Felt faint, weak (v v slightly drunken sensation??) after numbing injections??

[nikki06]

Felt faint, weak (v v slightly drunken sensation??) after numbing injections??

This freaked me out somewhat.. my dentist said it wasn't normal when I asked him, he just said "hmmm, so you feel drained?".. I didn't, I sort of felt like my BP had dropped through the floor, but I didnt want to feel anymore like a crazy woman, so I shrugged it off

But I got my numbing injection (Without any numbing gel prior to it, is that normal!??), I had to go and sit out in the waiting room ("because other people are waiting"), then shortly after sitting down I started to feel a bit.. out of it?
The only way I can describe it is weakness and feeling slightly drunk. The last time I felt anything similar throughout my body, was when I was given a shot of morphine, obv he didn't give me morphine!

I am small, a size 6 (underweight, thanks to IBS.. made worse by stress!?!), and I have a low blood pressure. I had eaten and drunk water before I went, about an hour or so beforehand.

The last time I got numb, and there was plenty of it because it was for an extraction.. but I had no problems like it then. The worst then was panic, verging on panic attack, because my throat felt numb I took this to mean I was going to choke, it felt swollen etc and my anxiety kicked in.. But this time I felt totally rubbish!

 

[comfortdentist]

Re: Felt faint, weak (v v slightly drunken sensation??) after numbing injections??

Vaso-vagal reaction not that unusual

 

[brit]

Re: Felt faint, weak (v v slightly drunken sensation??) after numbing injections??

I've replied on the other thread. So you did tell him? What a moron. Change your dentist Nikki06 and make sure you eat even more before the appointment next time.
They should definitely have given you a glucose drink, maybe stopped treatment but definitely should have calmed you down and kept checking on you during if you decided to carry on.
You also don't send patient who has just told you she is feeling faint after local out to the waiting room - what was he thinking if that was the sequence or did you tell him when you returned?
There's more on needle phobia and fainting here.

Did you list all your medical issues with IBS and low blood pressure on the medical form because again if so, he should not have been so clueless about this reaction.
Even I know that low blood pressure pre-disposes people to feeling faint especially if anxious.

 

[nikki06]

Thanks Brit.

With the Ibs made worse by stress, a toothache and an earache/sore throat thing going on I managed as many soggy rice crispies as I could! Its hard to eat when you know where you're going to the dentist, its not something that increases your appetite thats for sure! But in 2004 or whenever it was and I felt pretty faint after my appointment then (from not eating due to nerves), I wanted to make sure that didnt happen again.. But thank you, I will try harder next time.

No, as I explained in the other thread today, he numbed me and then when I got out in the waiting room I felt faint there. I didnt want to be a pain and so I didnt tell anyone until he called me back in, I told him then and he said "no, its not normal. So you feel drained?" I answered then he said nothing else to me and before I knew it a bib was being put on me.

Im 99% sure I put low BP on my form, I dont think I wrote anything re Ibs, I did also put that I was anxious/dental phobic.
Thing is, until I get my Ibs under control I cant seem to gain any weight in order to up my BP.. Ive been to an NHS dietician earlier this year but he was virtually no help, in the end he just kept saying he couldnt help me until I stopped feeling sick and told me to eat ginger, then he said that might not help anyway! I dont fancy popping pills for nausea, Id rather get to the bottom of the cause. But he was also someone who didnt listen to me, every week he'd tell me to eat something Id already told him gave me a reaction.. So I just stopped going because it was a waste of time and energy, and all I got was more frustrated with him not hearing me.

Theres clearly a pattern of people not listening to me, after years of it Im properly frustrated with myself. I just cant seem to explain so that people understand me or listen. No idea where I go wrong, but clearly saying nothing at all and trying to be overly nice doesnt work either (like yesterday with the dentist, I all but made him a cup of tea with my niceties! I thought if I was over nice Id get him being nice in return, as a reward or something!?!)

I dont have a needle phobia either. Over the years (before my Ibs diagnosis) Ive had several blood tests, I dont look because I dont want to see it go in, but injections/the needle itself doesnt really bother me.. Ive been with my son every time hes had his and didnt bat an eyelid? :/ I didnt really like seeing that needle infront of my face yesterday, but thats mainly because he didnt warn me, he didnt tell me what was coming or anything, it was like "lie back" BANG, there you go!

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Re: Felt faint, weak (v v slightly drunken sensation??) after numbing injections??

Hey
It sounds like there were several factors that brought you to faint, needle phobia iscertainly notone of them. As Brit mentioned, the dentist's reaction was not an apropiate/productive one.

Theres clearly a pattern of people not listening to me, after years of it Im properly frustrated with myself. I just cant seem to explain so that people understand me or listen. No idea where I go wrong, but clearly saying nothing at all and trying to be overly nice doesnt work either (like yesterday with the dentist, I all but made him a cup of tea with my niceties! I thought if I was over nice Id get him being nice in return, as a reward or something!?!)

I think it is possible to avoid future fainting at the dental clinic without the "cooperation" of the dentist, by:
1) not raising to fast on your feet. Changing the body's position fast is difficult for maintaining balanced BP.
2) you can drink some thing sweet just after the anesthesia or before rising up. This boost of energy will help the body to balance back the BP.
3) before the anesthesia you can raise your BP actively by straining as many muscles of your body as possible for 10 seconds.
4) Caffeine can raise the BP as well, so a bit of coffee (or black tea) half an hour before the dental appointmnet can also be helpful.

hope this helps

 

[comfortdentist]

Re: Felt faint, weak (v v slightly drunken sensation??) after numbing injections??

Anyone who has IBS should absolutely try a gluten free dieat for a few months to see if that helps.

 

[brit]

Re: Felt faint, weak (v v slightly drunken sensation??) after numbing injections??

Anyone who has IBS should absolutely try a gluten free dieat for a few months to see if that helps.

If coeliac disease has not already been ruled out, that could be the best piece of advice you have ever got from the internet!

 

[Clem]

Re: Felt faint, weak (v v slightly drunken sensation??) after numbing injections??

"Vaso-vagal reaction not that unusual". Not a very helpful response. Some explanation would be helpful--not everyone is intimately acquainted with human physiology and associated responses.

 

[comfortdentist]

Re: Felt faint, weak (v v slightly drunken sensation??) after numbing injections??

sometimes when the day is very busy I post will post a very short to the point response. Usually a term, phrase, or word that someone doesn't know can be looked up and that will explain it rather well. It is just an efficient way to answer the question when I don't have time for a long response.