IC and Dentistry part two, Nitrous oxide....

[sueworld]

I've been to the Dentist and I do need a filling. The Dentists was a bit taken a back about all my problems to do with having any work done with a numbing injection, and she didn't seem to be all that forthcoming about what was in the chemical used, and if any other type of formula could be created.

A very big old molar at the back needs to be re-filed (so a fairly big job on one of my most problem areas) and so I was wondering has anyone ever had gas and air (nitrous oxide and air) to help ease the pain of having something like this done at all?

If so did it make you flare?

I know I'm clutching at straws here but I'm desperate to avoid the pain from either my tooth and my bladder. Some people on the UK IC board say they have their teeth drilled without any pain relief at all, just to avoid a flare, but I'm not sure I have the guts to do that.

[kadi]

You can request anesthetic shots without epinephrine or with a reduction in epinephrine. Those are less irritating to the bladder & still help with pain during the filling. These shots don't last as long, so you may need another one midway through the dental work. I've had fillings done with the anesthetic without any epinephrine in the shot & no problem & I've had a root canal done with the shot with 50% epinephrine, no problem there either.

I can't imagine having dental work done without an anesthetic shot, I'd think thrashing in pain wouldn't be good for either the tooth or the bladder. If your dentist isn't able to help you with this, a second opinion is in order. (There are a number of people who have to avoid epinephrine for lots of medical reasons.)

Good luck!

[sueworld]

Thanks for your reply love.

By epinephrine do you mean adrenaline? If so I know I can get shots without that, but women on the other IC board with sensitivities as bad as mie found it still gave them flares.

Alsoa lady on her mentioned that some people are affected by other things in the numbing agents such as 'sulphates'. Has anyone else heard of that?

And yes, startling as it may seem I found out from my post on the UK forum that quite of few people choose to suffer without pain relief, just so they don't get pushed into a flare. Scary stuff eh? I'm not sure if I would have the strength, for as you so rightly point out I'd be leaping around all the time.

I'm in a flare now, due to I believe the stress of all this, so lord knows what I'd be like on the day!

[Sarojini]

I once had some shallow cavities filled without anesthetic and it was not too bad, but I would not have a deeper one done that way because it is much more painful the closer they are to the nerve.

As for nitrous, I have never flared from it.

[amartaingirl]

fine

i think you will be fine with the shot

even if it does bother you a little bit...flares dont last forever.
and i try not to go through life fearing everything.
i just kinda go for it
and hope for the best

[kadi]

Amartaingirl has a good point. Also, I've found that things I read on the boards sometimes ARE okay for me, & it's usually best to try it for myself, so that I don't wind up with any more limitations than necessary. Remember the people on the boards tend to be the sickest or the more unusual cases because the ones whose IC is well managed usually aren't needing message boards.

If you get the shot without the epinephrine, it won't last as long, so I'd venture to guess the flare would not last as long either, IF you had one.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes, okay?

[leelee88]

I had both the gas and the shot with no problems...

[sueworld]

I appreciate the advice, and I realise that I'm a 'freak' even amongst IC patients, but I have found very little that doesn't effect me badly when it comes to chemical based meds.

Lord, even half the things mentioned on here that folks say is safe puts me into bad flares that last for weeks, giving me intense pain and which always seem to leaves me permanently worse then I was before.

Also the pain gets so bad sometimes that my bladder starts going into retention. Scary as I can't risk cathing and getting UTI, as I can't take antibiotics of course, without experiencing pain that is similar to going and standing in the middle of a lite bonfire and staying there.

Thats the thing I'm the most concerned about really. Being left with more damage done to me. Thats why I'm doing my best to research the various forms of pain relief and whats in them.

So is the chemical you keep mentioning in the injection another name for adrenaline?

[meme]

I've had no problem with either the shots or gas. I LOVE nitrous!!! Have you ever had it? Its awesome, you just don't care. I remember the first time I had it I was thinking the whole time "wow this guy is awesome. I love him" I absolutely hate dentists and its really hard to numb my teeth so nitrous has been a godsend. It also helps for me because when I sit in one place to long and I'm nervous I flare, but with the gas I'm so relaxed that I do just fine. Only thing is that when they take the gas off I usually have to pee really bad right away. Have you ever heard of Sedation Dentistry? I had that done too. They give you Lorazapan and you go to sleep while they work on your teeth. Its a little expensive, but if you need a lot of work done its worth it.

[kadi]

According to Wikipedia, epinephrine is the term preferred by US medical professionals for adrenaline.

[sueworld]

Ah, I thought it might be, thanks for that. Thanks for all your advice. I'm a bit concerned that the gas and air cause you to pass water so much afterwards meme, as that seems to point at it being aggrieved by the gas somehow. And no I haven't heard of sedation theropy, but as I can't seem to take meds of any kind, I don't think thats going to help me either much.

Oh well I'll have to sort something out as it's got to be filled.

Oh and before anyone thinks that I'm being a 'bit of a baby about doing something that will cause me to flare, I forgot to mention that I can't take any form of pain relief either. I find that if I do the tissue at the nbase of my bladder swells and the pain after the tablet wears off it twice as bad.

So everything I experience I have to do 'cold Turkey' so to speak, which is a bit of a bore to say the least.

[jen74]

This is also a big worry for me as I have alot of dental issues. I worry about what I will do next time I need work done. I think they can numb you without using the epineprine, just that they will have to keep injecting you to keep you numb. Also, beware of the nitrous oxide, I hear it can cause alot of stomach upset.
Jen

[sueworld]

It is a big worry isn't it. As if this rotten disease wasn't bad enough, we have to be scared of having any treatment done to ourselves because of the damage we might cause our already inflamed bladders.

I know I hate it. Knowing that one day I may need meds for something apparently trivial like an infection of some sort, only to realise that to take them would cause me unbearable pain and bladder damage, probably leaving me much worse off afterwards.

'healthy' folk just don't seem to understand that what my 'fear' of the dentist really means!