Dental work today ATN/TN so alone

I'm so sorry Sarah! Yes... I've become a hermit also! I own a bar and I can count on one hand how many times I've been there in a year and a half. Unfortunately opiods and such doesn't work on my pain... all I have is Gabapinten and can't take more than 600mg at a time, 3 times a day or my body freaks out! I've pre-admitted this morning for my 3rd Surgery which will be on this Thursday. They will cut from the outside under my jaw (right side) thru my jaw bone and clip the Inferior Alveolar nerve at the base of my skull. A dentist drilled thru my tooth doing a routine root canal and inserted sealant thru the hole encapsulating the main nerve in my face. It chemically killed the IA nerve. Dr's here at LSU attempted to replace a 2 1/2 inch section of nerve with a cadaver nerve (7 hour surgery) ... after 9 months pain was worse so they went in again and clipped it completely BUT they didn't cut high enough which brings us to this surgery.... I should say After seeing extensive neurologist, neurosurgeons, maxillofacial, micro surgeons and you name it, they all recommend this surgery so fingers and toes crossed. You DO find out who your true friends really are! Good Luck. Don't give up till someone listens!!

Morning Sarah 

I've just read your post and you absolutely aren't alone. We all know exactly how you feel re the pain and how utterly miserable it makes our lives.  People do not understand what agony we put up with, even to try and talk at times is unbearable. Occasionally I speak like a ventriloquist,  not an attractive look!  

Ive just had another rubbish night with very little sleep. The only thing I can do when I have a constant pain is to blow my cheek out for as long as I can bear and then deflate. I find this takes the pain away for a bit. Must have done this a dozen times but it does stop the pain, for me. I've had it 16 years but I've decided not to go down the surgery route as in my eyes it's better the devil you know.  

Please don't feel alone as you're not, we're all in this together. Hoping for a better day!! 

Paula xx

Thank you everyone for your support at a time when I desperately needed it. I know you all know are also feeling awful so i very much appreciate you taking time to help lift me up. Glad I found this place!!!! 

Sarah I know what you're going through. Here is my story.

I've been suffering for 13 years.  I was only diagnosed in 2016.  Until then I had no idea what was wrong with me.  All I knew was I was in horrible pain.  I have ATN on my left side  the pain starts in my left ear and moves into my face.  It's not the sharp stabbing electric shock pain alot of people get.  Mine is one long pain that lasts for a good 15 hours. It feels like someone is driving an ice pick into my ear and face. Sleep is impossible,  it's torture.   

When I was finally diagnosed I started to see a neurologist.  He started me on Carbamezapine with Lyrica added in for extreme pain.  My attacks spaced out alot with the meds but as a trade off I was constantly nauseous.   I got so I couldn't eat and had to miss some work I was so horribly nauseated.  The doctor said to cut back my dose and I did,  the nausea eased up.  

 I live in a state where medical marijuana is legal so I went to see a MMJ doctor.  I wanted to learn about a natural solution since I feel the meds are a temporary band aid at best.  He directed me to a natural pain salve and CBD oil. 

I am now completely off my meds.  I take a dose of CBD oil in the morning and evening and if I get an attack.  Last night I started to get one right after I got into bed, it was full strength so I grabbed my salve and put it on my ear and face where the pain was.  I took a dose of CBD oil, within 10 minutes the pain had stopped and I was able to get to sleep. 

Sarah I can not say enough about the CBD oil it has been a major , major help to me.  It is available online to order, it does not have THC in it so it is legal to buy anywhere.   Do a little research first and make sure you're getting ti from a reliable source.   Stay strong, you're not alone.  

 

THE ICE PICK! I use this all the time when trying to explain how it feels.  I live in in Northern VA--literally like 10 min outside of DC but med MJ is NOT legal in VA and sadly, I got in trouble once after getting in a fender bender and I had MJ with me...of course the K9 unit responded to someone rear ending me!!!! So I am super careful about the legalities now b/c now its even HARDER to find a job that is sensitive to the TN and willing to let my record go.  My DR wants me to move to DC but he thinks that if I were to get caught with CBD oil it would be an issue...despite all my med records and everything the first time he still thinks it could be a grey area...I should just bite the bullet (if I had the $$$ and move 3 miles already!!!!!) 

Hi sarah i also suffer with ATN left side but during flares I sometimes have it on my rigth side aswell , pain i so bad i had it for a year now after a accident injury to my head also have occipital neuraligia, i just turned 32 and lost all my friends and work everything but i dont think of that often i just want to be me again so i try my best and researching best treatments options and wat cab i do just to be out of this awful pain , iam sorry your suffering with this condition hope there will be relife from the pain some how please get in touch with me 

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Oh Sarah that is so terrible!! I understand! I was diagnosed 10 years ago and recently found carbamazepine less effective. I am looking into balloon rhizotomy. Have you tried another procedure? The opiates are terrible.

Chrystie