I have been surfing, checking out site and just gathering general info. This place looks fun, Informative and best of all Helpful to me in two ways~

I have the pleasure having 2 of the fun conditions covered on this site.
Diagnosed with Trigeminal neuropathy (appears to be atypical~Figures, I am anything BUT typical, just in general, LOL)in October, and BiPoII (actually first Dx'd with Cyclothymic disorder but since I am more Up than Down, that was changed) in...2007-8 ish?

My TN pain is constant. Mostly feels like I have been hit in the jaw with a bat, have a tooth abscess, severe swollen gingivitis and an ear infection, all at the same time.
Sometimes I get the 'icepick in the ear' That hurts like crazy for a few minutes.
Sometimes I get the 'Oh my God my mouth, jaw and sinus cavity have been burned with a hot poker and my vision is going and I want to sit in a corner, eat crushed ice and whimper until I die'.
Those times really really bite. And scare the heck out of my family.

Usually I am somewhere between Baseball bat and hot poker.

I have a friend on another board (a weight loss board) who recommended that I look for forums for TN pain, and this is one that I have found that seems to fit for me pretty well.

My 'net time is hit and miss, It is always on, But I am not always in front of the computer.

I am 42, Married for 20 years. I have 3 Children, (well they were children, now they are my adults) DD1 is 25, DD2 is 20 and DS is 17.

I have one grandbaby, who, of course, is the most advanced, smartest, most beautiful 4 1/2 month old baby in the world Not that I am biased.....
And another grandbaby due in August.

My moods are very well controlled and have been for a long time, Using Lamectal for a mood stabilizer. I also take Ambien and Xanax to treat insomnia.

I am currently titrating up on Neurontin as well. So excuse me if I come across as loopy, but, well, Heck, I AM loopy. This stuff is not helpful to a productive day, But I am entertaining on it. If I ask my kids what day it is one.more.time. they may lock me in my room. Kidding.
It does make it fun to play with my granddaughter, she thinks Grandma is funny.

I just came off a course of prednisone for a flare and that brings my pain level to almost zero. But now, off of it, pain comes back. Hoping the neurontin will control it when I get to a higher dose.

I keep my granddaughter most days 14-16 hours while DD is in nursing school and working full time as a beautician, she is a fantastic Momma, and is working hard to get into a position to make a great life for herself and her daughter, I am happy to help her reach her educational goals! DD and the Baby live with us, Sometimes stay at DDs SO's house, and he keeps Baby when he is not working, he does odd jobs as he can find them~Jobs are scarce everywhere, aren't they?

I have been an MA for 25 years and I have loved it, I have had the opportunity to work with some wonderful physicians, as well as some pretty unpleasant ones. I learned from all of them. Small offices where I was Nurse, Receptionist/biller to Huge offices where I was office Nurse to 2 or 3 Docs, to hospital ERs and Labs. Most recently I was an instructor in the medical arts program of out local Adult Ed facility. I loved it, but I couldn't handle it. It hurt to lecture. It hurts all the time. I decided not to accept another class session and am listed as a substitute instructor. Maybe when this is under control I can go back.

I have also had times when I wrote for a small newspaper in Kansas, and was a Realtor licensed in both Kansas and then Illinois, while still working in the medical field.(You would be amazed at what you can do while hypomanic, LOL)

25 years in the medical field. And I had never even heard of Trigeminal Neuralgia. Of course we had patients with Neuropathy, mostly post herpatic or peripheral. But the Face? With no warning or reason? No diabetes, Or peripheral vascular disease? No Shingles to start it out? Huh?

Ok, I have rambled long enough and baby is wanting some attention and face time.
I will visit more of the site today.
I look forward to getting to know you all!


Molly