Hi there, this is the first time that I have responded to a message on the Living with TN forum as I am based in England and assumed it was US related. However, I find that the questions (and responses given) are so practical and relevant (as TN is not georgraphic!) that I wanted to respond. I am a huge believer that TN worsens with stress. For me … during the time of stress I seemed to cope but a few week’s afterwards I usually have a major TN crisis and even my 2,000 dosage of tegretol per day doesn’t do anything. I had TN for 6 years … the last two years have been unbearable. So, yes … for me stress is a massive factor. But, I found myself getting stressed out at the pain which of course made the pain worse. You are not alone … this is a horrible condition. I would say that in June of this year I had an MVD and I have been pain free (a few twinges) … apart from deafness for 13 weeks on right side I am delighted with the result!!
it was explained to me stress doesnt cause nerve pain but it sure aggravates it. When you are in pain your whole body is trying to deal with what is going on so it makes your adrenal glands work very hard and than your body can only deal with so much so your need extract support to protect adrenal gland function and immunity too. also when you are stressed your muscles tighten so it is like my TMJ is worse neck gets stiff etc. stress if very hard on us.
i am reading about the best natural supplement to support my body having two neurological conditions. Now that i am on a more balanced plain of pain with few huge flare ups i want to keep it this way. i do take vitamin b stress complex and krill oil and vitamin d. but am going to try and find something to PREVENT any more of this pain and stress.
blesssings for pain free days!
I seem to clench my teeth (I've been a grinder for years) and rub or press my tongue along the side that hurts (I suppose the way you rub your knee to soothe the pain there). I try hard not to do it but sometimes the constant "awareness" makes the pain unbearable. I'm lucky because what I have seems to be neurological but not nearly as intense as some on this board.
floss61 said:
I find this too. I think it's to do with involuntary clenching my jaw, affecting the muscles and therefore the nerves, but I am no doctor! I find I then get into a vicious circle as I become stressed about being stressed!
Another thing I have realised is that certain movements like bending down to put in shoes, increase my pain and gives me that sickening feeling all over my face. Only answer I have found is to ask for help, embarrassing but a lot less painful!
Wow! I just opened the LTN site to ask that very question because there is a huge connection to my pain level and stress. In fact, it is one of my strongest triggers, or at least one of the most consistent ones. In the middle of a difficult conversation with my husband this morning, WHAM, the electric shock pain slammed me from my hairline through my eye and down through my teeth. It nearly brought me to my knees so now I’m in, what I call, “Bat Cave Mode”. I expect you all know it…the dark room, no stimulation, no talking, no moving your head, no bending down, no loud sounds or light…? One of the most difficult things for me is how to relate that stress=pain relationship to people without sounding like a hypochondriac. As absolutly medically real as it is, and my Neurologists have all confirmed it, I know that it sounds like a convenient excuse to everyone else.
You are sorely misinformed if you believe that addiction (whether to meth, cocaine, or alcohol) is not a disease. I spent many, many hours in the office of a renowned MD/PhD addiction specialist with my alcoholic ex, learning about his disease and its devastating effects. Please do some research and you will learn that addiction is a neurologically based disease. http://www.medical-online.com/addict.htm
Jimmy Works said:
Jenna, I was not referring to sufferers of a disorder as self delusional. I think if you re-read it I said society tends to do that. Or better still, some people in society. I think I'm referring to those people who tend to come in as an "expert" on tv talk shows, albeit with good intentions, and a desire to help the suffers of various and different issues. I did not say the sufferer was self-delusional. I meant those who label a drug addict (for example a meth user, crack, heroin, etc etc) as having a disease. A disease? I don't think so. My thinking is a disease is something you catch from germs, bacteria, or viruses, etc. A disorder is something that is out of the normal range of development. Those things I said were not, IMO, disorders or diseases. Especially not a disease. I'm sorry you understood that I meant other than just what I said. I can see this topic could easily drift off in a direction not appropriate for this website. We're all TN sufferers. We have enough to contend with. Have a blessed and pain free day to all.
