• Dental Phobia Support

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Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

I'm not entirely sure why I feel this way, but I think it has something to do with trust mostly (Trusting some random stranger who I've never met before to touch my mouth sounds a bit sketchy) and the fact that said stranger is invading my personal space. It's uncomfortable to me to have someone that close to my face. Also, I feel very vulnerable while lying down and don't like lying down while a complete stranger puts their hands in my mouth! Not sure why lying down makes me feel so panicked and like I have no control... maybe it has something to do with some sort of animal instinct about getting attacked while lying down and sleeping? I remember when I went to my old orthodontist, they would keep me waiting forever lying down while they ran off to do something else and I always ended up sitting up in the chair because it freaked me out so much.

A lot of people report feeling vulnerable with lying back including myself. Not sure why that is...I think it is primitively just a vulnerable position. Then, to add insult to injury someone putting their hands in your mouth greatly reduces your ability to communicate and can create a sense of suffocation and claustrophobia. Also, lying down you can't really see what's going on around you...making you more vulnerable. The whole set-up really sucks! o_O

Hopefully while I'm in panic mode, I'll remember to breathe through my nose! Probably will since breathing through my nose helps me calm down anyway. And yay drugs :hic::hic::hic: If they don't remember to give the laughing gas to me, I might be able to work up the courage to ask, but not sure if I'll have the balls to do that yet! I did include in my (3 page long) list of worries\concerns\questions\suggestions that I'll bring to my appointment before I even sit in that chair, that I feel like sedation would help me a lot, so if they didn't remember maybe they'll give it to me anyway!

A lot dentists know to verbally remind you to breathe through your nose. I have only had 1 experience with laughing gas and hardly remember it but I've heard great things! ;)
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

A lot dentists know to verbally remind you to breathe through your nose. I have only had 1 experience with laughing gas and hardly remember it but I've heard great things! ;)

I've only had one other experience with it when I was little, and I remember it made my throat really sore, and I freaked out and told them turn it off. I'm worried that it'll make my throat sore again, but I think sore throat is better than anxiety attack! :giggle:
 
24 hours...

Couldn't sleep at all last night. Kept thinking about my appointment tomorrow. My mind wandered off to absolutely everything I could think of. I worried about what the dentist would say and if it would hurt and I even stressed about what time I should leave my house \ how early I should get there! I don't want to get there way too early and sit in the waiting room, as that would make me freak out more than I should. :(

Also, I'm considering bringing my teddy bear... not sure if I should. I don't want anyone to make fun of me. I swear, if anyone says anything whatsoever about it (even if it was meant to be comforting or funny) I will go off the deep end! :scared: But they do seem nice and are offering me a blanket and eye mask already, so I think a teddy bear would fit in...
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

Hey kittykat, I'm feeling nervous for you too!!, Im keeping my fingers crossed for ya because ive got to go through the same thing next week!., we may not be there in person but were all supporting you :). I'd say arrive slightly early but dont go into the dentists until a few minutes before your appointment, maybe listen to some relaxing music in the car for a couple of minutes before you go in? :p (unless the waiting adds to your nerves).

I don't see why you wouldn't be able to take your teddy with you :). Take some good luck charms if you have them :). This sounds weird but maybe eat a banana before you go? It got me through my driving test, so im sure a banana can get you through your visit to the dentist :p
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

This sounds weird but maybe eat a banana before you go? It got me through my driving test, so im sure a banana can get you through your visit to the dentist :p

I've heard about the banana thing! It never really seems to do much for me. The anxiety before is the worst and hopefully they'll give me something to take before future visits so I don't keep myself up all night the week before!
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

I'm not entirely sure why I feel this way, but I think it has something to do with trust mostly (Trusting some random stranger who I've never met before to touch my mouth sounds a bit sketchy) and the fact that said stranger is invading my personal space. It's uncomfortable to me to have someone that close to my face. Also, I feel very vulnerable while lying down and don't like lying down while a complete stranger puts their hands in my mouth! Not sure why lying down makes me feel so panicked and like I have no control... maybe it has something to do with some sort of animal instinct about getting attacked while lying down and sleeping? I remember when I went to my old orthodontist, they would keep me waiting forever lying down while they ran off to do something else and I always ended up sitting up in the chair because it freaked me out so much.

