Things seem to have stabilized somewhat. Using 3000mg Gabapentin and 400mg Tegretol daily.

Am able to chew, but really have to watch exactly what I'm trying to chew. Too tough or too crunchy does not work at all. Brushing teeth is tolerable, but that's all. If possible, I try and schedule meals and tooth brushing around that time of day when the meds are at their most effective.

My Doc at Mayo is setting up an appointment with another Doc to discuss what surgery might be appropriate.

The side effects at this point are:

sudden periods of sleepiness (do tend to make those long-distance trips in the car exciting)

sudden loss of control in the hands or feet

some difficulty in speech

weight gain (I've put on 10 pounds in the last two weeks)

Time will tell, I'll have to see what this second Dr. at Mayo has to say.




Dan