I started Trileptal 5 days ago taking 150 mg bedtime and to go to 300mg after 2 weeks. I feel NO relief and my teeth spiking pain is increasing which my “Headache Specialty Neurologist” already knows. He said it could take up to 3-6 weeks for the med be effective. No way I can go that long!
I’m desperate here and am looking for another Neurologist, but one who specializes in TN in the meantime.
But for now, I want to add Amitriptyline at bedtime which I know I tolerate very well from experience. Took it for years 100mg at bedtime for sleeping issues.
For those out there who are familiar with this med, do you think 50mg at bedtime is too much to start? I’m a 185 lb male . I don’t care about the hangover effect. Pain is killing me already!!! Help anyone?
Do NOT increase your dose on medication without the advice and concurrence of a medical professional. And realize that a non-doctor cannot give you meaningful advice on self-medication. That can be a great way to stumble into major problems.
Call the office of your pain specialist and ask what you can do to control the pain while you build up and acclimate to the Trileptal. Tell the triage nurse or the practitioner that you have a prescription for Amitriptyline, and ask for advice on whether you can add it for the time being.
Regards.
Hi Tracks! I don't have much to offer,I'm afraid.I have had my ATN x23 years after a dentist tore the cartilage in my jaw,which led to losing the disc,and culminated in severe nerve pain and instability of my jaw. I could not tolerate one med,and the pain med did nothing .It was only after I found Homeopathy that I am better. The pain with the teeth is one of the hardest for me to get a handle on.But I do get help from Swansons(online) Homeopathics: Earache,another is called Migraine,and one called Nerve Pain Relief.Real inexpensive. The other one that I use is Boiron Sinusalia-it is for sinus problems(which really impacts on TN pain with me) and it contains Spigellia which is a Homeopathic which is specific to the Trigeminal Nerve.I think many drugstores may carry Sinusalia now,and it may be of some help.I wish you the best and am sorry for your suffering.I hope you get relief soon!
No worries, I wouldn’t add a med w/o seeking advise from my MD who scribes 95% of my meds. I’m just feeling out the waters on here to see what a good starting doses were in TN patients, so that I know how to approach my MD on Monday. Thanks for your concern.
Richard A. “Red” Lawhern said:
Do NOT increase your dose on medication without the advice and concurrence of a medical professional. And realize that a non-doctor cannot give you meaningful advice on self-medication. That can be a great way to stumble into major problems.
Call the office of your pain specialist and ask what you can do to control the pain while you build up and acclimate to the Trileptal. Tell the triage nurse or the practitioner that you have a prescription for Amitriptyline, and ask for advice on whether you can add it for the time being.
Regards.
I started on 10mg Amitriptyline at night- it worked well at first, but soon had to up it to 20mg. That's worked to keep the pain (aching, burning) down to a reasonable level until recently- for 9 months. But I'm not very big!
Tracks,about Homeopathic meds...they work differently than pharmaceutical drugs,They are a lot like nano-tech-they send a message to the body to tell it what needs help.So,it can take longer,or occasionally the relief can be real fast.It varies. I had bursts of pain running up and down one side of my face like mini demolition charges,for 21/2 hrs one nite,and I was out of everything except some Hylands Migraine-stopped it instantly! I wondered if it was just a coincidence,but I got it again the next day and I used it after 20 min. and got the same results. Hylands Migraine is available in many drugstores as well,such as Walgreens,usually. Homeopathy has been around for over 200 yrs and is used a lot in European countries.Paul Mc Cartney and the Royal Family don't travel without their homeopathy kits.If you do try the Homeopathic pellets or tablets,let them dissolve slowly in your mouth,unless otherwise stated.I used to get this intense burning of one half of my head-and it would go on continuously for 6-8 hours-it was like 1/2 of my head and face was being roasted. Since I have been on these natural meds I have not had this,except for an occass bit of burning in my ear(where it always started) and it either just goes away on its own very quickly or I take a pill for earache and it stops.
Thanks Jules for sharing your Amitriptyline dosage info!
Jules said:
I started on 10mg Amitriptyline at night- it worked well at first, but soon had to up it to 20mg. That's worked to keep the pain (aching, burning) down to a reasonable level until recently- for 9 months. But I'm not very big!
Thanks Erin! Good info to know if I choose to go that route at some point 
erin said:
Tracks,about Homeopathic meds...they work differently than pharmaceutical drugs,They are a lot like nano-tech-they send a message to the body to tell it what needs help.So,it can take longer,or occasionally the relief can be real fast.It varies. I had bursts of pain running up and down one side of my face like mini demolition charges,for 21/2 hrs one nite,and I was out of everything except some Hylands Migraine-stopped it instantly! I wondered if it was just a coincidence,but I got it again the next day and I used it after 20 min. and got the same results. Hylands Migraine is available in many drugstores as well,such as Walgreens,usually. Homeopathy has been around for over 200 yrs and is used a lot in European countries.Paul Mc Cartney and the Royal Family don't travel without their homeopathy kits.If you do try the Homeopathic pellets or tablets,let them dissolve slowly in your mouth,unless otherwise stated.I used to get this intense burning of one half of my head-and it would go on continuously for 6-8 hours-it was like 1/2 of my head and face was being roasted. Since I have been on these natural meds I have not had this,except for an occass bit of burning in my ear(where it always started) and it either just goes away on its own very quickly or I take a pill for earache and it stops.
I hate it when I find myself in this position, but I'm afraid I must voice strong reservations concerning homeopathic "medicine". There really is no systematic medical evidence that such preparations work in neurological issues, and some of them deliver a wildly variable dose level because manufacturing conditions aren't regulated. Before anyone takes a homeopathic preparation, I advise you to speak first with your primary medical care provider and listen to their advice.
Likewise, be advised that medications which are dissolved in the mouth very frequently rush in to the blood system at much higher rates than if adsorbed in the gut. Self-medication of this type is still "medication". And self-medication without formal study is a prescription for major problems.
Regards, Red
erin said:
Tracks,about Homeopathic meds...they work differently than pharmaceutical drugs,They are a lot like nano-tech-they send a message to the body to tell it what needs help.So,it can take longer,or occasionally the relief can be real fast.It varies. I had bursts of pain running up and down one side of my face like mini demolition charges,for 21/2 hrs one nite,and I was out of everything except some Hylands Migraine-stopped it instantly! I wondered if it was just a coincidence,but I got it again the next day and I used it after 20 min. and got the same results. Hylands Migraine is available in many drugstores as well,such as Walgreens,usually. Homeopathy has been around for over 200 yrs and is used a lot in European countries.Paul Mc Cartney and the Royal Family don't travel without their homeopathy kits.If you do try the Homeopathic pellets or tablets,let them dissolve slowly in your mouth,unless otherwise stated.I used to get this intense burning of one half of my head-and it would go on continuously for 6-8 hours-it was like 1/2 of my head and face was being roasted. Since I have been on these natural meds I have not had this,except for an occass bit of burning in my ear(where it always started) and it either just goes away on its own very quickly or I take a pill for earache and it stops.
Homeopathy is basically pricey water (or whatever diluent is used that somehow retains the “memory” of the active ingredient). Look up the law of infinitesimals.
It is quite safe and has no drug interactions, just like regular water.
I truly believe some people get relief for Homeopathy. As for myself, it would be a last resort. I will stick to convention meds first on this TN. I tried Homeopathy extensively for pain related to 8 open intestinal surgeries w/i last 11 years. Spend lots of $ with no results.