Another Oral sedation question

[Utopiah]

I am new here. I just got back from my dental appointment to start a crown. I also need a small filling on an upper tooth nest to my front teeth. Dentist refused to work on me because of my anxiety. I even Xanaxed up before I left there.  I am not mad at the dentist, but I did call his staff 2x and told them I was terrified because of past experieinces with dentists and bad shots.  I am also a trauma victim (no details needed.)

Here's my situation: I called about 64 dentists in my HMO network trying to find one that does oral sedation work. I found. But they don't use the drugs you speak of here.

One said they use this drug coctail that consists of:
2mg Ativan - 2 hours before appontment
50mg Demoral - 30 min before appointment
50mg  Vistaril - 30 min before appointment
No extra charge - I just fill the prescription.

The other said they use a 2mg Ativan only. But I talked with the staff and they said to come in for the free consult and ask this doc if he would do the drug coctail.

I've always heard that you need to be monitored while using these drugs.

And this drug coctail that they speak of sounds like it would knock out a horse!

Anyone know of this stuff?

I've read thru many posts here dealing with the sedation.
I am scared of the shots and of the drilling.
I once had a root canal done where they couldn't numb the tooth. So they severed the nerve directly.
Plus I've had 3 apeocectomies on one tooth. Then had it pulled. Then a dental implant that failed. Then a bridge done.  My sinus problems are to blame for my teeth going bad on me.  

Please help!

Thanks- Anna

 

[letsconnect]

Hi Utopiah,

it's sort of hard to tell from your post, but is that really what you're looking for?

If you're not prepared to go outside the HMO network, maybe that's what you're stuck with, but if can afford to go private at all, then that's an opportunity that might be worth investigating.

It sounds really weird to have 3 apioectomies on one tooth (so much so that you might be one of the only people on this planet to have had this done).

My advice (as usual) would be to ask friends, family members, acquaintances, or your doctor for a dentist they'd recommend.

 

[Utopiah]

I thought I would check within my HMO network first because after all, I do pay for the insurance. So I found 2 dentists that do some sort of Oral Sedation.

What I wanted to know was, has anyone had this kind of drug coctail that they speak of.

2mg Ativan - 2 hours before appontment
50mg Demoral - 30 min before appointment
50mg Vistaril - 30 min before appointment

I have a consultation Friday with one doctor. His staff was very nice.

And yes, It is true, I am NOT exagerrating about the 3 apioectomies on one tooth. That was in 1988-89 I had that done.. Dentist had done a root canal on that tooth a few years earlier. Crowned it. Then a few years later it started hurting. Sent me to an endodontest. He did the first one and sent me home with a script for Tylox with a refill. (You know you are in trouble when they Rx that.) 6months later, more pain. Did the procedure again. 6 mos after that, again. Then 2 months later said WTF, pain again so I had the tooth pulled. I lost bone around my upper jaw because of all this. Every dentist I ever have gone to always comments "Wow I can see they did alot of work on you in that area."

 

[Utopiah]

LC,

I think you misunderstood my question. I was asking if anyone used the combination of the drugs I listed in my original post.

As for the 3 apeopectomies: Trust me --I did not make this up nor exaggerate this.

And of course I did ask family & friends fro recommendations on their dentist. Problem is: None of them are afraid of going to the dentist like I am.

I did find a dentist I am going to try tomorrow. He does not use the drug coctail I posted about. He prescribed 2- .50 Xanax to take 30 minutes before appointment. and then take 2 more when I get to his office.

And perhaps it was a good thing I didn't let the first dentist do my crown. He was just going to remove my old filling and then crown it. THIS dentist is going to remove the old filling, then build it up, then crown it. Dental HMO does not cover building it up, so I'll have to pay $85 extra. But that will possibly save me from having to have a root canal (or an apeoectomy) later on.

I hope just the 2 mg of Xanax relaxes me to have this done.

 

[letsconnect]

Sorry about the misunderstanding .

The drug cocktail you mentioned is not something I've ever heard of, and I'd say it's very unusual.

In dental sedation circles, Xanax would not be regarded as the drug of choice because of its long duration of action and late onset (1-2 hours). In terms of its pharmaceutical properties, Xanax is more useful for managing pre-appointment anxiety (in the days before an appointment). But a lot of dentists use it for dental procedures all the same. It works well for some people and not so well for others, like all oral sedation it can be a bit of a hit-and-miss affair. Inhalation sedation (nitrous oxide) or IV sedation would usually be regarded as preferable.

Having said that, some people on this board have had Xanax and found it worked for them (from memory).

The search function on this board doesn't work very well, but if you use the Google search box in the top right corner on the homepage (www.dentalfearcentral.org) and type in Xanax, you'll probably be able to find related posts !

All the best for tomorrow!

 

[melodyl]

Hi Utopia:

2 mg of xanax could knock out a horse.
I have severe dental phobia. have had it for years. Found the right dentist and went to treatment. The day I had to have my teeth cleaned, (I had never had it done without being asleep or completely numb from the wand). I was told that this was a general cleaning, that I had kept my teeth in such excellent condition all I needed was a general cleaning and the hygeniest would do it.
I didn't know what to expect so of course I obsessed over it and was very anxious.

