Dental Woes

I went to the Dentist on Wednesday for a rather spectacular toothache that was keeping me from eating and sleeping (activities I rather enjoy). Apparently, I need a couple of root canals. I elected to only have one right now because they’re expensive, and only one tooth is bothering me at the moment. When it’s paid off, I’ll do the other. Anywho, they won’t prescribe anything for me until they get a list of safe medications from my OB’s office.

My OB’s office didn’t get them that list until Thursday afternoon. At which time, they call in two prescriptions, one for an antibiotic and one for a pain reliever. Or not. I went to the Target pharmacy and there was no record of them. So, I call the office. It’s closed. So, I call the on-call DDS. After 2 hours of phone calls and begging, I leave Target with 15 Tylenol #3 and the order to call my dentist the next day to work out the issue.

So I do! I’m responsible! I called on Friday. Only my dentist wasn’t in. Neither was the oral surgeon who’s doing my root canal on Monday. The receptionist tells me that other dentist in the office (who’s number she provides me) won’t call in the prescription for more Tylenol #3 because one has already been called in and the on-call DDS didn’t fax over what she ordered. She tells me I can call the dentist on the weekend when I run out. I don’t want to do that! I want this taken care of!

So, the receptionist calls the pharmacy to see what prescriptions they’ve gotten and they tell her that they have a prescription for an antibiotic and a pain killer. So, she tells me sorry for the mix up, but Target has my prescriptions and I can go get them.

Today, after work, I head to Target to get my medication. Only, it’s not there. Those prescriptions the receptionist told me were in the system, were the ones called in by the on call dentist.

Target calls the on-call dentist (exactly what I was trying to avoid) and she refuses to prescribe more narcotics for me since she’s never seen me. Understandable. But I’m at my breaking point now, and literally stand in front of the pharmacy counter trying desperately not to cry. After all, the only thing I want is to NOT BE IN PAIN.

So, I call the on call DDS. Twice. And after an hour I hear from her. I tell her the whole story, and that I’ve done everything I was asked to do. From liaising with my OB’s office regarding safe meds, to calling my dentist’s office on Friday, I did it all. And I think it sucks that errors on their part mean that I don’t get the pain meds I need.

These meds don’t make me feel good, mind you. I get a little nauseous and a little loopy. But I still prefer it to the sensation that my jaw is on fire and the desire to beat at my face with a hammer. (I know, kooky, right?)

So, she calls my regular dentist (finally someone who can get something DONE!) and my dentist verified that I’m having a root canal and can have the Tylenol #3.

So, now, after hours of wasted time in the pharmacy and on the phone, and MORE than a little frustration, I finally have my meds.

And the best part? This whole process has been excruciatingly painful and I haven’t even had the root canal yet!

If you got through that, God love you.