Hi Everyone.  I was wondering if someone could help me understand why I would have had a fierce reaction to Mepivacaine with Epinephrine?  This was almost two years ago but I finally called the dentist to ask what they used in the shot.  This happened long before I knew I had POTS or suspected mast cell issues so at the time I didn't really know what was going on.  I just remember that I had a bad headache and literally could not get up off the floor at my house and my heart was beating out of my chest.  

I understand that I could have triggered from the Mepivacaine but wouldn't the epinephrine actually help me?  Maybe I had a hypertensive reaction and the epinephrine took my heart rate even higher?  I wonder what an Epi-pen would do to me?  

Thanks!

So, although the reaction you had to the mevipacaine is supposed to be rare, it doesn't say you can't react to it.  Most of us can handle lidocaine, but if you are in doubt, then perhaps you might want to pose this question to one of the masto authorities like Dr. Akin or Dr. Castells and they can help your doctors figure out what local to try on you the next time.  I would think it would be a good idea to do some skin testing on this prior to any dental work.


Lisa

Thank you for helping me understand that and providing the information!  

Just to be clear though for others reading this...can't epinephrine cause a reaction in people with carcinoid for instance?  So I can't assume that it WASN'T the Epinephrine that caused my reaction, until I rule out out a few of the differential diagnoses of mast cell disease (like carcinoid), correct?  I don't have a mast cell diagnosis...I just highly suspect one.  
Thanks!

Hi - My backstory is that I also have a history of the racing heart rate & shaking with lidocaine.  I have had it administered without epi & thought that was the answer, but I still have problems with it, such as splotching & shaking.  I went to a "biologic" dentist (DMD & naturopath) last week.  He did muscle testing on me - which doesn't make sense to me, so I won't rely on it -and pronounced that I was allergic to lidocaine, carbocaine, wheat & dairy.  He thought I was not allergic to septocaine.  I'm getting those potential allergens checked by an allergist/immunologist.

What may be of interest to the forum is that I had a deep cleaning on my teeth/gums last Thursday.  They used an herbal irrigant called "Tooth & Gums." They were very proud of themselves for not using fluoride, as they believe it is toxic.  Within an hour, I had a feeling of tightness all over my head, the sense that my throat was swollen, and my gums ached.  I put this off to the vigor of the cleaning and to what they said was a gum infection.  I took home "Tooth & Gums Tonic," which is only sold at dental practices.  I got the companion "Tooth & Gums" toothpaste on Saturday.  By Sunday afternoon, after a vigorous flossing, brushing and rinsing, my gums were very swollen & I had the throat & head symptoms with a vengeance.  By Sunday night, I also had the mast cell activation symptoms - swollen abdomen, severe facial flushing & racing heart rate.  I've been having trouble ever since.  Eating & brushing with the milder paste I used to use is still bothering me.   I don't know what toothpaste to use.  It was a lesson to me that "natural toothpastes" contain a lot of herbs that can trigger us, particularly after someone has been poking around our gums.