Hi I am new here. I have constant pain from mid eyebrow to mid eyebrow. So it is bilateral. Whether it is TN the docs are mum.
It started after a transphenoidal surgery to remove a cyst from my pituitary gland on January 4, 2006. LSS I have had diagnostic nerve blocks and am scheduled for a Radio Frequency Ablation of the Sphenopallatine ganglion next week.
I’ve looked at diagrams and see that the upper branch of the TN feeds into this spot along with a bunch of other stuff. Anyone had this procedure? Just wanting to know what to expect.
Strictly speaking if your pain emerged after a surgical procedure, then you might be dealing with trigeminal neuropathic pain rather than trigeminal neuralgia. I'm a little puzzled that an RF Rhizotomy is being targeted against the sphenopallatine ganglion, given that this ganglion is associated with the parasympathetic system, rather than the trigeminal nerve. The pituitary gland is also somewhat distant from the site where you describe your pain, and from the distribution of the trigeminal nerve as it branches from the brain stem.
I don't want to place myself in the position of second-guessing your physicians, but I think a couple of questions are in order before you go through the Rhizotomy. (1) How many times have the surgeons done the proposed procedure for pain attending an earlier pituitary cyst surgery? and (2) How many of their patients were initially successful and remained pain free for at least three years? If you don't get detailed answers to those questions, then a second opinion by a neurosurgeon would definitely be called for.
Regards and best,
R.A. "Red" Lawhern, Ph.D.
Resident Research Analyst, LwTN
Please note: my doctorate is in engineering, not medicine. I've been a patient advocate and online author for about 18 years in the field of face pain.
Thank you very much for your input.
I had two surgeries for CSF leaks, (2008, 2010) after the first pituitary surgery also done transphenoidally.
So the initial thought was that my eyebrow pain was due to low pressure headaches.
Now I am leak free per lumbar punctures, yet the pain persists. I’ve now had three diagnostic nerve blocks to this region, thru the cheek, thru the roof of my mouth and last week via lidocaine soaked pledglets up the schnozzola. And yes, u might be right about what I have exactly. The docs have left this vague for whatever reason.
I will ask more questions of the neurosurgeon etc. thanks!
Horsey
Hello I just joined after I read your post as I get alerts from google. I developed TN in 2003 but have been 90% pain free now for 9 months! its a long story but if you want to chat on it I will