Tonight I was telling my mom that I was having an off day. Not stabbing pain but I have learned in the last couple of years to keep quiet when I have pain from my TN. Right now it is just a little throbbing, tingling in my lip and the strange feeling over my eye...hitting the trifecta tonight. Actually, the eye and lip started bothering me during our conversation...haha. When I tried to explain what I was feeling she said she couldn't understand why my doctors couldn't tell me what was wrong. She said it could be allergies and it must be stress. Round and round we go.
Throbbing pain here too and wondering if this is something that will come and go or is it an aura to an attack.
Put in search box,… SPOON THEORY ,! Might help .
Have you read. STRIKING BACK book, by dr, ken casey?
Give it to family!
Im not sure my mother really understands TN either. She says I work too much and I am too stressed. I have noticed that stress is one of my triggers to pain for me but I dont think it is the root of my TN pain. I am also having tingling in my upper lip and I have read that it is preemptive of TN pain. I dont know when I will start having pain there but i guess it is inevitable now. Please someone tell me that I am wrong.
As I mentioned in a previous discussion people's eyes just glaze over when you try to explain it. Allergies, huh? You wish!!! It's my whole mouth and chin that go bonkers before the pain.
I'm pretty sure the stress greatly increases the frequency and intensity of the pain. Last winter I took a one month unpaid leave of absence to test if my job was causing all of my pain. Unfortunately, my dog went down during the month and I spent the time trying desperately to save her in vain. I am ever so grateful for that last month with her able to give her all of my attention. Although I had great stress dealing with her crisis it was a bit different than the stress that triggers my TN at work. I have been joking with friends at work that the stress truly gets on my last nerve.
ORNURSE said:
Im not sure my mother really understands TN either. She says I work too much and I am too stressed. I have noticed that stress is one of my triggers to pain for me but I dont think it is the root of my TN pain. I am also having tingling in my upper lip and I have read that it is preemptive of TN pain. I dont know when I will start having pain there but i guess it is inevitable now. Please someone tell me that I am wrong.
I think no one can understand that doesn't have it. My mom is the same way keep coming up with other things as much as I love her I cant live with her because she added to the stress.
Life has changed a bit since I started this thread. I ended up having to go on a leave from work. Talking to my mom this afternoon she said "Are you still on a Leave of Absence?" Then she asked if I was looking for another job. For goodness sakes, she can perfectly remember the term Leave of Absence but cannot, despite me telling her many, many times remember that I have trigeminal neuralgia and that it is progressive and painful.
Find an animated video for her to watch?
I echo that the Stricking Back book should be mandatory reading for family members!! I know it must be terribly frustrating for those who love us to accept the reality of this horrible condition. Try to convey that you need them to help you understand and deal with it. We don't have a choice to be or not to be TN free. We can only fight it and we desperately need help and support to do this.
I have been so blessed in this regard. Except for my father (who hasn't read the book). Every now and then he'll try to re-diagnose me. This will probably stop now that I had a MVD (on Oct 15) and have had nominal pain since, even with decreasing meds to about a fourth of what I was on! Praise the Lord!
Over the years, TN will take it's toll on everyone who cares about you. I am well aware of this as I have seen "caregiver burnout" in various ways. Sometimes, I just try to be grateful that they are still around to be annoying me with their lack of understanding! Two "rules" I try to live by... just focus on what I CAN control (do my best to be my best), and don't get attached to the outcomes. And the best thing I have done for myself is to put more time and energy into my spiritual life. When things get bad, I know God is there and will get me through it.... Intact, if not unscathed.