New here - having an extraction under IV sedation

[sheepgirl]

Hi im new here. I have emetophobia - which is the fear or myself or other people being sick. As a result I have avoided dental work for the last 8 years because I am worried that dental work may make me sick during the procedure. I went through a period of depression where I didint brush my teeth - and as a result I have 6 cavities in my front teeth and 3 at the bac. I was very brave and went to a dentist who refered me to a sedation clinic. My appointment is on the 16th and im starting to worry about it. Its 30 mins from home so will have the journey back home to contend with (I worry because I may be more prone to motion sickness after the sedation and will feel out of it. Im being sedated by IV drip (injection) and having 1 tooth extracted. If it goes well then I'l have the rest of the work done under another 2 or 3 sedations. Im really scared about how im going to feel during the treatment and afterawrds. Aparently you dont remember much about the procedure and it makes you feel very sleepy and drunk. Im really scared that afterwards im going to be sick and have no sense of control over my body and feelings. Im worried that i wont recognise if I feel sick and it will happen out of the blue in the car home or I'l wake up from sleeping and be sick.

Im really scared. The main things im worried about are

feeling sick afterwards

the journey home - will I be more likely to get motion sickness?

the recovery - what will I feel like afterwards, will it be safe to eat? when will I start feeling back to normal?

I cant eat or drink anything 4 hours before - but im going to stop eating 5 hours before, and have sips of water, and take my anti-sickness tablets 4 hours before. So that should re-assure me. But it doesnt at the moment.

Urgh. PANIC!!!!



Sorry just relaly need to vent. I dont have anyone around to reassure me that it will be ok.

 

[Geb]

Re: New here - having an extraction under IV sedat

Hi and
I just wanted to say: congrats on making that first appointment! That right there, and the anticipation of waiting for the "dreaded day", are actually two of the hardest moments: after that, it's all smooth sailing. I've never been sedated with an IV, and there are others here who know a lot more about the after effects and the proceedure than I do, but I just wanted to say congrats again on calling and you'll do fine!
Best of luck for the 16th! Everything will work out!

 

[scaredstiff]

Re: New here - having an extraction under IV sedat

Hi there and a warm . You're in fine company here and will get loads and loads of support. I too will be having extractions under IV sedation. When I filled in the health history form that the sedationist required, it was a condition that I was escorted to and from the dentists, i.e. if you're having sedation, you have to have someone accompany you home. I actually drive 230 miles upto Hertfordshire and stay overnight before my dentists appointments the next day, travelling the last 30 miles or so by train, and usually drive back all the way home after the appointment. When I have my extractions, because they won't be done till 1.30 in afternoon, I was going to stay overnight and drive back home the next day, but the dentist has advised me to delay that journey by another 24 hours to make sure all the sedation is out of my system. I don't know whether they are being over-cautious but I do feel they know best and am adhering to their advice.

 

[Anti-Dentite]

Re: New here - having an extraction under IV sedat

Hi sheepgirl, I'd like to share my IV sedation experience with you. Hopefully it will help you to feel better about your upcoming appointment.

On July 18th I had 7 extractions done under IV sedation. I didn't eat anything for at least 6 hours before, but I did drink a bit of water one hour before the appointment so I could take a pill.

I don't remember much about the procedure, and what I do remember wasn't unpleasant. My husband says that afterwards I kept saying that I felt drunk, but I don't remember that either In my IV, they used a drug called Versed and it didn't make me sick at all. I only remember them asking me to open my mouth a few times, and I also remember that I kept trying to bring my hand up to my face to scratch my nose. I guess the drug makes your nose itchy! But every time I did that, someone would gently put my hand back down on the armrest of the chair. It was the arm that had the IV in it, so I was a little sore there afterwards from trying to move it so much.

After I got home, I slept for most of the day. Later, when I woke up I ate some soft foods (soup, apple sauce, pudding, etc.). I felt fine and the next day I drove myself back to the dentist office so he could see how I was doing. I ate soft foods for a couple of days and then I went right back to eating whatever I wanted.

I had a very good experience with IV sedation, and when I go back in 6 months for the rest of my treatment, I will have the IV sedation again. There is, however, one thing I want to warn you about. I'm not trying to scare you, I just want to let you know so that you can talk to your dentist about it up front. Towards the end of my IV sedation appointment, he put some Demerol in my IV so that I wouldn't have any pain, but the Demerol made me sick. I had never had Demerol before, but I guess that it has the tendency to make some people sick, and I'm one of them. You might want to tell your dentist up front that you would rather have some other kind of pain reliever that doesn't make you sick ~ that is, if you even need any pain reliever and you're concerned that Demerol might make you sick.

