What now? Wisdom teeth

[cowgirlup]

Hi long time lurker, first time poster.

Last Friday 11/3 I was supposed to get my wisdom teeth out. I have severe anxiety and am seeing a counselor about it. I took a xanax an hour before the procedure as told to, but when I got into the chair I had a massive panic attack (but didn't make a scene...was more softly crying and shaking, high heart rate and my husband and mom came back with me), and the surgeon wouldn't do the extraction, and also told me he will not take me back as a patient (because I wasted his time). He told me "I need psychiatric help." and very nastily said, "Well now, it seems xanax doesn't do sh** does it?" (In our consultation I told him about my anxiety and asked if I could take it before hand, and said he doesn't like it because it creates addicts, but I could if I needed it)He was so unprofessional and my husband and mom both said he had the worst "bedside manner" they've ever seen. He was so nasty to me over something I couldn't control. The only reason I need them out is one is starting to poke through my gums and has some decay on it. I was told it wasn't an emergency. I am 31 and have never had a surgical procedure and am most scared of being put under. I am so shaken.

What do I do now? He was supposedly the top surgeon on my area, and I feel so ashamed of myself.

 

[Enarete]

cowgirlup, I am so sorry to read what happened, this is unbelievable and very painful.

Please, do not feel ashamed of yourself, because you have absolutely no reason to. Shame is what the surgeon should feel because he is a health care professional and therefore committed his life to helping people but for some reason was not able to manage his own behavior. You were open and honest, you told him about your anxiety, asked him about the xanax and he agreed to treat you. He could have been reflected enough beforehand not to agree to treat you if he lacks experience with anxious patients. Anyway, I wonder if there are patients who are not anxious about wisdom teeth removal anyway. And not making people feel worse and avoiding being rude should be the basis for anyone everywhere.

But enough about the surgeon. YOU:

- decided to tackle your dental anxiety
- are seeing a counselor about it
- managed it to really visit a surgeon
- were open and honest to your surgeon from the beginning
- decided to visit this place to get support and find a way how to keep going

Come on, this is huge! Do you realize how strong you are?

Please don't let this experience let you down and don't lose hope. I hope you find your balance soon and of course a nice empathetic surgeon who knows how to put you at ease and treat you nicely. Maybe you can just google other places and see if there is some dentist / surgeon you might like?By the way wisdom teeth are not that bad, I have had removed all four at once and the only bad part was the anxiety - the rest was quick, I didn't notice anything and was fine after that too.

 

[cowgirlup]

cowgirlup, I am so sorry to read what happened, this is unbelievable and very painful.

Please, do not feel ashamed of yourself, because you have absolutely no reason to. Shame is what the surgeon should feel because he is a health care professional and therefore committed his life to helping people but for some reason was not able to manage his own behavior. You were open and honest, you told him about your anxiety, asked him about the xanax and he agreed to treat you. He could have been reflected enough beforehand not to agree to treat you if he lacks experience with anxious patients. Anyway, I wonder if there are patients who are not anxious about wisdom teeth removal anyway. And not making people feel worse and avoiding being rude should be the basis for anyone everywhere.

But enough about the surgeon. YOU:

- decided to tackle your dental anxiety
- are seeing a counselor about it
- managed it to really visit a surgeon
- were open and honest to your surgeon from the beginning
- decided to visit this place to get support and find a way how to keep going

Come on, this is huge! Do you realize how strong you are?

Please don't let this experience let you down and don't lose hope. I hope you find your balance soon and of course a nice empathetic surgeon who knows how to put you at ease and treat you nicely. Maybe you can just google other places and see if there is some dentist / surgeon you might like?By the way wisdom teeth are not that bad, I have had removed all four at once and the only bad part was the anxiety - the rest was quick, I didn't notice anything and was fine after that too.

Thank you so much for your kind words Enarete, it means a lot. Yes, I've never experienced being treated like that before. I was literally speechless but so glad I had witnesses with me! In my consultation I was very very open with my anxiety and he even asked what about caused it. That's what I don't understand. Even more baffling is a friend of mine had hers out a few months ago and he was wonderful to her Maybe I just caught him on a bad day? The only good part was the office staff were SO nice and understanding, before I left two of the nurses actually hugged me and told me not to worry or feel "I wasn't the first and definitely not the last." but still those words hurt so bad.

Thank you, I have only had 3 counseling sessions at this point, tomorrow is my 4th. I guess it was a huge accomplishment for me to even walk in the door, and at least I made it to the chair I googled some more and there a few other high rated surgeons around here I am going to try. I wish my regular dentist could take them out, he is the most compassionate and understanding person I've ever met. He is wonderful!! I hope I find one like him!

 

[FearfulInMA]

I agree with what the other poster said about the surgeon. You should never have been treated that way!

I’m curious, if being sedated is what you fear most, could you find an oral surgeon who would do the extractions with only local anesthetic? I had all 4 of my wisdoms teeth (2 were full boney impacted) and a 2nd molar all extracted with local only because I was way too freaked of about being sedated.

 

[cowgirlup]

I agree with what the other poster said about the surgeon. You should never have been treated that way!

I’m curious, if being sedated is what you fear most, could you find an oral surgeon who would do the extractions with only local anesthetic? I had all 4 of my wisdoms teeth (2 were full boney impacted) and a 2nd molar all extracted with local only because I was way too freaked of about being sedated.

That is what I originally wanted (and was set on), I have the one that is just barely coming through the gums, 2 that are straight up and down but still under the gums, then one that is sideways. He talked me out of it, saying it was better for my anxiety just to be IV sedated in-case I would "freak out" in the middle of it, although I said I didn't think noises would bother me at all..but he was pretty firm with IV sedation. I also expressed my concern of allergies (I have a few antibiotic and food allergies and since have also developed an slight allergy phobia after a bad reaction) and he told me it was safer to do the IV sedation because if I were to have a reaction there would already be an IV in me so I figured he knew best and just went with it

 

[FearfulInMA]

Hmmm... it really sounds like he just preferred you were sedated as it would be easier for him. Are you able to search around to see if you can find someone with better chairside manner who is willing to try with just local? Have you had dental work before with just local? Were you able to calm yourself enough to allow the dentist to work?

 

[cowgirlup]

Hmmm... it really sounds like he just preferred you were sedated as it would be easier for him. Are you able to search around to see if you can find someone with better chairside manner who is willing to try with just local? Have you had dental work before with just local? Were you able to calm yourself enough to allow the dentist to work?

That is what I was thinking too, he was just very adamant about it... I am going to call my regular dentist tomorrow or maybe my insurance company for suggestions too, and yes I have had cavities filled before with some anxiety but it was definitely manageable (some of them I didn't even take xanax before and it was fine because my dentist is wonderful and very calming).