Dentist Panic Attack & Claustrophobia

[pegdog]

Hi
I'm so glad I found this forum. I'm 47 and in perimenopause and my panic attacks seem to be getting worse. All the things I could do before I'm now terrified of and it's ruining my life. I feel dizzy all the time, I'm nervous about speaking in public which I have to do as I'm studying for a Masters degree. Yesterday I made such a fool of myself (which is how I found this brilliant and reassuring site) at the dentist. I had to have a very tiny filling to prevent a future root canal or possible extraction. My dentist is great and promised me it would only take ten minutes. He also said it was small enough to do without anaesthetic as I'm terrified of that numb feeling (had loads of dental work before - didn't bother me). I agreed but as soon as he tipped the chair right back and my feet were higher than my head I got dizzy and panicked. He was really nice about it but I had to ask him not to continue. Now I have to return in December to do it all over again. I know he's right and it'll get worse but I really couldn't do it. Fifteen minutes later, in the safety of my car, I felt soooo foolish and embarrassed:blush: - and bad that I could have been sitting there with it all over.

I've been getting worse since this started about five years ago and am finding I can do less and less. I suffer badly with claustrophobia and can't go in lifts or aeroplanes or small toilet cubicles - those things I've managed to avoid without much disruption to my life but the dentist thing and other 'out of control' situations that I have coped with before has really upset me.

I've got a lovely and completely understanding husband :hugs:who totally supports me - but I still feel awful about my anxiety all the time.

I'm sorry for the rant but has anyone else got really angry with themselves once they were safely out of the 'panic situation' and felt so stupid. Is there any hope of recovering from this? How?
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[jothenurse]

I have to go to the dentist soon. I have two cavities that should have been filled last January. My appointment was for tomorrow, but now I am having trouble with my retina in my right eye and have to go to an eye doctor to see if they will treat it with a laser or not. I am very scared about this.
i will need to reschedule my dental appointment, but am very scared about the dentist. Even before my anxiety was bad I had trouble going to the dentist.

[caz1625]

Hi Pegdog

I too am going through the menopause and everything has gone haywire :D

I was coping quite well until the hormones all kicked off.

Like you I can't stand being trapped and tipped back in the dentists chair. I had a falling out with my last dentist when he told me to stop being stupid. I didn't go back for 8yrs :weep: You can imagine the state my teeth were in!!!
Last year I found a great dentist who is very understanding. He tries to keep the chair up as much as possible so that I am not having to lie with my feet in the air. I also went to the docs and got diazepam which I take 20mins before I go and this has helped enormously.

Maybe you could speak to your GP before you have to go back. Good luck I know how hard it is.

Carol x

[pegdog]

Hi jothenurse

I'm sorry about your eye trouble - good luck with that. I know it doesn't help when people say 'it has to be done' but I suppose it's a fact - thngs will get worse and then we'll put them off again. Try and be brave.

All the best:bighug:

[caz1625]

Sorry should have said I get the last appointment of the day so nobody else is there.........takes the pressure off you making a **** of yourself :D
Also he leaves his door open for me and then I don't feel so trapped.

The first few appointments I was a gibbering wreck, crying and not being able to get out of the car and then returning home feeling so foolish and such a failure. But I stuck with it and am glad to say that all my teeth are now fixed. Infact I am due back this month for my checkup.

Carol xx

[Joexgee]

