<p>I forgot all about using bags of frozen peas bookworm. They were much more comfortable for my son too.</p>
<p>My son used a bag of frozen vegetables as an ice pack on an injury once, but he took it with him to the basement, where he was doing heaven only knows what, and he forgot the return the vegetables to the kitchen when he was done with them.</p>
<p>After a few days, the gas produced by the rotting vegetables burst the bag, allowing a really amazing stench to permeate the house.</p>
<p>We use ice packs now.</p>
<p>I had my wisdom teeth extracted last June, right after school was out for the year (I have a funny tendency to get these problems when there’s no school – broke my clavicle at the beginning of the summer before my freshman year in high school, too!). The pain from the impacted teeth was FAR, far worse than the pain post-op.</p>
<p>I was under IV sedation, and I was out within seconds and woke up shortly after they were finished; the procedure lasted about an hour and I have no memory whatsoever of what they did.</p>
<p>My boyfriend very kindly took me there and brought me home and stayed with me to make sure I was okay. I kept the ice packs on pretty much constantly. I never had any swelling and I managed to take all my pills okay. However, the pills made me extremely nauseated and even four days after the surgery I could only hold down Jell-o. There was an embarrassing incident at the Chinese restaurant thanks to the smell of my friend’s order of Imperial shrimp. :p</p>
<p>No dry sockets, no excessive bleeding, no pain, healed perfectly fine – aside from the nausea, I’d say it went pretty well!</p>
<p>Both my oldest S and D had their wisdom teeth removed on the same day last summer. Both had general anesthetic and it was not problematic for either one.</p>
<p>D’s bf is having his out tomorrow. I hope all goes smoothly for him too!</p>
<p>mom55, I wish your D all the best with her upcoming surgery. I’m sure it will go smoothly, and I wish her a swift recovery!</p>
<p>~berurah</p>
<p>Hey everyone.</p>
<p>I found this great site (and thread) last night as I was preparing myself for my Wisdom Tooth Extraction, which I was very nervous about. I had my 2 bottom ones taken out yesterday morning. I had a rotting wisdom tooth on my right side for years and I was finally being bothered by it enough to have it done, and had the other side done too even though it wasn’t causing me any pain because it was impacted and would of game me trouble later.</p>
<p>I was knocked out under IV. I don’t remember anything, and all of a sudden I was being woken up to be taken home. Quite funny after how nervous I was. Ironically, the side with the bad tooth that had been giving me pain has no caused me any discomfort at all Post Op, only the side I was doing “since it needed to come out” anyway is, but luckily my pain is very light and managable. It basically feels like I bruised my jaw.</p>
<p>But I did have a concern this morning which is why I’m writing. I am worried and maybe a bit paranoid about the allmighty dry socket. Last night I must of feel asleep on my cheek. When I woke up this morning, the side that’s been giving me the little bit of pain (Left) had this “Gob” of blood in it. My pain isn’t any worse, but I guess I’m scared that’s the blood clot that’s suppose to be… well you know, in the socket. I put gauze on immediately, but aside from soaking up the gob (I didn’t take it out), I’m not really bleeding anymore. And my pain has not been any worse still since the extraction. </p>
<p>I just wanted to mention it for some peace of mind. I guess if it IS anyhting to do with my clot, I can’t very well put it back. Just have to hope another has formed.</p>
<p>You should call the oral surgeon’s office and tell them what happened so they can advise you. I am sure they told you to call if you had any questions or concerns. Better to ask than to wonder what is going on!</p>
<p>I’m just bumping this up to remind parents that wisdom teeth removal may not be as easy and speedy a process as it seemed to be for many of the posters’ kids in this thread. When making an appointment, really try to find a time with a lot of leeway in case recovery is slow. I’m not posting here to complain or anything like that, but most posters seemed to have very positive stories, so I just wanted to put out a general reminder that you may end up needing to play nurse longer than anticipated. Sorry this post is so long. I tried to split it into sections for readability. I’m going to blame my wordiness on the narcotics. :)</p>
