My NICO and Root Canal Removal Journey (Part 2) Surgery, Recovery, and 6 Month Progress

In My NICO and Root Canal Removal Journey (Part 2) I discuss my experience with surgery, the steps I took and tools I used during post-op recovery, my follow up results, and progress updates at several different monthly markers up to 6 months!

The Surgery: A Tale of Smelly Cavitations and Conscious Quasi-Blackouts

In February of this year (2024) I had triple cavitation revision surgery, and it is still mostly a blur. I’ll say that the award for the best medically controlled conscious quasi-blackout goes to Halcion + nitrous oxide. The day after surgery, I looked like Handsome Squidward and felt like I lost a drunken catfight.

So, what exactly did this surgery entail? Let me break it down for you:

The Gum Opening Ceremony: My gum was opened up like a grand unveiling.
Infection Eviction: Infections at each site were cleaned out with the precision of a meticulous housekeeper.
Jawbone Scraping: My jawbone got a thorough scraping.

Ozone Treatment: Each site was treated with ozone, because why not add a little extra zing?
PRF Magic: Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) created from my blood was packed into each site, like a DIY project but with more blood.
Stitch and Go: Finally, everything was stitched up, and I was sent home with a smile (or at least the intention of one).

The chronic infections left behind by extractions done by conventional dentistry are to blame for these cavitations. The PDL, aka periodontal ligament, is left behind during conventional extractions – including wisdom teeth. The PDL blocks blood flow and the immune system from healing the site properly. This can lead to chronic infection in the jawbone that can cause chronic health issues and often goes undetected because these oral sites have had the nerve removed, so no oral symptoms present.

Did you miss Part 1? Get caught up here, hun.

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The Next Step in My NICO Journey: Mop-Up & Detox

After my cavitation revision surgery to remove necrotic jaw bone, the next phase of my journey was all about mop-up and detox. While I’d have LOVED to be one of those success stories where the patient feels better immediately after infected tissue is removed, I didn’t hold fast to that expectation.

The years of hormone, adrenal, thyroid, and other imbalances triggered by silent infection in my bone caused by conventional dentistry needed time to reverse. At this time I expected 3-6 months of consistent protocols to help me become whole again.

To support tissue and bone, I used these tools in my recovery to stimulate regeneration:

PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field) mat
Red light therapy lamp

I also took gentle steps to clear residual infection and parasites that may have been released upon incision. It’s reportedly common for EBV, CMV, and HSV6 reactivation after surgery. To combat this, I used:

ANTI-VIRALS (I re-started these very SLOWLY)
- Lauricidin
- Lysine
- Valtrex

ANTI-BEASTIES
- Essential oil + coconut oil suppositories
- Iodine

Detoxification has also been key in this process. I incorporated:

Vit C 1000

Milk thistle
Pomegranate
Matcha

I also incorporated into my routine:

Lymphatic self-massage
Holistic enemas

Hot infrared sauna (2-4 minutes only, due to weak adrenals)

SHOP RECOVERY SUPPLIES

There are a few things that I unfortunately don’t tolerate for detox like Glutathione, NAC, and Probiotics, but would have added them if I could.

2-Week Post-Op Follow-Up: The Good, the Bad, and the Necrotic

Driving back from my follow up – feeling hopeful!

I had my post-op follow up about 2 weeks after my surgery. Dr. Olson said my cavitation sites were healing up well! Graphic details below…

I finally got to have a discussion about his findings with him…that I remembered, LOL. That Halcion conscious sedation had me almost blacked out on surgery day!

He said the space in the bottom left wisdom tooth extraction site was DRY (as a bone? Ok sorry, I had to…). And that those types of dry spaces are necrotic, dead bone…and they often SMELL that way. I asked, “Like, rotted?” and he nodded.

Ew, David. But cool to know!

He had to scrape the walls of that empty space to get any blood to flow into it. Once the “dry rot” was gone and the blood flow returned, he then cleaned the site out with ozone and packed it with PRF, aka platelet-rich fibrin, that was spun from blood drawn from my arm.

