Really Stressing Out

[JJones86]

Hi all.

I'm just really stressing out right now. I still need a bunch of dental work done and now with losing my job and my insurance, I don't know what I'm going to do.

I've thought of trying a low cost or free clinic or even going to a dental school. I'm not fond of the ideas though. I finally found an office that I like and that will work with me and now I can't afford the treatment I need. Going to another office terrifies me. I don't want to go through the whole process of finding another office right now.

I go to see my dentist next week just to talk about my treatments and so forth. They said there's no charge for this visit. I scheduled an hour and a half just to talk with him. I'm going to ask about financial arrangements then, but what if we can't work something out?

This couldn't have been worse timing. Everything has snowballed and it feels out of control.

I have no idea if I go to a free or low cost clinic or dental school, if they have training with phobic patients. Would they be able to give me nitrous oxide, which now that I know I like it, it's essential to my treatments.

I'm so stressed out guys. I have no idea what I'm going to do.

JJ

 

[Afaridnomore]

Hi all.

I'm just really stressing out right now. I still need a bunch of dental work done and now with losing my job and my insurance, I don't know what I'm going to do.

I've thought of trying a low cost or free clinic or even going to a dental school. I'm not fond of the ideas though. I finally found an office that I like and that will work with me and now I can't afford the treatment I need. Going to another office terrifies me. I don't want to go through the whole process of finding another office right now.

I go to see my dentist next week just to talk about my treatments and so forth. They said there's no charge for this visit. I scheduled an hour and a half just to talk with him. I'm going to ask about financial arrangements then, but what if we can't work something out?

This couldn't have been worse timing. Everything has snowballed and it feels out of control.

I have no idea if I go to a free or low cost clinic or dental school, if they have training with phobic patients. Would they be able to give me nitrous oxide, which now that I know I like it, it's essential to my treatments.

I'm so stressed out guys. I have no idea what I'm going to do.

JJ

Sorry to hear about you losing your job that is so awful. But try not to stress, everything will be ok. Speak to your dentist and see what the cost is for what you need. He/she maybe be able to recommend somewhere that is cheaper or something else. I don't know what part of the world your in because all the systems are different.

If you need anything feel free to PM me.

Best wishes

 

[JJones86]

Sorry to hear about you losing your job that is so awful. But try not to stress, everything will be ok. Speak to your dentist and see what the cost is for what you need. He/she maybe be able to recommend somewhere that is cheaper or something else. I don't know what part of the world your in because all the systems are different.

If you need anything feel free to PM me.

Best wishes

Thanks for your reply. My total treatment cost is around $5,000 right now. All that's left is to get 4 crowns for teeth that have had root canals. One tooth is chipped now, so I'm concerned about it. I also need to get a filling. I also have 3 teeth that have resorption now and I have no idea what my treatment is for that yet. I also have the early stage of gum disease, gingivitis. That's why I got my deep cleaning done on Tuesday.

Now though, I have a tooth that's been hurting me ever since the deep cleaning. It's the tooth, not the gums. My gums feel fine now. I don't know what to do about that tooth either. I may have to call my dentist about it.

I'm in the USA, the state of New Mexico.

Thank you for your reply and support.

JJ

 

[Afaridnomore]

Thanks for your reply. My total treatment cost is around $5,000 right now. All that's left is to get 4 crowns for teeth that have had root canals. One tooth is chipped now, so I'm concerned about it. I also need to get a filling. I also have 3 teeth that have resorption now and I have no idea what my treatment is for that yet. I also have the early stage of gum disease, gingivitis. That's why I got my deep cleaning done on Tuesday.

Now though, I have a tooth that's been hurting me ever since the deep cleaning. It's the tooth, not the gums. My gums feel fine now. I don't know what to do about that tooth either. I may have to call my dentist about it.

I'm in the USA, the state of New Mexico.

Thank you for your reply and support.

JJ

My advice is just speak to your dentist! You seem to be going through a hard time just try to keep positive.

Let me know how it goes.

Best wishes

 

[JJones86]

My advice is just speak to your dentist! You seem to be going through a hard time just try to keep positive.

Let me know how it goes.

Best wishes

Thank you for your reply and support.

I will talk to him about it next week. I'm still trying to decide about the tooth that's hurting though. I don't know if this is some complication from the deep cleaning or what.

JJ

 

[JJones86]

Hi all.

I had my emotions under control until a little while ago. I felt pretty calm actually.

