T
TMBen
Junior member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2021
- Messages
- 2
- Location
- USA
super long post...so sorry!
So, like many people on here it seems, I have diagnosed anxiety disorders, as well as OCD, and sometimes panic attacks. I won't go into all the details over all this. But I'll say it's been health-focused anxiety and really kicked off last year with the pandemic. Recently, I found myself doing better and then bam...that tooth problem I always neglected reared its head again.
Two weeks ago I broke an already broken tooth where I had had a root canal a little over 10 years ago. Like many people, I never got a cap put on it and it just further decayed, but never hurt so I was able to put it out of my mind. I was always scared of going to the dentist and as the years went on I got more scared, fearing what they would say. But with the recent break, I thought I HAD to go. So I did.
During my first exam, I went to a pretty bad place, but it was the only one I could go to at the time. I was shaking nervously in the chair so much the overhead light thing was moving. Eventually, they explained I'd need the tooth extracted (which I expected) plus an upper wisdom tooth extracted (also expected). When I left I found out they would just be doing local anesthesia...and despite me telling them I was in no pain they threw an opioid prescription at me. That was enough for me to say NOPE and find a better place. So I did.
The next place did another exam, said basically the same thing, but then had to refer me to an oral surgeon cause they couldn't fit me into their schedule or something. I had to wait a full week. Last Monday was that appointment, and I went in again expecting the extraction. The lead-up was intense...panic attacks daily, uncontrollable anxiety and fear. It was horrible...some of the worst I have experienced in my life. But I was prepared...and ready. Aaaand then they told me they'd only be examining it that day. So they did that, and then scheduled the extraction appointment for today. So here I am.
Once again, the week waiting for this was insane. I learned I'd be doing IV deep sedation, and was absolutely terrified of what that meant. I was frantically googling every possible terrible outcome, and even when I didn't find many, my mind would make them up. My OCD crept in and make me constantly check other teeth for problems (oh yeah they informed me I'd have to do both upper wisdom teeth and my bottom broken root canal one). I had headaches, which I thought meant the infection that I apparently had was spreading. I mean, any issue you can have, I thought I did have. Up until last night I still felt I was essentially walking to my death. Going in this morning was hard, mentally, and even harder when they started hooking everything up to me. Heart monitor on my finger, wrapped around my arm, and three other ones on chest and side, then the IV, and oh yeah an oxygen tube for my nose. It was A LOT to take in. I was trying to relax, tried to ask so many questions...
Then they filled the drugs into the IV and...it felt like nothing happened. I remember them kinda going into my mouth, which lasted a couple of seconds and literally all of the sudden it was over with. I was taken out in a wheel chair and on my way home. What. It was as easy as so many people here have said it was. Was I conscious and asleep or what? No clue, but it didn't matter. I conquered my biggest fear with this! There was nothing to fear, and it was pretty instant.
Now of course I am at home recovering and trying not to work myself up more. I think I used and changed the gauze too many times so I stopped, and the bleeding doesn't seem crazy right now but it's hard say. Part of my lips are still numb and it's been like 7 hours...so that's worrying. And of course I am worried about complications. I'm trying to do all I can to make this easy, but so far I keep sliding slightly back into anxiety.
Long story short, it wasn't so bad! But anxiety is still a factor even afterwards, albeit to a much lesser extent.
So, like many people on here it seems, I have diagnosed anxiety disorders, as well as OCD, and sometimes panic attacks. I won't go into all the details over all this. But I'll say it's been health-focused anxiety and really kicked off last year with the pandemic. Recently, I found myself doing better and then bam...that tooth problem I always neglected reared its head again.
Two weeks ago I broke an already broken tooth where I had had a root canal a little over 10 years ago. Like many people, I never got a cap put on it and it just further decayed, but never hurt so I was able to put it out of my mind. I was always scared of going to the dentist and as the years went on I got more scared, fearing what they would say. But with the recent break, I thought I HAD to go. So I did.
During my first exam, I went to a pretty bad place, but it was the only one I could go to at the time. I was shaking nervously in the chair so much the overhead light thing was moving. Eventually, they explained I'd need the tooth extracted (which I expected) plus an upper wisdom tooth extracted (also expected). When I left I found out they would just be doing local anesthesia...and despite me telling them I was in no pain they threw an opioid prescription at me. That was enough for me to say NOPE and find a better place. So I did.
The next place did another exam, said basically the same thing, but then had to refer me to an oral surgeon cause they couldn't fit me into their schedule or something. I had to wait a full week. Last Monday was that appointment, and I went in again expecting the extraction. The lead-up was intense...panic attacks daily, uncontrollable anxiety and fear. It was horrible...some of the worst I have experienced in my life. But I was prepared...and ready. Aaaand then they told me they'd only be examining it that day. So they did that, and then scheduled the extraction appointment for today. So here I am.
Once again, the week waiting for this was insane. I learned I'd be doing IV deep sedation, and was absolutely terrified of what that meant. I was frantically googling every possible terrible outcome, and even when I didn't find many, my mind would make them up. My OCD crept in and make me constantly check other teeth for problems (oh yeah they informed me I'd have to do both upper wisdom teeth and my bottom broken root canal one). I had headaches, which I thought meant the infection that I apparently had was spreading. I mean, any issue you can have, I thought I did have. Up until last night I still felt I was essentially walking to my death. Going in this morning was hard, mentally, and even harder when they started hooking everything up to me. Heart monitor on my finger, wrapped around my arm, and three other ones on chest and side, then the IV, and oh yeah an oxygen tube for my nose. It was A LOT to take in. I was trying to relax, tried to ask so many questions...
Then they filled the drugs into the IV and...it felt like nothing happened. I remember them kinda going into my mouth, which lasted a couple of seconds and literally all of the sudden it was over with. I was taken out in a wheel chair and on my way home. What. It was as easy as so many people here have said it was. Was I conscious and asleep or what? No clue, but it didn't matter. I conquered my biggest fear with this! There was nothing to fear, and it was pretty instant.
Now of course I am at home recovering and trying not to work myself up more. I think I used and changed the gauze too many times so I stopped, and the bleeding doesn't seem crazy right now but it's hard say. Part of my lips are still numb and it's been like 7 hours...so that's worrying. And of course I am worried about complications. I'm trying to do all I can to make this easy, but so far I keep sliding slightly back into anxiety.
Long story short, it wasn't so bad! But anxiety is still a factor even afterwards, albeit to a much lesser extent.
