Hi Saffie. This is also my very first time to post anything on this site. Your message caught my eye because I just turned 39 and can relate to you. I have been dealing with this terrible condition for about 2 years but it got really bad for me this past year. I was in and out of the hospital 4 different times in May and June. In May I had the gamma knife procedure done. I felt good for about 2 weeks and then it started again. On June 19th I had a microvascular decompression surgery done. The surgeon found that I had large veins compressing my nerve and he removed them. I felt wonderful as soon as I awoke from the surgery (as far as the pain in my face) went. I am still doing wonderful. I had a flare up of the pain about 8 weeks after surgery but the surgeon thinks I was weaning myself off of my medication to fast. It really scared the heck out of me though and I still worry every day that it might come back. I'm still trying to wean myself off of the medication but I'm taking it super slow. I'm still taking 1000mg tegretol, 2100mg neurontin and 200mg dilantin a day. What would be causing the inflammation that the doctor sees on your MRI? Did they say? How long have you been dealing with tn? Mine is in the third branch of my face that affects my eating also. There are several procedures that are used to treat tn. Maybe you could look into one of them. Anyway I hope you can find something to help you.