Hey, guys. I guess you can assume from my topic that I am in pain.
Well, I had my wisdom tooth removed a few days ago. Most Americans (for reference of where I grew up) have them surgically removed before they have a chance to push through, but my family didn’t have any money when I was growing up (not to mention I am a twin, so double the trouble) so I decided to get them out as they came in (this is also recommended by many countries, since a person cannot know if they will be a problem unless x-rays show otherwise OR they naturally grow in). In the last few years my father married a dentist, and upon my last trip home, she checked out my teeth for free and said the bottom remaining tooth HAD TO GO (unfortunately I didn’t have time to get it done there).
I had one taken out years ago in America and had little pain. The second one was taken out last year here in Japan and once again no problem. THIS TIME, however, the doctor had a LOT of difficulty removing my tooth. Instead of cracking it and sucking out the pieces, like I’ve heard many doctors do, he kept pulling and it eventually came out. He said it was bigger than usual and the roots were 3 instead of 2 (and that 2 had fused together making it ultra tough). Now, I was not too worried the first night when the pain was excruciating because I figured it would go away. But it hasn’t. And it’s so bad I want to cry. This is the 3rd day and it hurts the exact same as the first. I searched around on the internet and it says that the pain from dry socket starts on the 2 or 3 days following the removal, but this has been a constant.
I also searched for the type of pain medicine I was given and I was shocked at what I found. The doctor prescribed me 200 mg of TYLENOL. When it’s sold OTC in America at 500 mgs!!! No wonder it hasn’t helped at all!! I’m the kinda person that wakes up early from being put under and pain meds often have no effect unless they’re quite strong.
Anyways, the doctor says the pain lasts up to 2 weeks, and I’ll be starting my new job next week.
Whenever I went to the gynecologist for my severe period pain, my doctor told me that foreigners, especially Americans complain easily about pain and that it was all normal. I know that this is the country of “gaman”, but in situations like this, I just wish that pain was visible so the doctors would see how much pain I’m in.
I guess my question is, anyone had any problems with being told to BE PATIENT? I’m seriously scared to death to even THINK about having a child in this country now. Oh, did I mention I was given a gastroscopy with no anesthesia whatsoever? It was for my acid reflux. The doctor told my husband to “tell her to stop gagging”.
I’m so sorry about your pain! I know where you are coming from. I had a dry socket when I got my wisdom teeth removed (in America a few years back) and what you are describing sounds like it. My pain was also constant. I would go back to the dentist and get it taken care of. I have no idea what treatment they do for that here but in my case they put in a tiny piece of cloth with numbing medicine in the hole for a few days.
It’s funny you mention how this is the country of “gaman”. I just had ankle surgery two weeks ago to remove screws that I had put in two years ago. The first surgery I had, again in the US, I was given Tylenol with Codeine to ease the pain. Here they gave me basically an anti-inflammatory and only a small dose. I’m so glad this surgery wasn’t so bad or I would be having a major fit! I too am worried because this whole experience also makes me question whether or not I want to give childbirth here. It blows my mind how the mindset is here about things like this. I just think to myself, why be in pain if you don’t have to be!
Gaman nothing. I had mine removed in the States several years ago and the dentist had a horrible time with it. It took so long that the anesthesia wore off and hurt so bad my boyfriend could hear me screaming out in the waiting room. 3 of the 4 were sitting directly on nerves and one (or two?) had to be chipped out because they wouldn’t be pulled.
Afterward I had pain and bleeding and swollen cheeks, but my biggest problem was that I kept throwing up my pain meds. (Ooh, that really hurts by the way!) My mom was at my apt at the time and basically went all gaman on me. I refused and went to an ER where I was put on a morphine drip until the pain subsided and then given supplementary meds to keep everything down.
I wanted to know if I was a total wimp for coming into the ER for such a thing and the doctor said absolutely not; there was no reason that I needed to be in so much pain.
And I don’t think there’s any reason you should be either. Go somewhere else and be a pain in their ass until they do something about yours. In your mouth, that is.
I’m so sorry about your pain! I know where you are coming from. I had a dry socket when I got my wisdom teeth removed (in America a few years back) and what you are describing sounds like it. My pain was also constant. I would go back to the dentist and get it taken care of. I have no idea what treatment they do for that here but in my case they put in a tiny piece of cloth with numbing medicine in the hole for a few days.
