HELP - ANXIETY WITH NOVACAINE SHOTS @ DENTIST (EPINEPHRINE)

[Arwen]

Larry,
It may take a little time to find a dentist who will work with you and offer alternative approaches, but it's possible.

I used to get nitrous oxide, but then it didn't work so well for me anymore. I went to a couple of dentists when I moved here, but they were not so nice... One didn't want to treat me because of my anxiety. The one who advertised as a dentist for the nervous wasn't nice at all - and he gave me a shot with something that made me react just like epinephrin (levonordefrin), and it didn't even help to take several Clonazepams afterwards. We had to cancel the whole session, and he was not very nice about it.

Now I have finally found a local dentist who is incredibly patient and understanding, and I'm trying conscious sedation to have some major work done - he'll give me a pill that makes me drowsy and causes amnesia. He will also use a local injection that does not have epi or anything similar to it. It can wear off more quickly, but I don't actually mind the injections so much - most dentists I have been to, are very gentle and good at doing it slowly so it doesn't hurt at all.

Some dentists also do laser surgery, which reduces the risk of bleeding from the gums even without the epi.

[CarolM]

I have a problem getting novacaine as well. If they can't do it without the epi, you might want to ask another dentist on that...i know it wares off quicker but i thought it still worked long enough to get at least one filling...anyway for me i ended up doing sedation dentistry. Cost $! but it was the best thing I ever did! Lets put it this way even without the epi my legs would shake and i would feel faint. checkout this website i found it very helpful www.dentalfearcentral.org you can get a lot of good info. good luck.

[Baily]

I also had a bad experience with epinephrine; either had too much or developed an allergy to it. My blood pressure and heart beat went out the top, my body was shaking and I could not respond at all. I was flushed with oxygen and spent several hours in the dentist office before I was able to leave.Thought I was surely going to die. I experienced irregular heartbeats and anxiety for two weeks. If I have minor work, my dentist uses Carbacaine. Anything major, I am sedated. It is well worth the extra $50.

[jillzmind]

I haven't been able to afford dental work but as soon as I can there is a Dentist in my area that does what is called "sleep dentistry" and he did that for all the patients that were suffering in pain and needing care. I wonder if something in your area is called by the same name? "Sleep Dentistry"
Check it out and take care,

Jill~

[2walkworthyofHIM]

oK. . . HI ! i very much appreciated all of your postings. I too, am suffering from Dentistry anxiety and in need of some advice. I am having a re-treatment procedure root canal on my tooth.

I am VERY Anxious about this because the Novocaine cause me to feel like I CAN not swallow and gives me a feeling of claustrophobia. And as if I am choking in my own saliva plus the feeling I can not swallow ;-(

The rubber dam which is necessary as per the dentists orders also gives me a sense of anxiety. I am a mess, I know.

But
I was prescribed XAnax to relieve my anxiety.

Will the Xanax along with the Novocaine intermix and make me choke on my saliva or choke on that water pik the dentist is using ?

ANY INPUT IS APPRECIATED.
j.Chavez

[samcat]

My own psychiatrist gets jittery from novocaise, so he takes some Inderal, I think the generic is propanalol (SP) before his dental procedures--just a small dose. Otherwise, he says he gets the shakes.

I believe Diane in New York is right--that there is a numbing agent without epinephrine.

Maybe you should look around your area for a dentist who does sedation dentistry--they may be much more knowledgeable about this particular issue.

[lifetxtoyoga]

I can relate to your dental problem. Six years ago I suffered a horrible anxiety/panic attack. My stress level was high, and I had just lost a close friend. My dentist was two hours ago (a great dentist, still love him) so he was going to do a lot of work at once, therefore I had two extended doses of novacaine. It went into my eye nerve causing numbness in my eye, panicing me. I woke the next day to all the feelings of a panic attack, went to the ER and had extensive testing done. They wanted to give me valum, I refused. They prescribed a depressant, which I would not take. The most crusial information they said to me was that the effects of the epinephrine in the novacaine would stay in my system 3 months. I kid you not, I suffered for three long months and then GONE. I now put down allergy or senitivity to epinephrine and request none at the dentist. I haven't had a anxiety/panic attack since. Stay true. Breath, do yoga if you can, take long walks, and know you are not alone.

[L. Bonnie]

I had a terrible time the last time I was at the Dentist. I thought it was a major anxiety attack. I told my Cardiologist about it because I mentioned about my heart racing. He told me that the next time I go have dental work done I must tell the dentist to give me a novacaine without epinephrine in it. If the dentist can't do that then change your dentist.

[Scrapper]

I've had trouble with the novocaine shots, too. They made me shake all over. It often takes multiple shots for me to get numb. The more shots, the worse the shaking (and sense of panic). Then my dentist told me about the epinephrine and that I could get the novocaine without any epinephrine in it. He provides either. It doesn't cause any shaking for me, and it does NOT wear off in five minutes, like the dentist told the person in the first post. It lasts a couple hours, plenty of time for the dental work. I always make sure to remind my dentist to give me the "non-shaky novacaine" whenever I have work done. I also requested it from an oral surgeon when I had a wisdom tooth pulled a few years back. No problem for him, either, and it worked fine.