Sharyn Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 Oh my gosh I've never felt so much pain... It all started with a little toothache Friday afternoon (after business hours). Shot a match on Saturday and when I was done I just couldn't bear the pain anymore so I called my dentist. She called in prescriptions for me and I picked them up on the way home from the match. By early Sunday, the Darvocet wasn't touching the pain so I called her again. She called in some Lortab and scheduled me first thing Monday morning. I went to her office, they took x-rays and I broke down in tears, begging for pain relief. She looked at the x-rays and said, "uh oh, I'm sending you to a specialist." So, I composed myself and got over to the specialist... then broke down as soon as I walked in her door. She showed me the problems on the x-ray and that the abcess was into my jaw bone (?) and assured me she'd help. After 4 shots, my face was numb but my tooth was still untouchable. She said she had to give me a "special" shot. After what felt like boring a hole in my jaw, she jammed in a huge needle and pushed with all her might... I SCREAMED!!!! ACK! That was the most painful experience EVER!!! Then she did it again! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!! But, ahhh, no pain after that! Until the medicine wore off... So now I'm home, called in sick to work and am in severe pain STILL. I can only tolerate 1/2 a pain pill or I'll throw up and it doesn't kill the pain. I only have two pain pills left and feel too sick to go to the pharmacy to fill my prescription. OOOOOOHHHHHH THIS SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Could somebody please bring me some sherbert? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 OOWWWWWHHHHH! Gahhh! (insert grimacing in sympathetic pain icon) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritinUSA Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 So now I'm home, called in sick to work and am in severe pain STILL. I can only tolerate 1/2 a pain pill or I'll throw up and it doesn't kill the pain. I only have two pain pills left and feel too sick to go to the pharmacy to fill my prescription. Ouch, that does not sound good, Don't some pharmacy's deliver, some of those in food stores sometimes allow deliveries... check the web... Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomfturner Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 find vice grips and pull the tooth ... sounds like you're in enough pain that anything would be better, and that would alleviate the pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 Uh... OUCH. I hate that the damn things always come on over a weekend, and always go from nothing to full tilt kill-me-please-and-put-me-out-of-my-misery in very short order... Hopefully, the root canal will clear it up for you, and they won't have to take more drastic measures. Amazingly, once they've nuked that nerve in the root of the tooth, it seems to clear up pretty quickly. My wife had one that went like yours - nothing short of morphine would touch the pain, and it took a couple of days after getting the nerve handled for the associated swelling, infection, etc to subside. But... once she got past that, it got a lot better in a hurry. So, hang in there!! Did I mention, OUCH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 Tooth aches and hurricanes always come in the middle of the night or when everything is closed up... Be strong and I will have a glass of wine for you tonight... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharyn Posted December 14, 2005 Author Share Posted December 14, 2005 I was near to begging for tooth removal, but I really don't want to lose a tooth. The primary reason my dentist sent me to the specialist was because this tooth ALREADY had a root canal since it cracked about 5 years ago. I can't understand where the pain is coming from??? The pharmacy is less than a mile away... I just can't get myself there. I wonder if they'll deliver sherbert too... Rainbow, please. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 Not a dentist but my very unprofessional opinion is that the crack developed into an infection which got into the jaw bone and now you have an abcessed tooth...surprised they did not extract it...and then treat the infection.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XRe Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 If I were in Houston, I'd run you to the pharmacy Sounds like something made it's way back in to the tooth, and set up camp at the bottom of the root... ugh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carinab Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 I feel so badly for you!! You have my sympathies - I have been there done that! I had no insurance at the time and went to a dentist co-op (dentists newly in practice). It was a sinus infection that migrated to the nerve and whammo, rool canal needed for a tooth with no cavities. New dentist accidently broke the file in the tooth. They decided to leave it hoping that my body wouldn't reject the tooth. It didn't but the file had pierced the top of the tooth and whammo, absess. Same deal, had to see a specialist who ended up cutting that part of the tooth out and treating the infection. The absess made half of my face swell (mouth, nose and eye). The pain of child birth isn't near as bad as an absess or a shot in the jaw. Hang in there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 BTDT suggestion: Carefully consider forum postings while under strong painkillers. Other postings may make sense for once and you run a greater chance yours will when you get back to normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hey QuicksDraw! Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 There is NOTHING worse than tooth pain. Have them pull that sucker! I hope you feel better soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket4 Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 Sharyn, I deal with these things every day. I am a Dental Assistant. I help the Dr. with fillings, root canals, extractions, ect. My question is what did the specialist say to you. Chances are that the crack went through the root. Which in that case the tooth should probably be pulled. They can do wonderful bridge work and you wouldn't hardly tell that you were missing a tooth. As far as the pain goes once you get rid of it the next thing is to keep it gone. I will tell you what we recommend to our patients. Also I have to tell you this is my opinion and not a professional opinion. Since I am not the dentist I have to put that in there. First take 800 mgs (4 pills) of Ibuprofen. 2 hours later take 1500 mgs (3 extra strength) tylenol. Keep alternating every 2 hours. That way you will always have something going through your blood stream. The Ibuprofen will help with the inflamation and the tylenol will help with the pain. My husband recently had to have a root canal and that worked better than the tylenol with codine. If you can just get rid of the pain it is pretty easy to keep it away if you do what I said. Now you do what you feel comfortable with I can understand that. If you have any questions for me don't hesitate to ask. Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 Quicksdraw beat me to it...!! --There's scarcely anything worse than dental pain. --Abcesses ALWAYS happen on weekends. --Root canals, though helpful, often eventually wear out, leading to extraction. --Sometimes extraction IS the only thing left to rid yourself of the offending situation. --However, a well-executed root canal can last a LONG, LONG time. I've had LOTS of dental weirdness. I can feel your pain by just reading your post. God, you have my profoundest sympathies!!! Really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharyn Posted December 15, 2005 Author Share Posted December 15, 2005 (edited) Thanks for the sympathies, peeps. I'm most appreciative! Carina, I haven't had kids yet but I SWEAR this is far worse than childbirth! It sounds like you understand. shred, yeah, I thought about that. Rocket4, thanks for the advice. I've been alternating 800mg Advil Liquigels (the best!) with 1/2 Lortab 7.5 to be replaced by Vicoden ES q2 hours. That is really the only regimine that keeps things somewhat bearable (I'm a Registered Nurse). My dentist mentioned tooth removal but the endodontist seemed to think she can save it. I had cracked the same tooth 5 years ago and ended up with an infection at that time. After they cleared the infection, that endodontist performed the root canal and then my dentist created a beautiful (and very expensive!) crown. It had to be gold under porcelaine because I'm allergic to metal... $$$!!! This endodontist drilled a hole through my beautiful crown and drained the abcess. She showed me on the x-ray that the first root canal wasn't done properly and the infection accumulated under the root canal and spread into the bone. I don't know for sure if I'll be able to keep the tooth. She just got me out of immediate pain/pressure by draining it and I go back to her this Wednesday (also giving the antibiotics time to do their job). I called her office today and asked if it was normal for me to still be in such incredible pain and she said yes... Personally, I think I should be under general anesthetic!!! Athena is my hero! She called to make sure I wasn't dead on the floor... and she's coming by to pick up an Aftec spring from me... edited to add: and just to keep this shooting related... At the match on Saturday I DREADED shooting the six steel plates through the barrel. When I approached it with my Open gun, I kept repeating to myself "Keep your mouth closed! Keep your mouth closed!" Edited December 15, 2005 by Sharyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket4 Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 I may have never had an abscessed tooth but I have had 3 children. 2 of which I didn't have any medication with. There is nothing worse than child birth!!!! The good thing is you forget the pain when you see your beautiful child. Like I said my husband just had a root canal, and I thought that he was going to die. We even had to call my boss to come in on the weekend. Oh and did you know that in the spring and fall when the pressures change in the atmosphire alot of people end up with abscessed teeth. We call it root canal season. And yes it does cost a tun of money. Good thing for me is that me and my family ( only husband and kids) get our dental work for free. What a perk. I sure hope they can save that tooth. The infection in the jaw as you know isn't good. It can really eat away at the bone. I have seen that happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharyn Posted December 15, 2005 Author Share Posted December 15, 2005 Actually, Rocket4, I do have a serious question for you. Do I really have to go through THAT much pain with those intra-osseous shots??? It felt like my jaw was going to explode and all my teeth were popping out! I've never screamed in a dental office before! I was so embarassed!!! Isn't there some sort of protocol for those shots?... Valium and Happy Gas???... conscious sedation????? What can I request from the endodontist? I really can't see anyone HAVING to suffer that amount of pain in this day and age of medical technology... Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocket4 Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 The thing is when you have alot of infection it sort of pools in the little area. When an anethetic is injected it is tring to force its way through the puss. Which is probably thicker than the anethetic. That too is why you felt so numb and your tooth still hurt. The more infection you have the longer it takes to get numb. Some offices do offer different types of anethetic's. I don't know about endodontists, but of course oral surgeons offer alot. They can even put you out. Most of them have their offices at a hospital. Most common would be Nitrus Oxide. However according to my boss it usually only works on kids. The shot you were talking about was probably given with a peripress. That is used when the patient has a hard time getting numb. Yes it will hurt. Don't feel embarassed about screaming. It happens all the time. We had one lady start to cry when we told her that she needed to have a root canal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritinUSA Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 Sharyn, You seem to be getting some really good advice so there's nothing much I can add, only that I'm sorry you are going through all this and I hope you feel better soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 Sharyn's still alive, folks. Thanks for the spring! I shall be eating anchovy pizza in your honor. (I'm filipino. I love stinky food) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rikarin Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 Aw, Sharyn... to bad you are missing out on NOX. They should've! When I pulled my wisdom teeth I got on NOX and after he just yanked teeth out he asked me "How are you?" to that I giggle and exclaimed "I feel great!!!" Athena, so kind of you! Hope you feel better Sharyn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFD Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 I really feel for you. I had a similar problem and the pain is unbelievable. When the infection is under control, the pain will drop to almost nothing. I got a mix of pills the night before and morning of the root canal, plus the gas, and I took a nap through the entire procedure I also wondered why, in this day and age of medical technology, I had to be in THAT much pain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uscbigdawg Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 Hi Sharyn, You would think that you could get at least a shot of Morphine or something. If you start gettin' sleepy/pass out, here comes the Narcan. Start pukin' too much, here comes the Phenegren. Seriously though, you should be able to get knocked out. My oral surgeon gave me tons of options and cut him off and said, just wake me up when you're done. Hope it works out in the end. Athena is great (Hi Athena!). Hopefully you got the rainbow sherbet too! Take care and get better (ex-) Soldier Medic. SPC Richard A. White, Senior Medic 249th MP Detachment (EACF) Camp Humphreys, ROK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 Oh man .. I so hate tooth problems so I really feel for you, and I mean that. My teeth almost hurt reading about your problems. I have a stupid problem with gaging which makes work on my back teeth VERY difficult. I needed a wisdom tooth pulled out recently and my oral surgeon put me under for the duration. That was the best 15 minutes valium nap EVER. I dont know if valium can be used for the longer procedures but boy does it work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 here's the sherbet. hope it helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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