Hi Jeu,
I hope you have found some relief. As for finding a doc who does injections, you have to call around unfortunately and/or do web various searches and check out each docs web site. Usually a neurologist that does botox injections will do other types of injections so I would start there. YOU may need to go outside your area to find someone or a pain center with a good rep.
Personally, I don’t think you are not getting help because of being bipolar. This is not uncommon in general in the medical field to not address pain issues. I think because the FDA has cracked down on docs for over-perscribing, some docs shy away from it. The key is finding a doctor that listens and going to the right doctor to get what you need. If you go to the wrong doctor, they will just blow you off. My personal experience is that the docs that do help are few and far between and takes alot of advocacy to find the right one. Dont give up!
Thank you all for your replies. The muscle relaxer from Dr. Hackman unfortunately did not help. I slept 98% of that day. I still had pain and discomfort. Lots of tossing and turning to get comfy. I felt so drugged. I don’t know how I am supposed to take 3 a day…lol. Massage therapy helps. I’m now going to up my session to once a week. Hot baths are still my go to.
Tuesday I have an appointment with my Integrative Health doctor and an appointment with my new psychiatrist. My other psychiatrist told me I was going to have permanent nerve damage and I needed to demand surgery ASAP if I’m really hurting as bad as I claim. She also said she wouldn’t feel comfortable prescribing or even letting any other doctor to prescribe me the nerve pain medications that this group recommended. She said she didn’t think they would work with my current medications. She has been rubbing me the wrong way for some time now and doesn’t accept any insurance so this was the final straw.
Depending on my appointments on Tuesday go and how much money I have left on my FSA card will determine my next step for trying to find relief until my surgery. I’m so emotionally, mentally and physically drained. ES is starting to really take a toll on my depression. My counselor says chronic pain and do that.
As always I appreciate all of you. I hope you are all doing well.
Hi Jeu0721,
I’m glad you’ve left the psychiatrist who was not helping you & am hoping the nee one will be of great benefit. You are wise to stay away from any medication that your body responds negatively to or in an extraordinarily strong way (I.e. extra drowsiness for many hours). No need to add new problems to what you’re already dealing with.
Your counselor is spot on about chronic pain causing depression. I would even bet the hormonal response to pain knocks the endorphins right out of the way like a bowling ball to bowling pins. Without our natural “happy hormones” depression rears its ugly head & is hard to suppress.
I will pray for you to find the right combination of physical & emotional therapies & temporary meds to get you to your surgery date in a positive/optimistic frame of mind.
Hello everyone! I have surgery tomorrow with Dr. Hackman. I’m to arrive at the hospital at 7AM. I am so excited but really nervous now that it is so close. I’ll update as soon as I can.
Hi jeu0721,
I have your surgery on my calendar & will be praying for you tonight & tomorrow especially! Dr. Hackman will do a good job for you. Please let us know how things went when you feel up to it.
Hi jeu0721,
Best wishes and positive thoughts from Germany for your surgery. Don’t be too nervous about your excitement, thats good and helps your body e.g. to activate immune system or wound healing. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you having a nice surgery, less pain and a speedy recovery. 
Thank you @Isaiah_40_31 and @TheDude. I didn’t go to sleep until 2:30AM and had to be up at 4AM for my shower. I’m pure nervous now.
Your surgery is done & your recovery is now started. You’re on my mind today & in my heart hoping for quick healing & an uncomplicated recovery.
Will be praying for you, best wishes 
Sorry it has taken me so long to update. They attempted to make single incisions by my ears but the ligaments were too long they had to make incisions on my neck. I didn’t get a neck bra like others. I didn’t have any facial nerve issues or anything negative in that area. They were impressed with how well I did.
My throat from the tube is so incredibly sore. I’m eating ice cream galore. My pain comes and goes. It’s mainly my ears that hurt. My neck and face are very swollen. I’m sleeping a ton.
I cannot thank you all enough. I will try and update when I can.
Thank you for the update, jeu0721. Your incisions look good in the early healing phase. Your styloids are impressive! It’s great you got pictures of them. I’m curious why Dr. H didn’t give you a neck bra which seems to be his method of inflammation reduction for bilateral surgeries. You should ask at your follow-up.
I’m really glad to see your head is elevated when you’re lying down. That definitely helps reduce swelling. Are you icing often (or was it you who had more pain w/ ice? Sorry I’m forgetting). The first two weeks post op will be the worst for swelling & pain then things will start to slowly feel better & you will want to be up & moving around more.
Eating what feels good & goes down easily now is the best, but you might want to try some protein drinks. Vega makes good protein smoothies, or you can get some protein powder (I can recommend some brands if you need that) & make (or have someone make for you) smoothies w/ some fruit & or veggies, yogurt & the milk of your choice. That would give you better nutrition than ice cream. Ice added to a smoothie during blending will make it nice & cold & soothing & can also thicken it up a bit.
I’m praying for you!
