Hi all,
I LOVE this site. My mucocele, which I've started to call "Ricardo," has been with me three months. Its bigger than a pea, smaller than a marble. Rubs against my lower teeth. Visible from the outside. I know one website says mucoceles are "painless," "harmless," etc., but really, this thing sucks!!
I mean, who feels cute and sexy with this thing? Or, if you have a job where you have to talk a lot, on top of your game? I was at a meeting with a bunch of managers the other day, and felt all self-conscious and mumbly. Then I went to a ladies lunch and wanted to hide in the dark. The table was tiny, my coworker was sitting really close to me, and I felt like ... "Look away people, I'm hideous."
So I finally made an appointment to have it removed. The ENT doc said he would have to take out 1.5 cm of flesh (more than half-an-inch), which sounds HUGE. Then he said I would experience "noticeable swelling" for TWO to THREE months. And that the area would be numb for perhaps up to a YEAR. And that I might be permanently, thought slightly, deformed.
And after all that, he said there's a chance Ricardo might return!!
True, this isn't cancer. But, zen-ness aside, I've got a couple of weddings to attend this summer, a big vacation, lots going on, and I'm feeling dismayed at the prospect of prolonged swollenness, numbness and potential recurrence. I mean, this is my dang face.
(BTW, I know numbess. A few years ago, I had Bell's Palsy, where half your face is paralyzed. It usually afflicts elderly people, but lucky me got it at age 35. Think Joker from Batman, but freakier-looking. The weird thing is - when the palsy healed, it left a numb spot that lasted nearly a year ... in the same area where my mucocele is now -- coincidence?).
But back to my mucocele rant. How much do you hate your mucocele? Any post-surgery sufferers with a long-range perspective? How are things months later?
Thanks for listening all... I feel better. Sort of. My surgery is scheduled for six days from now.
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How much does your mucocele suck?
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GO TO A PLASTIC SURGEON!!!
Sorry to shout, but I'd get a second opinion from a plastic surgeon because your ENT said you might have deformation. A plastic surgeon will be more careful about making sure your lip looks good after the surgery and they are qualified to work on removing mucoceles. Plus, your ENT is talking about it returning. If the offending gland/s is/are totaly removed than it shouldnt return. It would only return if another gland gets impacted, but not the original one. So I'd suggest seeing another doctor either way to make sure whomever removes it does it properly so that it wont return.
Personaly, I liked my mucocele MUCH better than the deformed lip my oral surgeon gave me. If I had known better I would have gone to a plastic surgeon instead.
Its been over two months now, maybe three, and I am still numb although sometimes I think it is getting more tingly than it was before...by a very small amount.
As far as post surgery is concerned. The swelling really seemed to go away after a few weeks. I think I looked unaffected after about three weeks tops (aside from the permanent dip in my lip left as a deformation which everyone thinks is a birth defect).
Sorry to shout, but I'd get a second opinion from a plastic surgeon because your ENT said you might have deformation. A plastic surgeon will be more careful about making sure your lip looks good after the surgery and they are qualified to work on removing mucoceles. Plus, your ENT is talking about it returning. If the offending gland/s is/are totaly removed than it shouldnt return. It would only return if another gland gets impacted, but not the original one. So I'd suggest seeing another doctor either way to make sure whomever removes it does it properly so that it wont return.
Personaly, I liked my mucocele MUCH better than the deformed lip my oral surgeon gave me. If I had known better I would have gone to a plastic surgeon instead.
Its been over two months now, maybe three, and I am still numb although sometimes I think it is getting more tingly than it was before...by a very small amount.
As far as post surgery is concerned. The swelling really seemed to go away after a few weeks. I think I looked unaffected after about three weeks tops (aside from the permanent dip in my lip left as a deformation which everyone thinks is a birth defect).
How much does it suck? Lots!
I'm a very self conscious / not comfortable in own skin type so this thing is really a pain in the butt.
It's been a few weeks and I've seen the general practicioner who referred me to an ear, nose, & throat guy... had to wait for appointment. It's today and I'm afraid I'll have to wait weeks again to have it removed, or be referred again to someone else.
Thirty second examinations followed by a referral are pretty annoying, especially when forking out a $20 co-pay each time.
I'm a very self conscious / not comfortable in own skin type so this thing is really a pain in the butt.
It's been a few weeks and I've seen the general practicioner who referred me to an ear, nose, & throat guy... had to wait for appointment. It's today and I'm afraid I'll have to wait weeks again to have it removed, or be referred again to someone else.
