Please Help! Unending tooth pain!?

I have this killer abscess in my molar and I don't have insurance. I went to the er and they gave me penicillin and percoset but I took all the penicillin as prescribed and the pain is still there.





I went to the dental clinic and they said i have to see my family doc before they pull the tooth because my blood pressure is too high. So my fam doc gave me bp meds and now my pain won't cease in my tooth. I have already missed 4 days of work and I live alone so i can't miss much more work cuz i need the money.





So i have to call out again tomorrow and i don't know what to tell my boss and hopefully the dental clinic will extract my tooth even though my bp may be high, but i am takng the bp meds.





I am in agony! Any advice on what to do? What do i say to my boss? I have papers from the er and fam doc saying i was seen there. I drive for a living and can't drive on pain meds!

Please Help! Unending tooth pain!?
I understand the no insurance but you should return to the er if you are still having severe pain in the tooth maybe the anti-bodices were not enough to kill the infection. You can try some alieve or something of that nature for pain. I also found that rinse with Listerine mouth was helped if you hold it on the infected tooth for as long as you can stand it. As far as your job i com mend you for not putting our children or others in danger. It is not safe to drive while taking pain medications and have had abscesses before I know how hard it is to concert rate on what you are supposed to be doing.


Seek another dentist there may even be another dental cl inc that would treat you for free or for a small fee. If it is severe enough all hospitals have to have an emergency dentist on call. They don't like to tell you this information. Also in some states they can give you an injection in the ER that will numb the nerve.





Hope you get to feeling better soon
Reply:Note from the clinic and doctor should be proof that you have a medical problem. Can you be put on another job while you cannot drive? Some places can do this.
Reply:tell your boss that you cant drive ..you are still on pain meds..get a note from the er stating you are on percoset and show it to your boss if he insists on you coming to work..tell him you need lite duty work..if they cannot provide lite duty work tell them you cannot safely drive on this drug (its a felony to be caught driving on perscription pain medication)


you have no recourse but to stay home till you can safely do your job...specially if you drive... remember==safety first
Reply:They can give you gas. And set up a payment plan too. The abscess could travel to your heart through the blood - they HAVE to help you or you have a sweet lawsuit, especially if you lose your job because of them playing games. Demand Gas and a payment plan. You may end up going to another dentist.
Reply:This is not medical advice - go see your doctor again.





When I have dental pain I have found Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil and generic) to be much more effective than other types of pain killers. I found I could get by with one pill every four hours. Ibuprofen apparently reduces swelling which is why it is good for dental pain. Swelling nerves inside your teeth are very painful. Women seem to need more medication than men. However - with all that other medication you are on you should go to the doctor again to further discuss your problem. Mixing medications could have serious consequences.





I don't think you should be driving. Think about other people on the road. It is not safe if you can't concentrate. This is what you should say to your boss, you should not be driving because it is not safe for you to do so.





Get another opinion on your dental situation as well. There are lots of dentists. If money is an issue try finding a dental school in your area - the teaching staff help with diagnosis and the future dentists do the work. They are much less expensive.





In summary:


1. See your doctor again. Explain you need to drive in order to work and the current medication regime makes that impossible. What other options can they provide? Could Ibuprofen be a solution?


2. Don't drive until it is safe. The consequences of an accident could mean not working for months, permanent loss of your job or worse. This is worse than the loss of some income.


3. See another dentist, or possibly a local dental school. People around here travel to the next city (3.5 hours by bus) to visit the dental college.