I lived through one of my worst fears on Monday by having to take antibiotics and then having to go through the novacaine shots and then having my tooth pulled. I panicked in the chair but made it.

Now two days later, I am having what seems to be uncontrollable anxiety. I am not having much pain but still not able to eat like I normally do. I feel hungry no matter what I eat, soup, eggs, and tiny milkshakes. So I figure that is part of why I am feeling the following things:

Like my head is going to explode with pressure, no pain
Internal shaking
Buzzing inside
Dizzies, lots of dizzies (room moving)
Feeling like I am not in control of anything

Now, I have been feeling this way all day long so I know if I was going to die from whatever I would probably have already had a problem but I am still feeling weird anyway.

So please, tell me to quit freaking out and shut up.
I hate this and anxiety is my bane in life.
I just need reassurance, please!!!

Hugs to everyone,
Jeaninne

I would never tell you to shut up!! But I can tell you to stop freaking out! STOP FREAKING OUT!!!

LOL!! Do you feel better now???

I know the anxiety can be debilitating, and I think coming down from big anxiety can also make you feel all weird too. It has been a rough week for you...give yourself a break!! You got thru it, be proud of that. I have run out of the dentist's office, after being frozen...but before any work was done...that was panic!! YIKES! You did GREAT!!

If you have any xanax or ativan, take some and just relax for a day or two.

I tool had one of my worst days and I have absolutely no idea why. It is truly the worst feeling in the whole world. I feel like every nerve ending is on fire and my body just might burst. I layed in bed like a junkie in withdrawal, curled up in a ball. Well... we didn't die, we didn't end up in the ER, we didn't freak out. I feel my stomach starting to churn and my jaw starting to ache because it's been 4 hours since my last xanax. So now I guess I'm a xanax junkie. Great, one mor thing to obsess about. That is what I do, obsess about every crappy feeling I am having which only makes it all worse. It is so frustrating knowing what we are supposed to do... roll with it, get on with out lives anyway, distract ourselves, etc, etc, etc, but can't when we're stuck in a bad spell. So, I'll tell you to shut up if that's what you really need to hear. Sometimes that just what we need, some one to just tell us what we need to hear. But I don't really want you to shut up. Keep posting. I feel like a posting maniac today. It's the only thing that keeps me sane. As Michugana said in an earlier post this s@cks the big one! Hope you're allowed a xanax or ativan as needed. I'm off to take my bedtime dose!
Sleep well,
Kelly

Floater:

I cant believe you mentioned this! The last time I went to the dentist before this, was about 11 years ago and she gave me the novicaine and boom my heart was pounding, next thing I knew I was running past my husband and out the front door yelling and crying take me home! So I had to go to an oral surgeon to have the teeth pulled.
It was funny because the lady who put the IV in was talking to me and asking me what else I would rather be doing as I was panicking. About the time I opened my mouth to tell her that I would rather have my fingernails pulled out, I was out!

I also wanted to say that you and mainemom are right, it seems like coming down from a high after having all that anxiety.

So thank you both for reminding me. You ladies are alwasy the best.
Hugs to you all,
Jeaninne

Dear Jeannine
Ok. First of all,honey do not shut up!Just let it all out.These reactions are very normal after a tooth trauma or medical procedure.
I never really believed that Antibiotics could result in the weirdest symptoms till I was put on two different ones at very high dosages.Hell!
Reassurance coming your way.It will pass.
I have to admit that when I was really freaking I did use my prescription Xanax as I felt my head and mind were being attacked by a chain saw.
When they gave me Morphine in the Hospital had got it into my head that it was Heroine and kept trying to tell them I did not need Rehab.Felt such a fool later on although the Surgeon said I kept them laughing and that people have weird and wonderful reactions to painkillers etc.
So dear 'Stitchnanny' if you never sew another quilt together in your life!Know that you are not alone.
Everything will pass in its time
Give your mind and body as much rest as possible.I think we women are very bad at allowing ourselves just to be as we have spent so many years rushing around and taking care of everyone but ourselves
So time out!

Warm Hugs
Elizabeth.

Hey 'themainemom'
You are not a junkie!Please do not think this way.You are using a Med, that is helping you to cope.So what?If you had a severe headache every day wouldn't you take a painkiller till things eased up a bit.
As I have said before there have been times when I needed Xanax quite a lot and other times when I could go for ages without it.
As you say some conditions cannot be exercised or breathed away and as long as one is mindful-as we sensible ladies are- that these drugs were made to provide relief in stages of life when anxiety and stress are unbearable so be it.
It is amazing how it always starts in the stomach and then travels around at will.

So stay strong and remember one day you will realise that your mind and body are gaining in strength and you will find your usage will naturally peter out.
Also I think those of us who are frightened of ending up junkies are the least likely to become one as we are aware and mindful.
God Bless
Elizabeth

Kelly, i am addicted to xanax, it is because nothing else works to calm the beast inside of me....my anxiety is so severe, and have phobia's, that if i didn't have them, i'd be put away in a luney bin for the rest of my life. i just wish i was normal, sometimes, i cannot even walk when i am in this state of mind, i can't move, i'm frozen with fear. it's been there for most of my life and it's gotten much worse.

take care all
boo hoo

ok .. quit freaking out and shut up .. actually I dont care if you shut up because I cant hear you .. on the other hand I would love to tell my boss to SHUT HIS STUPID SPEAKER PHONE UP .. ok .. maybe Im the one that needs the meds .. stich you have any xanex ?? now would be the time.. like my post yesterday ,, I was a freak-out-a-zoid yesterday ,, took my xanex dose .. was right as rain .. and seem ok today without anything ,, in fact worked out in my pool and didnt even need anything to sleep ... so take those meds if you got um ( I cant remember who here has them .. who cant take them and who doesnt have them yet ~) .. anyway .. xxxooo's .. your fine ..

