4 wizzies out under GA...my story.

[skimpy]

WARNING: IF YOU PREFER NOT TO KNOW DETAILS ABOUT GA, HOSPITAL VISIT, ETC, DONT READ ON!!!

Hello all. it has been some time since i have logged on to the site (finishing college, starting work, you know the script).

Anyways, i got the call to have the wizzies extracted. had a week to totally crap myself about it, then in to the hospital On 18th Aug for the procedure. felt like a child...dad took a week off work for the occasion and mam was there too, in case i tried to leg it...highly likely given my fear of the whole thing.

anyways, i burst into tears when they escorted me to the day case ward. it was actually happening, there was my bed, the gown, and the stockings you have to wear to prevent DVT. after my wee outburst, dad was asked to leave, coz it was a female ward. that made me feel a little less self conscious, there were two other girls already there, with no one for support, and there i was with both parents causing a fuss. however, i found out they were only getting one tooth out, i was there to lose 4!

had to sit around for about an hour or so, didnt think about a fag once, kinda strange, since i was a 20-a-day smoker.

eventually the surgeon/doc came round, explained what they were going to do, then i waited for another wee while. the waiting actually calmed me a little, gave me a chance to get used to the surroundings. it was my first time in hospital for anything, so i was a little overwhelmed.

they took me away for surgery about 1145am, i had been there since 0800hrs! i found that everyone who dealt with me was great. i told them i was a nervous patient, so they explained everything. however, threw another wobbly down at theatre. i wasnt prepared for this waiting area, where everyone liew there like lambs to the slaughter in their gowns, on the trolleys, donning silly caps to hide your hair away. i sat there for some time sobbing into the blanket. then this dishy nurse came over and stayed with me until my turn came. i thank god for letting me have him to calm me down. he told me to demand gas when i went into another wee room just outside theatre.

so they wheeled me through. the wee room was bustling with healthcare professionals sticking wires and things to me, checking blood pressure etc. however, it was happening so quickly that i couldnt keep up with them. i didnt need to ask for the gas, they gave me the mask, told me to try it (i was suspicious..try it, then they sneakily put me out, but i really did just try the mask for size). then they warned me the gas would smell funny...it did smell...very chemically...made me choke a little. then they told me my hand would get heavy. i dont remember that happening. they told me to continue inhaling the gas, it would put me to sleep. it must of...

the rest is a mystery!!!

i woke in recovery, admittedly not feeling great, shaking like a leaf, trying to get up but unable to move. i thought i was screaming that i was in pain, though no one heard me. i had to tug on a nurse's apron and ask for a pen and paper, to write that i was sore. a shot of tramadol sorted that out. i also felt a little sick, but they give you something for that too if you tell them..dexamethasone i think. then after a while it was back to the ward where i thought i was awake, but i drifted in and out of sleep for hours. i awoke to a nurse asking if i wanted ice-cream! the girl beside me was having tea, and a sandwich. i wasnt hungry, was totally rubbered!! there was a fair bit of blood, for anyone who doesnt like the site of it, but you dont care, the anaesthetic stops you caring about much for a few hours after you regain consciousness.

anyways, the doc came back round and told me all went well, but they had to cut a fair bit of my jaw away top and bottom. they dont tell you this prior to the extractions. i was OK to go home, but they never gave me my teeth back. nothing to show for it!! i was told my wizzies had three roots, so i would be a little sore, however, the generous medication pack they gave me to take home was enough to keep the pain at bay. the doctors visit was a blur, mam had to fill me in on what was said, since i couldnt remember. you should have a responsible adult with you anyway to take you home, so make sure they are there when the doc comes back, in case there's anything yo need to remember!

i went home, prepared to sleep, then i got a phonecall, so im told, but i dont remember that either! it was my boss! she called my house, to find out why i wasnt in work. i told them where i was going. anyway, my bf told them where i had been, and that i was at my parents recovering. not satisfied with his response, they demanded my parents number, so they could speak to me directly!! as if i wanted to talk to them at such a time. apparently i was rude to them, of what they could make out from what i was murmuring down the phone. i went to work a few days later to apologise, but they were in a better mood by then, and apologised for disturbing me. whatever i said, however rude, they got the message that i wasnt fit for work!!!

after that i slept a little more, then had some ice-cream. my chin, bottom lip and half my cheeck was still numb, this worried me. mam told me that the doctor had said there was significant bruising to the nerve they warn you about, and that if feeling hadn't returned in a week, i was to visit the hospital again.

in the days that followed, i was a little hazy on details, nothing significant happened, and i didnt feel unbearably sore.

i won't lie, i did feel pretty bad, but it was nowhere near as bad as i was expecting. nowhere near. it was more a feeling of weakness from not being able to eat solid food, and a little discomfort from the extraction sites. but all i wanted to do was sleep. before the op, i didnt sleep well at night because the wizzies bothered me at night. i caught up on all the lost zeds over the following 2 weeks. the worst part was the loss of feeling to my lip chin and cheek, the feeling of numbness.

my recovery time was a little slow i was told, but this was because there was infection in the sites and a fair few stitches, which didnt bother me a bit. i still have them tonight, but they wil dissolve soon.