Hopefully while I'm in panic mode, I'll remember to breathe through my nose! Probably will since breathing through my nose helps me calm down anyway. And yay drugs :hic::hic::hic: If they don't remember to give the laughing gas to me, I might be able to work up the courage to ask, but not sure if I'll have the balls to do that yet! I did include in my (3 page long) list of worries\concerns\questions\suggestions that I'll bring to my appointment before I even sit in that chair, that I feel like sedation would help me a lot, so if they didn't remember maybe they'll give it to me anyway!

My appointment is at 11:30 am central time... When I called they told me 11:15, but the email confirmation said 11:30 so that's what I'll be going with

I know, I don't like someone else in my face either especially when I'm laying down in a vulnerable position. You could always straight up ask your dentist/hygienist not to tip the chair back too far. My dentist did that for me and it helped a lot.:) I think you said you don't like being tipped back in the chair, maybe your dentist/hygienist can tip it back a little at a time or when they tip it back you can stay sitting up and lay down at your own pace. I think you really should read these pages, I think they'll help you.



Ok, 11:30 is 12:30 eastern time so I'll keep you in my thoughts. I can't wait to hear how everything goes and good luck!!!:clover::clover::clover:
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

Thank you for the links! I read through them and it made me feel a bit better.

I feel as if I can't voice concerns or ask for things that may help (like sedation or putting the chair up) because I've always been shy and polite when I first meet people. I feel as if I'm being a bother to them if I ask or that they'll think less of me because I need sedation to get me through a cleaning....:shame:
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

Thank you for the links! I read through them and it made me feel a bit better.

I feel as if I can't voice concerns or ask for things that may help (like sedation or putting the chair up) because I've always been shy and polite when I first meet people. I feel as if I'm being a bother to them if I ask or that they'll think less of me because I need sedation to get me through a cleaning....:shame:

No problem, always happy to help. Read them again just before you leave for you appointment. I'm totally with you on being ashamed about asking the dentist or hygienist about things. Trust me, you won't bother them with it. They're there to make you comfortable, they would be happy to do something for you that makes you more comfortable. It's nothing to be ashamed of to have sedation for a cleaning. Just think of the laughing gas as training wheels, use it until you feel comfortable without it. Or if you would just like to keep riding with training wheels that's fine too.:) You'll be in my thoughts kitykat, just wondering, do you like cats?:ROFLMAO:(Sorry, just a little humor, I couldn't resist myself.)
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

I LOVE cats! Check out my avatar, those are my two new kittens. Tigger is the brown cat and Doogie Meowser is the black cat! I considered bringing them to my appointment, but I feel like that'd be a bad idea... :giggle:

Well in 12 hours I'll be there... hopefully not crying or throwing up. Maybe I'll be so high on laughing gas that I won't care. Maybe it will be wonderful. Maybe it won't... Hoping for the best, expecting the worst. Oh god I hope they don't think I'm some stoner kid who wants to get high off of drugs all the time :p
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

Can't sleep. Took 2 baths. No help. Decided to listen to music and rewrite the list of things I fear\concerns I have\other stuff that I'm bringing to my appointment in .... 10 hours. Oh god... :redface::cry:

ahhhhhghghghhhghhghhsdfkshfkjsh;
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

still awake... oh gosh
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

Managed to sleep for maybe 2 hours... Kept waking up so not really sure. I feel really sick :cry: Hopefully things will go ok
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

