Back to Square One :(

[mary0705]

So bummed here. The steriod injections were working great ... until the real test came -- WINTER! I'm back on my full dosage of Neurontin in spite of an injection every 4 weeks and I'm still having 4-8 pain every day. My pain specialist wants me to have a radiofrequency ablation, which I know damages the nerve and I've heard horror stories about procedures that do that, but I'm to the point that I will try anything. Has anyone of you had or know anyone who has had the radiofrequency ablation? I've been at an 8 all day today and I could swear that I had a fork in my left eye. Wahhhhh.

[1Lily]

Hi Mary,
I have type 2 pain, and about the same frequency and intensity as you. I'm so sorry that the peripheral shots aren't working. I hope that you find the best treatment for this, I have no recommendations to make, though, but I am hoping that you get some relief soon. Do you have type 1 or type 2 pain?
Lily

[mary0705]

Lily,
I have Type 2 like you are stuck with now. Miserable, ain't it?

[saraiderin2]

Mary,

I do not know where you live but, I do know that the doctor who pioneered the proceedure your doctor recommends is in Ohio. Did your doctor say why they recommened this proceedure over the others?

I wish you the very best,
Sarah

[mary0705]

Sarah,
I am in Ohio! The pain specialist I go to is wonderful -- he's with the same University system as Dr. Tew and is the most-recommended doctor by other doctors in Cincinnati. Dr. Tew is a neurosurgeon while my doctor is an anithesiologist/pain specialist. He is so confident and kind at the same time. He's the only doctor I have trusted throughout this TN journey. I just found the procedure in Striking Back. There's a whole chapter on it called "RadioFrequency Lesioning". It sounds promising, except it does say that it has better results for TN1 than TN2 (as usual, sigh, why can't something work better on TN2 for once?) If my insurance approves it, I'm going for it. At this point I feel I have nothing to lose. It says the most common drawback is facial numbness. I can live with that more than I can live with this nasty pain.

You're having surgery soon, aren't you?! Don't you have both TN1 and 2 or is my neurontin-affected memory wrong about that? Good luck to you -- I wish you the best!