Thirty second examinations followed by a referral are pretty annoying, especially when forking out a $20 co-pay each time.
so, the ENT doctor poked it with a needle
then injected novacaine
then sliced it up a bit with scissors
and sent me on my merry way...
it's an open wound now and way more swollen. i had considered taking a pin or razorblade to it before but thought that would be too savage.
should i look for another doctor? nothing was removed. it was just sliced open and left to bleed and ooze.
then injected novacaine
then sliced it up a bit with scissors
and sent me on my merry way...
it's an open wound now and way more swollen. i had considered taking a pin or razorblade to it before but thought that would be too savage.
should i look for another doctor? nothing was removed. it was just sliced open and left to bleed and ooze.
If you're sure nothing was removed minithin, then you probably have a good chance of the mucocele returning. For a successful removal the salivary glands need to be removed.
Mine sucks pretty bad, but the recovery wasn't too bad. I'm in the navy, so my ship's dentist sent me to see an oral surgeon that day on base and they fixed me up that same day. I was very much impressed by the quality of care I received from a navy facility (and from a dentist who had never done the procedure before; boy I love being a guinea pig for the navy!)
I had never heard of a mucocele and thought I had a cold sore that wouldn't heal. It all happened so fast that I never had time to worry about it. Now I have a little bit of asymmetry on my left side, and I had to teach myself how to whistle again. The numbness only lasted a couple of weeks, and the bruise on my mouth only a week. (I looked like I'd been beaten) Good luck with yours. Since I went to an oral surgeon and had a great experience, I recommend an oral surgeon, who probably has some experience with this type of problem. Take care of yourself!
Kayti
I had never heard of a mucocele and thought I had a cold sore that wouldn't heal. It all happened so fast that I never had time to worry about it. Now I have a little bit of asymmetry on my left side, and I had to teach myself how to whistle again. The numbness only lasted a couple of weeks, and the bruise on my mouth only a week. (I looked like I'd been beaten) Good luck with yours. Since I went to an oral surgeon and had a great experience, I recommend an oral surgeon, who probably has some experience with this type of problem. Take care of yourself!
Kayti
Hi
Yes I am a recent Mucocele trainee, I bit my lip a few times and bang I suddenly now have this irritating pea sheaped lump just under my lower lip. Went to the ENT as I like to scare myself to death first by logging in symptoms such as:
Slight scratch on hand : Answer : Cancer of the foot! :)
However I did get a few cancer things up hence the visit, its softish sometimes then hard at other times time though I can manipulate it with my fingers a bit from left to right.
Its not really painful but it does feel a bit numbish at times and its in a place that irritates as you keep wanting to stick it with your tongue.
My ENT took one look and said blocked saliva gland....drum roll....and the cure is.....further drum roll....it will go away in 1 wk to 10 days! ....complete ass as its still with me now.
Somebody suggested salt, any other ideas.
Yes I am a recent Mucocele trainee, I bit my lip a few times and bang I suddenly now have this irritating pea sheaped lump just under my lower lip. Went to the ENT as I like to scare myself to death first by logging in symptoms such as:
Slight scratch on hand : Answer : Cancer of the foot! :)
However I did get a few cancer things up hence the visit, its softish sometimes then hard at other times time though I can manipulate it with my fingers a bit from left to right.
Its not really painful but it does feel a bit numbish at times and its in a place that irritates as you keep wanting to stick it with your tongue.
My ENT took one look and said blocked saliva gland....drum roll....and the cure is.....further drum roll....it will go away in 1 wk to 10 days! ....complete ass as its still with me now.
Somebody suggested salt, any other ideas.
Chalky, you have to get it cut out. No other real option. Sorreeeee.
Well I am just back from Thailand from a diving holiday and this wretched thing is still with me only now its at Ricardo levels!, I am going back to the ENT on Tuesday as I want closure on this. Cuting out at this stage is not an option, however, if its the only long term one then hay ho I will have to accept that. I have also developed a lippy twitch, I just cannot stop rolling the little bugger with my tongue, its that annoying!. Aaargghhh. What is wrong with the ENTS they just say it will go away! well it wont! so stop saying it or give me a discount of the medicare! ha ha ha
Supersly, As much your mucocele sucked, the way you described your Ricardo and all the 'save me from these aliens' feelings rocked.
Your post sounded like it cd have been me, Mucocele (Only I call mine Salma Hayek) n the Bell's palsy thingy. Jeez and I thought there cd be none worse than I was :) After a couple of mucocele excisions., I am back with Salma, looks like she is here to stay-the buxom beauty.
Your post sounded like it cd have been me, Mucocele (Only I call mine Salma Hayek) n the Bell's palsy thingy. Jeez and I thought there cd be none worse than I was :) After a couple of mucocele excisions., I am back with Salma, looks like she is here to stay-the buxom beauty.
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