Fuck. Pain. I haven't been able to sleep; it's like an ice-pick is stabbing me in the tooth

[AlienGirl]

I'm taking my painkiller and antibiotic, and scheduled for a root canal on March 5, but this pain keeps getting worse. It's like being stabbed in the tooth with an ice-pick, combined with a throbbing radiating ache into the jaw joint and my neck. Something swollen underneath my chin is making me feel like I might choke. The last time I was out of pain in the past two weeks or so was when I got the dilaudid in the ER along with the IV clindomycin. I haven't slept and it's 6:00 am here. I'm getting sick of this.

Tucker

Edit to add: I'm not soliciting medical advice, just bitching about the pain and looking for tips to take my mind off it.

[Raven]

1. Maybe you should head to the ER. Does not sound good. How long have you been on the antibiotic?

[AlienGirl]

2. Nine days into a ten day run.

[Raven]

3. NO WAY this should be happening then! You really, really need

to see somebody. Tell you a story: years ago I had something similar and let it go. When I finally got to the Doc I had such a bad infection in my jaw that they had to drill into the bone to drain it. Because of the infection they couldn't give me anything to numb the pain while they were doing this. Not pretty.

Get yourself to a DOC or the ER ASAP.

[AlienGirl]

5. I don't think the infection itself could be spreading, not on clindamycin

How could I know whether the pain is from infection spreading, or from my body fighting the infection?

I'm really averse to going to the doctor again just for pain. The ER could give me dilaudid and more IV antibiotics, but doctors really don't like to be asked to make the pain stop when there's already an appointment to address the actual disease, because they are afraid I'll turn into a junky.

Tucker

[DevonRex]

10. Yes it could be spreading. Another thing is that a salivary gland could be

impacted at the same time. And it's one of the most painful things there is. My son had that happen and he was in horrific pain. Said it was the worst pain he had ever experienced. You MUST go to your doctor to get that checked out.

[HopeHoops]

4. Get some ground clove (The McCormicks shelf will definitely have it)

Make a thick paste with a little water and put it on the tooth. It will rinse out easily with water. Leave it on until you feel numb or it starts to "burn". Oil of clove is better, but much harder to find.

[AlienGirl]

6. I've already tried the clove-oil thing, to no avail.

[HopeHoops]

7. E-GADS! Well, I suppose there is always the option of large quantities of booze.

It isn't particularly conducive toward getting anything done, but hey.

Seriously, I'd bitch at the doctor that gave you the antibiotics and pain killer and see if they have any topical medications that would work. It could also mean an infection that the antibiotics aren't addressing adequately. That's just not right.

[AlienGirl]

8. This is deep in the root, not going to respond to topicals

Large quantities of booze would be OK except that the painkiller I'm on is an opiate...

Tucker

[HopeHoops]

11. Uh, yeah - bad combination there.

Although it did lead to some really cool music in the 60's and 70's.

[DevonRex]

9. I read that as "Fuck Palin" and wondered why she was stabbing you

in the tooth with an ice pick.

The ONLY thing that helps get my mind off pain is music. It has to be something you absolutely LOVE and know by heart so that you're anticipating every note, every word.

And you know what? Since the pain is that bad, call your doctor and your dentist and INSIST on better pain meds AND to get that root canal done sooner than March 5th. Let them see and hear you cry with the pain. Nobody should have to bear pain that bad for that long when there is something that they KNOW will fix it.

:hug:

[muffin1]

12. It is really frigging ridiculous.

That's the only thing that worked when I had a ruptured disc. They had me on some weak ass pain meds combined with ibuprofen. It wasn't even touching the pain. I had hubby drive me to the Urgent Care facility, and "stood" (slumped) there, tears streaming down my face. I limped out with a script for percocet AND some kind of prescription patch that helped some - finally had to get surgery, but that's another story.

Sure, some people will scam the system, but when the doctors KNOW you are in severe pain, and want you to hang in there...:mad:

[DevonRex]

14. Some of them are just uncaring bastards. I had one like that. I fired her

and found a new doctor.

I've got disc problems too, in my cervical and lumbar spine, with impingement on the spinal cord. The cervical disc problems also cause migraines, so that's just lots of fun. I had a breast reduction to lessen the weight on my shoulders and neck and that has helped.

Now I have to go to the spine clinic in March. I fell recently and the lumbar spine is worse and now it's causing sciatica.

How did your surgery go? Did it help and how has it changed your range of motion?

[muffin1]

15. I am so sorry to hear about your back problems.

I hope they are giving you something for your lumbar pain - and migraines. I have never had a migrane (knock wood). I hear they are absolutely vicious.

My surgery went fine. It was done four years ago or so. I was only in the hospital overnight, and just missed two weeks of work.
My back is great now...nary a problem since!

Good luck at the spine clinic! Do you have insurance? I sure hope you do. I had it at the time of my surgery, but have been without it for over two years.

[DevonRex]

16. Yes, I have insurance. We're in a Federal Govt plan.

We're among the fortunate ones, comparatively speaking. Without that insurance I would have been dead by now since I have a hereditary immune deficiency. Any private plan would have found a reason to drop us because the treatment for it is so expensive.

Thank goodness the surgery worked for you! And it's good to get some positive feedback from someone who has been there/done that. :hi:

[muffin1]

13. I feel for you. There is NOTHING like a toothache that won't ease up.

I would definitely call the doctor/dentist and ask for something else. Nine days into a ten day antibiotic therapy should have you feeling much better.

I'm sorry you feel so awful.:(

[GreenPartyVoter]

17. Oh man! *hugs* I hope March 5th gets here really really fast!