TMJ Flare Up

CajuninKy · TMJ Flare Up

I am back from camp and it was a rough week for me. I went to the doctor last Friday because I had a bad earache and feared I had an infection. My ear was clear but my throat was infected. I started antibiotics which are very hard on my ulcers. While at camp I was in constant pain in my ear, throat and teeth. I went to the dentist when I got home today to see if I had an abcessed tooth. The pain is bad and I am taking muscle relaxers and 800mg ibuprofen several times each day along with the antibiotics and prilosec. The dentist said the pain is caused from the TMJ. I have to have some work done on my bite and he told me I have to "let go" of whatever it is I am worrying about. I am OCD in several areas and I worry subconsciously all the time. Hiking and riding the horse help me with it. I have a service dog that helps keep my stress level down but I was away from him all week. I am seriously considering not going back to camp for the second week. I think it would be best for my health if I stayed home with my dog and "chilled". Please keep me in your prayers. I appreciate your caring very much and I have confidence in your prayers.

God's Warrior

Sounds to me like you had better consider very seriously staying home. You are not going to be able to handle another week without stressing a whole lot more over STRESSING. It sounds like you would be on a fast moving merry go round to me. Because of my fibro, I have to work on de-stressing all the time and have come to realize that so many of the things that I considered necessary in my life were really not. You would be surprised how much we people who want to serve our Lord, church, country, family, community, mankind and the world can take on. Sometimes we don't even realize it ourselves we are so determined to be good people. Stay home and keep your lonesome dog company.

CajuninKy · Staying Home

I think at this point it is the only choice. I can barely open my mouth to speak and cannot move my head freely from side to side without setting off muscle spasms in my throat and ear. I also went to bed with a migraine and have not fully gotten over it yet. I am out the Axert I take for the migraines and my doctor and pharmacy are all on vacation for the week. If it ain't chickens it's feathers! C'est La Vie. Or, as I am fond of saying, "Just like the little boy that swallowed the marble, this too shall pass." I'll let you know what I decide.

God's Warrior

My Word! STAY HOME, Girl!!!! How in the world can you possibly help anyone else under such circumstances?

CajuninKy · Almost Decided

I have almost decided to do just that. I worked in pain all of last week and it got worse as the week progressed. I am relaxing a bit this morning sitting here with my dog and knowing I can lay down and rest whenever I like. Just thinking of the possibility of staying home next week is relaxing so that is probably my answer.

God's Warrior

Good! I will be praying for you. Very Happy

CajuninKy · Staying Home

I have decided to stay home. My DH, DD and DGS will go back for the second week. I will stay home, take care of the animals and try to relax. I guess I need the break. I hate to admit that but it cannot be helped. I have to admit I have a problem and that I cannot do everything. It doesn't mean I am weak but it sure feels that way. Thank you for praying for me. I really need it right now. I am discouraged but I will get over it.

God's Warrior

Not weak.......just very wise! Your poor body is trying hard to tell you something and I am glad you have heard it. You need an at home vacation while everyone else is gone. Try to do a few fun things that don't amount to trying to catch up with everything there at home that needs doing. I am going to remember you in prayer and also pray that you will take it easy for a little while. We can't always physically do the things that we want to do. That is a hard thing to admit and to try to change. YOU CAN DO IT! I will have to tell you my story one day. That was the hardest thing in the world for me to learn as I was always the first to hit the ground running and it is still what I would do if I could. When I was 54 years old, things changed drastically and I could no longer push my body. It took a lot of praying and being discouraged and feeling useless to accomplish learning that I had to be content to do what was possible and not what I usually wanted my body to do. KEEP PRAYING and God will teach you to be patient and to give your body a rest when it is necessary. This website is one of God's answers for me. I prayed to be able to continue working for Him even if I wasn't able to get out and do the things that I had given up doing most unwillingly. Very Happy

Carol7

I hope and pray you will be feeling better soon. Don't look at is as being weak - I have a feeling even Superman has to take a break every so often to get his cape cleaned. Wink

I'm sure your border collie will be thrilled to be with you while you chill out. I haven't met one yet that has ever turned away because they were getting too much attention. Smile

CajuninKy · Update

I did stay home this week and am doing much better today. I have been relaxing and just puttering around. All the church members are checking on me. That makes me feel good knowing they care. Galloway and I are having fun just catching up with each other. Jolie is more alert than usual. I had to spank her last night. Galloway was laying next to me on the couch and she was there ambling around. She smelled on him for a while and then she bit him. It startled him as he was nearly asleep and paying her no mind at all. He jumped up so quick he nearly knocked her off the couch. Served her right! I think she learned her lesson. Maybe not. She is a bit slow.

