I am afraid of needles. Screamingly, irrationally afraid. I sob uncontrollably for 15 minutes after a blood draw. It’s embarrassing and interfering with my routine medical care. I need dental work, nothing major, but it will require an injected anesthesia. I have always been given Valium, with limited success. It allows me to actually GO to the appointment, but it doesn’t prevent me from sobbing while the series of injections takes place and for several minutes thereafter. This is uncomfortable for both me and my dentist. Today, he suggested that another drug might be better suited, but didn’t have a suggestion.
As a reference, I took 5mg of valium last night so I could sleep. 5 more when I woke up at 6am and 10 more an hour before my 9:30 appointment.
My dentist treats some anxious patients, but this isn’t his major practice. I’m hoping someone will have a suggestion that we can research and perhaps find something that will be more satisfactory.
All the usual disclaimers apply…you are not a doctor, not MY doctor, possibly a drug addict…yadda yadda…
Thanks!
Has your doctor brought up nitrous at all? Not all dentists use it, but for my dentist it’s SOP (and free!)
My dentist charges extra for nitrous, but it’s totally worth it! Also, I take a Xanax (or generic alprazolam,) which I keep handy in case of a panic attack.
Dentist doesn’t use nitrous, although it’s been useful for me in the past.
You could try Klonopin. It’s supposed to be a more potent anxiolytic than Valium.
I used to be very afraid of dentists- to the point of breaking down crying just while scheduling appointments. Then my dentist started to subscribe Xanax. The stuff would zonk me over my head, but it certainly stopped the anxiety (I could even drift in and out of sleep during a root canal.)
Xanax is VERY addictive and I’ve heard that some dentists will raise eyebrows if you ask for it by name.
The good news is that after several rounds of Xanax-assisted dental surgery, I’ve lost my fear of dentists completely!
My dentist once gave me Pre Sed (hexobarbital) instead of the usual Valium when I was having a particularly uncomfortable procedure. Instead of my typical whiny, gaggy, turning white and pasty, cold sweat, near passing out style, I was laughing, joking, entertaining the entire office, telling him that if anybody wanted to practice or play with the drill, now was the time. I had no fear; I was loaded.
Had to sit in the waiting room for an hour or so afterwards to be sure I was clear enough to drive. If I do it again I will take somebody with me to drive home. Best time I’ve ever had in a dentist’s office.
Did they just give you enough for that day and no more? That’s been my understanding about friends who use Xanax to be able to fly.
Funny story:
I was in Dr. Albracht’s office, asking for a script for the Transderm Scopalmine patch for motion sickness, explaining to him that I was going to be boarding a plane a few days later.
DA [eyes lighting up]: Do you get nervous when you fly? Do you feel like the walls are closing in on you? [grabs script pad] I could prescribe you some Xanax? [starts smiling] It really helps people who have a hard time flying.
HH: No, I actually like flying. I think it’s exciting. I just get woozy and nauseus, so I thought maybe the motion sickness patch…
DA [sights, looks dejected]: Oh, OK. Here you go. [writes script for motion sickness patch.]
Why he was so eager to write the Xanax script I have no idea. Maybe he gets a kickback from the manufacturer???
That’s what my guy does with the Valium, 4-6 tabs, depending on when the appointment is in the day. I take one the night before, then start medicating when I wake up, so I don’t go into full panic mode, making later sedation considerably more difficult.
You know, I interpreted that in a totally different way the first time I read it.
That’s ok, so did I.
Nitrous. Yay! I vote nitrous.