Because of my dental anxieties and other stuff going on in my life (my 24 year old has been lost to us), well, life throws stuff at you sometimes and you have to cope.
I can cope fine during the day. Throw anything at me and I'll cope but to sleep at night (well, especially when you know you are going to the dentist, well forget about sleeping. The mind does terrible things to you. You just can't stop obsessing. What will happen? Will it hurt, will I be numb from the topical gel? you think and you think and you think.
so my doctor prescribed xanax as a calming agent for me to sleep (over one year ago).

Because of my anxieties over my son, (and this was way before my dental appointment), if I wanted to sleep at night, I would take 1 mg of Xanax. My pills were 0.5 each so I would take one and one half pill. In about 20 minutes, my eyes would get droopy and I would sleep until the next morning. Then because I did nto want to become addicted to xanax, i stopped and he gave me lunesta. It did absolutely nothing. I would take the lunesta, be wide awake and one hour later, take a xanax and I would be off to beddy bye land. so i completely stopped the lunesta. Only took the xanax (and only to sleep), never during the day.

so one day I crack my tooth and knew I had to go to the dentist. No pain but my doctor said to me "you are diabetic, you must see a dentist on a regular basis.". I practially defecated in my underwear at the thought. That's when I went on the internet, found my phobia guy in my city, did e-mails with him, he was very compassionate and I made an appointment.
I took one 0.5 pill 30 minutes before the appointment. It didn't do anything for me, but his demeanor made all the difference. I was a nervous wreck in the office. The staff and the doctor made all the difference, NOT THE XANAX.

So he does the work, and i made another appointment for two weeks to get my permanent crowns and the cleaning. To say I was obsessed over the cleaning was putting it mildly. I was numb for the crowns but that was one small area of my mouth. What about the rest of it.

I took one and half of the xanax. The same i took for bedtime. The same dosage that makes my eyes close in 20 minutes.

Well, you should have seen me in the chair when she put the topical gel on for the cleaning. I kept saying "don't hurt me, don't hurt me" and she kept calming saying "you'll be fine, you'll be fine". And I blurted out "can you believe that I am this way and I'm on xanax?" She laughed. By the way, SHE' DIDN'T HURT ME.!!!

Now, this is what I think happens when you have dental anxiety. your heart starts to pump. The adrenalin in your body starts to pump, you start to think, and to think and to obsess and you need more than xanax to make you relaxed. I have no idea what dosage I would have needed but in my case AND I STRESS THIS, in my case, it was the caring, compassion, and understanding of the whole staff in that office that made me calm. NOT ANY XANAX that I was on.

I only need it now to sleep on very rare ocassions. Why? I have no idea. I have been able to detach from my son, so I don't have constant thoughts at night. I completed my dental treatment so I don't have that to worry about. so I just go to sleep.

Oh, and I would like your opinion (anybody who cares to share their comments would be most welcome). I really need some input here.
this is off topic but I need your input.

I have been friends for 45 years with this woman. We were each other's maid of honor at our weddings. I have helped her family find dentists (who come to the house) for their elderly mother, I have come to their home (at their request) to secure an HMO for a retarded family member). I have given them my son's brand new mattress (after he left home) for one of their family members. And I go there every thursday to help her play grandma, help her around her house and just believe that we have a friendship for 45 years.
the whole family calls me Auntie Mel.
Three months ago, knowing that my house is being sold and I might be left without an apartment, we talked about my moving into her mom's basement apartment. My friend owns her mom's house as well as her own. the basement apartment would be perfect for me and my husband. I asked her to check with her two sisters who own the mom's house along with her and she did so and said to me "melody, everything is set, they said "no problem". I'll even buy you a new oven because that one is old". i was thrilled. I was not going to be homeless, I would be near my friends, I would be living underneath her mom's apartment so I could look in on the woman (she's 88). We finalized the deal and she said "it's yours". I started to cry and said "after losing my son, I was so scared to death of being homeless, thank you, I now can have a future and I can breath". The rent would be half of what I'm paying now.
so I told her i would go there once a week to paint, clean up and get it ready. There was no rush because it's unoccupied and I could take my time. It was a done deal.
So one night we are on the phone and I tell her to turn around and tell the family that me and my husband are moving into Grandma's basement apartment. Her oldest son who lives on the top floor of grandma says to me "auntie mel, that's cool" I asked "you have no problem with your old Auntie mel living in the basement, right" and he said "not at all". I asked him out of courtesy. then I hear my friend say "who wants the apartment?" it seems that her other son just broke up with his girlfriend. He got dumped. He lives in a nice apartment but it's two blocks from where his girfriend lives and he doesn't want to walk past her house. My friend is on the phone and there is a dead silence and I hear her say "melody, I don't know what to say to you". I said "what is there to say, you gave me the apartment, he already has an apartment. He has a full time job. He's 30 years old. My husband and I are on social security and we'll be on the street', what else is there to say. I expected her to say to her family "someone should have run this by me two months ago, Auntie Mel and Uncle Alan needs the apartment and more importantly, I've given it to them. THIS WAS NOT SAID.
She said nothing. I told her 'I'll be there on thursday, (you see they asked me to be there to speak to the HMO people on behalf of the retarded family member). so I showed up, for two hours asked all questions to the HMO guy, everything was done, my friend turned to me and said "thank you so much I could have never done this without you". then said nothing else. NOTHING. No mention of the apartment. i said nothing also.
then she calls me on the phone and I said "I have to be honest with you, you did not do right by me, do you have any idea what you did? she said "yes", I said "you just can't say no to your children can you?" she quietly said "no". I then said "do you want me to come over thursday and we'll talk about this?" and she said "oh please". It was right before Easter so I brought a little chocolate bunny for her grandchild. I got there and for the whole day, she mentioned nothing. Absolutely nothing. At 4:30 pm. I just left. She calls me the next day and invites me to a luncheon. i politely declined (she has completely clueless what she had done to me and to my husband) all because her 30 year old son can't walk past his ex's house. Give me a break. I may be on the streets because her son can't walk past his ex's house????
She then went to a mutual friend we have, told her what happened and said "what can I do, he's my son". the friend (who I told the whole story to is keeping out of it, she has stage 3 cancer and has her own problems).
the reason I am telling you this story is because I want your input. I know how I feel about this. I believe in my heart of hearts that she made a really bad call. She had given me the apartment and in one second it was snatched and given to her son who already has an apartment.
I do apologize for going off topic but the stress that this put upon me and my husband is putting it mildly. We might have to go into a shelter.