JennaC said:To Jimmy Works
Your comments about the possible virus connection and confirming the stress connection are interesting. Thanks for sharing that. The last sentence in your post added to my stress though:
..." Its a weird and dreaded disorder or disease... Is it a disorder or disease. Of course, nowadays our society calls everything a disease (out of self-delusional reasons, in my opinion) - such as alcoholism, drug addiction, ADHD, self-defeating lifestyles, and on and on."
Those of us with TN have had enough medical professionals tell us there's nothing wrong - go see a psychiatrist... Please don't do the same thing to others suffering with other issues by labeling them "self-delusional. Living with ADD my entire life has been just as hard as living with recently diagnosed TN is now. TN isn't the only "suicide" disease. A recent study showed suicide rates were nearly five times higher in adults who had childhood ADHD http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2013/03/04/adhd-reaches-beyond-childh... This is a great community and we're all here to encourage each other. Let's stick to doing that.
Thanks to everyone for the information and encouragement. Wishing us all painfree days.
Wow. I too have TN2 -- 24/7, bilateral, building-in-intensity pain. I had a remission of several years in my late 20s/early 30s. It's now decades later. My new neurologist said it makes no difference to him whether I have AFP or TN2 because he would prescribe the same med. And, you know, as curt as he was, the Elavil that my long-time rheumatologist prescribed when I was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia is still, along with Xanax, the only combo that has worked for me. I am - I hate to say it - resigned to the pain, despite the fact that it is a horror show. I worry about other health conditions now and also about how I will handle the pain as I continue to age. I am fortunate for the relief I get now, especially when I read posts from people who have found nothing. If I were to take no meds, I couldn't imagine functioning in any way.
Thankfully, I did get disability...and despite having a doctor who knew what kind of pain I was in, I got it for depression. The last hurdle included an appt. with a shrink here in town and I just opened up and let him have the full measure of me on a bad day. Finally, he said "you've got too much going on here" and I got my benefits. I would strongly advise using a lawyer to handle the document end. As it turned out my lawyer had a good rep with the local SS office. As sloppy as I thought she was, she got it done for me without an appeal. If you don't get benefits, you don't owe her a thing. But I can't say what your chances are without a psychological history. Or guarantee you will ever get the chance to tell a real doctor working for SS what kind of depression you have, namely, the very painful kind.
Granny said:
thehoward, your response to this pain even if you do get a dx for TN, you are so right, the neuro's really don't know what causes it, they just follow the protocol for meds for nerve pain. I even have a pain management doctor that prescribed some narcotic but I have other chronic pain problems with failed back surgery that it is also being prescribed for. I have a suspect blood vessel but it was ruled out although I have googled this and found it could be causing my left sided pain, however I am ATN type 2 and I have pain on both sides 24/7. I did have remission from this for over 20 years and think I have a better chance of going into remission again than a cure being found. In fact, my neuro's PA even stated it but also gave me that look of do you need to talk to someone as it is all in my head. Even if a neurosurgeon offered MVD for me I would not do it as I have been told by one of the neurosurgeons from this site at a teaching hospital being referred to by my neuro that thought I might benefit from RF said, "I don't want to make you worse." He only does MVD for true type 1 TN.
I have been on another page discussing PNS, peripheral nerve stimulation, an invasive but irreversible implanting of leads under the skin, not at the nerve roots, so no damage to nerves, but just stimulation over the areas of the face where you are having pain. I have had a spinal cord stimulator for cervical pain, so I can somewhat imagine how it works, only my arm and hand pain was stimulated. I get really jealous of those that write in and get complete remission from MVD, some are type 2 and those that respond to meds like tegretol which I can not tolerate. I also have a history of tmj with surgery so I have been told the TN nerve is 1 mm away from the tmj joint by an ENT that was very sympathetic to my pain but did say this surgery is brain surgery with a lot of apprehension.
