Insert Catchy Title Here (aka here we go again...)

[FearfulInMA]

Hi Fearful!
Another good list - especially your trip to Miami! Plenty to keep you busy which is great as long as your tooth/two teeth cooperate and hopefully warm, sunny weather will be in your future. I think what you said about appreciating your dentist especially in light of his illness is very true and wonderful. The gratitude is also a sign of your "healing" and a testament to how far you have come...though your fear is not totally gone, you've made such strides - even in the weeks since his return. It may be hard for you to see as you are so close but the energy of your posts is more positive - sometimes obviously so, sometimes more subtle but it is there. The fact that you consented to a root canal with an endo you'd only met that am is astounding progress, you have to admit!! I continue to be impressed by how "together" you are, even if you don't feel it or think you are running on "fake it till you make it"...it is still an impressive act to have together!

Thanks, Mugz. I have worked really hard at this. For most of the last 6+ years, my mindset has been that I just have to force myself to go. I never would allow myself to miss or cancel an appointment as terrified as I was. I think that having found my tooth whisperer made all the difference because, as completely and totally terrified as I was (first appointment for fillings, first crown, first RCT, wisdom teeth extractions -- the unknowns of all of these really scared me) he was able to provide enough assurance that I would not be in pain, that I was able to get the work done. Now, over the last few months, I've tried to move past the 'just getting it done' to being able to get the work done and not have horrible anxiety about it. For me, the anxiety is so debilitating and impacts so many areas of my life. I'm an anxious person in general -- as my dentist is quick to joke with me about (like the fact that I have a ridiculous case on my cell phone so that it won't break if it drops) -- but the dental anxiety, for me, can be WAY worse that most anything else. I describe it as that feeling that you get at the top of a roller coaster, but that it last for days or weeks and is non-stop. The recent toothmares and anxiety feel like a bit of a setback, but I'm going to work really hard today to try to decrease them as much as possible. Fingers crossed!

I have to sleep and so do you!!! Hopefully we will both remain nightmare free. I'm sure your nightmares are just because you are in pain and worried about neighboring tooth #3, why rct tooth hurts and should you fill crown, worried about your dentist....and upcoming appointment as an anxious patient...consciously or subconsciously. All this cuts into quality sleep...unfortunately.

I do think you are correct about all of this. I'm not in any constant pain these days -- just some chewing pain. I haven't tried cold/hot recently as I don't want to tempt fate . But yes, worried about #3, worried about the continued soreness in #2 and worried about my dentist in general are certainly contributing. Hoping that sunny FL and a change of scenery for a couple of days (even if it is work travel) will help a bit.

This is what's left on my list:

- errands, long workout, packing for work trip
- long run sunday
- Miami for work sunday night through tuesday (flying back home tuesday night)
- work from home wednesday morning before my appointment

Wishing you all tooth/dentist-free dreams and a pain-free weekend!

 

[Mugz]

Hey Fearful!

Hope you had a good trip to Miami and uneventful flight home! Sorry about pesky #3.....here's hoping that by this time tomorrow you have some good news about it or maybe a plan in place for it and a very painless and comfortably placed, leak-proof, shiny new permanent filling over that RCT tooth. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow and know you've got this...especially with your awesome tooth whisperer. Look at it as an opportunity to spend quality time with someone you've gotten to know more like a friend than a tooth doctor.


I'll be holding your cyberhand (just got a manicure for the occasion too) and know it will be okay as you are in very good real hands. I will also look forward to reading about how well your appointment went this time tomorrow!!!! You've so got this!!!!

 

[FearfulInMA]

Teeth are a little sore, but all went well.

The dentist did a permanent filling on #2. It was uncomfortable at times (he did not use anesthetic because the tooth had been RCT'd), but nothing unbearable. He also put a desensitizing agent on #3 with hopes that this will fix the sensitivity.

On my way back to work, but just wanted to post a quick update here. Thanks for all the amazing support!

 

[Miss Partial]

Teeth are a little sore, but all went well.

The dentist did a permanent filling on #2. It was uncomfortable at times (he did not use anesthetic because the tooth had been RCT'd), but nothing unbearable. He also put a desensitizing agent on #3 with hopes that this will fix the sensitivity.

On my way back to work, but just wanted to post a quick update here. Thanks for all the amazing support!

Hi Fearful


Well done....well done ...well done..... How long are you free for? Are you going to make it to camp???

Sending my virtual hugs and smiles over the net to you

Just Mugz to go this wk now!!!

Miss P

 

[Spike 1969]

Teeth are a little sore, but all went well.

The dentist did a permanent filling on #2. It was uncomfortable at times (he did not use anesthetic because the tooth had been RCT'd), but nothing unbearable. He also put a desensitizing agent on #3 with hopes that this will fix the sensitivity.

On my way back to work, but just wanted to post a quick update here. Thanks for all the amazing support!

