How many of us believe that their stressful life might have caused us this pain. Hmmm Ask my mother and she will say that my stressful life.... Two horrible marriages, a sick infant who needed surgery at 2 weeks old then again at 8 months old. Me having Uterine Cancer in 2004 at age 40.... And then this horrible TN2 pain. I am not a crazy nut but according to my mother my stress is sometimes a bit out of control. I have since took charge of myself and nothing changes with pain levels. I mean wouldn't anyone be stressed after going through all this. My friends agree. Any comments? just trying to see if we are more prone to it because of our stressful situations.
Oh God, you poor thing! Do you ever go looking for that black cat you trod on? Or regret breaking that mirror? In all seriousness but I think I agree with you. I've only had the one marriage break up but I've been alone now for over 25 years. All that time spent working crappy jobs for crappy money with no holidays or sick pay. Add to this a couple of other chronic health conditions and life's been a blast!!
There is no way that all that life throws up at you can't have an effect on you! Stress is the only feeling I know.
Funny you mention the Black Cat. I have one. lol
I know stress makes my pain worse when I am having bad days, but it often hits when things are calm. I got TN at a time in my life that was going very well, I have had TN 10 years. Did ave 2 bad marriages years ago, but feel blessed it all led me to meet my hubby who is the best. Now speaking of stress...my hubby was in the hospital 2 1/2 years starting in July 2010, he had a leg amputated, lost 40% of other foot, in kidney failure, diabetic, and now in a wheelchair....so safe to say the last 4 years have been nothing but stress, he is only 52 and lost the job he dearly loved and will never be able to do again. I am his only caregiver, family and friends have jumped ship! But through it all the TN is just as it was before all this coming and going when it wants. I sure do have my pity party days, I know we all do, but hang in there, you have been through a lot and be good to you! And I do have a black cat, lol, I also have 2 white cats and a brown cat, so that should cancel out the black effect, right? :) This is a good place to talk and vent, that always helps stress. Thiking of you.
Betsy
"Oh God, you poor thing! Do you ever go looking for that black cat you trod on? " Oh, sorry, but this cracked me up. It had a ring of truth in it, too. My son is convinced we are practically cursed, but, I, personally believe that while life HAS been tough, it has been very good, as well. Stress has not necessarily caused my TN, but anything that excites the nervous system WILL bring it out of hiding, and that includes stress of all kinds. So, does it cause it? I don't think so. But it sure fans the flames. Oh, and I adore cats. I have four, but I used to do rescue, so there was often a "kitten in every port"...rather room of the house.
Hi Lauren,
You have been through a lot in your life time. Stress, anxiety and lack of sleep are my biggest triggers.
I too have gone through quite a lot with family, sickness, loss and being a very busy single momma. I am prone to anxiety and am working very hard to get past it. Having an invisible and undiagnosable illness really does add to the stress and anxiety. When I look back over my flair ups and most painful times they do go hand in hand with difficult times in my life.
But I do have to say that the TN does what it wants, when it wants regardless of what I do or don't do. If TN were that easy to get rid of we would all be cured. People do not understand the pain that we endure and that it changes who you are as a person. It changes everything. It is frightening and very isolating.
TN runs in my family so I am lucky in that my family understands what I am going through much more than most would.
Being on my own with a young daughter also adds to my concern. I do not have the time or the luxury to succumb to illness or be heavily medicated (sometimes I wish I was!). It is exhausting at times but I am thankful for my busy little life because it is what keeps me going every day :)
OK. Now I'm seeing a conection between cats and TN. I share my house with 6 of them including a black one. All research can now cease!! I've cracked this case wide open! Now who do I speak to about a research grant?
Catwomen I wouldn’t know but I’m glad someone figured it out. I love my boy Shinobi. He’s been through hell and back. Almost lost him from frontline. Effected his nervous system. Oh boy what a mess. Thank god they detox him and his been fine since. Happened a few yrs back. I was a wreck. Talk about more stress. Hope everyone has a great weekend.
I had no idea Frontline could do that. I’ve not had a problem with it but that is scary. My little dog is sensitive, after reading this, I’m going to be really careful with these treatments. Thank you! So glad your pet is ok!
Daryla I thought Frontline was supposed to be a good thing! Forget the fact the stuff doesn't actually kill fleas it's not supposed to kill your pet! I almost lost my black cat Mickey from cystitis. $1000 later he's fine. In fact he's been fine now for 7 years but still refuses to eat anything other than the hideously expensive vet food he no longer needs!!
Stress and cats, it's crystal clear people.
I’m glad a had a good emergency place to take him too. My brothers dog couldn’t use the frontline either. No wonder they refunded my money back so fast. Vet bill was over 2,000.00. Didn’t matter my kitty was ok.
