Can and Can’t

I went to the dentist yesterday. For a root canal filling on a wisdom tooth and it doesn’t get much worse than that!

But guess what… I managed to fall asleep during the treatment! This was deliberate – I used self-hypnosis techniques and they worked! … OK, I didn’t sleep all the way through or anything, but I kept dozing off while the dentist was working and the hour seemed only fifteen minutes long!

So from that, I know that I can self-hypnotise. Why is it that despite numerous attempts, I’m totally unable to tell my brain to ignore the floaters in my eye? They’re driving me mad! Long distance vision is manageable because they’re so out of focus when I’m driving or whatever that I can mostly ignore them, but close up stuff’s a nightmare. I can’t read properly; the floaters actually block out whole chunks of words. Using the computer’s hard, but I can turn up the brightness and wear dark glasses, which sounds contradictory, but works a bit.

I’m told that after three months or so, they won’t be so noticeable. I’m not sure if that’s because the brain learns to tune them out or they do start to dissolve away (but I think the former).

If anybody reading this knows about self-hypnosis and has any hints, PLEASE let me have them. I totally believe in it; I just can’t get it to work for this particular need.

I’m still chuffed at my success at the dentist!

 

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A*
July 8, 2008

I’m glad the dentist experience passed quicker! always a good thing..! random noter.

Congratulations on your self-hypnosis! I wish you could get it to work for the floaters, too; they sound quite severe. But I guess it’s a different situation, because they are clumps of cells floating inside your eye, not nerve impulses. They are stopping impulses going to your retina, I assume, so you simply can’t see. However, because they are cells, there’s the possibility they will dissolve or break up; I hope they do, and quickly.

July 8, 2008

I learned how to do it when I did my hypnotherapy course, but I’ve blocked it all out of my mind. I do, however, still have my notes somewhere. Bet you could probably find useful info with a web search too.

July 8, 2008

I know nothing about hypnosis of any kind, but I’m glad it worked for you at the dentist!

July 8, 2008

Falling asleep during a root canal? You are a medical miracle.

July 10, 2008

Wow! Good for you for being able to do that! Although I don’t have fear and loathing about work in my mouth (my feet are a different matter…) I’ve had challenges at the dentist’s office as well these days–so I can truly sympathize! Good to see you! :)xo

oh gosh, I have to have root canal done too – Monday. They had to kill the remaining part of the nerve by putting in poison two weeks ago and I now can’t feel the tooth for the first time in 18 months. Bliss. Just worried about Monday though…