Trigeminal Neuralgia Support Group

Hi and I'm sorry you are stuggling with pain. I am on Tegretol and although I do have times of breakthrough pain, it work really, really well for ME. Talk with your neuro about it.

Marti

Has your doc talked to you about Gamma Knife? It actually reduces the nerves ability to feel pain with minimal side effects?
Chronic pain is !@#$. I am sorry.
I was on Lyrica but it made me too dopey. I am on Lamical and Effexor with Topamax. And it seems to do okay.
Take Care.

Riding the tegretol train myself. At the moment I'm really hoping that the hydrocodones that I've taken will take the edge off enough to sleep. It usually stops for the day. Now if I could just get to sleep.....

Good luck!

To answer your question: nothing completely though….. Tegritol, Neutrontin (sp?), Dilantin, Nortriptyline, or other seizure meds can help but these do not elevate all pain for everyone-just lesson the severity. TN is different for everyone. Eight Tried and counting. I finally resorted to having the Gamma Knife done.
Good Luck and hang in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

btw: there are draw backs with Gamma Knife but I would do it again if that tells you something.

I've had TN for 4 months and tried Lyrica...no pain for 7 weeks and then came back intensely; on to Tegretol and it eased but did not eliminate, and had to go on medical leave from my job for a month. Then came Dilantin...am in my 6th week with it, and have had no pain, except an ache just when my next dose is due. It works great so far, but so did Lyrica at first. Hope you are in with a good neuro and have tried some of these already.

Hello to All,
I will make note of all your suggestions and talk it over with my doctor. Tell me more about the gamma knife. What are the side effects?
I do want to thank all of you for your help!
Gloria

Hi ,i have had the op Microvascular Decompression.there are five other options.My surgeon said this was the best long term option,for being pain free. I have been pain free since the day before my op.This was on the fith March this year.The Gamma Knife is fairly new ,first results are promising,but there is no long-term study on the success rate.You can get more info from the T.N. ass U.K.www.tna.org.uk
Hope this helps Janice

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Isn't it strange how differently we respond to various meds? I don't remember ever trying Tegretol. I can take Lyrica, and have absolutely NO side effects from it, but it does not work as well as I could wish. I cannot take Effexor at all. I will ask my doc about the microvascular decompression and the gamma knife.
My love goes out to all of you!!