I just wanted to update everyone and give a general piece of advice.
Ive seen two plastic surgeons about my mis-shapen lip (caused by the removal of a mucocele on my lower lip) and both do NOT think it will return to normal shape without some work. Both of these doctors removed mucoceles on a regular basis and both would have done them differently based on the pictures I showed them of my mucocele.
Apparently it looks like the oral surgeon removed some of my mucosa (lining of the mouth) and possibly other non-mucocele related tissue when he removed my mucocele and that is part of the reason my lip is so dented and deformed.
So, my advice to you all is to please ask questions as to how your doctor is going to remove your mucocele and whether they feel it will affect your lips shape (assumeing you have one on or near your lip). If they think it will affect the shape, go to a plastic surgeon to have it removed. Educate yourself on your surgeons and don't assume it is an easy fix without complications. Also ask your doctor how many of these he/she has removed before in this area (after the fact my doctor said he'd never seen one in this area before).
As nice as it might be to have someone else to co-miserate with, I really do not want anyone else to end up dealing with a messed up lip like mine. =( At the moment I am facing future surgery to fix my lip, and even with fixing it it will likely not look the same as it had.
Also, a last word of advice, always appreciate what you have. No matter how imperfect you think you might be appreciate what you have for it could change without warning.
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Be Informed, Ask Questions, Take Caution!
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Hey there Ackhelp,
Uggh....I am so sorry. This SUCKS!!!!! I don't understand why the ENTs approach this surgery so lightly without disclosing complications and giving patients warning pamphlets and such. Even my ENT seemed to be nonchalant about the surgery, initially suggesting he perform it then and there on the day I walked in to get it diagnosed, as though he were cutting a mole off or something. He seemed all ho-hum about it. I mean, usually, they tell you all these scary worst case things to prepare you. Once, I had impacted wisdom teeth removed, for which the oral surgeon acted like it was a big ordeal. Compared to the impacted wisdom teeth removal, the mucocele removal was easily 10 times worse in terms of post operative discomfort and lengthy healing and all around difficulty of talking/eating/facial expression, etc., not to mention lengthy numbness (days to months afterwards) and worries about scarring and asymmetry.
I've learned from this experience how important the mouth and lips are since we depend on them for a vast number of daily activities that we take for granted. This isn't like a cut on the arm or leg where we can hide it.
I want you to know that you already helped me by posting your before and after photos. Before my procedure, I e-mailed my ENT and told him that I can see that asymmetry is one of the potential complications of this mucocele excision per what happened to this girl who posted these photos, and I sent him the link to your posting. So, he saw your photos, and to that he replied, "Those complications are rare, and I will be careful." He also said that you will only find the extreme problem cases on web sites and forums because these 5% of people with complications are the only ones posting. I have to disagree with that. I think young people get around on the internet, and a mucocele is weird enough that most young people will end up in this forum seeking advice.
So, yeah, I agree with you, "gee, I haven't seen one of these in this location before" is a definite warning sign because mucoceles occur most commonly on the lip. I did ask my ENTs if he had done many of these before, and he nodded like, "of course". Frankly, I think he was a little annoyed with my anxiety about the whole thing and blamed this web site on it. But I'm extremely glad I found this web site, otherwise, I would be freaking out all the more, since the post operative healing is NOT a piece of cake.
I voiced three concerns going into the surgery to the ENT: Asymmetry, External scarring, and numbness. It's been two weeks today since surgery, and it's too soon to make the judgement call on asymmetry, although it's looking like it's at least tolerable. 100% the same? I don't think it will be 100% the same, but I'm not going to worry since the mucocele already threw off my symmetry a bit. Regarding the external scarring, something might show when I'm talking. Other than that, I don't think anything will show. So, this is looking ok. Regarding numbness, we'll see. I still have numbness in a patch on the exterior of my lip. My ENT told me it should go away in 3 mos. My dentist friends said up to 6 mos. So, I'll have to wait it out.
