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(ID=309)
Date:
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
Name:
Nick Xenakis
Date:
31-mar-2009
Main Condition
Main Condition:
Trigeminal Neuralgia
My Brief Story
Brief Story:
I started experiencing a tingling sensation that quickly turned into a dull toothache feeling March 2008.
The next month I jumped out of bed and felt as though someone was stabbing me. I made an appointment with my GP in May 2008 who in turn referred me to a Neurologist. He ordered an MRI and it was determined in June 2008 that I had TN. I was prescribed Trilipetal, but I did not want to take it. I could have seizures if and when I stopped as well as other undesirable side effects.
My wife Linda and I decided we wanted to try alternative treatments. I went on Vitamin Therapy, Diet Change, Acupuncture (my acupuncturist told me to go back the dentist and be put on antibiotics) he thought there was some kind of infection. I went back to the dentist and took the antibiotics but still no relief from pain.
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being the worse) all last year my pain level stayed around 3-6. I did take Motrin 800 quite a few times and Percocet several nights because of the stabbing pain but to no avail. There would be days where I would have 20 or more strikes an hour. Sleeping at night was once my only refuge but that seemed to becoming increasingly difficult; sometimes I could find a safe spot. Different things would set it off.
In September of 2008 Linda read a lot about Upper Cervical and I tried it for 6 weeks. For whatever reason I was not able to get satisfactory relief so quit going.
At the end of December 2008 my pain level shot up to 7-8, it was becoming unbearable. I didn’t know how much longer I could do this with no medication. Linda checked into MVD surgery even contacted a specialist, but I wanted to hold off as long as possible. We kept researching, there had to be something that would help.
Linda contacted Frank Sherwood who belongs to a TN group in Michigan; he encourages people to go on a low saturated diet 10 or less saturated fats a day. He has worked with several people that had TN that this has helped. It didn’t help me, but I lost 10lbs. Frank also told Linda about an UPC Doctor that spoke at their group that helped several patients become pain free using NUCCA.
Linda received an article from a friend about using intranasal Nubain. It was helping some people with facial nerve damage. Linda called my doctor to see if they could get this medication for me. The nurse said if the pharmacy could make it up they would write a prescription.
Linda called several pharmacies and they referred her to a compounding pharmacy. Nat Jones R.Ph knew of something better he could make for me. It was an ointment his colleague uses and has helped TN patients. We were going on vacation in a couple days and Linda went in to pick it up, the pharmacist told her where to apply it. I didn’t seem to think that it was working in the spots he told me to apply to. I applied it all over my jaw area just trying to get a little relief. This was in February, 2009.
When I got back from vacation we called the pharmacist and asked if he could put a numbing agent in the ointment, it was only giving me a slight relief. Nat asked me to come into his shop on March 6 2009 because his colleague from Florida would be in town and they both wanted to see exactly where my pain was coming from. Nat our pharmacist had lunch with Dr. Julia Stickell a UPC Doctor recently and encouraged me to try this again with another UPC doctor.
I contacted James Tomasi in Feb. 2009. I asked him some questions about his treatment: his answer is below:
For me, it took 3 adjustments and I was pain free...
13 months later as my neck curvature came back, I lost my adjustment and it took 2 1/2 years of trying different types of UC DC's before I got my adjustment to stay. I would have relief for awhile then it (the pain) returned. I tried instruments and hand, and I found that the instrument worked best for me.
The only time I have found a TN patient that this process did not work was one who quit trying. Some have taken 4 or 6 months for the pain to begin to break, others much quicker. The tougher ones, I suggested they try another UC DC. I have seen lots of patients from the MVD surgery with very bad results. Please consider praying more and more over this decision. I missed one of your questions" 'Which technique did you like best?' I used NUCCA as my first adjustment, 3 adjustments and pain free - - - I now use an inst. Orthspinology....
I made the appointment Dr. Julia Stickell March 2, 2009. I just wanted to try everything we could; I was in such horrible pain it was hard for me to function.
Dr. Stickell in Virginia Beach, took x-rays, made calculations and adjusted the machine set specific for me. She adjusted me 2 times once on March 4, 2009 and once on March 6, 2009, each time she measured and I was holding my adjustment. She didn’t adjust me anymore.
