My eyes seem to be a constant source of triggers for me. I get triggered by backlit screens immediately (pc, tv, atm, phone...) as well as lamps and of course sunlight. Also, my new e-reader w/o backlight can trigger me when it changes page/screen, due to lots of black/white flashing and ghost imprints. Lately, just reading has sometimes been a problem. I have come to the conclusion that any strain seems to do it.
I cannot wear glasses to shade, they trigger me too (just got 7g titaniums -as bad as ever). In today's digital world, it is a bit of a handicap, and I have to ask unsympathetic people of help for anything. ("I have a handicap with screens, can you help me?" "Yes, but you can just do this and this to adjust it" $%&#!!!)
Anyone else? Do you have a good strategy? How do you entertain youself on bad days? Maybe I should start a solitaire-dependency. =D
Don’t give up! I to just recently realized that my love for reading has now has been limited to reading for about 30 minutes and you then take a 30 minute break. I also find that while having to wear reading glasses, it puts pressure underneath my temples down to my ears. And the glasses tend to rest on our cheekbones. Another trigger. It’s 's tempting to throw in the towel, but take breaks, and do whatever means necessary including alcohol injection in the trigeminal nerve if you are reaching a 9 or 10 on the pain scale. Don’t wait for breakthrough pain. you won’t make any sense to the attending nurse or physician, so have a pre printed out note from your neurologist or physician explaining that you have a debilitating neurological disorder, trigeminal neuralgia, and that you need immediate assistance. Your physician will sign this for you, but you can print it out yourself on the Internet. It will save you from having to wait in the ER for treatment, and they can get a neurologist to come and administer the injection. You will probably have immediate relief that will last you through out a couple of days without the severe raging pain that you are experiencing. Of course, you should discuss this plan of action with your DR. don’t wait for an emergency. an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure good luck to you! PS. I refuse to have any surgical procedure that could potentially damage the nerves one side of my face leaving me looking like I’ve had a stroke. I’ll wait until they come up with something a little more reliable. also, ask your doctor if they will prescribe Dronabinol. it works for me.
I have extreme light sensitivity when I have a flare up around my left eye. It took me a few months to realize that light will actually cause the flare up. I had to move my desk at work and have blinds installed. I wear my sun glasses everywhere and have to avoid fluorescent lights which is not easy to do. Computers will trigger it too. Reading is out of the question. These flare ups will last anywhere from an hour to five days straight.
I also get tearing, swelling and blurry vision during these attacks. With tingling and then stabbing pain behind my eye. Also nausea. My neuro has diagnosed me with migraines as well as ATN. There are many different types of headaches and symptoms seem to overlap.
Thanks, both of you. Dronabinol, due to its cannaboid nature, is not availablefor me here (Europe). Yes, for computers, I work a hard schedule of 20 mins + 5 mins break, in cycles of 3 or 4, then take a couple hrs break. Previously I could fill his break w/reading. Now I realise i'lI have to be cautious, though.
I do take walks (which help me if they are brisk) and generally move around at breaks, but I don't have the time to not work on my thesis, really - I now have ca 30 000 words left of my PhD, it is better if I can get this written due to otherwise having to spend equal amounts of time with familiarising myself with dictation software,but for later carreer, I will definitely start using that.
Right now, though, I don't get any type of income support apart from a scholarship (which stops when I take sick leave), as I am an international student. That means I will have to finish without more pauses to my work. Plus, I hate not to work! It generally does not make me any better, because I get bored and putmyself in a triggerful place anyway. Summa summarum, computers are it for me for the next 7 months.
The only helpful thing I found so far is cool hats and this software www.getflux.com, which filters blue light from the screen. I also dictate text messages and brief e-mails on my phone, and use my e-reader for all browsing and e-mailing in general, and to read references. I don't suspect Ihave a migraine, and no neuro has suggested it that has given me more than 10 mins. Thankfully!
I do feel your pain, but to a lesser degree. Mine seems to be limited to varying levels of sunshine, like on a cloudy day. When the pupils contract or expand it triggers TN when I am having it. I have discovered something that may or may not be useful. Just in the case it is useful, I will share it: My eyes react differently and independently to light levels.
I have a damaged eye. If I cover the "good" eye, the damaged eye goes through unilateral nystagmus when looking at things, thus showing that there is something going on in my brain along with the eye problems. If I cover the damaged eye, the "good" eye doesn't have to struggle to reconcile with the image in the bad eye. Sure, that eliminates depth perception, but occasionally to read I have had to cover the damaged eye so that the good eye can read without fighting.
Also, like you, I have to be careful with resting specs on my cheekbone or on my nose.My suggestion is to try covering one eye at a time pirate-style and see if that helps. If the TN is strictly related to pupillary activity, it probably won't help. But if it does work then you've found an inexpensive solution.
good luck to you! PS. I refuse to have any surgical procedure that could potentially damage the nerves one side of my face leaving me looking like I’ve had a stroke. I’ll wait until they come up with something a little more reliable. also, ask your doctor if they will prescribe Dronabinol. it works for me.