Jump to content

I spoke to soon ,,, :(


didgens
 Share

Recommended Posts

My son woke me up at 4am this morning, they're here :( .. it was our first time trying the oxygen prescribed by dr. Kudrow.  It was set at 8 which i know you all say here is to low but we tried it for 15 minutes. The last 5 i cranked it up 15 then backed off to 10, my son said "put it back to 15" so i did ,, evidentally he could tell the difference.  He was on it for 20 minutes ,, but every 5 or so i had him take a few breaths of regular air per instructions here.  Our first attempt didnt get rid of it compleately but knocked it down to where he could tell it was leaving at which point he said he was going to get into the shower.  the hot water running over him seems to help as that has always been his MO.   I waited till he got out to ask what he thought.  He said the oxygen made it manageable.  I know he waited to long to come to me last night. I will have to make sure at the very first sign he comes to me and we start with a higher flow.

its just really depressing (im sure all you parents know), you just hope when you see your child having fun and leading a normal life that maybe this time its gone for good.  He turns 21 next month, im pretty sure he isnt going to care about celebrating with alcohol now.

just as a side note i want to add ,, if you have read my previous posts about wisdom teeth.   

yesterday he had his consult with the orthopedic surgeon to have them removed ?  is this a coincedince,, the dentist poking around in there yesterday taking x-rays and his attack this am ??  im still not convinced there isnt something connected there.

anyway .. thanks for being there and listening you all.  you have helped someone that may have gone years never knowing what he was suffering from.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also forgot to add this.  The orthopedic surgeon said that he is only going to remove 3, the third one is to close to the nerve ?????  he said there is a new procedure that they are doing where they dont remove the whole tooth,, but take it down to the bone and the bone will grow over it ( I was not there i could kick myself now) he said because the one tooth is so close to the nerve by trying to remove it they could cause permanant nerve damage ,, I wonder ???? is it already permanently damaged ??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

also found

What are the signs and symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth?The patient feels and describes a symptom, while other people, including the physician or nurse detect a sign. For example, headache may be a symptom while dilated pupils may be a sign.

maybe im clinging to false hope ..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

if you look at these pictures of the impacted wisdom tooth its laying on the lingual nerve ,, my son is giong to have this coronectomy procedure.  look at it afterwards and see that the root is lifted off the nerve.

http://www.fmshk.org/database/articles/03db2.pdf

then look at where the lingual nerve connects .. right to the trigimenal ??

http://www.yale.edu/cnerves/cn7/cn7_18.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just an idea....would it work for him to have the O2 set up and ready to go right there in his room, so he could sit up, grab the mask and go for it at 15 LPM the minute he wakes up, with no delay from rousting a middle man middle mom :D to operate it for him?

Catching it as close to onset as possible is ultra crucial, as I see you already realize.

A surprising number of headbangers find that also gulping an energy drink/shot helps the O2 work faster/better, and for some reason they're still able to go back to sleep afterwards (?!).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

didg, if the oxygen helped him, that would strongly suggest to me that it's CH, not his tooth/teeth, causing the problem.

wholly, and strongly, agree with jeebs about where the O2 should be.  (maybe he smokes and you're concerned about the O2 being in the same room?  if so, we can discuss.)    not really so sure about having to breathe room air every five minutes.  most (i think) stick with the pure O2 for as long as it takes to abort (maybe after 20 minutes at 15 lpm, some room air . . . but i'm betting that at 15 lpm, with good breathing strategy (which he will develop), he'll be knocking them out in about 10 minutes.)  the main thing is to get as much O2 as possible into those lungs, and as much room air out, as quickly as possible. remember/remind him that he should tilt his head down as he breathes, as kudrow has advised. 

as a parent, i tended to hover, wishing i could help, offering things (ice, neck rub . . . sympathy).  eventually i was told that my own distress wasn't really helping things, so i waited to be asked (which came to mean that the attacks would most often get aborted quickly while i slept -- hard as that might be for you to imagine right now). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Jeebs .. it would but he is adamant about not having  "that thing" in his room  (perhaps we will change his mind).  I fear a little his falling asleep with the mask on too,,, we havnt discussed that yet.  in my groggy state i compleatly forgot about the RedBull,, i have one in the back fridge in a paper bag that im hanging onto for such cases.  If i just buy them and dont cover them up he will see and drink them all and then not have one when he needs it..

