Hey everyone... Back info: I live in Los Angeles area and just recently ironed out some problems I was having with my medi-Cal insurance. (Thank god)
So long story short (as can be), I had a tooth that cracked almost in half about 6 months ago. (Top right molar, 2 from the back) It honestly didn't hurt at all, for a long time. It even looked okay. Like it was just the outside that was chipped. Slowly though, the tooth began to turn black, (on the inside of it) and I got scared that it was an infection when it started to hurt. Headaches, anxiety,and my grandmother's voice replaying in my head of how her sister died from a tooth infection probably didn't help. I immidiately called it an infection and went to the ER (not having my insurance I couldn't afford a proper dentist). The first ER visit was short, the woman said "it doesn't look infected, here's some Tylenol 3 get outta here" but I INSISTED that I needed antibiotics, and she gave me Keflex. I took one that next morning and my head almost BURST! I called the pharmacist about it and she said "take the second" and the 2nd dose sent me right back into the ER... With pain I had never experienced before. From my head to my lower AND upper right sides of my jaw. I was literally shaking in pain, and had to have my friend bring me. They reccommended I wait in line from 3am to get seen at 9am (maybe) and gave me another weak pain killer. (NOTHING CLOSE to knocking even a PINCH of the pain I had out) and sent me on my merry way.
That was a week ago. I never took antibiotics again, because I thought maybe the first doctor was right. I have no real swelling. Or fever, or abscess that I can see... (I did have pain here and there but not badly when I stopped the Keflex) And maybe the headaches were just part of having a bad tooth ache.
Since then I've gotten my insurance straightened enough to make an appointment for friday (sadly a week or two ago when this started I couldn't make a dental appt until next month because of insurance). However, I'm still nervous because now I don't feel any pain there, still have anxiety about it, and honestly I don't feel bad, or feverish, but I don't feel normal... Plus the antibiotic thing scared me, and still does. It does taste kind of off, and I do feel tired more often than usual... I can trick myself a million ways to Texas about whether or not I'm in danger but at this point I'm just scared of the "silent killer" potential of an infection I maybe can't see?
Any advice would be appreciated... I couldn't find ANYTHING online about people being in as much pain as I was after taking Keflex. Part of me says "shut up, chill out, go to the dentist Friday". Another part of me says "you won't make it that long, but no ER will be able to do anything" and the other part says "man up and take the medication that made you feel like you were already dying" even though I don't think I can physically handle that without excessive pain meds which I don't have... I don't know... Help?
(I should also add that I am on methadone for pain management and it doesn't help either taking the Keflex) - also it doesn't help considering the meds they give me don't really measure up.
Thanks !!