Infertility affects so many aspects of life.
Even your teeth.
At least mine.
Since my first miscarriage almost two years ago, I have begun clenching my jaw while sleeping and grinding my teeth. The anxiety, worry, stress coming forward even when I'm sleeping. I never had that problem before, but now when I wake I can feel my jaw is sore, that my teeth hurt because of the constant clenching.
It all came to a head this week. Monday I started having some tooth and gum pain, I took some tylenol and ignored it. I was at work Thursday and started having the worst "I want to jump out the window or someone shoot me now" pain. The kind of pain the is crippling and had me at my knees writhing and crying out for two days straight. I practically ran in and sat on the dentist's lap waiting for the novicane so I could have relief for an hour. That didn't even work. The major painkillers didn't even put a dent in it.
Since that tooth already has a root canal on it, the dentist said it is probably fractured from all the tension and grinding, causing an infection and absess. The antibiotics have relieved enough of the pain that I can at least see straight now but the tooth has to come out. The absess may clear but chances are it will come back....and Lord I can't even imagine what would happen if I had this while pregnant. I cannot imagine it.
So since I am clearly not pregnant and awaiting my period still I am going today to get this sucker taken out. My face is all swollen already and I look like I got ran over by a bus from being in agony since Thursday.
Thank you again, infertility....for all the wreckage you have created in my life and in the lives of so many others. You suck.
Oh, I am SO sorry. I cannot believe you're going through this--the pain sounds excruciating. I cannot wait for you to be post-surgery and hopefully feeling much better.
ReplyDeleteInfertility sucks so incredibly much.
Seriously, infertility, seriously. I am so so sorry hun!
ReplyDeleteOh no, K - that sucks! Hope you get to feeling better really soon.
ReplyDeleteOh no! Get it out and feel better!
ReplyDeleteYuck! I'm so sorry you've been suffering with this since Thursday. I've had plenty of dental work in my life (5 teeth pulled at once, retainers, braces, rubber bands, implants, wisdom teeth pulled, root canal, etc. etc.) but none of it came from IF (yet). It is so smart of you to get this taken care of before your next cycle. Hope you get some relief soon!
ReplyDeleteUuuggghhh. :( I have also started grinding my teeth and now I am having gum recession and sensitivity because of it. I try to wear a night guard, but I find it on the floor in the mornings so yeah not much luck. I am so sorry that you have to get the tooth removed. Hopefully it will help you feel better and they can put an implant in there. Freaking infertility. Take care.
ReplyDeleteOh no I'm so sorry!
ReplyDeleteThe fertility-stress has caused me to grind the HELL out of my teeth at night, hence the dislocated jaw. :( Freaking infertility.
Oh SHOOT. I'm so sorry K! You know, I never put two and two together, but in the last few years I've also started clenching my jaw and grinding my teeth at night. Now I have to wear this really sexy mouth guard when I sleep! Never thought about it in relation to all the infertility stuff...you've given me food for thought. What a bummer about needing to have the tooth removed. I hope you are able to get whatever you need done quickly and have some relief soon!
ReplyDeleteSeriously?! Just what you DON'T need right now. :( You are right that IF affects areas of our lives you would just never expect, and unfortunately our teeth can suffer the consequences of all that stress. I was having the same issue, and my gums were receding, causing some killer sensitivity issues. I had to get a mouth guard and have worn it every single night since then (it's SUPER sexy, btw). But if I don't wear it, I can instantly feel the pain when I wake in my teeth and jaws when I wake up. That thing is a lifesaver! I hope your dentist can get you fit for one. And I also hope you have fast relief once that tooth is gone! So sorry friend. :(
ReplyDeletePS Most nights when I put my sexy mouth guard in, this scene runs through my head: :)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aspBKFz2dBI
Oh God Em that is going to be me! They are fitting me for one as soon as I heal...thanks for the laugh though! So funny...
ReplyDeleteHahahha, I know! And don't worry, it's so totally worth the unsexiness. Those things make such a difference! Really, I should wear mine all the time b/c I clench while driving, or concentrating too... but I just can't make myself do it in public. :) I'm glad you're getting one!
ReplyDeleteOuch! That is no fun at all! Ugh!
ReplyDeleteYuck, nothing worse sometimes then tooth pain, hope you can get it taken care of quick!!!!
ReplyDeleteOuch! I hope you're feeling better. That sounds terrible.
ReplyDeleteI swear the grinding of my teeth is worse nowadays when dealing with the stress of infertility than when I was in law school. Ridonkulous! I hope that your dentist will be getting you a night guard- save your teeth!
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, I'm so sensitive with teeth just reading this made me cringe. I would be in absolute agony if I had to get this done. I'm glad you are feeling a little better with the antibiotics and are getting it out but OUCH!
ReplyDelete