Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with surgery

Patient looking for Medical Student

polexxia — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:34:27 -0800

How do I find a medical school that is looking for patients? As one of the chronically-underinsured in America, I need some reconstructive surgery done (skin removal, post-gastric bypass). I know that medical schools used to do all sorts of procedures for free or very cheap (since the students needed someone to practice on), and I am willing to take that risk, but how do you go about finding a program that is seeking patients?

If this don't make your booty move, your booty must be dead.

softsantear — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 18:10:27 -0800

What exercise can I do to keep my midsection and above fit after surgery on my butt? I had a cyst near my tailbone removed, and it's still very uncomfortable to sit in most positions, bend down, or move my legs excessively. Getting in and out of bed is a blast, by the way.

All of this sitting on an inflatable donut and not doing anything for fear of a sharp pain in my butt is leading to a lot of stiffness. And the gut I was beginning to develop is going nowhere fast.

I was just starting to get into pilates before this, but since that primarily involves seated matwork, it's out of the question. What are some techniques I could do to at least work out my body from the waist up? (Dumbbells are an obvious answer, but I'd like to target my torso, ideally.)

Previous posters who had injured their legs asked something similar, but taking the advice posted there and doing things in a seated position (e.g., cycling) is, egad, exactly what I don't want to do. Something involving standing up and twistin' and turnin' is what I'm looking for, I suppose - I tried inventing some moves of my own, but it didn't feel "right."

FWIW, I'm more or less fit enough to do any nature or intensity of exercise you can suggest, so long as it doesn't involve moving my legs and hips too much.

Disclaimer: I'll ask my doc for clearance tomorrow before I attempt to perform any of your suggestions.

How to make life on crutches easier?

nevers — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:26:48 -0800

Tips or hacks for getting by on crutches for a few weeks (non-weight bearing, post-knee surgery)? It's been three weeks and I only have a couple weeks left, but it's getting really old and surely there are some ideas out there that I haven't thought of.

Mostly I hate not being able to carry things around home or the office. Shorts with cargo pockets help, but not for plates of food. Wearing a backpack backwards is too uncomfortable to be helpful (also no good for plates of food). I have a rolling office chair, but there are raised thresholds in my apartment's doorways so it's not a great way to go from room to room. I am told that hopping is VERY VERY BAD because of the chance I'll injure my good leg.

In addition to carrying things, I'd love to be able to do dishes, clean the bathtub, mop the floor, and the like. I am resigned to asking for help and/or waiting till I'm more mobile, but if there's a way to be more independent NOW that would be great.

I don't suppose there are any magical speedy ways to go up and down subway stairs or to open a heavy door?

I'm looking for tips from people who've been there, like these duct-tape crutch saddle bags.

Also, tell me if there are crutch tricks I don't already know. I know about sitting on a chair with the crutch's armpit end under my butt, so I can prop my leg on the horizontal crutch in front of me, and I know about making an X with the crutches in front of my chair and propping my foot up on the handles at the center of the X.

I don't need crutch-comfort tips, like adusting the padding or whatever. They feel fine.

Side question, how can I keep my eyeglasses from sliding down my nose when I'm looking down all the time? (Can't walk to the optician to get the glasses adjusted, or to the optomestrist to get contacts, or to the sporting goods store to get some kind of eyewear retainer/strap.)

What are the Best books that list Best cosmtic surgery clinics or hospitals only in Bangkok, Thailand?

omaralarifi — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:50:29 -0800

Where can I buy book(s) that list best hospitals/clinics for cosmetic surgeries in Bangkok, Thailand? I am looking for the best clinics or hospitals in Bangkok, Thailand.
I prefer these books that list only the the best of the best clinics or hospitals specialized for cosmetic surgery only in Bangkok, Thailand.

Please I am only looking for books not websites.

My Mom wants a skin bra. Am I right to be concerned?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:43:15 -0800

My Mom has announced she is getting surgery for a 'skin bra'. I'm concerned but cannot find much information about the procedure, potential complications, or whether I should attempt to dissuade her. My Mom is a very fit woman in her late fifties. She and my Dad exercise regularly and participate in marathons- she is very toned and has focused on core strengthening for the last five years. She is in tip top condition, but recently she's become more and more dissatisfied with how her breasts hang on her chest. She is a modest B cup but her breasts have become flabby even though she is at the low end of her ideal weight range.

