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Causes and drug alternatives?
This is my third bout with trigeminal neuralgia. I'm 47 years old with a history of six or seven concussions, several severe. I was wondering if anyone had heard of this as a possible cause for onset of symptoms? When I had it before, the doctors treated my pain with morphine, oxycontin and xanax before being placed on long term neurontin. Now I'm facing the same treatment, but DO NOT want to go back on neurontin. The constant hunger and weight gain was horrible. Does anyone know if there is a different long term drug that is just as effective without the side effects? I appreciate any input!
I don't want to sound like a downer here, but TN is a permanent and often progessive illness initially with remissions that gradually can last days to years, with the remissions becoming shorter and less frequent, most causes of TN are unknown (idiopathic). Causes can be many, but for most people TN can be "set off" by some initial trigger in people where TN is "hiding".
All anti-seizure meds and some anti-depressents (work on neuropathies and neuralgias too) But, Tegretol is the baseline or initial medication your Doc should prescribe (Carbamazepine) and the starting dose is 200mg. Your Doctor will modify your intake very slowly and initially there are side effects. Patients stop taking meds when the side effects start, without allowing their bodies to adjust. You would only stop taking a med if it caused you life-threatening side effects. If you haven't already, Tegretol is known as the most effective med for those who can take it. All meds have side effects.
The best case scenario comes when your doctor finds the right "combination" of medications.
I've had TN for over 10 years. In that time it's become bilateral, the pain worse, and it's now every day. There are no more remissions for me. I've had only 2 remissions in that time.
The morphine will not kill the pain, it just knocks you out so you don't feel it.
One thing about TN is if you're asleep - you would never be woken up from pain, it's an oddity about the condition, you don't feel TN pain while you're sleeping.. It's just getting to sleep while you're having an attack that's the problem.
The biggest problem you may have with Neurontin is it sounds like when you had a remission - you stopped all your meds. Don't do that. When the pain returns and you are on NO meds at all, the pain is worse. If you have a remission, you should titrate slowly down to a loading (starting) dose of the meds. Xanax, titrate slowly and with your doctors help. Cutting meds off suddenly will cause major side effects and even cause pain to return.
If you don't have one already, speak with a Neurologist.
If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message.
My Sincere & Best Wishes to you - I hope you continue to remain pain and drug free!
All anti-seizure meds and some anti-depressents (work on neuropathies and neuralgias too) But, Tegretol is the baseline or initial medication your Doc should prescribe (Carbamazepine) and the starting dose is 200mg. Your Doctor will modify your intake very slowly and initially there are side effects. Patients stop taking meds when the side effects start, without allowing their bodies to adjust. You would only stop taking a med if it caused you life-threatening side effects. If you haven't already, Tegretol is known as the most effective med for those who can take it. All meds have side effects.
The best case scenario comes when your doctor finds the right "combination" of medications.
I've had TN for over 10 years. In that time it's become bilateral, the pain worse, and it's now every day. There are no more remissions for me. I've had only 2 remissions in that time.
The morphine will not kill the pain, it just knocks you out so you don't feel it.
One thing about TN is if you're asleep - you would never be woken up from pain, it's an oddity about the condition, you don't feel TN pain while you're sleeping.. It's just getting to sleep while you're having an attack that's the problem.
The biggest problem you may have with Neurontin is it sounds like when you had a remission - you stopped all your meds. Don't do that. When the pain returns and you are on NO meds at all, the pain is worse. If you have a remission, you should titrate slowly down to a loading (starting) dose of the meds. Xanax, titrate slowly and with your doctors help. Cutting meds off suddenly will cause major side effects and even cause pain to return.
If you don't have one already, speak with a Neurologist.
If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message.
My Sincere & Best Wishes to you - I hope you continue to remain pain and drug free!
This is the alternative treatment for TN. Do it and you will know and feel improvement in quality of life.You can also do it alongside any medical treatment.Be patient(allow months), as this works very gradually.
You need to help your body to build up your immune system.The breathing exercises - pranayam is a holistic approach creating extra oxygen supply in the body and will slowly help with the health problem.Do the pranayam to see the benefits.Build up your timing slowly and after four weeks at the suggested maximum duration you will start to notice benefits gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy,stop and resume later.
What is known: pranayam helps the body heal itself. How it works in the body is not known – but people may build their own theory. You have to do it yourself for your benefit.
The small print: Keep doing pranayam after you are better for minimum 30 minutes a day for rest of life to maintain health.
People who have been treated successfully, should do pranayam as well, as there is a chance of recurrence.
The pranayam techniques:
Bhastrika - Take a long deep breath into the lungs(chest not tummy) via the nose and then completely breathe out through the nose.Duration upto 5 minutes.
Kapalbhati -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day.(Max 60 min/day) Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it very gently. If you feel pain, do not do this.
Anulom Vilom - Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril
then -keeping the left nostril closed deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day(maximum 60 minutes in one day).
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.
Bhramri Pranayam -Close eyes. Close ears with thumb, index finger on forehead, and rest three fingers on base of nose touching eyes. Breathe in through nose. And now breathe out through nose while humming like a bee.
Duration : 5 to 10 times
Only by doing you will benefit and will feel good that you can do something to help the body.Copy and print this to improve your technique and stay focused.This is simplified pranayam for everyone and you do not have to go to classes to learn. This is for life, unlike short term classes where you do it in the class then stop when classes are over.
You need to help your body to build up your immune system.The breathing exercises - pranayam is a holistic approach creating extra oxygen supply in the body and will slowly help with the health problem.Do the pranayam to see the benefits.Build up your timing slowly and after four weeks at the suggested maximum duration you will start to notice benefits gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy,stop and resume later.
What is known: pranayam helps the body heal itself. How it works in the body is not known – but people may build their own theory. You have to do it yourself for your benefit.
The small print: Keep doing pranayam after you are better for minimum 30 minutes a day for rest of life to maintain health.
People who have been treated successfully, should do pranayam as well, as there is a chance of recurrence.
The pranayam techniques:
Bhastrika - Take a long deep breath into the lungs(chest not tummy) via the nose and then completely breathe out through the nose.Duration upto 5 minutes.
Kapalbhati -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day.(Max 60 min/day) Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it very gently. If you feel pain, do not do this.
Anulom Vilom - Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril
then -keeping the left nostril closed deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day(maximum 60 minutes in one day).
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.
Bhramri Pranayam -Close eyes. Close ears with thumb, index finger on forehead, and rest three fingers on base of nose touching eyes. Breathe in through nose. And now breathe out through nose while humming like a bee.
Duration : 5 to 10 times
Only by doing you will benefit and will feel good that you can do something to help the body.Copy and print this to improve your technique and stay focused.This is simplified pranayam for everyone and you do not have to go to classes to learn. This is for life, unlike short term classes where you do it in the class then stop when classes are over.
I suffered 4 episodes of TN attacks within 2 yrs. Been treated with Backlofen and Lyrica in the past. I could not tolerate the side effects of these drugs. My last attack I tried Klonopin 0.5 mg (1/2 in the morning and 1/2 bedtime) This drug did the trick for me. No side effects and pain disappeared after 2 weeks. I continue to take the Klonopin for another 2 months than weaned my self slowly (2 weeks) of KLonopin to avoid withdraw symptoms. Thank God, I'm pain free and drug free for over 2 months now.
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