Trigeminal Neuralgia

It all started...

with a toothache in August. I had a molar (#30) with an old amalgam filling that had some decay hiding beneath it. Dr. Hood said a root canal was in order. So I went in for some root canal therapy, initially just a pulpectomy and then I would come back for the gutta percha. Anyway, he also did a filling (MO) on an upper molar (#1, yes a wisdom tooth, I have no #2). After he worked on #1, he began working on #30. As soon as he opened up #30 I felt intense pain radiate in a C shape from my lower right side of my jaw to the upper right side. He kept giving anesthetic (Marcaine because I was pregnant) and eventually had to drill into the bone to inject it directly because the pain would not subside. After the procedure my OBGYN prescribed 10mg hydrocodone and I went home to recover.

Around Oct 17th the pain came back. Not toothache pain but the intense shocking pain I had during the procedure. I called the dentist. He dinged #30 with the end of his explorer and asked if it hurt - NOPE. I couldn't tell where the pain was coming from, it was just there. He decided to open the tooth back up, clean it out and close it again (Waiting on the whole procedure of RCT and Crowning until insurance kicks in Jan 09). He didn't see any more decay but when he put that barb down into the root I had another pain shoot deep into my ear. So here I was bathing in pain. He prescribed an antibiotic just in case and I went home. I ate Tyelenol, Ibuprofen, Asprin, and Clindamycin(antibiotic) in a potentially lethal cocktail for a week until I gave up. The pain was so excruciating. I called the dentist back and he suggested another antibiotic but I was desperate by now. I called my general practioner and got in that day (Nov 5th). She was so empathatic and caring - She put me on Prednisone to help with inflammation and prescribed hydrocodone for pain. After the Predinsone was up I called her back and told her I was still having episodes. She referred me to an ENT and prescribed more hydro.

I went to the ENT on Tuesday and it was a bust. There was no ENT related diagnoses for my pain. Instead he wanted to refer me to an endodontist. Now I'm not an expert but I feel pretty sure (knock on wood) that the tooth is not infected (no fever, antiobiotics aren't working, no localized pain, no relief from palpating the gums around the tooth, etc). So I called my GP back and begged for a neurology referral. She emailed me this morning and told me that all of the neurologists in the network (Group Health) are booked until after the new year. HOWEVER, she was going to consult with a colleague and get back to me. She called me an hour later and told me that the colleague agrees with my suspicion of Trigeminal Neuralgia. My symptoms are exact and it's not uncommon for TN to be brought on by dental work.

So tomorrow morning I start on Neurontin to control the pain. GP didn't think I could still nurse Aidan though. So I got on the phone to the boys' pedi (whom I would trust with my life) and he gave me the go ahead to continue nursing Aidan. I just have to keep them informed of any dosage changes.

So that is that. I have included a link below about Trigeminal Neuralgia - since it's hard to really explain the pain in words. It's been called the most excruciating pain ever felt and some dub it "The Suicide Disease" (yikes!)

Trigeminal Neuralgia Association

Oh and for an uplifting note, here's my pic of the day:
Our niece, Kenzie, just started ballet. Isn't she adorable?