Numbness?

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Permalink Reply by Jackie M on February 4, 2011 at 6:42am

Hi Katie,

I wish that you didn't have to feel any of this pain and I hope your attack stops soon.  I occasionally have a feeling that I am coming off of Novacaine and have a pins and needles sensation.  It is accompanied by some slight swelling, too.  I often bite the inside of my cheek because of that swelling.  I often feel like it is adding insult to injury. 

 

I'm sorry you are feeling this.  Do you journal?  Perhaps you could write this in your pain journal and ask your Dr. about it next time you see him/her.  The severity and frequency of this might be important to your treatment and diagnosis.  It might mean they should be looking at your meds and dosages and make sure you're on the right amount. 

 

I hope your pain goes away soon. 

 

All my best,

Jackie 

 

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Permalink Reply by Jim Richmond on February 4, 2011 at 9:20am

Hi Katie,

I have pretty much the same pins and needles feeling on the left side of my lips as described by Jackie. It sometimes extends to the left side of my face, left side of my hand and left side of my  lower left leg and foot. I don't have any swelling though. I've always put it down to a side effect of the medication (Tegretol, Gabapentin, Baclofen, Amitriptyline). It really doesn't hinder me in any way or I would probably have asked the question of my doctor.

Regards

Jim

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Permalink Reply by Katie Teutsch on February 4, 2011 at 10:20am

Well, the only medicine I'm on right now is Nortriptyline, and numbness isn't listed as a side effect. I do have a lot of facial swelling this time, which is new. The numbness just kinda comes and goes. It's an odd sensation. It'll be completely numb, then pins and needles, then gone, then pins and needles, then gone, then numbness, then pins and needles again. Just seems random as to what I'm feeling at any given minute.

 

The closest I have to a pain journal is my blog on here, and I haven't updated it in a few weeks. :( I've been slacking.

I did finally get a neurology appointment, but it's not until March.

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Permalink Reply by Jackie M on February 4, 2011 at 10:47am

Katie,

I keep a small daily calendar and journal my pain, it's symptoms and what I believe are side effects of medications.  Sometimes, they are and sometimes they're not, as I've found out over the years.  I thought my vertigo was a med side effect, but really it was a whole new thing. 

I make copies of my calendar pages before my Dr. appt. and give them to my Doc.  He doesn't get to read them while I'm there, but he does review them in between visits.  He says it has been really helpful and insightful.  He gets a little "snapshot" of my life with trigeminal and sometimes, it's sort of "ugly". 

Before I go to the doctor, I usually have a list of "complaints", so to speak.  I compile a brief list of my worst symptoms so that he can direct treatment towards those because I've found it's just too hard to get it all in with a 15 or twenty minute office visit.  But, when he has prior knowledge because he has read my journal, he often surprises me with questions I didn't know I should ask. 

Last time, he gave me an anti-inflammatory cream for the swelling in my face and I haven't quite decided if it really helps or if I just feel better being able to do something about it.  Sometimes I can use heat on my face.  Sometimes I can't touch it at all.  When I do use heat though, I was able to purchase a little rechargeable pocket hand warmer from Sanyo that's been a blessing.  It's absolutely the perfect size and it doesn't have the bulk of a heating pad or the smell of those disposable hand warmers. 

Sorry for the long, wordy post.

All my best,

Jackie

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Permalink Reply by Denise Smith on February 4, 2011 at 11:05am

I have had numbness on the left side of my face for over a week and I wasn't on any medication.  It also felt like the left side of my tongue was swollen and that my eye was numb.  Yes it did feel like a needle that the dentist gives you and doesn't give up but yet the pain inside my jaw was horrible and was enough to make me cry.  Since I started the tegoral on Tuesday the feeling in my face seems to be getting better and the pains when they strike doesn't seem to be that bad.  Now it is more like a pulsing tooth ache but it passes in about 10 or 15 minutes.

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Permalink Reply by Katie Teutsch on February 5, 2011 at 1:00pm

So swelling is also a symptom of TN?

I swear, it looks like I have a tumor in my jaw. The pain is from my lower jaw to behind my ear, and up to my temple. Upper jaw and cheek are fine. Jaw is swollen. I almost thought I did have an abscessed tooth, by my teeth and gums feel fine. And pain pills aren't touching the pain, which I'm sure if it was an infection it would help the pain. The numbness is still on my lips and the inside of my cheek. I'm getting the shooting pains from my inner ear down my jaw.

Ugh, I'll just be glad when I can see the neurologist. Hopefully he can give me a better idea of what the hell is going on with me.

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Permalink Reply by Jessica Schwake on February 5, 2011 at 7:49pm

Katie, I, too, am having numbness in the right side of my face, very similar to what you described. I also had similar pain, and am experiencing some trouble swallowing food.  My face wasn't swollen but it was starting to look stiff and asymmetrical.  I did get in to see my neurologist (I threatened to go to the ER if he didn't see me.) He upped the Neurontin and it took care of the shooting pain in my jaw, but not the numbness.  We are doing other tests - MRI, neck x-ray - but so far we haven't found anything..  Good luck and keep us posted.  Maybe you can get in to see your doctor sooner.

Katie Teutsch said:

So swelling is also a symptom of TN?

I swear, it looks like I have a tumor in my jaw. The pain is from my lower jaw to behind my ear, and up to my temple. Upper jaw and cheek are fine. Jaw is swollen. I almost thought I did have an abscessed tooth, by my teeth and gums feel fine. And pain pills aren't touching the pain, which I'm sure if it was an infection it would help the pain. The numbness is still on my lips and the inside of my cheek. I'm getting the shooting pains from my inner ear down my jaw.

Ugh, I'll just be glad when I can see the neurologist. Hopefully he can give me a better idea of what the hell is going on with me.

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