Hi, Marilyn,

You're REALLY LUCKY to have a primary care doctor who is familiar enough with TN to recognize it so quickly. Many TN patients go years before getting a proper diagnosis. But you should see a neurologist anyway to confirm the diagnosis, possibly order an MRI to rule out MS, tumor, or other cause of the face pain (though this first MRI will probably not show an actual compression - it is generally just to rule out other, more obvious causes), and most especially to work with you to find the best treatment. 900 mg/day (I'm assuming that's 300 mg. 3x a day) is a very low dose of Neurontin/Gabapentin and you may need to titrate up slowly to find the proper therapeutic dose for you but should do so under a neurologist's care. These are antiseizure meds that, unfortunately, act on the whole nervous system and will make you feel slow and tired, etc. at first, but over weeks or a few months your body should acclimate at least to some degree. There are also lots of other meds out there to try if the Gabapentin turns out not to be the best for you. The neurologist should explain all the treatments to you and their pros and cons. Be sure to get a neurologist who has treated TN - it's rare enough that not all may have actually seen it.

Get a copy of Striking Back! The Trigeminal Neuralgia and Face Pain Handbook by George Weigel (former TN sufferer) and Ken Casey, M.D., a neurosurgeon who specializes in treating face pain. You can order it from the Trigeminal Neuralgia Association (who publishes it) by calling 800-923-3608 or 352-331-7009 (Gainesville, FL) or by visiting their website at www.tna-support.org (books available at https://www.tna-support.org/storefro...ducts.asp?id=2).

Also, read the sticky threads and the links in them at the top of the forum - Useful Websites and Tips for Newcomers. These will give you an idea of what other meds and treatments are available and others' experiences.

Do take care and let us know how you make out.

Jean