I was happy to read about at least a few others that have GN...there just isn't that much information out there about it.

I had my first episode with my second preganancy (about 6 years ago), which lasted about 6 weeks. It was more annonying and strange than anything. I completely forgot about it until my third pregnancy (about 2 1/2 years ago) when it came back, worse this time. It went away and then came back again toward the end of that pregnancy. The pain was so bad my eyes would tear up, my nose would run, and sometimes I would throw up. I can only relate the pain to being tasered. The pain relented within about one or two weeks of giving birth. My doctor hoped it was related only to my pregnancies and I hoped that it was...but it wasn't.

In the last 18 months or so since giving birth, I have had multiple episodes. One lasted 7 months. I have tried tegretol, lyrica, gabapenton, and several others. I talk myself through each episode, hoping this will be the last. I tell myself it is going to go away...but it doesn't. After my last episode, I decided to consult with a nuerosurgeon. At that visit, I was on the tail end of the episode. I got the information on the surgery. I asked if stress played a factor and the doctor assured me it didn't. In the end, I told the doctor I was in the process of losing weight. He said even 5 pounds can change body composition and since GN is linked to increased blood levels, etc it might help. I decided to go off my meds and have lost 25 pounds to test this theory. Well, about 2 weeks ago another episode started. I have my 3 month follow with the neurosurgeon this week and I am going to do the surgery. Some of the meds will work for a while but then I get break through pain, so we have to either increase the dose, or add another. Other meds make me non-functional or sick.

I am 34 and have decided I am not going to live the rest of my life like this. I have 3 young kids. In 10 years I don't want to look back and remember being miserable. I have a high pain tolerance but this is too much for me.

Interesting, I read that others get that metallic taste with an episode. I get it in the very beginning of the episode...it is one of the first things that tells me it is coming back. Drinking is one of the first triggers, followed by talking and eating. With the high level of pain, combined by the talking trigger as well as the vomiting episodes, I decided enough is enough.

Anyone out there had surgery?