So, thanks for taking the time to post your experience, Ackhelp, as I'm sure it will help others, as it has helped me. I'm really sorry this happened to you, and I hope the plastic surgeon can fix the problem so that you can at least close your mouth naturally such that you teeth don't show.
Everyone facing this surgery should get a second opinion or at least ask a lot of questions and ensure the doc is experienced.
* Ask how exactly the removal will be done.
* Ask if the associated salivary gland will be excised (if it's not, the mucocele could re-occur).
* Ask about the complications of asymmetry, external scarring, and permanent numbness.
* Ask how many of these the doc has performed and whether he has removed them from the area where yours is located in the past.
Take care, Ackhelp. Thank you so much for sharing your story with others. Keep us posted on your progress. I wish you the best in getting things fixed.
Spumanti
Uggh....I am so sorry. This SUCKS!!!!! I don't understand why the ENTs approach this surgery so lightly without disclosing complications and giving patients warning pamphlets and such. Even my ENT seemed to be nonchalant about the surgery, initially suggesting he perform it then and there on the day I walked in to get it diagnosed, as though he were cutting a mole off or something. He seemed all ho-hum about it. I mean, usually, they tell you all these scary worst case things to prepare you. Once, I had impacted wisdom teeth removed, for which the oral surgeon acted like it was a big ordeal. Compared to the impacted wisdom teeth removal, the mucocele removal was easily 10 times worse in terms of post operative discomfort and lengthy healing and all around difficulty of talking/eating/facial expression, etc., not to mention lengthy numbness (days to months afterwards) and worries about scarring and asymmetry.
I've learned from this experience how important the mouth and lips are since we depend on them for a vast number of daily activities that we take for granted. This isn't like a cut on the arm or leg where we can hide it.
I want you to know that you already helped me by posting your before and after photos. Before my procedure, I e-mailed my ENT and told him that I can see that asymmetry is one of the potential complications of this mucocele excision per what happened to this girl who posted these photos, and I sent him the link to your posting. So, he saw your photos, and to that he replied, "Those complications are rare, and I will be careful." He also said that you will only find the extreme problem cases on web sites and forums because these 5% of people with complications are the only ones posting. I have to disagree with that. I think young people get around on the internet, and a mucocele is weird enough that most young people will end up in this forum seeking advice.
So, yeah, I agree with you, "gee, I haven't seen one of these in this location before" is a definite warning sign because mucoceles occur most commonly on the lip. I did ask my ENTs if he had done many of these before, and he nodded like, "of course". Frankly, I think he was a little annoyed with my anxiety about the whole thing and blamed this web site on it. But I'm extremely glad I found this web site, otherwise, I would be freaking out all the more, since the post operative healing is NOT a piece of cake.
I voiced three concerns going into the surgery to the ENT: Asymmetry, External scarring, and numbness. It's been two weeks today since surgery, and it's too soon to make the judgement call on asymmetry, although it's looking like it's at least tolerable. 100% the same? I don't think it will be 100% the same, but I'm not going to worry since the mucocele already threw off my symmetry a bit. Regarding the external scarring, something might show when I'm talking. Other than that, I don't think anything will show. So, this is looking ok. Regarding numbness, we'll see. I still have numbness in a patch on the exterior of my lip. My ENT told me it should go away in 3 mos. My dentist friends said up to 6 mos. So, I'll have to wait it out.
So, thanks for taking the time to post your experience, Ackhelp, as I'm sure it will help others, as it has helped me. I'm really sorry this happened to you, and I hope the plastic surgeon can fix the problem so that you can at least close your mouth naturally such that you teeth don't show.
Everyone facing this surgery should get a second opinion or at least ask a lot of questions and ensure the doc is experienced.
* Ask how exactly the removal will be done.
* Ask if the associated salivary gland will be excised (if it's not, the mucocele could re-occur).
* Ask about the complications of asymmetry, external scarring, and permanent numbness.
