Comments on: Trigeminal Neuralgia – Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

By: Penelope Post

Penelope Post — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:23:24 +0000

By the way, my pain was deemed “intractable”, since no drugs would interrupt it, and I was referred to a neurosurgeon for the gamma knife treatment. It is the most severe kind of trigeminal neuralgia. because it’s complicated by “post-herpetic neuralgia” (PHN)
Please ask your doctor for mexiletine (Mexitil is easier to spell);in the meantime, use the topical (surface) lidocaine– only the 2% viscous lidocaine will work. I was happy to find this specific form verified as uniquely effective in clinical research articles.
There is a lidocaine patch that’s used for severe pain, too, but I’d rather use this goo in my mouth than have a patch on my face. Some people put the lidocaine gel on their skin; I’ve used this for the sinus bone and eye pain in the past not as effective as putting it under your upper lip, good as a supplement. But try the oral capsule, the Mexitil, as well– much more effective. lasts for 4-8 hours.

By: Penelope Post

Penelope Post — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:13:28 +0000

All antiseizure drugs caused impairing fogginess. Eventually I found that topical LIDOCAINE 2% VISCOUS placed inside the upper lip at the very top would stop the pain. This is where your dentist injects novicaine (like lidocaine), the very end of one branch of the trigeminal nerve. Recently, I saw a neurologist who very wisely prescribed the ORAL form of lidocaine, “mexiletine” (Mexitil)capsules, 150 mg to start.
This durg stopped excruciating, overwhelming, exhausting pain within about 15 minutes! Incredible.
Sometimes I need a higher dose (max is 900 mg to avoid side effects; otherwise there are NO side effects). This drug is used for heart spasms of the lower part of the heart at a higher dose. But at this dose, below 900 mg, there is no heart effect.
It is very safe, without side effects, and extremely effective for “central” (originating in the brain as trigeminal neuralgia does) pain!
Ask your doctor for mexiletine/Mexitil. It is a long-proven drug, available all over the world.
If it ever stops working,I will have the “gamma knife” treatment.It does not involve opening up the skull,done at major medical centers by a neurosurgeon with very advanced and precise equipment (UCSF, Stanford, Univ of Washington). It takes a short time, and there is total remission within three weeks.
An old friend has had the gamma knife treatment four times now, each time lasting for 5-7 years, and has been able to give college lectures and travel widely to conferences to give presentations. She also publishes books on her work in literature (John Milton) and lectures on the psychoanalysis of pain in major medical schools–so she is urging me to get the gamma knife treatment ASAP. Meanwhile, Mexitil and using the lidocaine on gauze strips under my upper lip stop the pain! Completely.
Be sure to use the treatment as soon as possible after an attack begins to interrupt the pain to keep the pain gates from opening more. No reason to go through this.
My pain goes from the roof of my mouth, up through my sinus bone, through the eyelid and eyebrow, the forehead, and into the edge of the scalp. These sites spread after I had “shingles” on the same side about eight years ago; the pain had followed a dental infection (dry sccket)in a tooth next to the “eye tooth” in 2000.
I feel very, very lucky to have found both lidocaine (on the skin or in the mouth) and then Mexitil. Pain only recurs rarely now that the nerve is not being stimulated, I assume.

By: s.sathiyarajmohan

s.sathiyarajmohan — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 12:16:10 +0000

Respected sir

Iam living in india at cuddalore in tamilnadu state.

Now iam suffering from facial pain .(facial nerve pain) daignosed trigeminal neuralgia,since 10 years.
given carbamazipine,and prigabaline.Now stoped all drugs. because iam going to acupuncture treatment.but till now iam suffering from trigeminal nerve pain(madible and maxilary nerve).opthalmic nerve giving pain in the time of taking cabapentini.cabapentine is giving side effect to trigeminal opthalmic nerve.
kaindly i request to you sir,give proper direction to me for treatment.
thanking you
yours faithfully
s.sathiyarajmohan