happy to read your follow up was good yesterday Tracy. You gotta give your body yourself time to heal. The doc is Right your nerve was manipulated allot.As well as your jaw, neck . massage and warm /cold compress should help. YES t.n. sister KEEP Faith things will get better ! Your just starting to mend . Things will continue to get better one day at a time.

Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement! I'm taking it one day at a time and hope to continue to heal. I will keep you posted for sure!!

I'm happy to report yesterday was my last dose of Baclofen. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I won't need it anymore. Next step is to get off my gabapentin and trileptal. I have decided however to wait to try to decrease any more meds until after my daughter's wedding shower. I don't want to possibly be in pain that day.

I seem to be doing pretty well. Other than the jaw issue. My husband made hamburgers on the grill the other night and it was very difficult to eat. Face numbness continues and I have realized I have paresthesia. I finally figured out what the "pins and needles" feeling was. Occasional teeth twinges, but nothing bad.

I'm still keeping the faith that the numbness will go away in time. My doc has said that when I see him at my 3 month follow up I will be amazed how much better I feel, but I'm putting up in the big guy upstairs hands. I have finally come to the realization that whatever will be will be and I can't keep worrying about it. I'm basically pain free after 7 weeks and I shouldn't be complaining.

To all my fellow TN sufferers I wish you pain free days and the hope that somewhere down the line you will feel as good as I do!! God bless

Hi Tracy,

So glad you are doing well, although Paresthesia sucks. I have it with Neuropathic Facial Pain and TN, so I know what you are going through.

I was going to have a mesh sheath put between my Trigeminal Nerve and the Arterial Knot causing all the problems, but I had a heart attack in '08 which made me unsuitable for anaesthetics. The Topiramate I take for Cluster Headaches, Lidocaine Infusions and Ketamine are the meds I rely on.

I do hope your improvement continues.

Dave.

Tracy your game plan sounds good. I would not all at once stop all meds either. a little bit at a time . and try to eat easy chew food when your jaw is sore. Agree that yes somethings you just have no control over so its in the Universes / God hands . pstt your not complaining when your have t.n. you live on the edge on the ready for the next pain flare up/attack . I am not so sure that really ever goes away even if one becomes pain free. sending many blessings and like English Dave I too wish for your improvement to keep a smooth and steady pace to pain free and med free happy ending.
PEACE
BMW

Hi Tracy, I hope things are continuing to go well for you. I'm so glad that you're feeling better in time for your daughter's shower. Have you been able to go back to work yet? Is your jaw starting to feel better?

I went to a headache specialist last week to talk about the new headache type I developed after my surgery. He spent an hour and a half talking to me and was very interested in my TN. His theory is that I never really had TN. He thinks I have occipital neuralgia that was triggered by a fall I took a few weeks before the pain started. He used the word inflammation a lot. He put me on boswellia serrata (natural anti-inflammatory) and asked me to try a gluten-free diet because I've been having mysterious stomach issues.

My son has terrible teeth and has had a lot of dental work lately. Since learning about TN and hearing so many people say that theirs started with dental work, I worry every time he goes to the dentist.

I have another question for you. Did your vascular loops show up on an MRI before you had surgery?

I hope your days age getting better and better. Take care, Cheryl

Hi Cheryl, I'm feeling somewhat better. Still having the same old numbness and paresthesia. I've been wondering if this is from decreasing my medications. It seems every time my meds go down the numbness moves on my face. Almost like withdrawal symptoms.

I'm wondering if anybody else found this to be true as well.

My veins did not show up on my MRI before my surgery, but because of my symptoms my neurosurgeon said I had typical TN.

I had to go in for a teeth cleaning and I was petrified. I understand your fear as well for your son. Make sure you see a reputable dentist. If work is needed that a specialist should do, go to a specialist not a general dentist!!

Believe it or not I'm a stay at home Mom. I currently don't work out of the house. I have a 24 year old daughter and a 5 year old daughter, but I am a registered nurse. Hopefully some day I'll get back to it!!

My jaw is still sore but I'm doing massage and exercises that seem to help. Plus I've been taking 15 minute "me" breaks to sit out in the sun. Relaxing really does help.

I hope your headaches resolve soon with the new medication. Keep me posted!!

English Dave, I'm so sorry you couldn't have the surgery. To date I'm doing somewhat better.

I'm hoping the paresthesia is transient and will go away once my nerve is completely weaned off my medication.

My daughter is in the medical field, just like her Mom, and continues to harp on me that nerves can take up to 1 year to completely heal.

I hope your meds are helping with you pain

Tracy

I'm sorry to hear that you had to go through all this while caring for your little one. I'm extremely grateful that my health problems started after my kids were grown and out of the house.
I hope your nerve is continuing to heal. I hadn't heard that it can take a whole year. That's good to know.

Tracy I hope you are having good days. That your nerve is calming down and healing as the pain lessens.we have something in common besides the t.n. my oldest is in the medical field too . she has a college degree in bio med and just finished her first year at med school in UNC . a first generation college for us tho. lol funny how things turn out she was in grade 3 when I had my accident and got this t.n. monster. She vividly recalls watching the helicopter land at the accident a block away from her school she was waiting for me to pick her up ... enough flash back for me on that ugly time back there. But sometimes the bad hard things do leave a positive impact and inspire in a good way. Sending you all the best and praying you continue to heal and become pain free.PEACE
BMW