First time having IV sedation. Please tell me your happy stories

[jonnyd92]

Hi all!

From the UK i have one very decayed tooth that cant be pulled out the normal way due to the decayed roots. I psyced myself up yesterday for the procedure and then to be told they cant do it and have to refer me really brought me down as i had not slept the night before and still sleep deprived today.

Anyways... im waiting for my appointment in hospital to have the IV sedation (all for one tooth, i know pathetic right? Lol) told it could be up to 12 weeks so have plenty time lol. so in the mean time could you all tell me your stories under sedation? So im ready for it on the day and not having a full blown panic attack like i usually do haha. Thanks for reading everyone

 

[letsconnect]

Hi @jonnyd92, there's nothing pathetic about having IV sedation for one tooth, good on them for referring you rather than attempt something themselves if they don't have the necessary experience!

I can't help with a personal experience, but you can find loads of first-hand dental IV sedation experiences here:

IV Sedation Experiences

Read about IV sedation experiences which people have shared on Dental Fear Central over the years!

www.dentalfearcentral.org

Hope they help put your mind at ease

 

[jonnyd92]

@letsconnect thank you for your reply i appreciate it. Mine was infected but they gave me some antibiotics until i can get the appointment my mum has had it before but for a colonoscopy so i kinda want to hear from people who had it in the same setting as me.

Ive read this site for a while now and thought i should post. I spent the night before my appointment scrolling it. Imagine that. Around 10 hours on one site reading same thing lol

 

[Kitty84]

Hey! Not pathetic in any way for having sedation for one tooth. I did, as it was the only way I could have coped with treatment, and dentist told me plenty of people do.

IV sedation was a game changer for me. Honestly I sound like im sponsored by the drug company when I reply to questions about it!

So got set up with cannula, and there was a nurse doing my BP at the same time, and checking heart rate I think. Sedation drug went in, and after literally about a minute I felt very chill and a bit zonked. It all felt very fast - like it was on fast forward and it was literally done before I knew it. I don’t remeber much at all, but I do remeber asking for a little break - this had been my fear that I wouldn’t be able to if I needed to - and nothing was wrong, nothing hurt at all, I was just a bit confused - he said we’d almost finish and I think I heard something else. Was grand.

I had the best sleep of my Life for the rest of the day. I know it sounds scary but it was honestly a lot easier to go throigh than I thought, and during the treatment i wasn’t worried at all. For me it’s great because you still feel you have some control over what’s happening, but it takes the anxiety and fear away.

I didn’t feel sick at all after but I was really tired. Had a bit of a hangover feeling the next day, but was fine after that

I really hope it goes well for you, but wanted to say please don’t be mean to yourself about needing sedation. It’s a wonderful solution that helps people have the treatment they need

 

[jonnyd92]

@Kitty84 hi kitty.

Thank you so much for your reply. People on this forum are just the best i think its the fear of the unknown for me and i hate anything medical to begin with.

I always tend to beat myself up over things like this as many people just get on with it and i wish i could be like that. My tooths roots are badly decayed so thats why i need the sedation route. I got all hyped up for having it out yesterday, spent the whole night (and i mean the whole night) reading through here and now i have a 8 week wait to get it out

I would like to ask do you feel drunk on it? Or is it just chill?

 

[jonnyd92]

@Kitty84 also! Could i have a benzo before the appointment? Like see my GP for a prescription before hand just so im.not freaking out getting there?

 

[Kitty84]

Hey! I didn’t feel drunk myself - I just felt very calm, and a bit absent from myself - I don’t really remember any of it apart from the little bit where I asked for a break. But I have spoken to people who do say it’s a bit like being drunk. I just felt super tired and zoned out really.

I don’t know about taking diazepam or anything beforehand. I didn’t, and I don’t know if you can - maybe it interacts with the IV drug and might be too
Much? It’s worth asking your dentist - maybe you could call them and ask or send an email? I understand that it might make you feel calmer while the sedation is set up. If it helps - it was so quick being set up.

I felt a bit confused and very tired afterwards, and they said someone had to be with me for 24 hours afterward, and I had to have someone collect me. It’s worth checking if there are any “rules”
About it - so my friend who collected me
Had to be in waiting room while my treatment was done. I guess this was so they know peopke will be taken home!

 

[jonnyd92]

Yeah its the same here, people have to stay with me to make sure i dont d9 anytbing crazy. I heard once a woman went shopping straight after it spent £1000 on stuff and then later on couldnt remember where she had bought them from.to return them haha! Its mainly to ensure you dont make any silly decisions.

As for the benzo yeah thats what i thought it may interact with the other one but i have heard of people having one beforehand and it was okay. I will have to ask my dentist/GP i suppose.

I just want to be in the position of not caring what theyre doing while they do it. I dont want any fear at all. Thank you for replying to me. Youre very kind

 

[brdjose]

I had IV sedation two different times, two different places. First time I was a nervous wreck, I was told to pop a xanax an hour before the procedure. Many years later my anxiety improved a bit, but working on my molars is still an issue due to a strong gag reflex, so I opted for an IV again.
Both times, everything went great. I woke up in the dentist chair totally chilled, not caring what they were still doing in the last few minutes. I felt at control right away, just calm and relaxed, with a slight buzz similar to alcohol. Nothing crazy happened. I went home, worked a bit, and slept like normal in the evening.
My only problem with IV is how expensive it is, otherwise it's magic. If there was no cost, I would opt for it every time. Good luck!

 

[jonnyd92]

@brdjose hi thank you for your reply!

How does it feel as it starts to take effect? I have to have this due to my anxiety and luckily im in the UK so we can get this on the NHS free of charge. Its just the fear of the unkown really. Like i can be in full blown panic before anything like this so does it go from massive panic to total chill?

 

[brdjose]

@jonnyd92 Did not feel like anything, or I don't remember. One moment the needle was inserted and I was panicking that there is no way out now, the next moment I was already waking up and an hour elapsed, which I could not tell. I remember that I was not sure if we were just starting the procedure or if it was already over. Then the doc started saying we were done, and everything went well.

 

[jonnyd92]

@brdjose jesus thats awesome! This kind of thing should be there for any procedure! Its just the fear of the unknown for me that gets me panicing

 

[Karenw]

I'm also in the UK and have had IV sedation 4 times without any side effects other than feeling pleasantly sleepy afterwards and only vaguely aware of anything going on in my mouth.

There are further threads here:

E

Thread 'IV sedation - absolutely terrified'

Jan 2, 2023

This is my first post, thanks for adding me to this group. It's good to know I'm not alone in having such an extreme fear of dental treatment.

This is my dilemma...I have an appointment in a few days for an extraction (possibly two, one of which is surgical and not likely to be straightforward) and I'm absolutely terrified, as in I feel like I'm going to the gallows (not joking, already going over death scenarios in my head and multiple what-ifs ). I can't do it without sedation...am booked in for IV ... but am absolutely terrified of that as well. I do have a needle phobia but am...

• essella
• Replies: 33
• Forum: Support

 

[Kitty84]

@jonnyd92 you are super welcome.