Vaso Vagel Syncope

Hi everyone! Am I glad I found you guys.  
 
I had been avoiding the dentist for 5 years. Since I had a root canal that didn't hurt at all just freaked me out. The last appointment I had to finish the procedure the dentist refused to give me the nitrous and i wound up throwing up the utensils in my mouth. I was mortified. He was not thrilled. And I didn't go back for 5 years. Never got a crown on the root canal and went for a year with a new cavity that had cracked another tooth.


So  now I've finally gone to a wonderful dentist who told me the two teeth needed to come out and that given my phobia I really should have general anesthesia.
I met with the oral surgeon first to discuss me fears and options. He gave me valium for the night before and morning of the procedure. Said I would be given nitrous oxide for the insertion of the IV (another fear of mine, never had one. not good at all with needles)

About a week ago I had the appointment. I had to leave without having the procedure done because I have this vaso vagal reaction  where my blood pressure plummets and i pass out. I cannot stand that feeling. I'm sure others have had it. The sweating, nausea, etc. and of course feelling like a fool cause i know there is no logical reason for this reaction & I wish I weren't this way.

Now I have another appointment on July 31. He is going to give me some other seditive pill & have me lie down in the office trying to "relax". He said if one didn't work we'd use another. But I'd have to go to a hospital for the procedure if I cannot get past the vaso vagal thing. He won't put me under if my blood pressure is not stable.

I am very scared. I wish it could just be over with. It's not the pain that scares me. I've been living with it for some time, I know it will be better when the rotten things come out.
It's so hard not to be hard on myself for this. I really do wish I were different.

That's all for now. Thanks to anyone who had the patience to read this whole thing.

I cant really answer your questions as such, I wanted to wish you luck with your next appt and to welcome you to our happy little forum!

I guess you have found your good guy and I assume your happy with him, so all you can do is hope that this next visit is sucessful and you get your treatment!!

You have definitely found your "good guy".

All you need to do is have him do his thing and the second time you go, you'll see how much better you'll feel.

All your stuff is coming from anxiety, nerves and just plain fear.

You have no idea whatsoever what fear can do to one's body.

this is not your fault at all.

This is your body's reaction to whatever trauma you had happen to you all those years ago to cause you to have a phobia.

Our bodies do not lie. They try and protect us. Often it backfires and we have panic attacks in the chair, how blood pressure reacts (either drops like a tank or shoots up).

I once had nitrous oxide (never had it before). When the placed the mask over me (and they told me, you will feel great, you will be calm, it will relax you), well, I will never forget what happened to me that day. I was 21, severely phobic, I was having two temp crowns taken out and two permanents put in and the doctor tried to convince me that I didn't need ANYTHING AT ALL while I sat in his chair. I kept telling him he needed to knock me out completely but he would have none of it. He finally conceded and said "okay, we'll give you nitrous". I didn't even know what that was. he said "we put a mask over your face, we tell you to breath deeply and slowly and you won't know what's happening" So who was I to argue with a dentist? He puts the mask over my face, he's going breathe, breathe, breathe, I'm breathing, breathing, breathing. And all of a sudden, my whole body goes numb, I'm paralyzed and my face is wide awake, and I mean WIDE AWAKE. I'm waiting for the dreamy feeling to over take me and but that did not happen. My eyes were darting back and forth, back and forth and I'm signaling to him, "I'm awake, don't go near me". He looks at me like I'm crazy and he goes "What the???" and I start screaming. "I"m awake, I'm awake". He just sighed and hollered in the other room. "Get the anaesthesiologist, we have to knock her out".

Now this is over 35 years ago. and I remember it like it happened yesterday.

When you are phobic, YOU NEVER FORGET STUFF THAT HAPPENS. It remains in your brain.

Believe it or not, dental phobics are the most intelligent, caring, nice people you ever want to meet. We have been traumatized in our past by uncaring, discompassionate, sadistic people (dentists, (sometimes with the help of our parents), who just wanted to get the work over with and who can't understand why a little kid is so afraid. Sometimes we meet a dentist in our older years who look at us with disdain because of long dental absenses (keep away from anybody who treats you like a second class citizen).

Now I take my xanax before an appointment. I'm not ashamed to admit that I need this. I NEED THIS!!! What I don't need anymore is to be knocked out because I found my "good guy".

So all the best to you.
Don't worry, you'll be just fine.

Sincerely,
melody

Vasovagel Syncope is not an anxiety disorder. It is the result of hypertone in the vagus nerve. The triggers can be fear, bleeding, pain, heat or illness. This isn't just freaking out. There is a form where the heart can stop called malignant vasovagal syncope.

It is normal to fear pain. Both people who faint and those who don't fear pain.

You may want to see a cardiac electrophysiologist to get a treatment plan. Some people need a pacemaker and a tilt table test can help the doctor decide. If you don't need a pacemaker then a drug called atropine might be on hand to help you should you need it.
You won't know what will help until you see the cardiac electrophysiologist.

The atropine really helps with the neasea, sweating and all of the other stuff the goes mad after "the faint" (it's because the parasympatheic nervous system goes out of control and you get all of those symptoms, do you cry too, even though you aren't sad?)

Best wishes.