I'm losing my mind

[Dianam512]

Background story: I stopped going to the dentist because of two major reasons: money and fear but mostly the second one, it was a 8 year period of not visiting a dentist office and now I'm regretting it so much, we didn't have insurance because of immigration issues (please don't judge me, my mom brought me and my brother to this country when we were kids, it wasn't my decision) but growing up she tried taking me to see one and I just didn't want to go because lord I'm terrified, now I'm a married woman with a family of a own, the immigration issue is not a problem anymore and now I have insurance through my husband's job

2 years ago I went for the first time to see the dentist after the 8 year pause and everything looked good for such a long period (I think I even posted here how embarrassed I was and how I thought they were gonna found horrible things). I liked that office a lot but then my husband changed jobs so the insurance changed too and we had to change office, 5 months ago one of my molars (bottom, left side) started bothering me, I went to the new place (I've had been there already 2 months before for my cleaning and they said everything looked good ...I'm terrified but trying to stay on top of everything) and they told me I needed a root canal and a crown, I got it done, we had to apply for care credit (my husband changing jobs wasn't the best decision but that's another story) because we didn't have the money for the co-pay, I asked the dentist to please check the rest of my teeth to make sure everything was ok and he said it was so I went on with my life.

2 weeks ago I started feeling pain on the molar next to the tooth I got work done 5 months ago, I found another office because I didn't like the way I was treated during the root canal process (he even burned me under my tongue and I was in pain and with a big sore for a whole week), the new office is so much better, love love love my new dentist, I can't say enough good thing about him, but anyway, he found that the problem that was causing me pain was a huge cavity that had already touched my nerve and guess what? Yeah another root canal, I was surprised and asked if it was possible to get a cavity that big in 5 months and he said in his experience he didn't think so so I'm like WHAT THE HECK? They didn't tell me anything about it at the other place? I don't even know what to think? But anyway ...got the root canal done, more money put on the care credit card cause money is still tight (we have 2 kids, the company I worked for closed, I've been suffering from chronic migraines since 6 months ago and they are still trying to figure out what medicine works best, my husband works for sale and commission based and it can be a pain the butt sometimes ...I know I'm sound like a martyr but it's just one of those hard patches in life for us) and the dentist told me that on the x ray he saw that the root canal they did at the other place looked like it had some kind of inflammation too but that maybe it was because of the other tooth that he had just worked on and to wait and see, that was a week ago and guess what? Yesterday I woke up with pain and I didn't know if it was the new root canal or the old one, I called and they took me in yesterday thank god, more X-rays and the dentist took the time to explain what the white and black spots means (white meaning good-black meaning bad) and the work he did looks fine but the root canal from 5 months ago has a black spot at the bottom and he explained that the stick thingy that are supposed to go in the canal for some reason in the canal that has the black spot the other dentist didn't push it through the bottom like it should (I'm sure this sound more complicated than it is but its hard to explain) ....so now I got referred to a endodontist and most likely I need to get the root canal redone or an extraction and I don't have more money. I feel like crying, I'm on antibiotics and painkillers for now but I know something has to be done ASAP. I'm not sure if I should just call the other place and tell them what's going on, my husband feels like they should be responsible for the job but I don't feel comfortable going back there ...I'm sorry this turned to be just a long vent, I just don't have anybody else to talk and other people don't understand how terrifying this is, not only the money issue but the having to go back and get it redone one

ohhhh and for some reason today in feeling something weird on one of my molars on the right side, seriously? What else is there? What did I do to deserve all these

 

[Tink]

Hi dianam

Not sure I can help you very much with practical advice about the money stuff and dealing with your old dentist (I'm in the UK so the system is very different), but just wanted to give you a hug and say that we're here and we're listening. This is a great place to vent and I really hope it can help.

You're not losing your mind, you are going through a really stressful time and these reactions are normal.

Sometimes things really do seem to happen all at once, and it can feel like more than you can deal with. I know where you're coming from! Whatever you end up doing, hang in there, be gentle with yourself, and try to break it down into smaller steps and tackle one thing at a time.

I understand how terrifying it is, and how overwhelming it can all look! Last time I felt like that was two days ago, you're not alone x