Oh boy, now I'm nervous

My appointment to get my tooth pulled is on Wednesday. I broke it back in the spring, just ridiculous! I've tried to get it fixed, but multiple visits to the dentist and she couldn't freeze it. Now I'm with the orthodontist, which dh's insurance doesn't cover... of well, it has to get done.

I've actually been looking forward to it. Until yesterday :(
I got another bad facial pain attack. The more it happens, the more I get the electrical feeling, and the longer the attacks. The last time it happened, I would have rated my pain at a 10. Other attacks at an 8. But... they only lasted 20 minutes to 1/2 hour, 1-3 attacks in an evening.
Pain in my gums and teeth woke me up at 4:30 am Thursday morning. With the bg pain in my teeth, gums, jaw, lips and flesh of my cheek were electrical currents in my cheekbone, nose and around my eye. The whole right side of my face was numb. This came in crests from 3-8/9, and it lasted until 8:30. I had to get the kids ready for school as dh is away on business. Then it stopped until about 10am. It started again and built up to a steady 7, with no breaks. After an hour, I decided to try two Tylenol 3s. The doctor prescribed these after my GI bleed on the Naproxen (which worked, darn it!). I had taken 1 Tylenol 3 at 5am, with no success. The 2 tablets helped with the tooth pain, but nothing else. And I got so high I thought I was OD'ing. Remember, I have the 2 y/o with me and no dh anywhere close! The pain finally stopped at about 1:30pm (after increasing even more an hour after the Tylenols). And I went in to work Thursday night b/c I have missed lots of time over the summer and I don't want to lose any more shifts (my hours have been cut back a bit, but I actually thanked the manager as it was getting too much for me to close on the majority of my shifts).

Today, it's back to a bg pain, with a few zaps thrown in to keep it interesting.
I'm scared that it will flare when I go to the dentist. I'm scared the dental procedure will make it flare. I have to go back to my doctor and ask for something else to help with the pain. But I'm not sure if I have that right, as it doesn't happen very often? But I don't want to get stuck like Thursday again!

What to do, what to do.... I'm sure you are all sick of this anxiety over this tooth too I can hear you, oh, just get it pulled already! (just j/k)
If my face behaves, I think I can get along ok. If I have another attack, I don't know what I'll do. I wish I could be like Scarlett and think of that tomorrow!

Whenever I have procedures that are making me worry or panic, I force myself to think of other things or some way keep focused on something else. Alone, quiet time is the worst and by focusing on it I only get worse. Then when any of us with fibro start to worry and fret our pain goes up.

Now, it's easy for me to say...don't think about it... but hard to do. That said, try to focus on something else...read a couple of good books, bury yourself in a hobby, visit friends...just don't let your mind start worrying. Soon, when it's all over you'll wonder why you worried so.

I do hope it goes easily!
Chutz

I so hope getting the tooth extracted will help all the facial pain you have been having. I agree with Chutz try to keep your mind off of it as much as possible til time to go. I know it's hard when your in pain and easy for me to say cause I've never had that kind of pain.

 

luv and hugs

Marlee

Gentle soft breathing... Think of something nice whenever you are feeling the anxiety. I've had extended dental procedures and I usually like to think of a field of flowers, me on a nice cushy lawn chair, kittens bounding thru the grass... birds overhead... a good book in my lap... just starting to doze off. That will usually get me relaxed enough to open my mouth.