Anesthesia questions

[meegannie]

I'm getting my wisdom teeth taken out on Thursday, but the surgeon's office didn't give me any instructions and I've never had any kind of surgery before. Is there anything I need to do, like not eat for a certain period time beforehand, stop taking my medications, etc?

Sorry for the stupid questions; I'm just dumb.

 

[*BOOMCHAA!*]

I had mine taken out a few years ago, I was told I couldn't eat for at least 12 hours before.

 

[Dub]

If you are going under general anesthetic I have been told not to eat or drink anything from midnight the night prior to surgery. And if I can give you one piece of advice for after you have your wisdom teeth removed it would be to not smoke (if you are a smoker) or drink out of a straw or any sucking action as this action will remove the blood clots over the sockets and cause "dry socket" which is almost the most painfull experience I have ever had, massive jaw, ear and headaches for a week! Ouch ouch ouch!

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

call the nurse of your dr.
they usually say no food or drink after midnight prior to most types of surgery. also if you have a heart murmur you need to make sure you tell the dr. so you can take antibiotics before being put under for your wisdom teeth. but don't take our advice make sure you phone the nurse, they will and should have given you proper orders before you go in.

 

[daisybean]

what they said...also if you bruise easy ask them for anti bruising medicine...my doctor gave me some of that and it helped me keep from turning compeletly black and blue (I bruise easy, very easy, if you look at me wrong I bruise).

 

[Sicy]

if you look at me wrong I bruise

sorry that was funny.

I bruise easily too.

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

yeah i bruise easily too. in fact i have a lovely brusie on the top of my arm right now and i have no idea how i got it. actually i think i know how it happend.

 

[ouizy]

all the above with the note:

do not be scared, some bruise, some feel pain, and some like myself, felt absolutely no pain.

I think I have told the story before, but while I was getting them yanked out I was dreaming I was on Santorini (an island in Greece) I then woke up and was fine (MINUS 3 TEETH)

All I wanted afterward was Chinese food...

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

All I wanted afterward was Chinese food...

i must be the only person to have gotten it done and not want to eat. i just wanted something to drink. i was thirsty, and i wanted some lip gloss because my lips were all chapped when i woke up.

when my mom got me that milkshake so i could take my meds i was drooling, but that could've been because my chin was numb. that was fun, i kept poking my chin because it was numb until like sunday afternoon (i got it done on a thursday).

just to let you know meegannie, obviously people heal differently and stuff. like that friday night, i wanted to get out of the house and do something. i wasn't ready to go to the mall or anything, we just went to the movies. it was so depressing though, not to be able to get popcorn or anything. but i didn't want them. my mom asked me a million times if i was sure i wouldn't mind if she got nachos. although i wasn't in any pain, the last thing i wanted to do was eat.

for me, the only pain i experienced was a stiff jaw. although, it only happened once the meds started to wear off. i didn't even sleep with gauze in that first night! i woke up looking normal but numb, there was no pool of blood like my hubbie described, not even a little drop of it coming out of my mouth.

oh, and i got all four taken out. the top two were impacted and had to be cut in half. plus, the bottom right one was coming in diagonally.

 

[ghetofabu]

I must be having odd phsyhologial flash backs. While reading this thread the spots where mine use to be started to feel odd. Like I was having phantom feeling like they were there.

 

[Giant Lemon]

I got my wisdom teeth removed two summers ago, and I don't remember them telling me anything specific about the anesthesia. It's possible that they told me not to eat for a certain amount of time beforehand.

You should probably just call the surgeon's office about any medications you're taking, although they probably would've told you if something was going to be a problem.

 

[melon]

Also...and this is *very* important, rinse out with salt water several times a day. Not every doctor mentions this, but this prevents dry socket, which can be terribly painful.

For me, it was don't eat or drink after midnight the night before. But I would speak to the doctor.

Melon

 

[meegannie]

Eh. I'll just stop taking the meds now and not eat or drink the day before. I'm too phone-shy to call.

 

[ABEL]

good luck with your teeth meggie.

Luckily I've never had my wisdom teeth pulled, but I have had dental surgery before back in High School....I got sick from the anesthesia...not fun ing with stitches between your front teeth for a whole day

Which reminds me, I'm thinking of getting a new bridge which would involve getting a tooth pulled and I'm not looking forward to it

 

[anitram]

It was a very positive experience for me. Very little pain, almost no bruising.

I was starving, though. But you can't really chew food, so the best thing is to stick to liquids like soups, or mashed potatoes, mashed veggies or scrambled eggs, at least for the first few days.

 

[BAW]

call the nurse of your dr.
they usually say no food or drink after midnight prior to most types of surgery. also if you have a heart murmur you need to make sure you tell the dr. so you can take antibiotics before being put under for your wisdom teeth. but don't take our advice make sure you phone the nurse, they will and should have given you proper orders before you go in.

funny you should mention this Iris...I just started seeing a new dentist and he won't even clean my teeth because I've had heart surgery I need a medical release from my former cardiologist...who I haven't seen in like 5 years. I never required pre meds but I guess he's just being cautious.

And back on topic...I would also recommend not taking any aspirin products beforehand because it could cause excessive bleeding. Don't be shy about calling the nurse...they should have told you all of this already.