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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not go to the other end of the country with a tooth abcess :-(

43 replies

Gingersstuff · 12/10/2013 17:16

Am sat here cradling a bag of frozen peas to me poor, poor mouth. Niggling toothache for weeks, morphing into full-blown horrificness about a week ago and an emergency appointment at the dentist on Thursday. Diagnosed with infection right down in the jawbone and started a course of antibiotics on Thursday night. Back in 10 days for extraction or root canal.
I'm supposed to be at the other end of the country on Monday morning with a client, leading a very important meeting. The pain is monstrous, I can't sleep, eating/drinking is horrific and the only thing keeping it even slightly at bay is the aforementioned peas and a healthy dose of codydramol alternating with ibuprofen and a topical anaesthetic. My stomach is in tatters because I've been practically mainlining painkillers. The dentist says I have to give the antibiotics a chance to work, they won't extract before course is finished.

Our company is very small and it would be a huge deal if I had to cancel. It's taken weeks to organise. The clients are flying up to the meeting tomorrow night. I don't have contact numbers for the colleagues who could possibly step in and besides, they have kids too and it's too short notice. I don't know what to do. I can't see myself being in any fit state to go but neither can I let everyone down. What would you do, oh wise MNers??

OP posts:
HandragsAndGladbags · 12/10/2013 17:22

Move hell and high water to get a colleague there - you won't be able to go. I have had similar and if the pain hasn't started to abate 3 days into the antib's then I doubt it will be significantly better by Monday. And you'll have the cabin pressure to think of - that will HURT Sad

FunkyBoldRibena · 12/10/2013 17:24

Contact your colleague pretty much now...NOW!

CajaDeLaMemoria · 12/10/2013 17:28

My abcess got significantly better on day 5 of antibiotics. I also found that corsodyl helped hugely - alcohol free version, and swill often. It tasted gross and stings, but the pain relief is amazing.

If you start tonight, you might be feeling a bit better tomorrow? I'd contact a colleague by any means necessary tonight, though. Facebook if you have too. Just get someone and give them the heads up.

Given how important this seems, I'd try both methods. Hopefully someone else will go, but if not, you should be feeling better.

Original poster
Gingersstuff · 12/10/2013 17:39

I had 3 days off work a couple of weeks back with a flu-like illness. Im really worried that even if I could get a colleague to step in for me, it's such a small company that it's going to very much go against me, though they are lovely but I'm sure it would be "noted" iyswim. No-one really takes time off sick. On the other hand the drugs are making me very woozy and I can't even speak properly just now. Should i not just suck it up and go?

OP posts:
hermioneweasley · 12/10/2013 17:41

Doesn't sound like you'll be on tip top performance, so if it's so important I would think the company would want someone else to go.

TheFallenNinja · 12/10/2013 17:41

I'm afraid I would be inclined to suck it up, the antibiotics should be working their magic by then hopefully.

PedlarsSpanner · 12/10/2013 17:41

alright then suck it up and go

what's the point of asking if you've made your mind up, eh?

Original poster
Gingersstuff · 12/10/2013 17:43

I've not made my mind up at all! Which is exactly why I was asking. It was a question not a statement Hmm

OP posts:
onedogandababy · 12/10/2013 17:47

If you do go, make sure you toss your painkillers, antib's & mouthwash on the table. Then at least if you have to howl with the pain, they won't think you're unhinged. Nor will they think you're wasted when you don't appear to be concentrating/dazed/slurring your speech Grin
Aside from that, sympathies. Abcesses are hell on earth, nothing touches that pain...

Diamondjoan · 12/10/2013 17:47

Suck it up. You might feel better by then anyway. During the pre meeting chit chat let them know you are suffering badly with a toothache and apologise in advance if you are not 100% on form. Your clients will appreciate your efforts making it there.

CoffeeTea103 · 12/10/2013 18:00

You knew how serious it was when you had the appointment on thuds, so why didn't you inform work on Friday?they might have been able to make some sort of alternate arrangement on Friday. It's really too late and will look very bad if you don't go now.

CoffeeTea103 · 12/10/2013 18:04
  • Thursday not thuds
BlackeyedSusan · 12/10/2013 18:04

cocodaamol alternating with ibuprofen, and anbesol just about took the edge off the pain and stopped me driving heaad on into a tree to make the pain stop. did not have an abcess but the nerve was dying.

