Hi there. I am so glad you found this forum and I completely relate. I have some fear around this myself. Basically, I worry something is wrong with me and I don't want to hear it. Weird as that would be the worst thing for me IF there was something wrong, right? Like shooting myself in the foot. I also had a very bad experience with my first mammogram. I went from a routine mammogram to a breast surgeon immediately for biopsy. I did not have cancer as it turned out and was on a strict schedule for a year and a half of mammograms. (every 6 months). Then, bam. I had so much anxiety about the whole thing that I didn't get another mammogram. Then it built and built. What I finally did was have an excellent doctor who got what I was going through. She didn't judge or shame. She explained that for her, it's a pit of snakes that sends her over the edge. The thought of getting into that would be almost too much for her. And that the mammogram was the pit of snakes. She gave me a xanax to get the job done. Ha. I didn't actually take it but it helped to know I could and that I wasn't just being stupid to be afraid. The fear was real. And someone who understands really helps! She had me make the appointment while in her office, I left with the xanax for the appointment (again, didn't actually take it) and had the mammogram, everything was fine. I also understand about the dentist! Easy to get behind schedule in that too and we build the fear there as well.
So, do you have anyone supportive in your life? Can they help you with this? Do you have a doctor and dentist to call? My dentist retired a while ago and I didn't get a referral to anyone else so I had to start from scratch finding someone. That was hard. So, hopefully you have both a doctor and a dentist. If not, ask for recommendations. I think telling them that you have anxiety really helps. They understand these things.
I have a specialist that I really need to see as well. I have put it off and off and off. Now, I'm worried I will be sorry for doing so. I get myself talked into calling for the appointment and then I don't. I say "next month". I think we should encourage each other to bite the bullet and just set up the appointment. Once we do that, it's done. Then if we need the xanax or the non xanax but mental comfort that we get however we get it to go? So be it. The appointment is set and it will be alright.
I will tell you that I was on cloud 9 after I went for my mammogram I'd put off. I called a friend who nailed it . . . she said it must feel so good to not have that on my list of worries. And it did!
So, let's make an appointment today. I will if you will. :>)))
Avoiding makes anxiety worse. I'm the poster boy for that. I've had agoraphobia for many years, but I was never afraid of going to dentists and doctors. I got there when a medication I decided to stop taking under the care of a psychiatrist destroyed my emotional and neurological system and over the years I have become terrified of making decisions, especially about seeing doctors. And I need to see them about several things that won't fix themselves. Now, for me, this resulted from just a lot of plain bad luck with medical professionals. Until my fifties I had no major problems with doctors or dentists. Things went as they were supposed to. After the drug situation was completely mishandled by my psychiatrist, it set off a baffling set of years of just awful medicine and dentistry being performed on me. Just ask my wife -- she just can't believe that this keeps happening to me. But you know what, it's not going to happen to you or anyone else on here. Bad luck runs just happen sometimes, but I had more good years before that than bad ones. So here' s the thing: you don't actually need medication right now, and Tylenol is one of the most liver destructive drugs we have, and if you don't have a need for herbal remedies you don't need them. But one thing you have no idea of is the health of your teeth, and waiting a long time to see a dentist will just make it worse for you. The same is true for the hidden things that build up when we get older. Now, do keep on your toes -- don't get pollyannish about it, keep your sense of skepticism about medicine and dentistry. It will come in handy. But avoiding things don't make them go away. As you age, life will get you. It gets everyone. Keeping up with your preventative care pushes the point where it gets you off into the distance, which is a very good thing. Listen to Mom above and see a dentist and get a physical. You always get to decide whether something gets done and who does it. Peace.
Hi there.. I have not been to a dentist in probably ten years now, or maybe 11 or 12. That is a rough estimate. For me it is because I have jaw pain a few days a week, from TMJ. I fear it will ache too much getting a cleaning, and it can REALLY hurt all through the temple area , and jaw. I guess I could simply ask the dentist, can we take a break every minute or two? To rest my jaw? But I still fear it , that it'll hurt so much. I do go to doctors, BUT, I get REALLY anxious when having my blood pressure taken. EVERY time. For years. It's like the fear you have, that something will be 'wrong'. That it'll be serious. EVEN though my BP has never been too high, I still wonder, what IF it's high this year? And what happens is I'll get so nervous in the office that from BEING nervous about it, MAKES it go high. ughhhh. But my doc can typically get an accurate reading at the end of the session and she'll check it while I'm talking/not paying attention. Just know that you'll live LONGER the more you know about your cholesterol readings, blood pressure etc. There are simple pill s to take if they are high. *huggg* I didn't know many adults DO have anxiety going to the doctor, so just say, "I'm nervous about the visit." (when you see the doc) It will be OK, it truly will friend. Remember, going only helps you overall- you are NOT going to die, or have something be terribly wrong- that statistically is VERY low... Ok ???? :) Remember it is your fear talking, NOT TRUTH. Did you ever have a time in an office that made you fear death more, or it's just a general fear of death overall? One of my fave quotes (I Have a lot of anxiety in daily life) is from Eckhart Tolle..he's AMAZING. 'We are timeless, deathless creatures.' So remember there really may be No such thing AS death. You'll be JUST fine if you make that physical appointment. :)
There is no answer. I also fear going to doctors. I make myself go, but it ruins my life. In general, I have no other phobias. The reason is logical-- doctors can give you the worse kind of bad news. No oneelse can do that.
I thought I wrote the this. I understood every word. Also have severe anxiety myself, am also 37, and also had my first major panic attack 9 years ago.
I am the exact same as you! Wow, I really thought I was the only one that felt like you just described, I mean precisely. So be what did you do? Did you finally go?