I feel like I'm going to lose it

[mommylondon]

Hello everyone. I have posted a couple of times since I found this site. To say that I am a phobic patient is really an understatement...Not only do I have Dental Phobia, I also have Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia (trouble leaving my house). I am also an abuse victim (in the past, rape and molestation) so my trust for people in general is extremely compromised. I have had oral issues for years and have had two teeth pulled with just a local, and had six molars removed under GA. Had bad freakouts with both situations, and have completely ticked off nearly every dentist in my area that I can make it to. I am running out of options and to be honest all the nice dentist I have met dont do extractions and I seem to only find mean dentist who do sedation dentistry....I met with a new dentist just a couple of days ago....she was abrupt...a bit pushy...smug....and really could care less about getting to know me as a person at all...When I first got there the receptionist was very friendly and has a good sense of humor and asked what I needed to be seen for....I told her I had to broken wisdom teeth that need to come out asap...and told her I was slowly moving towards an upper denture and lower partial...as this is what all the other dentist I have seen have said I needed.

She asked me if I wanted anything done that day, I said no I would like just a get to know you type consultation appointment and get a plan established for my care....She giggled and said "so you need to be romanced a little) I said yes very much so..She acted like this was totally fine. so I filled out my new patient paper work and waited to be called back. I was sitting with my husband when I heard the receptionist talking with another women behind the window but I couldnt see the other woman. I heard the other woman say "well we dont do consultations here, we dont waste time here, there is no consult"....I got up and the receptionist came over to the window and I asked if there was a problem with my appointment...and she said no not at all, but there would be a fee for me to speak with the Dentist...I said I have insurance but at this point I am more then willing to pay someone to be nice to me and help me....She said "oh its fine" whatever that meant...I went and sat back down and was shortly called back...I waited to see the dentist for 30 min and when she came in I was a bit taken back, she was very abrupt and didnt even look at me..and told me she would be doing an exam and I said that was fine as long as she didnt need to push on my teeth much. She said she didnt...She then counted what teeth I no longer had and told me what she needed to do...She told me it would be better if she just did the IV sedation and removed both my lower wisdom teeth and two broken molars on top and said I could keep all my other teeth if I would allow her to give me a filling behind my upper front tooth and do some deep cleaning behind my lower teeth...She said I would be in the chair sedated for over 2 hours but said it was the best way to handle my situation (without even talking to me about me).

I'm scared...she wasnt very compassionate, nor did she seem patient or friendly. I tried googling her to find patient reviews on her and could only find one that was a patient who said she was rough and abrasive. But they were not sedated. She didnt even let me ask anything about the sedation part. Like will I actually be alseep, or will I be aware of what is happening to me...I dont want to be aware of any of it.....everyone says I wont care but trust me I will....My mind does not like feeling strange, I dont handle that well....I need to not be aware that I am just laying there feeling weird....I read some people say they start the meds and then u wake up and its over, then I turn around and read that you can respond to your dentist and request more sedation if you need it.....this scares the you know what out of me....I dont want to know anything at all...if its just a matter of waking up and its over I can handle that, but I have read its not like that....does it just depend on what meds you are given....I asked one of the nurses up there and she said "oh you WILL be alseep" but I have read its not really asleep....can anyone help me out here....should I even be going to this dentist...I have a bad feeling about her, but as I said I'm running out of options and time...this infection will be back soon, as I have been on anti biotics 3 times now in 4 months....I'm scared I'm going to die from tooth abscess before I can find a dentist who can do this and that I can make it to....am I going to die??? Some one help me please.


Thanks to anyone who took the time to read all this

Take care

LeAnne

 

[LLM]

LeAnne,

First of all, hang in there. You are not alone - BELIEVE ME. If you feel that you are in danger, please go to the ER. Maybe since you have been on antibiotics a lot recently, you should not be in the life threatening threshold. But do keep a close eye on it and try to stay calm. I've learned the hard way to stay off of google researching horror stories. No good comes of it!

I refused IV sedation this past week due to panic and control issues, as well. Also, I have slight agoraphobia (I don't like leaving my 'comfort zone' very much). Again, you are not alone. Feel free to read my journal.

