I feel ya on the budget thing—laughing gas was my go-to as well. Honestly, I was skeptical at first (like, how much can laughing gas really help?), but it took the edge off just enough to keep me from bolting outta the chair mid-procedure, lol. IV sedation sounds dreamy, but hey, whatever gets us through without a panic attack is a win in my book. Glad you made it through comfortably too!
Laughing gas was alright for me too, but honestly, I still felt pretty anxious the whole time. It didn't really quiet my racing thoughts... IV sedation sounds intense, but next time I'm seriously considering it. Maybe worth the extra cost for peace of mind?
Laughing gas never really did it for me either, but IV sedation might be a bit overkill depending on the procedure. I've had a few extractions done—wisdom teeth included—and honestly, oral sedation pills were a pretty good middle ground. You take them about an hour before your appointment, and by the time you're in the chair, you're feeling pretty mellow. You're awake enough to follow instructions but relaxed enough not to stress out about every little noise or sensation.
IV sedation definitely works wonders, but it's pricier and you'll need someone to drive you home afterward. If your anxiety is really intense, it could be worth it. But if you're just looking to quiet those racing thoughts without going full-on knockout mode, oral sedation might be worth checking out first. Worked for me anyway...
"You're awake enough to follow instructions but relaxed enough not to stress out about every little noise or sensation."
Totally agree with this. Oral sedation was a lifesaver for me too—laughing gas barely touched my anxiety. IV seems intense unless you're really panicking...but hey, everyone's different, right? Curious if anyone's tried combining methods?
"IV seems intense unless you're really panicking...but hey, everyone's different, right?"
Yeah, IV sedation always seemed a bit extreme to me too. My daughter had laughing gas for her extraction, but honestly, she was still pretty aware and anxious. We haven't tried oral sedation yet—does it really make that big a difference compared to gas? I'm still nervous about combining methods...feels like it might be a lot for a young kid. Curious how others handled this.
