fearing the worse!

[Penny]

You and me both! I would do pratically anything to be free, even when my teeth are healthy I think of them constantly, there is a big list of foods I won't eat, and I suffer for weeks after a visit. I am not even with the right dentist at the moment, but am just so desperate I feel compelled to see it through. My husband has had terrible teeth, loads of crowns, bridges he has had at least 12 root canals, you would think HE would be the one who is phobic! When he goes to the dentist I am sick etc, he doesn't even remember, I have to tell him. I just don't get it really. Can you email your dentist? That is what i do, that way you aren't being a pain, they can answer when they have time. x

 

[Nat]

I know what you mean with the food, I dont eat anything chewy, crunchy or tough as I fear teeth will fall out and then that means another dental appointment! I have lost some weight though so I guess some good has come with the bad!! Good idea about emailing him, I have his address somewhere I just hope he wont mind!

 

[Penny]

I am with you on the weight, I am down 14 pounds since april! WOO HOO only another 60 odd to go and I would look like twiggy!The ONLY good contact with my dentist I have is by email, he writes very nice emails, which my husband says shows underneath it all he means well! I would email him and set out a couple of questions and ask again about something mild for the morning. You are nearly there now..... tell him you don't want to fall at the last fence x

 

[letsconnect]

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 think the key is that you're doing this for yourself and your health - not in order to "please" somebody else . Personally I reckon that one would feel more in control that way.

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?

Rescue remedy and homeopathic rememdies can be taken beforehand - they do not interfere with or react with the midazolam used for IV sedation. They are perfectly safe to take.

 

[Nat]

I know I need to do it for myself which is the main reason for doing it, I just dont want to let down all the people that are behind me, if that makes sense? Also when I called my dentist last he said he was going to be injecting me with Diazepam? He didnt mention midazolam? I know I shouldnt have but I just googled that and I didnt like what I read, I am a sucker for things like that, I dont even have a medical book in my house as I think the slightest thing is a symptom of something bad!!

 

[harper]

hi nat
was it the midazolam you looked up? i had a look too and must say some of it wasnt nice but, ive had iv sedation 3 times and can honestly say it was fine. i didnt feel the needle go in they were very good at it. practice makes perfect i guess. the drug can make people not remember anything but thats the idea.i remembered a little but i never remembered the local which i hate and however hard i try i cant remember it,in fact i thought id never had any. i didnt feel any negative effects just sleepy. the worse part of it? the fact that i felt like i was on a production line but thats nhs dentistry for you

 

[happydancyfeet]

Hi Nat,

Just wanted to check on how you are doing.  See, someone else saying that iv sedation is fine and that you wont feel anything or remember anything (or very very little)

I am being treated by an NHS dental clinic which specialises in phobics and special needs  and feel very lucky............ as every time I have an appointment for iv sedation, I am the only one there being treated at the time, and have never been rushed out. Yo'll be fine Nat.

 

[Nat]

Thanks Happy and Harper!

Im not doing too good right now im afraid, Yesterday was a very upsetting day for me as I was worrying too much I have never been so worried and its doing my head in! Soo today I have made a decision to not let it get to me anymore I am feeling a bit calmer than yesterday after reading what everyone has written and think I am just going to stop worrying so much as its totally draining me, I am tired all the time, cant eat, cant think straight and all for a little injection thats going to help me!!

I know this feeling wont last very long and tomorrow I am going to be in a total state but at least today is going to be worry free!

 

[harper]

hi nat
thats it you can do it!
i felt exactly the same and even though im better i still have a bad time a couple of days before and cant eat anything but to be honest i dont really know why because mine is a superstar. looking back i actually felt more sorry for him and than me, one person after another. will be thinking of you x

 

[brit]

Hi Nat
All the best for Thursday - you are bound to be nervous but it will all be worth it. How's the reiki going?
Cheers
Brit

 

[Nat]

Thanks Brit, my Mum isnt down here till tomorrow so I will be getting some then! Been going through it which is understandable but I am making a conscious decision to not let it get to me today, its hard not to think about the bad things and I know its the anticipation but I am OK today, tomorrow is going to be a different story though

 

[Penny]

Hi Nat, i am glad you are feeling positive, I was yesterday but have slipped today, getting paniced about saturday, so perhaps I have absorbed your panic, which makes sure you will be fine!!! I am thinking about you and sending you good vibes!!! Good luck for thursday! x

 

[vicki]

Hi Nat

Hope you're not feeling too stressed out at the moment - you're nearly there now and you can do this . Everything that you're worrying about right now is perfectly normal - especially as it's the first time you've had sedation and even people who've had it loads of times still get worried.

It sounds as though you're in very safe hands though so it's important that you let them know about everything that's worrying you because if there's one thing I've learnt, it's that it actually makes you feel worse if you keep it all bottled up to yourself.

Hope you're managing to get some sleep.

 

[Nat]

I just feel so sad today I hardly slept last night and feel pretty lousy today. I have allsorts of things going through my head right now and none of them are positive thoughts. I keep crying and am feeling very anxious, I dont think I am going to make it tomorrow, I know its something I have to do and that cancelling is only a small fix as the anticipation of whats to come will come round again the next time, I have no energy and this whole situation is really getting me down, I keep thinking of ways of getting out of it, some have even been ways to hurt myself so as I dont have to go tomorrow Im just so scared

 

[Penny]

hi....... what time does your mother arrive?? Hang in there x

 

[brit]

Nat
Try to chill - has your Mum arrived yet? Cancelling it, would just be putting it off to another time and you will be fine - honestly. I didn't sleep very well last night either because of the heat and then thunder and lightening kept me awake too but at least its cooler now. Is it still hot in the UK if so, that plus the worrying was bound to mean very little sleep for you. Lack of sleep can make you irrational, so try to catch up on some today if you can.

