Taken ill at the dentist : Hi everyone how are you... - LUPUS UK

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Taken ill at the dentist

Froggie70 profile image
41 Replies

Hi everyone how are you all? Hope you’re all safe and as well as can be. Sorry I’ve not been posting for the last few days, really busy at work but have been reading all your posts. Just wanted to share the latest carry on with you all. Went to the dentist this morning for root treatment, can’t say I was looking forward to it but having had my wisdom teeth out and stayed awake through my knee replacement I wasn’t a complete nervous wreck (this is relevant for later in the saga). So all was fine until I got my anaesthetic injection, a minute or two after getting it I started to feel strange. Sounds were very metal sounding, I felt faint, had the most awful pain at the base of my neck that travelled all the way up to the crown, had palpitations and tingling and heavy sensation in my arms. Dentist gave me some glucose but it didn’t work so phoned for an ambulance. ECG, BP and O2 levels are ok so I’m home with a blinding headache and the dental work still needs doing. Doctor says my blood sugar was very low despite having had glucose so reckons it was low blood sugar and stress. Not sure where the stress comes into it, I would have thought I’d had some sort of reaction to the anaesthetic and concerned for next visit. And to top it off my face is still numb after 6 hours. And felt so guilty as the paramedics and A&E were rushed off their feet. So that’s been my day, I just want a quiet life on my day off but not to be. Take care everyone. X

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41 Replies
PMRpro profile image
PMRpro

Next time ask for the local WITHOUT adrenaline ... I had dental work done with anaesthetic for years because it made me so ill until a lovely lady dentist asked why and identified the problem. No problems since!

Though this

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK4...

might be relevant.

Froggie70 profile image
Froggie70 in reply to PMRpro

Hi there thanks so much for this ❤️

PMRpro profile image
PMRpro in reply to Froggie70

Do tell me how you get on next time! Is there much to do?

Froggie70 profile image
Froggie70 in reply to PMRpro

Will do. Sadly yes, despite looking after them my teeth regularly break so I’ve got two broken teeth along with the root treatment that needs seeing to. It’s taken so long to get today’s appointment I suspect I’ve got a wait on my hands. Thanks again appreciate your help. X

PMRpro profile image
PMRpro in reply to Froggie70

All the best - maybe there'll be a little space for you.

MEGS53 profile image
MEGS53 in reply to Froggie70

That must have been an awful experience, Froggie.

I've had this happen to me on a few occasions. Although it didn't get to the stage of needing A&E, hubby's had to almost carry me back to the car with me trembling and shaking.

I didn't twig that the adrenaline in the anaesthetic might be the problem, so thanks from me too, Pro.

Hope you get your teeth sorted soon, Froggie.

🤗🤗🤗

Froggie70 profile image
Froggie70 in reply to MEGS53

Thanks Megs, it’s awful isn’t it? It all happened so quickly. The thought of going back to the dentist 🤐but I’ll just need to get the big girl pants on. Take care. X

MEGS53 profile image
MEGS53 in reply to Froggie70

Go girl 💪💪💪But remember to keep a packet of sweeties in your pocket!

Take care. I hope all goes well next time, but please let us know how you get on, xxx

Froggie70 profile image
Froggie70 in reply to MEGS53

I will do and thanks again🤗🤗.

suzannah16 profile image
suzannah16

Pro's suggestion sounds good, fingers crossed for next time

bathouse profile image
bathouse

Oh how interesting! Sorry you have had this experience, around 25 years ago after having lots of local anaesthetic injections for dental treatments without any issuesi had an awful reaction, just after the injection my heart pounded, felt like my chest was going to explode, vision went black, felt like i was going unconscious, it stopped after a while. Dentist said sorry, i must have put it directly into a vein, and she tried again, the same happened, then it was frightening! I was referred to Birmingham dental hospital who said that i must always avoid adrenaline in any injections from then on. Fine with any other local anaesthetic, then a couple of years ago my lovely dentist who i have seen for some time went on autopilot and gave me the adrenaline containing one, I didn't know but as soon as it went in i raised my hand and said I'm going funny, straight away she admitted what she had done, she is a wonderful dentist and a genuine mistake, i think she looked more ill than me! It is very frightening when it happens.

I have never known anyone else have the same issue.

Im also hypothyroid

I wonder why we react like this?

Kind regards

Sue

Froggie70 profile image
Froggie70 in reply to bathouse

Hi Sue, your experience sounds equally awful, at least I didn’t black out. It’s so strange isn’t it how all of a sudden something run of the mill turns into an issue. Because I needed root treatment and a filling on the other side I wondered if the dentist had given me too much. Like your dentist, mine looked more shaken than I did, he even phoned late this afternoon to see how I was. Take care. XX

bathouse profile image
bathouse in reply to Froggie70

Glad you are ok, it’s very strange. Look after yourself x

Tiggywoos profile image
Tiggywoos

Oh my gosh Froggie that must of been terrifying !!!! I am such a baby I struggle with a basic scale and polish 🙈. Glad you are home safe and don’t feel like you have wasted anyone’s time at all .

