Uh Oh. Oh No. Root Canal.

[katekosar]

So my recovery is slow but steady.  I am two weeks post-op, coming off the pain killers, out and about in the world on my crutches just about every day, walking around at Sears, whatever, doing OK at my own pace and in my own time.  Not as fast as a lot of youse guys, but creditable, y'know?

The discharge orders state that there's to be no dental work for 3 months.  OK, fine, I had my teeth all cleaned 3 weeks pre-op.  So I wake up this morning and my upper-left gum is all swolley and tender to the touch.  Get to the dentist and he tells me I have an absessed tooth and need a root canal, and that there's also something funny happening to the tooth next door.

Great.  I give the dentist the name of the physician's assistant.  The dentist puts me on amoxycillin and some antibacterial rinse.  Once they connect, I'll have a root canal.

This makes me almost as nervous as the resurfacing itself.  That funny little word "sepsis" keeps popping up in my head.

Anyone else have this issue?  I could use a little hand-holding, I think. 

[phillwad]

Kate - I have not had that issue but I will keep you in my thoughts.  Hope it goes well. - Cheers - Phill

[Lori Cee]

Kate - first of all - that is so awesome that you are out an about.  I'm not quite where you are yet and think that it is pretty awesome that you have come so far in such a short period of time.  Two weeks to be out and about comfortably is pretty amazing to me.

I know it's easy for me to say but try not to stress too much - stressing is not good for healing. With the right team on this you'll be fine!  You've done the right thing in getting to the dentist as soon as possible so that they can get the antibiotics started and putting them in touch with a member of your surgical team.  I'm sure that you aren't the first that something that this has happened to others before and all worked out well.  Listen to the advice of the professionals and you'll be through this in no time!

We will be sending positive thoughts your way!

[ScubaDuck]

I was wondering about that little restriction on dental work.  It sounds like they just need to make sure nothing gets in the body that could affect the hip.  Definitely want to follow the antibiotic protocol.

Good thoughts and energy headed your way.

Dan

[hernanu]

Hi Kate, I've had dental work done - just cleaning. I was given a prescription for antibiotics, talked to my surgeon about this work to be done (4 months after the procedure).  I was really nervous about it, but was told by both the surgeon and the dental office that they have dealt with this before with other patients.

I took four antibiotic pills one hour before the procedure, went through it and had no issues at all. The dental office knew all about the preparations and were matter of fact about it. The dental hygienists' husband had a double THR, so she was very aware of the preparations. On the whole, I wound up feeling pretty good about it, since everyone was pretty matter of fact about it.

Of course I got into a car crash right after  :o, so I'd be watching the road and not worrying so much about the dentist, the antibiotics work well.

[katekosar]

Thank you everybody for the kind words.  Good to know, Hernanu, that you had dental work done so soon post-op.  Fact is, the dentist was pretty straightforward about the whole thing.  Got started on the antibiotics and will give the dentist a call today to schedule something.  In the final analysis, I think my bigger problem is probably going to be paying for the dental work.   :P

[Luann]

Hey, you should be fine. I am a dental hygienist and these kind of things can happen. Do contact your hip surgeon, if you have not already, and tell him/her that you have to have non-elective dental surgery (yes, a root canal is considered surgery). Make sure you are taking the kind of antibiotics the orthopedic Dr. wants you to take (Dentist automatically use Amox., it seems). Your hip Dr may or may not be fine with what the dentist gave you, or may want to change you to a more effective antibiotic. Then, if sitting in the dental chair is too uncomfortable, ask the endodontist (root canal specialist) if you can just have the proceedure "1st stepped" (root canals are most often a 2 or even 3 step proceedure). If you are careful not to chew anything too hard on that tooth, it should be out of pain and risk of infection enough after the first appt. Then you can wait until you are more comfortable to finish the entire process.
Do not put off the first appt. just because it feels better after the course of antibiotics, an infection in your tooth is still lurking and will reappear if a RC is not preformed. Good luck, (yes, they are $, but most Dr's have a payment plan of some kind, just ask the front office) Lu

[katekosar]

Wow.  Thanks, Luann.  Sounds like it's not as critical as my overblown mind wants to make it.  I'll double-check with the P.A. and make sure amoxycillin is okay.  The dentist did say that if there's any problem with severe swelling to head down to the emergency room for some IV antibiotics but, as you suggested, the swelling has actually diminished. 

kate

[hipnhop]

Kate, a pretty smile and a new hip - priceless

[katekosar]

Root canal scheduled for High Noon today.  I made the scheduler promise to have someone available strictly for hand-holding during the procedure.  I'm still a little dizzy from the vertigo attack Friday evening, but it's manageable.  Thanks for the well wishes.

If all proceeds as anticipated, I'm going to try to go back to work in a little less than a week from now, about a month post-op.  I am fortunate to have a husband who can help me get to the office and back to the car, as well as a boss who is amenable to flexible hours until I get entirely back on my feet. 

I must say, this whole experience has been a pretty substantial piece of work.  It hasn't been easy.  I haven't been on the forefront of quick healing.  There were days after the Vertigo Attack when I stayed in bed all day with the pillow over my head because I couldn't open my eyes.  In the final analysis, however, I am left with a strong sense of gratitude for my health and family, and of compassion and empathy for those who are faced with daily struggles far greater than mine.

kate

[Luann]

Thinking of you, Kate. Remember, you just went through a hip replacement, for heavens sake! A root canal is nothing compared to that! I'm just sorry that you have to go through both so close together. Do not listen to other's stories about RC's, they're not a big deal. Relax. Lu

[Lori Cee]

Good Luck Kate :)

Luann is right - listen to her she's the expert in the field and probably seen millions of them (ok - maybe a slight exaggeration though I'm sure it's still lots!)

You'll go great.  Even though you feel that you haven't had the quickest recovery, you are still going really well especially if you are up to going back to work next week.  Congratulations :)

[phillwad]

Kate - I hope the dental work went well

Cheers - Phill

[katekosar]

It went okay.  It was a long drawn out process.  Apparently that infection resulted from a slowly-cracking molar and had been there for some time.  There was so much scar tissue that it took a LOOOONG time for the dentist to carve it all out.  Ick.  I have to go back tomorrow to have it finished up.  The greatest thing, I think, was the fact that the dentist called me at home later in the evening just to make sure that I was doing okay.  It's really nice to have a regular gum instead of this big swollen thing sticking out the side of my mouth. 

Went back to work yesterday, too.  I was AMAZED at what a long day it was, and how tired I was after a few hours of sitting upright in my ergo chair.  Last night my butt bones were screaming, and my inner thigh muscles were tightening up on me.  A couple of Advil Liquigels did help.  Getting back to reality is a piece of work in itself.

kate

kate