I remember I kept bursting into tears the day before my Elective C-Section -it's a perfectly normal reaction - even if not everyone's reaction. You don't have to put on a brave face anyway. Maybe you shouldn't drop your daughter at school tomorrow - too much pressure on you to stay composed? At least it's first thing though - you can do it with the support of those around you and you will not regret it.

Try to imagine a summer with no toothache and eventually a nice smile.
Think of all the other nervous people all over the country in the same boat as you at the same moment in time at dental practices and hospitals - i.e. you are not alone; or given the time of year all those poor schoolchildren trotting off to their GCSE exams tomorrow morning with butterflies in their tummies.  You won't be the only person in your town tomorrow morning feeling sick to the stomach. You are however likely to feeling ecstatically happy and relieved 48 hours later when it's all over and you realise how much energy you expended on worry.

You don't want to go through all this 'fear of unknown/waiting agony' a second time so just try to be glad an end is in sight....can you plan any distractions today?....or just wallow in counting down the hours/having a good cry but try to talk to someone, so your fears can be put in perspective... what exactly are you so scared of? What's the bottom line here?
I know all this is easier said than done but I really think you'll regret it, if you make any hasty decisions . Try to just go with the flow and let this last 24 hours of awful waiting wash over you.
All the best
Brit  

 

[Nat]

I am petrified of how I am going to feel while being sedated, I know its irrational as it is going to help me but seeing as I have never felt like I am going to tomorrow, its scaring me so much, I have stupid questions like what if I need the toilet, will I be able to go or will I not even know if I need to go!! What if the effects of being sedated make me sick?? I am going to pop in to the office today to see if I can see the dentist, hopefuly its going to help me. I also want to ask him if taking a homeopathic remedy to get me there tomorrow is going to jeopardise any treatment as I dont want to go only to find out that something I have taken is going to stop any treatment. Im not allowed to take any Diazepam tomorrow morning as he doesnt want me too but maybe something else herbal will help me get to the chair as I doubt I will make it otherwise. Its fear of the unkown that scaring me the most and the fact that I am going to be there for 2 hours isnt helping much! Everytime I think about it I start getting very upset and its not doing me any good right now

 

[brit]

Nat
I feel sure that it will be very like a General Anaesthetic (I've had several by the way) in that you wake up and you remember nothing....it is just much safer and better for dental treatment. Two hours will feel like 2 minutes if you read the posts...if it were shorter...you'd have to go more often to get the treatment done.

Have some faith in 21st Century Western medicine - the drugs work...honestly Nat, it won't be like that awful 1960s/70s gas mask over the face stuff, where you wake up feeling sick, dizzy and frankly awful.

The reason they say an i/v is 'just a little scratch' is because that's what it is, or even you might not feel it at all (I usually don't) - try desensitizing yourself by gently scratching the back of your hand  with the end of a biro cap - how bad is that - just look away - I bet you'll hardly notice it.

The loo stuff - you're not the first one to go through this - it obviously isn't a major problem - hadn't thought of that -just make sure you go first thing -you're bound to with nerves anyway!!! No-one else has posted that this is a problem.

Going to see the dentist would  probably help - at least he'll realise how worried you are - maybe he can let you take some of the drugs upfront instead to help you get  there. If not you will soon be 'out of there'  so you just have to get there.

Can you distract yourself with a load of good films today or even go to the cinema - I know when I'm in these situations -keeping your brain on sth else helps a lot. Easier said than done I know but getting too wound up won't help either.
You can do it Nat. How about imagining how much worse you would feel if you were going back to that other awful practice for treatment instead??? That really is the  stuff of nightmares.  It will all look so different a couple of days from now provided you just go through the door!
Brit

 

[Nat]

Thanks for that Brit, I have my mum come down here in an hour or so so I will at least have someone to talk to, she knows exactly how scared I am as she also has a phobia of dentists and she is also going to give me some massages and that to help me feel more relaxed, I have looked on the internet about homeopathic remedies and have a few that I can ask the dentist about although Lets has said that any remedy like that is perfectly fine to take before going, I jst need a little help getting in the door, after that I am pretty sure I will be in safe hands and as soon as the IV does go in I think I will be ok, I am telling myself this over and over and re-reading all the positive posts on here, especially the one from ScaredCop It sounds like he was pretty much as scared as me and he stated that having the procedure done was probably the best dental experience of his life, not that I can imagine ever having a good dental procedure!

Its just been so long since I last had any treatment done, I am thinking back to the last temp filling I had and how I felt when it was going on, I was pretty relaxed when i think back but seeing as its now been over 7 years since that happpened I guess I have just fallen into a rut. I am work later so that will kind of take my mind off it for a few hours, hopefully anyway as my colleagues all know I am going tomorrow and keep ribbing me about it, not realising just how scared I really am.

 

[brit]

Hi
Try and relax now with your Mum.
I was just going to post you the 'dental cop' one - good timing by the other two ladies. I think, given all your previous bad ones, it probably will be the best dental experience of your life!   Hopefully the first of many....much more minor ones though.

Having someone there to talk to should help - then you need to convert your Mum!
You can do it - get some sleep too if poss. Don't let the work colleagues get you down too much...try asking them when they last saw a dentist, could be revealing.
Brit