She told me today that she is planning to get plastic surgery for what she calls a 'skin bra' and is planning to go with the plastic surgeon that her internist knows in Los Angeles. I can't find much information on this technique and am not sure if I should be concerned.

Beyond telling her that any surgery in which general anesthesia is used is dangerous and should be avoided, is there anything medically relevant I should know about this procedure? What risks is she opening herself up to?

To clarify, I'm not interested in arguments such as helping her find better bras, bras that lift, doing more weight lifting on her chest, telling her to being happy with the body she's in- she's a scientist and the only way to dissuade her from this course (if indeed I should dissuade her) is through facts. Also, she has no problem with cosmetic surgery- she had a face lift ten years ago and thought it was a great experience. Right now the only thing I've got is the fact that so little information on the procedure seems to be available, which sets off warning flags for me.

Any help, personal experiences, or anecdotes (such as 'my wife got this years ago, don't worry' or the reverse) would be vastly appreciated. I set up a throwaway email address if you'd prefer to reply anonymously or have any questions: skinbraformom@yahoo.com

iridotomy side effects?

krix — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:25:36 -0800

Glaucoma Filter. Have you had a laser iridotomy? How common are any side effects, really? A family member is scheduled for a laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) to treat narrow angle glaucoma. As the procedure was explained by the doctor, it seemed pretty simple and straightforward. However, in my searching for info, I came across this page, where the comments have me concerned. If you or a loved one has had an iridotomy, did you have any lasting side effects? Persistent blurring or double-vision? How happy were you with the outcome?

Help me support my friend during a scary time

_Mona_ — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:46:55 -0800

My good friend's young son will be having heart surgery in a few weeks. It's expected to go well, but it's still terrifying for everyone. I want to do something for her to let her know I care, but I'm coming up blank. She and her husband have plenty of family in the area so I'm sure they'll be handling meals, etc. The children's hospital is nearby so they won't be staying in a hotel or anything. Have any of you been through something like this? What helped you out during hours in the waiting room? (The irony is, I have young sons myself so I should be able to put myself in her place, but the whole idea of being in her place scares me so much I can hardly think about it.)

How painful will my tonsil removal be?

arniec — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 06:29:21 -0800

I'm 34 and getting my tonsils out and my palette shaved.. I hear it's really painful. What should I expect? The short summary says it all, but the long one is this: I have tonsiliths really bad. They get stuck in there so deep that Q-Tips, etc. don't get them out and I've torn up the back of my throat with fingers, picks, water, kleenex, etc. trying to get them out. I saw an ENT who also diagnosed me with sleep apnea and now I'm getting my tonsils removed and my palette shaved.

This is what I wanted. The doctor made me see him for a year griping about my tonsils before giving me the surgery, and he kept telling me how painful it would be. Then when the nurse called she said "This is our single most painful surgery" (Nice, eh?).

A friend of mine got this done and he said he was pretty fine, but as it healed he had to cough up bloody scabs, but he couldn't describe the pain.

To to describe me: I feel I have a high tolerance for pain. I had foot surgery a few years back. The surgery was on Thursday and I took one pain pill. Then I switched to Advil and on Friday I taught class for two hours (standing for the first hour of it). I then had a poker game at my house on Saturday, again only on Advil, with my foot elevated.

Yeah, it hurt but it wasn't "Oh my god I can't function in life, the pain please end the pain!" So...is that what I'm in for when my tonsils come out? Can someone please help quantify how painful this will be, and what TYPE of pain it is? Throbbing? Sharp? Dull? Aching? Torturous?

Tonsillectomy or sinus surgery or both?

ictow — Thu, 29 May 2008 13:05:30 -0800

I am a classic example of poorly-designed nose and throat, and I want to fix it. But my ENT doesn't have any advice and I don't know what's going to do the trick. Post-nasal drip, rampant sinus infections, tonsillar crypts (and accompanying gross white debris), snoring, permanent stuffy nose, coughing up phlegm. It's a hoot. I've tried allergy medicine and neti pots, and while both help a little, I'm never in the clear. I was at the ENT today and he said that despite all of my symptoms none are so bad that it's clear what needs to be done. It's been a dream of mine to get my tonsils taken out, and they're what I've blamed, but now I'm nervous that it might be some crabby sinuses causing the ruckus and the tonsillectomy will result in bupkis. I can get a CT scan that might provide answers, but I'm on a cafeteria insurance plan and am reluctant to spend $400 unnecessarily. I know I don't have any polyps. So any IANAD-advice from people who have been there? What worked, what didn't?

