Ugh. Had my wisdom teeth out and feeling sorry for myself.

[Spellbound454]

Had them taken out by general anaesthetic on Monday in hospital .....along with two other back molars.
Have had morphine and codeine for the first couple of days so it didn't hurt
but now regular painkillers, cocodymol and ibuprofen aren't enough.
I'm off work..... but sick of pureed food and drinking from straws.

Have you had this done?

How did you cope?

Why do teeth have to be so painful?

[gs11rmb]

I had it done under local almost 20 years ago.  I remember hearing this whimpering sound and then realising it was me!  Sorry, you are going through this but it does get better after a few days.

[Spellbound454]

Thanks....That all I need to hear right now

Can't imagine having it done under local, that must have been quite traumatic.
I have had an extraction before...but this takes the biscuit by a mile.

[NoNamePerson]

Had an impacted wisdom tooth removed about 25 years ago. Guess you could say local since I sure wasn't put to sleep think dentist used laughing gas. But I did get a prescription for Tylenol 3 with Codeine to take when my mouth "woke up" I took one and pain gone so didn't have to take another one.

Well, I did take one 4 days later when my broken wrist "woke up" from two hours of surgery but then again only took one.    

[Deleted]

I had all 4 impacted ones taken out when I was 35 under general.  I must have gotten lucky because I wasn't in much pain afterwards (either that or I have a high tolerance).   I HATE pain meds, because they make me sick, so I doubt I took anything but ibuprofen.

Hope you start feeling better soon!

[Lizard Queen]

All 4 of mine were impacted too.  I got them out in my mid-20's before they really grew in or caused much trouble.  I was put under, but sorta woke up in the middle of surgery and willed myself back to sleep.  I don't think I had too many days of pain, and I don't think I needed much pain medication.  It was so long ago, I barely remember.  My first surgery, so I was freaked out by the whole thing, and very relieved to have it behind me!

[NoNamePerson]

Dec 6, 2017 8:48:58 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

I had all 4 impacted ones taken out when I was 35 under general.  I must have gotten lucky because I wasn't in much pain afterwards (either that or I have a high tolerance).   I HATE pain meds, because they make me sick, so I doubt I took anything but ibuprofen.

Hope you start feeling better soon!

I probably would have forgone the pain killer but I headed back to work after the procedure! If I had been home I would have just toughed it out!! And I didn't have any other meds like ibuprofen/aspirin in the house!!

[Opti]

Had it done maybe 15 years ago or so. Not sure. Yes it is crappy. I had mine done when I was older, perhaps around age 40?

My biggest memory was weakness. The first few days really sucked. After that it got more tolerable. Just tell yourself this is only a couple weeks or whatever it will be, out of your life. I do think this was one of the surgeries that taught me to take pain meds until I didn't need them or at least fill the scrip.

[andi9899]

I had it done under local several years ago. It was fine. I didn't even have to take the pain meds. Meh.

[Spellbound454]

I probably would have forgone the pain killer but I headed back to work after the procedure!

I'm just lying on the sofa watching rubbish TV. Maybe I'm just a wimp when it comes to pain.

Still there is a storm coming and I'm tucked up in the warm with my hamster face....waiting for it all to go away.

My husband didnt go to the dentist for 15 years.......and when he did he just needed a clean

Whereas I go every six months.... and they always find something to do. Pfft.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I had it done under local seven years ago.   Oral surgeon was excellent I couldn't have been in there more than 20 minutes, the longest part was waiting for the novacaine to kick in.   The worst part for me was holding the gauze in my mouth until the after care directions said I could take it out.

No pain, no swelling.   A few days later I did have a sore bottom jaw but it wasn't the end of the world.

My grandmother died from complications due to anaesthesia.    That scared me enough that I do not mess around with it or twilight sleep.   If I am going to be put out then it better be because they are removing organs.  I refused to be put under for my teeth and the oral surgeon told me that it's my right as the patient to decide, so I did.

The disconcerting part was seeing my tooth.  Apparently I have insanely long roots, it looked like something that came out of a dinosaur!  

