I need opinions

[hawky]

I need opinions--anesthetics

Hello there. I'm new to posting here, but I have lurked here for a few weeks.

Anyways, I am having my wisdom teeth pulled on the 26th of November (the day before Thanksgiving!) My oral surgeon gave me the choice of which anesthetic I wanted. I'm really nervous about this whole deal because of bad past dental and surgical experiences. One of my teeth is so impacted the roots have started to turn upwards. I woke up during surgery once so I'm wary about going under, but I don't think I can deal with being awake. That skeeves me more than possibly waking up.

I need opinions onto which anesthetic is better. Should I go with local and blindfold myself and take my iPod, or go for general and pray that I don't wake up in the middle?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[brit]

Since you have the option and it's a complicated wisdom tooth extraction, personally I'd go for General. Is i/v sedation not also an option as this is less risky than GA?

 

[hawky]

Perhaps it's possible, but she said that my procedure would take a while and she wasn't sure if my body could handle it. She also wanted to make sure that I stayed in the state I begin the procedure in (if that makes any sense). I, apparently, tend to become aggressive with IV for some strange reason and I punch and kick which isn't good when you've got sharp, scary pointy things in your mouth. So, I suppose that's why she didn't present that option.

Thank you for your suggestion.

 

[FinnishGirl]

My wisdom teeth extractions weren't as complicated as yours but I needed an oral surgeon anyway. I did it with local and a bit of oral Valium. Is that an option or you? If you get agressive with iv sedatives it probably isn't, I think. Having wisdom teeth extracted isn't at all as scary as you might think, so if you are afraid of GA you don't have to choose that. But I thik both are good options.

 

[Hayley]

It is the anaesthetists job to ensure that you do not wake up during surgery. If you woke up then he didn't do his job properly. Personally, I'd have sued.

I'm having wisdom teeth out at some point too, although I have not even got my appointment with the oral surgeon yet.

It's Hobson's choice. Talk everything through with your oral surgeon and ask for reassurance that the anaesthetic will be monitored so that you don't wake up.

Good luck with it.

H

 

[Darth Erin]

Have you considered taking a Valium an hour before the appointment and then getting nitrous during the procedure? I did the Valium thing and by the time I got to the office, I was an extremely happy camper. I did not drive myself just in case you were wondering. I did do the IV sedation and was under for about 3 hours. Apparently I kept saying "This is great" and "You're the best" to my dentist although I definitely don't remember saying those things. It's a shame you reacted the way you did to the IV sedation because in my opinion, that's the way to go. Xanax is another option to consider. I call it "I don't care" in pill form. Good luck with everything.

 

[hawky]

Hey all... I just got back from a secondary consult and my oral surgeon quit and I got a new one and she REFUSES to put me out. She's the only one I can go to, so finding a different one isn't an option. Anyways, I broke down in the car; crying, shaking the works, and my appointment isn't until November! She gave me anti-anxiety meds and stuff, but she doesn't realize how scared I am. I had bad instances as a young child and I don't like being awake because I don't like the feeling of her hovering over me. I'm just afraid because I'm concious, but I don't know what's going on. It freaks me out... Any relaxing tips or anything I can do at all is appreciated.

 

[brit]

Why do you have no choice about going elsewhere - you should be able to be sedated at least? It's your choice not theirs anyway if you are paying.

 

[hawky]

I have no choice in the matter. It's my parent's money and both of them tell me to 'suck it up' and deal with it and stop being a baby. They don't think it's necessary to change/choose. I think I may call my OS tomorrow and talk to her and see what can be done.. I almost broke down in the chair because she asked if I was afraid and I told her I was utterly terrified. I don't want to be a basket case by the time the appointment comes around if I'm this afraid now...

 

[FinnishGirl]

Oh I'm super sorry to hear your parents don't understand your fear. It must be horrible! But you know what, I also wanted GA for my wisdom teeth extractions but for several reasons that wasn't a good option in my situation then, so I decided to have Valium and go. I never thought I could do it, but I could! I also unlearned a lot of my fear. I have a checkup on Monday and I'm not freaking out because I know I can do it whatever happens as I survived the wizzie operation! So if GA definitely isn't a possibility, try the anti-anxiety meds. They are total miracle pills, work wonders at least for me. But does your oral surgeon know about your getting agressive under IV? It may be the same problem if you take the same kind of drugs as pills... I don't know. If she knows about your IV problems and still gave you the meds, try them and you may be surprised! Have you ever had anti-anxiety meds before? They are great!

 

[hawky]

Thanks for the support.

Anyways, I have a few questions if anyone could answer them.

1) I am getting nitrous; how long is the nitrous left on for an hour and a half surgery, because I know that the effects wear off quickly once it is removed.

2) My appointment is at 1:15 PM. Can I eat/drink until then or is it best to hold off?

3) (I know this one sounds silly, but I'll ask anyways) Do you think wearing a sleep mask or blindfold will help at all? One of my fears is seeing the stuff sticking from my mouth/going towards my mouth.

4) Will an iPod affect any of the dental equipment or is it alright to bring it?

Thanks in advance for answering.

 

[letsconnect]

1) The nitrous can be used for the whole duration, as it doesn't "build up" or accumulate to any degree.
2) To the best of my knowledge, there are no restrictions on eating/drinking beforehand.
3) Doesnt' sound silly at all ! Some people prefer to close their eyes, but if this isn't an option (e.g. because it makes your contact lenses dry out or just because you prefer it), then a sleep mask would do the trick. Closing your eyes has the advantage that you don't have to take the mask off when you do want to look (e.g. to talk with your dentist or rinse).
4) The iPod won't affect the dental equipment, so do bring it if you want to listen to some music .

 

[FinnishGirl]

To question 3: Sounds like a good idea! I also dislike seeing anything so I close my eyes but when I get scared I tend to look anyway and get even more scared. Would be good not to see anything anyway even if I "forgot" to focus on not looking.