My goodness, it's been over a years now since I've last posted here. I'm truly sorry to all those who I was speaking with - I should've contacted you.
Since I last posted I had a Trigeminal nerve block (which did nothing but trigger an attack and make my lips numb), a lot more medication, and a MVD. There was great success with my MVD; I was pain free form the moment I woke up. Everything was great, it felt like being given a chance to live again. I did things; I went outside, I ate my favorite meals, I drank water without being scared of it, I took a long shower just for the heck of it, etc. I started up my schooling again (online) and made so much progress. I can honestly say that I'd never been happier. My surgery was on June 28th 2013, I went without pain until November 23rd. It started out again like a tingling sensation (which really unnerved me becuse that was the feeling I usually got before an attack) and then my triggers started, well, triggering again. That became extremely stressful because they wouldn't bother me all the time. At least before I knew my triggers would trigger. This time I didn't. I had no idea when they would trigger. We went back to my surgeon who said that it might just be the teflon shifting and that if it didn't go away in three months to come back. It didn't, so we went back and he upped my tegretol. Which helped, don't get me wrong. Now here's where it gets interesting, there were two causes for my TN. One was the compressed nerve, the other I'll get into in just a moment. Two weeks ago I went to my orthodontist to check up on my teeth and jaw alignment. I had invisalign for 18 months and he didn't think it helped the way we wanted, so we went back for a consultation. My orthodontist knows very well about my TN situation, and he was very accomodating to me. He did all he could to help me, which I'm very grateful for. When we were there he mentioned my TMJ, which we found out is the other cause of my TN because it caused strain on my nerve, and that my jaw misalignment is what caused it. We looked over x-rays from when I was 8 (the year my TN started -or at least when I noticed it) to my x-rays from that day. You could very clearly see the misalignment and how it caused the TMJ. He said that now, because of my age and development, the only way to cure the TMJ (and thusly the remainder(?) of the TN) was to have reconstructive jaw surgery. I asked if the jaw surgery could have been avoided, with which he responded "Yes." if the dentist who took those x-rays when I was 8 had mentioned it. All they had to do was tell us. Tell us that the misalignment could cause me problems as I got older. Tell me that the TMJ could cause harm as I grew older. All they had to do was mention it and I could have avoided nearly 9 years of insufferable pain. My mother was very invested in my health, she would have had it corrected immediately. I was so heartbroken to hear that they wouldn't even tell me, but I was also so happy that it could be corrected, that there would no longer be a reason for me to be in pain. None at all. No compression, no strain, nothing. There would be no reason. I was also furious. 9 years (in March) of excruciating pain. Pain that could have been avoided. I can't really explain the emotion I felt when I found that out. I'm sure you can understand though. Imagine your pain being avoided? That's brilliant, but it's still upsetting that it wasn't avoided. I'm not explaining myself well, I'm sorry.
That's what's up with me.
How are you all? I hope that no one is experience too bad of attacks and that you're all able to live your lives.
~
Also, I had a question. If you (personally) go to the ER for TN and are admitted, what do they do for you (personally)? And roughly how long would you (personally) remain in the hospital?
I also hope that none of you have been to the hospital recently.
All my love,
Madeleine