So, What"s so Atypical?

From Dictionary.com:

a·typ·i·cal

/eɪˈtɪpɪkəl/ Show Spelled[ey-tip-i-kuhl] Show IPA

adjective

not typical; not conforming to the type; irregular; abnormal: atypical behavior; a flower atypical of the species.

I've been hearing this term a lot in the last seven months and everytime I think I understand what it means to me, the meaning escapes me.  Since I had a root canal on December 29th, 2011 everything typical about me became atypical.  I started having a swelling feeling in my face on the same side where the root canal was.  I was treated with anti-biotics which did not help.  I soon began having severe waves of heat come across my face and then feelings of  lighting sparks, bee stings, and aching teeth would follow.  Before long, any exertion placed on my face like excessive squinting, smiling, having conversations brought on the symptoms.  In March I had the tooth removed in case the root canal had placed the tooth root on a nerve causing the problems.  It was to no avail.  The pain just transfered to the tooth in front of the one that was removed.  It eventually calmed down, but the initial feelings of inflamation, pain, shocks, etc. have remained and have gotten considerably worse since then.  My last day of work due to this "Atypical" situation was March 20, 2012. 

I've been to the following professionals for evaluations and each time they send me on to someone else: Dentist, Endodontist, Chiropractor, Maxilofacial Specialist, Neurologist, Neurosurgeon, and pain management center (psychologist and MD).  They put me on heavy doses of anticonvulsant medications which have slightly helped calm the symptoms, however, they leave me very spacy and with a pounding headache.  I've just purchased two 1000 capsule bottles of Ibuprofen to take along with the anticonvulsants.

So, the neurologist and neurosurgeon say I have Atypical Facial Pain, which in some blogs is noted as a wastebasket diagnosis.  Some of the symptoms I have are definitely electric (related to nervous system) and an MRI shows that I have a blood vessle laying on the trigeminal nerve (TN) causing Trigeminal Neuralgia on that same side, but because I have other symtpoms other than those associated with TN, I am not a good candidate for surgery which is known to fully correct the issues 90% of the time. Did I mention, Trigeminal Neuralgia is noted online as being a suicide syndrome because it is impossible to live with?   Instead of trying the surgery that could relive most of my sypmtoms, the Neurosurgeon and my Primary Care have suggested that I go to a headach clinic for evaluation.  I'm also being asked to go through a 10 week rehab program once a week at Barns Hospital.  I'm just not sure what we are rehabbing because I don't have a specific diagnosis or treatement plan. 

So instead of immediately following that path, I'm going to take a break from modern western medicine for a while, and go to a new chiropractor tomorrow for an extensive evaluation.  My hopes are not up too high, but at least I will have someone else to talk to about this and get yet another opinion  on what to do about it.  I also want someone to work with a me as a whole person as I suffer from several other chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia, IBS, and migraine headaches.

So from here, I'm going to post my progress from day to day, post results from different treatement options.  Track what works, what doesn't work, and what the side effects/consequenses of the tretments are, etc.

I think there are a lot more people out ther like me who are agonizing over facial pain which has stolen their joy, removed them from society (to a great degree), and who are looking for answers.

If anyone reading this blog has specific feedback or just want to post some encouraging information or status, please do.  I know there are other Trigeminal Neuralgia websites and blogs, but I thought I would start my own this evening on Blogger. 

Thanks to all who care, listen, support, and respond.  I'll post again tomorrow after my visit to the chiropractor.

Jody