With the onset of colder, windy autumn weather, or possibly just by coincidence, I have been experiencing a greater degree of pain lately with more of the stabbing type 1 symptoms than the type 2 more constant general headache that I had been having over the spring and summer. Finding it less easy to cope with the pain that had been manageable on the low dose of Amytriptyline I was on, I have finally managed to speak to a doctor at my GP’s surgery, and on the phone he suggested I double up my dose & see how that goes for a while. I am happy to try this as I am finding the drug is working for me with no side effects after the initial couple of months of wooziness and severe aggression/mood changes I expect from a tricyclic drug have worn off. Just hope they will not come back as the dose increases - was ok the first morning after taking 20mg, but feeling very fuzzy today.
I really hope I can see another neurologist soon, since the whole onset of TN I have been seen by an optician, then the Orthoptic dept of Lincoln Hospital, and an Endocrinologist (under the assumption that my Graves disease was recurring), and they all have said that it is Trigeminal Neuralgia. I was referred to Neurology by the Orthoptic dept, but under the current booking system you have to go away & make the booking yourself online, and there were no appts available in any of the 4 nearest hospitals to where I live (Lincoln), and I was forced to book an appt at the Neurology dept of Kingsmill Hospital for about 5 weeks later which was August. When I got there (on a Saturday), it was deserted and I was the only patient. I was seen promptly but the neurologist (I don’t remember his name), barely listened to me, heard the word Graves, took a look and said my eyes were protruding and that’s what I had, and before I knew it I was outside his office again. I was actually reaching to take my notes with symptoms & dates etc out of my bag when he wrapped up the consultation. He ordered an MRI but for “head and orbits” so I don’t know whether the trigeminal nerves were looked at at all. I was so upset later that I went to my GP & said I don’t want to go back there, and he got the results sent to him which were “normal”. I don’t know if that was his diagnosis or the neurology dept at Kingsmill, though. The GP said he would re-refer me to see a neurologist at Lincoln Hospital, but as there is no neurology dept there and a neurologist only visits once a month or thereabouts there was a very long waiting list. I have yet to hear about an appointment.