In horrendous pain, need advice

[shakeyospeare]

Yesterday I went to the emergency dentist s with what I thought was an abscess. I couldn't swallow, had swelling and a white sore around my wisdom tooth, had pain around my jaw, into my neck and around the back of my skull. Couldn't eat or drink.

Dentist says it's an infection and gives me five days of amoxicillin - he couldn't give me anything else because I'm breastfeeding. He said I should start feeling better pretty soon after taking the antibiotics. That was 18 hours ago.

I've not slept. I got up at 4am to take more painkillers (30mg of codeine and a dose of paracetamol) this hasn't touched the pain. It's worse. I can't move head without it being agony. I can't swallow or open mouth.

What do I do? Ride this out today? Expect things to ease up?

I can't think straight because of pain

Your abscess sounds as though it might need more than the usual antibiotic treatment. Please call NHS for advice. If you are struggling to breathe or swallow you need help urgently. Good luck x

Oh and the reduced mouth opening and how fast that is progressing also worth mentioning...

Poor you, I know what it's like and I really feel for you. :(

Yes 111 can help.

Hope you feel better soon.

Get help now! Ring someone who can think straight and go to the hospital.

Try keeping a mouthful of the strongest alcohol available in your mouth until it numbs the pain, then spit it out and repeAt. Vodka or brandy worked for me and i don't drink.

Yes if you call 111 they will refer you to the local emergency dental team who will make you an appointment.

I've had to do this a couple of times with infected wisdom teeth when I couldn't see my own dentist.

You poor poor thing. I am wincing with the memory of my hideous wisdom tooth extraction, I am not over-exagerrating when I say I had suicidal thoughts when the pain kicked in after the anaesthetic wore off. Its honestly the worst thing I can ever ever imagine. It took them 26 injections and an hour to smash the fucker out of my mouth - I was silently sobbing by the end.
When I got home I rang the doctor and begged for some co-codamol. They gave me the 30/500 version which slightly took the edge off.
I hope you can get something to help.

I'd ring and I'm not someone who says that lightly.

You won't be wasting 111's time. I have to call them out of hours at work if I need medication interaction checker. They cover all sorts.

They can advise you if it needs checking asap or not.

You poor thing. Don't wait any longer, see someone now. You can't go through the night like this - it's a known fact that pain is worse at night.

Sorry to add to your woes but please be careful with codeine as you're breastfeeding. The breastfeeding network have an excellent factsheet outlining the issues here: www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/wp-content/dibm/codeine-oct-14.pdf

So I called 111 who referred me to the emergency dental line.

The person I spoke to was lovely but said that as I'd attended on Sunday and was a registered patient, no one would see me.

She said that OOH GP wouldn't touch a dental case because it was dental. If I went to A&E they'd stabilise me with regards to the throat swelling but not the tooth issue as it was dental. She said it was clear the antibiotics weren't working but that the GP or A&E wouldn't prescribe new antibiotics as it is a dental issue and that my dentist would need to, but the dentist has already told me twice that they won't see me until I have finished this course, Thursday at the earliest.

A&E will be rammed. Dental line seemed unfussed about the fact I feel worse or that it's in ears or that I can't open mouth, but said that if I cannot swallow anything, not even air, then I should call an ambulance.

She was very nice but I feel at a dead end. I am loathe to go to A&E and be told again that it's a dental problem and the pliers have been hidden from me.

I have prescribed codeine for migraines, I'm using the same dosage for that and doctor knows I'm breastfeeding - should I not be taking it?

I feel like we should form an abscess/infected guns/mouth support group. I never knew what pain was until this and I've had two babies and suffered with endo for 12 years so I have great respect for all you who have survived this.

Half joking, I get the suicidal thoughts, obviously I am still vaguely rational and wouldn't do anything but this is bordering on surreal pain.

Thanks again. I apologise in advance for any future ramblings, I'm counting in threes as I type to distract.

