I'm In a state of panic!

[Carys]

if I take a tablet will I be able to tell him not to use the picky thing?????

Yes, I'm sure you will, it is just relaxing you and not knocking you out.

I am so sorry Kim, you really are terribly frightened I know. You are going to have to summon any reserve of strength you have and start reassuring yourself, tell yourself out loud positive things....start re-enforcing calm thoughts about how things will progress tomorrow.

 

[Jaylah]

if I take a tablet will I be able to tell him not to use the picky thing?????

Yes.

All Valium tablets do is take the edge off your nerves so that -- while you will still be a bit nervous -- you won't go into full-blown panic attacks.

You will still be able to communicate.

 

[Kim]

Carys - no positive thoughts - just scared ones - I have taken a tablet breathing slowing - I am so sorry for putting this on to others -should be a big brave girl - just a woos omg less than 24 hours - I have lost almost a stone in weight over the last couple of weeks - thank you all for being there xx

 

[carole]

I really feel for you, I don't know what to say to you, other than what has already been said, I wish I could think of something. It really won't be as bad as you think it will be, honestly I was such a mess not once, but on a few occasions when I first saw my dentist last year. He must have thought he had a maniac in front of him, I was so scared I don't know how I managed to walk in there.

I even went to one appointment, and I must have seen him 2 or 3 times I think and I knew he was okay, but this one appointment I knew that he was going to look at a tooth and see if it had to come out or have a root canal.
Well for years I was terrified of having a root canal, and the night before I couldn't sleep, I got up my face was red and blotchy. I got to the dentist I could hardly walk, I felt like my legs were going to give way. I sat in the chair, he just looked into my mouth just with a mirror and said that the tooth could be saved. I couldn't think because I knew it would either be extract the tooth or rct. He said he advised me to have a rct, but it was my choice, I stayed quiet for what seemed like ages and I thought I am going to have to answer him because he was waiting and I couldn't talk. In the end I blurted out take it out. He said he could do it there and then if I wanted it out. I could feel my face getting redder and redder, and I just said I didn't want to lose the tooth but I couldn't sit through a rct.

He just said he thought it would be best if I returned the week after and he would book me for extraction but if I changed my mind to just ring up and let them know because I would need a longer app. He then asked why I was so afraid, I told him, and he spent half an hour just talking to me. I was really surprised that he wasn't annoyed for one, and that he said he would be able to do the rct around my fear.

When I left and thought about what had been said once I calmed down, I did ring up and have the rct. I never thought I would have done it, and since then I have had another one done.

Because he was so understanding and didn't try pressure me in any way and allowed me to escape that day, I felt I could trust him and I knew I could let him do whatever treatment I needed.

I know how scared you are, I have been there and not so long ago, but once you have been and faced the dentist, you will be able to build up a trust and get the treatment you need. I still can feel nervous, but no where near the state I was in when I first went. My dentist must have had nerves of steel, which I know he probably hasn't but he was so patient and calm and confident, that it rubbed off on me.

I really wish you the strength you need for tomorrow, and from what I understand you will be able to communicate with the dentist. I will be thinking of you tomorrow, as will all of us.

You really will be fine,

 

[Kim]

Well it is the morning of my appointment with fear and I have been awake since 2am! I am in a state of subdued panic and trying to breath through it. I have just over 3 hours to go and the very thought!

I am going to take a tablet, because I know as time gets nearer, my fear will get worse.

I am sorry for being such a woos, but that is part and parcel of my makeup. Thank you all again for your kind words.

Kim
x

 

[Carys]

Hiyer Kim,

Nothing bad is going to happen to you Kim, and believe or not (you probably won't believe this right now lol), afterwards you will probably say what most of us here say 'It was the waiting and the build up to the appointment that was the worst thing !' It kind of like childbirth, the build up to it is immense, then it is over really quickly and you sit there thinking 'ok, I've done it now what....' Obviously, unlike childbirth, it is much quicker, there is no pain and you don't have 18 years of looking after and living with your dentist. LOL

 

[Kim]

Thanks for this Carys - I am about to pop my pill and will be heading off - so hope the pill works as I am in a right pickle - and childbirth, I have had 4 children, and could do that rather than this anyday - and I was scared then too.
xx

 

[bisja]

I hope all went well with your appt, tomorrow I will start with my appts and will be taking a valium as honestly do not think I could go without it. Strange thing is I woke up at 2am this morning and my appt is not until tomorrow! I can so relate to how you feel.

 

[letsconnect]

Hi Kim, I saw your update in the other thread and just wanted to say WELL DONE !!!

Re. your question about IV sedation not working - this is really very, very rare. It can be a problem in people who have been taking high doses benzodiazepines (such as valium) over many years (not something which applies to you!). And over the years we had one or two cases where a dentist or sedationist actually missed the vein completely (but in both those cases, the dentists in question were really nasty creatures to start off with, who refused to listen to their patients and who sent out bad vibes from the start, and yours sounds lovely - so no worries there!).

