So emotionally drained & frusterated with the Canadian Medical system.

I saw my rheumatologist last Wednesday. He said my bloods look good and my swellings have gone down quite alot. It has been 7 months since I had my botched dental work fixed. My doctor thinks those botched root canals were my trigger for my RA, and or made my symptoms exaggerated...but ...it's been 7 months & I still have some swellings.... All my deformites are Osteoarthritis now.....how can this be?... I was told from chronic swelling (inflammation).... My symptoms of swelling started 4 weeks after me taking hydroxychloroquine.....

In 2014 my rheumie said "this swelling will disappear in 12 weeks"...it never did...my symptoms only snowballed...knees started to swell and sulfa was added to my hydroxy.....my left jaw started to dislocate and then mtx was added to my daily drugs....My lips turned blue & I was given rampril because I developed high blood pressure....

Today, my right knee is swollen & he says that it isn't any type of inflammatory arthritis because it is swollen at the lower part of my kneecap. "looks like swelling is in the tissues....Maybe my knee has always looked like this?"...No....I was given sulfa to stop my knees from swelling......

I told him my dental extration has gone down from excruciating pain to a dull ache. I also informed him my redo root canal feels like it is swollen. I asked him for antibiotics...he said "it's been 7 months...maybe your dentist can give you antibiotics?"....My dentist wont because I'm under the care of a rheumatologist...

I haven't had hydroxy since May & I've been off mtx since August 4th. I still am taking sulfa (because it is an antibiotic)

I have no pain, no morning stiffness and minimal swellings that "don't seem to be RA related" What do I do now? Thanks for allowing me to rant.

[Simba1992]

My goodness sounds really dreadful! One question, do you still have your root canaled tooth or any other root canaled teeth?

[Hidden in reply to Simba1992]

Yes I have the "redo" root canal still in my mouth. The oral surgeon was the only doctor that noticed a huge abscess on the original root canal. The endodontist never saw the abscess and only retreated the root canal to "shut me up" . He was surprised when he pulled out a piece of gangrene pulp.

I am now seeing a new dentist & they don't see anything wrong. I want this retreated root canal extracted...but because it looks normal, no one will do it. I can't get a referal to the oral surgeon. I feel so fusterated.

I am now going across the boarder to the US to have this root canal pulled as they wont do it in Canada without a good reason. Even if I pay out of pocket.

I don't know if this caused my RA symptoms, but I want it out.

[Simba1992 in reply to Hidden]

I think you are right. I would have the tooth extracted asp. There is an abundance of research ( as you already know) on joint problems and root filled teeth. Infections can be very low key and still give a lot of symptoms. Especially as this tooth seemes to have had big problems before. I hope you get this sorted soon, you have really been saturated with meds Take carexxSimba

[ElleMaz in reply to Hidden]

There is a biological dentist in Toronto that will remove the root canal. It is a father / son team. They are well known and have been in the media many times for their work

[fluffness in reply to ElleMaz]

Hi do you think you can share the info on this dentist in Toronto? I also have RA and some tooth problems.

[ElleMaz in reply to fluffness]

Dr Schecter

[Gnarli]

Oh sweet Sue I reckon you're entitled to a good old fashioned rant. Getting the diagnosis of a rotten lousy disease is bad enough but - not knowing. That is truly a kick in the proverbials. I have no answers but sincerely hope you get some soon closely followed by an amazingly good and effective treatment. Feeling ill is awful and you shouldn't have to fight the system at the same time. Huge hugs

Jan

[gwynedd]

Hi Sue, so sorry to hear your having to go through this. Sending you a big Welsh hug, unfortunately I have no advice to offer just my support. Xxx

[Hidden]

Sending huge virtual hugs to you Sue.

You know you can rant on here & we're all listening to you.

Ruth x

[Eiram50]

Really sorry to hear that sue- I always hoped things would continue positively for you.

Given your journey so far and the link with the root canal, I think your right to get the other out!

No real advice to offer per se but your in my thoughts and I wish you only good things , going forward .

Marie

[janmary]

sorry to hear your frustration and pain when it seemed you were on an upward path. I hope your USA treatment helps.

The more I read on this site and elsewhere the more it seems that there's no such thing as a definitive "can't be anything else' diagnosis, its all a matter of opinion. Hopefully new avenues of research will give new ways of thinking about what's going on in our bodies .

[Neonkittie17]

Hugs. xx

[Hobbits]

Sorry you are having to deal with all this.

Unfortunately your Rheumy is correct not to treat you with antibiotics for your tooth. Your tooth was under the care from another doctor (dentist) and that dentist should buck up and help you. That's terrible the dentist won't treat you!!! Can you ask your primary care physician for antibiotics? My Rheumy is much like yours in the fact I have other issues, he will only treat my joints and inflammation from my joint.

If you can pay, you don't need a referral to see an oral surgeon at least in Ontario Canada.

I had a dentist put anaesthetic needle right into my nerve and sever it, resulting in 1/2 of my mouth paralyzed. The dentist said "I didn't do it" (nice try)

So I just picked an oral surgeon from the yellow pages and booked an appointment for him to access. He confirmed my nerve was severed by a needle, in fact it's actually a 'thing and happens more often than people realize. The cost was about 85.00 about 6 years ago, I payed out of pocket.

I find so many dentist incompatant and reckless and do fraudulent unnecessary shoddy work.

I also believe this root canal stuff can possible be the trigger for autoimmune.

I pray you can get this sorted, again so sorry this happened to you.