Please....need advice :(

General General TN & GPN (Old Site)
21

No problems here on anyones input. Always glad for the suggestions. And some good points have been made. I believe the neurologist I have been seeing has been off point rather than my GP since I have not called her for an appointment and my psych dr. has been out of town.

I have been doing TONS of research and will combine my findings with the Mayo dr. It looks as if I may lean towards the MVD surgery. It has taken me a year to become regulated on my bipolar meds. I really don't want to mess with them. I have been taking less than what has been prescribed with my psych drs. okay. But this still leaves me on around 6 meds. Now we have added in 2 more at least and I need pretty high dosages to "maintain" relief from the TN attacks. And the strange thing is at least one of these new meds also is prescribed for bipolar.

Much of the research I have been reading is that the earlier you have the surgery generally the outcome is better. Since I have been "lucky" enough to have the diagnosis early this should mean a pretty good outcome.

Of course I keep thinking it is all a nightmare and I will get to the clinic and they won't think there is a thing wrong and send me on my way which of course would be a nightmare also because I'm starting to really come to grips with the fact that that these pains are not imaginary. Especially since I had two of them tonight in public.

Oy vey......

22

Just to chime in here, having seen a neurosurgeon about potential MVD a month or two ago and having only at that point been on a few of the various drugs, they are going to likely insist you try a whole bunch of them before they consider surgery.

I have ATN (have had the symptoms for years before finally getting a correct diagnosis earlier this year) but do have a very visible vascular loop on the right trigeminal nerve entry zone. But, because its ATN (which has a lower success rate to MVD) and largely because I hadn't "done my time" with the meds yet, they were very hesitant.

Just my two cents

23

Phoebe I hope that you get to talk to your psych soon. I know that the med you are taking is sometimes used as a mood stabilizer for bi-polar.... so sometimes they meds that you are on need to be adjusted. My bff is a counselor and has been chiming in on some of these drugs for me and informing me so I can have better questions for my doctor.

24

If you are still feeling badly, call his office Monday. Try to relax as best as possible. i know its really hard bur perhaps this isnt the right med or something is brewing. Tn is a nightmare. Email me if you are out of sorts. hope the med will start working. It may take time.