Dear TN brothers and sisters,
♥ I hope this account helps you get some pain relief also.
♥ I posted a couple of months ago because the pain was so terrible, so paralyzing, and I felt like a pariah with not being able to wash, etc. Over that period of time the pain has gotten under control, so I would like to share what happened just in case the information might help someone else in their quest for pain relief.
♥ When the pain wrapped its choking tendrils around the V2 branch of my right trigeminal nerve I immediately started taking what I took last year, one Tegretol 200 mg and one tramadol 50 mg. No control whatsoever. I did get temporary relief by adding Flexeril 10 mg to the mix when the pain was so bad I couldn't move.
♥ I went through a lot even increasing Tegretol 200 mg to 2 x day, so as the next step up my neurologist increased the Tegretol 200 mg to 3 x day. I took a tramadol 50 mg with every Tegretol dose, and with the nighttime dose I took one Flexeril 10 mg.
♥ Finally I was pain-free (AND NOT DROWSY) until the doses wore off. Some of the doses I had to take early because I could feel the burning and lancinating pain returning, and with Tegretol and tramadol 3 x day, an early dose would stop the pain immediately.
♥ Over the weeks the pain decreased until I got along well with just the Tegretol during the day and one dose of tramadol at night with no Flexeril. Then I bumped it back down to Tegretol 2 x day, and now I am walking on eggshells hoping for the best and taking Tegretol and tramadol 1 x day at bedtime. I am able to wash my face and blow my nose again. Once in a while I will have a stab of pain, but most of the time there is nothing. The stabs usually come with a change in sunlight or a change in air temperature from warm to cold when accompanied by air movement.
♥ Bottom line is I am now pain-free (but tentative) and able to back way down on medication. To recap, Tegretol 200 mg once every eight hours (3 x day), tramadol 50 mg once every eight hours, and Flexeril 10 mg once at bedtime (and as needed during paralyzing pain) is what has controlled it for me this time.
♥ I know some of you get nearly no relief. I am hoping that if you have tried nearly everything and have not tried this, that maybe what worked for me (so far) can work for you too.
p.s. The temperature outside has dropped 20 degrees since yesterday, the sun is shining brightly but in and out of clouds, and the wind is about 20 miles per hour (32 kph), and I have to take my sick doggie to the vet, so wish me the best. Otherwise I wouldn't go out of the house.
With love, Pat