CFS and the Dentist

Not my teeth! Giant Toadfish

This week's been tough. Unexpectedly tough...even though I should have expected it. And that's the nuisance of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), sometimes the most mundane thing will knock you, unexpectedly, for six.

I went to the dentist a couple of weeks ago for a check up and clean - except they couldn't do a clean yet due to COVID-19 restrictions, so it was just a check up. Dentists in Australia had been shut for 8 weeks during the strictest part of the COVID-19 lockdown, and hadn't been open all that long.

I had a 'soft' part of one tooth, which the dentist filled there and then. No needle, just a 10 or 15 minute job. I came away perfectly okay, with a booking for this week when I could have a clean and he wanted to fill a tiny hole that was on the gumline between teeth (or something, some tricky area that needed more time).

I should have realised it would be more difficult and therefore hit me differently to the easy one...but no. It didn't dawn on me.

On Tuesday morning, I went. Had a needle. Spent 30 mins in the chair with way too many things in my mouth. Then another 15 mins for a clean. I came home, face numb, and began working. Of course work was busy. I worked until I noticed I was in a bit of pain. I swallowed some painkillers and kept working.

You know, right there, I should have realised I was pushing my body too hard...but I missed that cue.

At 4 pm, I had to have a nap because I was pushed way too far (pain, struggling to focus, cranky). I napped for about 90 minutes. Did I then take it slowly? Oh no.

Up and cooked dinner. Finished some work, b
efore going to bed.

And I struggled to sleep.

Another CFS overdone it cue.

I wasn't in any pain from my tooth, just messed up.

It's Friday now, and my body is still a total wreck. Sleep is all jangled up. I'm exhausted by walking a short distance. My body is not doing well eating - it's in healing mode. Focus is out the window. My emotions are all over the shop.

What can I do?

It's taken me about 15 years to know this, and I'm not sure it's right, but all I can do is sleep, forgive myself, rest, let my body tell me what it needs.

I'm a little desperate for acupuncture, but I think I have to wait for that. Hopefully it'll open next week but I'll have to check. Acupuncture seems to send a message to my body that I'm looking after it, that I care, that it can settle down and relax. I've no clue how it does that, but I'm not questioning when something works!

So... two trips to the dentist, with two vastly different reactions. And that's CFS. Sometimes it kicks you in the hardest way when you didn't plan for it.