Moving on to the work he did on the other side of my mouth:

My right bottom wisdom tooth extraction site (circa 1997)

My upper molar #19 that was previously treated with a root canal ~1998, but I elected to get it extracted by a conventional oral surgeon ~2018.

He said both of the sites on my right released an oily type substance upon opening them up. According to Dr. Olson, that oily substance is like liquid necrotic tissue that separates from the blood – kinda like a “marinara sauce with olive oil on top” (his words).

Ew, again. But, again, very cool to know!

These sites both bled upon opening, though the edges of the cavitation still needed to be scraped as they were “textbook cavitations” and the infection had spread to the jawbone. These sites were also treated with ozone and PRF.

Upon my inquiry, he said I was now in the clear to whiten my teeth, get a dental cleaning, and get a Nesbit partial denture (which I still haven’t gotten at the time of writing this post.

At that point, I was still a little tender here and there and felt the occasional healing pangs in my jaw, but those pains were very minimal. The hardest part was over, whew!

As far as systemic and autoimmune recovery time goes (drumroll….) he said that he sees most of his patients with these types of health issues feeling about 80% around the 8-week post-surgical mark. He said one of his patients that came to him with severe fatigue and could barely get any movement in at all now SWIMS regularly and feels SO much better!

He let me know that if I feel I need a boost and do not fully see the results I am hoping for, I can come in after a few months and get ozone and platelet-rich plasma injected into those sites without need for more surgery. This can help to clear out any potential lingering infection and boost bone and tissue regeneration even further.

**Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Mat to Support Bone and Tissue**

Sprinkles of Hope: 4.5 Weeks Post-Surgery

At this point in my recovery I was noticing some sprinkles of hope:

More Motivation: I was finding it easier to get things done.
Increased Energy: I was having more pep in my step.
Less Intense Mental Health Issues: My mind felt clearer and more balanced.

Real-life examples, because the above are quite generalized:

I put on spike shoes, aerated my front yard, scattered lawn seeds, and watered it.
I am taught my service dog-in-training tasks again.

I’m worked on new projects for my business and handled a higher workload from my clients.
I reorganized our bedroom.
I was able to do short bits of yoga and foam rolling.

I felt well enough to go on a short CAMPING TRIP!

The shifts were gradual but they were definitely happening.

Updates and Setbacks: Finding Wins Amidst the Chaos at 9 Weeks Post Op

At this point, I had people DMing me and asking how I was doing now. I was feeling like I hadn’t seen much more progress since the last time I updated everyone on social media, but when I took a step back to view my wins from a different angle, I realized that wasn’t true at all!

The reason I’d held off on updates at that time is because I’ve had several new setbacks triggering fatigue:

Adjusting My OCD Medication: caused fatigue
Seasonal Allergies: caused more fatigue

A Sick Doggo: cleaning up lots of accidents and not sleeping well at night to help take care of her

But let’s get to the wins, shall we?

Reduced Adrenal Cortex: I had been able to FINALLY reduce the amount of adrenal cortex I took daily by TWO capsules! The last time I tried to delete just one from my supplement regimen for adrenal fatigue, I had a SEVERE adrenal crash and had insomnia for days. To me, this means that my adrenals don’t need as much support now. I feel this is related to my body being in a calmer state since it doesn’t have to fight hidden infection in my jawbone any longer.

Improved Sleep: Other than when the above setbacks reared their heads, my sleep had been amazing! I have always struggled with sleep because of my adrenals, but now I am able to lay my head down, fall asleep in ~30 mins, wake up only once to tinkle, then go back to sleep fairly easily to complete my sleep cycle.

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4-Month Post-Cavitation Update: A HUGE ADRENAL WIN

First off, let’s talk energy levels. At this point I felt I’d regained about 40% of my energy, which feels like a small victory dance in itself. Sure, I still got the occasional post-op healing pangs at the surgery sites, but hey, it wasn’t a daily drama anymore. Progress, right?

Now, onto the not-so-glamorous thyroid labs.