hi pegdog! im so sorry u had a bad time! you are not alone on the dentist thing! i am terrible.
i get myself so worked up about 2 months before my appointment, by the time it come to going i am absolutely petrified!
it is so embarrassing :blush:
i have made myself go every 6month since 2003 when i was getting married and needed work doing so i would look better on my photos!
i had the most lovely patient dentist, and i gained his trust and got the work i needed done, and only need check ups for now anyway!
the thing is my nice dentist man left :weep: and i was stuck with a new one, which i didnt feel was as understanding.
i went for my usual check a couple of months ago, as soon as i walked through the door to reception, i seemed to freeze :scared15: my head went muffled and i thought if i wanted to run out i prob couldnt do so!
it was horrid, and i had yet another stand in dentist which doesnt help.
think i struck lucky tho he was nice and reassuring and i didnt even need a polish!
i mentioned this to my doctor when i was describing my panic attacks, and she says you can ask at your dentists now about hypnotherepy!
also if u explain to them at reception or ring them about your panic attacks they will inform your dentist to be more patient with you!
i find getting the last appointment of the day helps me cope, incase i embarrass myself, then there is no body around to see me.
i am going to mention it when i go back!
hope you feel better soon xxx

[pegdog]

Thanks Carol

I've just been to the GP this morning - I'm trying to 'prepare in advance' of my dental appointment on 21st December so I actually asked for help. Because I have to leave very early for a 15 mile round trip to school each morning, she didn't want to give me diazepam in case it made me drowsy but she's trying me with propranolol. So, I'll give it a go. I've got a presentation soon too so maybe it'll help with that also.

I was never scared of the dentist until I started getting bad anxiety - don't even know what started that. My GP doesn't think I'm old enough for perimenopause (how many times have women said that?) but I know the symptoms. I can't believe your dentist was so mean - mine is lovely but I'm still scared. Somehow, I know, I'll just have to spend 15 minutes in that chair in December or it's going to be worse if I leave it. I'm just telling myself that all the time, trying some meditation and will give the propranolol a go. Wish me luck!

[caz1625]

I know it's hard but take the 15mins!!!! I ended up going for 6months to get mine all sorted and lost 4. And 3 of them were front ones so I now have a plate. Had to get impressions the whole lot. I will definitely go every 6 months now as I am never putting myself through that again.

I have learnt the hard way that the longer you leave it the worse it is.

Good luck :hugs:

Carol x

[pegdog]

Thanks Joexgee

That muffled feeling you described is exactly the same as I get - almost like I'm going to collapse, although I never have - that really would be the icing on the cake :wacko:. You've done so well to work through the dental problems - much braver than me. I never had an issue with the dentist even when I had other problems, that was never one of them. I think it's a control thing - well, my husband says I'm a control freak :ohmy:. I don't even like being in anywhere with the door shut - even if it's a huge room.

Isn't it strange - if you say to someone 'would you mind swapping chairs because I have a bad back' or something like that, it's fine but I would never dream of saying 'would you mind letting me sit here because I feel claustrophobic/trapped.'

Don't you just feel so foolish when it's all over and you look back on it? Don't really know how to overcome feeling angry with myself although it's really unhelpful.

All the best :bighug:


(http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/member.php?u=31812)

[pegdog]

Oh my, Carol - you've been through all that? :notworthy:

I know you're right - I've spent more than 15 minutes logged on here - it's nothing but in the chair it's like a year - as you know!

Well done you.

[Joexgee]

Thanks Joexgee

That muffled feeling you described is exactly the same as I get - almost like I'm going to collapse, although I never have - that really would be the icing on the cake :wacko:. You've done so well to work through the dental problems - much braver than me. I never had an issue with the dentist even when I had other problems, that was never one of them. I think it's a control thing - well, my husband says I'm a control freak :ohmy:. I don't even like being in anywhere with the door shut - even if it's a huge room.

Isn't it strange - if you say to someone 'would you mind swapping chairs because I have a bad back' or something like that, it's fine but I would never dream of saying 'would you mind letting me sit here because I feel claustrophobic/trapped.'

Don't you just feel so foolish when it's all over and you look back on it? Don't really know how to overcome feeling angry with myself although it's really unhelpful.

All the best :bighug:


(http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/member.php?u=31812)

thats ok, :bighug:right back x i am not brave believe me! its just as hard
everytime i go. i always feel foolish too. im going to take my music with me next time to see if it helps :blush: xxx take care