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Old 03-16-2011, 07:28 PM
Karen B Karen B is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 5
10 yr Member
Karen B Karen B is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 5
10 yr Member
Default When is it time for surgery?

I touched on this in another post, but I would love to hear as many thoughts as possible. I am struggling with my choice.

To summarize:
*no remissions for 1 year now
*pain every time I eat, drink and on bad days when I talk
*in my 20's
*pain is manageable thanks to Lyrica (225mg), botox and capsaicin cream
*Typical TN
*pain lasts a couple of seconds, but I get zapped hundreds of times a day
*no obvious cause on my CT scan

I can cope, but it is draining. Because I do not have an obvious compression my neurologist wants me to have a RF rhizotomy instead of MVD. I am afraid of anesthesia dolorosa as a side effect of the surgery. I am pain free at night and do not want to lose that. But to even reduce the pain by surgery would be lovely. I feel torn about what to decide; take things as they are now and try to be happy, or hope that surgery is a success.

Any insights, thoughts, stories would be very much appreciated!
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