Here we go again

[freakout]

Well my next appointment is on November 30, less than 2 weeks away and I am starting to freakout!!! I can't stop thinking about it. I know I shouldn't worry now, because it is still 12 days away, but... The longer the time in between appointments, the worse it is when I do go in. I am much more jittery/shakey. I am trying to focus on thanksgiving next week, however, I am going to a relatives house who used to work for the dentist and I know she will ask how it is going. I would love to explain my fear/phobia to her, but she would not understand. She would probably just laugh, so I will just try to stay off the subject & keep the worrying to myself.

I am trying to convince myself to just stay calm and explain my fears to the dentist when I see him, instead of shaking like an absolute fool

 

[freakout]

I only have 5 days to go . I went to Thanksgiving dinner yesterday & as I feared the dentist topic came up (partly due to the fact that my sister had to have a root canal on Wednesday, and everyone was asking how she was doing). I talked to my relative about her job and we started discussing the dentist (she used to work for him). I did somehow find the courage to tell her I was worried, because the last dentist who did a filling hurt me. She smile and said yes, but you know he (my dentist) is not going to hurt you. I told her that I wasn't sure if I was just having a filling, because at the last appointment he said the tooth needed alot of work. The look on her face told me she thought there would be more than just a filling She talked about the type of person he is and it helped a tiny bit . I just hope that the next couple of days go quickly so I can just get it over with, otherwise I may end up chickening out

 

[freakout]

Less than 48 hours I am really panicing now I just freak out everytime I think of walking into the office. Had nightmares last night. The last two day weren't so bad, because I kept myself busy with x-mas shopping, but now I have to be at work, and business is slow this time of year. Plenty of time to worry I just tried some of the Rescue Remedy recommended on this site, hopefully it calms me a little. I have knots in my stomach and if that helps just a little of that I will be happy. I just have to stop myself from picking up the phone and cancelling

 

[letsconnect]

I'm sorry to hear you're having such a rough time right now . Short of that time-travel machine, I came across one bit of information re. rescue remedy a couple of days ago which might be useful - apparently, it's ok to take it every 15 minutes if necessary.

I've also been through most of the major relaxation CDs on the market, and the ones I liked best by a long stretch (though everyone is bound to have different preferences) are these: [broken link removed]

If you need to vent - we're here for you

 

[happydancyfeet]

Awww freakout I know how you are feeling right now.... no point in me saying "try to relax" cos thats easier said than done. Just know that I'm thinking of you and we are ALL here for you.

 

[freakout]

Thanks for the support "Lets" & "Happy". It is great to know that I can vent. I had to remind my boss of my appointment, and I started shaking just at the thought, so I hid my hands so my boss wouldn't notice. Last time I had an appointment, he said you shouldn't be nervous anymore, because you have had several appointments. I just said yeah right LOL.
I can't believe how much faster time goes when you are in that 48 hour window I am trying to work up my nerve to tell the dentist about the other teeth bothering me, I hope I don't just sit in the chair and say OK (my usual response to anything he says).

 

[happydancyfeet]

Write it all down now freakout and hand it to them tomorrow (I did and it helped). Good luck!!

 

[freakout]

Unfortunatly-My track record on handed them a letter is not good. My hands are usually shaking so bad, I just clasp my hands together the minute I arrive and don't unclasp them until I leave. Writing does however help me to formulate what to say

 

[vicki]

I know what you mean about your hands shaking - mine do too so I usually sit or lay on them! (can be quite uncomfortable but at least it keeps them under control!). Is there someone you could hand a note to who could pass it on to your dentist before you get into the treatment room? Or could you post it through the door the night before?

 

[freakout]

Thanks Vicky! I do not have anyone to go with me to hand off the note, and there is really no door to pass the note under, they are in the middle of a mall. I guess I will just keep trying to practice talking to the dentist in my mind and hope the right words come out. It did help when my relative talked about him as a person, doesn't make him feel quite as scarey. She also said that sometimes the later in the day the appointment is the harder it is as he gets tired and sometimes crabby. Good thing my appointment is first thing on Wednesday LOL. Tonight and tomarrow will be the hardest thinking about it, but I will do my best not to panic on Wednesday.

 

[vicki]

Maybe you could send an email instead if saying what you need to is hard at appointments?

I know it's hard trying to say what you need to when you're panicking - I literally can't speak because I'm so scared. If I do manage to speak it tends to be limited to about 5 words (Hi, Bye, Yes, No and Err...!), so I quite often just say OK when really I actually wanted to say something else.

Even if you do panic at your appointment, don't be hard on yourself - it's still a huge achievement to make it through the door when you consider how terrified it can make you .

