8 weeks post MVD
This is the first time I have been back to see the surgeon since the operation. Here is what I asked and what the answers were:

Q. What constitutes the 95% statistic of a successful MVD?
A. A successful MVD is when the patient is pain free and medication free.

Q. When is the healing and the pain comfort level as good as it's going to get?
A. Approximately 6 months.

Q. I have been getting these ice pick headaches. Could it be related to the surgery?
A. Ice pick headaches is a general term used to describe sharp brief headache pain. It is a benign condition and not related to the surgery.

Q. I haven't been able to fly in over 13 years since I've had TN. Do you think I would be OK to fly now?
A. Go for it!

Q. My incision is still sore sometimes?
A. It's normal, it's still healing.

Q. I still have numbness in my lower lip area. Is this permanent?
A. The feeling may still come back in time.

Q. The pain in my V2 branch is gone, however the twinges still happen in my V3 branch from time to time. Will they go away eventually?
A. After doing over 200 of these surgeries, he has never had an MVD that was "partially" successful. Usually the patient is completely pain free. However he is not closed to something new happening to a patient that he has not come across before. He asked me to monitor the pain and if it gets bad to go back on the Tegretol for a short while as a diagnostic test. Because Tegretol has worked for me for so many years, if the Tegretol takes care of the pain then the twinge I am feeling in that area is TN. If the Tegretol does not take care of it, chances are it is something else other than TN. Possibly dental? If it gets any worse he would like to see me again.

Well that's it in a nutshell. So on one hand I feel relieved that chances are the twinges I get in the bottom tooth are probably not TN related. I can't imagine that I would be the one patient that is different than all the rest. I guess I will have to explore other avenues where that is concerned.
On the other hand, what else could it possibly be? I guess I'll go back to the dentist and maybe have a root canal.

3 months post MVD
and the news is good. My twinges have deminished dramatically. I still have a twinge if I let something really hot touch the back of my front lower tooth but I'm fairly convinced now that this is not TN which means....the MVD was a complete success.
My incision is still sore to the touch and I have a dent where the cut was. I wasn't expecting that. My hair is about 1 1/2 inches long where it was shaved and I still have a small area of numbness in the lower lip area.
I have been reading that a few of you are now on the MVD waiting list like Gidge and Sunstorm, and I want to wish you both all the luck in the world. I hope you have the same experience as I did. Once you get past the first week things pick up very quickly. The pain of the surgery is definately manageable on minimal medication. I think the thought of surgery was far worse than the surgery itself. Would I do it again if I had to?.........in a heartbeat!!!!

4 months since MVD
Today is my 4th month anniversary and everything is going well. My incision is getting better every day. The TN seems to be gone. I was petrified to go to the dentist today (old feelings stay with me) but everything went well. I even let him work on my tooth that is bothering me and no pain! Was I ever relieved when it was over. I hate the dentist. He is a lovely man but I hate the drills, the noises, the smells. I'd rather go to the gyneacologist any day of the week instead of the dentist. I still have some numbness but I'm getting used to it. The doc said at 6 months I would be as good as I'm going to get so maybe there is still a chance the numbness will go away. Even if it doesn't, I can honestly say this MVD is the best thing I have ever done. Good luck to all of you who are about to embark on the same journey. With a good surgeon, and a little help from the man upstairs your results should be just as positive.

I AM NOW PAIN FREE AND MEDICATION FREE