Help! Need opinions from you guys!

[Inlove_tx 0]

Hey guys,

for once I don't have a question about immigration, but I would really like to know what you guys would do if you were in my shoes!

Here's the background: about a month ago I felt a swelling (like a lump) in my right gums, right above two teeth, so I went to the dentist and they told me it might have been a beginning of an abscessed tooth (but they weren't sure) and that I had to remove the filling from both teeth (which I had just put it two months before!!!), do the root canal (ouch!) and re-put the filling + crown...total cost: over $2000!!! (we don't have health insurance, at the moment).

For work reasons and other reasons (money + fear) I put off the surgery and took the antibiotics they suggested, and things went much better, the swelling was almost gone and had no pain at all, so I didn't think about it anymore.

Plus, I'm leaving to Italy (my homecountry) in less than two weeks and I already had an appointment booked with my dentist there.

Now the problem: yesterday I woke up feeling a bad headache and I felt like the whole right side of my face was numb and under pressure (I don't know if I'm making any sense). My nose was stucked up, and I felt pain in my forehead, eyebrows and right eye. Looking online I FREAKED OUT because I was reading that an abscessed tooth, if not taken care of, may cause sinusitis and lead to serious complications to eyes and brain...HELP!

I called the dentist, but they can't see me for a few days and I don't know if in the meantime I should go to a general clinic and get some antibiotics, or something!!!

What do you guys think? Has anything like this ever happened to you???

Of course, the more I think about it, the more I get paranoid and the more I feel pain, but I don't know what to do!

I was really, really hoping to be able to wait another couple of weeks, until I go back to Italy and can get everything done for free or almost free, but now I'm freaking out!!!

Please, help. Any suggestions will be highly appreciated!

[sereia 0]

i would find another dentist or doctor to see TODAY. don't mess around with infections like that. you could have a lot worse happen to you... and even so, you DO NOT want sinusitis. i had it before, its agonizing and could likely ruin your trip to italy!

edited to add: get your xrays and papers from the other dentist to bring with you

Edited July 6, 2007 by abdounjen

[Mags 112]

Go to a normal doctor (or an ER) and they will probably give you some antibiotics until you can see your dentist. This is not something you can leave, let alone fly with. No one here will really be able to advise you properly, not unless they can see you face to face AND are an MD.

Now, get your bottom to a doctor and stop worrying. Good luck.

Edited July 6, 2007 by mags

[Inlove_tx 0]

Ok, you guys convinced me...now I'm really freaking out!

It's too late for a dentist, as all the ones I've called close at 5.00 and I can't leave work right now, but I will go to a normal doctor tonight (I found a clinic that's open until 10.00pm) and I guess we'll see what happens.

I'll keep you guys posted.

Thank you so much for your thoughts and suggestions!

[Mags 112]

Ok, you guys convinced me...now I'm really freaking out!

It's too late for a dentist, as all the ones I've called close at 5.00 and I can't leave work right now, but I will go to a normal doctor tonight (I found a clinic that's open until 10.00pm) and I guess we'll see what happens.

I'll keep you guys posted.

Thank you so much for your thoughts and suggestions!

I think the important thing is not to panic too much. Let us know how you get along, okay?

[sereia 0]

Ok, you guys convinced me...now I'm really freaking out!

It's too late for a dentist, as all the ones I've called close at 5.00 and I can't leave work right now, but I will go to a normal doctor tonight (I found a clinic that's open until 10.00pm) and I guess we'll see what happens.

I'll keep you guys posted.

Thank you so much f or your thoughts and suggestions!

can that dentist fax over your records then? i think its worth having it with you for the help possibly. i had a problem a few years ago with my jaw hurting SO BAD. i went to the dentist, nothing. doctor, nothing. he thought it was stress so he prescribed me muscle relaxers and anti-anxiety for a week to relax. it went away. then not too long after my entire jaw on the right side was hurting and my lip even! i went back to the dentist and he then thought i needed a root canal. long story short, but i was infected and was in agony a long time too. it sounds like your infection got even worse than mine because its in your sinus canals! definitely see a doctor tonight and bring the bottle of antibiotics (or at least know the name of what you were taking) to tell them. maybe the antibiotics didn't work and the infection came back. or maybe the root canal wasn't done properly and you need to get it fixed. but glad you're going today! good luck!

[kerewin21 2]

Yes definitely go get antibiotics TONIGHT. Depending on what your exam is like they may want to do x-rays or a CT scan to make sure the infection isn't extending anywhere dangerous. Then get thee to a dentist ASAP to take out that tooth.

[sereia 0]

yay a real doctor came to give advice! hi sharon!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[britbird 4]

Urgent Care typically costs less than the ER, though it may be the case that they won't be able to do as much as the ER...

there are emergency appointment dentists, at the very least they should have done an X-ray of the area to be certain that you had an infected tooth. A swollen head/face could be due to a number of different things, cellulitis is a biggie in that regard, and requires a hefty amount of antibiotics.

Either way, when dealing with your head you need to get to urgent care/ER as soon as you experience abnormal symptoms.

Also remember that a good many airlines will not allow you to fly if you have had recent dental surgery, so be certain to get a clearance to fly from your dentist/doctor.

[Inlove_tx 0]

First of all, let me thank you guys SO MUCH for your advice, you literally pushed me to the doctor, I'm sure I would have put it off again, without you insisting!!!

Now, the updates: a very nice doctor visited me and checked my temperature (I have a little fever, nothing major, barely 99), eyes, ears, and even the infamous tooth! He said it doesn't look like I have an abscessed tooth, it looks just like it did a month ago in the x-ray and he said even if it is, it's not inflamed. Also, he saw I don't feel any pain when biting hard and so on, so he doesn't think that's the problem.

I do have an Allergic Rhinitis and an AC Frontal Sinusitis, and he prescribed me antibiotics to take for 2 weeks at least, so that should cover me until I leave. Then, once in Italy, I'll go to my dentist there (which has known me for 20 years, so I feel so much better with her!) and I hope to get this thing taken care of forever!!! Needless to say, I feel so much better now, and I really have to thank you guys for "kicking my butt" and pushing me to the clinic!

Again, thanks for your advise and I'll keep you guys posted on how it goes!

Edited July 7, 2007 by Inlove_tx

[sereia 0]

glad we could help....but sorry to hear you have sinusitis! it is NOT fun! make sure to finish the entire strain of medication they give you! and also if you are on birth control be careful of it diluting the effects of the pill. (not sure if you said you were a man or woman. lol) wouldn't want to get pregnant by accident during all this! if you're a guy, then nevermind!

[L_n_O 3]

good luck