The middle years of suffering with Trigeminal Neuralgia

In previous posts I referenced what it was like during the early years of TN.  There was much uncertainty, fear, sadness, anger, frustration, prayer, and a general feeling of unfairness.

We didn't have a diagnosis so the continual trips to the doctor got exceptionally wearisome.

Then finally, a doctor was able to diagnose Shae with TN.

It had a name.  That may sound silly, but just to finally know what was wrong was such a relief.  Now, we could combat this nasty sickness, now that it had a name.

A wonderful VA dentist gave Shae a mandibular block to see if it would stop the pain.  Sure enough he had relief, even though it was short.  That helped the doctors to pin point to origin of the pain.  Obviously it was in the jaw, at the point of the wisdom tooth extraction.

Now, most TN is caused by a nerve rubbing an artery in the brain.  Shae did not have a typical case, but is there much that is truly typical in this world anymore?

I spent most of my free time learning everything I could about TN.  Who knew there were three branches of nerves in the side of the face?  Not me!

"Because of lack of knowledge My people perish."  God.

We sought knowledge about TN.  Now there is a website that can help you if you are in that knowledge seeking process right now.  http://www.fpa-support.org/

There are many procedures out there that can help TN sufferers.

Shae had:

• a glycerol injection
• radio frequency surgery
• balloon compression
• balloon compression
• brain surgery

Now, there are even more options for TN sufferers.  Be sure to research.  You must take care of you.  Doctors have hundreds of patients, you only have one...you.

We always got copies of all records every time we went to a doctor.  We kept them with us and brought them to the next doctor.

During these years of "research", Shae plugged on.  He learned what helped and what didn't. 

The wind would trigger pain.
Talking would trigger pain.
Eating would trigger pain.
Drinking would trigger pain.
Brushing teeth was brutal.

Pretty much anything triggered pain.

And so went the middle years......