Hi Fearful

Well Done you!! That's amazing

Here's hoping that No 3 tooth settles down now.

You just need to treat yourself by way of celebration

Cheers

 

[Mugz]

Can I tell you how impressed I am??? Seriously!!! No anesthetic?? I'd have hit the ceiling if they did my crown or a filling without any on my RCT tooth!!! It has no nerve but hurts more than any in my mouth?!? You're a warrior!!! Guess that defines the word trust, doesn't it?!?

Here's hoping the desensitizer works on pesky #3 and gives you a break permanently or at least buys you some serious time!

You've come so far....and have made the kind of progress I only dream about. I am so proud of you as I really know how hard this is to conquer and if you were once where many of us are now this is such a HUGE accomplishment...it really is. You deserve to treat yourself and acknowledge that success!!! Pretty soon you may need to change your name to FearLess!!!

 

[FearfulInMA]

Miss P, Spike, Mugz -- thanks! No appointments scheduled for me until April. I would love to come visit you all at camp... perhaps provide some classes in list making . In April, when I got the crown on #2, I told my dentist that I wanted to have 1 yr free of dental work. I reminded him of this today and told him that the clock would restart today.

Mugz -- Yes, total trust. It's taken so long for me to get to this point and I have no doubt that you will too. The people on this site have helped more than I can say. And, of course finding a dentist who I trust enough that I let him drill on my RCT'd tooth without anesthetic -- knowing that if I couldn't manage that he would have stopped. I know that you will find your tooth whisperer too.

I can only hope that knowing how terrified I used to be and also where I am now will help others have faith and hope that they can get there too. I promise that it is absolutely possible. This is not to say that I never get anxious or that I will never 'relapse' back into my fearful self, but for the most part, the anxiety is considerably decreased from where I started. One of the funniest thing that I noticed that made me really start to believe that I had made some real progress was that, for today's appointment, I wrote the dentist's name in my calendar. Normally, I just write "dentist appointment", but without thinking about it, somehow for today's appointment I wrote "Dr. XXX". Funny that it's these little things that, at least for me, signal the most progress.

Sending lots of hugs and virtual hand holding your way, Mugz. You are so strong and you deserve to get relief from the pain you've been living with for way too long. So many good thoughts coming your way!

 

[CollegeBound]

Great job Fearful! Super proud of you!

 

[FearfulInMA]

2 days out from the permanent filling and attempt to desensitize #3 and the RCT'd tooth is still quite sore when I chew on it and the one next to it doesn't seem to have been helped by the desensitizing agent

Since I'm not in constant pain, the plan is to just try to ignore it as best as I can for now... And maybe mention it when I go back in April. I honestly just need a break and I'm also not convinced that anything is going to make this any better. Maybe not the best of plans, but it seems that, as long as it's not getting any worse, there's not harm in waiting.

 

[Mugz]

Oh NOOOOOOO!!!!

Okay....WHAT THE HECK!!! Dentistry is right up there with meteorology or some kind of primal healing!!! It might work but then again maybe not and if it doesn't no accountability?? What the heck!?! I TOTALLY feel your frustration. I know you trust your dentist and i don't mean to slam him specifically I just mean in general this whole industry seems stuck in many ways in what they can actually do to help...for real, not just try. I'm not the one to read today if you're hoping for sunny optimism. I'm trying mind over molar(s) and it is HARD especially when they hurt. hard like quitting crack (so I hear) ...that was meant to make you smile!

The one gem Ive picked up in crappy root canal hell is it can take up to 2 months for some teeth to fully recover. All is not lost yet. You may be in the same boat with me, deciding to live with the pain rather than extract and implant. Sucky place to be...but you're not alone!!!!

 

[FearfulInMA]

Thanks, Mugz. I did definitely smile from your mind over molar joke. And, despite the trust I have for my dentist, I do sometimes feel like dentistry is far from an exact science. The only thing that keeps me from running screaming (literally) from all things dental is that this part of my dental journey started with 6 years of dental work that, for the most part, was pain-free and went according to plan. So now, when I have teeth that are not behaving, I do my best to remember that it's not always this way.

It is good to hear that, at least for #2, it may be normal to still be having some discomfort a month after the RCT. And, if I have to deal with this nonsense, I'm so grateful to not be dealing with it alone. For #3, it's frustrating that the desensitizer didn't help. The dentist said that he could bond (same process as a filling) the area with the recession if the desensitizer didn't work. And, I probably will let him do that at some point. For now, I feel like I just need a break and I'd rather just live with the sensitivity. We'll see if I continue to feel this way as the deep freeze hits the northeast and it hurts to have the cold air hit it. I really would like to have a year without dental work. I had originally set this goal in April when I got the crown on the tooth that was just RCT'd. The clock started over on Wednesday.

I'm just so sick of all of this!

 

[zombiegroupie]

hang in there!

 

[zombiegroupie]

Fearful do you use a Sensitive toothpaste? I"ve had pretty bad sensitivity in most of my teeth for a long time and using Sensodyne daily helps.

