Has anyone tried a sphenopalatine nerve block, and if you did what were the results?I had one done and was told it could take up to two weeks to work. I was also told that sometimes it takes more than one to work and if you have three and don’t get relief then no additional ones will work. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
I had a SP block. It did not work for me but, in hind sight I never should have had it. My pain had a minute chance of being helped by the block (it is above my eyebrow.).
Best wishes that it does end up working for you!
Hello, gizmo. I had that procedure. It didn’t work for me. My case was different I guess. I ended up having a rhizotomy. I hope you have luck with it , much easier than a rhizotomy. Good luck. Gloria37
Thank you Carrie. Sorry it didn’t work for you. So far I don’t think it is working for me but if it doesn’t I will try it again. Will let you know what happens if I can figure how to get back to this site again.
Gizmo
Sorry it didn’t work for you Gloria. Can you tell me what is involved with doing a rhizotomy. I have ATN and don’t know the success rate for it. Was yours successful?
Gizmo, a rhizotomy is really a little more involved. My pain got so bad that it was the best choice I had. My TN is caused by an inoperable brain tumor. The rhizotomy has been a couple years out now but I am still on tegretol. It involves the insertion of a needle into the mouth to the Trigeminal nerve gangelion. It administers a chemical that attacks that nerve. Your neurosurgeon will let you know if you are a candidate for it. Good luck. Gloria
So sorry about your brain tumor Gloria. Was there any bad side effects from the rhizotomy? I guess it wasn’t successful if you are still on Tegretol. I am having a second ganglion nerve block tomorrow. Hoping it works and hope your pain eases up.
Gizmo
Hi, I had a Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block & Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block. Both didn’t work for me. I have Trigeminal Neuropathic pain from sinus surgery. I ended up having Partial Sensory Rhizotomy which worked for me. It took about 18 months before the pain went.
Gizmo, hope your rhizotomy went well. I am on tegretol because I infrequently have minor facial pain and my neurologist said it was the best for me to keep the minor pain down. Did you say you had a rhizotomy six years ago. Is this one on the opposite side? Good luck. Gloria
Gizmo, I suppose you had your second rhizotomy by now. How are you? I hope it went well. If I ever need a second I know I will also. To answer your question about why am I still on tegretol, sometimes the nerve tries to regenerate and causes some discomfort. But it is miles and miles from where it was. I take tegretol as precautionary to prevent the excruciating pain I felt. Please let me know about your second rhizotomy. Pray all is well. Gloria
Jessie, how are you doing now. Reading back through my notes I see you had a partial rhizotomy some time ago. Are you still doing ok? Since I have never heard of a partial. I was wondering what it entails. Hope you are doing well. Gloria
Hi Gloria, thanks for your message. Yes, its just gone 2 years since my partial rhizotomy. I was lucky as I only had one side done but the pain from both sides went away. The surgeon said this can happen as pain transmits to the to the side. I’m doing really well. It took some time for the pain to go but i’m about 95% pain free! I’m left with a dense numbness on the right side on my lower lip, chin, gum and half my tongue. I get a tingling, not nice sensation. Its not too bad a time but can get worse. This is nothing compared to the pain tho. Partial Sensory Rhizotomy is where they cut the trigeminal nerve at the base of the brain. My right side of the face (the side the surgery was) has no sensation to touch, its not numb as such but cant feel it as much when I touch it. The parts I mentioned that are numb this is more a dense numbness. Overtime the pain goes, I didn’t gain immediate pain relief. If you have any questions pleas let me know.
How did you pain start?
Gloria, I did not have a rhizotomy. I had 2 sphenopalatine nerve blocks that didn’t work. I will have my third and last one Monday. I am praying it works. I am weaning of Lyrica and will be going back on Nortriptyline which worked for me in the past but I decided to go off because of issues with possible interaction with another medication.
I am going back on it because my pain is worse than ever and it is becoming unbearable. Still praying the last block works.
Gizmo,l am praying the nerve block does work. It didn’t work for me but I have read that many of the work. Good luck. For those of us who know that pain we know what you must be going through. GOOD LUCK! Gloria37
Jessie, you have been out some time now with the rhizotomy. How are you doing now? Yours is longer out than mine so I am praying you are doing fine. Gloria37
Thank you Gloria. I am also deciding whether or not to use high dose medical marijuana since the low dose didn’t help. I am a little concerned because it says it can lower your blood pressure and sometimes my pressure goes low without taking anything. Put a call into my doctor and I have a feeling he will say no or tell me to come in to see him. Meanwhile the pain seems worse since I am tapering off Lyrica. it didn’t help my pain at 300mg and the pain doctor said going higher wouldn’t help. I am so tempted to just try the marijuana but will just have to wait to hear from the doc.
I’m doing really well thank you. How are you doing?
My pain took a long time to go but i’m very lucky it worked