Take care of yourself and you never know you might get a cancellation soon xx

Froggie70 profile image
Froggie70 in reply to Tiggywoos

Thanks Tiggy❤️

Jmiller623 profile image
Jmiller623

I haven’t been to the dentist in like 5 yrs. I am horrible. Last time I went, I got pneumonia and then acquired lupus anticoagulant.

My teeth will have to fall out before I go back and I have wicked TMJ problems.

I hate the dentist. I hate the local. I feel like it paralyzes my whole face for a whole day. Sorry you had such a bad experience. I agree with the other comments about asking for anesthetic without a vasoconstrictor (usually epinephrine) next time.

Hope you find relief and get what you need done. Sending hugs. ❤️xx

Froggie70 profile image
Froggie70 in reply to Jmiller623

Thank you. I’m sorry you’ve had such a bad experience too, and you’re not horrible, it’s understandable after having a bad time. Take care of yourself and sending hugs back🤗🤗.

in reply to Jmiller623

TMJ?

Jmiller623 profile image
Jmiller623 in reply to

Temporomandibular joint dysfunction

My jaw bone on the right pops, cracks and grinds. It can be very painful if I eat something chewy.

in reply to Jmiller623

I hope you like soup then 😉

Jmiller623 profile image
Jmiller623 in reply to

Funny you say that. When I was working, I was known as the soup girl for lunch. I’d eat a soup and salad/fruit/pretzel almost everyday.

I do loooooooove soup and it’s probably for good reason.

MusicalFurbaby profile image
MusicalFurbaby

Hi Froggie70, how weird to have that reaction, especially if you weren’t feeling stress! Sometimes doctors tell us we’re stressed when we are not…I once had a bad reaction to general anaesthetic where I stopped breathing (only briefly, no damage done). The weird thing was, I had received this type of anaesthetic before with no problems. Sometimes our weird bodies can develop weird reactions where they have been fine before! Sorry to hear about your tough time, it can be bewildering, let alone frustrating that your dental work still remains to be done!

Froggie70 profile image
Froggie70 in reply to MusicalFurbaby

Hi there. I know it’s so strange that these type of things just start out of nowhere. Pity it wasn’t the ability to eat chocolate without piling on the pounds😉. That was a scary situation you found yourself in too. Take care and thanks for reaching out❤️

Hi there. So sorry for you as once had exactly the same thing happen. Fortunately for me i didn’t faint and I saw an out of hours GP as was concerned I’d had a stroke due to facial palsy on one side. It turned out that my dentist had accidentally caught one of my parotids while administering the local and this paralysed the nerve due to the articane they use. Like yourself I just knew something awful was happening as he was injecting - the worst pain I’ve ever experienced (and I’ve experienced a lot too!) all down into my neck.

The out of hours GP could see my paralysed palsy face but said it wasn’t a stroke or Bells. So he phoned the hosoital max fax and the duty surgeon knew right away. My dentist was a bit defensive and asked me why I hadn’t shouted or waved when it was occurring but it was actually so all encompassing that I was too shocked to wave and I obviously didn’t want to move with needle in my mouth!! It wore if as they says after a day or two. Horrible though! Link about attached - send it to the doctor who said “stress”!!! X

sciencedirect.com/topics/me...

in reply to

Hope you have changed your dentist since as seems very uncaring given THEIR mistake.

in reply to

I have although unfortunately he’s just retired and a young woman has taken over whom I suspect doesn’t know her A from her E given what she said last week about my mouth not looking rotten or dry enough for me to have severe Sjögren’s🙄

I attended the SRUK annual conference as a virtual deligate on Saturday. Some excellent presentations especially GI (an LA rheumi) and Face Talk by Dr E Price. In Face Talk Dr Price spoke about propensity to systemic Candida with Sjögren’s and SSc which was very relevant. She answered a question about excessive salivation and explained that similarly to eyes over watering, this can be a symptom of excessively dry mouth. I think I’m going to try to arrange a phone consultation with her next month so she can write to my oral medicine doctor and the max fax and dermatologist about the Candida (my symptoms improved no end on prophelactic Fluconazole but max fax took me off it under-minding research done by my dermatologist and saying he would run swabs of mouth - disregarding or unaware that Sjögren’s can cause oesophageal thrush that doesn’t show up in mouth!)

