Even the professionals goof up sometimes. I am working on a USA made TREK mountain bike. Whoever put on the shifters screwed them in so tight that the bolts went right into the aluminum bars.

It was impossible to unscrew the tiny bolts with their frail allen key heads, so I had to cut the shifters off of the handlebars with a disc cutter. It was a real mess and I curse the droopy eye mechanic who did it.

Anyway, you are not alone in your dilemma.