I think it is time to put your foot down with the neuro. The pain is travelling along the exact pathway of the trigeminal nerve and the dentist is backing this up with a report and an EMG. Pain deserves treatment, period.

I don't know if it is different in Canada, but here in the US, dentists can rx drugs. Can't your dentist get you an rx for the nortriptilene?

Laura, it is my (personal) experience that the doctors and neuros here are generally extremely conservative about dishing out meds, unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. They will encourage us to try to find ways to manage without putting more chemicals in our bodies, including using change of diet, natural methods, etc. before resorting to an "easy fix".

Fortunately that happens to agree with my philosophy anyway, but there have been times that I have heard about something that I think might be helpful and have approached my doc/neuro. 9 times out of 10, they will suggest everything else they can think of for me to try before they "give in" and rx a med.

This was true with leaving my job too. My doc spent two years encouraging me to "hang on" to see what would happen, as he knew there was no turning back once I admitted defeat (the system is too rigid to be whimsical about such a decision). Since then, they have both supported me 100% with that decision and would FIGHT on my behalf if there was any question of whether I can or can't work.

HOWEVER, when I have given an honest try to manage a problem through their suggestions, and it still doesn't work . . . or when something they have suggested actually makes another problem that is less bearable . . . they always back down.

There are no easy fixes to what we experience with MS. Even if we can find a med to "help" with some of our problems, often it has to be increased to remain effective, or it loses it's effectiveness over time anyway, or the med itself causes other problems, or a few months later we appear at their door with another problem that is equally troubling.

I have heard of so many people who are so "super-drugged", no one can figure out what is even causing or fixing problems any more.

Someone once told me that "change will occur when things get BAD enough", and I have found this to be true. Once you REALLY believe there is no way to manage this problem so that it's bearable for you, you will stand your ground very firmly, and your doc/neuro will back down.

Cherie

Well, I wonder if Nortriptyline will help. It's an anti depressant, so this would be an off label use. And I hope to heck I can tolerate the side effects from the medication.

If this is TN or ATN (I say ATN because... it doesn't come in short episodes of stabbing pain now. That happened several years ago. Now it's a dull or burning pain that is constantly on the left side, until it decides to let up for a month or 2... and then it's back again full force) it's usually treated by using anti convulsants. What happens when the patient can't tolerate the medication type typically prescribed for this?

I'm almost tempted to say, "Ok if this is TN let's try a 3rd anti convulsant, risk the side effects, and see what becomes of it". Not all drugs are alike, but I can understand why they'd be hesitant to rx another.

And then I had a dream last night I was smoking some MJ for my pain and I was feeling so much better. Go figure.

It's like my neurologist wants to dismiss my dentist's EMG work completely.

Try the weed. You guys in Canada have a Medical Marijuana proram. It can't hurt......Might help. Feel better.

If ONLY it were this easy. I am going to mention it to my neurologist, but I have obvious concerns about marijuana and it as a treatment option.

Can I still perform my job as normal while using marijuana medicinally (for example)?

Also, I'm not sure the amount of red tape involved here in Canada to become approved for medical marijuana.

Can you still perform your job as normal with the pain the way it is? Maybe that is the BETTER question you should be asking right now.

This is very true Gaztastic! No, I would not have been able to perform my job in that pain. I'd have gone immediately to our 'quiet room' to lie down and sleep. Sleep when I get into such a state, seems to be the ONLY thing that brings me crawling out of it.

I'm actually feeling a lot better today. Sure I still have some burning pain and I'm not 100%, but I was relieved to wake up today and have lessened pain.

Now we're dealing with 3 days of buckets of rain. Which sucks, but at the same time, it's consistent weather. No pressure changes. That means, no weather influencing my head pains, so hopefully a little break in the chaos.

I have no answer, but to say I agree with what the others have said, I have a and some positive vibrations,(said in my best bob marley voice) that this dang headache(no pun intended) goes away.hope this persistent PITA gives it a rest soon, pretty sure you would like that too I hope you can get some more answers, have any of the docs mentioned a a pain specialist?, thats who my neuro sent me to but my TN is not as bad as yours or as bad as some others on here,

My neurologist has not even admitted to recognizing that I have Trigeminal Neuralgia at all...even though my dentist who is a dental specialist specifically in the area of dental and cranial pain told me I have TN after my EMGs.

So it's getting the neuro to admit that TN is part of my MS first, and then proceeding from there. I didn't want TN, but I believe it is part of the puzzle for sure.

Woke up today, was fine.. for about 10 minutes, then the head pain began to start up again, so I took 2 extra str tylenol 1's with codeine, and 1 .5 mg tablet of Clonazepam, and that got the burning in check for now.

Yesterday I tried the Aleve 2 220mg (think they are?) tablets and Clonazepam, and that seemed to work decently, but I honestly believe the Tylenol with codeine works better than anything OTC wise (thankfully the pharmacy will liberally sell me tylenol with codeine... because it really does make a difference with this pain compared with regular tylenol).

If the burning pain returns yet again tomorrow... it will be Advil extra strength liquidgels and Clonazepam test.

When I had tylenol 3's paired with Clonazepam that totally kept things in check pain wise, but I know I can't be relying on that forever either.