[NoNamePerson]

Dec 6, 2017 9:09:38 GMT -5 Spellbound454 said:

I probably would have forgone the pain killer but I headed back to work after the procedure!

I'm just lying on the sofa watching rubbish TV. Maybe I'm just a wimp when it comes to pain.

Still there is a storm coming and I'm tucked up in the warm with my hamster face....waiting for it all to go away.

My husband didnt go to the dentist for 15 years.......and when he did he just needed a clean

Whereas I go every six months.... and they always find something to do. Pfft.

No you aren't. Everyone has a different tolerance for pain. You do whatever it takes for you!!

[Deleted]

Dec 6, 2017 9:14:46 GMT -5 NoNamePerson said:

Dec 6, 2017 9:09:38 GMT -5 Spellbound454 said:

I'm just lying on the sofa watching rubbish TV. Maybe I'm just a wimp when it comes to pain.

Still there is a storm coming and I'm tucked up in the warm with my hamster face....waiting for it all to go away.

My husband didnt go to the dentist for 15 years.......and when he did he just needed a clean

Whereas I go every six months.... and they always find something to do. Pfft.

No you aren't. Everyone has a difference tolerance for pain. You do whatever it takes for you!!

Nobody knows what you're experiencing but you.

[Tennesseer]

I was lucky as only my upper wisdiom teeth came in. I was also lucky my dad was a dentist and he was the one who pulled them out.

Dad gave me novocaine shots around each tooth. I asked him to warn me before he started yanking them out. Said he would be back once the novocaine set in. He came back and with his pick, poked around the teeth and asked me if I could feel it. I said I could. So a few more shots of novocaine. He said he would be back.

Dad returned and with his pick, poked around again. Asked me if I could feel the pick. I said no. In a matter of seconds, he yanked out the wisdom teeth.

Once he was all done, I reminded him he agreed to warn me he was going to start pulling out the teeth. Dad replied, "I lie to all the kids."

I was twenty-nine.

[busymom]

If the pain is getting worse, be sure you call in, because some people get dry socket.  If the pain is gradually diminishing, then you should be fine.  (For the record, I needed 8 teeth extracted when I got braces.  I had 4 at a time removed, & they put me under.)

Best wishes for speedy healing!

[taz157]

Dec 6, 2017 9:32:24 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

I was lucky as only my upper wisdiom teeth came in. I was also lucky my dad was a dentist and he was the one who pulled them out.

Dad gave me novocaine shots around each tooth. I asked him to warn me before he started yanking them out. Said he would be back once the novocaine set in. He came back and with his pick, poked around the teeth and asked me if I could feel it. I said I could. So a few more shots of novocaine. He said he would be back.

Dad returned and with his pick, poked around again. Asked me if I could feel the pick. I said no. In a matter of seconds, he yanked out the wisdom teeth.

Once he was all done, I reminded him he agreed to warn me he was going to start pulling out the teeth. Dad replied, "I lie to all the kids."

I was twenty-nine.

You were still his kid. 😉

[taz157]

Dec 6, 2017 9:35:20 GMT -5 busymom said:

If the pain is getting worse, be sure you call in, because some people get dry socket.  If the pain is gradually diminishing, then you should be fine.  (For the record, I needed 8 teeth extracted when I got braces.  I had 4 at a time removed, & they put me under.)

Best wishes for speedy healing!

I had 4 pre-molars removed for getting braces and I wasn’t put under for that. I was put under for the 4 wisdom teeth I had taken out. Fortunately, I healed well and don’t remember much pain after that. I just knew I loopy coming out of anesthesia. Let’s just say, I’m glad it wasn’t on video...

[Tennesseer]

Dec 6, 2017 9:49:38 GMT -5 taz157 said:

Dec 6, 2017 9:32:24 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

I was lucky as only my upper wisdiom teeth came in. I was also lucky my dad was a dentist and he was the one who pulled them out.
Q
Dad gave me novocaine shots around each tooth. I asked him to warn me before he started yanking them out. Said he would be back once the novocaine set in. He came back and with his pick, poked around the teeth and asked me if I could feel it. I said I could. So a few more shots of novocaine. He said he would be back.

