Osteomyelitis of the jaw in adulthood

My experience has not been anywhere near as horrific as some people's, and the physical impact considerably less, but I have found it interesting how few people in this group have had this disease as an adult. I was diagnosed with Osteomyelitis of the jaw just over two and half years ago, at the age of 56. In November 2015 I developed excruciating toothache, accompanied by a numb section of my chin, and a swollen face. I spent several days and nights trying to get emergency dentist treatment, going to my doctor and getting fobbed off (it was a dental problem, therefore he couldn't/wouldn't treat me, or even prescribe any kind of pain relief!), and finally ending up at A & E. When I finally got an appointment to see my dentist, he was very concerned about the numbness and contacted the local Maxiofacial unit. They said it wasn't urgent and he should either give me root canal work or extract the tooth! My dentist asked which I would prefer and, due to the immense pain, I opted for extraction. The tooth in question was a back molar (second to last tooth, left side, bottom jaw), he gave it the slightest of tugs and it was out - I barely felt it come out - then referred me to the Maxiofacial unit because he still wasn't happy. They finally saw me in January and after a few appointments there, with scans and finally a CT scan, the consultant informed me that I had Osteomyelitis and that some of the marrow in my jaw was dead. Surgery was arranged and I had the dead marrow removed, long with a fair portion of gum - I am now left with a sizeable gap between my last back molar and the next tooth. Eventually the numbness went and the swelling went down - not before my 'day patient' experience became a three-day stay due to my blood pressure crashing through the floor after my op, and no-one being able to get a doctor onto the ward to see me, and extreme difficulty in getting a blood test done (an anaesthetist finally managed to do a blood test after one particular doctor appeared, tried ham-fistedly once, failed, gave up and said he couldn't do it and went off!). My op was around 10 am and a doctor finally saw me around 8 pm and insisted I be sent up to a ward immediately! During my illness, and recovery, I experienced absolutely crashing fatigue - the type that makes you so tired that even the thought of having to get out of bed makes you want to cry. Since then, this tiredness has not one away. I find that I am permanently exhausted, regardless of my diet or amount of exercise I take. Although not as severe as when I had osteomyelitis, it is debilitating and constant. Doctors have just put it down to my lifestyle (I am unemployed), the fact that I am currently overweight, and one even told me 'some people are like that'!! I would be very interested to know if anyone else has, or is, suffering from this kind of fatigue and has had osteomyelitis as an adult.

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