Trigeminal neuralgia support thread - other neuro-pain also welcome!

[BrienneofQarth]

Suggested on the 'most painful experiences' thread, this is for all sufferers of the suicide disease to come and share your woes! Hideous bastard pain that it is.

How old is everyone who suffers? I'm 32, when diagnosed a couple of years ago I read it was uncommon in women under 50 and wondered how true this was? The doctors have never mentioned this to me.

I have trigeminal neuropathic pain, following a failed root canal. The pain has spread since so now I have pain and other strange sensations in my jaw, teeth, cheekbones and sometimes ear. I've had it about 5 years now.

I have to say my original dentist was useless, in fact worse than that. He insisted it was a tooth problem even when TN or some other nerve pain was suggested. It was only when I saw another dentist that he recognised the problem and got me to a facial pain specialist. The original pain was unbearable.

I'm on amitriptyline now, which works fairly well. Most days I have some pain or tingling, but it's all bearable. I struggle with accepting that this is forever, but at least life is worth living again!