Hi KittyKat,

Hope it goes well for you :bear::bear: Focus on your reason for doing this. You are taking control of your dental health and you want to get things sorted. Stay focussed, stay in charge, and remember the dentist cannot do anything that you don't want, and another thing to remember is the dentist does not want to hurt you, they generally are not sadists, they want to go home from work feeling that they have made a positive difference. When you are in the chair think of what you will come back and post once its finished. Wishing you loads of good luck for this :clover::clover::clover::clover::clover::clover:
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

Still feeling a bit sick, just about to walk out the door. Just packed my giant purse with my teddy bear, list, ipod, and noise-cancelling headphones...Worried, hopeful, scared, ashamed... :shame::scared:o_O:cry::redface: but looking forward to getting drugged and feeling better :hic::hic::hic: :p
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

Well, you're probably on your way to the dentist now or there at this point and I'll be waiting on here to see how it goes.:waiting: Everything will be alright, good luck!!!!:clover::clover::clover::clover:
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

Just got back. It took a lot longer than I had expected, but much to my surprise, I didn't care at all how long it took... in fact, I wanted to stay longer because the nitrous was so wonderful haha.

Entire story:

Get in my car at 11:10... freak out a bit, but managed to drive my car to the office which is about a 5 minute drive. I actually felt OK driving there, as I was concentrating on driving and trying not to hit anyone. Arrived at 11:15... saw some men hacking away at the shrubs outside. All I could think about was how much it sounded like drilling and thought to myself "oh my god it's an omen..." But I somehow opened the door to the office and walked in.

I've never been to a doctor appointment alone, so I had no idea what to do, so I just sat down in the waiting room and stared at my phone, trying not to freak out. My palms were sweating and I was shaking and someone asked me if I wanted a water bottle, and I just stared at them. They took that as a no and walked away. A really nice woman called my name and took me back... She told me to put all my stuff down in the room and I immediately started to flip out because the room was the first freaking room and there was no door or anything! I had emailed them ahead of time and asked them to put me in the back, but apparently there's only one room equipped with stuff for cleaning... I was not happy.

She told me to go to the x-ray room and I did the weirdest standing up x-ray I've ever done in my life and then we went back into the room. She (Nicole) said "Ok sit down" and I just freaking lost it. I shook my head and could feel a lump in my throat, like what you feel before you start crying. She said "It's ok" and I shook my head again and fumbled around trying to find my list I had made last night. I managed to choke out "list... I have a list..." and handed it to her and watched her as she read it. Then she said "We can do all these things, but we have to do the cleaning in here" and I freaked out again and she said "Ok, let's go talk in the room in the back."

I guess she sensed I was about to start bawling and took me to a different room way in the back and I sat there and she told me she was going to give the list to the dentist. I waited and waited and then she came back with some lady who said "I don't think we can do all of this stuff on your list, and I don't want you to be upset, so here's a different dentist you should go to" and handed me a piece of paper with a bio of some other guy.

That's when I just lost it. I started crying. I was so upset that she would suggest me going elsewhere after I had already managed to stress about this appointment for a week, didn't sleep last night, and threw up several times this morning. I wasn't about to have done all of that worrying and stressing for nothing so I just kept shaking my head and maybe she got the memo that I didn't want to go to said other person, because she talked to Nicole (while I was crying still, so I didn't hear what they were saying) and she gave me a water bottle and some tissues and we waited for me to calm down a bit, and then went back to the first room in the front (ugh).

I was told to sit down and they gave me a blanket and I grabbed my teddy bear from my purse. But I didn't see them getting anything for the nitrous and they were putting the chair back (!!!) so I just grabbed my list again (as I especially couldn't talk now) and pointed to where I had written "sedation is a must", and Nicole read it and then she said "We can do that" and got it out for me. She put the mask over my nose and I was still crying at this point so breathing through my nose was a challenge, but after like 10 seconds I just stopped crying and I started to feel heavy and relaxed and ....crazy? It's hard to describe, but I didn't feel like myself anymore.