Something triggered my dental phobia. My teeth are still sensitive right now. They never calmed down from my deep cleaning. So, they've been hurting a lot still. My dad is doing some work around the house. Not sure what exactly but he's using a battery operated power drill. It totally caught me off guard. I was in the same room with him doing some laundry and the drill went off. Before I knew it my brain was making me think about the dentist and dental drill.

Now I can't settle myself down. I think I gave myself a panic attack.

I think it's partly because I know I need to have some work done involving the dental drill. My mind just over reacted.

This is getting really out of hand now.

JJ

 

[Tink]

You know, you're still coming across like you're being really hard on yourself.

You have a phobia, that's what's causing these sorts of reactions - it's not your fault, and nobody here (except perhaps you, when you're being down on yourself) expects you to be able to just switch that phobia and all its associated feelings off. The way to fix phobias is not "just stop being scared/upset". It takes time, and care.

I meant what I said in the other thread: be kind to yourself.



...and no, that's not the same thing as "try harder", whatever your head might be telling you.


Be kind to yourself. This panic will pass, you will survive, and you are not to blame for it.



...and have a hug

 

[Sevena]

Tink is right. I know how easy it is to feel frustrated and think, "brain, why can't you stop doing this?!". Like Tink said, focus on riding out the anxiety and being kind to yourself. It's okay to get stressed, and it's okay to get panicky. Don't beat yourself up.

There's no point fretting over this until you've spoken to the dentist at your next appointment. That's not going to stop your brain from reminding you about it often, but instead of letting the worry rule you, acknowledge it and try to do something else to take your mind off it.

 

[JJones86]

You know, you're still coming across like you're being really hard on yourself.

You have a phobia, that's what's causing these sorts of reactions - it's not your fault, and nobody here (except perhaps you, when you're being down on yourself) expects you to be able to just switch that phobia and all its associated feelings off. The way to fix phobias is not "just stop being scared/upset". It takes time, and care.

I meant what I said in the other thread: be kind to yourself.

...and no, that's not the same thing as "try harder", whatever your head might be telling you.

Be kind to yourself. This panic will pass, you will survive, and you are not to blame for it.

...and have a hug

Hi Tink.

Thanks again for your reply and support.

I'm trying to not be hard on myself. It's just automatic right now. I know I have low self esteem and being hard on myself is part of it.

I'm going to practice self care and positive self talk.

Thanks for reassuring me.

JJ

 

[JJones86]

Tink is right. I know how easy it is to feel frustrated and think, "brain, why can't you stop doing this?!". Like Tink said, focus on riding out the anxiety and being kind to yourself. It's okay to get stressed, and it's okay to get panicky. Don't beat yourself up.

There's no point fretting over this until you've spoken to the dentist at your next appointment. That's not going to stop your brain from reminding you about it often, but instead of letting the worry rule you, acknowledge it and try to do something else to take your mind off it.

Hi Sevena.

Thanks for your reply and support.

I'm going to mention this at my appointment on Thursday. Knowing I need this work done is really stressing me out. I need to figure out a way to get it done soon, at a low cost, otherwise I'm just going to keep driving myself crazy.

I'm looking for a new job now. I can't be going to interviews and starting another job with my nerves shot like this all the time. I really need to find a way to cope with this.

I've tried distraction techniques. The problem is they're hard to use when I'm already in the middle of a panic attack. That situation earlier today really caught me off guard, so I wasn't able to prepare myself like I try to when I'm going to the dentist for an appointment.

JJ

 

[Thisishard]

Hello,

Sorry to hear about your situation. There are no silver bullets for anxiety and panic. However there are therapies that do help and are not that expensive. Cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT. Google CBT and see what you think. Also, check out this video, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ky74byQv6o. I found it very enlightening. I also watch this video when I get stressed or panicky. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=g7B5IHtUXFg. It is a little weird to watch a running video for help with panic but it works for me. It might just work for you. In the end, when things get tough, do not quit, that is time to really fight. You may or may not win, but you will always know that you did what you could, and that means everything.

Tom.

 

[JJones86]

Hello,

Sorry to hear about your situation. There are no silver bullets for anxiety and panic. However there are therapies that do help and are not that expensive. Cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT. Google CBT and see what you think. Also, check out this video, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ky74byQv6o. I found it very enlightening. I also watch this video when I get stressed or panicky. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=g7B5IHtUXFg. It is a little weird to watch a running video for help with panic but it works for me. It might just work for you. In the end, when things get tough, do not quit, that is time to really fight. You may or may not win, but you will always know that you did what you could, and that means everything.

Tom.

Hi.

Thanks for the information and the links. I appreciate your support.

JJ

 

[JJones86]

Hi guys.

