me a good shake and re focus me positively!
Hey there, another UK blogger again.. :P I've found that even without the braces my self-esteem has been lowered from having an underbite XD It was a case of not knowing until my surgeon gave me a leaflet with before and after photos and there is was...a girl with an underbite similar to mine and I realised how odd it looks XD Braces really dont matter and you've just got to keep thinking about the surgery and how you'll look when it is all done; you'll look GREAT!!
ReplyDeleteP.s. don't UK waiting lists suck?!?!?
Hi Anthony,
DeleteThanks for the encouragement! yes my self-confidence was knocked a fair few times as I was growing up. I think the braces just draw more attention to my mouth and then I think they draw attention to my chin and lower jaw and just make everything worse.
But I know that they are necessary etc. so I've just got to man up!
I feel really fortunate that I didn't have to go on a waiting list at all. I saw my dentist who referred me to the orthodontic/maxillo facial dept and my local hospital, I had an appointment set to see my orthodontist about a week later then everything went pretty quickly from there.
I don't know if my process was quick because I had this treatment offered to me when I was younger by the same orthodontist that I'm currently seeing, so he knew my history and my feelings about it all etc or if I'm just lucky and I live in a region where people don't have underbites and need orthognathic surgery!