• Dental Phobia Support

    Welcome! This is an online support group for anyone who is has a severe fear of the dentist or dental treatment. Please note that this is NOT a general dental problems or health anxiety forum! You can find a list of them here.

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Terrified

ps. Nat i'm not sure where you said you lived, but I have a friend in Carlisle who offered me his dentists address. He says he is really good with nervous patients as he himself needs sedation etc. I could get the name and tel number if that would be any help?
 
happydancyfeet said:
ps.   Nat  i'm not sure where you said you lived, but I have a friend in Carlisle who offered me his dentists address. He says he is really good with nervous patients as he himself needs sedation etc.  I could get the name and tel number if that would be any help?

Thanks everyone for your kind words of support Unforutnately though happy I dont live anywhere near Carlisle, I am in the south and although I am prepared to travel to find soneone who will care about my needs i dont think I can travel that far! I guess I am feeling dissapointed as it took me a huge amount of courage to go today and I guess I was just hoping for some sort of miracle! I hope that I wll find someone soon as i really didnt want to be in pain over christmas, I guess my turkey dinner is out of the window! I am still feeling sad about the whole experience, it feels like today I took one step forward and about 10 steps back!
 
Hi Nat, I'm so so sorry to hear about your total nightmare. I'm really lost for words..... I'm really sad for you but hope that you won't beat yourself up too much, it's not your fault at all and that dentist should be really ashamed of the way he treated you. I would have a fit if anyone sprayed anything down my throat without warning me of the effects it may have and he is totally out of order for doing so. Surely dentists get to know what a nervous patient looks like eg shaking, shallow breathing and white face being just a few of many bloody clues!! It makes my blood boil :mad: But they are not all like that Nat, my dentist is lovely, I think you may have to do a bit of research as everyone else has suggested. As Lotus has already said, we were with you before your appointment and we are with you now, all the way so please don't give up. :grouphug: By the way I think you're amazing for going on your own, I could never do that :hug2:
 
I know what you mean about one step forward and ten back nat......I felt the same way recently......but at least we have taken that first step! You've gotten over the first hurdle.....you'll do it again! Have you tried ringing the national dental helpline nat? I did that up here in scotland, and was referred to a special needs clinic .

I'm back at the nhs dentist tomorrow morning :scared: I hope the magic pills work for me tonight and tomorrow morning. (which i doubt......only 2mg in the morning before IV sedation)
 
Vicky  B said:
  :grouphug:  By the way I think you're amazing for going on your own,  I could never do that  :hug2:


Thankyou, I dont feel amazing though, I was so proud of myself for going on my own and sitting in that waiting room with the sound of drills going but now feel so very let down. My husband has said he is proud of me for doing what I have done so far but I just dont feel very proud of myself. I know i am beating myself up over it but i just cant help it. I have posted on ask your neighbour like Vicki suggested and live in the vain hope that soneone can help me. I am feeling at a loss now and dont ever think I will get any closer to achieving the smile I so desperately want. I have also searched on the nhs website for anxiety management dentistry but to no avail, I guess no one in my area does it?
 
happydancyfeet said:
I know what you mean about one step forward and ten back nat......I felt the same way recently......but at least we have taken that first step! You've gotten over the first hurdle.....you'll do it again!  Have you tried ringing the national dental helpline nat? I did that up here in scotland, and was referred to a special needs clinic .

I'm back at the nhs dentist tomorrow morning :scared:  I hope the magic pills work for me tonight and tomorrow morning. (which i doubt......only 2mg in the morning before  IV sedation)


I will give them a call tomorrow, I am also thinking about visiting my doctor to see if she can help me with any of this, perhaps a magic pill I could take before i go back to find another dentist!

Good luck for tomorrow, I hope it all goes well for you :XXLhug:
 
Honestly Nat you really are amazing for going alone and no one can take that away from you, that in itself is one massive achievement and you should be very proud of yourself :respect:, I really could not go alone, infact my poor dad who is 70 comes with me every time as my hubby is always at work too and i'm 37!!!! I feel like the laughing stock when I turn up with my dad at my age but I don't care cos it makes me feel better!! I think you are very strong too to have gone and you will be able to do it again when you've found a nicer dentist and rebuilt some faith and trust that the dentist you saw today has just shattered. :XXLhug:
 
Thanks Vicky, I really do appreciate the symapthy I have received from all the nice people on this site and dont know what I would have done without it! I have been trawling through the web and have managed to find a dentist about 40 miles away from me who specialises in anxiety management! I am going to try to call them tomorrow (if I get the nerve!) They are advertising the fact that they are registering, I know its going to cost me more money again just to go for the registration appointment but if it makes me feel at ease then I guess it will be worth it, although i wont just turn up, i will do some research on this one 1st!

Thanks everyone, it really means a lot to me to know i can just come here and let of some steam! :grouphug:
 
Nat said:
I have posted on ask your neighbour like Vicki suggested and live in the vain hope that soneone can help me.

It took a while to get the responses that I have so far (one of which is a definite recommendation), so it's a case of wait and see with this one - fingers crossed. If you have a browse through the health & body questions on there (I think I posted it in August)- you can see the replies I got (I didn't use my real name though ;)).