<p>I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed early Tuesday morning. It’s now Thursday afternoon, and I’m still taking Percocet (which is oxycodone with acetaminophen) every four hours. I’m in a pretty good deal of pain even at the height of the meds, but the doctor says this is basically the strongest stuff he has to give me. (I’ve actually been told a number of times that I have a high tolerance for pain, so I’m sort of wondering whether narcotics just don’t work that well for me.) I was told that all four teeth were impacted, but I’m not really sure what that means. I do know that my teeth in general aren’t easy to pull–I needed general anesthesia to get baby teeth pulled–so perhaps that played a role. </p>
<p>Since I hadn’t been improving, my mother brought me back in to see the oral surgeon today to get everything checked out. There is no sign of infection and I don’t have any dry sockets. I followed directions closely after the procedure. The doctor said that there is a huge bell curve range of recoveries, meaning that there is a small portion of people who recover right away with no complaints and another lucky portion of people who will be hit very hard. Most people, of course, land somewhere in the middle. He said there is no way to predict how someone will respond. I should mention that it’s pretty significant that my parents would even think I need to be brought in again: my house is normally a “You’ll live” / “Don’t be a baby” sort of place regarding health and comfort, so this definitely isn’t a case of overcautious parents.</p>
<p>RE: My parents
Unfortunately, this has been difficult for my mom and dad. My parents were planning on going away this weekend, but since I will in all likelihood still be on narcotics at that point, my mom is staying behind. I have needed a good deal of care and help with little things. My parents have been great, but I do feel bad. The medicine makes me sleepy and at times dizzy (I have a screwed up vestibular system, so I’m prone to dizziness), so I need help getting myself and my things from family room to bedroom and back again. It’s a little like caring for a kid with the flu. I had a parent home with me all of the first day. Since then my mom has been coming home during the day to help me get something to eat for lunch (usually soup that doesn’t require any chewing) and has been bringing work home in the afternoon. Nighttime has been difficult because of a combination of factors: drowsiness from the medicine, discomfort from pain, a certain over-tiredness from lots of napping, and mild hallucinations that get mixed up with dreams. I’ve needed help every night so far to take my medication. I don’t sleep very rest-fully and often need help with one thing or another, so my parents have been checking in on me regularly during the times they’re home.</p>
<p>RE: Self Care
Generally, my days have been spent sleeping and watching TV. I eat about four times a day: twice during the day I’ll have half melted ice cream and the other two times I’ll have something warm/hot that doesn’t require any chewing. I haven’t used any straws. I’m on clotting medicine for a bleeding disorder, so I’m supposed to limit my liquid intake, but in general I’d say water is a good recommendation or soda for people who feel nauseated by the medicine. I used ice for a half hour every half hour during the first day. The bags of peas, held onto my head with an ACE bandage, was a perfect idea. Thanks, CC! Since then I’ve switched between using a heating pad, moist heat from a wet washcloth, and ice. Ice seems to stiffen my jaw, but it does reduce swelling even after the first day, and it feels nice. My oral surgeon today advised me to take Advil midway through my Percocet doses to try to even out the peaks and valleys of pain inherent in the types of dosages I’ve been taking (normally something my hematologist would not recommend, but my family thinks it’s OK), so that’s something to look into if your kid is having ups and downs. He also gave me antibiotics to be on the safe side since there is a long weekend. I was on long term prophylactic antibiotics for years, so I need to be careful to beat infections right away; waiting a few days over the weekend would be a bad idea.</p>
<p>RE: Scheduling
Overall I don’t feel too badly, minus the pain and the nights; mainly, I just know that I can’t currently function in any way approaching normal, and my parents have had to change plans and habits to take care of me. We had considered scheduling this surgery for shortly before going away on vacation (though with a bleeding disorder I’m not supposed to leave the country for 12 days after procedures), on a Friday during a normal work week, or during a school vacation period. I just wanted to give parents a reminder to try to schedule this at a time when your child will have the time and opportunity for a longer recovery, should it be needed.</p>
