It's rather bad when you join a forum like NeuroTalk, can look down at the list of conditions and realize that you can post in more than one forum for separate health conditions. lol

A few days before I turned 22, I had a root canal. It was a painless procedure, I went home and as the numbness wore off, I felt tremendous pain. I waited it out, waited even longer, started a new job around that time as a cashier, and kept waiting. Finally, I saw my dentist, complained, had x-rays done and nothing. I was sent to a more specialized dentist, who did digital x-rays and... nothing. Some of you can probably see where this is going.

It took me over a year to see a neurologist. In that time, I became so self-educated about Neurology that I knew by the time I did see a Neurologist that I had one of a couple things. It's amazing how FEW things can cause chronic face pain, isn't it? Also during that time, I lost my job as a cashier. My pain, completely uncontrolled, was there everyday. With no understanding of my condition, I was likely working the worst job possible other than maybe tech support. I had to talk and smile at customers during the busiest shopping hours of a major grocery store. I was swallowing anywhere between nine to twelve ibuprofen a day, with no real realize, having a hard time eating, and sleeping only four hours a day. After a month, I could no longer do the simple math necessary to fulfill my job.

I finally did see a neurologist, had the usual barrage of tests you're all likely familiar with: a MRI (clean), touch tests (WHY!? lol), poke tests (again, WHY!?), and was put on carbamazepine after gabapentin failed to do anything. It has been somewhat successful in reducing my pain. The only thing is... I can't talk anymore. I choose my words and just don't want to speak anymore. When I do, it's so excruciating that nothing but time and continued silence seems to end it. I don't want anyone to touch my face. I don't even know who I'm supposed to talk to about this. The subject of pain, my situation, and my health makes my friends--who are wonderful and mature for their age, but let's be reasonable--very uncomfortable. After a year of suffering, I confessed to my father, who lives hundreds of miles away and his "consolation" was, "Don't tell your grandmother."

I can't find a job where I don't have to speak, or can do speak so infrequently that it wouldn't matter. I keep considering taking up learning sign language, but if only I learn and not those close to me... it seems pointless. It's gotten to the point where I dread anyone taking enough interest in me to ask, "So what do you do for a living?" because I can't earn an income.

When I finally saw a neurologist, I felt hopeful that I would receive answers and maybe begin to heal. Because of my age and the mysterious cause of my TN, which was the final diagnosis, my neurologist has no interest in surgical methods. So I continue to swallow carbamazepine 3-4 times a day and avoid talking too much, smiling too much, never putting on make-up and washing my face very carefully.

I know this is a story many of can empathize with. I just can't stand how trapped I feel over it. I keep trying to deal on my own, because I really am a strong person. I've had fibromyalgia since I was 15 and a half. And anyone who is familiar with that knows the craziness of that illness that induces such speculation from others, even doctors. But there are things you can do for fibromyalgia: major diet changes, massages, exercises, buying special beds/mattress covers, herbs, etc. Although none of these things "fix it" or "heal it" and you could do everything and still feel rotten, at least there is something you CAN do. My experience so far with TN has been the opposite. Instead I have a list of things I cannot do that overwhelms me: do not talk too much, do not smile too much, do not touch face, do not, do not, do not...

I'm not certain how I'm supposed to connect with people my age anymore. There interests are in dating, movies, new purchases, college, their jobs... For them a happy day is one filled with things like good luck, a good grade, a gift from someone. For me a happy day is one where I can talk longer than twenty minutes and not pop a carbamazepine.

If anyone has any advice, I'm all ears... really...

Also, I have a question: Since my root canal thing I've been very careful with my oral hygiene. I brush three times a day, always floss, and use fluoride mouthwash when I can remember. I see the dentist twice a year. I'm not sure why, but I still get 1-3 cavities a year. I recently found out I had a cavity on my right side lateral incisor. It's the side I dread, as that's my "bad side." I was under the impression that it was a small cavity, but it's so excruciating that I actually feel nauseous. I feel like screaming to be honest, it hurts that bad. It isn't abscessed and like I said, I was under the understanding that it was a pretty insignificant cavity and couldn't possibly have hit the root yet. I have an appointment on the 6th (earliest I could get) to have it filled. I'm wondering if anyone else has just had a cavity, that though minor, was so awful because of it's location and TN. Is it normal for TN to make tooth pain feel worse than it is? Or is it possible that the TN is being irritated by the cavity?