Oral Surgery

[kellygirl]

So this coming Friday I am having oral surgery -- a gum transplant to be exact. I INSISTED on general anestisia since I have had this done once before and the sights and sounds were more than I would like to live through again.


I am scared not so much of v* (my fear is MOSTLY of others) but of the pain and suffering after. Like I said had this done before (and admittedly I'm a big baby with a very LOW pain threshhold) and after the novocaine wore off I was in TERRIBLE pain and couldn't eat for days.


I am very weird about scars and such -- don't like to touch them for YEARS after the fact and will have stitches in my mouth (have had wisdom teeth out, have had numerous other teeth pulled in order to get braces) and a gaping wound on the roof of my mouth where they will harvest the transplant tissue from and am afraid that I won't be able to eat, am afraid that the motrin they gave me for pain will not be strong enough and am slightly afraid that the general anestisia will make me v*.


Anybody have a similar experience or similar QUIRKS (I often kid with my friends and relatives that I'm not crazy just quirky!) about scars...


Thanks for listening!!!

[punchbuggy]

Sorry I have not had any experience with this but I am in a similar position...I have to get my wisdom teeth out next month and believe me I am nervous about it I even made a post about it.


Your not crazy !

[kellygirl]

Thanks for the reply and I understand your fear. I too have had my wisdom teeth out (one one year then three more another time). I am wimpy so the pain was pretty bad for me BUT the general anestisia was NOTHING. If you tell them you are really nervous they will give you a valium to take first thing in the morning, then when you get there they will put the IV in after that -- it's all ok!!! I remember counting backwards from 10 -- think I got to 8 and was out like a light.


Woke up in a small "recovery" room feeling groggy but not N* AT ALL!!! In fact, I have had general about six times and have NEVER gotten ill -- so try not to worry.


I'm sure we are both stronger than we give ourselves credit for so try to stay positive and I will write Friday or Saturday (when I'm fully recovered) to let you know how it went.

[sqil30]

Do you mean a gum graft? Where they take skin from the roof of your mouth and use it to cover the root of a tooth? I had that done last year, but I didn't have a general. However I did have a general with my wisdom teeth and I was fine. You can ask for something for n* and v* your dentist should happily provide it!!

[kellygirl]

Thanks to all. Going in at 8:00am tomorrow. Not really worried about n* -- more the pain afterward. Dr. gave me MOTRIN and I have to say I havea very low pain threshhold and am worried because when I had this same procedure done 22 years ago (I was awake that time -- which I REFUSED to do again) when the novocaine wore off I was in a TREMONDOUS amount of pain!!!


I will be asking for something stronger but feel funny about it... seeing that the dr. thinks motrin will be enough!


He started me on steriods, antibiotics, mouth rince and motrin today in anticipation of the actual procedure (I was of course afraid that all the meds would make me sick but so far so good -- knock on wood).


Thanks again -- I can always count on you guys to make me feel better!!!

[mason14]

Wow! I've never heard of having a gum transplant. Here I was worried about my little crown. That sounds pretty major. I can see why you would be worried about the pain since gums are so sensitive. With that said, you mentioned you had the same thing done 22 years ago and things have changed so much to eliminate pain. It should be nothing like it was back then.


I think you will do just fine. You've had a lot done and have handled it great. I don't know anyone that has gotten sick from being put under in a LONG time. the stuff they have now is so much better.


Good luck tomorrow and let us know how it goes!

[kellygirl]

Thanks all -- back to work today. Still very uncomfortable and have a 1/2 mouth full of stiches. NO N* AT ALL!!!!


This time they jacked me up with novocaine so much so that I was completely numb for 12 hours. They also gave me motrin and vicodin for pain and antibiotics and steriods for the swelling and to fight infection.


So far MUCH better experience than 22 years ago (showing my age here - LOL). Still can't eat solids, hot foods, crunchy foods or gritty foods so I'm on mostly milkshakes and smoothies (not such a bad diet!).


I appreciate you all -- VERY VERY MUCH!!!


Kellygirl

[katykins]

So great to hear you're doing good Kelly!! I'm very proud of you,lol,i sound like a momma or something,what i mean is,good job on going through with this procedure!! *Hugs*