Thanks for your reply, Tina. I agree that I really do need a pain doctor. In the past, I've never had the best of luck with pain medications, but the way my life is now is not working. I need to try and do something else. I've had this for a year and a half now. I didn't find out for certain what I even had until recently. More than a year was spent with uncertainties and doubts.

I hated watching people talk on TV/movies too when the pain was really bad. But mostly, if I told someone, "My face hurts" I disliked that look of incomprehension even more. So I'm in your camp as well, I'd rather not tell anyone there's anything wrong.

I'm assuming from what you've said that your TN came from your accident; so the atypical TN, or post-traumatic variety? After I first started having pain, I'd look in the mirror and expect to look like I'd just walked out of an accident that incurred damage like that. When something hurts so bad, you expect to see damage. The first couple months with it, I didn't know what had happened and kept saying, "I feel like my face is broken." It seemed ridiculous that something like a silly root canal could do so much damage. It's kind of scary, to think how fragile we are.

I'm glad you said the things about the dentist. When I had my teeth cleaned the last two times (both since I've had TN), it was very painful. I thought I was being "wimpy." The gum poking and any plaque scrapping--which I never need much of thankfully--is what bothers me. Your situation is much different from mine because of your accident, but it's still comforting to know that it isn't unusual for small things to cause pain. I've taken to hating flossing as well. It sometimes hurts to floss on the upper right side. The only thing I like about the dentist is after four shots for a filling, I have a little while without pain, it's nice... even if it never lasts.

It turns out the reason why I'm in such bad shape is: the TN, the cavities (both on the "bad side), and I have a sinus infection that I left untended thinking it was just "really awful allergies." I think it is, as you said, all that pain is feeding each other making it one big ball of suffering. Today is a little, but I think until I get my sinus infection managed and my cavities filled, I'll just be hurting a lot.

Thanks again! And yes, I'm 23.