The problem is I’ve been going to the dentist for “cleaning” the socket everyday and he says everything looks just fine. I’m not even sure if they believe in dry socket in Japan!!!
Cleaning the socket? That sounds a bit odd. When I had my two teeth pulled out the dentist just covered it with gauze and said that it would fill with blood and then skin would grow over it. I didn’t need to go back.
The problem with the NHI system is that dentists get paid per visit (rather than per procedure) and so they make up unnecessary reasons for you to keep going back. When you don’t have NHI you can just go once and be done with it.
Cleaning the socket? That sounds a bit odd. When I had my two teeth pulled out the dentist just covered it with gauze and said that it would fill with blood and then skin would grow over it. I didn’t need to go back.
The problem with the NHI system is that dentists get paid per visit (rather than per procedure) and so they make up unnecessary reasons for you to keep going back. When you don’t have NHI you can just go once and be done with it.
Yeah, I’m thinking my doctor KNOWS that I have dry socket, in that case, I WOULD need to go back for cleaning the socket everyday. Also, he only charges me like 150 yen so it’s not so bad. He previously removed a wisdom tooth for me and there were no problems at all. This time was a pretty traumatic removal, and through my research I learned that these kinds of difficult removals often result in dry socket. Everyone I talked to who have had dry socket said that the doctor gave them a numbing medication and packed the inside of the hole. I’m mentally at my wit’s end. I spent the day crying myself to sleep, and then sleeping all day long under the kotatsu. Now I’m avoiding all conversation. UGH. Just wish it was over.
Oh my!! That sounds horrible! Hope you feel better soon :(
One of the only times I feel it’s all right to play the gaijin card is at the doctor. When I got my wisdom tooth out (it was impacted, growing in fully sideways) I screamed and cried and made it clear that I had no capacity for gaman whatsoever. My dentist was super nice and gave me a very strong painkiller out of his own pocket (he said it was from Sweden, and only for very extreme circumstances) and then let me rest on a bed in the back for several hours until I felt better.
I’m really, really sorry and sympathetic to your pain, Amelia, but I’m glad you started this thread for everyone. It’s good to know beforehand that hospitals in Japan expect you to endure pain, so that you can give the doctor a fair warning. If they don’t agree to accommodate you once all the cards are on the table, best go somewhere else.
Oh my!! That sounds horrible! Hope you feel better soon :(
One of the only times I feel it’s all right to play the gaijin card is at the doctor. When I got my wisdom tooth out (it was impacted, growing in fully sideways) I screamed and cried and made it clear that I had no capacity for gaman whatsoever. My dentist was super nice and gave me a very strong painkiller out of his own pocket (he said it was from Sweden, and only for very extreme circumstances) and then let me rest on a bed in the back for several hours until I felt better.
I’m really, really sorry and sympathetic to your pain, Amelia, but I’m glad you started this thread for everyone. It’s good to know beforehand that hospitals in Japan expect you to endure pain, so that you can give the doctor a fair warning. If they don’t agree to accommodate you once all the cards are on the table, best go somewhere else.
LUCKY! It never works when I play the gaijin card. In fact, my previous GYNO was like “You foreigners complain too much. It’s normal. Get over it.” Oh yeah, it’s important to know about it. I never imagined I’d be in this situation since I was fine with my other removals. I really want to go somewhere else, but my family has been going to the same dentist for over 10 years. And I really like the guy personally, but since this is the countryside, I’m not sure how many people actually have their wisdom teeth pulled around here. Also, I’ve found that many doctors think all pain is NORMAL, not just him. The pharmacists seemed to understand more.
Yeah, I’m pretty terrified of country doctors. I refuse to go to the doctor here after several very negative experiences, and last year when I was thinking about having my other impacted wisdom tooth out, I thought about going back to my lovely dentist in Yokohama, then decided I wasn’t in enough pain to make it worth the money for airfare, 1-2 weeks hotel and taking off work (it only causes mild to moderate discomfort once or twice a month for a couple of days; if it gets worse I’m getting that hotel room). Do you have to go to the same dentist your family goes to? I’d be happy to recommend my dentist in Yokohama if you are open to traveling next time something comes up.
