Saturday, October 16, 2010

pain

So I had an MRI done on monday of my jaw joints...the purpose of it was so that Dr. Langan could get a clear picture of my joints in order to do an arthrocentesis (flush them and then inject them with steroids). If this works it could be a permanent solution to my pain, but after everything I've been through and how severe the pain has gotten I'm not too hopeful. Dr. Fuselier thinks my arthritis may even be an autoimmune disease..rheumatoid arthritis meaning it affects other parts of my body. I am getting bloodwork for that next week. Dr. Langan explained why I had a relapse and I finally got to understand how that happened. See, since my joints have no more cushioning between them, they have been grinding bone on bone and I have lost 1mm of bone from my joints since surgery. that in turn caused my jaw to shorten that 1mm...but when it shortens 1mm it actually causes a 3mm open bite for every 1mm loss of bone. that in turn caused a 5mm overbite. Dr. Langan said that after the arthrocentesis it will settle my joints and then he wants to do the lower jaw surgery on me to correct my open and over bite. I am in SO MUCH pain that I could sleep all day and spend my days in a drugged funk...but I can't and I won't and I get SO irritated with lazy people and people who complain of normal aches and pains. I'm 25 and in severe pain because of this but refuse to take prescription drugs because of the fact that there are a lot of addictive personalities running through my family. I am so discouraged.

1 comment:

  1. My surgeon is talking arthrocentesis, also. We're trying to wait until at least the year mark, but who knows. I'm sorry you relapsed :( I haven't, but I'm in your boat with severe pain and bite not lining up right.

    Thinking about you...

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