Dental Nightmare

Ok so this may be lengthy because it's part discussion and part rant (HYBRID!).

I went to the dentist Friday. I was ever so excited because I have had major dental problems for the majority of my life. I notified them that I was allergic to Epinephrine and that it causes my heart to race and therefore the local anesthetic wears off in a minute or two. The doctor seemed to think this was ridiculous but agreed to not put epinephrine in the novacaine.

Later, before the surgery, I was given a painkiller. Ten or so minutes after taking this painkiller, I feel myself becoming anxious and concerned. Not about the surgery, mind you, just concerned about why I would be anxious for no apparent reason. I am, after all, not afraid of dentists.

The short version is that no amount of local anesthetic was helping me. In the end they had tried 5 different kinds with about 5 viles of each of those kinds to no avail. My heart rate was simply so sky high that it pumped it right out. So the doctor, having become fed up with me, decided to go right ahead with the extractions and ignore that I could feel it. In the end, they pulled 12 teeth while I had 100% complete sensation in my mouth.

Later, I found out that I had had a "potentially serious" reaction to the painkiller and should "Seek medical attention if you experience anxiety and confusion." So I had a bad reaction to a drug which affected the other drug's ability to work. By the way.. after numerous dosages of the local anesthetic which didn't "take", they gave me plenty which had epinephrine (remember what I said about not being able to take that one?) and my entire body was shaking and convulsing during all of this drama. (Be sure to read my next post about epinephrine by the way.)

So that was my exciting day. My happiness over getting my teeth fixed turned into a nightmare remeniscent of 16th century dental work.