I have been coming to this site for 2 years now, no cure yet for me, but lots of genuine support and so many other treatment options out there. But I searched for a year, drove out of town 2 times, and have settled down to just knowing I do have better days and better hours of the day and I am going with that. I do get meds, they are helpful some of the time. I do not get the stabbing electric-shock like pain so many sufferers have, some get remission between attacks but I don't think I would trade my 24/7 building in intensity pain for that pain that does come in attacks and then goes away. Sharon
HOWARD THANK YOU. THANKS TO ANYONE PUTTING IN THE TIME. I HAVE HEARD THAT SOME PEOPLE DON'T GET DISABILITY UNTIL IT HAS TO DO WITH THE DEPRESSION. I DO NEED A LAWYER. I WAS SO DISCOURAGED WITH MY LAST DENIAL THAT I THROUGH IT AGAINST THE WALL AND SOBBED. I HAVEN'T BEE ABLE TO PUT GLASSES ON MY FACE OR READ A BOOK IN TOW YEARS. THJE PAIN ACROSS MY NOSE, CHEEK, AND THEN BEHIND THE DREADED RIGHT EAR IS OVER AND ABOVE TEN PAIN. I WORK IN RETAIL WHERE I'M STOCKING SHELVES, READING A COMPUTER REGISTER, DEALING WITH MONEY AND SELLING/CUSTOMER SERVICE. I HAVE APPLIED FOR J OBS HOPING I COULD DO IT. I'M SO TIRED OF DEPENDING ON FAMILY, AND I DO GET SOME MONEY FROM THE STATE BUT IT'S FOR FOOD AND I PAY MY SISTER FOR RENT. I HAVE TO GIVE UP ALL OF FURNITUIRE AND JUST LEAVE MY PLACE AND MOVE IN HERE A MONTH AGO IN A SMALL ROOM. I HAVE TOLD S.SECURITY ALL OF THESE THINGS. I'VE WORKED HARD ALL MY LIFE, RAISED MY DAUGHTER AS A SINGLE MOM, I LOVED BEING OUT THERE IN LIFE WITH PEOPLE. NOT ALWAYS THE PUBLIC. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU WORK CUSTOMER SERVICE. LOL ANYWAY, I MOVED TO SACRAMENTO AREA IN AUG. IT TOOK TWO MONS TO SEE A PRIMARY DOCTOR FOR A N. REFERRAL. THE DOCTOR WOULDN'T REFILL THE PERCOCET. I HAD TO CALL MY PREVIOUS N. AND MAY HAVE TO TRY THAT AGAIN. BECAUSE THE NEW N. I SAW AFTER WAITING FOR THREE MONTHS NOESN'T DO "PAIN" MANAGEMENT AS HE PUT IT. HE DOES INJECTIONS. I AM SUPPOSED TO GO IN ON THE 30TH FOR BOTOX/MIGRAINE TYPE I NJECTIONS. I'M TRYING TO BE OPEN TO IT BUT HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND THAT THERE IS NO REAL PROOF OF BENEFIT FOR T.N. OF ANY TYPE. SO NOW I'D LIKE TO GET OFF OF PERCOCET BUT I HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING. ANYWAY, I APPRECIATE YOUR IMPUT BECAUSE MAYBE IT'S TIME FOR ME TO GO THE A PYCIATRIST AND FILL THE KLEENEX BOX. MY SISTER IS DIVORCED AND DATING SHE'S LOST WEIGHT, IS RUNNING AROUND DRESSED TO THE NINES, FULL OF LIFE AND ENERGY AT 52. I'M TRYING NOT TO SHOW HOW SICK I AM BECAUSE SHE LIVED WITH A NEGATIVE , DEPESSED MAN FOR 13 YRS. SO POSITIVE IT IS. I LIVED AND WORKED IN YOSEMITE N. PARK AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE. I'VE HIKED, BIKED, WALKED, DANCED, LIVED, WORKED, AND LOVED MY SUMMERS, AND BREEZES, OUTDOORS, AND AS MUCH AS I TRY TO RETURN TO SOME IMAGE OF MY FORMER SELF, IT'S JUST MORE HARD WORK, AND SO UNAUTHENTIC. WELL THIS IS PERSONAL STUFF AND I GUESS I CAN SEE WHY FINDING A PROFESSIONAL TO TALK WITH MIGHT HELP IN SOME WAY. I READ IN ONE WILPEDIA SITE ABOUT T.N. AND HIGHLIGHTED SO MUCH OF IT THAT PERTAINED TO ME. BUT THE WHOLE CONCEPT THAT IT GENERALLY AFFECTS WOMEN OVER 50 DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. THAT MAKES IT A WHAT "FEMALE" THING?? I HAD A SEVERE SHINGLES OUT BREAK. SOME EPISODES REMIND ME OF THAT PAIN. ONE DOCTOR THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS PART OF THE "CAUSE". IN THE LONG RUN WHO CARES ANYMORE ABOUT CAUSES. I WANT A SOLUTION. IF I HAVE A NERVE THAT HAS FRAYED SO TO SPEAK THEN TRAIN SURGEONG TO GO IN AND RECONNECT. LOOK AT WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR HEART DECEASE, AND BRAIN ISSUES. I'd LIKE TO SEE I ANYONE HERE IN OUR SUPPORT FAMILY HAS USED BOTOX TYPE INJECTIONS THEY DO EVERY 3 MONTHS WITH ANY RESULTS?
