Low Grade Fever after Extraction

[minlou01]

I had two wizzies extracted yesterday morning and I woke today with a low grade temp (100.8). I know that sometimes as your body heals this happens...but, I'm also concerned that I could have an infection. I am not on any antibiotics.

I go to see the surgeon tomorrow morning. He said he would call me again tonight. Should I wait and talk to him tonight or call him now?

Thanks again for all of your help and reassurences.

 

[minlou01]

Well I just got back from his office and I have dry socket in both extraction sites (lower wizzies). This sucks. The only great thing about it is that I'm told that labor is less painful than this...one less worry when I approach that! My OS packed the holes with medicated gauze, switched my pain meds and put me on antibiotics. The pain has gone from severe to a tolerable throb.

Does anyone know how long the packing relieves the pain? I'm so scared of waking up with that severe pain again. Also, does the packing slow down the healing process?

Thanks!

 

[Gordon]

1) Almost right away
2) No.

How's that for brief and to the point

 

[minlou01]

Thanks Gordon. How long does the relief from the packing last?

 

[Gordon]

Usually the relief is permanent.

 

[minlou01]

Gordon/Pars/Anyone who can help me!, what does it mean if the packing doesn't relieve/reduce the pain for long? I don't mean to be a pain (no pun intended!) but one of the holes is very responsive to the packing and it dulls it to an aching feeling, but the other one is absolutely killing me within about 12-14 hours of the packing being put in. I'm on both 7.5 vicodin es and 800 mg ibuprophen but I still am literally climbing the walls with pain when the packing wears off. Could this be something other than dry socket? My OS is sympathetic is trying to help...but I'm going crazy here! I go back again later today and he mentioned yesterday that if it wasn't better today that he was going to try something different...I should have asked what cuz now I am freaking out. Is there a better combo of pain killers that would alleviate that pain? Non-narcotic would be great so I could feel normal KWIM?

 

[Gordon]

It means the socket needs washed out a bit and repacked with something else. The best stuff I've found is something called Alvogyl, it's a sort of brown mushy material, tastes a bit yucky but works really well, however there are times when the bugs fight back against it and I try something else, usually stuff called TriSok which tastes even worse but sometimes works.
It's most unlikely to be anything other than a dry socket, you've been hellishly unlucky to get 2 of them.

Ketoprophen is a better pain reliever for dental pain than narcotics, your OS could give you a medirol (Spelling?) injection too, that sometimes helps a bit.

 

[minlou01]

Thanks Gordon!
Thanks Gordon! You are the best!!!
For those of you who have followed my journey I found out today I'm not a freak of nature case (or hellishly unlucky as Gordon put it! ) getting two dry sockets. On Monday my OS recommended that I needed to see my physician regarding the difficulty we had in getting the bleeding to stop from the extraction sites. So off I trotted to my doctors who then referred me to a Hematologist. Today I found out that I have a bleeding disorder called Von Willebrand's disease. Luckily I have had never had major surgery and I was lucky to get an OS who spoke up. I now have an entire protocal to follow for any invasive procedures. So, really there was a rational reason why I got dry socket. Somehow that makes me feel a wee bit better not being a freak of nature! It doesn't make me feel better about any future procedures though!

 

[Gordon]

Gosh that's interesting, what an odd way to discover the VW Disease. Your OS is really on the ball.