Dentist fear - handhold for a wimp please

[Moriartea]

I've got to go to the dentist on Tuesday and I'm really scared

I have health anxiety and my fear is being allergic to the local anaesthetic as I need to have two fillings. (Health anxiety is managed by meds, I am okay unless I have to face health care situations)

I've never been allergic to it before, but because I know you can suddenly become allergic to things, it really scares me. I know I have to go and face it, but as soon as they inject me I panic. I panic I can feel my throat closing up and that I'm going to have an anaphalactic shock. I hate things being done in my mouth anyway, if I was having an injection anywhere else I would be okay because I usually talk my way through anxious situations

I don't even know why I'm posting, I'm just so scared and my husband and family don't get it. They just say "you'll be fine, it's just a filling!" and wonder what all the fuss is about

(My dentist is well aware of my anxiety and is brilliant with me but it doesn't stop the fear)

I feel for you, I am the same, even going for a check up is hard. What works for me now is doing breathing exercises - discreetly! Look them up, eg breathe in for 5, hold for 5, breathe out for 5, hold for 5. The Army etc uses these exercises. It does help, good luck and focus on how relieved you will be when it is over and you can relax a bit.

Thank you @Peaceloveandhappiness it is really horrible isn't it, I wish I could be one of those people who sail through it but it just fills me with dread ☹️
I will give the breathing exercises a go, thank you

Allergic reactions to local anaesthetic are incredibly rare
in the U.K. out of 70 million cartridges of local anaesthetic given there were adverse effects in only 246 cases , of which 1% were allergic reactions . In other words in 70 million applications of local anaesthetic 2 applications resulted in an allergic reaction.

Even if you were so incredibly unlucky dentists have to stock emergency kits , including multiple drugs to deal with allergic reactions and have to update their training every year. You will be in safe hands .

@Lollygaggle that is incredibly reassuring - thank you so much

Oh I get this
Used to be so scared I would consider crashing my car a better day than having a check up and could only go with headphones and loud music on
I had a tooth out which basically cured me as I was "is that the worst it gets?"
I voluntarily had some cosmetic bonding which stunned my dentist so much he came and peeped at me having the work done

Last week I had a mould done and I said "it feels like you'll pull my teeth out" and got back "well when we take the mould out we can count how many teeth you lost"