your dog looks so peaceful!
Thanks, he is a sweetie, 130lbs --I have two,I wish I could snooze like him!
Wendy
I have a blessing to talk about. I had an MRI and the results were that the did not see a veing touching the nerve, therefore, I will not need surgery because what I have is not TN. Although, I'm having most of the same symptoms as TN, the Neurologist referred me to a TMJ specialist, and also told me to go back to my dentist for a thorough check up of my teeth. I am so happy that as of now surgery is not the best solution!
One of my favorite quotes from the Bible is: Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thes. 5:16-18
He's a beauty! Shepherds are wonderfully smart and sweet, but I guess I'm preaching to the choir ;o)
Here is one of my reasons to get up every day. He needs a lot of care and attention due to years of neglect, in spite of which he LOVES people and affection. When my face hurts he lets me rest my cheek against his soft fluffy head. He's also quite the comedian, as you can see! 
Taco.jpg,
crashgirl said:
634-Taco.jpg (471 KB)Thanks, he is a sweetie, 130lbs --I have two,I wish I could snooze like him!
Wendy
I also had an MRI that came back clean. I was told I did not have TN by a neurologist. I sought a second opinion from two neurosurgeons who explained that the MRI was to rule out other disease (such as a brain tumor) but won't always detect a wayward blood vessel. As these guys have done hundreds of MVD's and seemed to know a lot about TN, I bit the bullet and had the surgery without having a second MRI. They found the blood vessel looped around the nerve and also removed arachnoid scar tissue that was also causing compression. I'm not cured, but I am doing much better and the attacks aren't as frequent and not as painful. For this, I am grateful. They gave me my life back.
Mitzi said:
I have a blessing to talk about. I had an MRI and the results were that the did not see a veing touching the nerve, therefore, I will not need surgery because what I have is not TN. Although, I'm having most of the same symptoms as TN, the Neurologist referred me to a TMJ specialist, and also told me to go back to my dentist for a thorough check up of my teeth. I am so happy that as of now surgery is not the best solution!
One of my favorite quotes from the Bible is: Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thes. 5:16-18
Mitzi, what you were told may be true, however I have doubts about your neurologist. It is a well known fact that many people have TN and a “clean” MRI. It is quite wrong to have given you this opinion and hope. Let’s hope he/she is correct.
Mitzi said:
I have a blessing to talk about. I had an MRI and the results were that the did not see a veing touching the nerve, therefore, I will not need surgery because what I have is not TN. Although, I’m having most of the same symptoms as TN, the Neurologist referred me to a TMJ specialist, and also told me to go back to my dentist for a thorough check up of my teeth. I am so happy that as of now surgery is not the best solution!
One of my favorite quotes from the Bible is: Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thes. 5:16-18
Thank you Susanne for the information. I really rather do anything else than to let Dr. poke around my brain looking for a vein that may or may not be touching or wrapped aound my nerve, especially if it's not going to cure me completely and I aslo found out that the MVD may only last between one to ten years the maximum. The Dr. suggested Gamma Knife Radiosurgery and I'm researching that now, even hoping that is TMJ. I'll accept anything but TN. Then again God has the last word.
I am thankful that most of the time thanks to modern medicine I can live with this almost pain free, and when I do get pain I run. I can feel the pain literally drain away while I'm running and the pain will stay away for a few days after. I'm thankful for this group and to know that I'm not alone and I can have a moan or winge because you all understand and sometimes a good winge helps. I'm thankful for the love and support of my family and the man who is going to be my husband soon, who also suffers constant pain so understands what I go through. Sometimes its hard but I know things could be much worse.
