I finally caved an hour ago....

[Sweetness91]

Well...I actually did it and I feel like such a failure. Idk why I'm letting myself feel that way because I really couldn't go any longer w/o some kinda relief...I let it go so long that the sinus pressure and headache made me vomit, then dry heave the rest of the day. Ugh, I've been sooo sick today...on one hand I'm telling myself that its my own fault for not taking the Tylenol 3 sooner, and on the other hand, I'm so disappointed in myself that I DID take one :( I don't like this at all. I just wanna cry :(

[Sweetness91]

Oh I did! The pizza was amazing! I'm an Italian food kinda girl. Tonight I think I'm gonna make spaghetti n meatballs with salad and garlic baguettes. Mmmm. Lol.

And I've decided to make calls first thing Monday morning. I'm tired of my darn face, nose and mouth hurting. They surely can't expect someone to deal with this and be ok with it! Although I do think its hard for someone who hasn't dealt with a fistula or pins n screws in their face to truly understand what it is like, I'm not sure I can get really mad at them for it. The fella that does the lab work comes from Cincinnati, so it's about 100+ miles for him...sooo...I can also understand him wanting a full days work to make the trip. Either way though, I expect some answers at the first of the week. I don't want to have to rely on these Tylenol 3's to dull pain that I shouldn't be having in the first place!

On a brighter note, I did get outta the house today and went grocery shopping...kinda sorta HAD to do that or we would be starving soon lol...and too the kids to McDonald's. funny how the smallest things make their day better. And when my babies are happy, I'M happy! ;)

[BarbRTR]

Yes life is right, they could easily send them unless their office is out if the dark ages..
But it might be worth it to call and ask for a hard copy, tell them you're wanting them in case you find a Dr that can treat your urgent problem more quickly.. they may just magically find a spot for you, because unfortunately for you, but good for them, is the cost of your treatment. They may rethink losing you as a patient.

Hope you enjoyed your pizza and fries! Yummy!

[Sweetness91]

Lol!! Actually I ended up eating pizza and fries. :)

I didn't think about asking them if they could send them that way. It would be worth a shot to see when I could get in. Hopefully I hear from my dentist Monday though!! I'm too impatient for the waiting game. Lol.

[YesLife4Me]

Hmmm...with everything being digital nowadays, alot of times they can digitally transfer records.   Perhaps you could ask if that is a possibility to get things going faster?   It is worth a shot at least.   Let them know you are in an urgent situation.  

I'm glad you are feeling better.   Now go dig your teeth into a big juicy steak!  

[Sweetness91]

I did consider calling a different dentist but I'm afraid that would just put me out longer if you know what I mean. This one has my X-rays and all my info. With a new one I would have to have a consultation with their dentist before seeing the person who actually makes it.  

And it does feel good to get a little relief! Oh my goodness! I shouldn't have waited so long though because I think it'll take a few doses to get me to where I can eat good. It gets old only eating soft stuff...I want some meat darn it! Lol.

[YesLife4Me]

You are an amazing woman!  Stubborn too...LOL!   I'm glad to hear you finally took something even though you didn't want to.   :)  

I was going to say what NG said about letting the pain get out of control; if you let it get to far ahead of you, you are playing catch up.  Once you reach the point it's working, then you don't need as much.  

I get so angry when the Dr's office treats the patient like a name they are putting in the appointment slot.  I'm not going to blame the Dr's entirely because they have little control over that.  I'm sure if the Dr knew how severe your situation was, he'd be Johnny on the spot for you.   They have so many gate keepers to get past to reach them nowadays.   I sure wish there was a way you get could a message to the Dentist the urgency of your situation.  Can you call any other Dentists that take emergency appointments?   Just a thought.   Your in my thoughts and prayers along with so many others on here.   xoxo

[Sweetness91]

Yes it does help having them in the safe and not having the key. If I need one I have to get it from my husband and he asks me if I really truly need it which makes me think twice.

[BarbRTR]

I was wondering if the T3 actually helped at all. I'm glad to hear they are.

I noticed how much my tolerance had dropped in such a short time when I needed meds for the kidney stone, but realized that lowered tolerance would have probably been short lived.

Glad you got some relief, and aren't feeling so guilty. Having someone hold for me really helped mentally, as far as knowing I was still being held accountable.

[Sweetness91]

It's pretty amazing that I was on methadone for years and have only been clean 61 days and the Tylenol 3's do actually help! I was able to shower, do laundry and clean the kitchen which was pretty awesome. I still have some pain, but at least it dulled it enough to take my mind off of it. My poor kids have been having to do alot of the cleaning the last couple weeks and that makes me feel terrible. I'm the one here all day and they go to school all day then have to come home and do things I should have done. They'll be surprised today :)

[Sweetness91]

Well I've been taking Benadryl along with the Sudafed to see if that works...but I think the I obturator is moving around a little and that's causing me to sneeze. So I'm not sure the meds will even work for that? But I am getting ready to take my second Tylenol 3. I took one at about 7:45 last night and have waited as long as I can and now I think I have to take one. I did notice when I took my obterator out awhile ago to clean it that there is a tiny bit of blood on it. But I'm pretty sure it's just from it moving and it's scratching the fistula and inside of my nose. I'll be ok though!! I got this. And honestly, I think I am getting past the point of feeling guilty. I feel so bad and nothing else is working so I've come to the conclusion that I just gotta do what I gotta do! :)

[BarbRTR]

Hope4good, was that comment posted on the wrong thread accidentky lol?

