Trigeminal Neuralgia

What could possibly be more stressful that attending a sales meeting with a major account? How about developing inexplicable, uncontrollable pain while at said meeting.

After flying half way across the country with my creeper boss, and spending the afternoon walking around LA with him (because apparently I need a babysitter...), I finally head to bed. And being that I have the hotel room all to myself, I am beyond excited to settle in for a snore-free night of sleep. But that was not the case. I was woken up by searing pain in the right side of my face. So random. So painful.

After a restless night of sleep I head into the first day of meetings. My brain is throbbing and the side of my face feels like I am being stabbed or electrocuted. Maybe both. I'm trying so hard to grin and bear it, because this is my first time meeting one of our major lines. 

This pretty much sums up my LA business trip.

W picks me up from the airport Thursday afternoon and we head straight to the ER. An hour later I've been diagnosed with a Trigeminal Neuralgia and have a fist full of drugs to cope with it.


From what I understand, Trigeminal neuralgia is a nerve disorder that causes a stabbing pain in parts of the face. TN is sudden, intense pain in the Trigeminal nerve, the same nerve effected by Bells Palsy,  typically on the right side of the face (check, check, check).  The pain can last a few seconds or a few minutes (check and check). 

In most cases, like mine, there is no known cause of the disorder. An treatment varies greatly. At this point I'm taking an anti-seizure medication and some serious pain meds to get by. 

I guess only time will tell how this effects me on a daily basis.