Lidocaine and seizures

[Buffheart]

Hi all! My neuro appointment is in about two and a half weeks so over the next few days I will be making a list of strange symptoms and events that I will print out and give to the neuro. While I am composing the list I thought of an event that I wanted to ask you guys about to see what you think happened.

The event took place over two weeks. This was back in December of 2010 though it kinda started earlier in a way. In December 2010 I went to see my dentist to get a cleaning. While he was checking my teeth he discovered 5 small cavities which I believe were caused by autonomic seizures that were causing me to throw up 1-3 days a week for almost three months. Because I was about to lose my dental insurance at the end of the year I had to hurry and get the cavities filled, so I made two appointments over two weeks (one each week).

When I went there I was perfectly fine. Unlike most people, I have never had a fear of dentists. Sure I don't like it, but I deal. So I went back, sat in the chair, and they injected what I thought he said was Novocaine but now I believe was Lidocaine to numb me up. Within 2-5 minutes I felt horrible. I was dizzy, disoriented, tired, and thought I was going to pass out. I remember struggling to stay awake because I felt like if I went to sleep like I really wanted then something bad would happen. After the appointment I kinda staggered down the hall where my mother picked me up. When I got home I slept for at least 3 hours.

The next week I went back and was somewhat scared but figured maybe what happened the week before was a fluke. Well I went back, sat in the chair, they injected me with Lidocaine, and the same thing happened. Within minutes I was dizzy, disoriented, tired, and though I was going to pass out AGAIN. Again I struggled to stay awake. Again I staggered down the hall, was driven home, and fell asleep for several hours.

When I was back there I was so scared I thought I was gonna cry because I was positive something bad was gonna happen. I kept thinking I was gonna pass out and have a huge seizure and I was gonna be rushed to the ER and maybe I might die. I don't think it was nerves though, because the first time it happened I wasn't nervous previous to the appointment. I had had fillings before and I had had Lidocaine before, but I had never had any sort of reactions to it.

I wonder if the Lidocaine caused some kind of seizure like reaction in my brain. And I also wonder if they gave me too much (it was at least 2-3 shots of it). Funny thing is the second time I went back the assistant who injected the Lidocaine didn't inject it properly, so half way through the appointment the doctor was drilling on one of my teeth and I realized it wasn't numb at all (he must have noticed the tooth looked different because he asked if everything was alright before I even noticed I wasn't numb). So then they had to inject me with more Lidocaine and I almost cried again.

Anyway, I still don't know what to make of this. Did they give me too much? Did I suddenly develop some kind of allergy to it? Was I experiencing seizures? I'm gonna tell my doctor about the vomiting that caused the cavities as well as everything that happened at the dentist, but I wanted to get some opinions first.

 

[Nakamova]

It sounds like they gave you too much Lidocaine and/or you're sensitive to it. (It's possible that you could have developed a sensitivity to it even if it hadn't bothered you in the past.) An allergic reaction would be different (hives, swelling of the throat, asthma). The drowsiness and dizziness are basic signs of Lidocaine toxicity, so I think that's a more likely explanation than seizures. If you had a Lidocaine overdose that would cause seizures, but those would have been the tonic-clonic variety.

Lidocaine is fast-acting, so it's not surprising that you experienced side effects right away. It's processed through the liver, so the condition of your liver can influence how quickly the drug affects the body -- I don't know if that's a factor for you.

Certainly based on how you reacted the first time, the dentist should have suggested either a lower dose of Lidocaine or a different drug altogether for your second visit. It was irresponsible of your dentist not too make a note of your reaction. You might want to ask if the Lidocaine was co-administered with epinephrine (which can cause anxiety or shortness of breath). If you have any dental work done in the future, definitely mention your reaction to Lidocaine.

 

[Buffheart]

Thanks! At first I thought it was some kind of seizure, but the more I thought about it the more I figure if it was a seizure then I probably would have actually passed out instead of just feeling like I was going to. When I was there he gave me three shots of Lidocaine each time which I think is more than I usually get, so it was probably that I just got too much.

 

[mha]

Check back with your dentist about what medicine you received; if you did get epinephrine, it can cause arrythmias in people with Long QT syndrome, and long qt syndrome can mimic the symptoms of epilepsy. Some people who think they have a seizure disorder in fact have this cardiac abnormality!

Its a genetic heart rhythm abnormality; in some people who do not have long QT, certain medications, including stimulants, can lengthen the QT interval and cause the same symptoms of dizziness, fainting or near fainting, palpitations, etc. It can be dangerous, and is worth looking into.

 

[Emee]

Buffheart, Did you ever find out for sure what the dentist gave you that caused that reaction? I have the same problem with Lidocaine. If I even use it in a topical skin cream, I'm out for 2 or 3 hours. I have dental work I need to get done but I can't find a numbing injection that doesn't contain Lidocaine. I can't have epinephrine & the mouth doesn't stay numb very long with just novacaine or marcaine so that means extra injections. Just curious what dentist used on you. Thanks.

 

[Buffheart]

It was either novocaine or lidocaine. I know it ended in "caine" but I haven't been back to see him in almost a year. A few days ago I discovered a new cavity, so I need to go back and I will probably be seeing a new dentist, but I'm still nervous. I hope that was just a one or two time thing due to either some kind of freak reaction that is now gone or due to the fact that in one appointment I had 3 cavities filled and in the next I had 2 filled so I had to have a lot of lidocaine/novocaine injected.

 

[Emee]

Buffheart, I have been trying to research dental numbing products & from what I read they all have Lidocaine in them even if it says Novacaine. I've got to go to dentist for fillings & root canal & I'm terrified.