Sweetness, I know what you're saying about not know what's too much..,I don't guess we have anyway of knowing  how many, if any at all taken like this will awaken the beast. It's scary.

When I took mine, just knowing I was taking less than I could, and less frequent helped. Truly I was lucky. It wasn't an issue that time. It maybe next time, but it was purely about getting relief from the stone. It was almost like taking them the way I did before I was rxd daily meds, just kidney stone pain meds every now and then.

Glad you're being on guard, just stop with the guilt!! You don't deserve that!

Because you're suffering irritation around the site  I'm sure, does cold medicine help at all? Not the pain, but the sneezing and stuff that hurts?

Hugs..

[hope4good]

Don't feel bad a lot of us have relapsed.  At least you caught it time.  Good luck to you.

[Sweetness91]

Yeah Ricart, it is! I feel like the dentist doesn't truly understand how uncomfortable all this is and is taking their sweet ole time and blowing me off. I know what they said when they called me back Tuesday afternoon, I'm not dumb. They told me he would come in next week for me, now they're saying that he will come in when he has enough patients to fill his schedule for the day. What a crock. :(

And NG, I can't say it's been ALL bad...growing up, all I wanted was to be like the other kids...normal, with a little boyfriend here n there (of course kids are cruel, and that didn't happen)...but I actually LOVED getting my cosmetic surgeries done. I knew that with each one I was getting closer and closer to how I wanted to look. I had a very very talented and reputable surgeon all my life and he did work a miracle for me! As I get older, the scars fade more and more. So much so, that you can barely see them and don't notice them unless you stare. Although I am still very self-conscious about it and find myself looking away when someone does stare at me, I've become comfortable in my own skin and feel better a out myself than I ever have! So if you have tears for me, let them be tears of joy...not pity :)

[nursegirl6572]

Your story made me cry.  What an amazing family.

I'm so sorry you've been through so much hell.  It's a shame.

[ricart70]

Hope things go better for you today.It ***** that the doc is not doing more and being a slow poke.  

[Sweetness91]

A big reason I don't want to have it done too is that there's only a 50/50 chance of success with it. It's success depends on the amount of blood flow the flap receives and how much blood flow is already present in the palate. With it not working the first time, I just feel like it probably wouldn't work this time either. I think I would break down and go to a prostodontist first, even though it would cost several thousand dollars. It stinks they can charge that kinda money for something that is so seriously needed. Most generally, one of my surgeries was around $25,000-$30,000, I've had 16. I had awesome parents who wanted me to be able to thrive and feel like all the other kids so they made sure to take me to appt after appt....after appt. lol. It was always kinda cool though...I would usually stay in the hospital for a week, give or take, and the first thing we did on the way home was stop at this little bakery and dad would get me chocolate chip cookies. Lol.

But ya know what??? I'm gonna make it through this...like I always have before. The difference is now I have all of you wonderful ppl to talk me through it and just to be there to listen when I need to vent. That's worth more to me than you'll ever know!!! THANK YOU ALL! <3

[nursegirl6572]

Oh wow, hon,...that sounds terrible.  Just horribly awful!!  :0(

No wonder the surgery is kind of a last resort, it sounds hellish.


"Plus it would be hard to be laid up with the kids and everything (does that sound like a good excuse?? Hehehe"

Sweetie, if someone described that surgery to me...I would make every excuse in the world NOT to have it done!  I don't fault you at all....it sounds risky, and with no guarantee, I don't blame you for trying to get by with the obturator.  Just sounds like something needs done.  :0(

I REALLY hope that your team can try to come up with SOME kind of intervention to at least improve things for you.  The difficulty eating and weight loss are troublesome to say the least.

You will be in my prayers.

[Sweetness91]

Nursegirl, everything you said does make perfect sense. I hadn't thought about it that way. Although I don't think I need to take one every 6 hrs...maybe every 8. Not knowing when I get back in to the dentist yet, I don't want to take them and run out before I do get back in. I would feel like total crud for asking for another prescription. Especially after I refused the one they wanted to give me and then I told them to give me 15 Tylenol 3's. lol. I think I try to be too tough sometimes.

The long term "fix" would be to have what is called a "Tongue Flap" surgery. I had one done when I was about 20 I think? And it didn't work. And for me to do it again would be even rougher than the last time because the fistula has gotten so much bigger. I did discuss it with the oral surgeon Tuesday and he said that would probably be the last resort at this point. He said that this time they would have to take a strip of about 1/3 of my tongue to close the fistula, and have my tongue stitched to the roof of my mouth for 3 weeks again. That was HELL last time. I was always terrified of getting choked on spit, water, whatever...and coughing so hard I ripped stitches. It was all I could think about those three weeks. I don't think I can do that again...not at this stage of the game anyway. Plus it would be hard to be laid up with the kids and everything (does that sound like a good excuse?? Hehehe). So anyway, I guess my fix IS the obturator. But evidently it's going to take longer to get one than I had hoped. But they're going to have to do something soon though because I'm losing weight..alot...really quick. :(

[nursegirl6572]

I'm so sorry you are in such misery.  It sounds truly AWFUL.

