<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Dear Listmates,

Thanks for the input on the drugs used for the extraction of my severely
impacted wisdom tooth.  Day three and it's an itsy-bisty bit sore but I'm
glad I had all these gf drugs available to me!  .  My original question is
below, with the drugs listed. For those of you who asked me to summarize
about my gf experience--personally, something was giving me HUGE headaches
and I think it was the pain killer, Vicoprofen, as I feel fine (a little
sore) when I don't take it--it's nice as it really does work and puts you to
sleep so I would give it a try if your doc recommends it.  Vicoprofen also
has ibuprofen in it, and I had been taking that for a week beforehand for the
infection I had in my tooth (it can be very harsh on the stomach). My
pharmacist assured me it is gluten free.   Also, I had been taking the
antibiotic amoxil for about the same amount of time, which also made me feel
like throwing up.  So I am not sure if this is idiosyncratic or my stomach
has just had enough already.  I find I need half the dose of everything so
maybe it was just the full dosages that did it?  If you take any of these
drugs make well sure you eat something very substantial and absorbent--I made
the mistake of eating too much applesauce!  If chewy/tough foods are
difficult at first I would really go out of my way to at least get some cream
of rice (just blend it in a coffee grinder if you have no other options) in
the tummy.  Also, a note about the steroid Decadron--I read it is used just
to decrease swelling (and I really do recommend it--it is a wonderful thing
you'll find post-op--and I read it temporarily suppresses the immune system
which can sound very scary for celiacs--but a one time shot is 'supposedly'
harmless and I don't think I suffered too much for it).   Well,  good luck to
you with upcoming extractions--if it's gotta come out, it's gotta come
out--strength to you! (make sure to have a VCR and plenty of videos for the
first two days!) Thanks for the replies and feel free to write with any
concerns,  Saskia


<<I'm quite nervous about having my widsom tooth extracted in two days.  I
would like to know if anyone has had any issues with IV anesthesia,
a 'therapeutic injection' of a steroid called Decadron, or the drug Valium
and an pain reliever called Vicoprofen. >>

The steroid is just for decreasing inflammation; it's not the kind of
steroids you hear the athletes take and one dose is not going to hurt
anything. We have patients all the time (pediatric) who get a dose of
steroids in the OR, just to help with the inflammatory process that occurs
with surgery

Valium is no problem, but I don't know about the steroid Decadron and I
would be very leery of it.  If I have to have a filling, they have to
use different stuff on me, because the novocaine has a preservative in
it that is wheat derived.  They have to take that part out for me.  It
has to be special ordered. Be sure and triple check and if there are any
questions at all hold off on the procedure. That's my advise.  Before I
knew I had celiac I had a root canal and I was sick for days afterwards,
not understanding why.  Now I know.

I can only vouch for the intravenous valium. I had no problems with it.
Matter of fact, I had it for breast  biopsy and fell asleep on the
table. It relaxed me so much.

Sorry I can't answer your questions directly.  I had good experiences,
drug-wise, with mepivocaine.  However, it won't soothe your nerves or put
you under, it just takes the edge off the pain so they can talk you
through it.  It was all I needed for easy going upper wisdom teeth, but I
was in tears after lower ones with complications.  But just tears, which
isn't so very terrible.  Demerol is gf, but STRONG and nasty (nausea).