* Ask how many of these the doc has performed and whether he has removed them from the area where yours is located in the past.
Take care, Ackhelp. Thank you so much for sharing your story with others. Keep us posted on your progress. I wish you the best in getting things fixed.
Spumanti
I agree with you. I had all four of my impacted wisdom teeth removed (by a different oral surgeon when I lived in another state) and they warned me of many complications and how much pain there would be post-surgery. Ironicaly, the surgery itself was pretty unpleasant but the post-surgery healing time was like a cake walk. My upper holes healed in a week (the doctor was surprized and asked if I even had my top wisdom teeth removed because it healed so fast and so completely that it confused him) and my lower teeth healed shortly thereafter. i didnt even take the prescribed painkillers.
But with the mucocele I was given no warnings of anything. Just that Id be puffy and sore. Actually, i can deal with pain pretty well so I again didnt take the pain killers, but it WAS much more uncomfortable, painful, sore, and irratating to deal with. All of that wouldnt bother me so much if I wasnt left with a misshapen lip. Also, they acted like there was very very little likelyhood of it ended up numb, which it still is. It seems like numbness is REALLY common based on everyone's posts in here and what the plastic surgeons told me. I understand that it should go away in several months to a year (I was told up to a year) but you would think the doctors would tell you right away that numbness is a likely side affect and not to worry if you do end up a little numb because it will go away in time. You know, so you don't freak out about the numb patches. Seems logical to me to explain this before surgery.
Im glad my pictures helped you. I disagree about only the extreem cases being posted. If you read all of the posts in here you will find FAR more people just getting information or talking about thier sucessful operation and what their recovery was like. I only read about one other person besides myself who had this happen, most of the members in here are happy mucocle survivors without significant complications, or they are new people with mucocles getting information. I think your ENT was trying to brush off my story in a sense when I know I personaly would rather have read my story first before going into an operation. I hate that I didnt have the chance to ask my doctor about asymmetry and that I never even thought that would be an issue. Had i asked maybe I could have found a better suited doctor.
Im sorry I've indirectly annoyed your doctor, lol, I never ment for this to cause any doctor to feel like he has to explain himself. I just wanted people to be careful. I dont want anyone to be as upset as I am.
But with the mucocele I was given no warnings of anything. Just that Id be puffy and sore. Actually, i can deal with pain pretty well so I again didnt take the pain killers, but it WAS much more uncomfortable, painful, sore, and irratating to deal with. All of that wouldnt bother me so much if I wasnt left with a misshapen lip. Also, they acted like there was very very little likelyhood of it ended up numb, which it still is. It seems like numbness is REALLY common based on everyone's posts in here and what the plastic surgeons told me. I understand that it should go away in several months to a year (I was told up to a year) but you would think the doctors would tell you right away that numbness is a likely side affect and not to worry if you do end up a little numb because it will go away in time. You know, so you don't freak out about the numb patches. Seems logical to me to explain this before surgery.
Im glad my pictures helped you. I disagree about only the extreem cases being posted. If you read all of the posts in here you will find FAR more people just getting information or talking about thier sucessful operation and what their recovery was like. I only read about one other person besides myself who had this happen, most of the members in here are happy mucocle survivors without significant complications, or they are new people with mucocles getting information. I think your ENT was trying to brush off my story in a sense when I know I personaly would rather have read my story first before going into an operation. I hate that I didnt have the chance to ask my doctor about asymmetry and that I never even thought that would be an issue. Had i asked maybe I could have found a better suited doctor.
Im sorry I've indirectly annoyed your doctor, lol, I never ment for this to cause any doctor to feel like he has to explain himself. I just wanted people to be careful. I dont want anyone to be as upset as I am.
Ackhelp, I've been reading so many of your posts, and I wish this hadn't happened to you! I also was just told the basic puffiness/soreness after surgery, but no warnings about any other possible problems. It sucks that you face future surgery, but I hope everything works out with it!
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