I promised a follow up from my last blog.
On Kristine's second visit to the dentist, she was in a semi-private small room watching a HD screen of the latest Shrek movie and she was able to see the entire movie because the dentist took every precaution to keep Kristine from passing out. His assistant told me that the first and last time Kristine fainted, she was terrified because she could not feel a heart beat.
A few years ago, I was told that fainting from shots was from an automatic response in the body from other than fear. So I googled it:
In Vasovagal Syncope, the heart rate drops or may even stop for several seconds. (bradycardia) and the blood pressure drops sharply (hypotension). This reflex mechanism is present in all of us, but in a more exaggerated form in some individuals. In effect, the reflex has shut down the body's blood circulation. When this happens insufficient oxygenated blood is pumped to the brain leading to dizziness and fainting. This odd reflex can be triggered by many different stimuli. Seeing blood is a common one, but simply standing immobile may also trigger a Syncope. Fainting can also be triggered in situations that make people anxious, stressed or emotional. Being in a overly warm environment, not having eaten or not having drunk sufficient liquids are all factors that increase the chances of setting the reflex in motion. Some patients do not take enough salt in their diet.
Kristine does want the epinephrine drug added to the anesthesia because she doesn't want the pain to come back so quickly. It still makes her dizzy, so the dentist is calling in an anesthesiologist to administer a different anesthetic to relax her, but one that won't put her to sleep; overriding the effects of epinephrine that causes a Syncope (loss of consciousness or fainting). http://www.stars-us.org/medical-information/vasovalgal-syncope.html
It may have been the drug and not fear that caused a Syncope. Although, she doesn't have a problem having blood drawn every month to manage her Clozapine.
And then again, maybe my daughters get their fear from me. I am sure this reflex mechanism is FEAR in my case. I clearly remember some people referring to a Caesarean birth as being "natural birth." I kept screaming (internally) that anyone cutting open a human with a knife is NOT NATURAL and neither is sticking a metal needle in a body.
So how do people get passed Syncope when painful, unnatural human acts occur?
Maybe, I should ask Dexter?
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