Debbie Day, I am sure much has happened between the time I read an article in Vanity Fair about Irena Medavoy, wife of Hollywood producer, Mike Medavoy. She received botox injections to treat migraines several years ago at a time when this was an off-purpose use of the drug. I encourage you to google Irena Medavoy Botox. There was a lawsuit brought, but I don't know the outcome. But because you are seeing new docs, I'm sure you would want to do due diligence on the topic. Hope this helps in some small way.
I used Social Security Advocates. They even help with the initial application. I was recommended to them by Hartford insurance, who works with them. They have a 98% win record. Go to SSLG.com.
Yeah, my CP is related to Burning Mouth Syndrome - I'm not even sure if it is related to TN. It affects mostly women, mostly post-menopausal, over 50 years old. Check, check, and check. Wish the lottery was slanted like that.
Debbie Day said:
HOWARD THANK YOU. THANKS TO ANYONE PUTTING IN THE TIME. I HAVE HEARD THAT SOME PEOPLE DON'T GET DISABILITY UNTIL IT HAS TO DO WITH THE DEPRESSION. I DO NEED A LAWYER. I WAS SO DISCOURAGED WITH MY LAST DENIAL THAT I THROUGH IT AGAINST THE WALL AND SOBBED. I HAVEN'T BEE ABLE TO PUT GLASSES ON MY FACE OR READ A BOOK IN TOW YEARS. THJE PAIN ACROSS MY NOSE, CHEEK, AND THEN BEHIND THE DREADED RIGHT EAR IS OVER AND ABOVE TEN PAIN. I WORK IN RETAIL WHERE I'M STOCKING SHELVES, READING A COMPUTER REGISTER, DEALING WITH MONEY AND SELLING/CUSTOMER SERVICE. I HAVE APPLIED FOR J OBS HOPING I COULD DO IT. I'M SO TIRED OF DEPENDING ON FAMILY, AND I DO GET SOME MONEY FROM THE STATE BUT IT'S FOR FOOD AND I PAY MY SISTER FOR RENT. I HAVE TO GIVE UP ALL OF FURNITUIRE AND JUST LEAVE MY PLACE AND MOVE IN HERE A MONTH AGO IN A SMALL ROOM. I HAVE TOLD S.SECURITY ALL OF THESE THINGS. I'VE WORKED HARD ALL MY LIFE, RAISED MY DAUGHTER AS A SINGLE MOM, I LOVED BEING OUT THERE IN LIFE WITH PEOPLE. NOT ALWAYS THE PUBLIC. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU WORK CUSTOMER SERVICE. LOL ANYWAY, I MOVED TO SACRAMENTO AREA IN AUG. IT TOOK TWO MONS TO SEE A PRIMARY DOCTOR FOR A N. REFERRAL. THE DOCTOR WOULDN'T REFILL THE PERCOCET. I HAD TO CALL MY PREVIOUS N. AND MAY HAVE TO TRY THAT AGAIN. BECAUSE THE NEW N. I SAW AFTER WAITING FOR THREE MONTHS NOESN'T DO "PAIN" MANAGEMENT AS HE PUT IT. HE DOES INJECTIONS. I AM SUPPOSED TO GO IN ON THE 30TH FOR BOTOX/MIGRAINE TYPE I NJECTIONS. I'M TRYING TO BE OPEN TO IT BUT HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND THAT THERE IS NO REAL PROOF OF BENEFIT FOR T.N. OF ANY TYPE. SO NOW I'D LIKE TO GET OFF OF PERCOCET BUT I HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING. ANYWAY, I