I'm still in that "what is this really coming from?!" stage. And hoping it's the possible cracked tooth aggravating it all; since I'm having it either crowned or root canaled this coming week (depending what we find after the huge old metal filling is removed). The pain, although seemingly everywhere, still points\triggers at that area.
As for the ED and baldness drugs, those are marketed almost as "prescription recreational drugs" and are big profit due to their huge volume of sales (ergo all the advertising). Those make a fortune for the drug companies. We (those of us taking what TN can require) however, don't make them much if anything.
I for one am GLAD the drug companies can make money from drugs not so desperately needed, I think it allows them to provide\create the drugs that help people dealing with pain and serious illness (that often are very low volume). Other than rules and regulations that might entice them to do some good along with making billions, what would make them want to come up with drugs that might help rare issues (or even get the ok to use one of their current meds for such an issue)? Maybe it's one of the ways otherwise healthy people can help fund research etc. If so, I say let em advertise LOL (I often get a laugh out of those ads anyway, only because they're usually hokie).
Drug companies don't exist to try to help us, they exist for profit via helping millions with their products, not a few thousand or hundred thousand. Think of it this way, every time someone buys one of those "recreational" type of medications, they're donating to help those few of us that could use medications these companies can create or have that can help if approved for such a use (those drugs are far from cheap or given away and both types came from trying to help a legitimate health issue).
Frankly, as far as TN goes, I don't think there will ever be a drug that cures it, only treats it's symptoms. I'm fairly sure only surgery will ever be able to actually cure it, or treat it most effectively.
When I first looked into the type of pain I was having right after the dental work and came across TN as a possible reason, I hoped for a serious bone infection or even a tumor to be the cause. My guess is I probably have TN but it's being aggravated by a dental issue since Hydrocodone, Tegretol, Tramadol, Neurontin etc aren't really helping much with the pain attacks (only lowering intensity a bit when all are taken). I haven't had an MRI, only a contrast dye CT so far that showed nothing really. So I can understand how wanting to know the exact cause can feel.
I hope I didn't offend anyone, just to point out a positive regarding the ads and also how I think any of us must feel frustrated to the point of feeling crazy, not knowing what's causing so much pain. After all, logically, wouldn't anyone expect something causing so much pain to show up big and bold on some kind of x-ray or scan right away?