Just had something weird happen and wondered if anyone else had this. Was laying back on my recliner, talking on the phone, and laughed. Big mistake - I guess my nerves/blood vessels didn’t like a big laugh while I was laying down. Instantly my body had a “panic attack” - chills, sweats, skipped heartbeats, it felt like my blood pressure went through the roof - you know the routine!! THEN, I felt the bad electrical pad pain in my cheek. It was if my body knew the pain was coming before I actually felt it. I went into my “survival” mode - hot rice bag, warm bed, warm room, music, etc. We all have our survival tricks!! Fortunately it didn’t get as bad as I know it can, it is still numb (OK, who put dry ice on my face???). Anyone else have strange body things happen before you feel the pain? Thanks - Susan
Mine aren’t as severe as yours, but I have had “warning” signs before some of my attacks (not all of them, unfortunately!). Usually it’s a tic in the corner of my right eye, which slowly turns in to a full right side facial tic. The sooner I start my survival tricks, the better off I am!
Sorry to be so delayed in finding your posting, Sue. I hope you have reported this incident to your primary care physician by now? Although these symptoms are rare in face pain patients, they are sometimes associated with compressions of the Vagal nerve by blood vessels. The Vagal nerve controls heart rate and has an influence on blood pressure. Please inquire with your doctor if you need to be evaluated by a cardiologist.Come back and tell us what feedback you get.
Regards and best,
Red
Hi Red, thanks for the response. I think I am just having regular panic attacks, as I don’t have them when I have no pain - for example, they started three years ago with back pain, then went awayas the pain stopped. Started again with stomach pain, then went away, as the pain stopped, then started again with the TN. Mine is post-herpetic TN, and if I can get up to 600 mg Gabapentin and get rid of the pain I should be over them. Nothing shows up as any abnormality in my brain. My doctor wants me to stay on just .25 mg of Xanax a day, along with the Gabapentin. Hopefully someday I will know what it feels like to feel “normal.”
Richard A. “Red” Lawhern said:
Sorry to be so delayed in finding your posting, Sue. I hope you have reported this incident to your primary care physician by now? Although these symptoms are rare in face pain patients, they are sometimes associated with compressions of the Vagal nerve by blood vessels. The Vagal nerve controls heart rate and has an influence on blood pressure. Please inquire with your doctor if you need to be evaluated by a cardiologist.Come back and tell us what feedback you get.
Regards and best,
Red