Friday....

I am really glad the weekend is here, very thankful!

I had a really hard time sleeping last night.  I was tossing and turning with TN face pain - I think I went down soundly at around 3ish.  The Affrin really seemed to help - I must have some sort of sinus thing going on that is triggering the nerve.  

I just don't know what causes it and neither do the doctors.  It's not worth going to the neurologist and paying a copay, so her med student can suggest drugs I can not take since I am  TTC.   I'm a tiny nervous that the pain could come back, but taking it one day at a time.  (Since we are currently TTC the epilepsy drugs are not an option)  There is a "blocker" shot I can go in for but that would have to be if things get REALLY bad - I'm totally not interested in and it sounds horrid.  The worst it trying not to think about it - it's truly impossible.

    

I feel like a new person this morning though...  No. More. Pain. !   

          

It's really refreshing to wake up with out it, or rather not being woken up from it.  I really do feel like a new person.  The pain this time lasted for about 48 hours.  That may be why I have not really had much of an appetite this week - I wish the scale would reflect that.     But, like I said I am feeling better and that is all that matters.  

Still monitoring my ovulation and so far no surge in the kit - I'm getting a bit anxious about it - seriously, I hate waiting so annoying!  I also plan to start working out again this week, now that I am feeling better. Yesterday, I also started my second bottle of the DCI for PCOS dietary supplement.  Hmm, that was a lot of little updates :)

I hope everyone has a great weekend.  Thanks for all the encouraging notes this week!

Having.... Trigeminal Neuralgia

For those not aware of Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN), it is awful.

My case was very complicated  - you can read about it if you wish in Medical History post.  I have been off Tegretol for 6 months.  The pain for me has for the most part subsided, however at times I feel a tingle sensation in my scalp on the left side and little jerk of pain on that side.  I also suffer from headaches often.  When I was on tegretol the headaches had subsided - I hate having headaches.... the only thing that works for me is to sleep it off.  I was given migraine medication - but I really didn't notice a change after taking it.

Sometimes if the pain is bad I miss the medication - but since I want to have a (TTC) baby that is not an option for me.

Since it's winter I notice TN a lot.  Living in Chicago, the cold breeze in the winter months seems to really irritate TN.  My ear on the left side hurts often and that annoys me the most.... to get through the winter I just picture a beach and to just "hang in there" spring will be here soon.  In 2010 when my medical drama began, I seem to be plagued with Sinus Infections.  I think when then sinus cavities swell is triggers the never and as a result I feel TN pain.

Here are some tips that helped me in the winter:

A good Scarf -
Wrap myself in a good scarf and try to cover as much of the left side of my face as possible.  

Humidifier -
 This helps my sinus's to stay moist and I have less nose bleeds. 

Eye mask -
This makes a huge difference if I have a headache light really bothers me.  I have the one pictured  above, I like it because it is adjustable (mine is so loose it hardly touches my face).  I picked mine up at Bed Bath and Beyond and I love it.