Hi everyone. I accidentally emailed my question to the TN II group, when I wanted to post here. I'm sorry, folks!
So, I need some help. I have been on Gabepentin 300 mg twice a day for a couple of weeks, and I have handled that dose well. I'm definitely out of remission, though, with pain in my right ear, pressure in my right temple, and burning in my scalp on the right side, from the top of my head to behind my ear. The Gabepentin only sort of controls the pain.
Anyway, I have also been having another symptom that isn't related to the Gabepentin. I've had times (since before starting the meds) of profound sleepiness with wooziness. It is so bad that I have fallen asleep at work, and the only thing that helps is a nap. When I have these naps, there can be a lot going on around me, and I won't be aware of it.
These episodes kind of remind me of migraine prodromes, but I don't get the migraine afterwards. Does anyone else have this problem? Is this part of TN, or is it just me? It's really hard to function on days when I have this.
Yes. I get this from the medications (more from the anticonvulsants like gabapentin) and also when I'm in a lot of pain.
For me, there's a link to my night sleep cycle. Getting into a deep sleep helps my pain, so I'll sleep anywhere anytime if I'm in pain. But then it's hard to get to sleep when I have a lot of pain, and sometimes it comes back almost as soon as I wake up. And then when I've been in a lot of pain all week and having trouble falling asleep, I'm really tired, which makes the pain worse, and makes me sleepy. So all that is just crazy impact on sleep cycle, and of course research says there are lots of links between sleep cycle and chronic pain.
But also, when I'm in a lot of pain (often at work), I get really sleepy/woozy, and sometimes to the point where I have to go home. My family describes it as nearly catatonic. Normally I'm very energetic and a light sleeper, but in those moments I could lie down anywhere and sleep. I've had days at work where I just lock myself in the bathroom stall to close my eyes for a minute. And I'm pretty type A at work -- it's unimaginable to anyone who worked with me in the past that I would get sleepy or take a nap. But that's the reality now :( They offered me an accommodation at work (that I could take naps), but it's hard to imagine how that would work. Hope I don't have to consider it.
Wow ... it's interesting that you could get an accommodation to take naps when you need them. Do you label yourself as having a disability, Mac? I recently quit a pretty awful job and have been filling out online applications, and they all ask if I have a disability. I think it's part of trying to hire a diverse population. Anyway, I have not wanted to disclose my depression (considered a psychological disability), and I would be hesitant to disclose my TN. But I definitely have limitations, like the overwhelming sleepiness/ wooziness, as well as days when I'm in a lot of pain.
While I'm not glad to know that you have this, too, it helps me to know that it's not a sign of boredom at work or laziness. I definitely don't like having to go to sleep during the day, but I started wonder if this was a character flaw somehow.