Well, my creator is smiling on me again and I feel so blessed. With knowledge comes responsibility to share and act. As you know Gabapenten about took me out 3 months ago. Since I have taken a round of anti-viral medication and weaned myself off the Gabapenten. All have gone extremely well until the last 2 weeks when I started to expierence "The Pain" again. I was trying to decide weither to take another round of the anti-viral when a new proceedure fell in my lap. (new to me anyway and maybe you also). It is a specific brain stem proceedure preformed by a specially trained chiropractor. They adjust the crainal vertabras. The 3 top vertabra. They claim good sucess with TN. I enrolled with a recommended doctor and with one adjustment the pain left. There are many conditions that this serves well as this is the area of the brain stem where the nerves lie that control your whole body. A very inately guarded area. Google it and check it out for yourself. I am glad I did so far. It is not a quick fix and they set me up on a pretty intensive schedule for the beginning. My doctor is Dr. Henri J. Dallies at theApple Valley Clinic in Hendersonville, NC. I just received a call from him today just to check up on me from yesterdays visit. Hmmmm, don't see that much anymore.
May sunshine energy bathe you all day and may you sleep like a baby tonight.
OmaTrish
I love the 1Thess. 5:16–18 passage! So many verses like this keep my feet on the ground, eyes on Jesus, and my head out of the pity-pot! Although, when pain is high, my positive attitude wanes :-(
Mitzi, I just wanted to say that my MRIs have all been "clean" even the ones used to help pinpoint the Gamma Knife to the right place. I regret both Gamma Knife surgeries because of my young age, the nerve grew back and pain was worse due to the radiation burns. I went to Johns Hopkins for MVD with Ben Carson, MD after both GKs failed. He, in fact, found an offending vessel on the nerve and worked to use muscle from my scalp to wrap around the nerve to help with the pain. He was honest during our pre-opt appt that with the damage due to radiation, he knew he could help the pain, but was not confident that it would go away completely. I was also showing signs of AD prior to MVD, so I was just after an improvement in pain level so I could carry on with life. He said that if the MVD lasted 5 years it should last forever. I'm 6 years post MVD and what he did for me is solid. No longer do I have the "large kitchen knife stabs in the ear" causing immense pain and then shocks to my face, but I deal with the radiation damage basically. It's a lower level of pain, but more constant. Plus, the AD waxes and wanes and is basically annoying. If I had it to do again, I'd go for the MVD first.
Fear kept me from MVD because my youngest children were under 5 at the time. Fear kept my husband from encouraging the MVD because of the horror stories on the net. GK was pretty new when we tried it, and of course, the GK people wanted to sell their "time" on the machine, so their recommendations were a bit skewed, I think. Take your time. Do your research. Wear out every avenue of non-surgical means to pain relief, and if you find a dead-end, then surgery could be the right thing. Only YOU know for sure. I wish I'd have found this site in the research we were doing on the net as it contains so many helpful things for us to do at any given place on our road.
I will be praying for you, sweetheart :-)
Blessings!
LyndaS
Mitzi said:
I have a blessing to talk about. I had an MRI and the results were that the did not see a veing touching the nerve, therefore, I will not need surgery because what I have is not TN. Although, I'm having most of the same symptoms as TN, the Neurologist referred me to a TMJ specialist, and also told me to go back to my dentist for a thorough check up of my teeth. I am so happy that as of now surgery is not the best solution!
One of my favorite quotes from the Bible is: Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thes. 5:16-18
Thank You so much Lynda for your honest and great advice. I am not going to let them shoot me with the Gamma Knife until I have exhausted every other avenue. I went back to my dentist today, which is one thing I had not considered since I just had a bridge done right after the time I had the first episode and I had read that many people had tried all that and nothing worked. I still believe the Dentist should have checked to see if my teeth were okay before he placed the bridge.
Today, they found that one of the teeth inside the bridge needs a root canal and since the pain is so bad, they put me on antibiotics. If they antibiotics help, then that would be a good sign that a root canal is all I need. If it's doesn't work, then I'm going to check out a chiropractor, if that doesn't work, God only knows what I'll do, I'll wait and see.
OmaTrish,
Is funny you should mention that, one of my coworkers has been telling me to go check out a chiropractor for the longest time, but I have been looking for one that is a specialist in TN. Thank you for mentioning it.
