This is a long one, so strap in! For anyone who wants the highlights: I wasn't briefed on…read moreanesthetic, I 'woke up' during the procedure, it gave me nerve damage, and I was summarily and condescendingly dismissed.
Dr. Farnad performed wisdom teeth extraction on me (all four) at my dentist's office and I can say with complete confidence it was the worst dental/medical experience I've ever been through.
From minutes before the procedure to now weeks later it has been nothing short of traumatic. However, I have been reassured that my experience is 'completely normal' for this doctor, so I figured it would be in the best interest of anyone who wants to know that I share a little of what you might be in for! Before going into the exam room I was given multiple pages to fill out and sign, with the anesthetic portion left blank, I let the receptionist know that no one has discussed this with me so I didn't know what to write. She let me know that they would give me the full run-down when I got in with the doctor. Reader, this did not happen, sorry to say. I got into the room and within minutes monitors were placed and an IV needle was inserted into my arm. I'm not good with needles so I looked away when Dr. Farnad inserted the IV, and subsequently pushed whatever medicine it was that he gave me. Again, I want to stress, I had no idea whatsoever what was going to happen to me, so imagine my surprise when I WOKE UP in the middle of the operation. I learned later that I was given IV sedation, so I was never 'all the way out' but wherever I had gone during the first half of the extraction, I was definitely back.
I remember every part of it: my hysterical sobbing, Dr. Farnad telling me to stop fighting him or it would take four hours, the male assistant brought in to hold my head still, my apologizing for fighting but 'it hurts so bad', then him giving me another shot in my mouth as he continued to have to break apart one of my wisdom teeth. At no point was it acknowledged that I was most definitely back in the room with them until afterward the assistant said, "huh, so THAT'S oral surgery," and when I responded saying that was an insane thing to announce to a patient, he commented to the other assistant "I'm surprised she's so alert," to which she said "Yeah, but she'll be out again as soon as she's in the car." Reader, again I have to inform you that this did not happen.
Now we're weeks out from the surgery, and I'm experiencing absolutely mind blowing levels of nerve irritation in my chin. I went back in to speak with my dentist who let me know that it sounded like nerve damage, between the numbness and the painful tingling. (Note: the dentist brought up the nerve damage, not me.)
Today I had the displeasure of going to a follow up with Dr. Farnad who showed up for our appointment an HOUR late. When I brought up the potential nerve damage he immediately dismissed me with a condescending "Oh so you let the internet scare you." Then he let me know that this kind of numbness and nerve pain was so common with his patients, he sees it all the time, and that the pain and numbness will be gone within the next two and a half months. He then asked the assistant for x-rays to see how it looked internally. This was when I really began to question his competence, because while looking at my x-ray he said: a) he left a cap in to not disturb the nerve, b) did not leave a cap in, he left a bunch of room for the nerve, c) was unable to tell if he had done a bone graft for me, and asked if I had paid for one to settle the matter. He then gave me his personal phone number and encouraged me to stay off the internet, because it's only going to scare me.
Well sorry, I went back on the internet.