Dad returned and with his pick, poked around again. Asked me if I could feel the pick. I said no. In a matter of seconds, he yanked out the wisdom teeth.

Once he was all done, I reminded him he agreed to warn me he was going to start pulling out the teeth. Dad replied, "I lie to all the kids."

I was twenty-nine.

You were still his kid. 😉

I know. Even though he is gone, I am still his kid.

[dee27]

According to dental instructions, ice helps to keep the swelling down, and your mouth will throb less often as the pain subsides. 

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

It also helps to sleep with your head elevated so it's above your feet.  It helps make sure fluid drains properly. 

[Spellbound454]

because some people get dry socket

The holes have got some sort stuffing in.....looks like rock wool (Its not, of course)

To be fair... this has been my fist day that they are hurting so perhaps I'll just rest up for a bit..... then go back to work next week fighting fit.

and bloody glad that they are no longer there to give any gip.

[steph08]

I had all of my wisdom teeth out at 15. 

On the way home, my mom got me a chocolate milkshake from McDonald's, and we went to Blockbuster (!) to rent some movies.

The next day, I helped do the set-up for my high school's after prom party and bounced around and did some flips onto a velcro wall.

I have a high pain tolerance...

[chapeau]

I had them out when I was 23 or so, and my regular dentist and I agreed that I should be under for it. In our defense, I needed to have 2 baby teeth pulled when I was 8 or 9, and I bit her. Hard. Which is when we discovered that 1) Novocain doesn’t do much for me and 2) the roots on those baby teeth were the largest she had ever seen, including adult teeth that she had to extract. She’s still my dentist, and she still teases me about the bite.

The wisdom teeth came out fine, but I ignored the directions about not sucking through a straw, and ended up with dry sockets. Those were worse than getting the wisdom teeth out.

[Deleted]

My wisdom teeth were not bad at all, I did have 4 other teeth removed before that without putting me under and I was in pain for days.  I almost slept for two entire days my body was so exhausted.  I really should have been put under for it, I still have horrible memories of the dentist jerking them out.

[Phoenix84]

I had my wisdom teeth pulled in high school.

I do remember having a lot of pain, but not at the site of the tooth pulling, it was more like a bad case of TMJ, the area around where my jaw met my skull hurt like hell for a while. I went back to the doctor. But it got better eventually.  I just remember taking vikadin.  

[debthaven]

You shouldn't be in pain ... have you tried to get some more of the heavy-duty painkillers?

I had all 4 wisdom teeth pulled in the last 3-5 years or so, one by one, but all under local, in the dentist's office. It was definitely VERY unpleasant but I even drove myself home. My dentist warned me to "clear the decks" and make sure I didn't have to do anything once I got home.

One was an emergency (believe it or not I got a sesame seed stuck under my gum during a trip to Costa Rica, and it got infected).

After that I switched dentists. I scheduled the other three extractions for Thurs late afternoon/evening so I'd have 3 full days to mope around (I generally don't teach on Fridays).

I remember being very miserable for about 48 hours, but frankly, not more than that.

And trust me, I'm a wimp too! I scratched my corneas twice, and each time I begged DH (two different DHs) to put me out of my misery LOL.

I'm also thinking that you might be out of sorts because of the general ... I've had general several times for other reasons and it took me 3 full days to recover from the first one. After that they lowered the dose.

I hope you feel better very soon! And remember, you don't need a straw for ice cream! ;-)

[Tennesseer]

Dec 6, 2017 15:47:53 GMT -5 Phoenix84 said:

I had my wisdom teeth pulled in high school.

I do remember having a lot of pain, but not at the site of the tooth pulling, it was more like a bad case of TMJ, the area around where my jaw met my skull hurt like hell for a while. I went back to the doctor. But it got better eventually.  I just remember taking vikadin.  

It's all ways tougher when the wisdom teeth are pulled from the lower jaw. The lower jaw gets an unfortunate workout during the process.

