An Allergic Reaction to Braces

Picture taken from CC.   

    First, I need to start off by saying that I am in no way speaking against braces or specifically the company Invisalign. I just want to share my story in case you ever have a similar reaction.
    I had an allergic reaction to Invisalign braces, and the attachments that are bonded to your teeth. It started when I started the braces at the beginning of December. I was constantly exhausted, and had many headaches. But I figured it was my body adjusting to my teeth moving.
    Several weeks later, and trays later, I was even more exhausted. I blamed this on Christmas (we did host 2 and have 1 more to attend).
    The beginning of January I had the attachments placed on my teeth. Attachments are little tooth like extensions the Orthodontist places on teeth to make the braces tighter. 2 Days after getting the attachments on extreme nausea started. I began to pray. Asking for wisdom and healing. I had no clue what was going on. I figured I had the flu. My throat was also swollen. My daughter was sick with a runny nose at the same time, so I figured I was fighting off what she had. I took natural allergy medicine (Aller-Max) as well, because it was a scratchy throat, which typically was a pollen allergy reaction I have.
    For the next week, I had extreme nausea and headaches. A week after getting the attachments on, I suddenly had severe abdominal cramping in my left side and upper stomach. I couldn't move for hours. Which I have to add is super great when you have a toddler, ha. After about 4 hours of this pain, it subsided and I felt relatively normal. Throughout that week I had nausea and headaches throughout the day, and was finding that I was short of breath from doing simple tasks.
    Five days later, I was eating a snack while my daughter napped and I suddenly felt short of breath and was having heavy heart palpitations. But after 45 minutes or so, that subsided. That day I prayed for answers. I couldn't understand why I was exhausted all of the time, nauseated and I knew that I was not pregnant. The next day, heavy heart palpitations started where they scared the crap out of me. I had no idea what was going on and I was short of breath. After an hour of it still going on, I called my husband and asked him to come home. Once he was home, we went to the urgent care clinic.
    They were not helpful at all. My husband had mentioned they wouldn't be, there is only one urgent care clinic we've gone to where the doctors are actually helpful, calm and don't over-prescribe. This urgent care doctor tried to scare me with life and death scenarios even though she couldn't figure it out. She wanted me to go to the ER, and I refuse to do that unless it's a true emergency.
    Over the next few days, it just got worse and worse. The heart palpitations got to the point where it was last practically all day. I thought it was just anxiety attacks, but couldn't figure out what set it off. I prayed and prayed, I looked up every scripture on fear and prayed it over and over. Every time I took out the braces, I could actually fall asleep and the palpitations would subside. But I was stubborn. I couldn't believe I could be allergic to that!
    Then Sunday night, 3 days after the start of the palpitations, my mom called me and said she sent me several articles on people who have reported the exact same symptoms with Invisalign. I immediately took Aller-max (the natural allergy remedy), and left out the braces. For the first time in days, I had NO heart palpitations! I started taking natural supplements to clean out my system. Such as, Natural Vitality's Natural Calm plus Calcium (it's a magnesium/calcium supplement x2 a day), L-Arginine and L-Citruline complex (x2 a day), L-Citruline, Omega 3 Fish Oils (which help with inflammation), a fiber supplement, and a Digestive Enzyme. The next night, I did have some light palpitations before bed, but it was so much better.
    Because it was Monday, I had called my orthodontist to set up an appointment and was able to get an appointment the next day. When we went into the orthodontist, there were some mix ups and initially the dental assistants attempted to convince me that I wasn't allergic to the braces or attachments. But I know my body, and I know God showed me clearly. When the Orthodontist came over, after hearing my symptoms he immediately said "you are right. You definitely had an allergic reaction." They took off the attachments and gave me the chemical sheet for the attachments. The attachments health warnings actually say many of the symptoms I had had. I found out at that appointment that Invisalign is washed is certain chemicals and is made up of a mixture of plastics which has been known to cause an allergic reaction in a handful of patients (me being one of them). Thankfully there is an alternative they have which is currently being shipped here for me to try.
    So why did I write this article? Because if you are having any of these symptoms and have braces, I want you to know that you are not crazy and see if taking out the braces and getting your attachments off helps. It did wonders for me. My body is still recovering 5 days after the attachments came off and a week since I took out the braces. Allergies, especially chemical related allergies, take some time to leave the body.
    Also, I prayed constantly. I was having such fear filled thoughts! Thoughts of death, but God reminded me of Hebrews 2:14-15
    "Therefore since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives."
    I constantly was praying against fear, because fear was all I could hear. At that moment God's voice was still and small. I had to rebuild my faith, and only listen to faith filled words. I hope this encourages you today!

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