Possible issue with codeine....
I cant really say yet that this is surgery related , but I still wanted to send out a quick heads up to everyone. To make a long story short, on the 4th I ended up breaking a wisdom tooth and on this Friday around 11am I had it pulled at the oral surgeon and he gave me a prescription for Tylenol 3 w/ codeine to take for pain if needed. About 5:30 I decided to take one of them and by 6pm I was in the worst pain of my life (ironic huh?) and having trouble just breathing because the pain was so bad. We called Dr Pohls office and left a call in but the pain got so bad that By 6:10 I was being rushed by ambulance to Roger Williams. In the ambulance they were finding a weak pulse and my blood pressure spiked up to 205/185 at one point. The ambulance guys were great, they were unable to give me anything to help the pain and kept apologizing to me. They had me hooked up to cardiac equipment just to rule out any chance of anything going on with my heart, but the pain was just below the breast bone and we all agreed it had to be something gastric.
At the hospital, they got all the background and were very quick about getting me in. They were waiting for me and talking about me as the ambulance drivers brought me in the doors. I told them my husband was on his way and I wanted to see him when he got there and then they informed me that "a close friend" was also there and waiting and could come back once they got me settled in. They took all the background, took some blood (they'd put an IV in in the ambulance)gave me something to calm the nausea I was feeling, then dilautin (sp?) to ease the pain and a few minutes later my husband walked in. He told me Julie was there and was watching the kids while he was with me. (Julie, I owe you SOOOO much!) He stayed with me a few minutes, then went back to relieve Julie and let her come back. I got to spend a few minutes with her before they wanted to send me down for an X-ray Unfortunately, every time I would move I would get a sudden wave of nausea and begin dry heaving. They gave me a different nausea medication and sent me down for the x-ray to check on my stomach area. They found my stomach appeared ok, but my liver was inflamed and apparently my bloodtest came back abnormal for liver as well. Apparently sometimes people can have a bad reaction to codeine and they kept asking me if I'd ever had codeine before. Honestly, I couldnt remember at the time, but now I'm sure. After at least one of my cesareans I've had codeine with no issues. The dilautin worked well and I felt so much better that the ER doctor and Dr Lentricia (on call for Dr Pohl) were conferencing back and forth and while concerned about why this happened were going to watch me a while and let me go home if I continued to get better. Just at that time I started dry heaving again.
They gave me a 3rd med for nausea and decided I needed to have a CT scan done. By this time I'm so doped up that I cant even keep my eyes open for more than a few seconds but they bring me this HUGE thing of liquid and tell me I have to drink it. It takes me about an hour to drink the whole thing in between falling in and out of a drug induced sleep, but I manage to get the thing down and then have 2 hours before they will do the Scan. Julie has taken my kids and got them dinner and took them home with her earlier in the evening and my husband is pacing halls in between checking in on me and waiting. Finally, they get the CT scan done but I almost pass out getting onto the table, regardless they get me settled and get the scan done and take me back up to the ER. A few minutes later the ER doctor who I've gotten to know quite well by now comes back in to tells my husband and I that they should have the results in about 1/2 and hour and to try to rest. We wait and wait and about 1 1/2-2 hours later the ER doctor comes back and says that he got the results and theres no immediate danger but they cant get Dr Lentricia to return their call so I have 2 options, I can stay and be admitted or since I"m no longer in pain I can go home and follow up with Dr Pohl. I'm no longer in pain thanks to the dilautin, so of course I chose to go home. I was in the ER until 2:30am, I was ready to go to my bed.
Yesterday, I felt soooo much better, although very weak and today I continued to get better though I still seem to tire very easily, So tomorrow I'll call Dr Pohl and sort out the details, but as of now it appears that I had a very bad reaction to codeine. Of course, I'll update once I've spoken to Dr Pohl.
Julie....Thank you doesnt even begin to cover it. You dont know how much you helped me just by being at the hospital, let alone everything you did for me.
Oh My God Angela - what an ordeal! I'm so glad you're feeling better and I hope you continue to do so. I certainly will think twice before taking any codeine products!
Julie, I just have to add - you are such a sweet woman! What a wonderful friend!
Angela, Keep us updated pleaseeeeeeee
Pam
At Goal - 9/13/08
Hey Lady!
You KNOW I love ya!
Call me!
Jule
For Info about Rhode Island Support Groups, please email me! [email protected]
Angela!
I received your flowers today! 
They are BEAUTIFUL!
But, you really didn't have to do that! I helped out because you're my friend and that's what friends do.
Love ya!
For Info about Rhode Island Support Groups, please email me! [email protected]
