Wherein a girl diagnosis herself
So, after a trip to the emergency room, then a regular doctor, then *back* to the ER, I finally figured out WTF was going on with my mouth.
The narcotics were only getting my pain level down to about a 5, and I was taking twice the prescribed dose. I called my doctor and told him that the meds just weren't working at controlling the pain, and he sort of freaked out and said I had to go back to the ER *immediately* because I might have an abscess above the soft palate and that needed to be taken care of immediately. The ER doc was the same one I'd seen at 0130 that morning, and he wasn't very pleased to see me again. I got the feeling that he thought I was just there seeking drugs-- which I *so* was! But not for the buzz, for some goddamned relief! I knew he recognized me, but he hadn't placed me as an employee, so I think he thought he'd seen me as a patient before. He kept telling me that there was nothing stronger than the drugs they'd already given me, which is a goddamned lie, but I really was in too much pain to argue with him, and besides, he was already treating me like a drug addict, and I knew he would only see that as a ploy to get the Good Stuff.
Anyhoo, they gave me a shot of Toradol, which is nothing more than ramped up motrin, then sent me off for a CAT scan. Here I am sobbing the whole time and the poor X-Ray tech, who I know, is trying to comfort me and get me to stay till long enough for the scan to work. I made my way back to my ER room and just sat crying and rocking. I think someone finally told the Doc that I was an employee, because when he came back in he offered me morphine-- if I could get someone to drive me home. He also called the local Ear Nose and Throat surgeon and talked with him about my case. I crawled to the lab to see if someone could give me a lift home, and spent about 20 minutes there, getting hugs and kisses and love. :)
Then the Toradol kicked in.
It has anti-inflammatory properties.
I have an auto-immune/inflammatory disease. When my body decides something needs to be inflamed, it *really* inflames it.
I went back to the ER and the nurse, who I know, *g* said, "I've been looking for you! I'll bring the morphine in." I told him that I didn't need it, that the Toradol had helped 1000 times better than the narcs had, and that I needed to see the Doc again. The Doc came back in and said, "You look much better! I guess the morphine worked." I told him that no, I hadn't taken the morphine, and that I thought it was my inflammatory thing, and that I needed steroids, not more narcotics. He said, "You know, I was going to suggest that."
Yeah, right.
Then he said, "You have two big nerves running along your soft palate, and when those get irritated, it's like the worst pain you've ever felt in your life."
Uh huh, yeah, I know. *g*
So they gave me a big ole loading dose of steroids, a prescription for more, so that I don't rebound, and I came home and slept for 12 hours straight.
I just got a call from the ENT surgeon. How cute! He said he had worried about me all night, and was very concerned that I hadn't called to make an appointment to see him. I explained the situation and promised that I'd call if it got worse again.
It's so good to be blissfully pain- free. I really can't tell you how relieved I am. :)
I'm still pretty wiped, but comfortable. Finally. YAYYYYYYYYYY!
Thank you everyone who was concerned! {{{{{{{{{{{Hugs you all}}}}}}}}}}}}} It helped. It really did. :)
The narcotics were only getting my pain level down to about a 5, and I was taking twice the prescribed dose. I called my doctor and told him that the meds just weren't working at controlling the pain, and he sort of freaked out and said I had to go back to the ER *immediately* because I might have an abscess above the soft palate and that needed to be taken care of immediately. The ER doc was the same one I'd seen at 0130 that morning, and he wasn't very pleased to see me again. I got the feeling that he thought I was just there seeking drugs-- which I *so* was! But not for the buzz, for some goddamned relief! I knew he recognized me, but he hadn't placed me as an employee, so I think he thought he'd seen me as a patient before. He kept telling me that there was nothing stronger than the drugs they'd already given me, which is a goddamned lie, but I really was in too much pain to argue with him, and besides, he was already treating me like a drug addict, and I knew he would only see that as a ploy to get the Good Stuff.
Anyhoo, they gave me a shot of Toradol, which is nothing more than ramped up motrin, then sent me off for a CAT scan. Here I am sobbing the whole time and the poor X-Ray tech, who I know, is trying to comfort me and get me to stay till long enough for the scan to work. I made my way back to my ER room and just sat crying and rocking. I think someone finally told the Doc that I was an employee, because when he came back in he offered me morphine-- if I could get someone to drive me home. He also called the local Ear Nose and Throat surgeon and talked with him about my case. I crawled to the lab to see if someone could give me a lift home, and spent about 20 minutes there, getting hugs and kisses and love. :)
Then the Toradol kicked in.
It has anti-inflammatory properties.
I have an auto-immune/inflammatory disease. When my body decides something needs to be inflamed, it *really* inflames it.
I went back to the ER and the nurse, who I know, *g* said, "I've been looking for you! I'll bring the morphine in." I told him that I didn't need it, that the Toradol had helped 1000 times better than the narcs had, and that I needed to see the Doc again. The Doc came back in and said, "You look much better! I guess the morphine worked." I told him that no, I hadn't taken the morphine, and that I thought it was my inflammatory thing, and that I needed steroids, not more narcotics. He said, "You know, I was going to suggest that."
Yeah, right.
Then he said, "You have two big nerves running along your soft palate, and when those get irritated, it's like the worst pain you've ever felt in your life."
Uh huh, yeah, I know. *g*
So they gave me a big ole loading dose of steroids, a prescription for more, so that I don't rebound, and I came home and slept for 12 hours straight.
I just got a call from the ENT surgeon. How cute! He said he had worried about me all night, and was very concerned that I hadn't called to make an appointment to see him. I explained the situation and promised that I'd call if it got worse again.
It's so good to be blissfully pain- free. I really can't tell you how relieved I am. :)
I'm still pretty wiped, but comfortable. Finally. YAYYYYYYYYYY!
Thank you everyone who was concerned! {{{{{{{{{{{Hugs you all}}}}}}}}}}}}} It helped. It really did. :)