Talking to a preschooler about surgery?

Lentrohamsanin — Tue, 06 May 2008 09:24:09 -0800

A friend's preschool aged daughter is going in for surgery in a few months. Can you recommend books, videos, etc. for talking to her about surgery? Without going into full details, she'll be under a general anesthetic and will have at least one incision made on her neck. So stuff that touches on going under and having visible bandages would be helpful.

Hydrocele Surgery Experiences

ob — Tue, 06 May 2008 06:39:59 -0800

I recently had hydrocele surgery and I was wondering about the recovery period/curve of others who braved this surgery. This is sort-of a follow up to this question as I see that there were some of us who were talking about getting the surgery. I had mine done almost two weeks ago, and according to my surgeon I'm recovering well, but I was interested in the experience of others. How quickly were you able to return to strenuous activities such as working out or sex? How was your hydrocele removed? Any other insights? (I guess we could compare hydrocele size, but that might put off the squeamish!)

There isn't a huge amount of information on this on the net, and a lot of it involves this procedure for young boys, so I thought it would be interesting for those of us unlucky enough to have had this procedure done as adults to compare notes.

ow ow ow

monkey!knife!fight! — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 06:31:11 -0800

My broken humorous is hilarious. Well, not really. Please help me understand what I can expect from my shiny new pins and plate in my arm. I pulled a superman off some stairs into a bar in Paris. I was already flying to Frankfurt the next day (later the same day by the time I was out of the second hospital) and on the advice of Paris doctor, decided to see some orthopedic specialists there instead of in Kiev, where I'm currently living. I was told that surgery was pretty much my only option, and went under the knife last Thursday. I got out of the hospital on Tuesday, and it seems to be getting a tiny bit better each day, but wow, does it still hurt.

The amazing this is that I'm typing this with both hands (with my laptop in my lap, I can't raise my arm up to put it on a table yet) and I'm not in a cast, or a sling, or anything. I put my hand in my jacket pocket when I'm out walking around, but the hardest part is sleeping. Other then that, compared to the horrible agony I was in pre-surgery, I'm feeling like a million bucks (which is only like 40 Euro with the weak dollar).

Here are a few questions I have, however, since this is my very first surgery, broken bone, stitches, etc. If anyone has had anything similar - about how long did it take to get mobility back? Did you need to get the pins/plate out? I'm doing physical therapy currently, and will continue next week when I get back to Kiev and as long as I need to, of course.

Stitches in general - they told me at the hospital to not get them wet and keep them covered for two weeks, but online it says to put antibiotic salve on them and you can get them wet - what's the best way to make my scarring as minimal as possible? I also has a "pain catheter" from my neck going into my arm, and as they were taking it out it snapped, so they had to go in through my neck to find it (good times). This means I also have a few stitches in my neck, and both those and the ones in my arm have hard bumps underneath them. Normal? They are they dissolvable type.

In case anyone wants to see the bones here's a photo (blog self link) of the before and after. Thanks in advance. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'm not going to hear "and I was never the same again" over and over.

Ganglion cyst surgery

CrazyLemonade — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:19:54 -0800

I have a recurring ganglion cyst in my left wrist. I usually got a big bump for a couple of weeks, then nothing for months, but this last just kept getting worse. After some years of saying no to surgery, I finally decided to get it operated on and I have the surgery scheduled for this friday. But...some good vacations made the bump go away again and now I don't know if they can still operate on the "area" where the cyst usually appears.

(Yes, I'm trying to locate my doctor, but he works in a clinic with LOTS of patients and so I haven't been able to get to him.)

Any personal experience with this?

Also, what's the recovery like?

I can't get no sinusfaction.

spec80 — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 10:33:44 -0800

What was your post nasal polyp surgery experience like? I've asked a bunch of these questions to my doctor already but I wanted to know if any of the hivemind have gone through this procedure. Would I be okay for work on Monday if I had this done the previous Wednesday? Would the swelling have subsided? What is it like with the splints and packing? How often did you have to get them redone and for how long? What is sleeping like? How are you doing now?

