I can’t decipher anything anymore
At this point I just really don’t know what’s going on with my body.
Well Tuesday I talked to a dentist friend of mine who said without a doubt that the teeth pain I am having is from clenching in my sleep. She said it’s very common, especially in times of high stress – hmmmm, wonder if I am having a stressful time lately. And afterwards I remembered that on Monday I had woken up from a bad dream (involving babies, yes), so it’s no doubt that I had really clenched that night and caused horrific pain all day. They still do hurt, but I have been catching myself doing now that I know to watch for it so today they are hurting FAR less. If it continues I may have to go to the dentist to get fitted for a tooth guard thing to prevent me from doing it (but I’m pretty sure our insurance wouldn’t cover much, if any). She also said that sensitive teeth is caused by clenching, so I’ve been doing it for years…. just not to the extreme degree that I have recently. I was all like… wow, that would have been nice info to have 4 years ago when I went to the dentist (in Canada) complaining about wicked sensitive teeth. A lot more helpful than, “You just have sensitive teeth. Nothing we can do.”
So that explains one thing, but today now my stomach is hurting. WTF? And at this point I can’t even tell what is hurting… I think it’s my stomach, but everything’s moved around so much in there that I can’t freaking tell. Sort of feels like hunger pains… but I feel them even after I eat. I’m sure it’s related to how everything is moving around in there, flopping around aimlessly now that there’s no huge uterus squashing things into my ribs. Maybe it simply doesn’t know what to do with itself and is having panic attacks. I wouldn’t blame it. (Though I do wonder why it has started now, 4 weeks post-partum. Delayed reaction?)
My mom is arriving tomorrow (errr… today). We’ll see how this goes… and if I have time to post much. Or play my game (World of Warcraft). I am addicted. Yay.
About the teeth clenching thing – a low tech (and low cost too) way to get a mouthguard – stop at a sporting goods store and get a football mouthguard. Works the same way as a regular mouthguard, but you don’t have to pay for the dentist visit.
Hugs, hon. It doesn’t surprise me that your body is having issues. It really HAS only been a month. Which, in grieving terms… hasn’t been that long.
Hugs and love. I think of you often and send you and Den good thoughts.
xxx
Wishes that physically things begin to feel better soon.
I hope you find having your mother around to be a comfort and all goes peacefully this weekend.
I clench both my teeth and fists all night long.
Sending you good vibrations and love and light.
One of the things about grieving,
your body does really strange things. I could feel Gabriel kick, even though he was gone. I would get pain in my chest, I’d swear I was having a heart attack, but it was only grief. My head would hurt, I’d feel dizzy, and my jaw would hurt. Get stuff checked out, but I think odd body pain is a part of grief work.
Hang in there, it gets better.
I too do the clenching at night and I wake in severe pain. The only thing that works is to wear the night guard for a few weeks to retrain your mouth to keep that gap….mine was $350 and it was a dentist friend of the family or it would have been $600. My hubby got the $25 one at the local grocery store or pharmacy and says it works perfectly fine. Try that first to save some money. Good luck and hope the tummy thing goes away.
Your stomach pain is probably also stress-related. I don’t recall having pain like that after birth!!! I hope you feel better soon!
Unfortunately, I can tell you first hand that the stomach pains you are having are stress and anxiety from all you have been through in the past weeks. After my last m/c in 3/06 (the third), I spiraled into the world of Generalized Anxiety Disorder – my stomach muscles would spasm out of no where, and at its worst, I spent many evenings in the bathroom either feeling like I was going to puke or actually do it.
Please watch yourself over the coming weeks…if it gets bad, talk with your DH, your doctors about seeking help. All the support in the world right now is not enough to overcome the pain of losing Devin.
Will be thinking of you… Please let me know if there is anything I can do.
During my first divorce and then during our infertility/micarriages debacle, I had horrible jaw and teeth pain. As Serenity said, I purchased a cheapie mouthguard and it did wonders. Also, once you are aware you are doing it, you realize you probably did it all day without realizing it. (at least it was that way for me) Hope you feel better soon, dear.
I know this is a strange thing to think about, but do you normally have painful ovulation symptoms? I ovulated slightly less than six weeks after I delivered A, and I know some women for whom it only took four. If that’s the case, you should know in a couple of weeks. I have to warn you, though– getting that first period can really mess with your head. For me it was the feeling that my body was all done with A– back to normal, forgotten, etc. Messed with me good.
Tina – That’s something I hadn’t thought of but makes a lot of sense indeed.
Julia – Not usually, no…. but that’s a thought. It would be nice timing if that were the case.
Hi.
I found your blog through another that I read, and I’m terribly sorry to read of the death of your dear Devin. While I don’t know you, his loss brings tears to my eyes.
I had to comment about the stomach pain. While it is possible that it is stress, I have a duty to at least let you know that the first symptoms I had of the uterine infection I developed after my sons birth were pains as you have described. I don’t know how unwell you are feeling, physically, but it may be worth checking with your OB. A uterine infection can fester pretty silently for a while before it gets really bad, but sometimes it moves faster. It is quite possibile this isn’t it at all, but if it’s possible, please consider talking to your ob sooner than the standard 6 week checkup. Also, please consider taking your temperature twice a day (at least one of those times in the afternoon) as a rising temp can also be a sign of infection.
Hoping, of course, that isn’t the case. My thoughts and prayers are with you.