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DEBILITATING wisdom FEAR!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter fullofself
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fullofself

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Jun 4, 2011
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[I am sure there are about 1,000,000 posts on here about wisdom tooth extractions.]

Here's my (not so unique) story in a nutshell:

4 wisdom teeth have been causing me trouble, soreness, headaches, earaches, etc. The teeth are all coming in straight, and the ones on the bottom are just slightly angled and "clipping" part of my second molars, pushing them in just slightly. But nowhere near horizontally impacted. The top two teeth are coming out of the gum a little bit. The bottom two are still slightly underneath the gum.
I am going in on Monday to get all four extracted. The doctor said it was an "easier than average" extraction, which made me feel a little better-- but I am still going under IV sedation because of my SEVERE anxiety.

My fears are:

1) Conscious sedation-I don't know what their "cocktail" is or what they use. And now it's Friday night, and I won't know until Monday morning--what if they use something dangerous? I read another post on here of a girl saying she told them to stop what they were doing, while under the sedation! I don't want to do that! I just want to be numbed up perfectly and sedated perfectly, and not be aware of anything going on--while at the same time, I am totally freaked out by that concept. I don't want to have a reaction to anything. I have hardly taken any medicine (antibiotics maybe 4-5x in my life, Motrin every now and again, and 1/4 Xanax maybe 4-5 times ever), so I don't know what I'm allergic to!
I am also scared of going into a complete psychosis or not being able to come out of the drugged up fog. I dunno.

2) Recovery - I am scared my recovery is going to be terribly painful. In my head, I imagine the Percocet making me extremely ill and violently vomiting for days into my sutures, making them hurt super bad, getting vomit chunks stuck in them, not being able to eat and therefore not getting the nutrients to heal properly, and then getting dry socket, and meningitis, and dying. Yes, I am a true HYPOCHONDRIAC, which is terribly embarrassing--but I can't help thinking this way.

Honestly, if the nurses there are really reassuring and holding my hand and stuff, I probably won't be as scared. Everyone keeps telling me it'll be fine, it'll be a breeze, it'll be super easy--but the reality is, I'm the only one going in for this surgery, and I am going to be all alone... I am having four huge parts of my bone forcefully yanked out of my head, and that will leave four huge holes in their place. It just seems so unnatural to me.

Any comfort would be really helpful. :D Thank you, so, so much in advance.. :shame:
 
I think you would benifit from having someone come with you, especially since you'll be sedated.

Everyone's reaction to oxycodone is different (that's the opiate in percocet), I've taken it with no problems. You don't HAVE to take it either, if you get sufficient pain relief from ibuprofen, then you just use that, but it's good to know that you have something stronger. Hey, you're getting better opiates than I did for my wisdom tooth extraction;)

For me it really helps to simplify my thoughts about these things:

Think about the result: no more wisdom tooth trouble, they'll most likely be pulverized when extracted, THAT'll teach them, haha!

The sedation: They have probably done it before, so they probably know what they're doing. I wish I had sedation for my wisdom tooth removal, it's a good thing, be glad you're getting it.

The recovery: There is some probability that you'll lose some sleep because of pain (that's what your percocet is for!), or have trouble eating. Guess what? Your body can STILL heal! You are tough, and made to withstand hard times. Dry sockets can be treated, infections can be treated with antibiotics, and the bleeding will stop. Most people heal just fine after having their wisdom teeth out. I had a dry socket, but I did heal, and I felt much better than before i had the tooth pulled. The point is that most likely, you'll have no problems, but it's not the end of the world if you do.

I've had a lot of trouble lately with pain in my teeth that caused me to not want to chew, and found that food became tempting again if I mashed it up really good using my Braun 600w mixer. Your mileage may vary, but for me it meant that I could eat more balanced and healthy food than just jelly and mashed potatoes.

Relax, remember to breathe, you're going to be fine!

:D
 
Thanks for your response. Extraction in t-minus 21 hours. I feel like I can't... breathe.. ughhhh!
 
Good luck and tell us how it went!