Due to my sinus problems and the attempts before to make it better, I really want to do this. However, I keep on thinking about the scene in the Mummy when Evelyn explains how Egyptians got the brains out.

Why does the knee still hurt?

lag — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:39:59 -0800

On average how long is there pain after knee replacement surgery? I had a partial done Dec. 12th and still have days that I have to take pain pills for the discomfort. Is this typical? Should I go back to the doctor?

Make a Run for the Border!

Anonymous — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 19:46:25 -0800

Any info about lap-band surgery in Mexico? A close family member is considering having lap-band surgery in Mexico. They've done the research, the surgeon is qualified, we know three people who have used him and sing his praises. Web research on the surgeon and the center seems positive and every question we have asked has been answered to our satisfaction. I just can't seem to get over the weird feeling I get about crossing over the border in a van to have surgery (yes, that's how this group does it). Am I being crazy? The family member feels like this is not a very invasive proceedure so it will be fine, I'm not so calm about it. I guess I am a product of my Americanized health care system and I'm having a hard time seeing past that. This is where I need the green's help. Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing? Can you recommend a surgeon that we may not have researched? Should I have this weird feeling or am I being paranoid? More info: My family member has considered getting it done in the states but it is not covered and the cost will be half in Mexico. They have been to several doctors and had all the proper tests and clearances done. They are considered a good candidate for this surgery. Thanks for any advice or help you can give.

What's that smell? Oh, it's my eyeballs crisping.

cuddles.mcsnuggy — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 08:47:08 -0800

LASIK: Considering eye surgery, have new questions for those who've had it. I'd like to hear from people who know what they're talking about. So I'm seriously considering custom LASIK, strongly enough that I plan to apply for the financing and schedule the procedure today for within about a month from now. I'm 33, nearsighted, about -5.25 in one eye and -6 in the other. I currently wear glasses and occasionally, soft contacts. With my glasses on, I see very crisp and clearly. I do not have astigmatism and have already gone through an evaluation with a clinic I trust, and am told I am a good candidate. I have some questions which I have not seen addressed in previous Askme threads and am hoping for additional insight and experiences from those of you who've had the procedure done.

Caveat: I'm aware there are tons of older Askme threads on Lasik, and I've probably read them all, and have weighed the pros and cons offered therein. Please don't point me to these prior posts, as I'm seeking different perspectives from what's already out there. Thanks!! :-) So that said, here's what I'm wondering:

- I know that Lasik does not prevent the potential need for reading glasses in middle age, because presbyopia is due to lense changes which corneal alterations from Lasik would not affect. Also, given that Lasik may not prevent all vision changes and my sight may still decline again later, will having had Lasik prevent me from being able to see well at long & short distances with *regular prescription glasses* in old age? Or will I be stuck with blurry long distance vision (should such a decline happen) and only be able to wear reading glasses for up close?

- If my vision were to decline again as I age, would having had Lasik mean I would never be able to wear contact lenses again? Do contact lenses irritate or damage the laser-altered corneal tissue?

- Those of you who have had eye surgery many years ago; have you noticed any vision decline as you get older? In what way? Can you see well again with glasses, like in the old days?

- Night driving: I'm aware of the possibility of halos and heard that if they occur they may decrease over time as I heal. However, would wearing glasses for driving prevent halos?

- My doc explained the laser touch-up process in the event that the work needs to be enhanced with more lasering within the year after the first surgery. She explained that the same flap is lifted open in later procedures that was cut in the first one, and made it sound like the flap is just kinda always there, "flapping" for lack of a better term. This squicks me out. Does the flap eventually heal fully and seal itself down for good? How long does it take?

- Does having had Lasik mean I won't be able to have surgery or treatment for cataracts later in life, should I develop them? Basically... I'm wondering if Lasik means I could never have any additional surgery done the eyes ever again.

- Hayfever and allergies: in terms of itching, redness, noseblowing, runny eyes, etc. -- Those of you who had Lasik, how do your allergies affect your eyes now? Any differently from before Lasik?

- More on the allergies thing, also regarding headcolds: Sometimes I use pseudoephedrine or other otc meds to dry up my nose. Any contraindications for using these after Lasik? Will they cause too much eye dryness?

- What about smoke? Like campfire smoke or incense (we use incense a lot around the house). Is smoke any worse for lasered eyes than for normal eyes?

