- Thread starter cobraboy
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My Recent Trail: A Medical Journey in the Dominican Republic
Exactly.
But I had other ideas...
I told a nurse if she didn't take it out I'd do it myself...and started removing the tape (to get a reaction.)
She removed it...
yeah, i know the drill
but i am probably a lot less patient than an average dominican and a bit less fussy when it comes to medical procedures. taking out IV is a piece of cake. putting it in is more difficult, very few nurses here are capable of doing it properly and my veins are very easy to access. yet still i get large bruises every time i have any injection. it took longer to get rid of the pain in the hand where i had an IV drop for my surgery that recuperate form the surgery itself. amazing lack of competence from low level medical staff.
Incorrect.
Not my problem at all. I have excellent teeth.
The cyst was fully contained *under* a "healthy" wisdom tooth. To access the cyst the tooth needed to be removed; that or go through the jaw from the side. Top down is how it's done.
Seems such cysts are not uncommon and medicine doesn't really know why they form.
I luv ya CB
But that's you, you're a pretty smart guy with a few bucks. I don't think that would apply to most EX Pats, because most of them are dirt cheap.....
Good diary and info though.......
Buffalo just scored, and I'm gaining weight......as we speak.....Reginas Pizza, Coca Cola.......
I feel great!
Thank you for posting this very useful medical information diary. It is so very important for expats to learn how the whole medical system works in this country in order to avoid all the unnecessary bumps on the road when it is our term. This story is so helpful, and we can use it as a reference. I enjoy reading all 3 pages of your writing. Thank you and get well soon.
The cost is not that expensive at all. I paid US$1,800 for a single dental implant in Santiago. And I had 3 done!!
NO insurance.......
The cost is not that expensive at all. I paid US$1,800 for a single dental implant in Santiago. And I had 3 done!!
NO insurance.......
I would have thought that the election results would have you jumping out of bed and doing hand springs down the halls. Surely it must have sped your recovery. Certainly will solve any weight issues. Take some before and after photos. Old CB, new CB. Glad to hear you are ok.
the cyst ate some of the bone - weakening his jaw
is how I read it..... then it hadn't enough strength to chew
is how I read it..... then it hadn't enough strength to chew
WW said it.
Such cysts are not that uncommon, however doctors don't know what causes them or why.
First of all I have no symptoms. Nada. Zero. I had no sign there was a problem. I have good, strong teeth and I'm in excellent health.
Cysts like this grow about .5mm per month. That means my cyst had been there for almost a year and a half.
It "eats" the bone which, of course, causes a structural weakness. It's unclear whether such cysts offers any substitute strength.
Depending on the cyst there are two ways to access them: from the side---in my case, it was on the inside of the jaw---or from above.
The definitive scans showed the roots of the last molar *possibly* inside of the cyst which could have killed the tooth. That was the reason for the root canal first: secure that molar. That would have meant the cyst was *inside* the jaw and could be problematic.
Fortunately that wasn't the case. The cyst was outside the jaw on the inside, all covered with gum and tissue.
There are two ways to extract it: 1) from the side, literally cutting a 1" flap in the gum (radical) or 2) from above, removing the (in my case, healthy) wisdom tooth.
The first surgeon we visited (the one without a name) wanted to do #1, which is a somewhat radical approach. We opted for #2 in a step-by-step approach.
We also figured since the lower wisdom tooth was coming out, by face would be numb, so we might as well whack the upper also. The difficulty was that both teeth were healthy. Bad or impacted teeth with infection come out much easier. Mine were in solid.
Once the lower wisdom tooth was out, the oral surgeon cut deeper until the cyst was lanced. He physically drained & flushed it of the contents, and injected powerful antibiotics in it's place.
We just didn't know how weak the jaw bone was. That's what I'm living through now.
The knowledge is out there in the Dominican medical community. One must edumacate himself on one's conditions to make sound judgement on the options available of patient plans.
BTW: the cyst had dissolved about 65% of the mandible in one area.
I'll try to scan the CT & xrays to show what the docs saw.
Thank you for this insightful and well written journal of your experience. Plus your sense of humour and a very supportive family was a big plus for you. We have accessed the health care system here ( 1 time a 3 day stay for my wife) and found a caring and competent staff. Maybe we were just lucky. Good luck and we wish you a speedy recovery so you can continue your workouts.
In short, ....he had a Dominican Dental experience and is thankfully on the mend.
Can't wait to hear the details about his colonoscopy.