I've started getting the trigeminal neuralgia the last 2 weeks on and off. Its horrible. Sharp pain in 3 teeth, my jawline, and my cheek. My lip goes numb. Or some combination of those. Its a dull ache right now, but SOMETHING is going to set it off soon and it will be lightning stabs at some combination of those spots. Then it will just go away for days. Like it was never there. But its back with a vengeance last night. And now I'm at work in tears about to start my day. Ugh.

And on top of that I'm supposed to decide between avonex and rebif by next thursday and I have no idea what I want to do. I don't want to take either of them, but I don't want to not fight this stupid disease either. Especially when I get nasty reminders like this face pain.

Sorry, having a bad morning and I don't know where else to vent.

Yeti, oh, I am so sorry you have TN. It's very hard. Can you leave work and get to your neurologist? Or, just call- they can diagnose this over the phone. There are meds for this. The first line is Tegretol.

Get help, do not suffer.
ANN

I have a neuro appt next week, I was going to bring it up then. I expect the pain to go away again soon. It just vanishes as suddenly as it appears. If it keeps up I'll make the call though. It is just unbearable when it really gets going. My work schedule is generally very flexible (they're great here, I'm lucky) but I've got something that HAS to be finished today. I'll have more time tomorrow, but I just have to deal with it today. Hopefully it will go away soon.

Thanks for the empathy, I needed it today.

A week is forever w TN. I have been there. No one would expect you to wait. You can get started on the med and fine tune it when you see the neuro.

Good to have understanding work-folk.
ANN

(((((Yeti)))))..call the doc for Tegretol et al. I hate it when my friends are in pain..

Trying to lighten the subject a bit I relate one of the twins comments. "your face hurt you?" "Well it's killing me." ( but then they're 6)

When I first had my trigeminal neuralgia, cold could bring on n attack. This summer I had another bout of it and just having the air conditioner vent the wrong direction in the car could drive me crazy. Whatever drug you are prescribed for it just know that your body has to get used to it and you may have some issues trying to work. I felt drunk for a couple of days or whenever he increased the dose. After you get used to it everything is wonderfuil

Thanks everyone. I called yesterday but the doc was out for (i assume) rosh hashanah. And this morning the pain is completely gone. So now I don't know whether to call him again or not since I have the appointment next week.

Got my appt moved up to this afternoon. And now I'm stressing because I haven't made the DMD decisions yet. Oh well, I've done all the reading just can't actually make a decision. Probably wouldn't have made one until I was on the spot next week anyway lol.

Yeti,

it is good that you are getting some help sooner rather than later. Even if you don't need the TN med today, you won't be in fear of the pain iif you have something to take if you need to. And Doydie makes a good point about the cold. It has turned on my TN- weather, a friend's house AC, and a car AC.

And the DMD: choose IM or SQ. If IM there is one that I know of. If SQ, choose number of times a week. If you tend toward depression, you want to stay away from interferons and go w Copaxone.

They will all cause lumps bumps and burning. Avonex less so. These lumps and bumps are very bad in the beginning- it will make you wonder how anyone stays on them. The interferons will give you a bad 2 day flu that slowly gets better over time.

That's my experience in a nutshell. We are all behind you.
ANN