- Crying: I'm an emotional softy. Sometimes I cry. Will fountains of tears and the eye pressure/redness resulting from said crying cause damage or problems with lasered eyeballs? Pain? Flap issues?

- Ladies: Eye makeup. Anything bad happen when using mascara or eyeliner? Doc said not to use makeup for the first couple of weeks after surgery but didn't expand on that or mention if it could cause problems later.

- Cat hair and other debris: We have five cats. Sometimes I get a hair in my eye. Or I get dust or eyelashes or whatever in there & have to pick them out. Would this have the potential to cause major corneal damage even after the flap has healed? (I know it would in the first few weeks during the "hands off" period... but what about years later?)

And finally: What does the procedure feel like? I'm a little scared that I'll see the flap-knife & the laserbeam coming at me & I'll be emotionally scarred for life. Does your vision go black before the blade looms? Are the numbing drops effective enough? I heard it doesn't really hurt. Is it pointy feeling? Just wondering what to expect.

That's all I can think of for now. Thanks in advance for insight!

Rehabbing from surgery.

caveat empress — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 16:56:18 -0800

Has anyone out there had to rehab severed extensor tendons in your thumb and/ or index finger? After going one on one with a kitchen knife I severed both extensor tendons in question. Yeah, it never turns out quite like you hope. Anyway, both were surgically repaired. At this point post-op I will not start rehab for a few more weeks and am still in a monster splint.

What can I expect?

Pump-Head Syndrome?

TryTheTilapia — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 10:54:18 -0800

Experience with Pump-Head Syndrome? My uncle had triple bypass surgery about 2 years ago. He was on the pump for over six hours. In the year following his surgery, he lost both his mother and father-in-law. Also, he and my aunt retired and moved to a new home in a different state.

He has never been an emotional person - dry sense of humor, voluble and upbeat for the most part, but very guarded emotionally. Now, he cries alot and, to both mine and my aunt's dismay, he's become very morbid. He talks often about his own imminent death as if it's a foregone conclusion. Just this past week during our Christmas visit, he pulled me aside on two occasions and asked me, in grave tones, if I would accept the responsibility of being the "keeper of the family history after [he's] gone", and made me promise to be like a daughter to my aunt "during the twenty or so years she'll be around after [his] death."

His cardiologist has attributed this change in his temperament to "Pump-Head Syndrome". My uncle rejects this diagnosis out of hand; of course, this is part of the syndrome, according to the docs. Do any MeFites have experience with this? Did yours or someone you love's personality change this notably post bypass surgery? Has the change been permanent?

I would expect that many of the huge upheavals they've experienced over the past couple of years would stress anyone, particularly a heart patient. I'm curious what coping strategies you may have used - my aunt and uncle eschew talk therapy, plus my aunt believes the stress of that would be even worse for his health. Any advice or shared experiences are welcome. Thanks.

LASIK for mild nearsightedness?

DevilsAdvocate — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 08:23:42 -0800

Considering LASIK (or other laser eye surgery) for relatively mild nearsightedness. Experiences? Statistics? My prescription is -1.50 in one eye, -1.25 in the other. My vision is roughly 20/70 without glasses, 20/15 with. Have you, or someone you know, had laser eye surgery for similarly mild nearsightedness? What was your/their experience? Also, how long ago was the procedure done?

I'm also interested in statistics on results and complications for LASIK with mild nearsightedness, if anyone's aware of any—most of the figures I've seen don't do much in the way of breaking it down by degree of nearsightedness.

I've seen this question, which has a few responses in that vein, but that was 3.5 years ago, and I'm looking for additional tales.

I'm aware that having such a procedure done would be risking more than someone who had really horrible vision to start out with, and will take that into account in making a decision.

immune-related issue with my dog's nose

mizrachi — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 14:40:29 -0800

Our old dog's immune-related crusty nose disappeared post surgery and has now reemerged. What gives? Her nose has been crusty for some time now, like 6 years or so, and the thinking is she may have some kind of immune issue, like pemphigus. Recently, she was operated on for a separate, unrelated condition and, perhaps because of being flushed with antibiotics, her nose in the days following the surgery looked better than it had in years. Now, a few weeks later, it seems to be slowly returning.

Any suggestions on how to keep her nose crust-free?