I agree with everyone as well.  This is NOT a relapse.  You've probably withstood more pain than most would be able to at this point.  You tried everything and held out as much as you could.

"Too much" would be if you weren't following the instructions.  If they are prescribed every 6 hours as needed, then technically, if you need one every 6 hours, that's how you take it.  You have to assess your pain levels and make those decisions.  Obviously, it goes without saying, to try to go with the minimum you need to be comfortable, but by the same token, don't make yourself suffer in agony because you don't want to take them.

Pain is actually easier to manage when an analgesic is taken BEFORE the pain gets too severe.  If you wait to take something until your pain is a "10" out of 10 on a pain scale, you likely won't get the same kind of relief than if you took it when the pain reached about a "5".  Taking it that way will manage the pain better, and you'll actually end up needing to take less.  Lertting the pain get so out of control only makes matters worse sweetie!

You are doing the best you can....you have to treat your legit pain.  Keep calling the dentist and doctors until you start getting some answers!  Is there no more appropriate long term fix for this?  

Very best to you...praying you get some relief soon.  Be kind to yourself...take it easy...and stop beating yourself up...just keep that guard up, keep your hubby involved like you are, and you'll be fine.  You seem like a very insightful person.  You got this.

[Sweetness91]

Barb, I'm afraid of taking too many, I really don't even know how many is TOO many though. Lol. Every 4-6 hrs seems like alot when I haven't taken anything for so long and I don't want to take enough that it makes me to through withdrawal. But I don't want to be in pain either because this is getting really old! It's making my days seem endless and very frustrating. I know I can take more than one...but I've read so many times where one turn to two, then 3...4...5. I don't want to come back here in a few days and say I took 3-4 and disappoint myself or anyone else! I'm one that it kills my soul to disappoint anyone...I've always been that way. But, again, I'm just going to take one day at a time and see where it takes me I guess!

Jordon, I did the same thing a couple weeks ago! Only I cracked my head on a cabinet drawer where I keep my makeup. I had left it open and went to dry my hair, flipped my head over to dry the underside of my hair and BAM!! OMG I think I seen stars! I had a headache for days but couldn't help but feel like a true blonde for doing that and had to laugh every time I though about it! Lol.

[Sweetness91]

Vickie, I am still using the one I've had for years...I found this stuff at Kroger pharmacy that is somewhat of a temporary fix, I guess you could say it makes the obturator a little bigger but the problem is that the stuff dries kinda hard. It's not like a Poli-grip or something soft. So it's irritating the inside of the hole and my nose when I talk or swallow or eat... And sneezing is horrible! Which I do alot of probably because of the irritation? I have to wear it though because w/o it, I can't talk, drink, or eat at all. I called the dentist yesterday and they said the lab guy hasn't called back in. All I could think is "Why don't you call HIM again!" Then I was told that he will come to that office when there are enough patients to fill his day...but that isn't what I was told Tuesday so that's really frustrating :( But what do you do, ya know?

I ended up only taking the one pill yesterday. I got up several times through the night and kept telling myself I was gonna take one because it was hurting and I couldn't sleep, but never did take one. One thing I can say I got from my beautiful mother (she passed away with Lou Gehrig's disease) is her stubbornness! :):)

[dominosarah]

You have a medical condition right now that is causing you a ton of pain.  You didnt cave at all.  Just focus on getting this fixed.

[BarbRTR]

Hey girl, please don't beat yourself up!!

I did that with my kidney stone. Went through 2 days then couldn't not take the pain any longer. I was going insane. Done right, we don't have to suffer!

I felt like you did my first pill. I had someone holding them too. Took way less than was RX'd, 1/2 instead of whole, less frequent. Only needed
4 1/2. Goal wasn't pain free, which with a kidney stone or your problem isn't really possible anyway.. But to be sane! Not banging my head against the wall.

Well, I promise, when it passed, and I flushed the rest, I felt WAY stronger mentally than I had before. No cravings. It was liberating!!

I have chronic kidney stones. Even though I was so strong, I'll still have somebody hold with each one though.

Praying for you. Don't beat yourself up. You didn't cave. You acted as a non addict would.
Hugs, hope you feel better~~

[Enuffisenough]

Agree with Por vida. You held out in pain long enuff. There is a difference and you were in legit pain. I know the feeling tho. Feels awful since you were doing good. It's more disappointing than anything . But dust it off, and you know in your heart you only did it for pain, not abuse. I sprained my ankle bad webt to ER and took a pill last week. Felt awful. But then flushed them when my pain subsided. Didn't need. Difference between a need and want. So u did nothing wrong! Good luck and hope u heal .