Hi,
Well, if these symptoms are neurological, then taking tegretol couldn't hurt - unless you have a bad reaction to it. If you are unable to tolerate tegretol maybe you could ask for something like neurontin/gabapentin - something that I find personally more tolerable - but it is different for everyone. When I began gabapentin for my face, I was so happy to feel my persistent neck pain (C6/C7 nerve entrapment) disappear.
It's really a crapshoot regarding tolerance of the different drugs, but you might find the magic one that works. Getting a second opinion sounds like great idea - not to mention a third or a fourth, because your symptoms are so generalized, and he only focused on the one. I have no idea what it is, whether it is TN or not, but I do wish you the best of luck on your journey to get to the bottom of this.
Happy holidays,
Lily

Thanks for your replies.

The face and head pain is the latest of my symptoms; I didn't get a firm diagnosis of my other symptoms. One neuro said it could be migraine and another said it was neuropathic pain but didn't offer an underlying cause.

I guess trying out the Tegretol couldn't hurt as it's supposed to help with neuropathic pain as well.

Have you discussed fibromyalgia with anyone? I'm not real sure what all the symptoms are but I do know it's a neuralgia that affects the entire body. It would not show up on a MRI but then TN rarely shows either. I had 3 and they all came back normal when I had my MVD surgery they found an artery and vein compressing so I don't hold much stock in it except to rule out MS or a tumor. Check with the fibromyalgia board here and see if any of their posts sound like your pain. Post on there to maybe they have an idea.

Thanks for responding, Lily. Are you perhaps implying that the symptoms could be psychological? I've given this some thought and I know the pain I'm feeling is real. Then again, I've read that psychological issues can trigger physical symptoms. I know that the pain has affected me emotionally and now I'm worried sick that I might get full-blown trigeminal neuralgia down the line (if that's what it is).

Oh gosh Brainedout, no, not at all - I was just more thinking that there are a number of things that it could be, and my comment was more to the effect of that I don't know much about the rest of the body, so I don't know if the symptoms are neurological. Only a doc would. My apologies - the last thing you need is for someone to infer that it is psychological. Been there.
Hugs,
Lily

No need to apologize, Lily, as I myself have thought the same thing. I have no problems seeing a psychiatrist except it would mean more doctors, more expense and possibly even more meds. I need Dr House!

Haha - I would even put up with that acerbic personality if he could help me. Can't say that I can maintain niceness myself all of the time.
Happy official first Monday of 2011!
Lily