Hi Friends,
I am new to this group, and reaching out to seek tips for my TN. In case this has been already answered, please assist me with the links.
I was diagnosed with TN a couple of years back after a wisdom tooth extraction in my home country. The first year it was ok. Last year it was a little painful but rare. This year since the last month it has come on at full force. I am a business analyst and have to do excessive talking in office.
I was on zenoxa(given in my home country before i shifted to the US 3 months back)- i.e. oxycarbazepine. Visited a neuro and orofacial surgeon in Orlando last month after the pain started increasing and the orofcaiall surgeon was surprised I was given oxycarbazepine instead of gabapentin (I wonder why the surprise). I am now on 2*300 mg gabapentin 3 times a day in addition to the 1*300 oxycarbazine i was taking since 2 years (so a combined dosage of 2700 mg against the 900 earlier). Its been 5 days, marginal relief but hoping and waiting for much better- does the effect take time to kick in? (i know everybody is different but yet hope i have to give it a little more time).
I have the same usual triggers- talking, brushing, and eating- my 3 biggest triggers.
I have seen some discussions on eating but not on the other 2 so asking this question for active working members of this group- if any of your job involves a lot of talking, how do you manage? Are there any 'instant' remedies for soothing the nerves? Tried hot and cold pack (though both for just a minute as i didnt feel comfortable- the ice pack increased the pain and the hot pack started giving a different type of beating/throbbing pain- should I have tried longer?). My boss and coworkers are understanding (they think its a bad tooth extraction), but at the end of the day no matter how muchever i try to reduce talking, i need to talk as a BA- and I love this job. How can i reduce the pain while talking? If i talk with my mouth very narrowly open, the pain is not as much but i cant do that in a room full of colleagues during a presentation etc.