LONG post - my fear is debilitating

[leela]

Hi everyone,

This is my first time posting, I just found this website. Thanks in advance for letting me unload my fears here.

Try to imagine the worst fear you've ever read about, then multiply that by 1 million, then you might start to get an idea of where I'm coming from.

It's not just dental fear - I have lots of phobias. I have a horrible fear of flying and cannot get on a plane, fear of the enclosed spaces, fear of spiders, MAJOR fear of pain, etc. I've been in therapy about my phobias in the past, but it hasn't help at all.

I think the dental fear and flying fear are the two worst. However I don't have to get on a plane, but I do have to see a dentist.

Which brings me here. First of all, I'm obsessed with dental hygiene because I always believed if you had good dental hygiene it would prevent needing to be seen by a dentist. I get my regular cleanings every 6 months and take excellent care of my teeth, so I was shocked when I started to have tooth pain a couple of months ago.

I do have a few fillings from 20 years ago. I had to have them under a general anesthetic because my dentist could not do anything to calm me down enough to do it. I DO NOT freeze and laughing gas is a joke - pardon the pun. It was totally useless on me. I was told that because I get SO FREAKED OUT that no drugs work on me. It's like when you see a guy get shot 10 times and not drop because of the adrenaline. Anyway, outside of those fillings, I also had a root canal done 20 years ago - by IV sedation, but I was way under. I cried and freaked out for about half an hour before they could even sedate me. Since then all I've needed were cleanings.

Anyway, I went to the dentist yesterday - the sweetest lady on the planet, and I think I scared her to death. I was totally FREAKING out, I cried during the x-ray, how pathetic!!!!!!!!!!! But when she came near me I jumped off the chair. I finally allowed her to LOOK in my mouth, but wouldn't allow her to touch my teeth.

She thinks I may need a root canal and she gave me antibiotics. I'm not sure about all this - she was basing her diagnosis on the xray and just looking at the teeth since I wouldn't let her do anything else. I've been reading and reading all day, and I think she may not have been able to diagnose me correctly because I was freaking out so much.

I don't know what to do. I sure as heck don't want to go through a root canal if I don't need one. I think I even gave her the wrong symptom info because I was losing my mind and I don't even know what I said to her.

I know I need to go back and let her do a proper exam - which probably means actually letting her touch my teeth with an instrument. What I can't get around, is that she is trying to make me feel the pain that I describe - sharp shooting - but I absolutely cannot wrap my mind around letting someone MAKE me feel pain. She wanted to put cold air on the tooth yesterday to see what would happen and that's when I jumped out of the chair.

I've been keeping myself going on Tylenol # 3 and Tramacet because if I feel any pain or discomfort I'll freak. So I don't even know what pain I'm having at this point because I'm scared to stop taking the pain meds.

I tried to tell myself yesterday to "suck it up" and let the dentist do what needed to be done, but I'm not able to do that.

Any advice? Has anyone else been as bad as me for pain and dentists and fear? I'm so scared because I don't know what's going on with this tooth. I'm supposed to call her in a few days and let her know if the antibiotics were effective, and then she was going to send me to an endodontist for a consultation. But I honestly think she needs to see me again for a proper exam - but I don't think I can do it.

Thanks for listening.

 

[Deb89]

I can totally see why you'd be very scared and I wish taking very good care of your teeth would keep us away from the dentist (despite how nice some are) but that's not the case sadly!

Why not write down what you're feeling? I get nervous and forget to tell my dentist things as well so I'm sure writing it down before hand will help. X-Rays can tell quite a bit but if you're unsure you'll need a root canal I'd try making another appointment. This time writing down what you're feeling and having another x-ray. Why are you scared of her touching your teeth? Is it because you're terrified of the pain?

Also, I'd try and not over do it with the pills, it can't be that good for you and who knows you might not even need them at this point. Why did she give you antibotics? I find it odd that she wasn't able to give you a thorough exam as it seems but prescribed you some antibotics.

 

[brewer734]

hi im new here too i visited the dentist for the first time in 10 years yesterday i totally freaked cowering in a corner near the door and passed out having an x-ray got to go back monday for him to look at x-ray i didn't let him look in my mouth much either just standing up briefly but he thinks i will need 6 to 8 teeth out fear does not come into it i am absolutely terrified they will have to sedate me or knock me out cause just about every tooth needs work. Im also currently recovering from anorexia so i too have lots of phobias ( people in general is one im nervous of people i don't know welll and my voice just disapeers, small spaces and the most of all DENTISTS) anyway when i read your post i thought i would just let you know i feel just like you and its not nice at all i hate feeling like this but reading your post was probably the first time ive realized im not alone and someone else is as terrified as me i always think no-one can be as terrified as me but im just beginning to realize thats not true anyway i hope yr next appointment goes well and good luck
best wishes
emma

 

[leela]

Deb89 - I talked to a few family members who had root canals and all had antibiotics given to them prior - I dunno - maybe it's routine? Anyway, thought I'd let you know that I haven't taken any pain meds since 1:30 (7.5 hours ago) and so far no pain - which means the antibiotics probably did work and I probably did have some kind of infection going on.

brewer734 - my heart goes out to you - I guess because I so totally understand and feel your pain in a most sincere way. Kudos to you for working through anorexia - that in itself is a major achievement and I hope that you are doing well with it. But alas, it seems these things do bring out other issues in us. I wonder where my fear has come from - it has to be from somewhere as when I was younger I never had it, but in therapy I did not really manage to find out why this has manifested. I cried during my xray so I understand your fear, and totally understand about not letting the dentist near your teeth. I hope he was somewhat understanding - I think I scared my poor dentist to death. I wish you the best of luck with your next appt. If I can give you one word of wisdom though - I had IV sedation for a root canal many years ago and when they brought me out of it, I felt amazing. There was no pain afterwards, and I was joking with the endodontist that I was coming back for another one next week. So if you do have to get a lot of work done, if you can get it done under IV sedation, you'll be fine, I promise.

Hugs and take care.

 

[brewer734]

hi again
im glad ive found someone who has had iv i think my dentist did mention that and i wasn't sure because i don't know anyone who has personallly had it so thanks for the tip ! I also feel really glad i seem to have found someone who sounds so much like me the dentist i visited was understanding he had put away all instruments and did show me the mirror really closely so i could see he wasn't about to murder me with a needle or something ( i felt like a 5 yr old though look emma this is just a mirror yes i can see that mate but your still a bloody dentist !) I didn't say that wish i could but since being ill my voice disapeers when im nervous and i cant speak which is not helpful i am going to try and make a list of questions to ask him when i go so i can pass the list to my mum if this happens and also if im still in the corner ( well i wont be in the chair i know that !) Its horrible because when you go home after you feel stupid and think next time i will be better then it happens again! Anyway i wanted to give you one tip that is working (sort of ) for me think of the reasons why your going to do this hold onto them and don't let go mine are 1 my daughter she will need a brace when she's older and i refuse to be the hypocrite taking her for a brace when she's older when i wont go near a dentist ! 2 i never want the pain i had the other week again i couldn't l;ay down so i couldn't sleep its gone now but the fear remains 3 i want to be able to smile and eat normally my anorexia came hand in hand with body dismorphia and my teeth don't help the bad days at all.
let me know how yr getting on my appointment is monday so i will do the same i think your right about your fear it must have come from somewhere maybe you have blocked it out somehow to protect your sanity !

best wishes

emma