Despite my high hopes, my TPO antibodies only dropped from 1498 to 1476 (see my results from Paloma Health below, highlighted in yellow). I was hoping for a much steeper drop in in these levels by this point. Sigh.

A BIG WIN THOUGH FOR MY ADRENALS at this point, though:

At just 4-months post-op, I successfully weaned off adrenal support supplements!

Back in 2022, I had to get back on adrenal cortex capsules (ACE) after weaning off hydrocortisone to boost my low cortisol levels (hello, adrenal fatigue). After a year on ACE, every prior attempt to wean off was a disaster – triggering insomnia, severe anxiety, and a whole lot of crashing and burning. Even reducing just one of my seven daily ACE capsules prior to the surgery was a mega no-go.

I was also taking cortisol-lowering supplements in the evening, like Licorice and Phosphatidylserine, to manage my high cortisol points.

But since the surgery, I’ve been able to wean off nearly all these supplements, save for one ACE in the morning. And guess what? No crash and burn effect, and my sleep has been blissful!

**Accurate, targeted cortisol results.**

Half a Year Later: A 6-Month Update

Now that it has been a full six months since my jaw cavitation revision surgery, I feel that my biggest wins from the surgery have been accomplished, and that over time I’ll continue to see more progress in tiny steps.

Here are things I noticed or had some roadblocks with in between 4 months and 6 months:

Adrenal Support Rollercoaster: So, I had to add back three of the ACE supplements I had triumphantly removed. Why? Well, I decided to try beef thymus capsules for seasonal allergies, and let’s just say my cortisol levels did not appreciate the surprise. My immune system went into overdrive – not ideal when you have autoimmunity – and it set my adrenal fatigue healing back a bit. For now, if I don’t take these supplements, I can’t sleep and end up feeling like a wired and tired anxious wreck. But I plan to wean off them again once my body is ready.

Energy Boosts and Stair Climbing Wins: On the bright side, I’ve noticed more energy and less chronic fatigue!! I can now walk up the stairs without panting, catching my breath, or feeling like my legs are made of lead – a massive win! However, working out for more than five minutes at a time still leaves me feeling weary. Baby steps, right?
Weight Loss Woes: By May, I hadn’t noticed any weight loss. This is an area I had really hoped would start to resolve by now due to the surgery normalizing my cortisol, but it looked like they needed a bit more time, patience, and additional support (more on the exact support I got in the next section!!).

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Next Steps: Weight Loss, Strength, and Energy Wins with Extra Help

Thank you for reading about my journey up until this point! It’s time to wrap up my NICO surgery journey with some reflections and future plans.

Taking a Break: When my antibodies and weight still weren’t budging, I felt like taking a break from trying so hard to heal. After all, I’ve been at this for about nine years, and I needed a BREAK, honey. Not necessarily “giving up” on those last few mystery pieces, but rather giving myself permission to enjoy the wins I’ve already experienced from the jaw surgery.
A Divine Sign: If you know me, you know research is my passion! I wasn’t even looking for it, but a sign (divinely?) stumbled across my path: a social media post (that I wish I had saved!!!) about gallbladder loss leading to loss of insulin sensitivity, hormone imbalance, and weight gain. These issues are chronic and need additional support now that my body’s metabolism is altered for the remainder of my life after cholecystectomy.
- Quick timeline: I had my gallbladder out in 2008, got sober in 2012, started noticing chronic health issues soon after sobriety, discovered in 2017 by testing my thyroid antibodies myself that I had Hashimoto’s autoimmune thyroiditis, and started noticing weight gain around 2018.

Upcoming Blog Posts: In my upcoming blog posts, I’ll talk about my journey with micro-dosing various compounded peptides, including Tirzepatide – the ingredient in the prescription Mounjaro. My current wins after three months of use include a 20 lb weight loss, going from the obese BMI category down to the overweight category, and reversing my pre-diabetes!!
- You can follow along inside my Primal Peptides Group on Telegram.
- There, you’ll find my ongoing peptide research papers, peptide tips, resources, discounts, high-protein primal recipes for support on a peptide weight loss journey, and more! See you there, hun!