 

[FearfulInMA]

Yes, I use sensitive toothpaste that the hygienist gave me in the morning and prescription fluoride toothpaste at night (which should technically also help). The sensitivity in #3 is, unfortunately, way worse than the normal sensitivity I have in other teeth because there is recession and the dentin is exposed . On Wednesday, the dentist applied a material that is also supposed to help with sensitivity, but it didn't work

 

[Miss Partial]

I'm just so sick of all of this![/QUOTE]



I can almost 'hear' the desperation in your post. I am sorry you are still having horrible teeth issues and sensitivity. Sending hugs your way and wishing you a pain free weekend.


Miss P

 

[Spike 1969]

Hi Fearful

Sorry to hear that this dental stuff is not going as planned, here's hoping you will get some positive results in the very near future

 

[Mugz]

Hi Fearful!

Totally get the frustration...and NEEDING A BREAK!!!! A little "dentist" goes a LONG way. If you can take a breather for a spell I think that will do your spirit a world of good and keep the positive momentum you have worked so hard for. I'm sure there is a fine line between a "break" and a "backslide"... but I don't know where that is. I have total confidence you do. You know yourself and your "limit" and if you've reached it right now, take the time you need to decompress, as long as the pain isn't making you miserable it is totally okay to recharge the courage battery.

Take a big, deep breath and let it go, SLOWLY...send some of your frustration with it....try it again. One more time. And again. I'm doing it with you, several states away!!! Feel a little better or dizzy like I do?

(((((( Hugs to you Fearful ))))))

 

[FearfulInMA]

Thanks all!

Mugz -- yes, I do know the difference for me between a break and a backslide. I will not miss a 6 month cleaning appointment (my next one is in April) and I will get any treatment that if not done will make things worse. This ridiculousness with #3 is annoying and makes eating not-so-fun, but the reality is that doing nothing for now isn't going to make things any worse. I tried something non-invasive (though still uncomfortable because it's so sensitive to air, water, etc.) with the desensitizer with hopes that it would work -- it does for 'most' people (even based on the internet research I've done), but not for this tooth. Honestly, at this point I'm just so tired of all of this. It's not even about courage... just exhaustion and frustration.

Like you said, Miss P -- just a little desperation and maybe some exasperation. I am just so sick of this. After months of tooth issues, I just want to not think about my teeth for a day or two. And, I could do that if they didn't keep reminding me of their presence.

Doing some deep breaths. It's good to practice those . I have been working on deep breathing for many, many years -- it's my go-to anxiety management strategy since I won't take Valium, etc. So, no dizziness here, but a very good reminder that this would be a good time to practice.

Crazy work weekend for me so I slept most of the day after working the overnight. Now off to make dinner and then sleep again before working some of the overnight tonight. I hate that I have to work so much, especially since most of the 'extra' money goes towards fixing my damn teeth! UGH... ok... I should stop now.

Thanks again to all of you!

 

[Mugz]

Hi Fearful!
How are YOU feeling today? Was last night a good night for you? When you work at night are you running around crazy or can you sit quietly? How about your training for the marathon...how is that going? How long have you been running? Obviously you do it despite the autoimmune issues you contend with too which I imagine either makes it harder OR helps...as sometimes exercise does. I'm hoping it helps...you don't need it harder for sure. Do you find running helps with some of the dental fear and frustration or just stress in general? I think a big release of endorphins can only help with all of it, right? It use to be I could throw myself into work and ignore the tooth pain...did that very well for 2 years. Then all at once I couldn't and now, after going back to the dentist, haven't been able to get back to the place where I can ignore it....not sure why. Think it might be the evil that you know vs the evil that you don't .... the don't is easier to ignore than once you know something.

Okay...changing subject again....taking break from teeth and dental chatter....how about Thanksgiving. Do you celebrate it? I always ask as I learned the hard way not everyone does... Do you have family that visits or do you go to them or neither? We (my siblings) all bring a dish and head to my parents' house as all but one of us has settled in the same city. Though we all left town for college and swore we'd never go back gradually we all ended up happily close to home. Not growing up with any extended family nearby it has been a wonderful gift for my daughter to be raised with cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents in her daily life.

There....distracted? Even for a little bit? Mission accomplished? Hope so.

 

[ScaredyCat22]

Now this scares me too. I am seeing a trend.. people going through all the expense and multiple appointments of root canal only to still end up in pain. I hope you're feeling better today. I strongly suspect that if I could make myself go to the dentist my options will be root canal or extraction on this tooth that has been giving me trouble. There is barely anything left of it above the gumline. It is basically 1 tooth wall and a giant filling with a pin. It's never stopped hurting. I am just not a lucky person and things never work out for me the ay they are supposed to. This tooth had no pain before they took out my filling and replaced it, yet I have pain all the time now. The cure for me is always worse than the problem I started with.