Lauren, I’ve had very Atypical facial pain for 8 years. For 6 of those years the pain came once a month. Weird - like clockwork. Took pain meds and lived my life normally during the episodes. The 2 years ago BOOM!! Major nonstop extreme stress. During that time (still ongoing) my pain episodes went from monthly to every couple of weeks to weelkly to DAILY for the past 2 years. All in a matter of a coue of months. My pain management Dr. explained that the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline aren’t meant to flood the system and brain at high levels for long extended periods. When chronic severe stress causes that to happen, they actually cause the brain to malfunction! It starts to “misfire” pain signals ALL THE TIME. In my case, an intermittent bearable pain condition went from an inconvenience to complete debilitation. And no meds work for my pain except opiate pain meds plus Imitrex. But taking them EVERY DAY for 2 years and counting is probably killing my organs. But I have no choice. So, I don’t think the stress you experienced CAUSED the TN, I think it did make it a CHRONIC pain condition. Long-term stress definitely changes the brain. It’s visible on MRIs. As if the STRESS isn’t bad enough, BRAIN MALFUNCTIONING too!! I banking on the stress someday ending and the pain situation improving as a result. I HAVE to hold onto that. Stay strong. Things just might get better.
I'm not surprised by what your pain mgmt doctor said about cortisol and adrenaline. I had (have) long term stress for years, non-relenting with the exception of 1-2 week vacations from work. Two years ago I went to an acupuncturist who listened to what I was going thru and from my first visit noticed changes. I actually dropped over 20 lbs. within a couple of months without trying. I was overweight, particularly in my middle. The first night I actually slept. Unfortunately, I did not change my environment so it has been a battle. The weight came all back with the increase of gabapentin and the stress of a work injury and working full time through it all.
you couldn't have explain it better. My mother said the same thing. I try now not to stress anymore but damage is done. ZeldasSis said:
Lauren, I've had very Atypical facial pain for 8 years. For 6 of those years the pain came once a month. Weird - like clockwork. Took pain meds and lived my life normally during the episodes. The 2 years ago BOOM!! Major nonstop extreme stress. During that time (still ongoing) my pain episodes went from monthly to every couple of weeks to weelkly to DAILY for the past 2 years. All in a matter of a coue of months. My pain management Dr. explained that the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline aren't meant to flood the system and brain at high levels for long extended periods. When chronic severe stress causes that to happen, they actually cause the brain to malfunction! It starts to "misfire" pain signals ALL THE TIME. In my case, an intermittent bearable pain condition went from an inconvenience to complete debilitation. And no meds work for my pain except opiate pain meds plus Imitrex. But taking them EVERY DAY for 2 years and counting is probably killing my organs. But I have no choice. So, I don't think the stress you experienced CAUSED the TN, I think it did make it a CHRONIC pain condition. Long-term stress definitely changes the brain. It's visible on MRIs. As if the STRESS isn't bad enough, BRAIN MALFUNCTIONING too!! I banking on the stress someday ending and the pain situation improving as a result. I HAVE to hold onto that. Stay strong. Things just might get better.
My mom is always telling me the same thing. I just need to relax! When I had my first ever attack, I was a stay-at-home mommy, with one in school and one at home. Nothing really too stressful going on. Not saying my life was perfect but it wasn't bad either! When my second attack hit, almost 3 yrs later, we had became foster parents and had 3 months of living hell with our first placement! Attachment disorders and fetal alcohol and drug exposure are nothing to mess around with!! By the time the attack hit though it was all starting to even out. We were really starting to get into a grove and things were looking up. So, no, I really don't think it is the stress. I am VERY thankful that in my most stressful times it does seem to stay away!! (For me anyway!!)
Lauren, I forgot to add that I am on anti anxiety meds to TRY to reduce those stress hormones flooding my brain. But they don’t do the job in my case. But you might want to try them. Might work better for you. My stress is of the acute & chronic type - sooo bad no med will help alleviate it. I now have to focus on somehow “undoing” the damage the stress hormones did and are still doing to my brain malfunctioning. No Dr. yet has any clue how to do that.
I believe 100% that stress caused my TN. The very first twinges appeared at the same time my husband was re-diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer, and we found out he had to have a major surgery to relieve a gastric blockage. I thought at first it was a tooth that needed a root canal, and after dealing with that annoying pain fora month, went to an endodontist who saw absolutely nothing. As my husband's illness got worse and I was responsible for his care in and out of the hospital and with a feeding tube, a gastric tube and a biliary drain in addition to starting chemo and healing from surgery, I was also responsible for taking care of our three girls - the oldest at that time was 3 1/2 and our twins were 16 months. After my husband died (August 2012) the pain became debilitating and I was finally diagnosed after a few episodes of electric pain that sent me crumpling to the floor. Medicine worked the first time to send it into remission a few months later, and now, at almost exactly the same time of year that my husband became very ill, the TN has resurfaced. This also coincided with a lot of other events in my life that I believe are causing me stress. My theory is that stress got me here, and if I can figure out how to unwind and reduce the stress and manage it better, I can help reduce the TN. I hope. And, I don't have any cats; never did and probably never will, although I do like them.
Lauren, my explanation of what my pain mgt Dr said about chronic stress and its effect on the brain and on our Facial Pain from the “misfiring of pain signals” WASN’T MEANT FOR YOU TO FEEL HOPELESS!! You say, “the damage is done.” I say “I REFUSE TO ALLOW THIS OUTSIDE STRESS TO DO PERMANENT DAMAGE TO MY BRAIN!!!” And you should believe the same. I BELIEVE once the stress is under control, my brain will eventually REVERT BACK TO NORMAL!! Believe with me. Don’t feel doomed.
Zeldassis. I’m hoping maybe mine can revert back to normal. That’s all anyone of us can hope for aside for a cure.