The Return

Trigeminal neuralgia is often described as one of the most excruciating pains known to medicine. It's a neurological condition characterized by sudden, severe facial pain that can feel like an electric shock or stabbing sensation. The trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for sensation in the face, can become irritated or compressed, leading to these intense bursts of pain.

Imagine feeling like you're being stabbed in the face or experiencing a jolt of electricity shooting through your jaw, cheek, or forehead. Even simple activities like brushing your teeth, talking, or touching your face can trigger the pain. The pain can be so intense that it's debilitating, making it difficult to carry out daily tasks or even sleep.

Living with trigeminal neuralgia can be incredibly challenging, both physically and emotionally, as the pain can be unpredictable and severely impact your quality of life. 

Three weeks ago I was hit with a terrible TN attack.  Over the past two years, it seems that the pain has very slowly returned. But on 1/31/24 I had to go to the Emergency Room because of a pain attack that would not stop. The ER doctors followed the TN protocol that was provided by researchers and were able to bring my pain level down to about an 8 from a 10+++.  Over the week I was unable to eat or drink a substantial amount, I lost 10 pounds over this week.  Nick took me to a neurologist follow-up on this ER visit.  On Thursday, during this visit, the neurologist was very concerned and said that I was going to need to be admitted.  We then spent the next 12 hours Nick and I waited to be admitted.  We went from the ER, to admitted, and then to finally the ICU floor.  I then spent four days in the ICU and we had some pretty scary moments.  Then I was transferred to a normal floor.  During my time in the ICU I had a neurosurgeon visit.  Basically, it was determined that I was going to need to have another MVD.  

Today Pirc, Mom, and I met with the neurosurgeon to make a plan and review my MRI and CT scans.  The neurosurgeon feels like the best case of treatment is a repeat MVD.  One treatment of trigeminal neuralgia is with a type of brain surgery called microvascular decompression. In this surgery, a doctor makes a small opening in the skull to access the area where the trigeminal nerve is located. They carefully move any blood vessels that are pressing on the nerve and causing the pain. They might also put a tiny cushion between the nerve and the vessels to keep them from touching. This can help stop the pain signals and give relief to the person. It's a special surgery that needs to be done by a skilled surgeon, and it can make a big difference for people with this condition.

We have set the date for mid-March.  With a more specific date to follow.  We are getting a second opinion on February 28th.  After that, we will know for sure.  

I am still struggling with dizziness, blurred vision, and pain.  I hope that will start to improve but it does not seem likely.  I will keep this updated the best I can the same as last time.