I just returned from my 6 month Neuro appt and it was perfect timing. The last week, especially the last 3 days I have been in pain hell. Last year he added Oxycarbazine which for 9 months was a Godsend for me. Today he upped my meds and I stated asking him a few questions. One was what type TN does he think I have, type 1 or type 2. And he asked me "what is that type 1 and 2, I dont know what that is?" Every article I read mentions TN has the two types. Is this really strange he does not know this?
Some doctors are out of date on their training. Others don't accept the designations Type I and Type II. The International Association for the Study of Pain -- IASP -- has muddied the waters on this taxonomy (in my opinion) by insisting that Type II TN (ATN) is actually not in the same family of disorders with Type I TN. They call it a form of trigeminal neuropathic pain, without offering much in the way of science to discriminate between either the mechanisms which cause it or the treatments which address it.
Regards, Red
Type 1 is more of a ZAP from Hell that hits you out of nowhere -- like a tazer gun or lightning
Type 2 people describe more as a constant burning pain seemingly
My neuro specializes in epilepsy ---- most don't have much in their textbooks about us -- a weeee bit. When I chose to have surgery after neuro wanted to try 4 th med, he was supportive ---
I have been on here and TNA facial pain network daily if not weekly -
Since Oct. 2010
learning all I can -- its a fact that you will know more about TN if you keep with it and learn about it , than most doctors put together that you will meet in a lifetime.
Also reading Striking Back book was my great intro to all the treatment options -- its a very important book to read!
my neuro said i didnt have TN last time i was there because i have dull achey pains and sharp pains, i,e, type 2, so i assume they only know of TN as type 1 and there is no other, this is why i argued with mine while i was there, i understand this is very unfortunate and i was very worried about this because it makes my fight for an answer much harder, i had to persuade my neuros boss to continue with my TN treatment as well as the treatment for TMJ which she wanted, 2 months later ive had my MRI, still on my TN meds and have heard nothing from the TMJ specialist and when i called yestaday i was told to "wait until i am contacted for an appt", so as a result if it was all up to my neruo i would be off TN meds, in agony and waiting months for a night brace appt which in my opinion will probably do eff all!
Only thing i can say is no one can know everything so if you want to be treated properly make sure you research and get peoples help off here so you are armed with knowledge when you speak to your neuro,
rant over :) lol
we've all got to stick together coz we know it exists x
I am not sure what kind I have. In the past I have had session of electric shocks that would go up by my nose, the pains I have from the ear down to the lower jar are stabbing burning jabs and twinges. That is what i am experiencing right now, every 5 minutes and haqs left me sleepless for days.
I went almost a year with no pain til a couple months ago. This time the pain keeps me awake and even Vicodin doesnt help. I have been pressing and rubbing so hard on the affected side of my face for the last week that it is sore to the touch. Initially when they only suspected what I had my GP had me on 100mg of Gabapentin teice a day. Then he increased that to 300mg twice a day. Lasy year the neuro added 300mg of oxycarbazine twice a day and that did the trick for months. Last week he told me to go to 450mg twice a day for a week then to 600mg twice a day if that didnt work. The 450mg isnt working.
From experience is there any other med I should ask them to look at for me and is there a topical cream to take the edge off?
Thans for everyones help. I just want to sleep!