APPRECIATE YOUR IMPUT BECAUSE MAYBE IT'S TIME FOR ME TO GO THE A PYCIATRIST AND FILL THE KLEENEX BOX. MY SISTER IS DIVORCED AND DATING SHE'S LOST WEIGHT, IS RUNNING AROUND DRESSED TO THE NINES, FULL OF LIFE AND ENERGY AT 52. I'M TRYING NOT TO SHOW HOW SICK I AM BECAUSE SHE LIVED WITH A NEGATIVE , DEPESSED MAN FOR 13 YRS. SO POSITIVE IT IS. I LIVED AND WORKED IN YOSEMITE N. PARK AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE. I'VE HIKED, BIKED, WALKED, DANCED, LIVED, WORKED, AND LOVED MY SUMMERS, AND BREEZES, OUTDOORS, AND AS MUCH AS I TRY TO RETURN TO SOME IMAGE OF MY FORMER SELF, IT'S JUST MORE HARD WORK, AND SO UNAUTHENTIC. WELL THIS IS PERSONAL STUFF AND I GUESS I CAN SEE WHY FINDING A PROFESSIONAL TO TALK WITH MIGHT HELP IN SOME WAY. I READ IN ONE WILPEDIA SITE ABOUT T.N. AND HIGHLIGHTED SO MUCH OF IT THAT PERTAINED TO ME. BUT THE WHOLE CONCEPT THAT IT GENERALLY AFFECTS WOMEN OVER 50 DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. THAT MAKES IT A WHAT "FEMALE" THING?? I HAD A SEVERE SHINGLES OUT BREAK. SOME EPISODES REMIND ME OF THAT PAIN. ONE DOCTOR THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS PART OF THE "CAUSE". IN THE LONG RUN WHO CARES ANYMORE ABOUT CAUSES. I WANT A SOLUTION. IF I HAVE A NERVE THAT HAS FRAYED SO TO SPEAK THEN TRAIN SURGEONG TO GO IN AND RECONNECT. LOOK AT WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR HEART DECEASE, AND BRAIN ISSUES. I'd LIKE TO SEE I ANYONE HERE IN OUR SUPPORT FAMILY HAS USED BOTOX TYPE INJECTIONS THEY DO EVERY 3 MONTHS WITH ANY RESULTS?
You are going thru hell. I hope you have a health plan that makes it possible to see a mental health pro. Last time I checked, being a site contributor doesn't carry weight with SS. You should have a mental health care component that is uncapped if it is Obamacare-compliant. Co-pays, though, are a fact of life.
Do the women here really feel dismissed by doctors who think of this as a women's disease thing? My God, if a guy comes in with a women's thing, is he more or less apt to be dismissed? I wonder: did I get it because I am in touch with my feminine side? My pain makes me want to cry, so sometimes I cry. My testosterone levels check out fine, though not much else does:) I've felt minimized, sure, but I tend to think it's a doctors can be arrogant assholes thing.
I know nothing more about botox injections except that my doctor asked me if I wanted to go around feeling numb all the time. At the time, it seemed like the appropriate answer was NO. Don't give up. You will find a drug combo that helps some, and some is a start. I am no doctor, but I think you start with the old standby, Elavil.
