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wisdom teeth and general anaesthetic...tell me all about it (but be kind!)

10 replies

chimchar · 15/04/2010 14:26

having two wisdom teeth taken out next week under general.

have just scared myself stupid reading the archived posts on here about it! suffer from dreadful anxiety and am working myself right up....

have to be in hosp by 8am, and should be home by just after lunch.

just how bad is it? what should i expect? how long did you have off work afterwards?

(and will i be naked and have to wear a gown thingie??)

OP posts:
TheArsenicCupCake · 15/04/2010 14:33

can't answer the GA bit as I didn't have that when I had my wisdoms taken out.

but just to tell you a non horror story I had all 4 wisdoms out.. in the dentist chair.. and no problems at all..

just ate soup type things for a couple of days after.

not trying to be all .. look at me.. just wanted to give you a wisdom tooth story that wasn't a horror

chimchar · 15/04/2010 14:37

thanks. thats just the kind of thing i was hoping to read....every other thread i've read is filled with horror stories that are making me panic!

i think i've underestimated how yukky i might feel afterwards....

OP posts:
TattyCatty · 15/04/2010 14:46

I had a wisdom tooth taken out and a root cyst thingy (I forget the technical term!) under GA 3 years ago, and it was absolutely fine. Worst bit was having the canula put into the back of my hand before the op, but you're only under for about 15 / 20 minutes, and it feels like seconds in reality! I had some (very soft) lunch in the hospital after the op and was home for mid afternoon. Seem to remember I had soup for tea that night, but was eating normally the next day.

The surgeon injected some pain killer into the site before I came round, so I didn't have any discomfort at all until later on that day. It was perfectly manageable with paracetamol and ibuprofen. The weirdest bit was feeling the hole where the tooth used to be with my tongue!

barkfox · 15/04/2010 15:57

I had all 4 wisdoms taken out under GA 10 years ago. For me personally, it was remarkably pain free and easy, even though I'd been scared stiff by stories of wrenching and bruising beforehand.

People kept trying to persuade me to have them out with a local anaesthetic, but I had bad memories of having a molar out under local cos of an abscess when I was small - and I couldn't have all 4 done at the same time under local, either. I also knew from previous ops that I tend to recover from GA well and quickly.

As far as I remember... I kept my pants on under my hospital gown, on the grounds that it wasn't that end they were interested in! A nurse did up the ties on the back of the gown for me, but then once I was on the bed, I didn't have to walk anywhere with my (panted) arse hanging out, I was just wheeled where I needed to be.

Canula in hand they got right first time, which helped - then I was told to count to ten as the anaesthetist gave me something via the canula, got to 5 and that was that.

Then I was awake in a bed very quickly, talking straightaway, and even wondered if they'd decided not to do the op. I could just about find the holes at the back of my mouth with my tongue, but only just - they are so far back - and my jaw felt achey if I opened it all the way, like a full on yawn - but if I didn't do that, it was fine.

I was given Kapake painkillers to take home - they are paracetamol and codeine, and totally sorted the pain. They were very strong, and used to knock me out quite a bit. I used ordinary paracetamol after day 3.

I went walking the same afternoon as the op on the beach, with my dog and mum, and genuinely felt fine. I'd booked 4 days off work, but really could have gone back earlier.

Foodwise - soft or mashed veg is your friend! I ate a lot of pureed swede and potato, fruit compote with yoghurt etc. Icecream was nice, too. It's partly that this all puts less strain on your jaw, which will have been opened a long way and held open for the op - also you don't want any bits of grain or rice or crumbs etc near the gaps at the back of your mouth for a few days.

Long post, sorry, but I got so worried about having my teeth out beforehand (esp as the op was moved FOUR times...). And it was fine. I also had no visible bruising, despite everyone's warnings about being a Hamster-face-chops. Hope your op goes well, I'm sure it will!

chimchar · 15/04/2010 16:42

brilliant. thanks so much. another good positive story there! i'm getting myself in a right tizzy about it...appreciate hearing your experience.

OP posts:
octopusinabox · 15/04/2010 18:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

craftynclothy · 15/04/2010 18:29

I had all 4 wisdom teeth out under GA when I was about 21 iirc.

Anyway, I just wore my own clothes, might have had some sort of gown/bib thing over the top (bit hazy about that).

Actually it took them longer to find a vein they could use than the op itself . I came round and my parents dragged me shopping round the supermarket despite the doctor saying I should rest for 2 days . I was back at work on the second day (short staffed). The appointment letter had said to book two days off but the other lady who worked there also had a back problem and I was feeling fine.

I found it hard to eat/drink afterwards and the day I went back to work I didn't really eat anything, just drank sips of water most of the day but it was fine.

knightynight · 15/04/2010 18:30

I had three wisdom teeth taken out 7 years ago under GA and it was a breeze. Yes I had to count to ten going under and got to about four or five, then eventually woke up (stayed in overnight tho it was private hospital) and had a mushy meal followed by a lot of sleep over the next few days (which was great though had no little ones to disturb me then!). Took a week off work and I needed it.

Had painkillers for the ache but they worked so not so bad. No bruising at all, no horror stories here.

You will be fine, honestly. Good luck.

chimchar · 15/04/2010 21:34

thank you again girls...(i assume you're all girls!)

really hope my op will be as straightforward as yours...somehow though, with me being me, i doubt it! [cursed]

OP posts:
vickiB75 · 03/01/2019 22:26

Hi chimchar...I'm the same as you .... petrified, lots better after hypnosis session but still so anxious. Have been told have to have one wisdom tooth out, should be straightforward but v nice consultant said he offers GA to v anxious patients....he must've seen be turn white!! Interested to hear how yours went as I too have googled awful stories!!!

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