Can you imagine a best friend doing this to someone?
melody

 

[Utopiah]

I had my crown started today and guess what?

It is almost 6pm; I just woke up! Wehn I woke up I thought "Oh no..I missed my dental appointment"..but I didn't miss it. I came home right after the appointment and went to sleep!

My appointment was at 11:30am. I took the 2- .50 Xanax at 11am. Swore up & down they were not going to work. Got at the dentist office and they had me take another one at 11:30am. They numbed me. This hygenist gave the most painless hot I ever had in my life. Then they had me take a .25 Xanax. Doctor came in and did his work on me. Next thing I know, appointment is over. They tell me it's 1:30pm. It seemed like I was only in there for like 20 minutes.

Wow! Now I hav to tell you- I have taken upt to 6 - .25 Xanax when I fly. Never knocks me out like this did.

I will def go back to this dentist.

 

[letsconnect]

I'm glad the Xanax worked so well for you, and that you're happy with your new dentist . Congratulations

 

[Utopiah]

Melody,

I totally understand your dillemma. I too had a friend of 20+ years. I bent over backwards for her, gettting her jobs (which she up & quit every one of them making me not look too good), I listened to her boyfriend problems into the wee hours of the morning, gave her money to bail her kids out of jail when they go into trouble. I was always there for her in he time of need. Then she married a loser and left him. She asked me to get in the middle of it and call him and ask hi some questions. By doing this I found out she had more medical problems plus she lied to me about alot fo simple things in her life. Long story short: In the end she ended up accusing me of having an affair with her loser husband. To this day she still swears up & down I had an affair withhim. Never happened though. Not only is he not my type, he was my best friend's husband and I don't fool around with married guys anyway.

My advice to you would be to cut all tie with this person. After everything you've done for her, this was really low to do to you. I don't care if it WAS her son that said he needed the apartment. Unless her son was medically ill or something liek that. As harsh & blunt as this may sound, your friend used you.

Don't look back. Forgive her and go on. We are taught to forgive people, but sommon sense says "Don't open yourself up to keep getting used by this person." Sounds like she doesn't use good judgement when it comes to friends.

 

[melodyl]

I can't thank you enough.
I never knew that other people have had this happen to them.
My friend and I went to Catholic parochial school together. We were each other's maid of honors. We are the godparents to each other's children.
What she doesn't know (and I will never tell her is something that happened over 35 years ago.
She was married for two years (he was a drinker). This was before people shouldn't drink and drive and he could handle it. He drank beer and it was a sunday afternoon.
He drove me home in the evening, walked me up to my apartment and tried to kiss me. I was looker back in those days but believe me, I never saw this coming. I tried to laugh it off becaus he had one too many but he said "come on, what's a little kiss". I never told her. I told her two sisters because there was a period of time when he left her for two weeks and moved in with another woman, then came back again. He has never been home one night during their marriage. he stays out for two days sometimes. She never brings it up. She never addresses it. She just self medicates with food and now weighs around 250 lbs.
It's a shame. But she has no idea. She is a what I would call a co-dependent person.
I honestly believe that if someone would tell her that 35 years ago, her drunken husband made a pass at her best friend, she would look at them incredulously and say'"are out of your mind?". I really believe this. She can't cope so she eats. it's very sad.
But to do this to a couple on social security disability when they have lost their son, the husband has just been fired and the husband just had a heart procedure and they may be losing their apartment, well I will never understand and never be able to be in her company again. After 45 years. Who would have ever thought one person could do this to a friend.
Anyway, that's so much for backing me up. I needed it.

love ya,
melody