Debbie Day said:
HOWARD THANK YOU. THANKS TO ANYONE PUTTING IN THE TIME. I HAVE HEARD THAT SOME PEOPLE DON'T GET DISABILITY UNTIL IT HAS TO DO WITH THE DEPRESSION. I DO NEED A LAWYER. I WAS SO DISCOURAGED WITH MY LAST DENIAL THAT I THROUGH IT AGAINST THE WALL AND SOBBED. I HAVEN'T BEE ABLE TO PUT GLASSES ON MY FACE OR READ A BOOK IN TOW YEARS. THJE PAIN ACROSS MY NOSE, CHEEK, AND THEN BEHIND THE DREADED RIGHT EAR IS OVER AND ABOVE TEN PAIN. I WORK IN RETAIL WHERE I'M STOCKING SHELVES, READING A COMPUTER REGISTER, DEALING WITH MONEY AND SELLING/CUSTOMER SERVICE. I HAVE APPLIED FOR J OBS HOPING I COULD DO IT. I'M SO TIRED OF DEPENDING ON FAMILY, AND I DO GET SOME MONEY FROM THE STATE BUT IT'S FOR FOOD AND I PAY MY SISTER FOR RENT. I HAVE TO GIVE UP ALL OF FURNITUIRE AND JUST LEAVE MY PLACE AND MOVE IN HERE A MONTH AGO IN A SMALL ROOM. I HAVE TOLD S.SECURITY ALL OF THESE THINGS. I'VE WORKED HARD ALL MY LIFE, RAISED MY DAUGHTER AS A SINGLE MOM, I LOVED BEING OUT THERE IN LIFE WITH PEOPLE. NOT ALWAYS THE PUBLIC. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU WORK CUSTOMER SERVICE. LOL ANYWAY, I MOVED TO SACRAMENTO AREA IN AUG. IT TOOK TWO MONS TO SEE A PRIMARY DOCTOR FOR A N. REFERRAL. THE DOCTOR WOULDN'T REFILL THE PERCOCET. I HAD TO CALL MY PREVIOUS N. AND MAY HAVE TO TRY THAT AGAIN. BECAUSE THE NEW N. I SAW AFTER WAITING FOR THREE MONTHS NOESN'T DO "PAIN" MANAGEMENT AS HE PUT IT. HE DOES INJECTIONS. I AM SUPPOSED TO GO IN ON THE 30TH FOR BOTOX/MIGRAINE TYPE I NJECTIONS. I'M TRYING TO BE OPEN TO IT BUT HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND THAT THERE IS NO REAL PROOF OF BENEFIT FOR T.N. OF ANY TYPE. SO NOW I'D LIKE TO GET OFF OF PERCOCET BUT I HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING. ANYWAY, I APPRECIATE YOUR IMPUT BECAUSE MAYBE IT'S TIME FOR ME TO GO THE A PYCIATRIST AND FILL THE KLEENEX BOX. MY SISTER IS DIVORCED AND DATING SHE'S LOST WEIGHT, IS RUNNING AROUND DRESSED TO THE NINES, FULL OF LIFE AND ENERGY AT 52. I'M TRYING NOT TO SHOW HOW SICK I AM BECAUSE SHE LIVED WITH A NEGATIVE , DEPESSED MAN FOR 13 YRS. SO POSITIVE IT IS. I LIVED AND WORKED IN YOSEMITE N. PARK AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE. I'VE HIKED, BIKED, WALKED, DANCED, LIVED, WORKED, AND LOVED MY SUMMERS, AND BREEZES, OUTDOORS, AND AS MUCH AS I TRY TO RETURN TO SOME IMAGE OF MY FORMER SELF, IT'S JUST MORE HARD WORK, AND SO UNAUTHENTIC. WELL THIS IS PERSONAL STUFF AND I GUESS I CAN SEE WHY FINDING A PROFESSIONAL TO TALK WITH MIGHT HELP IN SOME WAY. I READ IN ONE WILPEDIA SITE ABOUT T.N. AND HIGHLIGHTED SO MUCH OF IT THAT PERTAINED TO ME. BUT THE WHOLE CONCEPT THAT IT GENERALLY AFFECTS WOMEN OVER 50 DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. THAT MAKES IT A WHAT "FEMALE" THING?? I HAD A SEVERE SHINGLES OUT BREAK. SOME EPISODES REMIND ME OF THAT PAIN. ONE DOCTOR THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS PART OF THE "CAUSE". IN THE LONG RUN WHO CARES ANYMORE ABOUT CAUSES. I WANT A SOLUTION. IF I HAVE A NERVE THAT HAS FRAYED SO TO SPEAK THEN TRAIN SURGEONG TO GO IN AND RECONNECT. LOOK AT WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR HEART DECEASE, AND BRAIN ISSUES. I'd LIKE TO SEE I ANYONE HERE IN OUR SUPPORT FAMILY HAS USED BOTOX TYPE INJECTIONS THEY DO EVERY 3 MONTHS WITH ANY RESULTS?
