Phobic regarding taking medication for facial pain

General General TN & GPN (Old Site)
1

Hello afternoon, experiencing facial pain in lower left gum and back of jaw, really not coping, but worse I have a terrible phobia of taking medication, prior to my facial pain, suffer very badly with severe anxiety and panic disorder, do receive help from a wonderful young lady, who is a occupational therapist, she is kindly trying to help me overcome my fears and start taking the tablets.

my doctor has prescribed carmazpine 100mg, not taken, due to worry of side effects, and now givdn antripyline 10mg for month to begin, I go to put tablet to mouth, then upset myself, with panic and fear, and than do not take the pills once again, I know it's a mental block preventing me, and after the kast many weeks, trying to continue without any pain relief, only parcentmol or ibupfen that helps only slightly, but not much at all, the endless weeks of no sleep, exhaustion are taking it's toll on my health,

my family are concerned, and worry for my health, and wish my anxiety would stop ruling my head, and at least try the tablets.

any words of advice from anybody whom may also have phobia's and doubts over taking medcine, and how you eventually overcome those fears, and proceeded to improve your facial pain.

I see a therapist who works though the hospital, she gas recommended using a pill cutter, take the tablet have a quater to start, get used to that, than build up to full dose, I know it sends crazy to take a tablet in sections, but that is how strong my anxiety affects me, but the pain will I know over ride my fears eventually.

thankyou for listening to me with my concerns and fears.

sending best regards to the TN page.

2

Hi Andi. Are you taking anti anxiety med? Clonazepam is one which also has had some positive effects on people with nerve pain. It has anticonvulsant properties too. Slowly building up with a pill cutter sounds reasonable to me. I take clonazepam for severe stress because that stress triggered major worsening of my pain condition. Chronic stress/anxiety causes hormones (fight or flight) cortisol & adrenaline to flood your brain. In turn your brain over time “misfires” pain signals constantly - IF you live in chronic stress condition. So please try to address the anxiety/stress in your body so it won’t have a detrimental effect on your pain.

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Andi, do try please. Relief may be at hand if you can get past your phobia. I know many people are afraid of the tablets or side effects, but believe me when I say, most are glad they tried them when they have relief, myself included.

4

There is a little anxiety pill called clonazapam!

My daughter had pill anxiety…started her on skittlts or
m and m candy to start learning

If you use pill cutter to cut in half
Some are then pointy on the sides… Smooth them down

Lastly…get some RX lidocaine mouthwash to make the pain less right now!

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Hello thankyou very much for your advice, will see the doctor this week and put forward to them.


Kc Dancer Kc said:

There is a little anxiety pill called clonazapam!

My daughter had pill anxiety....started her on skittlts or
m and m candy to start learning

If you use pill cutter to cut in half
Some are then pointy on the sides.... Smooth them down


Lastly....get some RX lidocaine mouthwash to make the pain less right now!
6

Also to add to Kc’s suggestion of Lidocaine mouthwash, I just last week discovered a GODSEND! I’ve been petrified to get my teeth cleaned after 7 yrs of 2X a yr cleanings (never caused a problem with my face pain) but all of a sudden this gentle cleaning left me with a new pain area in my upper gums/teeth. It persists to this day. Unbearable pain. So I skipped the 2 cleanings last yr but felt brave enough to have one last week. I took my pain meds with me in case of any twinge of pain. But I always have this numbing oral gel put all over my gums and teeth before all cleanings because they’ve always been sensitive. As the hygienist began to use the QTip to rub the gel all over my gums/teeth - AHA MOMENT!! I asked if I could get some of that very thick flavored gel to put on my pain when it is acting up in my gums/teeth (like always!). She said its a professional product, not OTC but asked the dentist. He knows well my suffering so he sold me one of his unopened jars to try. OMG - it totally helps numb the pain so well. It stays put as it’s very thick. Has cut down on need for pain meds so much when it’s that area of pain acting up. My husband found it online and ordered me 3 more so I can always carry one with me with QTips. It’s called “BENZO JEL” Topical Anesthetic Gel mfg by Henry Schein company. 20% BENZOCAINE is stronger than anything OTC - Oragel is only 5% Benzocaine. Hope you can find it through dentist or online - just check out side effects for you. Maybe ask your Dr. About your risks. For me it’s a long shot chance of risk I’m willing to take because it works so well. Worth a try even if just for emergency use. No harm in that. I use it constantly - don’t care about possible side effects. The pain would drive me nuts otherwise!

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I'm going to take part of this discussion to the thread of creams and topical gels etc. ! Thanks!

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I understand your fear completely. I have suffered with panic and anxiety for 30 years. I also agree to take 1/4 and if you do have a reaction (which you won't) it would be very mild and you won't suffer. Once you get confident that the pill will not harm you I take a whole one quickly and when I am busy and do not have time to think about it and when there is no side affect from it I feel safe to take as directed. Also I might add that for me my generalized anxiety has disapeared from this drug. I still have not had a panic attack and I have been on it for one month I think I can still have a panic attack but the generalized anxiety (worried thoughts that lead to panic are gone since I have been on the carbamazine. I hope the same for you too.

A TWO FOR ONE!!!!!

Shari

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Something that I would recommend with anyone who identifies themselves as "phobic". Rational Cognitive Therapy and Rational Behavioral Therapy are commonly administered by a psychologist as a short-term program to teach coping skills and thought control to phobic clients. If you know that you are phobic, then you're already part of the way toward releasing the phobia, because you recognize your own reactions as unreasonable and self-destructive. The mental coping tools taught in RCT and RBT can take you the rest of the way to a better mental state. Some people are able to come off anxiety medication entirely, and others continue with a lower dose and better control of anxiety. The entire sequence of tools can be taught in a few weeks. I recommend talking with a psychologist who specializes in this area.

Go in Peace and Power

Red Lawhern, Ph.D.

Resident Research Analyst, LWTN

10

Hi andi, Wow! yes I also have a phobia of taking strong medication.

I'm fine with regular over the counter drugs such as Paracetamol and Ibuprofen, but these dont really touch the TN pain when its at its worst. I'm also fine with Antibiotics as I know they are only short term and will make me feel better with no side-effects.

My GP also started me on Amitriptyline 10mg, it took me about two months of debating but I had to give in due to the horrendous pain I was in. The amitriptyline worked and took the pain away at first with minimal side-effects, but over time the drug either stopped working or my TN got worst.

My GP then tried me on two other drugs which again was a major problem for me, so I went back on the Amitriptyline as this seemed to be more manageable regarding the side-effects. I find some days the Amitriptyline takes the TN pain away, other days it just takes the edge of things, the worst days is where the Amitriptyline doesn't even touch the TN pain (thats where the TN is at its worst for me).

Just as ZeldasSis and Kc Dancer has mentioned, the anxiety and stress seems to make TN worst (it does mine). The anxiety pill was an option for me, but the phobia stops me from taking it as I feel I will not be in control (so I opted for the small dose of Amitriptyline instead) which does help.

I would defiantly give the Amitriptyline a go, it will help.

I see you live in London UK, I also live in UK, down in the south (Dorset). Are you being treated for Trigeminal Neuralgia, have you had an MRI as yet. How do you find the treatment here in the UK ?

All the Best

Wes