New to pain contact! Emergency tooth extraction!

If I were you I would wait until Monday am and call the dr first thing. Because even if you go to the er and get a rx, you're breaking the contract and taking a big chance. And the er may not give you anything, but then it would be in your medical records that you were in the er "seeking" pain meds.

I'm with cogito. When I was a kid, my Father would give me a capful of whiskey to swish around in my mouth for 60 seconds (especially when I was having pain as my baby teeth were falling out), and then spit. Don't rinse. It works.

Also, regular rinsing with salt water is amazing! It's not a panacea. It creates an osmosis effect. It's wonderful.

I've also used Orajel on a Q-Tip and just left that cotton bud pressed into the sore spot, (not just rubbing it on), and you may drool a bit, but keeping it there keeps the anesthetic present.

I know it's too late for you to try these things now, but perhaps for future reference if you're stuck in this position again.

Good luck to you.

Sookie

I have used the warm salt water trick for many years with sore teeth/gums, usually works well for me. Not a big fan of Oral Gel, as I don't like the bitter aftertaste, tends to nauseate me.

Hope you can get some relief until you can see your doctor. You are doing the right thing, however painful, but not violating the terms of your pain contract.

David

After reading what you just wrote, my personal opinion would be to get to the ER. Lupus has the potential to complicate what may be an otherwise straightforward situation. The very fact that you have a rash, and fever, along with pain,...that's concerning. Those symptoms in and of themselves warrant an emergency visit.

If it means anything, four days after my "second discharge" from Rehab, when my PICC line was pulled, my IV meds stopped, and new/different po ABX, I developed an allergic reaction TO the antibiotics themselves. I needed a 911 call and ambulance. I ignored those first few days thinking it was the infection working itself out of my body. I couldn't have been more wrong.

I had the same symptoms as you as well as my joints locked up and I was immobile, had amnesia, couldn't speak properly, blurry vision,.... This may be way beyond pain management.

Better safe than sorry. Please,....don't wait.

Best of luck to you.

Sookie

If nothing else, ER can give you medicine for withdrawals & nausea. And they can monitor your lupus.

For withdrawal you can be given blood-pressure lowering medicine like clonidine. It helps a lot with many withdrawal symptoms. Also, anti-histamines can help. Plus, for nausea they can give you anti-emetics &, if needed, fluids/electrolytes.

I don't know much of anything about lupus so I wouldn't suggest things like hot bath & extra clothes like I would typically for withdrawals because with your rash & all it might make the lupus worse. On top of that, the hospital can make a decision about when/whether to contact your pain doctor about pain meds. It's quite rare, but for some people it's just super dangerous to suddenly drop off their pain meds. I'd just tell the hospital you just had oral surgery & have been having X symptoms. See if they even offer you narcotics. Like Barbara Lee said, maybe this isn't even much related to that. If they mention narcotic pain meds, ask them if there is another option because you'd prefer not to get any opioids. Plenty of people are scared of them of them or whatnot. I used to be terrified of them due to having a roommate who got addicted & flunked out of the university with 3 credits to go. She had always been a honors student less than 9 months prior to that happening.

If your urine comes back positive, tell them you were on X medicine until X but you ran out & your doctor is unreachable on vacation & for some reason no one else has been able to re-fill your prescription. Tell them that you really wish you could reach your doctor, but since you can't you don't want to take any narcotics & can't they just find some other way to manage your symptoms until your doctor returns.

Honestly, if they label you a drug-seeking addict for telling them that, you need to file a request to have your chart corrected. I'm not saying it never happens, but unless you live in Florida (and then God help you; I don't know what legal option you have) it shouldn't be an unsolvable problem. Sure the heck better than continuing with fever & vomiting. If you're on ZERO pain meds, you should be able to take Tylenol for the fever (I'd think. I am NOT a medical professional). I'd also think you'd be good to take Zofran or something like that to stop the vomiting. They might switch you to a different antibiotic or add a probiotic or something. And they can certainly give you fluids. I totally get it how terrifying these pain contracts can be. DEA raiding major pharmacy chains & pain clinics & whatnot. Doctors implementing insane CYA contacts with their patients.

But, sweetie, if you're that bad off, you need to get yourself medical care. Doctors can work about limitations. Give them a chance.

Funny you mentioned how your Grandmother came from Eastern Europe and the swishing of Whiskey was a remedy she employed as such. It was my Paternal Grandmother, who came from Eastern Europe who, when raising my Father and his sister, employed the same method of "swish and rinse" for 60 seconds. Of course my Father also used to give me a capful of Brandy when I had a cold or flu and was fussy. Did the trick. (By the way, I never drink, smoke, or any of those other things, so their "swish and spit" approach for toothaches didn't turn me into a lush,...just sayin')

Something no one's brought up yet that is severely important,...extremely important,....vitally important! And in particular with Lupus you have an even higher risk,....but invasive oral work, and some that's even not so invasive, can affect your heart. This is not something to mess around with or take risks with.

All symptoms aside, true, they could be related to anything,.....get to the ED. BUT, please read up on the seriousness of the link between your oral health and your heart. With a compromised immune system, you are at a high risk. You're rolling the dice my friend.

Please, please, get your tookus to the ED and please, please, give us an update.

Sookie