Day three missed work. Having facial pain off and on which feels like some horrible dental trauma. I'm taking advil every two hours and think I should slow it down.
I went to see a chiropracter tonight who adjusted my neck, never seen one before. Can't feel a difference.
Going to accpuncture tomorrow, never had that done either.
The medications I've been reading about seems to scare me. I have a three year old with Autism Spectrum who isn't able to talk. and I am her primary care giver. My husband doesn't do well with her for long periods of time.
I'm scared that if I start taking meds, but I also have extreme anxiety about when I'll experience this damn pain again.
I tend to be pretty resourceful and wanted to see if I could just jump in start calling around for TN surgery, in other states?
I'm 29 and if this only gets worse I am afraid to end up medicated my whole life with some damn side effects. I am really willing to drain all my savings for some relief and something to look forward to like maybe surgery will decrease it. I can't imagine this forever. Idk. I'm trying to hold my horses, but am I being unrealistic?
If you check the find a doctor link in the upper right corner you might be able to find a neuro who is familiar with TN. Acupuncture helped my headaches and seemed to help some with TN. I do remember before I was treated for this I was taking Advil several times a day for at least 6 months and it didn't seem to do the trick, just took a little edge off. My primary put me on Gabapentin and that was the first time I got any relief. It has been a blessing. You might want to pick up a copy of "Striking Back!" by Dr. Kenneth Casey, he is the MVD guru who has performed MVD's on many LWTN members. If you are having shocks some people here have had success with Lidocaine patches which your primary care doctor can prescribe.
Hi and I am sorry that you are going through this.
The advil will not likely continue to work. You need to look into medications to control this. There are some alternative therapies to try but success tends to be quite varied. The thing with TN is that it can increase in pain and location so you do need to take it very seriously. Lidocaine patches are successful for some people.
I am a single mom to a wonderful five year old girl so I understand your fear and apprehension. The medications used for this do come with side effects. Most people get used to the side effects after a short time. And let me tell you that it is worth it. Once you are pain free you can have your life back.
My lifesaver has been Amitriptyline. I did have some side effects when starting or increasing but I return to my awesome self once it starts working. During the times of increasing I plan things carefully. I make sure I do not have much on my plate so I can allow extra time for rest and early bed times. I also ensure that I have family and friends around for a couple of weeks if I need help with my daughter.
I understand your impatience---this is a pain --- that once you first experience it --- you never want to know that pain again. I don't have children, but I can imagine the difficulty of having to be a caregiver and deal with this---as the pain stops you in your tracks. If you go online there are some sources for alternative/natural therapies for TN---it all depends on the individual person as to how you will respond. There are compound creams that a doctor can prescribe that are not absorbed into your system--so wouldn't keep you from caring for your child---if you look on the forum you can read about them. Not all of the medications for TN are as nasty with side effects---some are more easily tolerated---I had a lot of issues with medications, but my neurologist worked with me to find ones I could tolerate. A lot of the battle with TN is having a good doctor who is understanding and willing to work with you. If you are fortunate to have the financial means to go to see the best surgeons/physicians anywhere in the country, as recommended on the forum, that is an advantage, as that can make a huge difference in your care and outcomes. Take deep breaths, and take one step at a time. There is so much great information on this forum, and so many wonderful folks to offer caring words, and share what they have learned thru their experiences. Truly a blessing to have this online forum! I will keep you in my prayers.