I have been prescribed 10mg amitriptyline which i am on the 3rd week of taking, i had about 4 days feel ok last week but could feel all the symptoms in the background and now am back to having full symptoms daily from the moment i wake, i can't get an appt with the doctor until next week either. I just feel so fed up, and frustrated i feel like no one is explaining things and i am just being handed meds and sent away. I have been signed off work for 3 months now and am desperate to go back, i just can't see an end at the moment and it's driving me mad. I qualified back in june as an accounting technician which was a struggle being unwell but at the moment i feel like all my effort was wasted as I can't find a new job and get my life moving in the right direction until my medical issue is under control i'm not well enough to go to my current part time job even! I also have two young boys and feel like i am not doing all i should with them as i feel unwell and at the moment very down due to my situation. I might even ask my doc for some counselling as i'm not coping with this at all. has anyone else suffered from atypical face pain? does it last forever? has it been controlled? I want my normal life back and myself back too. Any coping tips? Thanks for your time it is appreciated.
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Q: I am getting to a point of frustration in my life at the moment. I was being treated for sinutitus for almost 4 years and then advised some of my symptoms were from atypical face pain.Anyone else?
Oh purple you poor thing!
I am not familiar with "atypical face pain" but do know that chronic pain is exhausting and frustrating. Some times sinus issues can be confused with Migraine because pain or pressure on one or both sides of the face, red and/or puffy eyes and a runny nose can all be signs of a Migraine. For more information on this continue reading: Sinus Giving You A Headache - It's Probably a Migraine!
Something your doctor may not have told you is that when we try new medications it may take up to three months to see a reduction in our Migraine frequency and severity as our bodies adjust to the new medication. And dose changes need to be considered in here too. When we are in pain, the last thing we have is patience, but that is what it takes sometimes, I'm sorry to say.
Another consideration is when we wake with pain every morning, we may be having sleep issues. You may want to talk to your doctor about having a sleep study done. Too much, too little or interrupted sleep can be problematic for some of us. To read more on this topic, continue with Transformed Migraine Related to Sleep Issues and Video: Migraines and Sleep.
I think it is a great idea to talk to someone to learn some coping strategies when we have a chronic illness. Life is hard enough, when we have a chronic illness like Migraine, it becomes much more difficult. Try a counselor that has experience helping people with chronic illness. Your doctor should be able to help you with some names, or your clergy man.
Good luck and please keep us posted on how you are feeling,
Nancy
Hmm... I've never been diagnosed with atypical face pain, just migraine, but given your frustration with your current treatment, have you considered getting a second opinion? Seems like you also might benefit from seeing a migraine/headache specialist if at all possible. Being in chronic head pain is very debilitating and exhausting and your thought about asking to see a counselor might be very beneficial as well.
It can be hard to pluck up the courage and energy to act on your own behalf, especially when in chronic pain, but my own experience has been when I started doing that, I got better treatment. I hope things get better for you soon. Hang in there!
I have atypical face pain from getting whiplashed which is a brain injury. I have a chronic muscle spasm in my left cheek. The trigeminal nerve runs through this muscle and causes cheek pain, a numbness along te side of my nose and pain at the inside of my eyebrow edge. It feels and sounds like it is sinus but isn't. It also cause a headache from hell. If your pain is due to a muscle spasm it may be treatable with BOTOX every three months. FYI. for insurance purposes - there is plenty of literature that states that BOTOX is the standard of care for focal dystonias(chronic muscle spasms) including spasms in the face. Aso if your eye twiches or waters this is a sign of an approved indication adn strenghens you case for insurance coverage. I strongly suggest you see a pain specialist. I have suffered pain for years and these are the doctors who understand the root causes and know how to effectively manage your pain
Thanks so much for taking the time to reply to my post i do appreciate it.
I went back to my doctor who has now referred me to a nuerologist so am currently waiting for an appt. I have another appt with my doctor tomorrow and am going to see if she can arrange some counselling for me.
I also went to see a dentist in saturday and he advised that I have an infection in a lower left tooth which I have already had a crown and root canal in, I have started anti-biotics and have a follow up tomorrow, I am wandering whether this tooth is the cause of all my facial pain as I orginally had it crowned four years ago and then a root canal last year when a jaw specialist spotted an infection. I have had so many antibiotic courses for my sinuses i wander if thats why i didn't feel the tooth pain previous to now.I am hoping it may be down to this tooth or at least some of my misery! (or maybe i'm wishful thinking it can be easily resolved)
Has anyone else had similar problems due to problem teeth?
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