Trigeminal Neuralgia?

[cyclonefence]

11. I just got back from my ENT

My TN is "activated" by sinus infection, and I've found that being aggressive with sinus care has reduced the really bad attacks. I snort salt water from a bowl twice a day, and I use Nasacort to keep swelling down. He has given me prescriptions for Clarithromycin and prednisone for when it's really bad.

I also ended up with a neurologist, and he prescribed Trileptal, which is a seizure medication, and that works well as long as my sinuses aren't acting up. The idea is that the oversensitive nerves which cause the pain are kind of like the oversensitive nerves involved in epilepsy and the med has a sort of numbing, or slowing down effect. As I say, it's been pretty helpful. In fact, I wondered why epilepsy drugs wouldn't be used in fibromyalgia. I agree with you that there's probably a connection between the two conditions.

I'm with you on pain control--nothing, not even oxycontin, controls this pain. TN isn't known as "the suicide disease" for nothing.

It sounds like you are more of a "natural cure" person than I am. I'm actually in the "whatever works" camp! Good luck to you, and let's keep in touch if we figure out anything.