Problems Laying Down

[b4peace33]

I have facial neuralgia and have problems laying down.  If the nerve is not irritated when I go to bed, I can start out laying down to sleep but will wake, after 4-8 hrs w/severe trigeminal nerve pain, which normally gets better after I've been upright for a while and take my morning meds.  If it's the middle of the night, I sit up, lean against  pillows and try to sleep the rest of the night.  If the nerve is highly irritated when I go to bed, then I have to sleep sitting up the whole night.  I'm averaging about 5.5-6hrs a night which is not enough to function well on all my meds.  I also get pain if I bend over and put my head down.  If an artery is pressing on the nerve, could the blood flowing to my head when I lay down or bend over cause the artery to expand resulting in the increased pain I'm feeling?  I'm wondering if this could mean an artery is pressing on the nerve and that the Microvascular Decompression surgery might possibly be a good option for me and an end to this horrible pain and lack of sleep?

[b4peace33]

Thank you for you reply.  Yes, I'm sorry, perhaps I wasn't clear.  I have been diagnosed w/atypical Trigeminal Neuralgia by a neurologist in 1996.  My current pain management doctor has the diagnosis as facial neuralgia.  I began on Carbamazepine but switched to Neurontin and have been on Neurontin since 1996 and am on several other medications for chronic pain.   I've had a cold sore a few times in my life w/the 1st of that happening about 12 yrs prior to the TN.  I'm just wondering if it were the "artery rolling on the nerve" theory, is it possible that it could behave this way when laying down and bending over?  It seems to me to correspond w/blood flowing to my head.  Oh, and if it matters, I'm 38yrs old.
Thanks!
Felisha

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

It seems that you have a Trigeminal Neuralgia. Did you have herpes infection ? And have you been ever prescribed Carbamazepine ? It works well for the condition.

You must consult a specialist before you think of any diagnosis.

Regards

DrAbhijeetMD