I'm sure that everything will be ok for you. You'll probably sleep on the drive home and won't remember any of it. You'll be back to yourself in no time. I know that for me, it was the best thing I could have done. My mouth feels so good and clean now, and I can go places and meet people and smile again. I'm so happy and I'm finally feeling like my old self again. I'm finding that I really missed me, too

Good luck to you

 

[Amberle]

Re: New here - having an extraction under IV sedat

I had IV sedation to get four wisdom teeth removed a week ago, and I had absolutely no nausea after the procedure. I also have a fear of being sick (though not as strong as yours) so I asked the nurse about it before hand, and she says that the new drugs they use for IV sedation almost never cause nausea. Good luck!

 

[terrym2222]

Re: New here - having an extraction under IV sedat

Hi Sheep,

We could be sisters. I have the same phobia and going to the dentist has always been traumatic.

I'm having IV sedation one week today for a root canal- if he can save the tooth. I told him up front that my entire dental phobia is about my fear of getting sick and he reassured me that it is unlikely to happen. I'll be having a general anesthesia but he'll put some anti-nausea meds in my IV and he also gave me two prescriptions for pills to take that morning so that my stomach will be empty.

Still, I'm horrified beyond belief. I can take pain; I can't take nausea.

Good luck tomorrow and let us know how it goes. OH, one more thing- I have heard from others who say to take it very slow after the IV, and not to move fast. But I'm not sure if that's just for a general or for all IV sedations.

Terry

[quote author=sheepgirl link=1186257644/0#0 date=1186257644]Hi im new here. I have emetophobia - which is the fear or myself or other people being sick. As a result I have avoided dental work for the last 8 years because I am worried that dental work may make me sick during the procedure. I went through a period of depression where I didint brush my teeth - and as a result I have 6 cavities in my front teeth and 3 at the bac. I was very brave and went to a dentist who refered me to a sedation clinic. My appointment is on the 16th and im starting to worry about it.

 

[sheepgirl]

Re: New here - having an extraction under IV sedat

Hiya. Well the appintment is tomorrow. Feeling ok - Im trying not to think about it. Im a bit worried about nausia from pain killers now though. I may call the dentist tomorrow and ask about the side effects of painkillers. >.< Sigh. My appointment is at 2 - so im going to stop eating at 8 and just take a sip of water 4 hours before with my tablets (the dentist says to stop eating 4 hours before so hopefully *touch wood* I'l be covered) Im worried - but I am trying to picture myself this time tomorrow feeling a little sleepy, but ok. Anyway I will let you know how it goes (although I cant operate anything electrical for 7 hours after the sedation !? lol So it will probably be friday. hehe

Thanks again

 

[Anti-Dentite]

Re: New here - having an extraction under IV sedat

It sounds like you're doing everything right and you'll have a good experience with IV sedation. You're having an extraction, right? I'm not sure how all that works, but you might not even need any pain meds like I had for just one extraction. I think they only gave it to me because I had a lot of work done (7 extractions, root planing, gingivectomy, fillings, impressions, etc) and I was there for 2.5 hours, so by the end my local was wearing off.

Keep us posted and good luck I know you'll do great!

 

[sheepgirl]

Re: New here - having an extraction under IV sedat

Well I had my appointment today and it went really well. I wasnt very nervous atall which is a great sign that my confidence has improved. I started to worry when I sat in the chair but the dentist reassured me and spent time finding the vein in my hand which calmed me down. Then they put a needle in which was fine. Im getting soooooooooo much better with needles. He then slowly injected the sedation drug into me and kept me talking and to tell him when I start to feel it. For about 20 seconds I couldnt feel anything, then I felt a bit woozy, they put a mask over my eyes and the next thing I remember was about 10mins away from home. I had injections in my gums so my mouth felt a bit big for a while, but not scary. I had a few sips of water when I came home and was fine. I was still a bit tired and forgetful, had a bit of a cry, then a sleep and then was fine.

So all round a success. I have to have 2 more sedations. Next time is another extraction and fillings then the third is just fillings.

Fingers crossed and touching wood for next time



xx

 

[Anti-Dentite]

Re: New here - having an extraction under IV sedat

Well done! I'm so glad to hear that you had a good experience. It really is a confidence booster, isn't it? Now that you've been through it and you know what to expect, it should be even easier for your next appointment. Congrats!