GraceLuvsWDW dentist appt?

[KirstenB]

Hi, I know your dd's dentist appt was yesterday. I just wanted to check in, and say I hope it went well.

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Thanks SO much! I was really anxious over the whole thing. I didn't sleep for the 3 nts leading up to it (and I slept 12 hrs straight last nt to catch up). The anesthesiologist called me at 9pm the night before and scared me to death. He knew I would be going into the "op" room until she was under so he wanted to prepare me for what would happen. He described eyes rolling back and body twitching and explained that the risk is collapse airway. At 3:30am that morning I was sure I was NOT going to go through with it. But the sun came up and I felt better (no heart pounding in my throat) so I went as planned. It was hard keeping her no food no drink til noon. I let her suck on a lifesaver.

Anyway, we went in, they took vitals, etc, asked her to pee (she couldn't) and then they took us back. They played games with smelling the gas mask and a game about blowing the stinky monkey feet. He had said the night before it would only be 5-10 breaths and she'd be out but she sat and breathed at least 30 seconds then her eyelids became heavy. One eye left, one right. Then the slightest involuntary movements with her body. Then I left (in tears). I kept thinking that I had been given "signs" not to go through with it. That the universe was somehow telling me it was too risky. They couldn't get a vein in the hand (it collapsed with a huge bruise) but they set the IV in the crook of the elbow. She was intibated easily (they said-I wasn't there). She did not fight anything although I had to physically put her in the car to go to the appt, she didn't want to go. She was saying things like "it's gonna last forever" which gave me the eebiegeebies.

Anyway, the procedure lasted 2 hours. They took good xrays (which they've never been able to do before). Filled one cavity, replaced a bad one that another dentist did last yr (it was bad because she was thrashing about when they tried to fill it). They crowned those two. Then they found "white spots" on two other molars, wasn't cavity but the start of decay so they crowned those too for insurance. So she has 4 crowns. She remembers NOTHING. Totally blank from games till home 5 hours later.

After it's all said and done I'm glad it's over. Don't know if I would do it again (it was harder on me than her I'm sure). At least she's protected from future horrific dental visits and being strapped down.

The staff was so nice to me. They understood that I was a very doubting mom who wanted them to treat her as if she were their own. I couldn't stand the thought of dd being there but not "being there" like, where did she go? I know it's crazy to think that way but that was the first time she's ever been unconscious. I have tremendous empathy for those parents that have to see their child undergo multiple hospital visits and procedures. It's just got to rip your heart out every time!

Thanks for your concern!!!

 

[KirstenB]

I'm so glad it went well, and is over!! I know when I have something like that going on, I just obsess, and can't really concentrate on anything else, til it's done. It sounds like a positive experience, so next time will be easier for both of you.

 

[bookwormde]

I am glad everyting went well. It is interesting I was at an anxiety seminar and one of the people there had just opened up a clinic for dental and minor medical procecures for special needs individuals , so they could be done wth limited extraordanary measures.

bookwormde

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

I am glad everyting went well. It is interesting I was at an anxiety seminar and one of the people there had just opened up a clinic for dental and minor medical procecures for special needs individuals , so they could be done wth limited extraordanary measures.

bookwormde

I went over the whole thing in my mind about a million times: If I didn't agree to the procedure, what were my options? Find another dentist and build trust and try versed or valium again? Do it with her restrained again? My options were just not good-none of them had the desired zero risk and zero psychological damage. DD was back to normal the next morning. It was a horrific experience for me but for her, it was the best psychologically. If there was a way to do it easier I definitely would have chosen a different option but I didn't think I had a better choice. I received many solicited advice and comments. Everything from DON'T DO IT to it'll be ok, the procedure is not risky at all. I was told to heal her cavities with biomed approach by one person. Perhaps I could have let it go a little longer and waited til the cavity really needed repair. But you know our kids, the slightest problem becomes a real mountain of distress so I chose to proactively treat these issues as an insurance policy against future traumatic dental visits. I hope I made the right choice! If I had someone who would've given me a better option that would've been great!

Dr's and DDS's are a real problem with dd. Anyone touching her when she's not "ready" sets off a fight or flight. And once that escalates there's nothing you can do to reverse it. When dd "woke" from the anesthesia she was very loopy and aggressive and angry, thrashing about. But she has no recollection of it at all, which is good!

Thank God it all went as planned. If it hadn't I would never have forgiven myself!

One very interesting thing was that it took so long for dd to go "under". I wonder about that neurologically. The anesthesiologist said it was because she was focused on "playing the game" which involved beating a score (the inhalations adding up on the breathing machine). That's probably so true, dd is very competitive and takes winning VERY seriously. He commented that he does this 4-5 times a day and rarely sees anyone her size "last" that long.

 

[bookwormde]

My experience (I have never been under) is that anesthesiology is significantly different for individuals with Autism genetics. My brother is not at all affected by the oral sedatives that they give as a “warm up” and can take a long time to go completely out is he is not relaxed.

It definitely sound like under the circumstances you made the correct choice, it will be nice come the day when specialist clinics can have our children from day one so can work their way through these processes without it being such a struggle. The lady who set the one up local is a “natural” with our kids and it is gong to be a great asset. I wish she had had it set up when I started with my DS, we went through some rough times also.

bookwormde