I hope you'll get a chance to celebrate your success - here's to you !!

 

[Kim]

Thank you Letsconnect

I have gone through today in a lot calmer manner, but still cant stop thinking about it all. I would appreciate someone who has had the iv sedation giving me a rundown on how you feel etc. The dentist said I would be awake, feel no pain, but would feel what is going on, and I hate the thought of that. I told him that I had taken a Diazepam before my appointment yesterday, and asked if I could take that when I have the sedation. He said if it gets me through the door, then do it, and to let the anesthetist know. Will that affect the use of the iv, or will it help make me a bit more out of it does anyone know

I should if the post is reliable, get my letter outlining what can be done and what happens if it can, and of course the cost. My one wish always has been to have been born with wonderful perfect teeth. I should just count my blessings that I have my health, which of course I do, but I cant help being a little selfish for wishing I had lovely teeth.

To everyone who is going through worry and trauma with their dental phobia, may I wish you the best weekend that you can have, and again, any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Take care one and all.

Kim x

 

[Jaylah]

Kim, I've had IV sedation quite a number of times. Here in the States, they often call it "twilight sleep."

Here's what happens. They start an IV in your arm or hand and begin by dripping just normal saline solution into it (just to keep it open). Just before they're ready to start, they inject some of the anesthetic into the IV and -- as far as you can tell -- you just get very sleepy immediately. So sleepy you can't help but fall asleep.

When they are finished, you "wake up" and you don't have any memory of anything that happened while you were asleep. As far as you know, you just slept through the whole thing.

What you don't know, and won't remember, is that people were able to talk to you, and you were able to respond, while you were "under." For example, the dentist may ask you to open your mouth a bit wider and you'll be able to do so. Or he may ask you to tip your head to one side or the other, and you will be able to understand and respond appropriately.

If you actually felt anything during the procedure, you won't remember that you did when you wake up. So it really won't matter.

I have had a surgical implant done under this kind of sedation, which meant slicing open about a 2-inch incision just below my collar bone, having a "port" stitched into place, a vein cut and the two ends of the port stitched to each side of the vein, then the whole incision sewn up again. I never felt or remembered a thing.

I have also had three "TEE" procedures done under this type of sedation, which requires the doctor to stick a rather large, flexible wand with a video camera on the end down my throat to take pictures of my heart. Never felt a thing or remembered any of it on two occasions. On the third, the anesthesiologist "brought me up" a bit too soon (or else the doctor decided he wanted to look around more after telling the anesthesiologist to bring me around) and I started gagging against the wand.

Basically what it does is cause almost immediate amnesia of anything that happens to you. So they could slice open the skin for my implant but I immediately forgot they did it. "Pain" basically requires memory. I'm not describing this well, but you have to remember that something hurt in order to really feel pain. If you forget that it hurt just as soon as it happens, you don't really feel pain.

At any rate, you will "fall asleep" and then -- some time later -- wake up. And you won't remember anything that happened in the middle.

 

[Kim]

Thank you for that Jaylah

You have explained it better than I think you think you have. I am anxious for my letter to arrive tomorrow.

My hubby and daughter have gone next door to my neighbours and I have stayed home alone - they are lovely and good friends, but they will NOT understand my problem and would make me feel even more rubbish than I already do, so I have stayed home - NOT always a good thing to do when you have soooooo much on your mind

I'm tiredI'm sad and I still am not eating properly I know

Kim

 

[Pianimo]

!

Hi Kim.

I would appreciate someone who has had the iv sedation giving me a rundown on how you feel etc. The dentist said I would be awake, feel no pain, but would feel what is going on, and I hate the thought of that.

I've also had IV sedation a few times, all for dental appointments, and my experience isn't exactly the same as Jaylah's, so I wanted to share it - just so that you can have a balanced expectation.

The main difference is that I do remember some of every appointment. However, the appointments were 1-2 hours long, and I can only remember maybe 5-10 minutes' worth of stuff out of each one. This is probably due to a combination the amnesia, and the fact that it makes 1 hour seem like about 5 minutes! For me it's a bit like when you're dozing on a long car journey - every now and then you wake up for a little while, then drift off again, never fully coming to; then when you do wake up properly, you've no idea how long you've been asleep. In reality, in the appointment, you are aware the whole time (unless you're actually so relaxed you fall asleep naturally, as apparently happened in one of my appointments!) but you mostly forget as soon as its happened. Even the bits you do remember straight afterwards, you may no longer remember the next day, as the amnesia effect keeps going for a while.