I also understand about angering dental professionals in my home town. My oral surgeon has dismissed me from their care because of my refusal to cooperate last Thursday. So, I am determined after the holiday weekend to find someone else who is willing to help me. I am on antibiotics and freaked out as well. So, let's support each other and do this together! My best to you, and please hang in there.

 

[mommylondon]

Hi LLM, its nice to meat you, and thank you for taking the time to respond to my cry baby post...Sorry to have taken so long to respond back, its been crazy here all weekend with holidays and all. Any way....I like the idea of supporting eachother through this....I'm a train wreck lol...If you would like to PM me please feel free to. I would like to hear more about your situation as well.

Sorry you are going through the same hell. I swear I wouldnt wish this fear on anyone.


Does anyone else out their have the patience to read my situation and offer any reassurance or support?? Pretty Please....I've been reading on here for weeks and there are some very reassuring posts but also some contradictory information that is really just raising my anxiety and I dont know who or what to listen to.

Thanks to all for reading

 

[45andAfraid]

I know exactly what you mean about not being in control. A reason why I don't really drink either. I don't like not being in control. So when I was told that I could be orally sedated I was a bit freaked out. I was so afraid of what these meds would do to me.

Well... let me tell you.... I will not have the work I'm having without it. I LOVE the stuff! You don't feel "weird"... you just feel really really tired and you just want to sleep. You feel so calm and relaxed that you just don't care what happens. And with a little bit of nitrous, I have drifted off to sleep while he worked on my mouth.

Feel free to read my journal as well. I haven't been to a dentist in over 20 years so my fear was right up there. I also have emetophobia (fear of vomiting) and a super sensitive gag reflex. So taking the oral sedation was just as frightening but I would rather take the meds then gag or vomit.

The only thing it does is you lose your short term memory. So you don't really remember what happens once you are back to your natural self. I've asked my partner stuff repeatedly because I kept forgetting I asked until I came back around.

It's really not what you think it's gonna feel like because I was just like you. So scared to take it. But.... I won't do appointments without it now.

 

[mommylondon]

Hi 45andafraid. I appreciate the feedback but I'm not having Oral Sedation, they dont do much of that around here, mostly everyone who is getting sedated gets IV sedation....and I'm still very clueless as to what to expect....have heard so many different versions as to what to expect, I dont know what is what anymore....but starting to feel like its really not for me....I was hoping someone on here would take the time to help point me in the right direction, but I am assuming my post is too long and isnt being read much...

I dont know what I'm going to do, I'm in a real mess....

 

[RP]

I was hoping someone on here would take the time to help point me in the right direction, but I am assuming my post is too long and isnt being read much...(

it's Christmas holiday give folks a chance to get back to their routine including us mods.

 

[mommylondon]

it's Christmas holiday give folks a chance to get back to their routine including us mods.

I'm truly sorry RP, that wasnt meant to sound like a stab at anyone, was more a dig at my self for rambling on the way I did in my initial post....i would never try to disrespect anyone on here, I have much respect for this site and the people here, so my apologies for coming off wrong

 

[doomflower]

Hello from the left side of the pond!

I've been dealing with the panic as well, for many years. Here's my general advice to you.

First off, if you don't feel comfortable with a dentist, then don't give them your business. (Here in America, patients tend to see themselves as customers to a business, so that's the analogy to picture. I understand the NHS doesn't quite work that way, but the dentist STILL has their own practice, and if the dentist is awful, then you have the right to take your business elsewhere.)

Even if you've been through a number of dentists already, don't give up. A good dentist will understand your situation and will work with you. What's especially important is that you resolve to work on this problem. Do something, every day, to get closer to your goal. If driving to a new dentist is too terrifying -- work on calling them and asking them questions until that becomes comfortable, then try it again. It's important that you do SOMETHING each day, even if it's a little bit intimidating or frightening. It doesn't need to be overwhelming. This is how you're going to defeat your agoraphobia AND your dental phobia. You can't kill the beast with one blow, but instead you're going to kill it with a thousand paper cuts.

 

[mommylondon]

Thank you doomflower, but this really is my only option for a dentist as I have went through several in the area that I can make it too...If this dentist cant get my teeth situation handled then I'm just bumming I guess cause I dont know what other options I would have. But thank you for taking the time to respond, I do truly appreciate it and hope you are well