Original poster
Gingersstuff · 12/10/2013 18:13

Coffee i was given the antiobiotics on Thursday and had the expectation that I would be feeling better by now, not worse. Work do know that I've got this as I had to take an hour off for the dentist and told them why but I think they too assumed the antiobitics would sort me out Sad they may well still do and I could be feeling fantastico by Monday but the pain has definitely gotten worse today.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gingersstuff · 12/10/2013 18:15

Diamond thank you, that sounds like it might be the best plan. I'm about ready to go with a chainsaw and sledgehammer at the moment so I hope it eases off by tomorrow.....

OP posts:
IsItMeOr · 12/10/2013 18:24

Hm, I'm thinking that the clients might not get the best impression of your company if you turn up looking completely rough and spaced out on painkillers.

I would personally be talking to my boss to at least give them the option of organising a plan B to protect the company's reputation.

IHaveA · 12/10/2013 18:31

Oh dear, Sad tooth pain is the worst. I agree that the antibiotics might kick in soon but I know that is not always the case with toothache.

Are you meant to be driving there because that might be a very bad idea. I know I can be a bit 'out of it' on pain medication and I don't know if your insurance company would like it if you crashed your car because of being drugged up.

Are you on the strongest prescription pain killers?

I think I might try and go on the basis that the tooth is going to hurt regardless of where you are and that having something to distract you like an important business meeting might even be a good thing Confused

I agree with letting everyone know. Anyone who has had this type of pain will be very sympathetic.

I hope it clears up ASAP Thanks

RandomMess · 12/10/2013 18:33

I wonder if the pain is worse but then will improve, needs to drain out somehow? Any dentists on here?

any 24 hour emergency service available anywhere?

probablyhadenough · 12/10/2013 18:42

I had similar, OP, a few weeks ago. A dentist friend said that an abscess like that needs to be drained if possible - antibiotics are not really the answer unless the infection is also dealt with 'surgically' if you like. The NHS dentist I saw just chucked a prescription at me and said he would probably have to take the tooth out. I am not knocking NHS dentistry btw because I know how little they are paid for root canal work and how thankless it is!

I was in severe pain, antibiotics didn't seem to be working - friend drained it and started the root canal work. Pain eased almost straight away. Even the NHS website for abscesses says antibiotics are not the correct treatment.

So anyway, my point is you might want to consider getting a private emergency appointment asap - the meeting might be doable then.

BoreOfWhabylon · 12/10/2013 18:44

If you started antibiotics on Thursday and the pain is getting worse today then you need to be seen again asap. In fections into the bone should not be taken lightly - sometimes hospitalisation and IV antibiotics are required.

Most dentists have an emergency number to ring for registered patients (I know mine does) and you can speak to the on-call dentist. Failing that, I,d say A&E and I don't say that lightly (am triage nurse specialist, not dental).

This is not just a toothache and I'd be making alternative plans for the conference.

austenozzy · 12/10/2013 18:54

i had an abscess in a root filling once. properly horrific, you have my total sympathy. i was a zombie on ABs and painkillers for 10 days amd would have been utterly useless for anything work wise.

i had my abscess drained which helped with the discomfort.

1leggedwobbler · 12/10/2013 18:56

You need to get it checked again asap if the antibiotics arent helping. Please do. My mother has just spent 10 days in hospital with heart & liver problems caused by a dental abcess that didnt respond to antibiotics. I don't mean to scare you, you just need to keep a very close eye on it.

Wibblypiglikesbananas · 12/10/2013 19:21

Work is the least of your worries. I just had a wisdom tooth removed this morning and the relief is immense! Yes, it hurts like hell now but it's a different kind of pain to the constant throb I've had for the past 5 weeks. Your health is more important than any meeting and to be honest, I think the antibiotics will just postpone the problem rather than cure it. Good luck and you have my sympathy. I was up from 1:30 - 5:30am this morning, absolutely beside myself, so I can absolutely understand how painful it is.

IHaveA · 12/10/2013 19:34

I always find the relief afforded to me when the dentist actually does the root canal rather short lived...

...everything is fine until I get the bill. Shock Sad

mumofweeboys · 12/10/2013 19:40

Phone doctor , out oh hours and get prescription co-codamol and check with doc the max dose of bruphen as its more than they say on the packets you buy. I was having to take 600mg a time as pain was so bad.