I made an appointment for tomorrow to get my dentist to check my chipped tooth again. It's still really hurting a lot and it's been waking me up the last couple of nights. The hydrocodone isn't even helping that much anymore.

I'm so terrified to go to my appointment tomorrow. I don't want to know what's wrong and what needs to be done. I already have a feeling that I need a root canal re-treatment on that tooth. I can't cope with that right now.

I'm really scared and I don't know what to do. I want this pain to go away, but I'm terrified of what the treatment might be.

JJ

 

[Sevena]

Sorry, ssocea. Best of luck at your appointment tomorrow. I hope they can do something for you that's not too big and difficult a treatment. I have my fingers crossed for you.

 

[JJones86]

Sorry, ssocea. Best of luck at your appointment tomorrow. I hope they can do something for you that's not too big and difficult a treatment. I have my fingers crossed for you.

Thanks Sevena. I hope so too. I'm really scared and nervous.

I'll update you all after my appointment.

JJ

 

[Afaridnomore]

Hi guys.

I made an appointment for tomorrow to get my dentist to check my chipped tooth again. It's still really hurting a lot and it's been waking me up the last couple of nights. The hydrocodone isn't even helping that much anymore.

I'm so terrified to go to my appointment tomorrow. I don't want to know what's wrong and what needs to be done. I already have a feeling that I need a root canal re-treatment on that tooth. I can't cope with that right now.

I'm really scared and I don't know what to do. I want this pain to go away, but I'm terrified of what the treatment might be.

JJ

Sorry to to hear that your in pain. I hope it's not too bad. Good luck in your appointment.

Best wishes

 

[carole]

Hi don't be worried about a re-treatment, I have had one of my teeth retreated and it is okay. You will be numbed up the same as when you first have a rct and won't feel a thing. It takes a bit longer, and they may not seal it until they are sure it is fine, so you may need a couple of appointments and some time with a temp filling in. Once they are happy that it is okay they will put a permanent filling in and then crown it. It would depend on the condition of the tooth but it is usual to wait between 3 to 6 months before placing a crown to make sure it is settled. In some cases they will put a crown on straight away if the tooth is too fragile without one.

Good luck

 

[JJones86]

Hi guys.

Thanks for all your replies.

I really don't know what he's going to do. The tooth is hurting a lot so I'm wondering if I need a re-treatment. The root canal treatment on this tooth was done by a low cost general dentist. I'm wondering if he missed a canal.

I don't know what to do. I'm afraid to have anymore work done on it. It's already chipped and I think more broke off recently. I want the pain to go away, but I don't know if the tooth is strong enough for another treatment like a re-treatment. I was going to get it crowned soon, but now this pain.

I'm so scared guys. I don't even want him to touch the tooth. I know the exam today is going to hurt. The tooth is just too sensitive. I know my dentist is gentle, but I'm really afraid. Those probes they use always hurt.

I don't know how I'm going to get through this.

JJ

 

[littlething]

Just sending lots of hugs and good vibes and hoping your appointment goes well today! Hang in there!

 

[JJones86]

Hi everyone.

Thanks again for your support.

I just got back from my dentist appointment. I saw the dental assistant today. The dentist never even came in. She examined my tooth with the probe and it hurt a lot. After she checked it she left and was gone for like 20 minutes. That made me a nervous wreck, just wondering and waiting. I thought she was going to bring the doctor with her when she came back, but instead she just talked to him and then came to talk to me.

The tooth is not holding up well. It's breaking more. They said that it's fractured right now and if it breaks more the damage will be too much to fix. Then the tooth will have to be extracted. So I need to get a crown or temporary crown right away. I still can't due to my financial situation.

They told me about a clinic they work with that would reduce the cost of the crown, but it's not that much more. This office will do the crown for $1400 and the clinic will do it for $1,000. I'm thinking of getting the filing I need over there though, because that's $50 at the clinic, where this office would charge me $200. That I can afford right now. The crown I'm not sure.

I wonder if it'd be cheaper to just have the tooth extracted. Then at least I won't be in pain anymore.

I'm not sure what to do. The office says that if I chose to transfer to the clinic, I can't come back to this office later. That seems really weird to me. I really like this doctor. The only reason I'd leave would be because of the cost.

I'm going to call some other clinics and see what I find out. I still have an appointment to see this dentist on Thursday. We still need to go over my diagnoses, treatment plan and other details. I'll talk to my dentist more about this then. The appointment today just left me really concerned. There's no way to know how much longer my tooth will hold up before it breaks more. I'm very confused.

They didn't charge me anything for today's visit. So that was nice.

Thanks.

JJ