Nat said:
I have also searched on the nhs website for anxiety management dentistry but to no avail, I guess no one in my area does it?

Not necessarily - 'anxiety management' as they like to call it, is more about the ability to help someone relax using whatever technique/method is appropriate. It can mean anything from a bit of TLC and reassurance, to hypnosis to various types of sedation plus other things as well. So depending on what's on offer at different practices, it might not always be seen as a specific service as such because it's just a normal part of what they do and might not always be listed even if they are good with nervous patients (if that makes any sense?). In a nutshell, some people are good at recognising and helping nervous patients and some aren't.

But don't give up - there will be someone out there :).
 
Nat-Anytime you need to let off steam, we are here to listen. Maybe when you find the new dentist you can just go in to talk. No exam, poking around, unless you feel comfortable. That way you will be able to see if you feel this is the right dentist for you. I wish you all the best, and believe me once you find the right dentist, you will feel so much better. :jump:
 
Nat - well done you for carrying on your search for a good dentist. If you feel like making the call tomorrow, I hope you get the response you deserve, ie someone who respects you and your fears which you should not feel ashamed of. You are brilliant :respect: and there will be a good 'un out there for you. :grouphug:
 
well I dont know if I will call them yet, I want to be sure of this one and not end up being in the same situation as I am now. Well I will sleep better tonight now today is all over!

Night all and I really cant thank you enough :grouphug:
 
If you do feel like making the phone call, you could ask if you could have a quick chat with the dentist that you'd be seeing. That way you'd get an idea what they're like before deciding whether to make an appointment or not.

A few people on here have spoken with the dentist on the phone before seeing them. Perhaps if they're willing to take time to speak to you on the phone first, then it may be more likely that they're the kind of person you want to see and who will help you with your fears.

I know it's hard but don't let this one bad experience scare you into not trying again - there will be someone out there who can help :).
 
Hope you have a good sleep after a very stressful day, ya can't beat a good sleep :)
 
Hi Nat - I'm very sorry to hear you had such an awful experience :cry:. I only checked my PMs today and - well, all water under a bridge now. At the same time, you've done brilliantly - fair play to you!!

I might have missed it, but I don't think you mentioned your location anywhere in this thread. If you want to PM me with the details, I could check if someone has been recommended in your area (a long shot, admittedly).

I'd always recommend making the first appointment for a chat only, and only moving ahead with whatever you think you can handle if you feel happy with your dentist. Though I realize this can be a problem when there's time pressure (and many if not most NHS dentists are under intense time pressure). If you cannot possibly afford private treatment, as Happy said, the community dental service in many areas offers treatment for phobic patients under the NHS. But not all private dentists charge the earth...

Apologies for not checking PMs earlier :( - I'll be more on the ball from now on (had a hectic few weeks). Please feel free to drop me a note :)!
 
Well after an OK nights sleep last night I have spent most of the day on dental websites to continue my search! I have come across a few that mention anxiety management and have written down the numbers so I can call them. My main problem is that I dont really understand the term anxiety management? I have never been sedated before so if they do that I would be pleased but then also extremely nervous as I dont like the feeling of being out of control. I have emailed 2 practices that are about 40 mins drive from where I am and hope they will email me back with more information. I have never had an extraction before and know if I dont get any help before the procedure I am just going to go to pieces and I certainly dont want to be made to feel like I did yesterday, I can honestly say that yesterday was probably the worst day in my life to date!
 
Anxiety management seems to be quite a broad term which covers all sorts of things from simple stuff like the dentist taking time to listen to your fears and taking things at a pace you feel comfortable with to more psychological methods such as de-sensitisation or hypnosis. Some practices offer sedation in various forms as well including nitrous oxide, oral and IV.

There are a couple of pages on the website about ways to deal with fears - most of which are loosely grouped under the term 'Anxiety Management'


It's unlikely that they'll try and make you feel stupid if they offer some sort of anxiety management - and if they take time to reply to you, that should be a fairly positive sign. As let's said, make the first appointment for a chat only - that way you can decide whether it's the right place for you and whether you'd feel comfortable to proceed further and have treatment.
 
I think I may have a breakthrough! I emailed our local hospital patient careline thinking they could help me or maybe put me in touch with dentists who could treat a phobic like me. They couldnt but forwarded my email to the primary care trust? I received an email shortly after from a lady who said that she could help me but would need to speak with me direct, I have left her my contact details and hope she calls soon! I am not sure what she does but her job title was Dental Project Manager. I so hope she can help me!! I am trying not to get my hopes up but it seems impossible not to after the troubles I have gone through!
 
Nan- I hope she calls soon :jump: I have been wondering about you. So glad you didn't give up :thumbsup:. Keep us posted
 
freakout said:
Nan- I hope she calls soon  :jump:  I have been wondering about you.  So glad you didn't give up :thumbsup:.  Keep us posted


I wont give up! I have taken the first step now and want the treatment to be done, I just need to find the right people to do it! :(
 
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