So pleased that you’re through surgery safely & sounds like you’re doing well! Thinking of you, sending you hugs & prayers for healing 
Today I have eaten melted turkey and cheese sandwich on soft rolls with homemade potato soup. My jaw and ears are hurting very much this evening, the worst they’ve hurt since the surgery. I just noticed my bottom jaw doesn’t align with my top. My back molars do not touch and they did before my surgery. Is this normal? This pain is pretty bad. My ears are throbbing. How I wish they didn’t cut my ears. I’ve had issues with them since infancy and I fear this has only aggravated it.
Hi jeu0721,
Please don’t worry & be patient. You’re still in the VERY early stages of healing from a VERY MAJOR surgery. It can take a month or more for the swelling to reduce enough that you begin to notice consistent & significant pain & symptom. I had my styloids removed one at a time & it took 2 months after each surgery before I began to feel like myself again.
Keep the ice coming - 15 min out of every hour if necessary. If ice makes the pain worse, use heat. ALWAYS keep your head elevated (30º is recommended) when you lie down as that will help a lot w/ the swelling & take your pain meds on schedule. I expect your teeth misalignment is coming from inflammation in/around your jaw & will resolve as the swelling goes down.
It sounds like your jaw may not be ready for chewing yet, not even softer foods. As disgusting as this may sound, I drank my meals for at least 2 weeks after my first surgery because my mouth wouldn’t open, my jaw was too sore/stiff to chew, & my tongue was half paralyzed. My husband would put the meal he made for me in the blender w/ some almond milk & blend it up, & voíla! breakfast, lunch or dinner - I’m talking meat, veggies, salad, etc. in the blender w/ the milk to blend it. The shakes looked awful but tasted yummy.
Besides sweet smoothies, you could try soups that have meat & veggies but run them through the blender to reduce the size of the chunks. You could do this w/ Mac & Cheese, mash potatoes (add ground meat & blend w/ a bit of milk to reduce meat size further). This would obviously also work in a food processor.
Most important of all is - DO NOT compare your rate of recovery with anyone else’s. All bodies are different & respond differently to invasive injury such as surgery. Some people barely swell while others get immense swelling. Some have low pain while others are in agony after the same surgery. Some heal quickly & others more slowly. Accept what your body’s rate of recovery is & listen to & comply with what it asks as that will give you the best chance of a more rapid recovery.
Sending you a hug and praying for you tonight.
Sounds like maybe it was a bit much too soon, so maybe take a step back as frustrating as that is… As Isaiah says, it’s very early days & you will have ups & downs. It maybe your jaw is aggravated by intubation? We have quite a few members with TMJD & that can flare up after surgery, I’m sure some members are mentioned that their bite guards don’t fit after surgery, that something’s shifted…
Sending you hugs and prayers
Thank you both. I was in horrible pain last night with my left ear. I emailed Dr. Hackman. It feels like one of my worst ear infections. My mom says I only have 3 pain pills left so I’m going to try and do Tylenol during the day.
I do appreciate all the prayers, words of encouragement and advice during this recovery time.
Hi jeu0721 -
Do not be afraid to ask for a refill on your pain meds especially if the Tylenol doesn’t help. Being in pain also slows healing because the body gets waylaid by combatting the pain instead of putting all the effort into healing.
I ended up needing Rx pain meds for nearly 6 weeks after my ES surgery. I did begin tapering it starting week 2 but was so glad to have it on hand for a “bad day” here & there & to help me sleep better at night. Like so many on here, I was was really afraid of becoming addicted so I tried to be conservative in how I used it after the first week.
I am going to reach out to Dr. Hackman’s office again tomorrow. I’ve noticed since my surgery I’ve had numbness in my lower back, tailbone, right butt check turning into pain in my right thigh and discomfort into my right calf. My ears are both full of dried blood and the left is still hurting like a horrible ear infection and my right ear feels full with pressure. Neck incisions are starting to itch. No pain in the neck, no dizziness and no nausea. Now that I think of it, no headaches either. Tomorrow will be 7 days post op. I’ll have my mom take pictures after she helps clean my incisions. It hurts to sneeze…not sure what to do in those situations.
I’m still incredibly thankful for this group. I know my mom sympathizes but it is nice knowing others have walked in these shoes before and I don’t feel so alone. My post op appointment is on Thursday and my mom returns home to Louisiana on Saturday. I wish she could stay longer.
I second you ask for more pain meds. Im not sure what you are taking but if you are in that much pain, you need more and perhaps something stronger. Try and stay ahead of the pain.
I had some pretty serious jaw and ear pain myself the first surgery but I also have significant TMJ. That ear pain is the worst to handle. I just wanted to be put in a coma until the pain subsided. This will pass with time and lots of pain meds.
I think I read you didnt get steroids for swelling? Ask for those as well. I think they make all the difference in the world. I agree with others, stay away from a food that requires chewing. My go to scrambled eggs and macaroni and cheese. Hope you feel better 
After my second surgery my ear felt awful- heavy & blocked, & I couldn’t hear properly. I got it checked & there was noting in there, it cleared after 2 weeks so I think it was a nerve, irritated from surgery. That might be what you’re feeling one the right side? Otherwise it could be down to the swelling…Can you see your PCP otherwise if you think it could be an ear infection?
Hope things improve for you, sending you a hug