Sure, I can provide a link - unfortunatelly, the article itself is in Czech and written by Czech doctors (their names are at the top of the page) but the sources that they used are cited at the very bottom of the page :
Regards,
Oldriska
Interesting news, Oldriska. My pain has always been in the same area where I first had an infection at the base of a molar, then when it recurred a few years later, I had a re-root canal, with no change in the pain, then an extraction, again with no change in the pain. That all seems to me to be too obvious as to be coincidental. On Monday I'm going to call my neuro and see if I can get in before Sept 17. That is just too far away! I'll go crazy if it continues like this. A lot of the time I can deal with it, but right now it's too much. I'm hoping for a longer course of clindamycin then. I shall print out some of the English journals to take to the neuro, just in case. Thanks to everyone for all the good info here!
Ducky
Hi Oldriska,
Just wanted to share a few things - I couldn't get my neuro appt moved up because she's off for the summer, but I've been communicating with my dental hygienist, whose husband is a GP, and he said that if there's an infection in the bone, a bone scan is much better than x-rays, a CT and an MRI. I am seeing my dentist tomorrow and will hopefully get a referral for a bone scan, and I'm also going to ask him for 6 weeks of Clindamycin. I'm so sure this is going to work! I'll probably have to wait months for the scan, but will take the antibiotics in the meantime. Apparently, bone infections are easier to clear up when treated quickly - I've had this for 4 years, so I suspect that surgery might also be involved. I'm hoping the antibiotics will provide immediate relief and then the scan can tell me if I need surgery or curettage. I really need this gone! Like yesterday. I'll let you know what happens. I'm not sure if my dentist can order the scan, so may have to see my GP for that, or even wait for Sept. 17th and my neuro appointment. Hope you are feeling okay!
Ducky
Hi Ducky,
Good news about your dentist appointment! I hope that you'll be able to get that refferal for a bone scan. I'm not sure if your dentist will be willing to put you on Clindamycin for 6 weeks without any prove of infection, especially since 6 weeks is a long time to take the medication, but maybe he will if you explain your situation and your thoughts as to what's causing it, also time is so important if there is infection and you can't wait months to pass him that "prove". If you get your prescription maybe it would be a good idea to buy some probiotics as well, Clindamycin can cause upset stomach (my belly was swollen when I was taking it and eating reasonably and taking probiotic supplement helped a bit). I so wish that the antibiotics give you relief, four years of dealing with this, you so deserve to feel better! I'm in my first year and it already feels like eternity...
I was lucky to get my MRI scheduled for this Friday, and I'll have a follow-up appointment with my neuro on August 6th. If the MRI comes back without any signs of pathology then I'll ask for a refferal for a CT scan. I've also spoken with a doctor who run my blood tests - they came back almost ok the first time in May, but she had me re-take the bits which she was not totally sure about. My blood still shows signs of infection, but it has improved since May. She ruled out auto-immune disease, and said that whatever I've had it must have been limited to one small part of my body and that my body has dealt with it well. I asked if she thinks that I could still have bone infection despite the results, she was careful with her answer, but admitted it's still possible although in this case she would expect my blood results to be worse than they were. She still recommended a CT scan though if only to be on the safe side.
That's all I have for now, I'll let you know how the MRI went. Please, let me know how you get on at your dentist's! Hope he'll be understanding of your situation and will be helpful.
Take care,
Oldriska
Hi Oldriska,
Yes, if I get Clindamycin, I will definitely add probiotics and cultures. I am scared of getting C-Difficile! A friend had it and it caused her months, if not a year's worth, of suffering. Luckily my dentist is the most helpful and sympathetic of all my 'people'. :-) I am really hoping that he can help. From what I've read on line, a bone scan is very different from a CT, and sees 'inside' the bone better, and is a better determiner of infections inside the bone. Another thing which is tricky though, is the blood work, as you mention. With NICO, the cavities are so small, and the infections so tiny, that apparently it doesn't often show up in blood work. I've had slightly elevated white blood cell count when it's flared, so I think that's a viable option. I also read that bone scans can show 'hot spots' of recent healing, so even if I was on antibiotics before the scan, I think it could still show residual signs of healing. Anyway, everything I've read lately convinces me that the only other diagnostic tool that might help me is a bone scan. If that shows nothing, then I guess I'm gonna have to finally accept the diagnosis and that I have only to learn to live with it. **deep sigh** I sure hope that's not the case! Good luck with your MRI and CT, and keep me posted! I'm really hopeful for us!!
Ducky
An interesting thread.... ducky hello, I was wondering alot about your story and how that bone scan came out??? though it been 4 years, so maybe the infection cannot be detect any more in that test??? but i do think that it's a must test to people that have, for clear a problem related to their dental work, like us.... I wonder if the antibiotics helped?
and btw i read a thread of people with face cancer, and alot of them did curettage it's other term is osteomyelitis
Ducky. the last thing I want is to alarm you further - but edema of the ankles is a very bad symptom which can often be indicative of heart failure. Whether or not all this is related to your ATN symptoms is unclear, but this symptom, especially coupled with sweats and low grade fever as well as swollen lymph nodes - is very serious business that can potentially be life-threatening. You need a physical, blood tests and ECG among other things. I know how badly ATN can hurt, but for the moment - these other symptoms take precedence. If antibiotics aren't effective - a biopsy of the lymph node is often necessary to determine if the swelling is really caused by an infectious agent or if it is a cancer like lymphoma which can also cause low grade fevers, sweats, etc. Please do get it checked out at your earliest convenience.
ducky said:
Hi Red, I'm so glad you chimed in on this! I'm fairly new to the site, but still knew that you were 'the man' in regards to information. I really believe it could be NICO that I have. Based on my documented dental issues and my symptoms since then, it just makes sense. Unlike Mitzi above, my pain has never migrated over 4 years, not even a centimetre. And the pain is so like a legitimate infection I had at the base of a molar that was very apparent on x-ray, in the same area, even, that anything else just doesn't make sense. Not just that but the other symptoms I have of a low grade fever, cold sweats, body ache, especially in my hips, knees and ankles, edema of the ankles and feet, and swollen gland during flare ups of pain. I have not mentioned it to my GP, as he doesn't even acknowledge ATN, but I will try my neurologist in September. She is a very smart lady, and I know that if she doesn't know about it, she will go and find out all she can. I can't see any big issue with just at least trying a 6 week course of antibiotics! So many times over these 4 years I've sworn that the pain is so bad that now it MUST show up on x-ray but it never does. When I first read about NICO I thought that explained it. If there are even two cells of infection in a cavity, it'll cause pressure and then pain. I'm going to keep looking into this. Or I will fly 3000 km to see my parents' dentist who actually believes it exists. Thanks!
Ducky