My stomach is doing good now. I had an attack of some kind on Saturday night. It was like the one I had on the way down to La. but much worse. The pain was so bad I got weak and passed out. It was not my ulcer as it was in a different area of my abdomen and across my kidneys. As close as I can find by the syptoms I had it was like IBS. Both times it has happened I have been super stressed out. It is fine now. I am going to keep a diary of what I eat and what is going on in my life in case it happens again. Then I may be able to figure out exactly what it is. I am on a pretty soft diet right now because of the TMJ but I am not going hungry! LOL

Think I will mosey out into the yard now and piddle around. I kind of like this chillin' stuff. For a few days anyway.

God's Warrior

I am glad you are taking a vacation. Everyone needs a few days of just chilling out (hard to so with the temps soaring like they are) Laughing

Keeping track of everything that is happening, what you are eating, etc. is very wise of you. I wish I had a nickel for all the times I have done that in my lifetime. Analyzing what is actually happening both inside and outside of your body is soooo important.

Keep resting and enjoying yourself. You have earned that mini vacation!

gardenwife

I have problems off and on with TMD, too. Clenching and grinding your teeth puts a huge amount of pressure on them, as I found out. My dentist made me a thin acrylic splint to wear at night; he took a mold of my teeth, created the splint from the mold, then did a lot of fitting/grinding down of it so it fits naturally and doesn't feel bulky at all. The splint protects my teeth from further cracking, plus having that little bit of acrylic between them does something subconsciously to cut way back on the "extracurricular activity" as my dentist calls it.

All that to say I feel for you!

gardenwife

How's it going, Cajun? I was thinking of you these wee hours. Is your jaw any better? How's life? Smile

God's Warrior

I second that!

Also, Kimberly, how are you doing with your TMJ now? With all the stress you have been under, it is a realy good thing that you have had that mouth guard.

CajuninKy · Life is pretty good!

Gardenwife

Thank you so much for thinking of me. It is nice to know I have friends I have yet to meet who care about my welfare. That is one of the greatest things about this site. It is really a blessing for me.

I am doing pretty good now. I am still on the muscle relaxers and will likely always be because of the muscle disorder and the seizures. But I am not in much pain as of late. Only when I get really stressed out like Friday when we were doing a dinner at church. I was supposed to call a lady in our church on thursday who was going to buy all the hotdog buns for us and I forgot to call her. Never thought about it until we were gathered at the church on Friday morning and someone asked where the buns were. I felt so bad for having let everyone down. We had to run to the grocery and get the buns. Things worked out but the stress still gave me an attack of TMJ.

Yesterday and today I am doing good. I sure appreciate you asking.

How are you doing? I hope all is well and thay you have a great Lord's Day today. God is soooo good, ALL the time.

Aloe

I'll remember you in my prayers. I had the problem in the past, too. I wore the night guard like Gardenwife mentioned. It cost a lot and the insurance that I had at the time didn't pay for it. They make an over-the-counter type thing where you can make a night guard for yourself. It's called Doctors Night Guard. This web site is Walgreens but I assume that other stores carry it. http://www.walgreens.com/store/pr...&navCount=1&id=prod357337

God's Warrior

Thank you so much for that info. I had no idea that you could make your own. My hubby sometimes stresses and winds up grinding his teeth when he is asleep. After having several things done to his teeth by the dentist, it no longer fits him. He didn't want to have another expensive one made just for occasional usage but the Walgreen one would be just perfect for his occasional need. Thanks again.

gardenwife

You can also get one of the better boil-and-bite athletic mouth protectors and trim it down. My dentist said to fit it first, then trim it so it only covers to your canines. The rest is just added bulk and doesn't do too much, he said. He told me to try that first, and to get a custom splint if the athletic one didn't work. I kept waking up chewing on the athletic one, so had to go the more expensive route.

God's Warrior

Thanks. We will see how the less expensive one works first and then consider the other one if it isn't successful. Right now he isn't having a problem. I think since all of his teeth are now fixed properly that has lessened the reasons for grinding his teeth. If it starts again, I will try to remember what I have read here. Very Happy

TMJ Flare Up

Staying Home

Almost Decided

Staying Home

Update

Life is pretty good!