All in all, the whole thing was different to what i expected. i have a mortal fear of needles, and i didnt see any on my visit to surgery. after the gas knocked me out, they inserted the cannula (the thing in your hand they administer stuff into), and it was removed when i was coming round so i wasnt bothered about it then either. needle phobics, GA is a breeze.

i am sorry if this post freaks some people out even more. i felt that a fuller explanation of what happened may be of help to some of you out there. i need to know everything that is going on, so maybe i would have been less anxious if i knew exactly what to expect.


in summation, i managed it, although i had no choice! it was nowhere near as aweful as i was expecting. i return to work tomorrow, and although im not totally recovered, i feel a lot better than i thought i would. two weeks later and there's no real pain anymore. the pain was wierd, it got a little worse after day 3/4, then, as if by magic, i awoke the next day feeling a hundred times better, a very sudden change. the pain did return, but it wasnt severe. im still a little numb, but not as much as i was. the surgeon said last wednesday that he is confident the feeling will return eventually, but it will take time.

for any smokers reading this... i didnt smoke for three days after surgery, dont know why i started again, probably to compensate for lack of food. anyways, i read a lot about increased risk of dry socket after extractions if you smoke. it never happened to me and i was a heavy smoker. just follow any instructions you are given, to the letter, and things should be alright.

i feel like i was really brave, and im now feeling chuffed to bits that i did it. if it is something you have to do, go for it. no, it wont be nice for a few days, but it is worth it for the feelings you get a week or so later..pride...relief.

Good luck to all who have to undergo this treatment. it wont be as bad as you have built it up in your mind to be. if i can do it, many of you can...i was a basket case about dental treatment before...now i will manage to go for my fillings tomorrow, they cant be worse than my ordeal, and even that wasnt as bad as i thought it would be.

take care

Skimps

 

[Andria]

Hi Skimpy,

Thanks for sharing your story. Touch wood, I havn't had any problems with my wisdom teeth (yet), but I have always had a massive fear of GA since I last had it at the dentist over 20 years ago.

I had an operation in hospital 2 years ago, and I'm such a baby about isti had to have it all done under LA. They had to keep topping it up as i kept regaining my feeling and they did say afterwards, that it was much more complicated than they thought and they should have put me out but i wouldn't let them.

Reading your story proves to me that GA isn't so bad. All the scenarios i have built up in my mind are just what ifs and won't really happen. It has reassured me about having another GA for dental work or surgical in the future.

I'm sure your story will help a lot of other people too.

Finally I would just like to congratulate you on going through with your procedures and sharing your experience with us. Bet you feel really proud of yourself now and on .

to the website, it really is great and everyone here is really helpful and understanding. We are all in the same boat.

Take Care
x

P.S. Good luck with your fillings tomorrow.

 

[skimpy]

Thanks for your kind words.

i have now gone and disappointed myself. completely bottled it this morning and never went for the fillings. the thought of being aware of what was happening ate me up all night to the point where i convinced myself that my teeth were no longer sore (they are).

i am now hiding, since everyone is going to be disappointed in me, but i couldnt do it.

need to give myself a good talking to, and make another appt.

Skimps

 

[Andria]

Hi,

People shouldn't be dissappointed in you, you've gone through so much already.

I can understand how you feel about having your fillings done, i was terrified before my first one (3 months ago). I never slept for about two weeks before, couldn't eat properly for feeling sick, kept imagining all these horrible situations in my head, two days before, i couldn't speak to anyone without bursting into tears or having a massive lump in my throat and it was all i could think about.

On the day i woke at about 4am after about 2 hours sleep and i think between running to the toilet with a major upset stomach i continuouslly paced the floor. Sweating and shaking and feeling sick.

When I got to the surgery I sat in the car for about 20 mins just plucking up the courage to get out and go inside. Inside though it was different, the receptionist sent me straight up, so i wouldn't have to wait around getting more nervous and thinking about climbing out the half open window when no one's looking to make a quick exit ( ).

In the surgery no instruments were on display, i sat down, had a chat about what i'd been doing that day etc, how i was feeling. The nurse put a blue bib on me and my hands were gripping the seat arms like i was on a rollercoaster (the seat was still upright). They lowered the seat and i started shaking uncontrollably (my dentist calls me his wobbly patient). I had numbing gel put on my gum around the tooth to be filled, and i swear i never felt the needle go in, it took about 5 mins to numb me up and it didn't hurt. They showed me the drill, explained how it would feel, drilled out my tooth this took about 5 mins, didn't hurt, vibrated on my chin and didn't smell to nice (like burning). They showed me that water spray thing and the suction thingy, used them. put a liner in didn't hurt, just felt a pushing sensation, put the filling in, same again and sealed it with a blue light about 20 secs.

Then got that lovely pink mouthwash to rinse and poured half of it down my face lol coz i couldn't feel my bottom lips or chin or tip of my tongue. (had lower left incisor (fang) filled) and that was it. Had two more since then.

When i got home i spent hours just looking at it in the mirror - paranoid it was going to fall out - fascination and pride. I still do subconciously check it with my tongue every now and then to make sure it's still there.

Hope my story has helped a little. You could ask your dentist if they could do your filling under sedation, then you won't be as aware of what is going on. Some of the other guys on here use sedation and i've heard all good reports about it.

If your scared of needles you could ask your dentist if he/she uses the wand too.

But most importantly don't beat yourself up over it, talk to your dentist and family about how you feel, any options available to you and hopefully come up with a solution.

Good luck
Let us know how you get on.
Take Care
x

 

[elaine]

skimpy, that pulled one tooth with GA? Is it because of the difficulty? I can't
imagine that ever happening in the US. May be IV but not GA. I would love
to have my work done totally knocked out.