[haapai]

I had all four wisdom teeth pulled about 25 years ago when I was in my early twenties.  I'd been warned repeatedly that my jaw was too small for them, so when one of them erupted, getting all four yanked was an easy call. 

My memory gets hazier after that.  I remember being irked that the oral surgeon refused to do the surgery if I showed up alone, so I found someone to take me to the surgery and to the pharmacy afterwards.  Notice how vague I'm being about who it was.  I can't remember if it was my roommate or the guy across the hall. 

I know that the surgeon used a combo of laughing gas and general anesthesia because the informed consent that I signed was pretty daunting.  I also remember being led out the back door of the practice and laughing about how shady it was to send the loopy people out via the back door instead of through the waiting room. 

I remember picking up the pain pills and possibly an antibiotic from the pharmacy. 

Then things get vague.  I took the pain pills on schedule and felt no pain whatsoever but I was terrified of taking too many pills at once and of doing something that could cause dry sockets.  I was zonked for the first 24 to 48 hours.  I may have only gotten up to take more pills, drink water, and urinate.

Given how strong the pain pills were, and how immobilized my jaw was, I was a bit scared of what would happen when I reduced my dosage or stopped taking them altogether.  Those buggers were strong.  I don't think that I was remotely compliant with the wound care guidance that I had been given simply because I was so out of it all weekend. 

But I came through it alright.  I definitely feared not having adequate pain medication, but when I did reduce and then run out of pain pills, the pain was quite manageable. 

It probably helps a lot that I did not develop dry sockets and that I weighed approximately 110 pounds at the time.  Looking back on it, I suspect that I was amply medicated.  I may have gotten the minimum adult dosage and it was plenty.  I am not sure how the dosage could have been adjusted for a larger person given the dosages available and the time gaps between when I took either one or two pills.  I suspect that folks who weighed considerably more than me were given almost identical pain mediation regimens to follow and had very different experiences of pain. 

I was continually terrified of the pain getting worse, but that never happened.  Your mileage may vary.  I seem to remember being more afraid of dry sockets or busted stitches than I was of pain arising from scapels having been applied to my gums.  I didn't think that I'd be given pain pills to kill any discomfort that was the result of infection, so I was pretty darned compliant with the wound care guidelines that I had been given. 

[Spellbound454]

have you tried to get some more of the heavy-duty painkillers? [/quotes]

I've been on opiates for the last two days.... So no pain at all.... yay
Unfortunately its not something you can keep taking...... or you'll end up with more problems than you bargained for.

Local anaesthetic with two taken out one week and two the next was offered....(a bit of a job because they were impacted)
but this was fine because I remember nothing about their removal...... and they are all out at the same time.

However they are hurting today. I'll just have to put up with it and go back to the dentist if it isn't any better by the weekend.

I really don't know how some of you have just managed to carry on
You must have really good healing properties....or not feel pain.

[haapai]

I seem to remember considerable swelling and discomfort while moving my jaw in any way, including while smiling and possibly while standing up.  The discomfort was not confined to the parts of my gums that had been hacked at.  In fact, I could not trace the pain to the wounds at all.  My whole mouth hurt, and that made my whole head hurt. 

Eating was tricky, no matter how soft or tepid the food was and I definitely worried about things getting worse.  Getting enough food inside me to keep going was kinda tricky, especially since it entailed changing dressings, which was one of the few things that made me feel pain at the site of the hacking. 

Were you given a follow-up appointment this week?  Were you told to do any exercises to loosen your jaw at a certain date?  When I had my surgery, it was only performed on Fridays.  Scheduling it on a Friday definitely minimized the number of days that most folks had to take off from work and also meant that if complications due to infection developed, they would probably become obvious during the work week instead of possibly during the weekend. 

I think that you probably made the right choice to have all six yanked at once.  I'm kinda surprised that you were even offered the chance to go halfsies.  I can't really see how repeating and doubling (at least) the chance of infection or opioid dependency, as well as stressing the care-givers and leave-granters, does anyone a lick of good.