Hi, new to this! I was diagnosed with this yesterday after suffering around 2 weeks with facial pain on the right hand side, behind my cheekbone and down my jaw, a constant 'dull' throbbing with occasional 'flashes' of more acute pain. It started just after dental work but the dentist looked at me twice again and confirmed it is not tooth related, even though sometimes it feels like the pain is hitting there! I have been prescribed Carbamazepine, one pill per night. Any words or advice or such are welcomed!
Hi Jason
Welcome to the forum.
What dosage are you on? And tegretol (carbamazapine) is the best medication you'll have.
Are you experiencing any side effects?
Ive been suffering for over twenty years on and off. I'm now retired and my TN returned with a vegence but sadly Tegretol doesn't work for me anymore.
all I can say is take your mess reliously and maybe, you'll find your TN will disappear sooner rather than later.
good luck and let us know how you get on.
best regards
Gloriana
That should read Meds not mess lol
Hi Jason, yeah it's a shock to hear you've got something no ones ever heard of and your lucky to have a great Dentist and he didn't rip out your back teeth before saying it's not that. It is possible you only have the once and it doesn't return. Mine's being going for a year now, on and off. I took carb. Too but it hardly touched me so slowly you must increase this and check with your doc first or like me the agony persisted. I take lamotrigine as the other made me feel sick but since I've heard you have to stick with it and it passes. How old are you Jason, I am 47 I was more upset this condition is for alot older people than me and thought I was aging before my time lol. Apparently not the case, it can strike at any age. There's lots of options that you can discuss with your GP if it persists and your not alone. :-)
Hi Jason, yeah it's a shock to hear you've got something no ones ever heard of and your lucky to have a great Dentist and he didn't rip out your back teeth before saying it's not that. It is possible you only have the once and it doesn't return. Mine's being going for a year now, on and off. I took carb. Too but it hardly touched me so slowly you must increase this and check with your doc first or like me the agony persisted. I take lamotrigine as the other made me feel sick but since I've heard you have to stick with it and it passes. How old are you Jason, I am 47 I was more upset this condition is for alot older people than me and thought I was aging before my time lol. Apparently not the case, it can strike at any age. There's lots of options that you can discuss with your GP if it persists and your not alone. :-)
Hi Jason, Welcome To The Forum, And Sadly To The TN Club. I`m Uk Male 66 Had TN For 20yrs . I Was First Diagnosed TN By The Paramedics Who Said Put A Bag Of Frozen Peas On The Side Of Ur Face (doesn`t work with everyone). I`m Hopefully At The End Of A 2 month Continuous Attack Of Between 6 - 9 A Day. My Remedy Is By Using The Frozen With A Co-codamol Under My Tongue. Once The Tablet Has Nearly Dissolved Then A Swallowed Tramadol. Sadly This TN Can Be Recurrent. Wish You Well As With All Other Sufferes.
Oh dear know how you feel I had tooth and ear ache then it felt like I'd got sunburn on my face, hideous pain plus headaches. The doc confirmed TN. *sighs* I also took one of the same but it did nothing so looking back I needed more but this one your using had to be built up gradually plus you need s blood test at the start to see if your kidneys are up to it.
I took tramadol with my lamotrigine and I nearly passed out... Not a good combo For me. :-( as for the frozen packs I think for me the cold would send my face en teeth into a frenzied spasium of agony. I use a woolly hat en scarf, it's surprisingly effective with added paracetamol. Mike, my attacks can last about a week then three weeks later it's all back again. Does anyone in your family suffer from this? Could it be genetic?
Not Genetic. DON`t Take TWO STRONG Drigs Together.Try Hot Water Bottle.
Carbemazepine has been the drug of choise for trigeminal neuralgia for many, many years and is quite effective. There are other medications available for TN as well and there are treatments such as radiation, gamma knife, and micro-vascular decompression with craniotomy. I urge you to do your research on all the treatments available so that you are familar with all the options.
Drugs *
Cary does that medication make you drowsy and unable to work?
Is your Carbamazepine a 200mg pill? Did it help at all?
Sorry Jason, I hit the send button before i was finished. The usual dose of Tegretol is taken 12 hours apart because that is the usual time it lasts. I beleive most people start on 100mg twice a day (night and morning) and the GP increases it as needed. but if your night dose is working, its working.
Val did it make you feel sick and drowsy and can you work after taking it?
Many thanks for all the responses! Just to answer some questions, I am 36, and have never suffered any sort of pain like this or had mouth/nerve problems. The medication I was given, Carbamzapine, I have taken two tablets since I got it two days ago and I believe it is in 200mg quantities, per pill, if I am not mistaken! Has anyone else had success with this, and how long can I expect to wait before the pills kick in?
Didnt make me feel sick and have just stopped working because it made me feel very tired which i kept working through but with only 10 days to go til my op I thought i should rest up and get ready by not being tired.
For me it took ages but my dose only started on 50 mg and it didn't do anything so the doc changed me to another which also was hopeless. Now I am on lamotrigine and it's fine however, today it's not working so back to the doc's on Thursday to sort it out.
Hi Jason,
My Dr started me off on 200mg x 3 daily and when that didn't do anything I ended up with 1200mg per day plus Amitriptyline 1 at night and that did the trick. I had chronic nausea but that subsided say after about two weeks or so.
I can't really remember 20yrs back lol but over time I couldn't stand the nausea so I split the dosage right down to 25mg, then 50mg and so on until I reached my 1200mg a day. I chose to do that so I could gradually get used to it. After a few weeks when I was eventually on 1200mg I was fine and pain free. My TN disappeared after 9months.
My Dr reckons its best just to take the 400mg straight off to get the nausea out of the way but I couldn't do it.
i know every patient is different, you may find you'll be ok after days or couple weeks. If your still in pain increase your dosage. I personally swear by Tegretol just annoyed it didn't work for me this time around.
Good luck and let us know how your progressing.
Best Regards
Gloriana
My Doc said it's dangerous to start with a large dosage and to slowly increase it what difference that is I have no idea. I always feel a guinepig with my Doctor.