Meanwhile I went to see Nat Jones and Sam Pratt at Lakeview Pharmacy on March 6, 2009. Sam has helped several TN patients to be pain free. He asked me if I had any trauma, dental work to my jaw before this happened. I had a root canal in December 2007, my pain started in March 2008. I told Sam the root canal was on the opposite side of the face. Sam said it didn't matter; having your mouth opened for several hours in that position probably cause the trauma and inflammation to my nerve.
Nat and Sam determined where the pain was and the best place to put the ointment. Some of my pain was in my ear, like an ice pick stabbing. I also had extreme tenderness and it was very painful to brush my teeth, shave, eat or talk. Sam told me there is an opening in the skull just below the lip this would get the medicine to the Trigeminal Nerve. Also there were places to place the medicine behind the ear and in front of the ear.
I started using the ointment on Friday March 6, 2009, the same day as my last adjustment with Dr. Julia Stickell.
On Sunday March 8, 2009 the strikes on the ear and side of my face stopped. I was able to sit in a chair at my computer all day and not have any pain in my jaw and ear area. I still had pain talking and eating.
I went to Dr. Stickell on Monday March 8, 2009 adjustment is holding; she didn’t have to adjust me.
On Tuesday, March 10, 2009 I was able to talk without any pain; this is just too good we are rejoicing! Eating dinner on Tuesday night was still very painful for me, my pain while eating was still 7-8.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009 for breakfast I had a bowl of oatmeal and coffee, pain free. I went for my appointment with Dr. Stickell and told her today is the first time I had been pain free in a long time. She was excited for me and gave me a big hug. We went out to eat Mexican that night; I ate chips and my entire meal pain free.
Thursday March 12, 2009 another pain free day.
I called Nat our pharmacist. Nat said you just don’t know how good this makes him feel. He was excited for me to be pain free.
Friday March 13, 2009 Pain free except for one incident. I took a large bite of sandwich and clamped down and got a stab of pain, not as intense as it has been. The rest of Friday is great - pain free.
Saturday, March 14, 2009 before lunch still pain free. At dinner, I was at a church function and serving people dinner and I had to eat quickly, not a good idea, I had several strikes until I just stopped and took a little break from eating. That is the only pain I had all day.
Sunday, March 15, 2009 while singing at church, I had a strike, maybe the way I moved my mouth.
March 16 - 31, 2009 still pain free.
I have stopped applying the ointment and still go to my UPC to be checked.
Is this Monster gone forever? I don’t know, but I am just totally amazed and thanking God for being pain free. It feels like a miracle.
Dr. Stickell’s mission is to help those in pain. She is truly a dedicated doctor giving orientation classes to her patients explaining what UPC is all about. I felt very confident that she was concerned about my personal well-being and paying attention to my case.
Here is Dr. Stickell's information:
Dr. Julia Stickell
936 General Booth Blvd Ste C
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
(757) 422-2232
Here are my pharmacist's information:
Nat Jones R.Ph.
Lakeview Compounding Pharmacy and Nutritional Center
4661 Haygood Road, Suite 101
Virginia Beach, VA 23455
Phone: 757-934-0533
Fax: 757-228-3991
Toll Free: 877-873-9564
http://www.lakeviewcp.com/
Sam Pratt R.Ph.
Pharmacy Specialists
393 Maitland Ave
Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
Tel: 407-260-7002; Fax: 407-260-7044
sam@makerx.com www.makerx.com
Terry Isler, RPh; Julia Jones, RPh; Sam Pratt RPh, FIACP
The medicine consist of Gabapentin 5%, Ketoprofen 5%, Pratt GI 30gm.
Chiropractor's Details
Name:
Dr. Julia Stickell
Has own X-Ray equipment.
Street Address:
936 General Booth Blvd. Ste C
Suburb/City:
Virginia Beach
State/Province:
VA
Postcode/Zip:
23451
Country:
UNITED STATES
Telephone:
757-422-2232
Web Site:
http://uppercervicalcare.com/offices/virginiabeach.html
Chiropractic Technique:
Atlas Orthogonality