 

[letsconnect]

I think it's fantastic you've been able to talk to your relative about this, and that you can now begin to see your dentist as a person. That in itself is a huge achievement. And in the longer run this should make it a lot easier for you to start communicating any worries or fears you may have to him.

Well done !!!

 

[freakout]

24 hours until my appointment Iam not really sleeping, well when I do fall asleep, I have nightmares and wake up in cold sweats. I did not tell my relative just how bad my fears are, we just discussed our jobs, and she compared her current boss to her old boss (my dentist) I was seeing him as human(LOL), but right now it is hard to see him as anything except frightening, especially after the nightmares . The rational part of me is saying that I am making it much worse than it is, but as we all know the Irrational part of us takes over the closer we get to the appointment. I am having alot more pain in the back tooth when I brush my teeth, so I hope when he looks at that he will see the large cavity, 2 teeth away. I will have to bring his attention to one or the other, because the tooth he will be worrking on is on the other side. I don't know if it will be for fa filling (both side of the tooth) or a root canal (as I have nerve type pain in the lip in front of that tooth) Either way I am terrified, as the last dentist to use a hand piece (drill) hurt me alot.

I guess I am just venting now...Thanks in advance for you support and kind words, it really does help alot

 

[happydancyfeet]

I'll be thinking of you tonight and sending positive thoughts.................. I forgot your appointment had been changed and logged on last night to check up on you lol

You are doing so well freakout..going by yourself...no sedation........well done you!!!

 

[freakout]

Thanks Happy, I don't know I sometimes think I'm crazy about the no sedation part. Believe me if I had the support and the money, I would probably opt for sedation everytime!! I am really feeling awful now...Stress headache...probably too much jaw clenching last night. I just want to call and cancel, but I know I would just have to rescedule and go through this all over again

 

[happydancyfeet]

I just want to call and cancel, but I know I would just have to rescedule and go through this all over again

I felt exactly the same last week freakout! I took one step at a time.....kept telling my partner " If i cant do it - I'll re-appoint" It helped me to actually make it to the waiting room. Then I told myself...."if i dont feel right in the treatment room, I'll tell them and re-appoint" By this time, I was in the chair, and thought "ok, I'm here, Ive gone through the sleepless night, the anxious morning, heart racing, panic attacks etc. and if I re-appoint - I'll have to go through all this again.......... I'll give it another go" All this knowing I'd be under sedation!!!
You really are doing so well freakout, wish i could do what You are going to do tomorrow!

I'm not sure where you are freakout (time differences etc) but if I'm logged on....feell free to e-mail or pm me anytime

 

[freakout]

Thanks Happy! I am in the US, midwest. so that means just over 22 hours to go. It will be the longest 22 hours, except tomarrow I am sure I will say it went by too fast LOL This is the first time that I am on the verge of tears. I am really afraid I will start crying in the office tomarrow, never reach that point, not even when I had 18 teeth extracted, of course that time he gave me nitrous, because I was so nervous. He really is kind and gentle, but I still fear the procedures.

 

[vicki]

I don't know I sometimes think I'm crazy about the no sedation part.

No you're not crazy . I've never had sedation for appointments either. Some people do and some people don't for all sorts of reasons - what works for some doesn't necessarily work for others because everyone is different. But there are lots of different ways to try and make things a little better - you just need to find the right combination of things that will work for you (I'm still searching for the right combination that will work for me ).

I find that sometimes, like happy said, breaking it down into smaller stages and dealing with each one at a time does help a little bit - it's just a way of trying not to worry too far ahead.

I know you're finding this really hard right now, but you've done the hardest part by going back to the dentist in the first place - so you have got the courage to do this (even though it may not feel like it at the moment). This is how I somehow managed to convince myself to get in there to get the toothpaste on friday - even though I panicked at the sound of the dentist's voice (and threw up in the car park afterwards! ), I kept telling myself over and over again, that I'd been in there before and had come out alive and in one piece so I could go in there again.

 

[happydancyfeet]

Dont be afraid of crying in the office, it's nothing to be ashamed of! ( I cry talking to them on the phone ) it will let them see just how scared you are, they may even give you a whiff of nitrous again?

You had 18 extracted at the same time? And here I am scared of having the next two extracted ......... under IV!!!! Did you have immediates fitted freakout? or wait till you'd healed? I'm not sure which route to take on this, tho at the moment, I think I'll wait till I've healed then have the impressions done.

 

[freakout]

I had immediates fitted and put in after the extractions on top, still have to address a partial for the bottom, as I can't afford implants. I was definately happy to have the immediate and not have to go without teeth .

Believe me they will definately be able to see how nervous I am, my hands will be shaking so bad. I know I can do this, but the thought of going tomarrow and signing in freaks me out. I just hope he is not at the front counter when I go in (he is up there alot)