Wisdom teeth removed under GA

[Snowberry]

I have an appointment in August to have 5 teeth (4 wisdoms and LL7) removed at the hospital under GA. Goes to say I am terrified about it.

I have a phobia of hospitals as well as dentists and am scared of needles.

Does anyone have any advice to help me cope on the day? I am being admitted at 12pm but won't go to surgery until around 4pm so have a long time to work myself up about it and they have said I won't be allowed anyone to stay with me.

 

[ksikthii]

I am going in for the second time for a GA on Tuesday and I went to see my GP who has prescribed me with some tablets to calm me down for the day and couple of days running up to. It really helped last time. As did taking a book and trying to focus on that. Once you are in there make sure to tell the nurses that you are dental phobic as mine were great and kept popping in to make sure that I was ok while I waited.
You will be fine, and just think, all over and done with in a few short hours

 

[sajero2]

I am very dental phobic (I avoided dentists at all for the past 12 years until in the last month I had an emergency and had to go).

I just got all 4 wisdom teeth out this morning with GA! And I'm doing WAY better than I imagined. I hardly have any pain at all, just one moment when I was trying to eat mashed potatoes and had major pain trying to open my mouth too wide. Lasted a minute only.

I know the worst will probably be tomorrow and maybe the next day but this is 100% better than I thought it would be for day 1.

I came out of GA totally fine. I was completely with it, never talked weird like all those YouTube videos. I have a fear of throwing up as well and never felt nauseous or anything.

Really, don't be so scared! I can't believe I am feeling as well as I am right now. You'll be just fine. The best thing about GA is you don't feel or remember a thing! They gave me the IV and the next thing I knew I was waking up in a recovery room and on my way home.

 

[Angeloutkast]

hiya
i had mine removed under GA all 4 at UCH london
my op was at 2pm - i was there from 12 tho
to be honest didnt notice those 2 hours - talking to surgeon then anethestist then nurses need to do paperwork and put bracelets on you etc then you get changed and sorted so hopefully it will go quite quickly for you to im not sure why you cant have anyone with you i was lucky as my sister was with me up until they took me to the op room the anethestist and his assistant were lovely and really put me at ease i think they are used to dealing with nervous people
i have to say to be honest i was so scared of the op beforehand but once i got there and things started happened it didnt seem that bad it kind of went fast even after wards i didnt actually leave the ward until 6pm but it didnt feel like i had been there 1/2 hour!!!! i know exactly how you are feeling now i had other issues i was worried about to as im actually agorophobic!!! but everyone at that hospital was lovely and not patronising at all - i am sure whatever hospital you go it will be the same - hospitals are a caring place with caring people and you will be WELL looked after im 3 weeks post op now and i tend to overworry about every little thing and obsess i also have OCD im soooooo lucky lol and i only took ibuprofen for about 5 days and that was it and im a big baby with pain its awkward more than painful so just rest lots
that morning will not be easy but it will be worth it afterwards you couuld try taking newspaper magazines do you have a ds or smartphone? i had all those and didnt actually use any!!!! it was pretty much book in - nurse - surgeon - nurse - paperwork - nurse - anesthetist - nurse - more paperwork - oh yeah wee test for females to make sure not pregnant - then change - last check by nurse and then i was off and that was from 12noon i arrived and they took me down at 2pm i didnt get chance to read my paper!!!
get your cupboards stocked up with some different type soups and some custard (for those sweet moments) and borrow lots of dvds and relish teh opurtunity to rest - i would ring and ask again about someone staying with you ring the actual ward if you can they will tell you as you need someone to take you home after GA - i think the ward will let you as there were 7 bays on my ward and all of us had a partner!
i think most day surgery wards will let you so double check
i know your scared but you will be ok - ill talk to you anytime xxxxx

 

[Angeloutkast]

oh just a note i am absolutely terrified of needles to i told the nurse this and i never saw one needle the whole time!!!!
when they were putting me under i herd the usual "sharp scratch" but as i didnt look at my hand and he kind stood in front of it i never saw a needle so let them know hopefully they will be just as kind

 

[Snowberry]

hiya
i had mine removed under GA all 4 at UCH london
my op was at 2pm - i was there from 12 tho
to be honest didnt notice those 2 hours - talking to surgeon then anethestist then nurses need to do paperwork and put bracelets on you etc then you get changed and sorted so hopefully it will go quite quickly for you to im not sure why you cant have anyone with you i was lucky as my sister was with me up until they took me to the op room the anethestist and his assistant were lovely and really put me at ease i think they are used to dealing with nervous people
i have to say to be honest i was so scared of the op beforehand but once i got there and things started happened it didnt seem that bad it kind of went fast even after wards i didnt actually leave the ward until 6pm but it didnt feel like i had been there 1/2 hour!!!! i know exactly how you are feeling now i had other issues i was worried about to as im actually agorophobic!!! but everyone at that hospital was lovely and not patronising at all - i am sure whatever hospital you go it will be the same - hospitals are a caring place with caring people and you will be WELL looked after im 3 weeks post op now and i tend to overworry about every little thing and obsess i also have OCD im soooooo lucky lol and i only took ibuprofen for about 5 days and that was it and im a big baby with pain its awkward more than painful so just rest lots
that morning will not be easy but it will be worth it afterwards you couuld try taking newspaper magazines do you have a ds or smartphone? i had all those and didnt actually use any!!!! it was pretty much book in - nurse - surgeon - nurse - paperwork - nurse - anesthetist - nurse - more paperwork - oh yeah wee test for females to make sure not pregnant - then change - last check by nurse and then i was off and that was from 12noon i arrived and they took me down at 2pm i didnt get chance to read my paper!!!
get your cupboards stocked up with some different type soups and some custard (for those sweet moments) and borrow lots of dvds and relish teh opurtunity to rest - i would ring and ask again about someone staying with you ring the actual ward if you can they will tell you as you need someone to take you home after GA - i think the ward will let you as there were 7 bays on my ward and all of us had a partner!
i think most day surgery wards will let you so double check
i know your scared but you will be ok - ill talk to you anytime xxxxx

Thanks for this- it really helps. I going in tomorrow and am terrified. I rang the ward and explained I wanted someone to stay with me. The nurse was a bit funny but said she would try and get me in the side room so someone could stay.