@bringmelaughter 'baby' is 17 months and feeds when she pleases but obviously has other food - not ready to give up or stop as original dentist suggested. She's had no change in behaviour or nappies - should I stop with these? I only use them usually once in a blue mood when migraines strike (hormone related).

Keep repeating - this will get better, this will get better.
Tomorrow, go and camp out at the dentists.... until someone helps you. You cannot continue like this.
You are being super brave!

I know a and e cannot actually do anything about taking the tooth out, but the way to manage the swelling and pain and swallow and trismus is by getting the antibiotics right. We have had to admit people with dental pain and swallow problems as they were really quite septic, and we added antibiotics and sorted out the pain relief... so no they cannot do the dental extraction but they can certainly check out the swallow etc and give some metro. How is the pain / swallow / mouth opening doing? Better? Worse? Same?

Your GP knows about the breastfeeding so will have taken it into consideration when prescribing for your migraines however I'd check in with your GP tomorrow as you're now using the codeine for a different reason and will so probably be using it in a different way (i.e. for migraines as a rare one off but for this tooth pain perhaps regularly over a number of days).

Popping in here with masses of empathy.

I had this once and actually told 111 if I was a dog they'd put me down at 2am when I couldn't take the pain any longer.

I actually couldn't eat. I was passed to a and e and dentist back and forth for 3 days.

Eventually went to dentist and basically sat in waiting room on the third day as soon as they opened. Dentist took one look, took me in, they called ambulance and my BM was under 2 some glucose, anaesthetic and extraction 2 hours later I was a new person. (Albeit one who'd been awake and not eaten for 72 hours)

Turn up at dentist tomorrow. They probably need to see what is happening to stop them assuming you are 'just in pain'

Thanks, @HelsBels5000, I think I seem a little crazy.

Lady from 111: have you taken more than prescribed dose today?
Me: no not yet, but I may if I don't get sorted!
Lady: Have you taken more than prescribed dose?!
Me: no. But I might.

Obviously, it's not anything really to joke about.

@BagelDog I thought it would be a case of examination/assessment and then a prescription and off I go in a haze of hope. I wasn't expecting the tooth to be removed as it's not through properly.

The pain is manageable and I'm at the peak of the painkillers in system - if I keep my face still, and don't swallow, and sit at a certain angle and concentrate on something, it's bearable.

My mouth hasn't closed up anymore but I've got a (slightly irrational?) fear that by tomorrow I'll have a closed mouth. Also worried about sepsis, which is very irrational as I am on antibiotics. Every now and then I get a horrible sharp stabbing pain in the jaw, which makes it feel like it's about to drop off.

I think mainly I'm fed up!

I'll definitely get some advice regarding the codeine tomorrow - just to be safe.

I'm sorry 111 weren't more helpful as
I do have a registered dentist! It's quite a long way away from me though (it's a good dentist and I moved cities so just go back for my check ups).

Definitely A&E tomorrow if the dentist still won't see you. I think they will prescribe antibiotics.

Go to A&E . I feel really worried for you .

When I'm not well ( as in reallynot well ) I obsess about how it's my fault and that health professionals will think I'm making a fuss . Waited for a GP appointment in the afternoon wearing my sons nappies and sitting on a plastic bag in the waiting room while I was having a misscarage .That fear of being dismissed is almost an indication of how ill one is .You feel so vulnerable and can't face being rejected on top of everything else .

My point is I think the sheer pain is ,as you've said ,preventing you from logical thought . I know it might be awful in A&E but you don't want to end up going at 3am .And if they do say you're making a fuss ( which they wont ) so what ! You need treatment .

I'm with what others has said...get to the dentist first thing tomorrow and demand they do something. You can't be expected to continue with this. I have had horrific toothache before so you have my full sympathies

Ah ...slow typing .Just read that you're managing to hang on .

Will be thinking of you and sending you woo painkilling light .Should I be aiming North/South/East or West ?

in meantime .

Sorry ,just re read earlier post - my miscarriage not recent . Not this afternoon .Obviously .

So sorry to hear this

And this might have been said already /m- but if you are pregnant DO NOT take ibuprofen