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yes i just found out the terrors i went thru this past week must have to do with the epi portion of the novocain shot. first time it's happened, and i hope it's the last.
brief summary -- nobody new to dental procedures including implants, i was simply having a crown removed/replaced. holy hannah the whole next week i was in a hideous state. extreme acute headaches, and i never even get minor headaches. light sensitivity to the max. lightheadedness. nauseous feeling first and second day after the shots.
this is apparently a new sensitivity for me, as it's the same surgeon i've had for years and i trust him implicitly.
when i went back for yet one final-for-the-year procedure, he said we could try without epi. voila. worked like a charm. the only thing is that it makes it harder for the doc cos epi stops bleeding. when you spit, you spit a load of blood. the good doctor said the numbness would stop within 5 to 10 minutes, but it lasted just as long for me as any typical injection that would have included epi.
if you have any really weird instances of not feeling right after a novocain injection, i would absolutely suggest you ask the doctor not to add epi. don't know if it's epi itself or the biosulphate preservative, but it's one of those lovely things.
Last Friday my husband had an injection with epinephrine, said he felt as if the room was spinning, got nauseated, and fainted when he got up to go to the sink and had to have stitches in his head. I think if anyone gets this there should be someone closely watching the patient. The epinephrine speeds up the heart and sometimes it's dangerous for patients. Of course, neither he nor you will get that again. Make sure you tell any dentists, and I am sure you will that you must never have this type of shot again.
absolutely -- just always ask the doctor for novocaine with NO epinephrine. the novocaine alone is fine. epinephrine is an additive that constricts the vessels so you don't bleed, and makes the numbness last far longer. believe me, i went thru hell for the past week, and after discussing it with the doctor, he shot me with plain straight novocaine; no epi. epi also has some type of preservative that could be causing the problem, a biosulphate. no matter which it is, the straight novocaine will not make the weird reaction your husband experienced. only thing is that it makes it messier for the doctor to work in all that blood, and he has to really really hurry it up. so make sure your dentist has lots of experience.
So just to clear something up that's a bit of a pet peeve of mine. Novocaine is no longer used. Period. It's Lidocaine typically. There are some other types as well but Novocaine is NOT in production anymore. I get that people use this as a catch all term but if people are going to complain about side effects (and then try to advise others on the internet), it would be prudent upon the patient to ask your Dental Provider exactly which anesthetic they are using. Stop assuming, stop using catch all terms, and be aware of what is going on around you.
So just to clear something up that's a bit of a pet peeve of mine. Novocaine is no longer used. Period. It's Lidocaine typically. There are some other types as well but Novocaine is NOT in production anymore. I get that people use this as a catch all term but if people are going to complain about side effects (and then try to advise others on the internet), it would be prudent upon the patient to ask your Dental Provider exactly which anesthetic they are using. Stop assuming, stop using catch all terms, and be aware of what is going on around you.
*off soapbox*
I agree it's scary how much misinformation gets passed around this forum. I have decided that it's rarely worth it to try to educate others with accurate information. I can't figure out how the name "Novacaine" still gets talked about because it was taken off the market in the mid-1980s....about 30 years ago. I don't argue about this anymore because people will speak like they are an authority on this subject, but then when they are corrected they conveniently claim "well I'm not a doctor".
I agree it's scary how much misinformation gets passed around this forum. I have decided that it's rarely worth it to try to educate others with accurate information. I can't figure out how the name "Novacaine" still gets talked about because it was taken off the market in the mid-1980s....about 30 years ago. I don't argue about this anymore because people will speak like they are an authority on this subject, but then when they are corrected they conveniently claim "well I'm not a doctor".
Amen to that!!
I also have the "racing heart" reaction to the epinephrine, and my dentist tried doing a couple fillings with no epi, and he couldn't do it. He said that without the epi, the numbness wears off to fast for him to do the work.
So, I take a few deep breaths and just tolerate the racing heart. However, after getting lidacaine, I usually have to rest for the remainder of the day. It knocks me out.
For the record, I'm extremely healthy and yet seem very sensitive to any and all drugs.
I also have the "racing heart" reaction to the epinephrine, and my dentist tried doing a couple fillings with no epi, and he couldn't do it. He said that without the epi, the numbness wears off to fast for him to do the work.
So, I take a few deep breaths and just tolerate the racing heart. However, after getting lidacaine, I usually have to rest for the remainder of the day. It knocks me out.
For the record, I'm extremely healthy and yet seem very sensitive to any and all drugs.
I had to switch dentists as the one I love doesn't take my insurance anymore and have only had cleaning w/them - but last times I had things done (crowns) - he just kept giving me more shots. I cannot tolerate the racing heart thing (my dad and husband died of heart attacks). Your dentist can certainly just give you more shots w/o epinephrine.
I had to switch dentists as the one I love doesn't take my insurance anymore and have only had cleaning w/them - but last times I had things done (crowns) - he just kept giving me more shots. I cannot tolerate the racing heart thing (my dad and husband died of heart attacks). Your dentist can certainly just give you more shots w/o epinephrine.
And then there will be a new thread called "My dentist gave me 14 shots for my filling, is this normal?!?!"
after putting it off for years i finally had my teeth deep cleaned. It was a 2.5 hour procedure and i completely declined any anesthesia even gel. I even had some 7 and 8 inch pockets too. It didnt hurt but it just felt like a really rough cleaning. Piece of cake. Only problem is my blood sugar started dropping towards the end so they had to stop at the last half hour to give me some coke. otherwise i would have made it.
Has anyone else had a bad reaction to local anesthetic used by a dentist? I went in last Saturday for some routine work and asked for local anesthetic, after the third shot I very suddenly felt like I'd been hit in the head, the room started swimming and I had extreme double vision and a suffocated feeling. It lasted about 15 minutes and I continued to feel off for the rest of the day. I still have pain on either side of my jaw from the injection sites.
It was so terrifying I think I'd rather endure the pain than go through this again.
The dr said this is a rare reaction and that my blood vessels were constricting.
The hygienist looked terrified through the whole ordeal, I think she was waiting for me to drop dead before her eyes, which did not assuage my fears while going through this!
Yep! I always tell em no epinephrine, about a million times..I do fine without it! ...Puts my heart on a treadmill and pounding like crazy...Nope! I rather endure the pain..
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No anesthesia
otherwise i would have made it.
