MVD surgery in less than a week
 

I just found this website and have found that reading posts has partially lifted my spirits. On Monday, January 8th I am going in for my 2nd MVD surgery. My first one was on August 17, 2006 - so less than 5 months ago. The pain in the last few weeks has been horrible. During the first surgery, they found a vessel and an artery pressing on the nerve - my surgeon wanted to know that if they went in this time and couldn't find anything else pressing on the nerve if i would authorize them to cut part of my facial nerve to stop the pain. That really scares me to think of losing sensation in half my face for the rest of my life - but I guess it would be better than a lifetime of pain (I am only 26)

Does anyone have any words of advice or thoughts?

After my first surgery - I felt little scabs at like 3 places on my head - do they put on some sort of halo during the MVD surgery?:confused:

Did you get improvement with the first surgery?

Some of your symtoms may be the result of Myofascial Trigger Points in the muscles of your neck especially the Sternocleidomastoid and Temporalis muscles and Zygomaticotemporal (branch of trigeminal nerve) can be entrapped ny the temporalis muscle.
Read the below link and review. Some of these can be self treated. There are many ways to treat trigger points in the muscles. The most important treatment is a home stretch program.

Head and Neck Pain
http://www.round-earth.com/HeadPainIntro.html

Especially read about the Sternocleidomastoid muscle which can cause atypical TN at:

http://www.round-earth.com/SCM.html

also Nerve and Vessel Entrapments by Muscles: Zygomaticotemporal (branch of trigeminal nerve) can be entrapped ny the temporalis muscle.
http://www.round-earth.com/Entrapment.html

I have no relation to the above web site but find the explanations clear and easy to understand. I am trained as a Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist.


Best wishes.

severing
 

I have been told by everyone to not let them sever my nerve.I guess fantom pain is a result and it also is so permanent. I am researching everthing I can to see what my alternatives are. I know nuerostimulation is one of them. I would wait and see if doctors can come up with others. My neuro told me that eye and mouth infections are a result from severing the nerve. He also said something about eye drops. I personally would wait. A long time ago, a doctor I had told me that doctors love to operate it is their passion. Some times I thinks it is at our expense. A nerve block can be done and at least it will give you some time to have some relief. Have you gotten a second opinion? Jen ?

DO NOT CUT THE FACIAL NERVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Reasearch phantom pain and loss of faceial muscles and not being able to use tounge is a danger also. please get more information before you do anything.
I am sorry I never had a chance for anything like an m.v.d. or nerve block or anything. i think jen helped you with another place to ask this ? keep us posted please . youll be in my prayers .

NO! Never cut the facial nerve!~! via any procedure. Some doctors do radio frequency Rhizotomy and I know of three ladies that are on total disability now from that procedure. They ended up with something called Anesthesia Delorosa and are in bad shape. I know of two that had this done but they went to the very best in the country. (this was 6 years ago and I am not sure if these docs have retired or not).

With MVD...one needs to have this done with a Neurosurgeon that has done this procedure in his/her sleep. I would rather forgo any prodcure than go to someone who has not done hundreds with a high success rate. I only know of a handful of surgeons that "I" would chose if "I" were having MVD and not sure if they have retired.

I had a nerve cut and ended up with RSD and bedridden for 6 years. No picnic.

Lisa what is rsd??? sorry but would like to know if-en ya dont mind???
thanks I got anesthesia dolorosa and really could be in worse shape then I am . thank heavens for neuro stim. :)
Thanks for filling me in on RSD. best regards.
Burntmarshmallow

Hi BurntMarshmellow,

RSD is Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. It is also called Causalgia, CRPS. Neurotalk has a Thread for RSD. There is so much about RSD that one can do a Googlesearch on this. It is a terrible thing to have but if diagnosed early and treated ..this lessens the morbidity of this disease. I was not diagnosed early.

I hope that your surgery went well and you're recovering comfortably! Please update us once you're feeling better!

*hugs*

you have been in my prayers for a good results with the m.v.d.
I hope everyhting went well and that you are healing and recovering slowly BUT SURELY!!!! Please let us know how You are. many blessings question

My surgery itself went fine. My surgeon found that scar tissue from my first surgery was pulling the nerve up and thus made another vessel touch the nerve. My facial nerve was not cut during surgery - but I still have developed some numbness and tingling in the left side of my tongue and part of the left side of my face. Three days after I was discharged from the hospital I had to be readmitted due to the fact that my incision was infected. They had to open up over half of my incision to clean it out. It is still open and I now have to have a nurse come out to my house two times a day to pack the open incision and put a new dressing out. Yesterday I had some pain behind my left eye - but otherwise there have just been some twinges of pain in the left side of my face.