<p>RE: Sedation
I know there was a post on that pretty recently: I had IV sedation during the procedure, and though I felt fine afterwards, I was apparently quite “combative” the whole time. I’m not sure whether any other parents have heard similar reports. I’ve had general anesthesia and propofol before without a problem.</p>
<p>Anyway, I just hope that someone will find this helpful.</p>
<p>My son had all four wisdom teeth out a few weeks ago, and his recovery was similar to yours, corranged. He had to have a refill for his pain medicine. It made him dizzy, but he needed it. He didn’t pass out, but one of us walked with him, holding onto him, whenever he left the recliner. There’s no way he could have safely been left alone for over a week.</p>
<p>After reading many of these posts it can be safe to say that every child will experience something different following surgery. Both my S and D had IV anesthesia for four impacted wisdom teeth. Percocet and Tylenol with codine wrecked havoc with my kids stomachs so we switched to ibuprofen every 5-6 hours around the clock. This did take the edge off the pain and allowed them to be more coherent. They were also able to drive if needed. Our only complication was with my S. Four months after his surgery he developed a post surgical swelling at one extraction site. Oral antibiotics cured the swelling and he’s been fine every since (that was five months ago).
My last comment is if the dentist says that the wisdon teeth must come out, don’t delay. It may make matters worse.</p>
<p>Momsworried, my father said that he wishes he got his wisdom teeth out when he was younger instead of delaying. He had many days of pain and then had separate extraction procedures when he really should have just gotten them all out at once when he was younger. The operation is also much more difficult on adults, and the risk of complications is higher. I’m very glad I’ve gotten mine removed now instead of waiting.</p>
<p>It’s definitely different for each person. I remember that my sister, who is two years older than me, was throwing up from anesthesia/pain meds after having hers out, but she only needed to take the perscription meds once or twice. She hated the medicine and said it made her feel very out of it. I am so happy that the medicine isn’t making me sick! It’s hard to imagine having to take pain medicine that makes you throw up when your mouth is already feeling pretty gross. I wouldn’t have been able to switch to any meds with ibuprofen or aspirin, so I am very thankful that even if my current medicine doesn’t work all that well, it at least doesn’t make me feel worse. A lot of people I know have had trouble with percocet and see it as a very strong drug that really impacts their thinking, and it doesn’t have much of an effect like that on me at all. Everyone’s different, I guess.</p>
<p>It’s good that you were there with him, 2blue. Since I have problems with vertigo and dizziness to begin with, my body can actually handle it quite well, but there have definitely been times in the past couple of days when I’ve had to ask for help walking from room to room or down/upstairs. It can be very scary to be so dizzy while alone. I am thankful that my mom is staying home with me this weekend instead of going away. I just don’t have the energy to take care of myself or the house and pets, and we all feel uncomfortable with the fact that I wouldn’t be able to drive or call out for help if I needed it.</p>
<p>When I had mine out in HS, I had 2 done one summer and the other 2 done the next. Yes, it does mean making 2 trips to the oral surgeon, but at least I still had a functional side of my mouth. I can’t imagine having both sides done together because it took about 2 days each time to feel pretty much normal again. I remember having the IV sedation, and feeling nauseous from it afterwards the second time. I never needed the narcotics, but my sister did when she had all 4 out at the same time. They made her nauseous when she took them several hours after surgery. Once you get through the first day and night, it’s not too bad. I’m just glad it’s something that you never have to go through again.</p>
<p>corranged - I concur with you wholeheartedly regarding possible complications that cannot be predicted. D1 had hers out over Christmas break and developed dry sockets. We literally stopped at the oral surgeon’s office to get the packing removed on our way out of town to take her back to school.</p>
