Hi there Hejhog and it's nice to meet you!!!
I wish I could offer you a bit more comfort with your shooting pain than simply saying "welcome to the world of us with TN". I've had mine for 10 yrs. but for the most it has been that constant burning,aching pain that they seem to call "atypical TN". Several neurologists have said that this type is sometimes MORE difficult to treat than the classic TN such as you are having, since everyone can have different things that trigger the pain that's similar to a toothache on the whole left side of my face. When I first started noticing my pain years ago, it WAS like someone punching me in the eye. It would water and throb for a minute or so, then ease off and no pain at all. Within a short time, I was feeling the same sensation across my cheek and jaw areas. Baclofen and Tegretol did nothing for the pain and I finally began to see some comfort from the pain when I started taking the gabapentin. Winter in midwest of the US brought on more and more pain over the first couple yrs..having to increase the daily dosage as well as eventually added Vicodin for the pain. It was 4 yrs later when a different neurologist finally asked if I had ever tried antidepressants for the pain. I first thought he was trying to say that this pain was "all in my head" but figured I'd give it a shot. He supplimented my (at that time) 3600mg/day of neurontin with Elavil. It made me super drowsy, but within 48 hrs, I was noticing "HEY, I don't have ANY pain" !!! Three yrs later, I was still totally pain free, medicine controlled they were calling it. Now I'm noticing that the pain IS noticable, but tollerable as your words were Hejhog. There may not be an instant cure for this dreaded condition...but with the right neurologist and the wonderful power of prayer...we CAN get thru it! Best of luck to you Hejhog!!!

Corky