I’m a relatively new TN patient, I was diagnosed in January but I’ve spent most of that time inexplicably pain free. I’m currently taking tegretol, which, as im sure some of you have experienced, makes me chronically tired, unfocused, and has made it incredibly difficult for me to get anything done. Now, this might be fine if my life and identity did not depend almost entirely on hard work and drive. I have worked very very hard to go from lazy, unmotivated highscooler to the student I am today. I’m a triple major and an honor student so my course work is heavier than most, and TN, or the treatment thereof, has begun to lower my grades, and ive even started missing classes, sometimes on purpose or because of pain despite the medicine. I joined this forum because I need to see that people with TN lead fulfilling, successful lives, because from where im standing it really feels like my dreams are being stolen from me.
TL;DR- I was a really hardworking ambitious student but then TN happened and is causing an identity crisis.
Hi Shannon! Now bearing in mind of course that I'm not a doctor, if you're for the most part pain free could you not reduce your Tegretol dose? I'm thinking an amount that keeps it in your system while keeping the owwies at bay.
Catwoman,
I do still have pain even with the tegretol so I don’t think my doctor will agree to reduce it but I would gladly do it if it meant being able to keep my coursework
How about switching meds?
You can be successful. Absolutely. I am a lawyer and have a very successful practice. When first diagnosed I was studying to take the bar. Talk about a workload. My doctor and I had to really experiment with medications before finding something that did not make me feel like a zombie or interfere with my speech and memory, which would have been deadly in a court room.
You can do this. I am not the only one who is living proof that it is possible. I do have bad days. I try to stay ahead of my work so that when there is a really bad day, I can stay at home and insulate myself. I guard my downtime like a beast. I try very hard to take care holistically of myself. Stress is a trigger for me. So downtime is important.
Hang in there. It is possible.
Thank you all for your support! I’m being taken off of tegretol as I am getting a period of remission! Time to take full advantage of some pain-free time!
Hi, Lisa. I'm a legal assistant, so I too lead a rather demanding life. My lawyers rely on me to run the practice! I'm working 6-7 days/week so that I can make up time for time missed from this damned condition! Like you, I guard my down days (and even hours) so that I can get the rest necessary to lick this condition.
Even successful people get sick and need to heal. I pray every day that my office administrator will understand and not find a reason to terminate my employment!
Lisa (iamrite) said:
How about switching meds?
You can be successful. Absolutely. I am a lawyer and have a very successful practice. When first diagnosed I was studying to take the bar. Talk about a workload. My doctor and I had to really experiment with medications before finding something that did not make me feel like a zombie or interfere with my speech and memory, which would have been deadly in a court room.
You can do this. I am not the only one who is living proof that it is possible. I do have bad days. I try to stay ahead of my work so that when there is a really bad day, I can stay at home and insulate myself. I guard my downtime like a beast. I try very hard to take care holistically of myself. Stress is a trigger for me. So downtime is important.
Hang in there. It is possible.