I am most worried about coming round and being made to stay on my own. I want to go home as soon as possible and don't want to be in bed on a ward.

 

[Angeloutkast]

hi there
how are doing?
i do hope you are ok,
i know it is awful beforehand as i have been there
if you ever want to chat on the board or in pm just let me know xxxxxx

 

[Snowberry]

Thank you. I had the op on Monday and still feeling pretty dreadful.

I didn't go down till 4pm but managed to get them to discharge my by 8pm
as I wanted to go home.

I have had a lot of pain since and am managing to take the edge off with cocodamol but its still very sore. The nausea has been the worst part though. I had to go and see my GP for some anti-sickness meds as I was sat hugging a bowl for the first 3 days.

I hoping tomorrow, being day 5, the pain will start to become
less!

 

[Angeloutkast]

hiya
well done you for actually going thru it (i had a wobble on the day in the hospital in my gown!!!)
the first few days are rubbish to be honest but you are 5 days in that means 5 days less to recovery!!!
your probaly very nearly at teh safe point for dry socket which is another fantastic hurdle to get thru!!
not sure about the nausea as i never had that - could it be the painkillers? maybe see for another day or so and visit your gp again? i mostly slept for a week didnt eat much and only used ibuprophen so cant really say about nasea but i do hope that is much better now
(there is actually a sickness bug going about i know quite a few people had it - so could COULD be unrelated?)
i do hope you feel better tho drink as much water as possible sipping it can be good for nausea sometimes......
are you managing to eat at all? even soups or ice cream or yoghurts will count to take with the painkillers rather than an empty stomach im 5 weeks in now nd to be honest apart from still rinsing fr the holes i think things are ok now i just tend to overworry and i have general anxiety issues which dont help!!!! but if you want to chat am more than willing to remember op done 5 days down now you are well on your way even if you dont feel like it you are doing great you got the op and you are managing the recovery even if it is uncomfortable and a bit miserable i promise you it will NOT last forever xxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Snowberry]

Tonight I am in a lot of pain again. It's all across both sides of my jaw and feels like immense pressure on the bone. Cocodamol is taking the edge off and I only have one exposed lower socket which looks fine so I don't think it is dry socket but the pain is really starting to get me down.

With the bank holiday I am hoping to see someone Tuesday if it is still hurting.

I am eating pretty well to be honest. Managing things likes Lasagne, Fish
pie etc as long as I keep little bits in the centre of my mouth it's not too bad.

I am just sick to death of the pain. I thought it was getting easier but then tonight it's back to square one again.

 

[Angeloutkast]

hi there
im not to sure about the pain? by now the pain had subsided a bit for me altho i had dry socket!
i just wanted you to know your not alone!!!
i had all sorts of strange sensations in my mouth!!
my only concern for you would be that if the painkillers arent helping then it does need investigation as with any pain if painkillers dont help then professional advice is probaly needed - it may be nothing to be honest but it also it not a bad thing just to get it quickly looked at it could just be that you need a higher dose painkiller just to get you thru this initial healing stage - it really doesnt last long this is the worst bit - i am so glad you are eating quite well!! that will help so much!! i still cant but then i have many other issues including tmd and they clipped a nerve, used a clamp that was to big (so the surgeon told me) etc
do you clench at all? i clench alot due to my anxiety and i do sometimes get jaw pain (ibuprofen does not help it - relaxing does lol for me) are you maybe anxious? that is tottally understandble it is after all an op on your mouth!!!!!
if you do clench try to be aware of doing it and what i do that helps is to put the tip of my tongue onto the back of my top front teeth that way my mouth sort of relaxes a bit then fter a while i relax my tongue and my mouth stays in that position - your teeth should NOT touch that is clenching!! and it can put pressure on the jaw......
i dont grind that i am aware so dont know about that but would imagine it could be similar - jaw pain pressure etc??
i would definetly see someone tomorrow if i was you and if it all looks ok - then t could just be healing pain?
the mouth has been thru a little drama and needs a little time to feel normal - us as the owner of said mouth just have to endure it lol
its not nice tho i totally empathatize i do hope you get some help tomorrow one way or another
hugs to you - am still here xxxxx

 

[casuallydressed]

I have an appointment in August to have 5 teeth (4 wisdoms and LL7) removed at the hospital under GA. Goes to say I am terrified about it.

I have a phobia of hospitals as well as dentists and am scared of needles.

Does anyone have any advice to help me cope on the day? I am being admitted at 12pm but won't go to surgery until around 4pm so have a long time to work myself up about it and they have said I won't be allowed anyone to stay with me.

I had this done 6 days ago.

I'm not afraid of needles but I really didn't feel it going in. The surgeon spoke to me while the guy was giving me the GA and the next thing I knew I was in recovery.

The best advice I can give is to be prepared for waking up. I didn't expect to feel as numb and out of it as I did when I woke up after the GA. I felt like absolutely hell and I couldn't really move a whole lot ... not in pain, but just really uncomfortable. It's not something I want to feel again.

However, don't be afraid of the needle because you probably won't even see it.