in need of some virtual courage...

daffy2

I'll shortly be going to the dentist to have a manky molar taken out. For reasons I'm trying not to think about now it's potentially one of those 'solve one thing create another' situations. The big certainty though is that my back, which is very unhappy at present, will suffer badly from time in the dentists's chair - adding insult to injury!
At least the weather has turned around and the torrential rain of yesterday has been replaced by blue sky and sunshine, although on the chilly side.

mig

Ok Daffy a bucketful of courage coming you way. (((()))) Mig

stickywicket

Oh daffy, I get it. It's the apparently fairly innocuous things which just drive us over the edge. Not that any tooth extraction is innocuous, especially a molar and especially for those of us with knock-on difficulties but I think these are the things we focus on in times of stress and which cause the most grief.

Please ensure you get thoroughly comfy (as possible) in the dentist's chair and ensure he / she is aware of your physical difficulties. (Remind as necessary.) Mine is brilliant and always checking I'm OK. Remember that an extraction is a difficult thing to contemplate but is actually over and done with much quicker than a routine check-up so the lying about is much shorter. Rest up for the remainder of the day to keep bleeding to a minimum.

It is, as my Mum would have said, better out than in. A bad tooth is a source of infection throughout the body and you may well find you feel better in yourself afterwards. I hope so.

Pocket duties are available if you feel you'd like an audience.

bubbadog

I'm sending you shed loads of courage!! As some of you are aware me & Dentists are not a good subject (Quick recap Anaesthetic = anaphylaxis shock!)

theresak

Oh Daffy - not a pleasant thing to have to face. If it`s over now I hope it went as well as could be expected, and if it`s not, I hope it goes smoothly for you.

daffy2

Thank you all for your kind words - I'll have to bundle them up for tomorrow....
After 20 mins of waiting I was called over by the receptionist to say that I would have to be rescheduled due to ongoing complications with the preceding patient. A cancellation meant that I could be offered tomorrow afternoon, which is good - alternative would be beginning of November. Not so good is the adrenaline overload from today, the fact that I had to turn down a request from my manager to do an emergency shift today, and that I am unlikely to be able to sing in Saturday's concert.
However, can't be helped, so deep breath, cup of tea, and into the garden while the sun shines to deal with cuttings that need potting, weeding and general titivating. There may even be a few more alpine strawberries to nibble.

Boomer13

Sending a boat load of courage from over here in Canada. I'd be more worried about the after effects to my back too. Short term pain I can deal with. Here's hoping it'll be better than you imagine...My last trip to the dentist was fabulous with no after effects, even to my bad neck

stickywicket

Good luck, daffy. Thinking of you.

dreamdaisy

I too am thinking of you and I hope it goes far better than you imagine! DD

daffy2

Thank you Sticky. I'm trying to blank it, partly because my nerves are shredded( hasn't done anything for my IBS!) and also so I don't get stuck on the 'what if it's cancelled again'. Will know late afternoon....
Thanks also DD, your post came as I was submitting this.

daffy2

The deed is done. The dentist was running very late(I got in almost an hour after the due time) which made my heart sink, but I spent part of the time in the library where I got chatting to an elderly widower about the delights of Radio 3.
The tooth came out intact, much to everyone's relief - and complete with abscess dangling off the main root, yuk - and the bleeding stopped quickly. I'm now just waiting impatiently until I can have a cuppa, although I know it'll probably not taste too good when mixed with the blood, and I'll dribble - but there's no-one to see that thank heavens.
My back is not too chuffed but at least I was nearly upright so not as much trouble as would normally be the case.

mig

Oh yuk, glad it's all over and you're not too bad ,can't beat a good cuppa dribbles or not. (((()))) Mig

stickywicket

Oooh daffy, you were very stoical about the abcess. Well done on all fronts. I once had a tooth came out in bits but, surprisingly, it wasn't a problem. All the bits came out quickly but the dentist did do a little jigsaw afterwards to make sure.

Have you any straws? I always keep some in for emergencies when my hands won't reach my mouth. A useful standby though the tea never tastes quite right.

I hope the back behaves.

daffy2

As it turned out being stoical about the abscess wasn't actually the best move...but I say in my defence I didn't know that's what it was.Because it was chronic rather than acute(as I now know) I had ignored the intermittent low level grumblings, assuming they were the result of the battered state of the tooth, and anyway they were what I regarded as discomfort not pain. A chance remark at my annual check-up 10 days ago led the dentist to do an xray which showed what was going on. As it was affecting the bone of the jaw and given there was only a tiny bit of original tooth left there wasn't really any option but to take it out. It must have been sitting there for quite some time, at least since the beginning of the year, so it'll be interesting to see if I feel better re fatigue etc now it's out. As I've taken bisphosphonates for OP( even though briefly), I get two check-ups to make everything's healing up properly, which is reassuring.
Cuppa has been successfully accomplished, adding sugar helped to mask the sanguineous seasoning and ladylike sips from a bone china cup minimised dribbles. Next challenge is food - scrambled eggs I think.

stickywicket

It doesn't do to be stoical about abcesses. I only recall one and stoical didn't come into it. It was weekend and, on the advice of NHS Direct, I was gulping down neurofen and cocos and clockwatching for my next dose. A friend had one that was less bothersome and ended up with an infection that got to his heart. He is lucky to be here. So I guess the moral of the story is we should always look after our teeth.

I hope you had a reasonable night, daffy, and can manage a proper cuppa today. Y ou've earned it.

prefabkid47

Perhaps I shouldn't have read this thread..............have dentist this coming monday morning,but nice and early 08.50am...........

dreamdaisy

Hello, I apologise for my absence but things are not too bonny after my activities last week. I have been thinking of you and am so pleased that it's all done and dusted - I hope things are settling down and you are feeling at least a little better in yourself. DD

daffy2

stoical about the abscess

In case you've all got the impression I have super human levels of pain tolerance I should clarify that, as the dentist said, if it had been an acute abscess I would a) have known about it and b) not waited months to have it seen to!
Yes, things are progressing thank you DD.The jaw is showing up nicely with swelling and a bruise, but I'm off the pain killers - thank heavens as I was having to take cocodamol, as my usual weapons of choice(aspirin and ibuprofen) were not suitable in this case. Consequently I spent the day either asleep or going that way from the codeine, and feeling queasy from the paracetamol.I knew singing in the concert was out of the question, but I had intended to go and listen but I wasn't even awake when it started so that didn't happen. Never mind it was an interim and the main one is still to come in December.

stickywicket

That will be good to look forward to - without the nagging molar present.