My new diagnosis: Trigeminal Neuralgia

[flamingyouth]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigeminal_neuralgia

I had to write it down because I keep forgetting the name of the nerve. This disease is a mouthful. :D

Anyway, after years of suffering from bizarre pain in my face and head, as well as dizziness and other balance issues, my neurosurgeon gave me the diagnosis yesterday. I was in a car accident four months ago and herniated three disks in my neck and damaged my median nerve in my left arm, resulting in some loss of mobility. I had two epidural steroid injections to reduce the inflammation in the disks. But still these long-standing symptoms kept getting worse, it seemed. Years ago I was diagnosed with Meniere's Disease because of the dizziness/vertigo, but I have long suspected I didn't have it. Likewise, doctors told me my pain was due to fibromyalgia.

After a series of tests over the past few days, that was my diagnosis. In a way I'm somewhat relieved because for years I thought I was going crazy... I mean, who gets excruciating pain in the roof of the mouth?!? I'd tell people and they'd look at me like I was nuts.

Does anyone here have this or know anyone who does? Right now I'm on Neurontin (gabapentin) as well as Tramadol for the pain.

Again, as always, I'm so glad this group is here. :hug:

[REP]

1. Violet Crumble Has It; See Her Thread Below

I know about having periods of vertigo/near fainting, but not from TN. I too have been given a dx of Meniere's, but I doubt that's that what it is; it lasts too long but I doubt it's TN, which just sounds awful. I hope they can offer you some treatment now that they know what it really is.

[Susang]

2. Ask your doctor about Lyrica

It's a new drug that treats nerve pain and it's been extremely effective, much more so than Neurontin. My doc also keeps me on a supression therapy of Valtrex since my neuralgia began with a herpes infection of the trigeminal nerve, and that seems to help quite a bit.

[flamingyouth]

3. Thank you! I will ask her.

BTW, how are you doing? How did the surgery go? :hug:

[Susang]

5. Surgery went well

I had a few complications, they found a bone spur that didn't show up on the MRI, but I"m healing pretty quickly. I'm getting pretty stir crazy, but at least my pain levels have significantly subsided. :-)

[zanne]

4. I have some form of neuralgia.

I just saw my doctor yesterday. For the fifth day, I've been having jabbing, sharp pains in my head. (It kinda feels like a bee keeps stinging me in the exact same place). I was in so much pain my doctor gave me an injection. He took some blood test and I'm scheduled for a CAT scan Monday. I don't think it can be Trigeminal because that's just the face, right? In the meantime, he prescribed some painkillers and Amitriptiline, which is an anti-depressant but also works on nerve pain. (I hope).