SO FRUSTRATED and depressed

This weekend has been a terrible one, and it's just starting! 

Thursday I had my wisdom teeth pulled, and now it's Saturday and my mouth STILL hasn't gotten any better.  My cheeks are so swollen I can't open my mouth enough to get a spoon in, and I can't close it enough to chew.  I'm not allowed to use straws, or eat anything hot.  With all of that, I only get down about 300 cals, which I know isn't good, but it's strange because I'm really not hungry.  But it is also the hardest thing for me to drink water so I feel so dehydrated, my lips are dry and peeling, but I just can get anything in my mouth. 

Needless to say, with all of that, it is nearly impossible for me to concentrate on my homework.  I have so much studying to do and it feels like I can't do it anymore.  I missed 2 days of anatomy last week, and I came back and got the notes (which there are a lot of and they are near impossible to understand), and found out we are having a HUGE test on Tuesday.  I also have a big english test on Monday which I haven't even started studying for.  My teachers were trying to be nice (I think) by giving us the long weekend to study, but I really didn't get it because I've done nothing but sleep/try to sleep for the past few days (which isn't that easy when they want you to sit up in a chair all the time!)  I just feel like there's too much to learn, like I'm not smart enough for the classes, and well, like I just can't do it.  I don't understand any of the stuff I'm trying to study, and it's overwhelming.

Another bad thing about this is that, usually when I'm this frustrated, I exercise, and it helps.  I can't now because my parents pretty much won't let me move yet since my mouth isn't getting any better, and I haven't been able to eat enough to exercise.  I also hate missing more than 1 day of exercise at a time, so that's making me feel pretty down too.

I feel like I can't do anything but cry.  I can't even talk to anyone about how horrible I feel because my mouth is swollen shut!

I don't know what to do.  I feel tired like I could sleep more but I have to study, but I can't because it feels like I can't think anymore, or like I can't learn anything new.  Everything's piling up and there's nothing I can do.  I just hate it.

Just needed to vent...

Sorry to hear about your troubles. When I had my wisdom teeth removed, I missed 5 days from my job. I got these things called "dry holes" - it's when you lose the scabs prematurely. You still heal, just hurts more. I am not a big fan of taking medication, but Tylenol helped me a little bit.

There is no substitute for bed rest, no way around it. Maybe you can study for a few minutes, then crawl back to bed when it gets to be too much.

Also, do not worry about your eating plan or the exercises until you feel better, because it just adds more stress to your life.

Take good care!!!

Oh no!! That sucks! :( I agree though that sleep is probably the best thing you can do. You probably won't be able to really concentrate on your studies as well if you're tired anyway, plus it'll be a total mood booster.

Oh sweetie I am so sorry you have to go through this. The most important thing is to try to relax and heal. Get better first, then worry about school and exercise and calories.  I know that is a hard thing to hear, but the worst thing that can happen if you allow yourself to heal is you might have to repeat a semester. The worst thing that can happen if you try to push too hard is you can have serious complications. Dry Socket being the least of the evils. That scab coming out prematurely exposes the raw nerve to the air and the pain is almost unbearable. They always say the younger you are the easier time you have when wisdom teeth are extracted, but personally I just don't believe it. It's hard no matter when you have to have it done. The most important thing is to get some sort of liquid in you. It will be hard, but keep trying. Room temperature broth, toast softened in broth or milk, yogurt, these seem to really help, but if you are still sore be very careful as you might still have the gag reflex going, and nothing is worse than throwing up with a swollen and painful face.

Hopefully you can e-mail your teachers. I had some wonderful instructors that allowed me to do extra credit research, reports and  projects that at least pulled my grade up to passing when I was in the hospital for 7 days with severe pneumonia my freshman year. Doesn't hurt to ask. Good luck and let us know how you fare!