While we’re on the subject, another bit of advice for anyone who’s never had one: miscarriages are not fun in Japan. You have to stay at the hospital on an IV all day, then they put you out for like 10 minutes while you enjoy colorful 3D Tetris-style hallucinations, and then when you wake up you are still between dimensions, your form slowly converting back from that of an angular Tetris block, and suddenly find yourself in the worst pain imaginable (by someone who has never actually had a child). You try to scream but your mouth is completely parched and all you can manage is a desperate sort of wheezing sound. When you finally get some water and yell for some painkillers, if you’re very lucky they’ll stick some tube up your ass and blow (at least that was what it felt like), and you finally feel the sweet relief of the realization you might not die after all. And then, if your husband has the same attitude toward pain/gaman as the doctors, you end up getting a divorce because he can’t understand why, although he knew you weren’t keen on the idea of “pushing the watermelon out your nostril” in the first place, you now never want to find yourself pregnant ever, ever again (luckily second husband, although Japanese as well, is far more understanding about my deep aversion to pain and is open to adoption).
To make a very long and graphic story short, I think you’re right about not wanting to have a child in Japan if you dislike pain as much as I do!
I tend to find that people here in Tokyo are total wimps about pain. Like for beauty treatments, they’re actually set at half power here to avoid pain. (My sister works in the beauty laser industry, and she trained the trainers for the devices here in Japan. When I got the treatment, she actually managed to talk them into letting me do it at full power.) And even for minor pain, you often get the warning, “But it will hurt.” One dentist I went to actually wouldn’t pull my tooth until the swelling around the gums died down, as he said that it would be too painful otherwise. He gave me anti-inflammatories for three days, and when he finally pulled the tooth, it was totally painless. My most painful extraction EVER was by a dentist that only really treats foreigners. (He does not take the national insurance plans even.) I kind of wonder if they think foreigners just aren’t as delicate as Japanese women in Tokyo, and thus don’t hold back.
I’m guessing though that the people outside of Tokyo are generally expected to be tougher.
I’m guessing though that the people outside of Tokyo are generally expected to be tougher.
PROBABLY! hehe I went back today and it’s confirmed that I have dry socket. They don’t do much for pain though. Guess I’m going searching for clove oil all day. LOL
Hi Amelia.
Just to add my two cents worth… I’ve never had my wisdom teeth pulled out, but have had some horrible, painful dental experiences so I can only imagine what a hellish time you are having at the moment. You made a comparison to childbirth here in Japan. I have the experience of having two babies in Japan - one with pain relief and one without. Going natural is far easier than it sounds. The “gaman” attitude worked for me in THIS situation. Taking the drugs meant more medical intervention (snip snip) and I still needed more pain relief (for headaches aswell as my undercarriage!) well over a week later. The dentist is another kettle of fish all together and I would want all the drugs available.
I hope you are feeling better by now and that the pain has subsided. O daijin ni.
Aiko - your miscarriage experience sounds really awful.
Thanks for the info! My friend last year had a water birth at her house and she said it was also a good experience. She could even relax in her own bed afterwards.
The doctor changed my medicine and it’s worked a whole lot better. I think I’m just too weak for most Japanese medicine (except cold medicine for me seems to work better here, even though everyone else seems to disagree).
Amelia-dear - I totally agree with you on the cold medicine! A few years back my host family forced OTC cold medicine on me that knocked me out cold without any warning (I was home alone and woke up hour later on a drool-covered pillow under the kotatsu!) but Japanese pain medicine does NOTHING for me. Not that it seems to do much for my Japanse female friends either, they’ve all been VERY appreciative when I’ve shared my period pain meds from home!
Amelia-dear - I totally agree with you on the cold medicine! A few years back my host family forced OTC cold medicine on me that knocked me out cold without any warning (I was home alone and woke up hour later on a drool-covered pillow under the kotatsu!) but Japanese pain medicine does NOTHING for me. Not that it seems to do much for my Japanse female friends either, they’ve all been VERY appreciative when I’ve shared my period pain meds from home!
OMG, American cold medicine makes me forget my own damn name! LOL I don’t know if it does ANYTHING for the symptoms either, besides make you not realize that you’re sick. LOL
wow, horror stories! I may have to get a wisdom tooth out at some point, and after reading this thread I’m inclined to do it (if I need to) on a trip home rather than here!!!!
