I’m miserable guys, just done. I’ve had a lot of right sided pain the last few days. My pain management told me to just “double up” my typical dose for my back. It was a nurse practitioner that told me that and I know the doc would not be happy about that. It does work, kinda ( it will take the edge off for about 3 hours maybe less) so of course in order to ward off this hellish pain I was taking my Norco since it was helping. But, I’m foggy, nodding off,nauseas, just yuck. I can’t function like this! Uggghhh! Called my neuro and started crying. Told her I will see the surgeon, I can’t take this anymore. 
She referred me to a surgeon for a consult and ordered lidocaine patches ( she said to hell with my unavailable pain doc) Of course they weren’t covered by my part D :-/ I’m sitting here hoping it works because I’m so sick of the Norco literally. I’m tired guys, I’m just exhausted physically and mentally. Do the patches work well? I’m praying they do because the Norco is wearing off and I do not want to take it again. Sigh
Yes…make sure generic!!
Dont pay full price…make sure your doc made it possible for generic… Helps manny for up to 12 hours
Do you have an MVD surgeon in mind!?
Did you look at the doctors tab here for our favorite surgeons?
We’ ask for the generic next time KC. She’s sending me to a Gamma Knife guy. I’m still so ignorant to all of this. While I know what GK is I don’t know the general concensous if it’s good or bad? Hella less invasive for sure. I don’t want to make this worse though. uggghhh
Suggestions?
Oh crap… Please dont do gamma if you want a better outcome on MVD
you have to realllly research gamma… Go to the groups here and read allll you can about gamma group.
Its now more for those who cant do two days in hospital for MVD
OR FOR THOSE who cannot do MVD for elderly, etc.
The outcomes of it
Are way
scarrier than the MVD I had.
Read, ask, learn, repeat… Keep lidocaine on and find out what is best for you!
Dont jump into gamma please.
Also look at the post called
success stories.
Most all with good MVD… Don’t come here anymore…
Im giving back, and giving hope!
You’re kidding me sigh Well, I’m reading Striking Back’s section on Gamma now aw man. Panic attack coming right up. I need this pain to let up so I can simply read Took me an hour to get through the instructions for the patch :/.
I know, to combat that… I had neuro give me one bottle of low dose ritalin to focus on my MVD research!
AND whatever the 2004 Striking back says about gamma and mvd , are TEN years old
Gamma worse since then
MVD gained good %
at long term remission
How long does it usually take a patch to kick in? It’s getting bad again and I don’t think the patch is doing anything I may just take the Norco and try to sleep… I’m so tired
Yes sleep now… Should take a few min. For patch
Okay, yes. Have to sleep. I’ve been up and down all night for three days My mind is mush. I will start my research tomorrow KC. Thank you so much hon. I’m scared to death of an MVD but I want success not more problems or permenant issues Night guys.
Wash your hands carefully after touching the lidocaine patches and don't get the gooey part in your eyes because it could be irritating. You might wind up having to tape it on if you cut the patch into little pieces. Just don't cover it completely with tape.
I hope you feel better after some rest. As others have said MVD has a high success rate. My surgeon does not do Gamma. He doesn't think the success rate is high enough.
I just started the patches two weeks ago & it took a few hours to help the first night, but they are helping me quite a bit at night to sleep now.
I hope you feel better!
For some reason I cannot get to the groups via mobile
I had Gamma and it saved my life.Will it last forever?I have no idea,but i will never regret doing it.Pain/med free since 9-13.Had it done in July and got relief immediately.It took the couple months to leave completely.I do agree MVD is the best solution,but it wasn't a good option for me.Good luck and try to find a way to relax.Tension is the worse thing for TN.
My 1st gamma knife was a success - 2nd one 4 years later was not. I wish I had done the mvd first because the two other procedures lowered my chances for success and I’m back on meds 6 mos post mvd. However if you aren’t a candidate for mvd GK offers a chance for relief. Good luck and feel better!
What makes someone a good candidate for mvd?
It's more a question of what makes a bad candidate.In my case i had/have? a AVM that had already been treated with radiation(Cyberknife).The hope was it would shrink and stop pressing the Trigeminol nerve.I thought it had,but the pain came back severely.My hope is the original plan is still working as the cyberknife can take up to 3 years to do it's job fully.Every case is different.Find your own best solution,or at least do your best.
Cherri, I don’t have any answers like the others do, but all I can say is that TN causes great physical and emotional pain and I hope tomorrow will be a better day. That’s all I got.
Hi there, I am so sorry you're a rough time of it. These last three days have been really tough for me too. It seems like the pain has let up at all on my left side. I can't even allow the pillow to touch that side now. Anyway, I have an MVD coming up in June. I've done a lot of research and have decided that this was the best approach for me. The doc says 75-85% sucess rate going out ten years and so does the research. The Gamma Knife has a less than 50% sucess rate and the side effects can be terrible.
Please listen to KC and reseached research research...it's the best tool we have in this fight...Good luck and painfree days
I am so sorry Cherri, I feel your pain - no pun intended. I have tears running down my face as I type. The pain is soooo frigin bad. I have no idea about the lidocaine patches, it is norco for me. I guess I just wanted you to know that some body fully understands the pain, frustration and agony that you are going through. Vent baby vent. If only venting made us feel better. So sorry lovie, hang in there and I will hang in there with you.