OH .. also ,, I just saw this .. yes i have had this problem twice now .. the first time the A-h@le dentist said "oh .. your just scared of the dentist its not the meds" .. jerk .. i fired him .. then about 3 months ago same thing .. this new wonderful dentist told me I have a sensitivity to the vaso constrictor in the kind of med they injected .. so the next time you go to the dentist make sure that they know you are allergic to the vaso constrictor and they will use something else

Dear Jeaninne,
No worries....you are just sensitive to the epinephrine in the Novacaine. Especially when you have any history of panic attacks. I worked in the Dental Field for years and found out I was highly sensitive to the Epinephrine in the Novacaine and my Dentist gave me Novacaine without Epinephrine. I never had the pounding chest or buzzing head and dizziness again. Make a note of it on your chart. Also, it's great not to have Epi because the numbness goes away very fast. It's just another stimulant that over excites the nervous system. Don't worry, you will be fine. Your right, if you were going to have a problem, it would have already happened. Take into account also that keeping your mouth open for that length of time is exhausting to anyone. It puts stress on the temperalmandibular joint and can cause your bite to go out of whack causing dizziness and headaches and neck tension. It goes away but it's not fun to deal with on top of peri. You will be fine and getting that tooth taken care of is going to make you feel much better and healthier in the long run..................hugs Debra

Yes novocaine can create anxiety and pounding of the heart. Every time I visit the dentist or my cosmetic surgeon and have a shot I get a similar effect. I'm clued up on this and both of them give me 5mg of valium to counter it. However the food we eat and help cause anxiety due to fluctuating blood sugars. I have suffered with Generalised anxiety for years. It has settle somewhat since starting bio identical hormones and adjusting my diet on advice from my endocrinologist.
Louise

Glad DebraD mentioned the novacaine.

My husband never suffers with anxiety-he isn't even scared of the dentist or having treatment. However if he has to have novacaine he always feels dreadful afterwards-very depressed and anxious.
Hope you are feeling better today anyway

janet c

All of you ladies have made me feel so much better about all of this anxiety that has overwhelmed me.

I can never thank all of you enough - I hope all of you are having a good Friday.

Hugs,
Jeaninne

Jeaninne- just wanted to send you some hugs, and am hoping you are feeling much better after your ordeal at the dentist. You are always so supportive to all of us, and I wanted to say "right back at 'cha." Take care. Julie

Stitch....I just had 3 teeth pulled last Wednesday. I got knocked out and the next day I went to work but felt really bad. I experienced the same thing with the Epinephrine. Heart raced and threw me into a panic attack. I only have the dentist use novicane without Epinephrine. They have it so maybe you can ask for that next time you have to have an work done on your teeth. That's all I have the dentist and periodontist use.

I,too went to the dentist yesterday and am having majopr panic attacks today. Never even considered the anesthesia. I, too, am heading for the Ativan bottle, and I am, as qalways, gald to know I'm not the only one.

We will make it through this.

Hugs

Thanks so much ladies!!!
Hugs to all of you and I hope that you all are feeling way better now.

Thank goodness I read on PS some while ago to ALWAYS ask for the shot WITHOUT the epinephrine. They have in big red letters on my chart...NO EPI. You just do not know how grateful I am that I saw this on PS. EPI is pure adrenaline and believe me we just do not need more of this right now. I had a tooth filled a couple of weeks ago and they were able to use another type of anesthesia with no epi.... he said this is what they use w/ heart patients. How grateful to whoever posted that in the past for me to read.

This is probably what is sending you over the edge. I am so sorry you are dealing with this and hopefully it will be out of your system soon. We are so sensitive to everything right now.

many hugs,
mood_swinger

Hi mood:

You are absolutely right!! I am glad someone posted this too and will ask for it next time. Anxiety just $uck$ so bad and I do not need help with getting more!

I hear you all....I've experienced the pounding heart from the epi in the dental novocaine too. It's scary, but it does help to get the explanation. I was interested in reading this post because last night I woke up around 4 AM to pee (happens more often these days, ha ha) and then couldn't get back to sleep. All of a sudden, I felt so anxious - about not being able to sleep AND about feeling anxious itself (I'm thinking, oh no, I'm going to give myself a heart attack or a stroke by feeling this way, etc.) I wish I didn't think so hard, because my mind gets on an obsessive loop of health worries! I wasn't like this when I was younger.. (and I had bad endometriosis then!) Meanwhile, my husband is sleeping peacefully, snoring away... he's sweet, and tries to understand, but I know he doesn't quite get it! I think part of it is that I'm due for my annual gyn checkup next week and I ALWAYS get ridiculously stressed out before I go - because I hate feeling panicky in the waiting room, and then getting my BP taken and the nurse looking at me with raised eyebrows. My doctor doesn't seem concerned, because she knows I get tense, but I just wish I could be cool and calm and take it in stride... (like I believe the other clients in the waiting room seem to be!) The actual doctor visits (and tests like mammograms, ultrasounds, etc) don't bother me so much - it's just the anticipation and the BP reading make me feel horribly anxious. Does anyone else feel this way? Any tips for easing these feelings? Thanks, ladies!

Did you know that Xanax has a very short half life so that if you don't take it often you start to withdraw. Other benzos are more forgiving. And Xanax has the worst withdrawal symptoms that I've ever known. It seems that people are not warned about the problems with Xanax because not all doctors are aware of how it works and assume it's like Valium etc. Hope this helps.