Hi. I am new to this (TN) forum and as yet have not been diagnosed. But what I took for dental pain a week or so ago has changed and morphed into a rather unhappy set of symptoms that point to the likelihood I have TN. I have already sent a message through to my neurologist at the M.S. Clinic to give him a head's up.

At first I thought I had another tooth dying. But the pain did not last, nor did it resemble the pain I have felt before when a tooth affected by my Crohn's diagnosis went bad (oh, yeah . . . I have Crohn's and transverse myelitis). But the pain was on both the top and bottom jaws on the left side . . .left side only. And then I began to feel it around my left eye, and down the left side of my nose, bridge to the tip. Then I experienced numbness in my lips while eating. Then vertigo while just sitting, reading. Rinse. Repeat.

My first thought was on Monday I will call and see if I can get dental x-rays done. But I already know I have teeth that are desperate for restorative work, and this thought scares that crap our of me. I simply can not afford the dental work I need. I will go if needed, but then I notified my neuro, to give him a heads-up before my next appointment in just a few weeks.

Then I began reading more in-depth. Other's stories of their experiences. Oh, here comes another pain. The last story I read described something very similar to my experience. At one point in her recounting of the early days she says "And then came the 'suicide pain.'" That's when I started journalling . . . and came here.

I have not been here in a while, but joined when I was diagnosed with transverse myelitis years ago. I thought the leg and foot pain I experience from that was bad. Mine often resembles what I think Medieval torture might feel like: binding, breaking bones, pulling nails, breaking arches. But now I have these new symptoms, and if they are not the dreaded dental issues I expected I would some day face . . . I know they have the potential to be much worse . . .

I could use prayer. And advice, direction, suggestions, and friends. I already lead a life in which I struggle to want to go on many days. I do have a therapist, and I will contact her tomorrow to tell her that we may need to back off what we planned to work on and focus on pain issues . . .

Not diagnosed yet, but with my other health issues, track record, and a heavy dose of realism . . . I expect my life will be changing soon. When the pain gets worse . . .

Any thoughts and suggestions, tips and ideas are most welcome.