thanks for the recommendations !! Sadly, im sure we will perfect the O2 abort method with all the help here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I fear a little his falling asleep with the mask on too
 

he shouldn't have the mask strapped on. cut the strap. he should hold the mask firmly to his face when inhaling, and remove it when exhaling. if there are open holes in the mask (a circle of small open holes on one or both sides), they should be blocked, with tape or with his thumb, so no room air gets in as he inhales. if there are one or two circular gaskets (almost always white or green, i think) that allow him to exhale through the mask but keep room air out when he is inhaling, then he might hold the mask on while exhaling, too.

sadly (as you say), but also happily, he will almost certainly come to see "that thing" as a very good friend.

how much O2 do you have? at least two cylinders, i hope.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thanks CHF ,, no he doesnt smoke. He didnt have the mask strapped on, but there is one so i will remove/cut it.  I will have to look at the mask I know it is a non-recirculating one. we have 2 tanks .. the one he used last night is a portable one. the other is gargantuan and lives in the garage right now. not sure we could carry it up stairs ???  he did hold the mask to his face and lean over into it.   I'm not really a hoverer,, i just laid on the floor next to the chair with my eyes closed, i know he doesnt like to be questioned when he is giong through this .. my husband is more of a hoverer.  I think at least for now he appreciated me being there while we try all this out. Im sure like anything once we have it figured out that he wont want my input.  Does your daughter ever use the imitrex injectables ?? i have those now .. but am lothe to use them,, it just seems like poison  :( 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yes, i'm sure he's very glad you're there while you two figure it out.  most folks don't think with perfect clarity during an attack.

at 20-plus minutes per abort (at least while you figure it out), you'll run through the small tank in just a few attacks.  you'll need the large one, i suspect.   two of you should be able to carry it fine, i think -- three of you, for sure.

imitrex was near-poison for my daughter -- but as you know, it's very valuable for many people.  i am hoping that in these early stages, the O2 will be good enough.

(i'm assuming you're not planning in busting now (??)).  if i was his doc, i'd consider verapamil as a preventive.  but i'm not -- and his actual doc is 100 times smarter and 1000 times more experienced than me.

maybe put that redbull by his bed, so he can try drinking it on the way to the O2?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the mask is the most important thing to master. It doesn't sound like you have the O2ptimask? With the cheap ones the plastic bag can stick together...

1. My first step is to make sure the little flapper valve  where the O2 comes into the mask from the bag/line is loose and operating freely (they can get stuck, or dry out).

2. Turn on the O2 full blast, cover the exhale holes and blow into the mask. This pressurizes the mask area, forcing the flapper valve shut, forcing the bag to fill with O2... maybe a little breath from the pressure too but that's OK, you just want to pop the bag open fully so all pathways are open clear. I would sometimes squeeze the bag a little while it was inflating to make sure it opened up all the way.

3. Set the O2 where you want it and operate the mask. Remember, you are trying to get pure O2 only, so plug holes when inhaling, open holes or remove mask slightly when exhaling.

The important thing is the bag should fill while he is exhaling, and empty while he inhales.

I know this sounds like a hassle (thus the invention of the O2ptimask)... but I had it down to seconds, between going for it and breathing my O2.

A little exploration and practice when not getting hit would be advised. It is harmless...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

thanks CHF and Diamonmaker.  He was hit this morning ( I feel awful ,, i had to disrupt his sleep to register for spring semester or he wouldnt get his classes), when i was on the phone talking to him i could hear the tell tale runny nose.  I asked if he was ok .. he said yeah for now .. after i hung up i guess he felt it comming and jumped on the O2, this time knocked it out in 15 minutes.. we're getting better. He said the O2  definately helps.  I'm hoping with forsite that its comming we can shorten it even more.  Since charting his headaches at present he has only had 10 or so a year. Im not ready to have him on a preventative all the time for only 10 CH's. Especially if he can knock them out in 15 minutes or less. I think my next approach will be the vitamin D.    I did purchase some RC seeds but im sure they are old now, the only thing i have done with them is plant them !!  I have a nice vine in the backyard.  I am still in the observation phase of all this .. even though its been 2 years now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...