Hi Kim,
a friend of mine in the UK recently sent me these links and I wondered if they might be helpful to you too.
They are concerning the practise of mindfulness, which seems to be a therapy developing in popularity and success. The basic concept is that you focus so absolutely on the now, looking at and reaching out towards your pain, rather than trying to get away from it. You also focus on what else is going on in the immediate present... nice music playing, a beautiful view, being with friends etc. While it won't reduce the pain it makes it more manageable because the stress and fear ebbs when you can also focus on the good stuff.
Some of it I found up for debate but mostly I think it could be very helpful. I know for sure that as I have been trying to come down off my meds, the more positive and engaged in the moment that I am, the more manageable my pain is... even though it still hurts just as much.
It's late here in NZ and I'm pretty tired so I hope what I've written makes sense, and that these links are of help to you.
Go well.
Yes, specially when I get upset with my husband and start rasing my voice. My jaw gets tight and sharp pain goes thru my teeth and nose. There is a connection between stress and pain.
I completely agree with the pain being worse with stress. I notice that my pain increases while driving which is extremely stressful to me.
I completely agree with the pain being worse with stress. I notice that my pain increases while driving which is extremely stressful to me.
Hi Mimi,
I've noticed that I get especially sore when I raise my voice to my husband too. (He's the only one I get angry with, and the poor bugger gets a lot of anger he doesn't deserve but it has to come out somewhere... he gets that, thankfully). But I've also noticed that when I raise my voice, I open my mouth wider. I've learned to talk without opening my mouth too wide because smaller jaw movements are less likely to trigger a pain attack. Unfortunately when I yell and shout, that learning goes out the window, and I open my mouth REAL wide!! I guess we have to learn to be angry with gritted teeth... only not TOO gritted!
Or become saints and rise above it all. Hmmm... :-)
Just this Friday at work I was placed in to run 4 self checkout registers at a warehouse club (on Super Bowl weekend) . People roll up with a cart full of items that are too heavy for them to lift but they do no feel like standing in a regular line. Not to mention half the bakery items have to be hand entered by a cashier. I literally did not stop running from one register to another dealing with people who were annoyed they had to wait a few seconds. Grown men yelling at me because they did not want to move large items and I am a 5' woman. I made it through Friday okay but paid the price all night Friday night and all day yesterday. The pain is starting to wane today but I return to work tomorrow.
My pain yesterday was a stabbing in my ear, stabbing in the back (left side) of my head near brain stem, tingling lip, slight stabbing around eye.
Due to the constant chaos/stress my nervous system has been off and I can't settle it down. I have been fighting that battle for a couple of years now. Not sure if anyone else gets the same symptoms of nerves jumping throughout the body when you are trying to sleep?
I am facing this issue right now in a terrible way. I have been pretty much pain free from my TN for about four months. My dad passed away a few weeks ago suddenly from a heart attack. My siblings and I are left to deal with our grief and our ill mother. I have been experiencing high levels of anxiety, panic attacks and high blood pressure. Yesterday my TN pain reared its ugly head back into my life :( It has reminded me that I need to take care of myself above all else. Instead of rushing around, worrying about what my mother is enduring right now I need to heal myself first.
So very sorry for your loss. Take care of yourself first.....and hopefully your TN pain will abate quickly.
justjane37 said:
I am facing this issue right now in a terrible way. I have been pretty much pain free from my TN for about four months. My dad passed away a few weeks ago suddenly from a heart attack. My siblings and I are left to deal with our grief and our ill mother. I have been experiencing high levels of anxiety, panic attacks and high blood pressure. Yesterday my TN pain reared its ugly head back into my life :( It has reminded me that I need to take care of myself above all else. Instead of rushing around, worrying about what my mother is enduring right now I need to heal myself first.
Good point!
As a psychotherapist and somebody who has TN I can attest that stress can intensified face pain. It happens to me every day.. I get stressed. I get phantom tooth ache and aching pain all around my left eye ball