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Unable to assert myself at 73...I have Severe Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis & Bone Health | Last Active: Feb 3 1:01pm | Replies (60)Comment receiving replies
I live in Canada and was born with GAD and panic disorder. Am older so lucky that I still can get prescribed Ativan. It is ridiculous that benzophobia has permeated so many countries to the extent that it has. Getting a prescription for 10 pills a month will not make you addicted and will let you do things without fear.
Like you don't need to pay huge amounts for sedation when a couple of pills that cost almost nothing would do the trick. I have dental phobia and get my cleaning done in half an hour segments. So they do half the mouth in each appointment. If the hygienist doesn't want to do that I will go somewhere else. I have fainted in the dental chair without it and that is getting tons of dental work so no, exposure doesn't help me. Any doctor that thinks fainting is good, high blood pressure is good and living in a panic state is good, is not worth having.
I would seriously find another doctor . I have a psychiatrist's report that I should be respected but at least half of family doctors don't seem to respect psychiatrists either. In my area psychiatrists don't want to take on simple cases like me and yes, I would be considered simple compared to being bipolar or having schizophrenia.
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@detalumis I’m so glad you dropped into this conversation. Having a dental phobia can be debilitating for a patient and of course, may lead to avoidance of necessary dental treatments. So thank you for offering what’s worked for you with scheduling appointments in the time increments where you feel comfortable. We had a few patients in our office where we handled their cases similarly. Failing that, there was the option of a one-off prescription of Ativan which really helped allay fears.
The situation for @lane73 is a little different. She is in the UK with limited choices for a dentist for her special needs of being on Prolia and requiring an extraction. So in this case, she didn’t have the option of seeking another dentist. It is a shame, as you said that getting even a small prescription of 5-10 pills to patients in need is a challenge. That limited amount is certainly not enough to become additive.
I’m glad that you’ve been able to manage through your phobia with finding a good dental care team who works with you.
By the way, Welcome to Mayo Connect. I see you’ve been a member since September but this is your first time writing. I hope that I see you pop into more conversations around the forum. There are over 80+ different health support groups. May I ask what drew you into Mayo Connect?