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Freezing, racing heart and panic attack - help please

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peggyscott

Junior member
Joined
Jul 13, 2020
Messages
3
Location
canada
hi
I only found this forum yesterday. I am trying everything I can to get through this. I am terrified of dentists and today I have to have an extraction.
Once quite awhile back I had dental work done. When she gave me the freezing it felt like my heart was racing. I freaked out and had a panic attack.
I suffer from anxiety and going to the dentist makes it worse.
I am so scared that it will feel like my heart is racing and I will get so scared and not be able to stop it that I will have a heart attack and die.
I know if I put it off I can create heslth problems caused by my mouth . Even at my age 67, I cannot serm to allay the fears.
The dentist said they do not use the same freezing, the old freezing had adrenaline in it and now they don't have it anymore. I am not sure if that is true.
I don't know if anyone will even read this before I go this morning but I had to try.
Thank uou
 
Hi peggyscott :welcome:,

your previous experience sounds very scary. It could have been one of those freak occasions when the local anaesthetic (and the epinephrine/adrenaline in it) may have been accidentally injected into a blood vessel instead of muscle tissue. Or else it could have been a panic attack from feeling anxious. You'll probably never find out!

As your dentist said, there are anaesthetics that don't contain epinephrine (same as adrenaline). Also, there are injection techniques which use a lot less local anaesthetic (and therefore a lot less epinephrine). I'm not a dentist, but my understanding is that epinephrine is added to prolong the duration of action of the anaesthetic, especially for upper teeth. Extractions are usually very quick affairs, so a plain anaesthetic makes sense.

There's no reason why your dentist would want to be lying to you about using a plain anaesthetic, so I think you'll be absolutely fine!

Please let us know how you got on! Best of luck for your appointment :clover::clover::clover:
 
Hi peggyscott :welcome:,

your previous experience sounds very scary. It could have been one of those freak occasions when the local anaesthetic (and the epinephrine/adrenaline in it) may have been accidentally injected into a blood vessel instead of muscle tissue. Or else it could have been a panic attack from feeling anxious. You'll probably never find out!

As your dentist said, there are anaesthetics that don't contain epinephrine (same as adrenaline). Also, there are injection techniques which use a lot less local anaesthetic (and therefore a lot less epinephrine). I'm not a dentist, but my understanding is that epinephrine is added to prolong the duration of action of the anaesthetic, especially for upper teeth. Extractions are usually very quick affairs, so a plain anaesthetic makes sense.

There's no reason why your dentist would want to be lying to you about using a plain anaesthetic, so I think you'll be absolutely fine!

Please let us know how you got on! Best of luck for your appointment :clover::clover::clover:

Good morning
Thank you for replying. I keep making myself get ready, however a part of me keeps wanting to cancel. I am scared and crying. Thank you for the information, I will try to be as honest as I can with the dentist and hope that he does the same with me. I am so glad I found this forum wherever it is.
:)
 
How are you doing peggyscott? Did all go well? Hope you are ok and wishing you a speedy recovery :grouphug:
 
How are you doing peggyscott? Did all go well? Hope you are ok and wishing you a speedy recovery :grouphug:
Hello
Yes all is well. I wote back but I do not see my reply.
I guess I sent it somewhere else. The extraction was a little complicated but the dentist was gentle and kind. He listened to my questions and assured me he would use the freezing without epinephrine.
I now have to have a fixed bridge done...i am hoping it canbe done without freezing but I don't know anything about it.
The recovery was fast and without incident.
I am so grateful for this forum. You were so supportive and gave me the information to take with me to the dentist.
You are great
Peggy
 
Many thanks for the update :) - great to hear it all went well!

Congratulations ?!!!!
 
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