Hi.

I am severely dental phobic, have been all my life. I have only had one panic attack in my life. I was 22, sitting in the dentist's chair and he had to take two temporary crowns out of my mouth and put the two permanent crowns in. He starts to numb my two front teeth. I looked at him like he lost his marbles and I said "you do know that you have to put me to sleep for this don't you??", He looked at me like I was bonkers and said "are you crazy, I'm just pulling off two temps and putting on the two permanents". I said 'unless you want me to go nuts in this chair, you have to put me out (I know me, believe me, I know me).

So he very nicely said "I'll give you nitrous oxide". Now, I've never had nitrous oxide in my life, but this guy said "you won't know what's happening to you". I trusted him, he puts the mask on me, the gas starts to go into my face, (he's telling me "breathe deeply, you're fine"), Well, guess what?? I was not fine. I had a full blown panic attack right there in the chair. My whole body went completely numb and I started hyperventilating, screaming, yelling, whatever happens during a panic attack. It seems that my fears got the better of me, my body went numb and my brain went into overdrive. Scared the dentist out of his chair. He sighed and then said to his assistant "get the anaesthesiologist, we have to put her out'.

This happened almost 40 years ago. I now have a phobia dentist who works with me. It's all about who you trust and who's hands you put your life in. I can trust this dentist.

I will never forget that day if I live to be 100 years old.

Phobias, OCD, panic attacks. No fun at all!!!

Melody