Stress Center Peer Support

Hi Everyone. I've been having a REALLY hard time lately. It started about 2 months ago when I got a sinus infection, went on anti-biotics, got cured. But then my glands swelled up, a lot. Then they put me on more anti-biotics and then I saw a specialist and he said everything was fine, even though my glands were still swollen. A few days later my bottom wisdom teeth started to really hurt. I did some research and found that infected wisdom teeth could cause swollen glands. So I got my two right wisdom teeth out last Friday. It was extremely stressful for me because I'm petrified of the dentist, I was awake, and they gave me toooons of novocain and I was shaking and everything. I got thru it. My teeth and gums are healing. The dentist put me on more antibiotics to make sure my infected tooth heals. My glands are EXTREMELY swollen right now, and have been for the past couple days. I went back to the dentist today and he gave me MORE antibiotics! He said to take more to make sure the infection goes away. I have to go back November 6 and get the other two wisdom teeth out! I feel like this never ends, and I'm really starting to get down about this because my glands hurt so badly and I haven't been well for long, it's really getting to me. I never do anything anymore, I get myself to school and when I come home I just want to lay around...which is understandable. But, I can't help but think that all of these antibiotics are horrible for me. Last time I went off of the antibiotics my glands returned to normal...until recently when I went back on them. Does anyone have any advice or a smiliar experience?? I feel so alone and the people in my life are starting to have trouble giving me sympathy because it's been going on for so long, I feel like everyone is sick of hearing me complain, and I guess I don't really blame them..I'm sick of it too. Thanks in advance for anyone who will take the time to respond and actually read this long post thru..I couldn't stop typing once I got going.

Hey Carla,

I sympathize with you. When you feel so crummy for so long, it gets depressing. If the antibiotics are bothering your intestinal tract or you are worried that they will harm you, take a probiotic. My doctor recommends them if you are going on a heavy duty antibiotic. I got a cat bite this year and had to take Augmentin. The pharmacist said it is the second hardest antibiotic on you. So I took Flora Q, which you can purchase from the pharmacist at Walgreens. They also have a generic version. You can also eat yogurt with active cultures like lactobacillus. Between using the probiotic pills and the yogurt, I got through it pretty well. Believe it or not, a lot of our immune system is in our gut and so we need healthy bacteria there.

You have a lot to go through, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. You WILL get better. You don't have anything that is going to do you in--just make you feel crummy. You just have to be patient with your body now and let it heal. Before the program, I was so Type A that I would actually get mad at myself if I got sick. Now I have learned that we don't always get what we want in life, but have to make the best of whatever happens. It isn't easy, but life isn't for sissies, is it?

You shouldn't have to feel alone. If you are really concerned, call your doctor's office and talk to his nurse. You could ask to be sedated next time. I have braces and had two teeth removed recently. One tip for you--my psychiatrist said that lidocaine and epinephrine can actually cause a panic attack because they are very similar to cocaine, so you might want to discuss this with your oral surgeon/dentist. I felt crappy for a couple of days after the sedation, but that is fairly normal. If it scares you so much, you might want to try sedation. My oral surgeon said he could use less lidocaine and epinephrine if I was sedated.

Good luck and God bless you. In a few months, bet you will feel like your healthy self again.

Hi,

I had some problems with my wisdom teeth a couple of years ago. The local oral surgeon that I went to, to have them removed was really insensitive when I said I didn't want to be put to sleep. In fact, when examining my tooth, he actually was rough to show me I couldn't handle it with novacaine! It was this huge ordeal for me because it was impacted, but I didn't want to be put under. All I could do was pray that it went away with antibiotics, and it did!:) If it gets impacted again, I'll drive to another city to get help from a more compassionate oral surgeon. It looks like you had one that easily took yours our with novacaine without being a jerk about it. That's something to be thankful for, right?:)

The other thing is that I got depressed while on antibiotics. I went to my therapist and told her I was really depressed and she said, "You know antibiotics can cause depression, right?" So, maybe it will help you to know that. Antibiotics are needed, but they are making you depressed at the same time.

Do you want to know something good about that time? I was at home sick, and depressed, and a neighbor had just found a stray dog that kept escaping from their yard and coming over to visit me. For years, my husband and I had debated getting a dog for our son who has autism, and I got to spend the day with the neighbor's new dog and saw the way he interacted with my son, and that inspired us to get a dog of our own. We ended up with a wonderful rat terrier dog, who has just helped me in so many ways with my anxiety, etc. So, although it wasn't fun, I can't help but always remember that my wisdom tooth issues correlated with getting my dog:).

I hope something good happens to you, too. Just know that this is a big deal, and it's going to take time to heal. Try to focus on comforting yourself in appropriate ways during this time. If you can't go out, just watch your favorite movies or read your favorite books:). It's rare we get times of rest, but right now is an opportunity to rest and let your body heal. You will regain your health in time:).

Take care,
luvpiggy

Samcat-

Thank you for your advice, it is much appreciated. I however don't want to be put to sleep I'm scared of it. Thanks for your comforting words.

Luvpiggy-

That's so cool you got a dog out of it all! I had no idea that anti-biotics can cause depression...that explains a lot. I'm sorry to hear about your experience with your dentist, sounds horrible. My teeth aren't impacted, so they have something to grab to pull them out, so that I'm grateful of. I was too scared to get put to sleep...or have the laughing gas, I had that before, and that was waaaay too scary for me. So I just have to power thru this, I know. I have been watching lots of movies and stuff. I have to go to school for a couple classes Mon-Fri., but it's not so bad. Thanks for your kind words, it is much appreciated.