“Scary Dental Block Reaction Prior to Restylane (Third Time)”

I went to the same Doctor for the 3rd time (no prior problems) to have Restylane injected into my upper lip. I received a Dental Block (lidojust as I had before, but this time it was then injected the other side of my face, which was also way painful than usual, though not quite as bad as the left side. When I complained of excruciating pain, he gave me a shot of saline and that did help the pain subside. However, I immediately swelled in my cheeks, and we did not do the Restylane.

He thinks I had a reaction to the preservative in the lidocaine. I am skeptical because I have never had a problem with lidocaine in my life, and have had plenty of dental work, etc. The next day my face was so swollen and completely numb that I could barely smile, and I could not feel anything. I had this in late March, and it is July and I am just now completely back to normal.

The swelling lasted about 2 weeks (the worst of it gone after one week), but my smile was partially paralyzed for weeks and I did not regain total feeling for months! It was terrifying.

I went to a few neurologists and plastic surgeons to get their opinions and they seemed to think that it was injected directly into the nerve (a fluke accident, not necessarily the doctor's fault). My friend is a dentist and he said no one is allergic to lidocaine. I'm not sure it was injected into a nerve because the saline dilution injection did help, and all the doctors said it was unlikely that he would hit a nerve on both sides. However, it was excruciatingly painful, and upon the first injection (on the left inside of my upper-lip, below the cheek) the pain went shooting all the way up to my left eye, in a fluttering sensation.

Updated on Oct 28, 2009:

 **UPDATE** I am fully recovered, and I recently ran into the Doctor who did this, at a restaurant in town (we were both getting take-out), and he looked as if he had seen a ghost when he saw me.  He was very uncomfortable, very awkward, and VERY quick to get out of my sight.  I had to be the one to say "hi", and I did because I couldn't believe he was going to ignore me after looking me in the eye.  He did not forget me, as I was in there once a week after this happened so they could monitor what was going on with my frozen, swollen face,  I needed to say something to get him to acknowledge me, and so I said  "I'm all healed".  He said "oh good", very nervously, and rushed out.  It was very dismissive.  It angered me because I could have sued him -- I think most people would have and I was even advised to, but I didn't because I figured anyone can hit a nerve, it wasn't intentional.  I felt very brushed off and that he was very sleazy.  I will name him now, after all this time trying to be respectful of him and his practice, but he doesn't care about me at all, I believe he was only trying to protect himself from getting sued.