Aleve is Naproxen . . . they are the same drug. The only difference is the dosage.

http://www.medicinenet.com/naproxen/article.htm

If someone requires 1000 mg of this drug a day though (Aleve is only 220 mg), they need to be monitored by a doc. This is true especially if they need to take it a fair amount (which I have had to in the past).

Cherie

This almost sounds like the "spinal headaches" (my word, not a medical word) that I get sometimes. They come on like an attack (in fact, they are an attack), and last for about 3 weeks. I do get a headache with them, plus the neck and some spinal column pain. :(

Cherie

Maybe that's it Cherie. I don't know, I'm done playing guessing games. I just have to get through the rest of the day, tomorrow, and then see my neuro 10am on Monday. I'll probably feel much better after seeing him ;)

Oh yeah, so tonight the pain was horrible. I grabbed my cold pack from the freezer and put it on my head (kinda just covering the top half of my forehead and the scalp a bit). Upon putting the cold pack on my head, the pain started to go away immediately. The same is true if I put the cold pack on my cheekbones etc.

SO weird! At least I found something that provides a bit of relief. It's like the nerves are freaking spasming in my face. I can kinda feel em in my cheeks right now firing off like little firecrackers.

Edit: Not so weird. I began reading about TGN or TN on the net after making this post, and one thing I saw mentioned was that cold relieves the pain with the condition. I wasn't too happy to see stuff like 'oxycodone' mentioned for long term treatment however.

Laura, I have TN that hits both sides.

"bilateral" TN is not the usual manner, but it does occur.

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) occurred in 35 patients (1.9%) from a large multiple sclerosis (MS) clinic population (N = 1,882). TN began on average 11.8 years after the first MS symptom but in five patients was the first symptom of MS, preceding the next MS symptom by 1 to 11 years. The onset of MS was later in the patients who had TN, and bilateral TN occurred more frequently than expected (in 14% of TN patients).

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/431442

Seven consecutive patients with multiple sclerosis and trigeminal neuralgia were investigated with MRI to determine the occurrence of a lesion which would account for the patients' pain. Two patients had bilateral symptoms.

http://jnnp.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/59/3/253

Wow, thanks for the information!! :)

This is certainly painful. Ouff.

Laura, I got it first time deep in my right ear, like an icepick stabbing.

thought it was Otitis Media (ear infection) but ENT-guy (ear/nose/throat) said nope, no inflamation.

so, I thought maybe TMJ, but dentist said no, and no teeth problems either.

so, finally went to neuro, and by then, zings and throbs had spread, intermittently to upper cheekbones, behind ear, temples, and sometimes even by my nose.

neuro explained it was the Trigeminal Nerve, and showed me a diagram of the nerve and its branches, which matched up with the pain almost perfectly.

he told me that getting pain on both sides wasn't common, but he'd seen it before.

not usually on both sides at the same time, it seems to take turns, and he said it was due to a lesion in the "pons" area, I think.

anyway, after 20 years of MS, I gotta say, it's my LEAST favorite symptom, because I never know when it's gonna REAR its UGLY head, and take my breath away with the sudden sharpness of agony.

Butalbital (generic name for Fioricet) helps some, at least it dulls the pain.

hugs, and hope you and your doc figure out what's going on with you.

Oh boy, Laura. I hope you get some relief soon! Ouchy ouchy!! :(

Well the good news is, I was able to get out and get some groceries before the pain began to return, but it's much reduced currently from what it was yesterday.

It's definitely an involvement of both sides, the left being more pronounced. I don't think it's gone yet, but the cold packs and then warm bath (yes, surprisingly I can tolerate this!) I think pushed the pain away. At least I got some relief, even for a brief period :)

that's good to hear !!