<p>D2 had two bottoms out this summer (tops won’t be ready for maybe another year or two). Her oral surgeon’s policy is nothing to eat or drink 6 hours prior to IV sedation. Her last meal was 10 hours prior to surgery. He prescribes 10mg. valium to take an hour before the procedure to take the edge off nerves. However, D2 has a terrible phobia of needles, which has gotten worse over the years. Lately, anytime she needs a shot, we get a prescription for the Emla cream that numbs the skin. When she was little, she used to sit there and watch the needle go in, blood come out, and say, “Ouch.” </p>
<p>So they took her back and it was an hour and fifteen minutes before they called me to recovery. I knew this was long for only two teeth. With her history of asthma and allergies I was a bit worried since this was the first time she’s had any sort of anesthesia. Well, the oral surgeon immediately told me she’d been non-compliant, because after they gave her the nitrous oxide, and started her sedation IV, she threw up lots of undigested food (thankfully she didn’t remember it). I guess when she became sedated enough that her mind could no longer control her stomach, her stomach won the battle and decided to heave everything in it. He said, “I wished we’d saved the contents so you could see it.” No thank you… I believe you. Make me look at it, and I’ll be throwing up!</p>
<p>He was very accusatory, and I was doubtful she’d eaten based on the fact I’d seen her eat at 11PM, then she went to bed at 1AM. Between that time, she’d been with D1, who was trying to distract her from her fears by watching movies. D1 said D2 did not eat anything after 11PM, and saw her go to bed at 1AM. That morning, there was no missing food from the frig, and no dirty dishes in the sink, no garbage, etc. So then, after my doubting the surgeon’s accusation, he said, “Well, sometimes when someone is really nervous about something, their stomach will not digest the food they’ve eaten, but it’s rare.” It felt like he was upset with me for not staying with her every moment prior to surgery to make sure she was compliant.</p>
<p>So for the next step… we’re told to get to the pharmacy and get the Tylenol#3 filled within the hour because the local will start wearing off (he also told me they had to remove a lot of bone). She was also placed on antibiotics. But of course you’re not supposed to take either one on an empty stomach, so you have to find a place to stop and get food that is approved for them to have those first 24 hours. Well, we went to her favorite smoothie place, which was next door to a pharmacy, but she was just too darned sleepy to drink much of it… besides, her stomach was still queasy. So then began the week long vicious cycle. She didn’t want to eat because she felt nauseous, but then when it was time to take her medicines, she had very little food in her stomach. The icing helped a lot with her not bruising, but she did swell a bit. But the ice also kept her stiff, I think, and she just wasn’t willing to forego the pain relief it provided and the fact it would help with swelling. By day three, I was able to convince her to use moist heat, too. Day 6 we went to a party and she was still protecting her jaw by not eating anything that required much chewing, and when she talked, you could tell she wouldn’t use the full range of her mouth. But there’d been no bruising, and minimal swelling (well, major if you ask her). It was just the vicious cycle of nausea and the drugs that did her in. </p>
<p>I’m still not sure if we’ll go back to the same doc when she needs her uppers removed. He was great with D1, even when she got dry socket. D2 obviously needs further restrictions on her food intake prior to any elective surgery, and maybe an extra dose or two of valium for the day before to help with her nerves. </p>
<p>My D also has IBS, and has medication she takes as needed (has an attack about once a month). I mentioned this to the surgeon’s assistant after he left the room, wondering if possibly, with her nerves, on top of the IBS, that might have been why she didn’t digest her food. The nurse asked me if they had that information in her chart from her physical. We said yes, because when they asked what medications she’s on, we had to explain why the Levsin. </p>
<p>I told her there was an advantage to this whole ordeal (she didn’t see it that way). She still needed two more shots before going off to college, but insisted I call and ask for the Emla cream. I refused, saying, “You’re 18 years old. You call the doctor and ask for the cream.” I thought it was pass my responsibility to make that call and request something that is primarily used for small children. Well, after this ordeal, I was on the phone immediately with her physician’s office, letting them know what the consequences were from this fear of hers, and asked if they would prescribe the cream (I would have had her call, but she still couldn’t talk very easily and be understood). They didn’t hesitate for a second, and now that this fear has been truly documented, she can ask for it anytime and not get any grief. Of course, my hope is that she will get passed this fear, or I may never have any grandchildren! But I also don’t have to worry about tattoos or piercings (she has two in each ear, and did so with no problem when she was much younger) due to her phobia.</p>
