Oh My! I'm new and was just diagnosed last Tue. (10/22/2024). I am stunned.
For about 8 months, I thought I had an eye problem, so I went to two different eye doctors, told them of my problem, and asked them what I should do, thinking maybe I needed cataract surgery. One of them sent me to an xray office to have a CT scan to see if anything was awry. Nothing was found.

So last Tue. at my regular PCP appt., I told him of my problem, thinking it had something to do with allergies (I take a shot once per week), but he said he didn't think so, and when I explained my problems, he immediately told me it was my trigeminal nerve. Finally, someone knew what I had! I had never heard of tic douloureux. I began to search all over the internet to find out more info and the more I looked, the more concerned I became. For life? more pain? What did I do to deserve this? Only about 180,000 in the US? Why was I chosen?

I would appreciate any positive advice anyone can give. I am now looking for a specialist in my hometown, and hopefully one that is experienced. Being in my mid 80's, this was not good news at all.

Good luck to all
blessings
J. P.

Well, I guess no one wants to talk about this, so I'll just ramble on and on.

I live in a city of about 120,000 people. Data shows that 10,000 to 15,000 persons per year get TN in the US. Also, we know that about 16.8 persons in our country are over 50. (the age that most with TN).

Therefore the chance of getting TN is 13000 divided by 55,440,000 (16.8% of pop), which comes out to .0002345, or about .023%. (23 in 100 thousand). I say all of this to ask the question: If only 4 or 5 persons per year in my city get TN, (which is .00023 times 20,000 or 17% of the pop of my city) then how am I going to find a doctor who is experienced in treating this condition?

Maybe I should look at doctors in a larger city near me , such as Richmond, Va.

any thoughts?

thanks, anyway