I’m sure we can all agree that being a sick mom is no fun! We spend all of our time doling out love and care for all of our family members-and sometimes for those just passing through-but who comes to our rescue when we’re down and out?
I hope you’re answer isn’t the same as mine, because I basically get no sympathy from my immediate household whatsoever. I seriously don’t know what I’d do without my mom, MIL, and aunt who all live close by and are always more than happy to help with the girls when I’m feeling less than alive-which has been the entire month of May!
I started feeling crappy the very first week of May but you know how this goes, I’m mom, I’m not allowed to get sick, so I tried with every fiber of being to ignore my craptastic feelings and will illness away. My Super Girl cape must have been twisted that day because it didn’t work. I didn’t get better and it sucked.
I went to the doctor 3 times in the month of May and was told each time that I had a sinus infection and a double ear infection. Fantastic! *insert eye roll* In total I got 2 antibiotic shots, 1 sinus cocktail shot, 4 rounds of different antibiotics (I had an allergic reaction to the first round so they had to switch it), 3 different kinds of ear drops, allergy medicine, and also Mucinex-D. That should be enough to kill a small animal. By Friday June 1st, I was still miserable and decided that I wouldn’t survive the weekend at the rate I was going, so I called the ENT who performed my tonsillectomy several years ago. Thankfully Dr. Lewis’ office was able to squeeze me in that same day so I wouldn’t have to suffer through the weekend!
Although I had to drive an hour to get there, I didn’t have to wait long once I arrived. And that was a good thing since I probably would’ve went ballistic on the people letting their little maniac run wild in there!
Anyway, after just a very short exam and listening to me describe everything that was going on a smile spread over the doctor’s face. I wasn’t amused and couldn’t possibly fathom what he found humorous.
He began to explain that the reason that the meds weren’t working was because I didn’t have an ear or sinus infection, the source of my extreme discomfort was TMJ-also known as TMD.
I wanted to slap my forehead and shout “Are you kidding me?!” 3 different doctors and all that medicine for absolutely nothing?! Wow………..SMH.
He instructed me to get a night guard to help prevent Bruxism and prescribed a muscle relaxer and pain medication to take before bed and an anti-inflammatory for daytime use.
In just the 3 short days since I saw the ENT I have seen some slight improvement. I’ve actually slept through the night with the mouth piece in! Just getting a full night’s sleep does wonders! I’m still quite uncomfortable, but the stabbing and shooting pains have eased. My obvious new bestie, Mr. Headache, has still not left my side for a single second, but I have full confidence that we’re going to get a handle on this thing soon.
Do you or someone you know suffer from TMJ/TMD? If so, what brings you/them relief?
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