OmaTrish said:
Well, my creator is smiling on me again and I feel so blessed. With knowledge comes responsibility to share and act. As you know Gabapenten about took me out 3 months ago. Since I have taken a round of anti-viral medication and weaned myself off the Gabapenten. All have gone extremely well until the last 2 weeks when I started to expierence "The Pain" again. I was trying to decide weither to take another round of the anti-viral when a new proceedure fell in my lap. (new to me anyway and maybe you also). It is a specific brain stem proceedure preformed by a specially trained chiropractor. They adjust the crainal vertabras. The 3 top vertabra. They claim good sucess with TN. I enrolled with a recommended doctor and with one adjustment the pain left. There are many conditions that this serves well as this is the area of the brain stem where the nerves lie that control your whole body. A very inately guarded area. Google it and check it out for yourself. I am glad I did so far. It is not a quick fix and they set me up on a pretty intensive schedule for the beginning. My doctor is Dr. Henri J. Dallies at theApple Valley Clinic in Hendersonville, NC. I just received a call from him today just to check up on me from yesterdays visit. Hmmmm, don't see that much anymore.
May sunshine energy bathe you all day and may you sleep like a baby tonight.
OmaTrish
I learned this excerpt from Kaiser Permanente's website during Biofeedback sessions. There are various subjects regarding health & well being that can be downloaded to CD or MP3 for free. No need to sign in. On their webpage, type in "listen on your computer" to download. I repeated the CD so often in my car that I chose to memorize these particular lines.)
"I call upon my intention to free myself of any limiting assumptions I may have about this pain.
I engage my powerful will to assist me in doing this.
The blue-print I see in my mind's eye is that of myself strong, vital and active. Focused, joyful and fulfilled."
Like they always say, I'll feel good if it helps at least one person, but I mean it. My blessings to all of you. I'm confident we will find a cure and if we all believe in it together, our chances can only improve.
This is very powerful affirmation. Positive energy helps all situations to sit in a better light.
Thank you for sharing this with us.
A big AMEN to Jesus.
SReagin said:
There is beauty and blessing in each new day. You can see it, but sometimes you have to look more than just glance. The sweet smile of a child, your pet welcoming you home at the end of the day, a good piece of chocolate :), a kind word. Just some of the little things that have helped me along the way. And always, always I know that my precious Jesus is right there beside me. I choose joy, because the alternative stinks!
Chocolate!!!!!! Have been off sugar and high carbs for some time but a good piece of dark chocolate is always a blessing.
Have a wonderful day guys!
Mitzi,
My MRI were negative also but as I understand TN can come from unknown sources so you might not want to rule it out completely as being the cause of your pain. This was the reason I was started on Gabapenten in the first place. With my expierence with Gabapenten I would not recomment it to anyone however there are ones that take it without any problem. It was such a scare for me I know I will not ever take it again regardless. Check out the Cervical adjustments. They make sense to me and seem to be working for me in a lot of areas so far.
I wish you well sweetie!
LyndaS said:
I love the 1Thess. 5:16–18 passage! So many verses like this keep my feet on the ground, eyes on Jesus, and my head out of the pity-pot! Although, when pain is high, my positive attitude wanes :-(
Mitzi, I just wanted to say that my MRIs have all been "clean" even the ones used to help pinpoint the Gamma Knife to the right place. I regret both Gamma Knife surgeries because of my young age, the nerve grew back and pain was worse due to the radiation burns. I went to Johns Hopkins for MVD with Ben Carson, MD after both GKs failed. He, in fact, found an offending vessel on the nerve and worked to use muscle from my scalp to wrap around the nerve to help with the pain. He was honest during our pre-opt appt that with the damage due to radiation, he knew he could help the pain, but was not confident that it would go away completely. I was also showing signs of AD prior to MVD, so I was just after an improvement in pain level so I could carry on with life. He said that if the MVD lasted 5 years it should last forever. I'm 6 years post MVD and what he did for me is solid. No longer do I have the "large kitchen knife stabs in the ear" causing immense pain and then shocks to my face, but I deal with the radiation damage basically. It's a lower level of pain, but more constant. Plus, the AD waxes and wanes and is basically annoying. If I had it to do again, I'd go for the MVD first.