So I lay down and they weren't doing anything for a few seconds and I was thinking to myself "This is freakin' awesome!" I tried to get my headphones in my ears but my co-ordination skills were pretty bad at this point and my arms were like flailing about like I was mentally retarded or something, but Nicole (who I freaking love now) put my earbuds in my ear for me, and I played the music as loud as I could. I didn't hear anything and I don't think Nicole or the hygienist realized this and I heard faint talking but I had my eyes closed and ignored them. I hope they figured it out... haha.

I was totally comfortable through most of it. I was enjoying feeling so weird... It was weird but it was a good weird because I felt fine with what they were doing. Actually, I couldn't care less, and I was actually enjoying being there. There was one point that hurt and I opened my eyes, but I couldn't tell what the hell she was doing, but I'm not in any pain now or anything, so I guess it doesn't matter.

Before I knew it, she said they were done, and I said "I FEEL CRAZY!!!" and she goes "Do you want me to turn the nitrous off?" and I said "No way, it's awesome." And my voice sounded really weird and deeper than usual and I found it hard to talk like a real person because my tongue felt like it was furry... I was just so tired that I didn't even notice when the dentist came in and I didn't feel one bit freaked out. If I didn't have the laughing gas and he was poking my teeth with that thing, I probably would have jumped out of my skin.

He stopped and said "You have 9 cavities, but we'll fix them later." And I said "K whatever" and then laughed.

Weird stuff...

So yeah. 9 cavities. Nicole said only two were visible from the x-rays and they're big, but the rest were all really tiny and she had to use the laser thinggy to see them, so I lucked out!

Best part: I ONLY HAVE ONE WISDOM TOOTH. Seeing as the wisdom teeth removal surgery has scared the crap out of me ever since 7th grade when I saw my friend after his surgery, I literally wanted to scream in joy! ONLY ONE! I WAS BORN WITH JUST ONE!!!

So I'm pleasantly surprised by how wonderful it was. Got off to a rocky start and I was very unsure, but I feel very comfortable with them now. Once I calmed down it was totally fine.

I have an appointment July 20th at 8:15 am for the left side fillings, and July 27th at 8:15 am for the right side....... and I'm not freaking out....yet:hmm:
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

That's great kittycat! Okay, so having a bunch of cavities isn't all that great, but after a wee bit of a rough start you had a good experience which will hopefully build your confidence for the next appointment.

Bravo.:jump:

BH
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

I got a prescription for anti-anxiety meds to take the night before, so hopefully it'll be better next week. I showed them this forum too and I think they're gonna link it into their webpage :) Really glad I found this site, it's made so much of a difference
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

:jump::jump::jump::jump: :welldone: :welldone: :jump::jump::jump::jump:

That's wonderful news kittykat! You must be so proud to have faced your fears and survived-- and with a relatively easy diagnosis too!

I don't think that non-dental-phobics understand when we say that we're terrified of the dentist. People say, "Yeah, I don't like the dentist either." But it's really so much worse for us-- it can feel like you're facing death itself.

But YOU DID IT!!!

It sounds like you've found a compassionate dental staff, and it may sound weird but the worst is over. Discovering that you can get through a dental visit without pain and that you can trust your dentist is such a great feeling, isn't it? You'll always be numb before the dentist starts any work, and you've discovered that nitrous keeps you happy, so it's just a matter of sitting back and feeling various vibrations and things while they work.

Great job asserting yourself and using your list even when you couldn't speak. It's a great example of how, even when you're not in control of yourself, you're still in control when it comes to how the dentist works.

I can't say how proud and happy I am for you! I hope you're celebrating a little tonight... you're on your way!

:welldone: :welldone:
 
Re: Less than 4 days til I go for the first time in years.... really nervous, please read and reply

Woohoo!!! Congrats! So you glad you had a successful day albeit long and a tad stressful! Hoping for continued success for you! :jump::jump::jump: P.S. I'm jealous of your lack of wisdom! ;):giggle:
 
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