• Dental Phobia Support

    Welcome! This is an online support group for anyone who is has a severe fear of the dentist or dental treatment. Please note that this is NOT a general dental problems or health anxiety forum! You can find a list of them here.

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Off I go...

Enarete said:
I travel 550 miles to a dentist. It‘s a flight of almost two hours. At the beginning I had a 30 minute appointment every 2-3 weeks to get desensitized, later every few months. So back to your question, I think 16 miles is fine if it helps you to get back on track with dental health and attend regularly. :)
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Thanks Enarete, I was thinking of you after I wrote that. I thought if Enarete can travel hundreds of miles for a dentist, I can travel 16 miles. Though when I've looked at it on a map, its actually a bit further than 16 miles, it's about 18/19 miles. But if it helps get me back on track, I'm willing to do it. And I know the roads well to that area, so I should be alright. It's probably the furthest I would want to travel though. I'm a bit worried that might think it's weird for me to travel that far to see them, but I know they probably won't.

Thanks again Enarete :)
 
I agree with Enarete 100% . Going to a great anxious patient friendly dentist is a treasure and worth traveling for. I can say my dentist is 19 miles :).. and he is definately worth the drive as well. I have always driven for a good dentist. You deserve a good kind dentist and hope you will find one soon!
 
Right. I've made my mind up. I'm going to get back in touch with the last practice I got in touch with, and ask to make an appointment. The practice manager said she could give me a call, but I'd rather just arrange it through email, as that's easier for me. But I know it's probably easier to arrange an appointment over the phone but hopefully I can arrange it through email.

I had gotten myself worked up on Saturday, and Sunday morning, but I managed to calm myself down. I've just got to break everything into small steps. So first I just have to email them back to make an appointment. That's it. Then I just have to keep myself together in the time leading up to the appointment. That's it. I know I'll still be nervous but hopefully, if I can get myself there, I can do it.

Just sent the email, I can do this.
 
God, I only sent the email about 40 minutes ago and they replied 15 minutes after I sent it. She said she would get the receptionist to email me the availability they have and that they need a few details from me to get me on there system. It's starting to sink in a bit more now, my pulse is a bit quicker than normal at the moment but I should be fine.
 
Right, they've got back to me, and they can offer me an appointment for this Thursday at 3:30pm :o I'm off work on Thursday but I don't know whether it would be good or bad to take it. They've also given me a list of the next available appointments. There's one for the following Wednesday on the morning, which I think would be better. I prefer to have morning appointments because I think I would get myself wound up too much with nerves if I had an afternoon one. And it would give me time to try and calm myself before it. Right, I'm going to email them back.
 
I've asked for the appointment on the 21st, I'm waiting anxiously for their response :frantic:
 
Oh god, I've done it. I've booked an appointment for Wednesday 21st August. Oh christ, this is getting very real. I've just got to take it one step at a time.
 
I've managed to calm down a bit more. I've just got to take it one step at a time. So I've made the first appointment, and I feel slightly proud for doing it. But this time it was so much easier. I'm still shocked about how much easier it was this time, no getting myself worked up about making a phone call. At the moment, I don't feel as anxious as I did the last time I made an appointment. Hopefully this is a good sign of things to come.
 
So glad for you!! :) Look foward to hearing how it goes! :welldone::perfect:
 
Starting to panic a bit about the state of my teeth. I'm worried that when I went in 2017, that the dentist missed something, and that my teeth are in really bad condition. I know they're probably not too bad, my teeth look clean (apart from a few stains on some of my front teeth) and they don't hurt, just a bit of sensitivity every now and then. Oh god. I know there might be some problems, and I know it's not the end of the world, but I'm so worried. My mind is freaking out. I don't know what to expect. Hopefully I'll managed to calm down before next week.
 
Wow, look at you! There you go! Amazing. Well done and give Ourself a pat on the back. And give one to you practice as well, they are amazing. I love how quickly they got back to you and also that they suggested the Thursday originally, they seem to be mindful about patients getting anxiety when having to wait for long.

Well done again and getting panicked is a good sign (and getting anxiety doesn‘t mean there is a reason to worry, it only means there have been bad experiences in the past).

Keep on going and keep us posted, you will do amazingly on 21st! :you-rock:
 
They've sent me two reminder emails so far, I don't need a reminder, it's ingrained on my memory :scared:

I was looking at the relaxation page and I don't know if it's just me, but doing breathing exercises make me hyperventilate. I'm not feeling too anxious at the minute, but it does fluctuate over the day. I know I will be okay, but I'm so nervous about it.
 
Aw, the practice manager has just sent me an email to say that she's glad to see I made an appointment and that she's had a chat with the dentist about me being nervous and she said he will help me on the day. Aw, that's so lovely of her. This seems too good to be true. Everyone I've been in touch with from this practice so far has been lovely, so it's looking like next Wednesday will be alright.
 
frostgirl said:
I was looking at the relaxation page and I don't know if it's just me, but doing breathing exercises make me hyperventilate. I'm not feeling too anxious at the minute, but it does fluctuate over the day. I know I will be okay, but I'm so nervous about it.
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I have had tremendous success with the 4:4:8 technique, however I only do 2-3 runs (which is sufficient to feel a noticeable relaxation) and then breathe normally in order not to hyperventilate. Also your current breathing sets the length count so just breathing in and making it being 4 and then going from there if it makes sense.
 
frostgirl said:
Aw, the practice manager has just sent me an email to say that she's glad to see I made an appointment and that she's had a chat with the dentist about me being nervous and she said he will help me on the day. Aw, that's so lovely of her. This seems too good to be true. Everyone I've been in touch with from this practice so far has been lovely, so it's looking like next Wednesday will be alright.
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Wow.. This is really nice Frostgirl! Sounds like a really caring place!!
 
Enarete said:
I have had tremendous success with the 4:4:8 technique, however I only do 2-3 runs (which is sufficient to feel a noticeable relaxation) and then breathe normally in order not to hyperventilate. Also your current breathing sets the length count so just breathing in and making it being 4 and then going from there if it makes sense.
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Thanks, I'll try that technique again. I don't know whether I did it right or not.
 
krlovesherkids777 said:
Wow.. This is really nice Frostgirl! Sounds like a really caring place!!
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She also said that if I have any questions before or on the day that I can ask for her or the treatment coordinator and they'll be happy to help. They seem so nice and caring, hopefully Wednesday goes alright.
 
I'm having a bit of a rough time. I kept on waking up last night a few times, and every time I was shaking. I think it's my anxiety getting to me. Then the space where my last wisdom tooth is meant to come through at was hurting. And then I think I was clenching my jaw in my sleep. I really need to relax, otherwise I'll be a mess by next week :scared:
 
frostgirl said:
I'm having a bit of a rough time. I kept on waking up last night a few times, and every time I was shaking. I think it's my anxiety getting to me. Then the space where my last wisdom tooth is meant to come through at was hurting. And then I think I was clenching my jaw in my sleep. I really need to relax, otherwise I'll be a mess by next week :scared:
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Sorry to say that, Frostgirl, but you very likely will be a mess by next week, that‘s how phobia works. Hope you can find a way to distract yourself in a way and find some peace.
 
Enarete said:
Sorry to say that, Frostgirl, but you very likely will be a mess by next week, that‘s how phobia works. Hope you can find a way to distract yourself in a way and find some peace.
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Hopefully I can. I've just washed my car to give me something to distract my attention. I know I'm probably going to be a mess by Wednesday :shame:
 
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