One of my molars started to develop an abscess last week. On Friday, I got in to see the dentist because I knew it would become an emergency if I sat on it over the weekend. It had already been bothering me about three days and getting more painful by the hour. By this time, I was taking 600mg ~ 800mg ibuprofen in one dose and it wasn't doing much except burning my stomach.
Of course, the infection had to be treated before they could fix the tooth, so he told me he would write a prescription for penicillin and something for pain, then I could make an appointment to have a root canal and new crown. I specifically told the dentist I was already taking up to 800mg ibuprofen without much effect and that I would appreciate if he could give me something stronger because this was going to get a lot worse before it got better. He nods as he is walking away but I don't know whether he heard me or was just giving one of those "whatever you said" nods.
So what does he prescribe for pain? 800mg ibuprofen. I told the assistant/technician or whatever she was (the dentist was with a patient by that time):
- I already have a big bottle of ibuprofen from Costco that is cheaper
- Ibuprofen is not enough for the pain I'm having RIGHT NOW
- This is going to get a lot worse before the penicillin kicks in
She muttered "OK, we'll get you set up with an appointment to fix that tooth" and promptly walked away. WTF?
I've had rejections from women at the bar that were less blunt. I'm not kidding! I was completely stymied by how blatantly she blew me off.
My history with this dentist:
Between 2004 ~ 2006, I dropped more than $5,000 at this dental practice over approx. 12 appointments (though this particular doctor was new since my last visit). I have no insurance, this was cash out of my pocket (paid in installments). I've never requested pain killers before from them.
IOW, they had absolutely ZERO reason to suspect I was a drug seeker or not to prescribe a limited quantity of opiate analgesics. I am not one to make a big stink or be demanding. I say what I have to say, but don't push it if that doesn't get results. I got my appointment and left, hoping for the best.
Well, as I damned well knew would happen, I was writhing in pain all f-cking night Friday to Saturday morning, alternating between hot and cold packs on the side of my face. I soaked half-of a cotton ball with Ambesol and stuffed it over the tooth inside my cheek a couple times. I took about 2400mg ibuprofen between 6:00PM Friday and 5:00AM Saturday, which I'm sure my liver was thrilled about. Finally, around 6:00AM Saturday morning, I f-cking passed out and slept for about eight hours. It was better when I woke up but not hugely better (you are happy for even a little relief when you're in that much pain).
By Saturday evening, the infection spread from the tooth to the side of my face. It almost seems as though the infection 'moved' from the molar to my face, because the tooth felt 80% better while my face was feeling as though someone smacked me with a board. And looked like it, too. Although the pain is pretty much 90% gone (my face is sore as hell but doesn't actually hurt unless I push on it or open my mouth), I'm still G-D furious about it when I KNEW this would happen. Its not the first abscessed tooth I've had, though by far the worst I've ever had. They always get MUCH WORSE before they get better.
If you are telling the doctor "Drug XYZ is not effective RIGHT NOW" and he sends you out the door with that drug, it should be legal to beat the shit out of not only him but at least two drug addicts who are to blame for doctor's extreme fear of liability. Oh but the drug addicts would like that, wouldn't they? They would be in the ER screaming "The pain! I can't take the pain!" and the doctor would give them opiates just to shut their worthless asses up. I'm seeing more appeal to China's solution for drug addicts all the time.
From now on, whenever a doctor or dentist asks if I'm allergic to any drugs, I'm going to lie and tell them I'm deathly allergic to IBUPROFEN. And dextropropoxyphene, too, that useless sh-t is no more effective than aspirin.
Of course, the infection had to be treated before they could fix the tooth, so he told me he would write a prescription for penicillin and something for pain, then I could make an appointment to have a root canal and new crown. I specifically told the dentist I was already taking up to 800mg ibuprofen without much effect and that I would appreciate if he could give me something stronger because this was going to get a lot worse before it got better. He nods as he is walking away but I don't know whether he heard me or was just giving one of those "whatever you said" nods.
So what does he prescribe for pain? 800mg ibuprofen. I told the assistant/technician or whatever she was (the dentist was with a patient by that time):
- I already have a big bottle of ibuprofen from Costco that is cheaper
- Ibuprofen is not enough for the pain I'm having RIGHT NOW
- This is going to get a lot worse before the penicillin kicks in
She muttered "OK, we'll get you set up with an appointment to fix that tooth" and promptly walked away. WTF?
I've had rejections from women at the bar that were less blunt. I'm not kidding! I was completely stymied by how blatantly she blew me off.
My history with this dentist:
Between 2004 ~ 2006, I dropped more than $5,000 at this dental practice over approx. 12 appointments (though this particular doctor was new since my last visit). I have no insurance, this was cash out of my pocket (paid in installments). I've never requested pain killers before from them.
IOW, they had absolutely ZERO reason to suspect I was a drug seeker or not to prescribe a limited quantity of opiate analgesics. I am not one to make a big stink or be demanding. I say what I have to say, but don't push it if that doesn't get results. I got my appointment and left, hoping for the best.
Well, as I damned well knew would happen, I was writhing in pain all f-cking night Friday to Saturday morning, alternating between hot and cold packs on the side of my face. I soaked half-of a cotton ball with Ambesol and stuffed it over the tooth inside my cheek a couple times. I took about 2400mg ibuprofen between 6:00PM Friday and 5:00AM Saturday, which I'm sure my liver was thrilled about. Finally, around 6:00AM Saturday morning, I f-cking passed out and slept for about eight hours. It was better when I woke up but not hugely better (you are happy for even a little relief when you're in that much pain).
By Saturday evening, the infection spread from the tooth to the side of my face. It almost seems as though the infection 'moved' from the molar to my face, because the tooth felt 80% better while my face was feeling as though someone smacked me with a board. And looked like it, too. Although the pain is pretty much 90% gone (my face is sore as hell but doesn't actually hurt unless I push on it or open my mouth), I'm still G-D furious about it when I KNEW this would happen. Its not the first abscessed tooth I've had, though by far the worst I've ever had. They always get MUCH WORSE before they get better.
If you are telling the doctor "Drug XYZ is not effective RIGHT NOW" and he sends you out the door with that drug, it should be legal to beat the shit out of not only him but at least two drug addicts who are to blame for doctor's extreme fear of liability. Oh but the drug addicts would like that, wouldn't they? They would be in the ER screaming "The pain! I can't take the pain!" and the doctor would give them opiates just to shut their worthless asses up. I'm seeing more appeal to China's solution for drug addicts all the time.
From now on, whenever a doctor or dentist asks if I'm allergic to any drugs, I'm going to lie and tell them I'm deathly allergic to IBUPROFEN. And dextropropoxyphene, too, that useless sh-t is no more effective than aspirin.