fearing the worse!

[Nat]

Thanks so much Happy, I have my appointment at 9 in the morning, which is good for me as I have to take my daughter to school at 8:45, I wont really have a lot of time to think about it (hopefully!) and I certainly wont get there to early. I dont want to worry about the IV when I am there but know I will which is why I am concerned that I will know I am sedated, which is why will be feeling ok during the sirgery then think god this is weird, and freak out!

He has such a caring manner and I wish I could speak to him everyday before the dreaded D Day as he makes me feel so much better about whats going to happen!

 

[happydancyfeet]

Nat,
I know about worrying over the iv, but honestly, you'll be fine. do what I did Nat, look away, and chat to the nurse about anything, they knew just how nervous I was so they were chatting to me about my hair colour etc Next thing I was in the recovery lounge with my partner waiting to take me home!

I'm sure he wont mind if you ring him the day before Nat, maybe call at lunchtime? If he's busy, leave a message asking him to call you later in the day.

 

[Nat]

I may try doing that happy, I just hope he wont think im a total pain in the backside!

Its hard sometimes because when I talk to the dentist I feel OK about everything but when my husband tries talking to me I tend to go back to the worrying about everything morning noon and night, I dont want to shut him out completely but I dont want him taking me down to where I am most days when I think about it all the time. weird huh, he is supposed to be the one person who is supposed to make me feel better about it but right now he doesnt help! I guess when I talk to him I dont have to be brave about it all and I can curl up and be like it but when I am with or talking to the dentist I try to put on a brave face and think to myself, I will be ok and I can do this, when I am with my hubby I worry and stress over it because I guess he is used to seeing me like it, is that weird?

 

[happydancyfeet]

I know just how you feel Nat, I've been there too............ my partner is sooooooooo supportive and tries to understand everything I go through. But, i guess, sometimes its only other phobics that can REALLY relate to what we are going through. I found at times, that talking to him was not always helping me, but spending hours on here reading through posts AND replying helped me more???

 

[Nat]

Thats exactly it, I can talk to him about everything but I guess he doesnt really understand 100% what we all go through everytime. I sometimes think he thinks im to fragile for stuff and wants to protect me so I guess I subconciously act out a role of being the one who needs protecting!? I cant really explain it!

 

[Nat]

I dont think I can do this I am feeling very anxious today, I have tried playing the appointment through in my head but I just feel so sad and pathetic right now. I dont think I have ever felt so anxious, not even when I was giving birth and that was a terrible time for me. I dont know how I am going to get through the next couple of days and really want to cancel the whole thing, I will happily put up with the pain for the rest of my life rather than feel like this

 

[Penny]

Hi....... sorry to interupt, but I really admire you for being prepared to try the IV sedation, I have never been able to do it, and take 30mg Tamazipan before I go, on Saturday i was very sick all night, and in the morning and it didn't work. he was trying to finish my root canal and i was shaking so badly, he kept telling me to try to stop shaking, it was a nightmare, so i am living proof that oral sedation is hit and miss, so what you are doing is really brave, and I admire you for it. I have another appointment saturday and I wish I could concider the IV, as i am frightened of having another panic attack while they are drilling my teeth. You are doing really well, the hardest part is the antisipation, you only have three more days to wait, then when you look back you will be so relieved to know you can do the IV and will never suffer painic in the chair again! I will be very interested how you get on LOL, I wish you all the best. x

 

[Nat]

Thanks Penny, I wish I could just go to the dentist and have it done without but he wont do it due to the fears I have, I am shaking at the thought and can feel my heart beating through my chest, I really am worried about this and dont know how to get through it but thanks for the kind words

 

[Penny]

Nat have you tried Homeopathy for the fear before you go? i have used it a few times and it does seam to work, not sure if it actually does, or if it is just the action of taking something, that calms me a little. you have to fill in a homeopathic form on the internet to work out which one to take as there are different ones for shaking vomiting or heart palputaions or what ever you suffer from. I use Arsen I think it is formed from arsnic, which also makes me smile because I often wish I could just die before I go! I also sink enough rescue remedy to down a donkey. I keep trying to think what i will be doing this time NEXT week, rather than what I will be doing on D Day. I sound confident. Funny how we can help each other then fall to bits ourselves! x

 

[Nat]

Its weird isnt it, I can happily give advice to others but when it comes down to me I cant seem to take my own advice! I have my mum coming down to take me and she practices reiki and massage so she is going to try and see if it can calm me down but I may also look into that homeopathic remedy, I have rescue remedy somewhere so I will probably drink all of that before I go but could you give me the name of that website you mentioned with the form and stuff so as I can take a look?