After gallbladder surgery, will I ever be able to eat anything I love?

desuetude — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 07:20:30 -0800

Ultrasound and bloodwork after several excruciating bouts of pain this week show that I apparently have gallbladder disease. Help. This is completely unexpected -- I'm 33, I weigh all of 125 pounds, I don't eat any fast food or junk food, my diet includes plenty of fruits and veggies and whole grains. Previously my cholesterol levels were normal. This has all come on very suddenly.

Oh yeah, and I'm a devoted foodie and freelance food writer. I'm all about the good food. I was a picky eater as a kid who discovered food after I left for college; I now preach with the zeal of the converted. This diagnosis is about the third-worst thing I could hear.

I know that a bunch of MeFites have had this surgery. I'm freaking out about the surgery itself and worse, the prospect of not being able to eat adventurously for the rest of my life.

Anyone have any reassurances for me?

Will our 14 year old lab survive lipoma removal surgery?

mizrachi — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 10:29:13 -0800

Our nearly 14 year old female lab mix has a huge lipoma on the side of her chest. It does not seem to bother her or interfere with her movement - although she does not like it to be touched - but this grapefruit sized tumor continues to grow, and is definitely a bit bigger now than it was at this time a year ago. Our vets want her opertated on immediately. They fear the lipoma will rupture. Over the years, the vets have performed fine needle aspirates of the lipoma, which they consistently describe as a benign fatty deposit. Today, however, the vets were quite disturbed by its size, and they recommended a biopsy to make sure it hadn't turned cancerous and then a surgical procedure to remove the massive growth entirely. Their fear was that the lipoma would rupture, and that as a result we would be forced to put our dog to sleep. Due to its size, the lipoma would be tricky to remove. It is likely that it has grown into the surrounding muscles and tissue. The vets said they were not qualified to handle a procedure of this scale. They recommended that we travel five hours to Auburn University's vet clinic where they would perform the procedure and the monitoring of our pet.

Obviously, we are quite concerned about all of this. I am reluctant to the idea of surgery itself, particularly with such an old dog. Beyond the surgery and the anesthesia and any complications that might arise, we're also concerned about her recovery. Would she be more comfortable without this procedure? Is it actually necessary? Or would she simply not even survive it?

In all of my research, I have yet to hear that a lipoma could rupture. From what I've read, surgery should only be considered if the dog's movement is hindered, which it is not in our case, and that otherwise a dog is just fine with ithese kinds of bumps. Of course, her bump is quite big and it concerns us still.

If anyone has been in a similar situation, I'd greatly appreciate your feedback. We've never had to confront something like this and we're not entirely sure where to turn.

Thank you.
Miz

Did my doctor cut me for no reason?

yesster — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 08:54:59 -0800

So the doctor diagnoses me with diverticulitis, and then performs a left sigmoid colectomy on me. Per the normal routine, the section of my colon was sent to a lab for analysis, which said there was no diverticuli present. Does this mean that my doctor's initial diagnosis, and reason for the surgery, was wrong? Would my insurance company want to know this?

I'm not feeling well. I'm not sure if this is due to complications from the surgery, or from a continuation of a problem that the surgery did not correct (since it was to correct a non-existent problem).

I'm primarily concerned with getting a proper diagnosis at some point. I do have a follow-up appointment with this doctor next week. But I'm thinking I should consider a different doctor.

I know you're probably not a doctor or a lawyer or whatever -- just tell me what you would do in this situation.

Makes my mouth hurt just thinking about it

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 21:50:29 -0800

Where does somebody with a mouthful of rotten and broken teeth get it fixed in New Zealand (Auckland)? An older family member has (through a combination of self-neglect, low prioritisation of health, smoking and constantly-present candy in his mouth), a dentists' worst nightmare. Broken/snapped off teeth, huge cavities in what is left; he's spent several years tugging out chunks of teeth himself.

Nobody is allowed to look but the whole nightmare is obvious now, with broken front teeth.

He is still reluctant to get anything done (take usual shame at presenting to dentist and multiply it times infinity) but something has to happen. He needs the whole lot extracted and to get some some dentures, but our uninformed opinion is that because of all the broken teeth and neglect, it will take a general anaesthetic to drill out all the bits trapped inside, and his jaw is probably in horrible shape due to untreated abscesses and infections etc

Is there something apart from just turning up at an ordinary dentist? This seems to be beyond their scope. Are there specialists in this kind of situation that we can approach directly? The emergency dental service at hospital just does one extraction if you turn up there.