These dentists and doctors need a good reality check from the experts about us CTD folk and our fragile tissue, nerves and high pain thresholds. Blaming stress rather than anaesthesia or our conditions causing adrenal surges is a real problem I feel!

Froggie70 profile image
Froggie70 in reply to

Hi there that sounds awful. Good that the duty surgeon was on the ball and knew exactly what it was. Thanks for the link, I must admit at the time I was just relieved there wasn’t anything serious going on but on reflection I’m a bit annoyed at the doctor saying stress. He didn’t have the greatest of manners, in fact I wasn’t even sure if I could leave, he just walked out and I had to ask a nurse if I could go. Thanks again🤗🤗.

in reply to Froggie70

That doc was a total duffer. I was incredibly fortunate that the out of hours GP also had Sjögren’s as part of overlap CTD and he took me very seriously and phoned the hospital’s emergency dental team - who told him about rare reactions to articane - which contains adrenalin!!

Froggie70 profile image
Froggie70 in reply to

What a difference when the GP knows or understands. I’d never wish our illnesses on anyone but I do wish there were more GPs and consultants that had firsthand experience instead of just theory🤗🤗.

in reply to Froggie70

Since my diagnosis of Stills in the late 1970s I have yet to encounter a GP who even acknowledged AI diseases let alone understands them. I stand in awe of the rheumatologist professor at Addenbrookes who diagnosed and treated me back then.

Sounds a dreadful experience, are you recovered now?Dentists can be funny about our illnesses and medications. Because of my STILLS DISEASE (RA) and subsequent steroids my dentists insists I take a course of antibiotics after treatment! I explain that it was 40 years ago and now I only take pain relief for resulting joint pain but he still insists. I think they like to cover their backs a bit!

MadT profile image
MadT

Hi Froggie70,

I am glad you are feeling better and you're home safe. I just wanted to ask the same question in here when I saw your message - it answered my question 🙂🙂. I've been to the dentist yesterday and had local anaesthetic and after that I started feeling funny, fuzzy headed, quite a bit of brain fog but after abut 3 hours brain fog disappeared and a massive headache and fatigue took over and woke up this morning feeling even more fatigued, headache is still there and to top it all up I'm all trembling and shaking.

Thank you Pro - I had no idea that the adrenaline in the anaesthetic might be the problem

Hopefully you'll get tour teeth sorted out very soon Froggie xxx

🤗🙂💜

Froggie70 profile image
Froggie70 in reply to MadT

I hope you feel better soon. I’m the same as you this morning cannot shake this thumping headache. Take care🤗🤗.

Take care x

CecilyParsley profile image
CecilyParsley

Oh that must have been o scary for you. I never minded dentists ( a situation definitely improved by a gorgeous Porsche driving dentist) but one time he did a routine filling and the pain afterwards was unbearable. I went back three times. My face looked like a chipmunk the pain radiating up my face. Earache, headache. It got so bad that I went to him and said take it out or I will hit myself in the face with a hammer. I was serious. He had to actually kneel either side of me and tear the damned thing out. I needed stitches and I thought that would be the end of it. Not a change. My gum became infected, I could not open my mouth more than a few inches. I was sent to the Hospital and they took a biopsy of my gum. It turned out it was not my teeth but the cold sore virus that had attacked the nerves. Thankfully my gum healed and the pain subsided with antibiotics and steroids but I avoided the dentist for a few years xxx

Froggie70 profile image
Froggie70 in reply to CecilyParsley

Hi there. That sounds horrific, not even a gorgeous dentist could make that better. I need to phone to get another appointment and I’ve been finding a million and one other things to do so I don’t have to pick up the phone 🤐. Take care🤗🤗.

CecilyParsley profile image
CecilyParsley in reply to Froggie70

Good luck I know it is not easy xxx

CecilyParsley profile image
CecilyParsley

Yes I had a bridge fitted which has irritated me for thirty years. I am forever cleaning it xxx

Kismetsoul profile image
Kismetsoul

So sorry, dental work is scary enough let alone having to worry about the anesthesia( which is the one thing that's supposed to actually help you) giving you a bad reaction. It's bad enough that we go through what are immune issues and all the side effects that it brings, we should get a pass on certain stuff. Well I guess I would say that two more of a wish. Hoping that you are feeling better today❤️

Froggie70 profile image
Froggie70 in reply to Kismetsoul

Hello there, thank you I’m feeling a lot better. I’d never heard of this before but I certainly know now. Take care🤗🤗.

CecilyParsley profile image
CecilyParsley

I am not looking forward to having the work I need done, two cracked crowns one with a hole in it and a crumbling tooth held be a filling. Horrible and expensive. Worse still I will have a new dentist which makes me a bit apprehensive xxx

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