 

[Penny]

I used this homeopathy website: [broken link removed] In the top box you put in fear panic and then follow the boxes through. i also used it for the abscess it's self, and have used it to promote healing after impacted wisdom extraction (also done awake! CRAZY!) I am not even sure if i believe in it or not, but it doesn't cost much and like i said the act of doing 'something' is better than nothing! there are other sites too, but this one is pretty comprehensive. x

 

[Nat]

Thanks Penny, I had a look and the remedy they suggest is Opium

Can I buy that in the shops?!

 

[Penny]

Yep, filled it all in again and it came up with the same one Arsenicum Album which is what I was taking, may go and get some more today as I was well out of control saturday.
Opium,,,, sounds promicing!!!! Are you in the UK? Boots and healthfood shops stock quite a few I am going to pop out and get some now!! be interesting if it works for you, I hope so x

 

[Nat]

I filled it out twice and the second time it came up with Phosphorus, May go to the shops and see if I can find them, thanks Penny, heres hoping it works for me!!

 

[letsconnect]

Hi Nat, good luck with those remedies !!
A couple of other options to consider might be:

* promise yourself to actually show up for the appointment, and if you feel you can't go through with it even once you've met your dentist, call it off

* ask if there's anything else that could be done instead, like having a cleaning or some small job, without IV

But it might help to remember that you will be in full control throughout even with IV sedation - all it means is that you will feel more calm and relaxed - so you can let your dentist know at any stage if you're not comfortable (as he said, he'll stop immediately).

 

[Nat]

I have been going over and over in my head what he has told me and what he has promised he will and wont do but everytime I end up in tears, I dont want to cancel as I know it wont make this go away but the thought is still there in the front of my mind. I just feel so drained with all this and the crying about it is making me feel worse. I am visualising every step in my head and am feeling physically sick. I know I need to do this and I am proud of myself somewhat for coming this far, the next few days are going to be very trying for me and I just dont think I can cope with it all.

A friend of mine has told me how she felt with sedation and deep down I think I know what to expect but it isnt helping me today, I have toothache and ear ache right now I am constantly shaking and the fear is just doing my head in. The dentist has said he doesnt want me taking anything beforee I go and I dont think I can make it to the surgery without having some kind of panic attack, I just feel so sad today

 

[Penny]

I was exactly the same saturday, I was in full blown panic by the time I arrived, that first suggestion by lets, is sort of what i did. My husband said i was better off going, otherwsie everything I had been through during the past month was for nothing, and I would just have to go through it all again eventually. SO we made a bargin, he told me that if i got there, they didn't give me an injection I could leave imediately, so I did arrive, I had the injection straight away and eventually got the filling. Once you arrive events proceed, and before too long you are home and free. You have said that once you are talking to the dentist you feel calmer, so I agree with Lets, arrive knowing that once there, you can still call it off, it is never too late! x

 

[Nat]

Im not sure I could even promise mysepf that if I didnt want it I could go as I would only feel let down and so would my family, I want them to be proud of me so not having the work done isnt really an option, I am in pain and know that having the root filling is going to make it go away, Its weird because when I think of having the work done without IV I feel OK, I know I would never be able to do it without but I feel OK when I think about it like that, maybe I should just put the sedation fear to the back of my head and focus on the work being done for my health??

I also have a question regarding alternative remedies, is it OK for me to take them before my appointment, my dentist has said no to Diazepam so is an alternative going to be OK?

 

[Penny]

Hi...... Homeopathy has nothing actually in it so I can't imagine there would be a problem, they are diluted to extreme lengths. rescue remedy? I am not sure, perhaps someone else can say. perhaps not drinking the whole bottle? It is a bit of a funny one though, because I know what you mean, getting out of bed and getting dressed is hard. Maybe phoning them and saying you think not taking 'something' could be the difference between getting there or not, maybe they would change their mind? I don't think anyone who has not suffered from this phobia knows how all comsuming it is. x

 

[Nat]

I dont think I want to phone him again though, I dont want to annoy him or anything and I feel stupid calling him and having him answer all my silly questions!

I wish I didnt have all these irrational fears