Question:
I'm feeling kind of down. Actually, very down. I am still in
misery with my teeth and still cannot get to the dentist. I have found
some very nice dentists, very understanding to my problem, etc. I have
a bunch of support and someone to go with me, but I can't GO! I cannot
leave the house. I'm sitting here asking myself, 'ok, do you want to
endure all this pain or do you want to take some control and get it
taken care of?' I want to take control. I want to get them fixed. I
want to go. But... I cannot.
Why does it seem that when there is a necessity that arises, we're
expected to put the agoraphobia aside and "just do it"? I have even
gotten this from fellow agoraphobics. I thought they would be the ones
to understand far, far, far more than anyone.
Answer:
I know exactly how you feel. I can't even go to a doctor to
get my meds and now I'm having bad withdrawal symptoms. I
haven't been to a dentist in 18 years and I can't eat on one
side of my mouth because of cavities. When I had kidney
stones, which I'm told is the worst pain that a human can
endure along with childbirth, I couldn't go to a doctor.
Heck, I'm even too scared to go to the eye doctor to get a
new glasses prescription (my frames are falling apart and my
lenses are cracked). I have yet to meet a doctor who really
understands my phobia and doesn't talk down to me. I don't
know what to do either. I'm sorry I can't be of more help
right now. Maybe someone else in the group has some ideas.
It's not important! Decide for yourself whats important,not what
other people think. There's millions of people all over the world that
have never even heard of a dentist, they just take the pain and wait for
the tooth to fall out or pull the damm thing. I lasted two years with a
temporary filling I put in myself. About six months ago I decided for
myself that I wanted something done about it,so I called the dentist and
told them that I was the biggest wuss in the world and that I haddent
been to a dentist in twenty years and that my wife was comming with me
and that if for any reson what so ever I needed to get up or leave that
I was going to no matter how they felt about it. So I went. Sat through
a five hour root canal,sat through four fillings,sat through two deep
cleanings, and I hated the whole fucking thing, but I made the decision
because I wanted to keep my teeth. As a kid I went to the dentist twice
a year,every year, never had a filling,and as an adult, I have always
taken great care of my teeth just so I dont have to go to the dentist. I
took my agroaphobia to the dentist with me,he knew it was there,I knew
it was there,hell, everyone that worked for him knew it was there. I
dident care what they thought, who the fuck are they? When most of them
talked to me they would tell me about PA they had or about anxiety they
experience like I'm their father confessor. I got what I came for then I
got the hell out of Dodge. They call from time to time to try to get me
to come in for a cleaning or something,I just tell them no thanks and
that I'll let them know when I need their services. Try the temporary
filling and if you can get some antibiotics, take them. Then if/when YOU
decide it's important enough, you, your agoraphobia, and who ever else
will go to the dentist and show them who's boss. Just some advice from
someone who's been there and done that, as they say.
In the *end*, for me, the pain and terror as my fangs fell to
bits somehow managed to get me to a local dentist who
semi-knocked me out with nitrous oxide. He did such a good
job that I was able to go again last year... but it was...
as they say... "a damned close-run thing" so I understand and
sympathise. I might very *well* have been in your position.
Umm... hmmm... now this *is* puzzling. Enough Xanax down *my*
scrawny old neck and I'd fight Mike Tyson with one hand, whilst
wrestling with a fully-grown lion with the other. I'd *lose*,
naturally, but I'd be smiling soppily all the while...
Which sort of raises the delicate question of how much Xanax
you are taking. Could it be worth trying a higher dosage
for this one special (nasty) occasion? I mean, look...
a friend could pour you into a car or a cab.. pour you into
one on the way home... and if all you could do was grin
lop-sidedly at the dentist, I doubt s/he would mind.
I do wish I could suggest something better than this. I'm
sure there *are* mind-games one can play that help... but
as none of them ever helped me, I won't insult you by
recommending them.