<p>This is just a loooooong way of saying how quickly things can get out of hand, when you’re predicting a relatively short and easy recovery period.</p>
<p>addendum… before I get admonished by any health care workers, yes, I know that her experience could have become very dangerous, very quickly. Had she aspirated, it would have been a trip from the surgeon’s office through the tunnel, to the hospital with serious consequences. I’m sure that’s why they were a bit testy with me, but in actuality, she not only was compliant, but then some… ten hours vs. the six he requires.</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing, Teriwtt. I feel very thankful because my dental surgeon is really excellent; in fact, my mother has had to explain to some clients that I’ve been having trouble since having my wisdom teeth out, and a couple people have asked who my doctor was, and this guy has really favorable reviews from everybody. It was so nice that based on a mother’s worry (and how should they know that my parents aren’t the worrying types, at least with medical matters?) that my pain was unreasonable, the doctor asked me to come in that same morning. My mom called around 8:30 AM, and I went in at 10 AM to get checked out. My mom was welcomed into the room with me, which was a nice touch since I was exhausted, doped up, and not the best conversationalist at that point! </p>
<p>I think it might be worth trying to get some casual reviews from friends to see if anyone comes strongly recommended. You should also look into scheduling a consultation appointment where your daughter can explain the problems she’s had in the past to the surgeon. That will probably put everyone more at ease and will hopefully allow her an easier time of it with the other two. </p>
<p>(Though I hate to mention this since it’s not my business at all, your daughter should know that therapy for phobias tends to be extremely effective. It’s usually a “face your fears” kind of deal, which can be terrifying for someone who has a phobia, but I’ve heard from therapists that it works very, very well. I have a fear that has been in phobia-territory in the past and is definitely unreasonable. I’ve thought about just dealing with it through therapy of this type but haven’t yet. It might be worth looking into.)</p>
<p>corranged - the oral surgeon we went to comes very highly recommended, and he’s an excellent clinician. He’s pretty highly respected in the North Shore burbs of Chicago; this has been validated by friends who are also in the field, and make referrals.</p>
<p>Regarding the phobia… I couldn’t agree with you more, but D would only do it kicking and screaming; well, now that she’s 18, she has to decide when it gets bad enough that it interfers with her life that she either wants to face it and deal with it personally, or get help from the outside. </p>
<p>While this might take away any validity to my story, and my supporting her side of the story, she does tend to have non-compliant tendencies, which is why she and I were both so upset about this time. She actually had been compliant, but was accused of not being. She never wore orthodontic ‘extras’, never wore her retainer, and the scariest for me, has been non-compliant with medications. One time she was given a tapered dose of steroids for what was thought to be a sinus infection that had caused her lots of pain while flying; we were scheduled to fly again the next day. She took the first day - all six or seven of them, and her antibiotic, then decided that since she wasn’t having pain anymore, she’d stop. She didn’t have any problems on the plane the second time, but it scared the bageezus out of me. I called the pharmacist on day three when I realized she wasn’t taking them, and he told me she needed to start up again, but she wouldn’t. I kept looking for symptoms that he told me could occur, and thankfully they didn’t, but now I’m afraid it just reinforced her view that no harm comes from stopping meds before you’re done. There are sooooo many things I’m having to let go of, now that she’s off to college, including trying to control her health. She has to do that now, and will eventually learn the consequences when she doesn’t follow through with something.</p>