I am a 25 year old female that was diagnosed with TN by my primary care. For years I had an awful pain with burning on the right side of my face but I thought it was a bad tooth (I hadn't seen the dentist in over 5 years). I went to the dentist and he said it wasn't the tooth but said he would replace the filling since it was old anyways. Later that day I was in the most pain I could ever imagine. One day after work I went to my primary care office she told me I may have TN. A few weeks later I was having terrible attacks at work. I ended up going to the ER and was given antibiotics and a motrin after arguing with her that all week I had been taking ibuprofen like candy. She then returned with a new prescription for.....a motrin with a different name ......blew my mind! The next day I went to my primary care again and was given gabapentin and klonopin. I have seen a neurologist that was very rude (then why are you hear *snotty voice* and much more) and had an awful staff at the front desk. The only person I appreciated was the nurse that took me into the room and took my medical information. The Dr. called my the wrong name and the front desk said they would call me multiple times and never did. A few weeks after giving up on them they called me and told me I had an appointment, I laughed at her and told her to cancel it. I then went to see a Dr up at Tufts that specializes at gammaknife and MVD who said I have ATN. He was AMAZING! I had to redo my MRI with contrast and had an allergic reaction to the contrast dye. He mentioned a third procedure with the needle in the face that he doesn't do anymore so he suggested a couple Dr's.
It has now been around a year since my first low dose of gabapentin. Every few months I have continuous pain (not the normal daily pain or breakthrough pain) and have to get my dose increased. I have Ativan and klonopin for breakthrough pain. I am currently on 3200mg gabapentin daily and looking into a Dr. at MGH in Boston and struggling with my neurologist's office to see if I can try a different medication.