Definitely e-mail your professors and let them know your situation.  Most colleges/universities will allow you to make up exams if you're genuinely ill, especially if you notify them in advance.  I had one final exam that I was in the exam and I was so sick that I kept having to leave the room to go throw up.  After the second time in 20 minutes I just told the prof and had a make up a week later.

Whatever you can get in the way of nutrition will help.  Probably not fruit juices just yet as they can be acidic and irritate the sores.  Go for chicken or beef broth and yogurt.  Ensure has calories and a pretty good variety of nutrition.  Maybe some oreo cookies soaked in milk? I know, they're not great nutritionally, but they do have calories and if you soak them for a few minutes they become very soft.  Forget about exercise just yet, you aren't getting enough calories to even consider it.

Thank you so much everyone =)

My mouth is getting a little better, I've managed to eat a little more.

I know I'll be missing classes tomorrow, possibly Tuesday as well.  If the swelling goes down I'll probably be back in Wednesday.  I'll be sure to contact my teachers and see about my tests and exams.

I REALLY want to exercise tonight...and I'm thinking about it.  It is seriously driving me CRAZY going without for so long.  It makes me feel so icky.  So, I think I'm gonna eat some more and make an attempt.  If I feel that I can't once I start, I WILL STOP!  I just want to see if I'm ready for it yet =)

I have seriously slept almost all day, every day, since Thursday.  I wake up and get on here sometimes, and take medicine, but then I usually end up going back to sleep. 

As far as studying, I'm just taking it piece by piece, taking the notes page by page, and it's starting to come a little.  I'm gonna go see my teachers the day I go back and ask them questions I may have.  There's still a lot more to go, and it's still a little overwhelming...but I'm working on it.  I have a lot more hope today than I did yesterday, but it could still be better!

aw man, i got the 'dry sores' that someone already mentioned= almost worst pain of my life (and i promise i'm not just being dramatic, it's definately in my top five most painful things), so definately don't exercise (apparently that contributed to my getting the dry sockets- increased blood flow and what not). your teachers Have to understand these things. legally, they are going to have to let you make up  the tests, some will be nicer about it than others, but what can you do? i know you can't drink through a straw/chew... try mashed potatoes! you could even puree other veggies or something and mix them in with the mash, a very spoon friendly food. i wouldn't reccomend corn or anything with little granuels that might get stuck. switch to a higher fat content yogurt until you heal in order to help get some more nutrition in. mash up some avocado. all in all good luck. i know what getting wisdom teeth out is like and just think, in a week you will feel SO much better and this will all be a (not so) distant memory.

Really?  Exercise is what caused it for you? 

deflepfan, I totally feel your pain.  I had two impacted wisdom teeth removed a little over a year ago.  Worst pain in my life and I've given birth 4 times and let me tell you, I'd rather give birth.  I missed two weeks of work, and was still swollen when I went back to work.  Lived on cooled scrambled eggs, kraft macaroni and cheese and french fries, mashed potatoes, stuff you didn't have to chew and could swallow whole if you had too.  Also ate a lot of yogurt and baby food.   I  managed to avoid the dry sockets but I ended up with an infection and had to be reopened up 6 months later after several months of feeling like I was being such a baby complaining of constant pain. You are young so you should bounce back pretty fast.  Don't worry about your exercising yet, eat what you can and give your body the rest it needs to recover.  Good luck.

~Brigid 

Thank you Brigid =)

If you are getting hungry, you could try to do what I did when I had my wisdom teeth out. I made a batch a pasta with sauce and cheese, then stuck it in the food processor and ground it all up. I then ate it through a straw. It looked absolutely disgusing, but it was nice to have some real tasting food in me.

Hope you're feeling better!

If you're using a straw, be very careful not to suck very hard.  Suction can cause the scabs to break away.  I'd use a spoon instead...yes, it's a lot more work, but the risk just isn't worth it.

UH OH!!! I am sooo sorry to hear about your pain, stay away from that GYM ok!!! I am so worried bc I am going to have to get my wisdom teeth removed soon too! ARGH!!!!