Extraction under local with a huge abscess - agony. Why?

[Lola Wyatt]

Please can anyone help me understand why LA was used for extraction when I was told it would be a GA - as 2 drains needed which would be left in place for up to 48 hrs to drain the abscess? I was an inpatient month before with it and had 3 days IV antibiotics & had surgery cancelled twice. Abcess did go down significantly and i was allowed home on strong,Consultant prescribed antibiotics (same as I had IV) Everything was going really well then in less than 24 hours the whole side of my face came up again and dentist sent me straight into hospital. It was bedlam - patients in waiting room, canulas in waiting to go for elected extractions and many discussing pros & cons of not cancelling so near to Christmas - I must have looked so rude, not joining in just trying to hide my tears.Surgeon saw me and said tooth had to come out asap but no Consultant Anaesthetist available (require one as I have had 4 major ops on my C spine) therefore he wanted it done under a local. I have a high threshold of pain - have had to learn coping techniques due to neck injury. I wanted to co operate and for the agony to stop. I screamed as needles wen tin and shook from head to toe. Every needle was agony. They said it was the worse one they had done under local yet when finished I was simply told to make a follow up appointment. I was shaking, crying and felt a complete idiot. My face is still badly swollen and they didn't give me more antibiotics - ones from dentist ran out today. I am so upset that I was treated this way - but on the other hand am I making a fuss? My neck keeps going into spasm due to tooth being extracted this way and as neck pain is on the right and abscess on the left iit is so difficult to lie down. Am I simply making a fuss I can hardly sleep as still in pain and feeling very shaken up. I realise that having been on IV a couple of weeks earlier and not being well for several weeks that I am probably feeling low but I actually feel that the Consultant couldn't care less how much it would hurt. I have never complained before _ I am so grateful for such wonderful care after my accident and very defensive of the NHS. Thank you for listening - sorry for rambling on - Lola