I’ve never been given laughing gas before but today I was, and I don’t know if I’m stupid, or if they did something wrong, but I felt absolutely nothing from the nitrous and it made my overall experience much worse
Background: I go to the dentist very regularly, 2 times a year without fail, and extra times for fillings and extra work as needed. I like to think I’m an easy patient when it comes to most things but the numbing injection before a cavity or filling is a huge problem for me. I’ve passed out on the chair while the needle was in my mouth before, and just two weeks ago when I went to get my cavity filled I had thrown up a minute before I was supposed to get the needle done, just from being so anxious.
Today when I went into my appointment, I was aware I was gonna get nitrous as it was mentioned a week or so ago after I had gotten sick. I was sat down, everything was the same, but I had a mask on. I felt nothing but from my boyfriend who has had laughing gas multiple times he said they usually just start with oxygen, so I was ok. They then start doing numbing gel which is gross but it’s no problem doing, that was until he said prepare for the pinch a few minutes later. I quickly clarify and ask if that was the needle already, and he just said yeah. I panicked out that I don’t feel anymore calm or prepared for the situation. I was genuinely not sure what I’m supposed to feel but there was no feeling. I was just sitting in my body the same as always. The main doctor explained how it’s different for everyone and some people don’t notice a difference but it helps is someways. I’m obviously a million miles away from being to understand how this works as an illustration student but isn’t the point of the gas so you feel a physically or mentally calm? Anyway so I just was already feeling terrible and as if I’m being given a placebo so I just told them to do the shot. This was obviously terrible from the anxiety I always carry from this situation, but on top I was being told I had a solution and it was failing 100% in the moment it’s needed. This was the first time I needed two shots as well, too and bottom gums. It’s another level of humiliation crying on a medical exam seat. This was the first time I had tears slip out at the dentist since childhood, I’m 21 now.
For anyone who’s gotten or given nitrous oxide what did it do to you, and how does it actually work in a situation, cause I don’t know what happened in my situation. With a quick look there’s statements that say extreme anxiety and medication tolerance can be a direct reason of it not working well, which yeah both would apply, but as the person looking for help from the professional am I supposed to have known that, and told them I needed an alternative? Do dentist ever ask these questions that would change the amount of gas given to a person?
I don’t know what answers I’m even looking for at this point I think I’m just wondering how another dentist would see this situation