;)
 
It's coming.. only 11 hours away.. I'll be going to sleep soon and before I know it, I'll be shaking and hyperventilating in the chair of dread.. ugh.. trying to do some relaxing breathing and distract myself.. I'm at my family's house with a bunch of people, but no one can see how nervous I am.. And they just dont understand. :(
I hope everything is fine tomorrow.. Ahhh.. The only thing really helping me are the inspirational success stories on here!!
 
Hi fullofself

Like a lot of people on here I have ' been there done that etc:' and like a lot of people on here I can sing the praises!

I had a total of 13 teeth removed (including 2 normal and 2 impacted wisdom teeth) and 6 immediate implants. I too had built up an idea of what my recovery would be like ....... and got it totally wrong ::)

I slept until the next morning but had no pain, other than a badly aching jaw, which was no problem at all with some over the counter painkillers and lasted about 3-4 days.

Is there no one who can go with you?

Yes you will be terrified, yes you will shake, yes you will be beside yourself but the most amazing thing is that, after what seems like minutes, you will be able to live your life again ...... pain free [smiley=jumping.gif]

You will also have managed to give the phobia monster a good thump!!
:)
 
Oh, yes--my boyfriend will be escorting me (mandatory with the iv). He is also paying for the entire procedure as I am uninsured--without him I wouldn't even be here, overcoming my fears and working towards a healthier mouth. I should really just be thankful, not edgy and nervous!
Thank you for sharing your experience--I can not even begin to comprehend the apprehension you must have felt about getting so many teeth out.. But it sounded like it was a breeze! Good for you!
 
well, i got them out. the iv sedation is like what everyone says--i actually fought them when they were about to put the iv in--i was wriggling and trying to get off the chair while the nurse was holding my other arm down and my boyfriend was standing there pleading for me to stop, but the doctor saw how anxious i was and just said, "no, we have to do this now, it's too late", and popped it on--then half a minute later the nurse was helping me into a wheelchair and i was going home, feelin' good!

recovery was okay until a few hours ago--i started feeling really, really nauseous and still do after half a phenergan, as prescribed. now, in about a half-hour i am going to have to eat something, take an antibiotic and another percocet, and i am not looking forward to it, because i feel so sick.. my mouth is pretty sore and i am exhaused because the percocet makes my breathing all weird, especailly when i fall asleep--so i havent let myself sleep all day.

let's hope i make it through tonight without vomiting, aspirating, or dying. ughhhh!!
 
Well done ..... you did it !!! [smiley=jumping.gif]

I hope you are feeling a bit better now. If the Percocet doesn't agree with you try something else.

Fighting a phobia is mentally and physically exhausting but give it a few days, the discomfort will disappear and your will feel less exhausted.

You can now look forward headache & earache free!!

:)
 
Thanks, April!

finally on day six i feel pretty close to being human again. Right now I am carefully munching on toast and gently cleaning the stitched area in the back with my tongue--leaving the rest of the cleanup to my 10+ salt water rinses a day (can you say OCD?!).

Days four and five were the worst. At the end of day three of taking Percocet every 4 hours, around the clock, it started giving me an INSANE headache, so I just quit "cold turkey", and the headache finally subsided after about 14 hours. Another side effect of the Percocet is terrible constipation--and I was really trying to eat a lot of food, so that was miserable.

I had no bruising, and minimal swelling.

What I suggest:


-Sleep and lay down for the first 3-4 days. Don't overdo it.

-Get some puree'd soup to supplement all the sweet crap you're going to be eating.

-Try frying a couple eggs but leaving the yolks soft, then putting over heavily buttered toast--then use the tines of a fork to scrape and chop it up--this will be the most delicious thing you've ever eaten!!

-Slim-fast or Special-K protein shakes are great for when you dont want to eat.

-Take a multivitamin to speed/encourage healing!

-Do not do the salt rinses until instructed to do so!!! I was told I could do it the first night of my surgery, once, and gently (actual surgery was at 8 am). After that, DO IT LIKE CRAZY, ALL THE TIME!!! Especially after eating. Saltwater promotes healing and can be soothing. Just don't make it too, too hot in the first couple days.