Anyway, at the points where I felt aware, I generally felt sleepy, calm and relaxed. It's like being constanly in that moment when you're just starting to wake up from a deep sleep - when you're still peaceful and don't feel quite with it yet. I think it's a nice feeling. I remember in my first appointment noticing that my dentist was now doing work in my mouth and thinking to myself: "You know, you don't like stuff being done in your mouth...so, you should have a problem with this...in fact, you should be getting really upset and anxious/smacking her hand away an jumping out of the chair!....but, you're not...in fact, it's not actually bothering you in the slightest...if you weren't so contentedly drowsy, you might muster up the energy to get excited about that! Prior to that appointment, the very suggestion I could have any work done in mouth and feel happy while it happened would have been unthinkable! I hate even brushing my own teeth! But throughout close to 1.5 hours of work I honestly felt as peaceful and at ease as if I were sleeping in my own bed.

In the interests of full disclosure: firstly, I have had a couple of negative experiences while under IV sedation, but they were due to specific circumstances/incidents, and haven't put me off at all. I'd still choose it for any future treatment, and recommend it to anyone. Secondly, just to say that my experiences were positive due to a combination of the sedation and the people treating me - a good relationship with your dentist is really helpful/important.

I think the reason for the difference between my experience and Jaylah's could be partially a UK/US thing - it's my understanding that in the US the level of sedation is often deeper than in the UK. There are people in the UK who have the "IV went in...next thing I know it's all over" experience, although the instances I know of have mostly been for shorter appointments (e.g. extraction). The main factor, though, is simply that the drugs they use affect different people differently. So, no-one can guarantee exactly what your experience will be, but I can say that an overhwelming majority find it a positive one.

I told him that I had taken a Diazepam before my appointment yesterday, and asked if I could take that when I have the sedation. He said if it gets me through the door, then do it, and to let the anesthetist know. Will that affect the use of the iv, or will it help make me a bit more out of it does anyone know

I'm not an expert, but I think that, since they are the same kind of drug, the anaesthetist will probably tailor the amount of sedative he gives by IV to account for the diazepam you've taken. There is an 'optimum' level of sedation - i.e., relaxed enough that you're completely calm and happy in the chair, but not sedated to the point you are actually put to sleep! The anaesthatist is an expert at achieving that exact level, whether by IV alone or IV + diazepam. So I don't think you'll nedessarily be 'more' sedated, but as your dentist said - it's definitely worth taking if it gets you through the door.

I'm tiredI'm sad and I still am not eating properly I know

Just one little tip if you're struggling to be able to eat - try to distract yourself while eating! It may sound daft, but it's basically the opposite of the advice given to dieters: they're told not to eat when watching TV etc, when you can end up eating more than you realise, but rather to set aside time for meals and focus on enjoying every mouthful etc. When you're so anxious that your appetite disappears and you just feel sick all the time (as I've experienced), if you sit down and tell yourself "You need to eat something!", you're likely to end up staring at the plate and feeling even more sick with every mouthful! So, try tricking your body into eating - prepare food that can be 'nibbled', and then read a book/watch TV, phone a friend (/come on DFC! )...and let your hand wander into the bowl and then towards your mouth, before your brain has a chance to catch on to what you're doing!

Just realised how long this post is - oops! Sorry! Hope some of it helps a bit. If you have any more questions about IV sedation, feel free to ask! Hope you're able to get some decent sleep tonight, and your letter arrives in the morning.

 

[Kim]

Thank you Pianimo for your very helpful response. I understand that everyone is different, but I did read one story on here that someone fought the dentist even with the sedation and that the dentist said it was because they didnt want to be sedated. Well my (il)logical thinking is telling me that as I want to know absolutely nothing about what goes on, I will be out for the count, but my logical thinking is telling me that that wont be the case, and the professionals know what will happen as they have seen it time and time again.

I had a reasonable sleep and am now waiting and hoping that the postie is reliable today, and that my letter arrives with everything on. I asked the dentist at Craigentinny about the prospect of having several teeth done on as few implants as possible, and he said this would have to be assessed. I am in a quandary over many things as the crowns I have arent good. Too many thoughts going through my head, and I dont know the answers!!

Kim x

 

[Kim]

Postie didn't deliver letter

 

[carole]

I was going to say don't worry, but you will and are, the letter will come. I hate the waiting, at least when you know when, where and how, we still worry but we have something to head towards.

Try and enjoy the weekend, keep as busy as you can.

 

[Jaylah]

It's kind of strange, but we always say the same thing over on the BC board, too. "It's the waiting that is the hardest."

Once you have the facts, and the options laid out for you, then you can decide on a treatment plan and then it's just a case of putting one foot in front of the other and following the plan.

But not knowing leaves your mind free to come up with worst case scenarios.

I agree with Carole, Kim. Try to find a few things to do that you really enjoy over the weekend.

 

[Kim]

Gone 11am and my daughter says the post still hasnt been!

 

[Kim]

Postie has been and still no letter - should I ring the surgery? Even the thought of that panics me

 

[Kim]

I plucked up the courage and rang - he hasnt posted it yet!