[Irene]

Hello folks,

Next week I am seeing my hospital dentist to examine the deterioration of some of my teeth. In the past couple of decades, two long surgical operations were done for extractions/fillings, under anesthesia.

You may wonder why---I have panic disorder and cannot have conventional dental work.

This time though, I have diabetes, but less teeth, heh!

I would like to ask you for any hints regarding anesthesia and diabetes. I have already seen my GP and shown her a paragraph regarding the use of Metformin with x-ray or surgery which may lead to lactic acidosis. She said to show it to the dentist and btw lactic acidosis happens with Metformin with other conditions. I have not had that fortunately.

I suppose my dental team is accustomed to diabetics, but i thought i would ask you if there is any information i should give other than the list of my medications.

Has anyone here been through something like this?

Thank you for reading.

 

[aimster1mo]

I went through major dental work under anesthesia over a year ago. It had to be done that way for the same reason as you, sheer panic!
Sometime before that I had some teeth extracted using just Novocaine and for the first time in my history with dental work I absolutely freaked out during the extractions and don't know why (scared the dentist so badly he wouldn't do anymore and suggested I see an oral surgeon so I could be put under for any further work).
So that's what I did and it all worked out fine.
I only took half my Lantus dosage and took no other meds that morning.
I've had lots of other x-rays for various things since then and have had no known problems from it.
Just re-iterate to the Dentist about your diabetes because I have found that sometimes they overlook that fact.

 

[Irene]

Scaring the dentist

I went through major dental work under anesthesia over a year ago. It had to be done that way for the same reason as you, sheer panic!
Sometime before that I had some teeth extracted using just Novocaine and for the first time in my history with dental work I absolutely freaked out during the extractions and don't know why (scared the dentist so badly he wouldn't do anymore and suggested I see an oral surgeon so I could be put under for any further work).
So that's what I did and it all worked out fine.
I only took half my Lantus dosage and took no other meds that morning.
I've had lots of other x-rays for various things since then and have had no known problems from it.
Just re-iterate to the Dentist about your diabetes because I have found that sometimes they overlook that fact.

Thank you so much aimster. I am confident that this dentist will know quite a bit about pre-surgery work. I just feel guilty that this time i am going to him with a diabetic condition. On the other hand, i have less teeth to work on, heh! Scared the dentist eh? Yup, i was reading about panic disorder which can have many causes, such as childhood trauma, or such and cognitive behaviour therapy can sometimes work. But the more interesting cause I read about is Dr. Hamilton's genetic team work at Columbia U. where they actual pinned the chromosome number for panic disorder; geographical area in the brain: amygdala.

 

[aimster1mo]

The funny thing is that I had never experienced that problem before and over the course of my lifetime as a child and as an adult have had lots of dental work done. I don't know why I freaked, well, actually I do think I know what triggered it.
That particular trip was the first time I had ever had a shot in the roof of my mouth and he gave me 2 of them....OUCH! and that set the stage. Sometime during that procedure and quite unexpectedly he decided I wasn't numb enough and delivered a 3rd shot into the roof of my mouth and my brain went into overdrive and panic mode. It happened so fast that mentally I wasn't prepared. I think that's what set it all in motion anyway.....

 

[Irene]

Dental diabetics

The funny thing is that I had never experienced that problem before and over the course of my lifetime as a child and as an adult have had lots of dental work done. I don't know why I freaked, well, actually I do think I know what triggered it.
That particular trip was the first time I had ever had a shot in the roof of my mouth and he gave me 2 of them....OUCH! and that set the stage. Sometime during that procedure and quite unexpectedly he decided I wasn't numb enough and delivered a 3rd shot into the roof of my mouth and my brain went into overdrive and panic mode. It happened so fast that mentally I wasn't prepared. I think that's what set it all in motion anyway.....

aimster1mo,

A first shock may leave you with a lasting panic reaction, as you describe.
But i really don't know if that is the case with me. I have panic reactions in many situations, and frankly i really don't know what has caused this. I am bipolar and the net has many sites where chemical disorders in mental illness are associated with high anxiety. Maybe it does not take just one experience, but many others, or even a combination. Unfortunately, i cannot back and relive my life differently to prove or disprove the origins of panic disorder.