Crappy sensory pain
 

Ok, so the burning mouth is not burning nearly as much as it was before, after 2+ weeks of no smoking. I'd say, it reduced to 10% of it's original intensity, and I only really experience it on 1 spot on the right side (easily taken care of via chewing gum, drinking water... but generally is on the mend).

Now the fun stuff... and I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this.

I have burning pain from the top left point of my scalp, down into my cheek and around my left eye. This is there daily. Taking Clonazepam can usually 'break' the burning pain to a degree, but .5mg doesn't. It's generally when I take 1mg of Clonazepam that it finally skedaddles.

On top of this, my sense of smell is UNREAL heightened. Phantom smells (plastic and such) are plaguing me off and on.

I want to guess this is the cranial nerve and it's flared up for whatever reason. Before you ask, no this is not a new symptom at all. These pains were there before, and they finally 'broke' when I started Clonazepam. When I quit smoking just over 2 weeks ago, this burning pain in the head came back, and only responds now to 1mg of Clonazepam, versus previously where it was responding to .5mg of Clonazepam.

I see my doctor on the 23rd, but honestly.. I didn't want to be up to 1mg of Clonazepam daily! But I am smoke free and that's what matters.

Anyways, has anyone else experienced this burning type of pain through the scalp and down into the face? Right now it's ONLY the left side. Just makes me overall feel completely rotten. As I said too, it seems that I need 1mg of Clonazepam in me daily for it to even break it at all or calm the burning.

(I think the smell thing is more that my sense of smell is returning due to having quit smoking, but who knows? I've had the phantom smells before).

Oh geez, Laura, I've not had it like that before but it was all over my body instead like being under a broiler and having it turned on but not being told it was turned on.

:hug:

You're gonna see the doc soon. If you're allowed to take that much medication, then don't worry about it until then. If that's all that's keeping you sane (and I have my doubts about THAT statement), then do it.

Of course, you could try hitting your big toe really hard with a hammer and that'll take your mind off your burning problem. I don't know..... it's a suggestions if you don't want to take that much of the med. :D

What's keeping me sane, cannot be discussed on NT. :)

I don't get it where you have Laura, and I've read that most people tend to get this sensory symptom of burning pain in their legs.

I get it mostly on my torso .... from my neck to groins .... back and front. It hurts for me to wear clothes when the burning is bad, and it even hurts to sit down.

Thank goodness I don't get it often, but a GF gets it so bad on her legs that she's had to use up most of her sick leave at work, just because she's been in agony with it.

She takes Neurontin for her burning pain, and gets "some" relief.

It's another one of those sucky symptoms that we all hate so much! :(

Oh just go make brownies then and quitchyer whining! :D

LOL! Unfortunately, I don't know where to find special ingredients around here.

Thanks Koala. Unfortunately, while I do feel that anticonvulsants WOULD help what's going on here... I can't take them because I react horribly to them :(

I get that burning in my legs in a big way, and tingling in my head (but not burning).

This is a LONG shot, Laura . . . but have you tried antihistimines (BENADRYL or the one that starts with a "T" . . . not anything like Claritin)? My neurological burning (due to lesion damage in the C/T spine) is definitely aggrevated by allergies. Maybe your shampoo is stirring this up.

Cherie

Nope, I haven't tried antihistimines, but that may be worth a shot :)

I posted about a similar burning pain on the top of my head a few days ago. Mine is mainly on the left side of my head. It has been driving me crazy. My neuro increased my dosage of neurontin, but it does not sem to be helping. The burning gets worse throughout the day. This is not a new symptom for me either, but the neurontin has generally kept it in check in the past. I also experience burning/tingling pain in my left arm.

Thanks Barb.

I notice too with mine, while it burns from top of the head into my face (today it's to the left corner of my mouth... a little numb tingly area) that my sense of smell is also 'heightened'. It's weird.

I was flying over the weekend, and at one point I was in a part of the Montreal, Canada airport where I got a smell of something plastic/chemical almost, and it really really bothered me.

Do you find too that your sense of smell is also either dulled or heightened with the facial burning?

I have only noticed the increased sense of smell when I had a major flare. But overall, chemical (cleaning supplies), paint, and perfumes, and flowery scents bother me on a daily basis.

Hrm, maybe I'm in a 'flare' of sorts with this sensory pain then. I see my family doctor this week, I'll mention it to her. Neuro is in November...

I've only really got Clonazepam to take currently to control this pain, and it does help a bit, but I wish I could find an anti convulsant that I don't poorly react to that would help.

I get that "funky smell" symptom on an adhoc basis, and not necessarily when I am in an attack. It usually lasts a week or two, and I most often smell boiling beef bones or smoke (usually electrical "fire").

Whatever is causing this burning for you, Laura & Barb, is probably the same thing that causes the tingling in my cheek and numbness in my mouth. It's just a different sensation.

From what I recall, it's perhaps from a lesion in the brainstem, where there are 12 cranial nerves, including the TN one. I only know of 2 spinal cord and 3 brain lesions that I have . . . but that doesn't mean there aren't more that I am not aware of.

Cherie

When I get burning, it might be the bottoms of my feet, my neck or lower back. Those spots are not killer painful, but not pleasant. Or my left leg - which is killer painful. The broiler thing is right on target. For that the only thing that works is 50 mgs of amitriptyline.

The only times I've had the heightened smell sx, both times I was pregnant.

:eek:

Well, maybe I'm pregnant? :p

HA! You mentioned abstinence before. Hmm...... Immaculate Conception?

:D My daughter claimed she and her boyfriend weren't doing anything. She ended up preggo. I told her it was the 2d Immaculate Conception. She got ****** at me. But my grandson was born on the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception. There IS justice in this world! :D

I have reason to question it though Gaztastic LOL. I met me a man this past weekend and had a wonderful time. Gamers are such cuties :blush:

I was a good girl and 'played safe' LOL... so I highly doubt there will be any surprises, but you never do know, right? :)