How do you guys live!!! One the pain is eating me up!! It’s sooo severe I could die!! What do you guys do??? Advil and Tylenol done help at al!!! And the doctors here don’t prescribe any narcotics unless your literally dying! I hate this so much!
Ask the dr about prednisone steroid that was the only thing that help me and motrin 800 with bendrell
I belive there is a dr in Canada check the dr list someone on here is in Canada and had the surgery.
I was on prednisone for a week, it didn't help me. And she didn't even want me on that either....there is a couple in doctors in Canada but still thousands of miles away from me.... I have another ENT appointment in October..... but thats a MONTH away....this is horrendous...
I am so sorry to hear you're in so much pain. I found that my pain came and went. It would be bad for several days then disappear for several days. Never found a reason for the starting or ending of the pain. ES seems to work on it's own schedule. This is to offer you hope that your current pain is temporary and you may get relief in a day or two without doing anything.
In the meantime, you can try ice to reduce inflammation - 15-20 min. on & 40-45 off. Only do this 3-4x/day though. Don't put the ice right on your skin. Either buy gel ice packs with covers or use a bag of frozen peas, corn, etc. that will form to the shape of your neck or face (wherever your pain is) covered with a thin towel or pillowcase to keep the ice away from direct contact with your skin.
If oral Prednisone didn't help then a cortisone shot might work. Kay who is on this site has found significant relief from her pain by getting periodic cortisone shots.
I will be praying for relief from your pain & for you to make headway toward the surgical option which will likely be the only final pain reliever.
A big comforting hug and shoulder to cry on for you from me!
Isaiah 40:31
Look at delusive's discussions. He also has had relief by cortisone shots. :)
Some members have had their pain eased by either anticonvulsant or antidepressant medication, which can help with nerve pain. Medication like Tegretol (Carbamazepine), Trileptal (Oxcarbazepine), Neurontin (Gabapentin), Lamotrigine, and Topiramate, Elavil (Amitriptyline) , Nortriptyline or Lyrica. Baclofen can sometimes help. Opioid drugs such as Percodan, Percocet, or Vicodin might help, but I guess they'd be reluctant to prescribe those.
The steroid injections can help if you can get referred for that- probably an ENT doctor could do that.
Otherwise alternative treatments like acupuncture can sometimes help, and I know my pain can be made worse through tension and muscle knots- a bit of a vicious circle as who can be relaxed when they're in pain?!- so maybe massage might help, plus gentle stretches (laying down) on your neck- tucking your chin gently to your chest and turning your head gently side to side. That's a difficult one, it does help to do a few but often Eagles makes it too painful to turn your head. Little and often did help. I've never found the cold packs helped- it makes things worse for me, but I find heat helps a little. Other members when I first joined here suggested trying to sleep propped up as laying flat was worse for me, and I still find that's the only way I can sleep. It's trial and error with what works for you. But don't be fobbed off by the doctors, keep going back, and read up as much as you can on medications- be your own advocate, explain how much pain you're in, and how bad it makes you feel. Good luck!
Massaging it makes it worse, I try and stretch but that of course makes it worse as well. I don’t know what happened last 2 weeks has been hell lots of pain before it was just there now it’s like reallllllly there. Giving me headaches and face ache as well and the neck left side of my neck going all the way down to my collarbone. I’ll ask for cortisone shots and see if they will approve if me getting that. I wish they would prescribe me some opioids but they won’t. I tried amitripline before and got a bad reaction too it. I wish my pain ppl can see it because I look so healthy and normal and happy on the outside but the inside I feel like death! I pray that The Lord heals me and to find a doctor that will believe me!
Kelx, it's worth trying other medications- just because you react to one doesn't mean another will be the same. You can always have a look at the Ben's Friends Trigeminal Neuralgia site- there's info on there about Atypical TN/ face pain. ES is also mentioned as a cause of TN- compression to the nerve by the styloids. As Isiah said, it's weird how it can suddenly ramp up and be worse and you don't know any cause. I know mine is affected by bad posture too, so if you're in pain and probably tense, tight and hunched then that adds to it all... Are you working? It might be an idea to think about posture etc. then- sitting at a computer for too long has always made things worse for me, as I know I hunch over and don't sit properly. Thinking of you, and God Bless.
Thanks Jules! No I’m not working at the moment. This all started right after I gave birth too my son 15 months ago. With all the doctor appointments, travelling 3 hours each time too see them almost weekly, there is no way I could hold a job until this nightmare is over with. I’m gonna ask in a couple weeks for those shots then maybe try a medication.