Do I need a antibiotic for my dental work?

Hi, this is kind of a very complicated question. I became sick around 5 years ago. In a search for what was causing my illness I found I have a mild aortic valve insuficency. I think I also had "trace" on the mitral valve, and tricuspid. For the first year of being sick I tried many medications, including asprin, high blood pressure, prilosec, and anti-anxiety, and antidepressant medications.I ended up on an anti-anxiety drug xanax for around 6 or 7 months, although the more I took and the longer I took it the more problems I had untill I was extremly ill. I finally had a doctor take me off of this medication, and have slowly improved over the last 4 years. But 3 years after going off all medication I had a broken tooth, and had to go to a dentist for it. I took amoxicillin for it, after only the second pill taken around 15 minutes apart I began to have some strange symptoms, including some numbness of the head and face. I returned to the cardiologist office where he had me take benadryle, which I did and went home. That night I had my ear swell shut,(it was on the opposite side of my bad tooth.) and half of my labia. This led to more medications, as the ear was thought to be a ear infection. I got ear drops, but they seemed to make it worse. So I finally gave up, and just held on through the pain waiting for it to get better. But at the same time I started fainting, and was having return of horrible symptoms. This let to more testing, and more drug usage.  My liver enzymes were elevated, and I was checked for hepatitis. I was eventually diagnosed with autoimune dysautonomia, Orthostatic Intolerance, had a positive mast cell test that still needs further testing, and found I am missing gene to metabolise drugs called cyp2d6, and they suspect I am missing another. The hard part is I still have a broken tooth, that needs to be pulled. It comes and goes with hurting, and sometimes I think that the pain may be from infection, but this pain usually passes. The last time I was really sick I was concerned about my heart, so I called the cardiologist office, and they said he was out of town, call the dentist, and get antibiotics. So I called, and he was also out of town, but they had another dentist prescribe clydimiacin, and I had read about it, and read that if you have any liver trouble to let your doctor know, so I did, and they prescribed cephalexin. Which I wasn't aware untill I read it that you shouldn't take it if you can't take amoxicillin. At this point the dental receptionist who was handling this was irritated with me, and didn't call me back. So my tooth face neck and chest which was what was hurting started to feel better, so I just skipped taking the antibiotic. But the pain keeps returning, and I have an appointment in one week for the removal of 2 teeth. So my question is do I need to take an antibitic (antibiotic) to keep my heart, or the rest of me safe, and if I do, what antibiotic should I take?? I really don't know what to do with this, and the concern over the antibiotic has stopped me from getting this fixed for about a year and a half now. Any help would be appreciated.

[MamaBush]

First off, you need to contact the dentist and speak to him directly about his receptionist and how she treated you, and then never returned your call.  Most doctors do not appreciate their workers treating patients like that.  They feel it's a reflection on them.

You were looking out for your own health, as you should be doing...I applaud you for that. Not nearly enough people do what you did.

Is the oral surgeon, who's removing your teeth, also the dentist you usually see?  I know that sounds strange, but my dentist is also an oral surgeon.  I believe that I've read somewhere, years ago, that they do not like to extract teeth on people with your issues unless they've been on antibiotics first.

You do not need an infection from the extraction entering into your heart..which can happen.

Your comment about the receptionist is making me extremely angry right now.  My GP fired his last receptionist due to her treatment of HIS patients.  Don't let this just fade away.  STAND YOUR GROUND!

Okay, getting off soap box for now....good luck to you, and keep looking out for your own health as you have been doing.

[SuzyQZ]

Hi, and thank you. I was rather angry myself, because this is a really hard decision for me to make. Every time I end up taking medicine I end up suffering some kind of problem. It is kind of common in my little town to get tossed around. I feel as though no one really wants to deal with me because it is complicated. If they give me something I may, (and probably will) have some side effect. If I don't I could have other complications. I should call the office back, and see if he is back in town. Thank you for the encouragement.

I really don't know if he is a oral surgeon or not. He said he doesn't do root canals, so I would have to travel to get a root canal, but I am to unwell to travel, so I just decided to get the teeth pulled. there are actually 2. The dentist when I talked to him when my tooth wasn't hurting said we didn't have to use antibiotics unless I had an artificial valve, which I don't. But everyone I talk to like the nurse from the cardiologist office says to take an antibiotic. So you can see why this is a hard decision to make. I guess it is a matter of who to listen to, but I sure don't want to make the wrong choice here.

Thank you so much for your help.

Suzy