Dental work/high HR

[Don]

I'm still learning about my condition.  I went to the dentist today for a crown over where I had a root canal about a month ago.  Before doing the temporary crown placement I was bleeding a lot and the dentist gave me a gel on my gums to stop the bleeding.  I didn't know it had epinephrine in it or that this may be bad for me.  If someone could clarify I'd be grateful.  Anyway, I monitored my HR throughout my procedure on my Fitbit and it stayed around 85.  When the procedure finished, I stood up and immediately felt odd and clammy.  From the time I walked from the exam room to the desk to check out, my pulse hit 193 bpm and my Fitbit started flashing.  Didn't know it would do that.  Anyway, I got in my car and sat for a minute and my pulse went below 100.  I drove home and checked my BP and it was 150/114.  I started drinking water and took my blood pressure again in an hour and my BP was 114/90.  My pulse has been hovering around 100 since my procedure.  It now 6:20p.  My appt was at 11 this morning.  I sent my neuro a message to ask her thoughts.  My wife works at a hospital on a cardiac floor and told me to notify my doc.  It was a new experience for me.  I've never had that happen.  

[MomtoGiuliana]

Some of us are sensitive to the small amount of epinephrine in the anesthetic used in dental procedures.  You can ask that they use anesthetic without epi and put that request in your chart for all future procedures. 

[madamelolo]

Hi Don,

weird enough it started for me all at the dental office as well right after local anesthesia ( lidocaine with epi ), to the point that the dentist called an ambulance, and took me to the ER as my pulse was in the 180s....

after that several episodes up to 180 but laying down all the time,  I haven't been formally diagnosed yet, but everything else has been ruled out.

[StayAtHomeMom]

The last dentist visit I had I informed them of my condition. They put it in my chart and told me it wasn't a problem. They have different meds that wouldn't effect my heart rate. I would suggest for now to drink lots of water and relax while you hear back from the doc. If you feel the need to go to the ER. Better safe than sorry.

[Don]

Thank you all for your comments.  Managing my condition is still new to me. There is so much I don't know.  I check this forum a few times a day.  I learn new things from you guys all the time.  I am diagnosed with autonomic neuropathy.  I'm waiting to see Mayo (FL) in June.  Hopefully they will give me answers.  One of my fears is that the exam will be inconclusive and I'll be left with no idea as to why I have all these conditions.  There's a lot.  I live in a world where I'm constantly thinking "what's next?...what other part of me is going to become dysfunctional?".  My appointment is a little over a month away.  I am so ready.  I'm almost to the point where I don't care what they do to me as long as I find out what's wrong.  

On a side note related to my original topic, I told my dentist about my experience.  I don't know if she knows what autonomic dysfunction entails.  I told her how my HR monitor hit 193 then errored out as in it wouldn't go any higher.  It scared me.  She told me if it happens again to go straight to the ER.  My mom is a nurse.  I told her about my ordeal.  She told me I never should have left the dentist.  I should have made them aware and asked for help.  She mentioned that I could have gone into A-Fib or SVT.  I told my family practice doctor and my neuro and they just said to monitor my BP and HR and drink water.  I took my metoprolol dose that evening at the scheduled time and my BP went down to 114/83 with a pulse of 56.  I learned the hard way about the dangers of epinephrine to people like us.  

[pink1975]

My dental chart says no epi for the same reason. I usually remind them again when I have an appointment but I didn't last time and accidentally got the numbing injection that had epi, whoo was that a ride. Make sure you remind them even if it is written at the top of your chart, circled and highlighted in bright yellow as mine was, lol.

[Don]

Hi Pink. I told them of my autonomic neuropathy a couple times and that I had tachycardia and high blood pressure.  I guess they didn't put two and two together because I not only got a local with epi but the gel to stop my gums from bleeding also had epi.  So needless to say my body reacted poorly to the double dose causing a potential medical emergency.  After I told them about my pulse and BP, they said I should have gone to the ER.  Especially with a BP of 150/114.  

[MaryB]

Hi,  I am new to the site, but have been dealing with these issues for some time.  I want to share something that occurred with me several times through the years in regard to EPI and medical records.

I had like experiences to Don's comments and it took a while before the dentist told me what it was.  (I thought I was just scared at the dentist!)  But after describing my feelings and the dentist seeing what happened after any blocks that included EPI he informed me to not take EPI for these type procedures.  So,  any thing I have to have done now,  (not just a Dentist)  whoever has a needle in their hand gets asked, What is in that, and I do not want anything with epi.

Here is my tale of caution:  Once when filling out papers for a new Dr.  I put no EPI in the allergy, sensitivity section.  The nurse questioned this and advised me that if it was in the system as an allergy that in an ER situation with a Heart Attack it could prevent them from using EPI.   (In current medical practices what happens at one Dr.'s office in likely in a computer program accessed by other Dr's and hospitals.   Don't know if that includes Dentist or not.)   

But recently, I had a FNA (fine needle aspiration biopsy)  I had told them no EPI upon arrival and later the clerk came in to confirm what she had put in the hospital system,  she had included EPI as an allergy.)   I had her correct it right there while I watched.

I am not in the medical profession, Certainly discuss this with your Dr. about your own situation.  But be careful how you word things so that you don't end up with problems in your records.  

Also, make sure your family members understand your situation and desires.

Glad to have found this site!!!