-STAY ON YOUR ICING SCHEDULE!! I made myself a perfect ice pack for falling asleep with, since the peas would have burned my face--a rice pack! The rice doesnt get too cold for your face, and you can make it long--like 2 ft long, and just put it over your mouth while sleeping, and it'll cover your cheeks as well--great for just falling asleep with it on and still feeling nice when you wake up (and not in pain!). The cold really helps to soothe. You can get stuff like this in places like bed bath & beyond, too--just get the cold packs for the neck, and make sure they're filled with barley or flax or lavender, etc--not that fake ice stuff, because it WILL burn you.

-Now, when you DO ice your face with the peas, devise a system. 20 min on/10 min off is fine, but I found I was able to just have the peas on my face until they melted, without feeling discomfort--I just kept a thin tea towel as a barrier in between my skin and the frozen stuff, which worked well. Then, outside of the peas, I tied a strap (I sew, and had a random strap laying around that was perfect) all around that, and knotted it TIGHTLY at the top of my head, then laid back on some upright pillows on the couch. This was prefect because it kept the peas extremely tight on my face, and laying back prevented them from slipping. A long scarf will do the same thing.

-Aaand have a medication schedule. Have a person there with you the entire first day if you can. My boyfriend is fortunate in that he can work from home; and he was there with me for the first two days, making sure I stuck to my medication schedule, getting me ice, getting me food, comforting me, helping me shower and change and move etc. It's just a lot more helpful having someone there who will look after you when all you can do is sleep for the first day or two.

-Don't eat anything hot for the first few days. Eat things tepid or lukewarm.

-Don't cry. Your mouth is probably not going to hurt THAT bad, but the crying will definitely make it worse--I learned that the hard way after having a little temper tantrum because the ice packs around my face kept loosening up and sagging. ;D

A couple scary things that are totally normal:

-That white stuff near the sutures: If you're like me and keep opening your cheeks to look back there, you will see white stuff. This is perfectly normal, and actually just a scab. Scabs on your knees, elbows, fingers, etc are brownish red because they are not often exposed to water. Take a bath with a big scab somewhere, and you will see it reduced to mush--and white! This is just what scabs look like inside the mouth, and it's not always pus. Don't scrape around back there, and don't get worried and call your surgeon 20x during the week like I did. Just be patient, do your salt water rinses, and take your antibiotics as instructed; and you'll be fine.

-Severe headache after being on pain pills, around the clock: Might be a reaction to what you were given. Your body will start to tolerate pain pills you were given, especially after two or more days of constant use. Then, you will start having very exaggerated pains as your body is "asking" for more. Stop the pills for at least 12 hours and re-asses the pain. If you feel you need to, just take some plain Tylenol or Motrin or Advil instead. Then, you may see that you don't need those crazy pain killers after all!

-Hot, flushed face: Really not something to worry about, unless your core temperature rises above 99 F, or unless you see red streaking anywhere on your face or neck (which you won't). This is just all the cells moving towards the cheek area to repair the "damage" and is completely normal.


Of course, if you are at all concerned, please call your surgeon. They should also provide you with some sort of after hours phone service.



And remember.. it's really not as bad as you think it's going to be, and you'll just deal with it when it comes. :) You're better off without them, anyways.:)



 
I KNOW how you feel! I am totally there.

There are many many accounts that folks have posted about IV sedation. I suggest you read them, and try, as hard as it may be, to not fear this. I admit, I am scared of "waking up" as well during the extractions(I need three, one includes a wisdom tooth), and wondering what it's like to be under, since I have never been under before, and I hope I don't get sick from the meds.

I have had pain in my teeth for many, many years. I waited too damn long to go to the dentist. Finally, I went to the dentist and I'm FINALLY getting this taken care of - THIS FRIDAY, June 17, 2011 - and i'm not all that calm myself. I'm trying, I really am to come to terms, and relax about it.

Seriously, I keep telling myself two things:

1. It cannot possibly be more pain than I have been in for years.

2. The pain after the extraction WILL go away. I keep telling myself that.

Hope this helps.
 
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