Pain Episodic

As I read through the discussions, blogs & profiles I am quite humbled by the consistency & persistence of the pain felt by what seem like most here on this site... I have not yet been diagnosed with TN but suffer episodes of severe pain that last 15 - 24 hours. These episodes have increased in intensity, duration and frequency since the one I recognize as my official first back in 2004. I have been working with the idea that I had TMD but have been recently told that the description of what happens to me is more likened to TN - and after reading some more on it, I feel, for the first time, that somebody is actually describing what is happening to me. I will have my first neurology apt related to this within the month.

What I want to know is are there any of you who have experienced this episodic presentation either currently or as a pre-cursor to your current condition? After my last experience with the pain, I have been more motivated than I have been before to figure what might be wrong with me.

A tool that is visual that helped me conclude was going to Google Images: type in trigeminal neuralgia (type 1 images) and then Atypical Face Pain (more type 2)

Print off whatever seems to fit and show doctor - or take laptop/ipad/phone and show them

Ask your GP/Dentist any doctor to call you in Rx of Lidocaine patches --- helps calm it down for 12 hours for me many times

My TN had no-pre symptoms --- started 4 hours after oral surgery --- know known cause - but ancedotal evidence of what might have kicked it off in those of us who have the potential to get it.

Great book - kinda our bible around here - is "Striking Back" by Dr. Ken Casey It has 100+ things to know about TN for the suferer

Go to your doctor or a neurologist and get diagnosed so they can put you on anti-convulsants to see if that helps. Great indicator that it's TN if it does help. :-)