Trigeminal Neuralgia

[petal54]

hi,
has anyone here suffered from//with trigeminal neuralgia,as I've had pains in right cheek bone,right ear pain for aprox 2 months now,had 2 lots antibiotics (thought may've been sinus),went to dentist,teeth ok,have a drs.apt next week.
many thanks

[Buenchico]

As I don't have the condition, I apologise if you feel that I'm wasting your time. However these links might help:

Firstly, the NHS website offers plenty of information about the condition:
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Trigeminal-neuralgia/Pages/Introduction.aspx
(The 'Treatment' link might be of particular interest to you)

Secondly, the website of the charity helping sufferers might be useful:
http://www.tna.org.uk/
In particular, I note that there are a series of four 'personal stories' available to members via the panel at the bottom left of the page. (It's £20 per year for membership but, if TN is causing you serious problems, you might feel that it's worth it).

The information here, from another UK charity, might also be relevant:
http://www.brainandspine.org.uk/trigeminal-neuralgia

Again, please accept my apologies if none of this helps.

[petal54]

many thanks,very helpful

[cupotee2]

My daughter in law suffers badly with this. She has a bout of it every couple of weeks or so for some years now. It floors her for a couple of days at a time.

I can tell immediatly on seeing her she is having an attack.

She has been seen by a few Doctors both NHS and private.

She takes Amitriptyline and Gabapentin. They do help but seem to less and less the longer she has had it.

Wouldn't wish it on anyone.

[petal54]

I already take gabapentin,as had severe leg twitching(MS related),this hasn't helped,although not a high dose

[Sqad]

There is a direct association with M.S and Trigeminal neuralgia, but from your description of the pain, I cannot make a comment on the diagnosis.
Let us assume that you have Trigeminal Neuralgia, then i would seek the advice of your GP in replacing the Gabapentin with Tegretol which to me would have been a better choice of drugs.

[Patsy33]

I fully empathise petal54, if it is trigeminal neuralgia. I had it for a few years starting in 2005. I was Gabapentin which eventually took pain away. I came off them slowly 3 years later and ( fingers crossed) hasn't come back. Mine affected back of top jaw on left dide, thought it was toothache.I hope you can get it sorted, worst pain known to man.

[ladyalex]

If you have Trigeminal Neuralgia (you really need to get the diagnosis confirmed by your GP) then ask for a referral to your local pain clinic, or failing that to a neurologist.
Drug treatments can be very successful in controlling the pain, but you need a specialist opinion. There is also the option to go for a small op to kill the nerve.
You have my sympathy but you really need to press for a proper diagnosis and specialist treatment for this horrible condition.

[jamesnan]

My sister in law suffered for a few years from this condition and the eventual cure was an operation to cut the affected nerve. She has been fine ever since. Prior to that she was on medication, and had also had several teeth removed hoping that would stop the continuous pain.

[fishing81]

petal54, my wife has gone through the sinus issues and the visit to the dentists only to be told that it is neuralgia. Now having been on pills for 2 years and no improvement I looked for answers for her. Now the best thing we have found is using a wheat heat pad put in the microwave and held on the affected area for 20 mins and then 20 mins ice pack right away 3 times a day. Now after a couple of weeks she is down to once a day and only one pill and the best she has felt for a long time. Please try this and let us know how you get on