Fear kept me from MVD because my youngest children were under 5 at the time. Fear kept my husband from encouraging the MVD because of the horror stories on the net. GK was pretty new when we tried it, and of course, the GK people wanted to sell their "time" on the machine, so their recommendations were a bit skewed, I think. Take your time. Do your research. Wear out every avenue of non-surgical means to pain relief, and if you find a dead-end, then surgery could be the right thing. Only YOU know for sure. I wish I'd have found this site in the research we were doing on the net as it contains so many helpful things for us to do at any given place on our road.
I will be praying for you, sweetheart :-)
Blessings!
LyndaS
Mitzi said:I have a blessing to talk about. I had an MRI and the results were that the did not see a veing touching the nerve, therefore, I will not need surgery because what I have is not TN. Although, I'm having most of the same symptoms as TN, the Neurologist referred me to a TMJ specialist, and also told me to go back to my dentist for a thorough check up of my teeth. I am so happy that as of now surgery is not the best solution!
One of my favorite quotes from the Bible is: Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thes. 5:16-18
I had the balloon compression surgery performed three weeks ago and I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am to my surgeon and neurologist. I have suffered with TN for 5 years and was maxed out on 4 anti seizure medicines (which were no longer effective). I came out of surgery and had immediate relieve. I would advise anyone that suffers and that has not had a procedure done to research the balloon compression. I have had two friends with TN one had the gamma knife and the other had the teflon insert - neither were as successful as mine. My prayers continue for those who suffer because I look back now and wonder how I made it as long as I did - and I know it was only by the Grace of our Good Lord. May God Bless You All.
I am so thankful for this group. How encouraging it is to know that I am not alone. I am thankful that I have been allowed to have wonderful medical care. I am thankful I am learning that this "new" me is learning "new" ways of coping. I am thankful that the internet allows us to connect 24/7. I am thankful for the pain, then I have learned to I appreciate the times without it and life much more in a deeper way.
Mitzi,
There are some awesome stories of nerve pain relief from stem cell vertibra manipulation. My Chiropractor hosted a wonderful picnic yesterday for all his patients and family. Some told of the help they have had and there were some grusome stories told. One lady was ready to get in touch with Dr. Kovorkian to end it all. Now she is praising our chiropractor. She is 90 years young now and doing very well still after 16 years under the Dr. care.
Sure cannot hurt a thing and if it happens to be the answer, praise God.
My prayers are with you that all will improve soon. May the man upstairs be with us all as we make our way through this maze of decisions.
Mitzi said:
OmaTrish,
Is funny you should mention that, one of my coworkers has been telling me to go check out a chiropractor for the longest time, but I have been looking for one that is a specialist in TN. Thank you for mentioning it.
OmaTrish said:Well, my creator is smiling on me again and I feel so blessed. With knowledge comes responsibility to share and act. As you know Gabapenten about took me out 3 months ago. Since I have taken a round of anti-viral medication and weaned myself off the Gabapenten. All have gone extremely well until the last 2 weeks when I started to expierence "The Pain" again. I was trying to decide weither to take another round of the anti-viral when a new proceedure fell in my lap. (new to me anyway and maybe you also). It is a specific brain stem proceedure preformed by a specially trained chiropractor. They adjust the crainal vertabras. The 3 top vertabra. They claim good sucess with TN. I enrolled with a recommended doctor and with one adjustment the pain left. There are many conditions that this serves well as this is the area of the brain stem where the nerves lie that control your whole body. A very inately guarded area. Google it and check it out for yourself. I am glad I did so far. It is not a quick fix and they set me up on a pretty intensive schedule for the beginning. My doctor is Dr. Henri J. Dallies at theApple Valley Clinic in Hendersonville, NC. I just received a call from him today just to check up on me from yesterdays visit. Hmmmm, don't see that much anymore.
May sunshine energy bathe you all day and may you sleep like a baby tonight.
OmaTrish