Hi,
I have been suffering from pains and numbness on the right side of my face for a while now. I have attended the doctors on many occassions who at first thought this was due to migranes and put me on 10mg of amitriptyline to take in the evening. This helped but only for a few weeks and then i was back as the pains were still there along with the tingles/pins and needles feeling in my face (it feels like my face is numb and heavy) i am now upto 50mg of amitriptyline in the evening now and i am still feeling the pains and tingles. I have had alot of dental work done due to three years ago having electric shocks in my teeth this resulted in me losing all of my upper right teeth.
What i'd like to know is this sounding like Trigeminal Neuralgia? I attended my dentist and she is now reffering me to the dental surgeon i also get major flushing on the right side of my face and ear - i feel like it is on fire it also appears on my back and chest.
Yes it does I've had 3 flare ups in 2 years the last one I went straight to the dentist not thinking because my teeth were so so painful upper and lower jaw and I had dental work last year, and 2 months ago anyway dentist did tests x rays nothing wrong with my teeth and was another TN FLARE up awful x I get pins and needles x sensation and heavy feeling not numb as such but a different sensation in that side of my face teeth ache ear ache jaw ache shooting electric pains it's horrible x
Hi Karen,
Thank you for your response, everything you have described is what i get - I am going demented with it all! My dentist has gave me a splint to wear at night also but even with that i am still suffering. I have went from a happy normally chatty person to being very withdrawn do to being in pain.
If you dont mind me asking who diagnosed you with TN?
x
I've currently been off work.for three weeks between medication for the TN my shoukder and neck which one of my GP thinks is all.linked as I have arthritis in my neck, I'm currently taking
1 x 400mg 3 times a day
1 x 1000mg paracetamol 4 times a day
1 x 400mg Gabapentin 4 times a day which works but I still get break through with pain but bearable and doesn't last long and sometimes hot water bottle helps I can't do anything cold or eat anything cold just aggravates it. I don't mix with people either it's not nice people just don't understand how excruciatingly painful.it is what effect being in pain for long periods of time has on yiu yiu become withdrawn and depressed tired worn out but the depression and withdrawn I think comes from being so tired all of the time, I do feel for you it's not nice ebut loads of people get to see the neurologist I haven't they won't send me because the tablets work however I can't drive on them they make me sleepy so to go to work mi have to come of them to be able to drive x
Are you in the UK Amanda x
I'm currently taking 50mg of amitriptyline just now in the evening for pain thats all i have been prescribed, mind you any other painkillers dont work for me. I do find if i talk for long periods of time, smile or chew that seems to make the pain worse and i get the flushing on my face/ear/neck my doctor and dentist have used the word "weird" with what keeps happening to me. (Doesn't make me feel any better) My GP thought this was an allergy.
Yes i am in the UK Karen, you? x
Yeh I'm. In UK it's great isn't it when they use words like weird, eating on that's side for me is psinful when I'm in the middle of a flare up I don't think it's weird at all I think it's straightforward don't give up keep at them yOU have to x
I'll keep at them, this has been going on since January and i'm back and forward from the doctors like a yoyo. It doesnt help when you have kids to look after and a job to go too.
Do you take headaches along with the TN? x
Yeh I do and many sleepless nightsmy last flare up from 3 weeks ago brought me to my knees at 3am I was sick nearly passed out and had a temperature with pain that's the worst I've ever experiencedit is difficult when you have children and work and GPs don't listen to you I do feel. For you I know where you are coming from Im 46 and started a degree I've just had to defer it until October so I can sort this out really messes up.your life I get funny sensation in my eye sometimes too x
I really can relate to everything you are saying, you have my sympathy. The reason i asked about the headaches as mine when they come boy do they let me know they are here and any movement hurts, even lying down!! Its like an electric current pulsing round my right ear down my neck along the back of my neck and ending up on my left ear. Any movement i have with this makes it pulse more and i have been in tears with the pain. I was off work last Monday (which i am lucky i work for my Dad) to attend the doctor as I just couldnt cope - ive to go back on the 9th of April. I too have a werid sensation with my eye ... it tingles and can also droop a little especially when i have the headache.
I hope you get this sorted so you can carry on with your degree, i've just turned 38 and feel about 68!!
x
There is a lot of info on the Internet,Trigeminal Neuralgia is easy to understand and your doctor will diagnose and give you medication.Do nt get any more dental work done and see your doctor.Sounded like TN till you said back and chest.i've never heard of that. Best wishes
hi!if I woz u I'd maybe go av a chat wiv ur doc again & mention about trigeminal neuralgia wiv all our symptoms etc..etc..u can neva b 2 careful can u? em x
Sounds like a sure shot to me but it can be complicated as lots of people don't experience the exact same symptoms. You'll need a scan you poor love x
Hi Amanda This is my 2nd post in 5mins cause I am sure the amitriptyline is not helping your pain as I have been taking it many years and believe it's helps with depression ,sleep and nerves.Another drug doctors love to prescribe.There are special drugs for TN such as Lyrica(pregabalin)Tegretol. (Carbamazepine).You can find them on the Internet.Get a 2nd opinion.
Yeh my GP thinks mine is all linked into my neck and shoulder. But the trigeminal ganglion sita above the ear, the trigeminal nerve splits into 3 One branches into the forehead, the second and third upper and lower jaw, so you will get all sorts of symptoms related to nerve pain, teeth ache jaw ache pain different types of pain all what you have have saidhope you get something sorted soon if it gets really bad do what I did go to A +E
Amanda don't buy drugs of the internet as implied above carbazapine tegretol didn't work. For me but anybody these nerve pain drugs tegretol amyltriptaline gabapentin maybe yiur dosage isn't right My GP has just increased my gabapentin because it has worked in the past, maybe you need higher dosage more often x
hi!I'm on gabapentin, tramadol,amitriptyilin & as many paracetamol as is needed & 4 extra bad days I take oralmorph-this has all been upped 2 top doses,this will work 4 a while & then it's back 2 the docs 4 trial & error wiv a few more cocktails ov meds,that's wot most ov us do init?iI av TNTYPE2 (atypical) & I get pain 24/7 so I get used 2 meds "better" than "normal" people,4 the want ov a better way 2 put it?lol! em x
You only need the xray for the doctor not a dental surgeon
I never had an x ray didn't need one dentist x rayed my mouth and x rays will bring up bony mass, x rays won't bring up nerves to see nerves you wouls need MRI Scan from.my hospital. Experience and 6 years of Operating theatre. The thing is the more drugs you take the more likely you actor become immune if you are taking oromorph already not much more after that apart from surgery,
hi!I didn't no that & the thought ov surgery fills me full ov fear & dread coz I recently red that sum people in u.s.a had surgery but that only lasted from 7-9mth so wot shud we do next duz any1 no? em x