Maybe the attitude of dentists re: drugs has changed since I had my wisdom teeth out (Jan 98), but I was given a vicodin scrip automatically - and I needed it (dry sockets , same as mimi). My husband was given a vicodin scrip in Jan 2000 (?) as well, even though he didn't need it.

Anyway, I think your dentist is full of shit - how can they not prescribe vicodin anymore? If you're still experiencing extreme pain by tomorrow, go to the office (don't bother calling first) and ask to be checked for dry sockets. And don't leave until they give you the good stuff!

I sincerely hope you're feeling better soon. ((hugs))

Carrie, can you call you "regular" doctor, tell him or her the situation, and see if he/she can proscribe you some stronger painkillers?

Stay strong, I'm thinking of you...you've got a lot going on right now, just keep thinking "This too shall pass."

((hug))

I called and complained again. They said that, honestly, their office does not prescribe anything stronger and that codeine plus Motrin 800 should be enough. They also said that most of my pain should be gone by now.

Well, gee; I guess that I should just conform to the norm! I *must* be feeling this bad just to be a pain - or else I'm a pill-seeker who had teeth removed just to get drugs. Ugh! But I don't know what to do now.

Carrie... I had gum surgery not too long ago, and my journal will tell you how freaking much it hurt and how long it stayed. After the whole experience was over and I was actually eating food again without pain, I realized that I should have thrown a major fit and made them give me something for the pain. When I had it done, the dentist said that it would only hurt for a few days, and that Tylenol should handle any pain. More than 3 weeks later, I was still in major pain. The only way that I made it through was because a co-worker of mine was able to bring me Motrin 800 and Vicodin.
Seriously, Carrie, sic Eric on them. You should not be in this much pain. Not at all.

I had a similar experience when I had my wisdom teeth out - I swear I woke up during the operation. I started moaning, trying to tell them that I was awake, and then I conked out again. Next thing I know, they were telling me that it was over and they were going to get my mom to take me home. So I'm not really sure what happened... if I did indeed wake up during the surgery or just at the tail end (i.e. what I thought was the middle).

Sending lots of "feel-better-soon" vibes to you and, as always, you and your family are in my prayers. You deserve some good things after the hellacious year you've had. *hugs*

I'm a pretty intense crank, so my immediate response to your journal entry was "unleash the attack lawyers!" Not that you need to complicate things by suing your dentist into next week, but it'd be a pain he'd need more than codeine to endure:)

Sqeaky wheels get the good drugs. Call and ask to speak to someone with more authori-tah than whoever answers the phone.

I had a tooth taken out with just the local. Because of complicating health factors, they couldn't knock me out and the "twilight sleep" thing sounded a lot scarier that the actual extraction. I was pretty loopy, though. I actually talked throughout the proceedure.

As my oral surgeon was yanking at my tooth, biceps bulging, I looked up and said "I'm so glad I can't feel this!" He paused for a minute and said "Yeah, me too." I remember pieces of tooth coming out. I don't think they gave me much beyond the local, but I had to have been seriously high.

I hope you feel better. Maybe there's some good karma coming to balance out all the crap. Maybe you'll win the powerball:) If you had Rush Limbaugh money, you could just have your maid buy you 30,000 tabs of oxycontin.

I've been holding off on posting a comment until now. When I had my wisdom teeth out the procedure went well but afterwards was terrible. I developed what is called dry socket. I was in an incredible amount of pain and nothing helped. I went back to the oral surgeon and they had to pack it with clove oil which helped alot. I'm not telling you to scare you more I just want you to be sure that if the pain continues that you have it checked. I felt like a big baby calling about the pain, but they assured me it was very real and gave me more pain meds.
Good Luck!

I try to stay out of things but I cant here. I am a health care professional and I KNOW they can give you something stronger. You have to be willing to insist and be annoying. I think it is very common to give things like Vicodin and , my favorite, Percocet, for procedures such as this. You are only asking for something to make the pain tolerable. I would ask how many of the codeine you are taking at once. If it is Tylenol # 3 (30 mg codeine to each table), try 2 tablets instead of the one. Still a very acceptable dose and should help. Just be careful...very constpating, codeine is. As far as you waking up during the procedure, it is well documented that patients do this. What they usually use in dentists office is not really anesthesia, but something called conscious sedation. If they were to put you totally to sleep, you would not be able to breathe on your own and they would have to insert a breathing tube. In conscious sedation, you are put in that twilight zone between awake and anesthetised. The dose is based on your body weight but also the skill and experience of the person administering. There is a fine line between where you should be and awake. Most docs would not want you to wake up or remember but it happens. They may have given you a lesser dose because of the ativan they gave you beforehand Who knows? The least they could do was acknowledge that it happened and offer their apology. I am so sorry it happened to you.Want me to cll the dentist for you ????

It's COMPLETELY ridiculous that they won't give you something better!! I used to work for an endodontist and had lots of contacts with a lot of dentists through my work. Dentists give out Vicodin like freakin candy! And you're pretty functioning on it, so you wouldn't turn into a zombie like with codeine. Want me to call and raise hell for you? ;)

Carrie, I hope you feel better soon. Times like this I wish I had a jet of my own so I could fly around helping out my mama friends.

{{{{{{{Carrie}}}}}}}

They suggested that I take the leftover Ibuprofen (800mg) in conjunction with the codeine. It got me through the night, but it made me extraordinarily sleepy, so I don't want to do that during the day when I'm alone with Sam.

If only the drugs could make the dreams stop, though - last night, it was 8 dentists working on me at once! :-P

Carrie, I am #1 shocked and #2 DISGUSTED that whoever you talked to about pain meds said they couldn't give you anything better. They can and they will - if you're not comfortable calling them and throwing a fit, have someone do it for you. Sorry, but it just frosts my cookies when people are expected to just suffer for no reason. We're not talking about IV morphine here - a limited number and duration of Vicodin or similar would fix you right up. Poor thing!!! *hugs*