I can't comment on the TN...

But oral demerol is not a good choice for chronic pain. It is toxic over time and can cause seizures!

Most doctors don't use it anymore orally, or for chronic issues.
It is reserved for acute temporary pain, or post surgical pain.

I have had 2 teeth over the past 20 yrs that started dying and causing horrible face pain. Neither showed up on Xrays as being abnormal. I had root canals in both finally which corrected the problem. The first one was the back upper molar, and I suffered for about 4 yrs with that one. The recent one was the first upper bicuspid on the right, which was giving me sinus pain.

The first one I consulted 1) my reg dentist, 2) oral surgeon -when my jaw locked up, 3) TMJ specialist dentist, and finally the endodontist my dentist referred me to was unsure, but did finally root canal it and it fixed it finally...took 6mos to calm down the pain tho.

You should never rule out a tooth. That is my motto now!

You and I both know this is a pre-existing now and there's really no hope for me insurance-wise except getting on a group plan through my wife. No word on this, yet, either. I don't mean to be so cold towards my situation but hey -- better than denial.

I have already begun to explore moving to other countries to have MVD or GK at a reduced (American cash) price.

When I push against this tooth with my tongue barely anything happens. I eat normally, I chew normally, I distribute food in my mouth normally. I do try, however, to get cold drinks on the left side of my mouth initially before letting it rush to the right side of my mouth. In the week following my initial flareup cold liquid was an EXTREME trigger.

I quit taking the Demerol about a week ago. I've got a random supply of hydrocodone and hydromorphone for pain. I NEVER use these during the day (why?) and I don't use these EVERY night. Some nights? Yes. Every night? No.

I think this is TN however, I just don't want to admit it. I have random face numbness in what I believe is the 5th. So... :(


But really: BMW, mrsD: I'm not really as cold and upset as I sound. I just haven't gotten the answers I need yet (neuro), I have no insurance ($$$$$$), the company I worked for for 9 years is shutting down at the end of January after 19 years.

The good in my life: I'm young. I have few other health issues. I have an amazing and wonderful wife and I love my cat.

I wanted to post a picture of my cat and my wife but sadly... I need 5 more posts :]

About the Demerol and the teeth:

I've (taken myself) off the Demerol and had some fairly bad W/D symptoms. After 7 weeks of regular usage I image it would be difficult to quit using it and it was. I will mention to my doctor on the 15th my difficulties with it -- however -- I need something for the pain.

I've seen two dentists and had 3 X-rays on the area. I've had 1 complete X-ray of the entire mouth.

What are your suggestions from here? THANK YOU

Hi Random. Where I live they are bad at anything to do with TN all they do is hand out Tegratol and say start low work up. I have been suffering for years on and off every time pain is different. Last year had it for 6 moths & its still going almost constant now. I dare not take Tegratol as I am disabled and have bad nerve problems and have been told drugs do more damage long term soam stuck. I am thinking of you your wife & ***** cat. Huggs for you all xxxxx Jackie. :grouphug::grouphug:

It is really hard to say when teeth are in the picture.

I never had pain in my teeth that were dying... I could eat, chew, and there was no swelling. All my issues were in the face and sinuses. The first molar was draining into my maxillary sinus on the left side. It caused alot of jaw--mandibular aching and spasms. My recent one had no pain either, and until it cracked off I had no clue that my nose bleeds and cheek pain were tooth
oriented. The dentist didn't waffle with this one! I was waking up every night with a pounding heart and anxiety... but no specific pain. Once that tooth was reamed out, I have returned to normal sleep patterns!

I will comment on the Cipro however. This drug causes Peripheral Neuropathies, and we discuss it often on our PN board.
You can read more about it if Google it, there are many people on the net complaining about it.
And some doctors will be up front about it too:
http://www.medicationsense.com/artic...cs_052205.html
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciprofloxacin
scroll down to Adverse reactions.

When I had my first root canal, I had to take Doxycycline before and after. That worked pretty well. I have not seen dentists use Cipro often. I think that is odd.

(I couldn't quote you b/c my lack of posts and your links. I need 3 more posts to post images/links)


I didn't really take the Cipro. When she showed me the X-Rays of my gums and they weren't inflamed I didn't really take it.

By "I didn't really take it", I mean.. I may've taken up to 3 before I KNEW it wasn't working. I am not too worried this was caused by Cipro as it was around before I ever took it but thank you for the information. The Cipro was given after she Rx'd some weaker anti-biotics. I took those as directed for several days before I realized something was wrong.

During the weekend of hell in October it just felt like the tooth was trying to compress itsself from the inside.

Like, you can take your hands and put them on opposite sides of a basketball. Using both hands push towards the center of the basketball.

Imagine the tooth was the basketball and imagine the tooth walls were trying to cave in. That's the best way to explain how the pain was.

I haven't experienced that since that weekend, but you can imagine I am now very paranoid, depressed and fearful that this will happen again. My quality of life has vastly decreased since the 'diagnosis' of TN.