Exercising with Trigeminal Neuralgia

cameronburns1982
cameronburns1982 Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone out there suffer from Trigeminal Neuralgia? If so, how do you get on during exercises?

I suffer from it and find that I can do very little when I have a flare up. It gets really frustrating but I was wondering if anybody had any method to get around it.

Replies

  • missjeanlouise
    missjeanlouise Posts: 80 Member
    I suffer from it as well. I think that I have a different experience than you do, though, because exercise actually helps me with the pain. There are some times when I'm beyond the point of being able to do anything, but in general, the endorphins really help.
  • emohdeer
    emohdeer Posts: 1
    Hi there. I'm an avid runner and put my running on hold because the pain made me feel so awful. I eventually got fed up and decided to 'run through' the pain...and to my surprise, the pain subsided about 5 minutes into my run! It returned again about 15 minutes after stopping. It worked like that for a handful of times until I started using gabapentin, which stopped the pain for me completely(for now). The hardest part was actually standing up, nevermind getting into my running clothes and getting out the door, but it was worth the break from the pain. Good luck:-)
  • cameronburns1982
    cameronburns1982 Posts: 18 Member
    Thanks guys. I'm finding that I struggle with any impact exercises, I try to continue with them but the pain gets worse rather than better. At the moment I'm still going for my walks, as I really enjoy them but I'm having to suspend the sessions with my personal trainer until the pains start to calm down.

    Emohdeer - I'm currently on both Gabapentin and Carbamazepine, and increasing the dosage every 4 - 5 days until they begin to take effect again.
  • kkaci5
    kkaci5 Posts: 59 Member
    NOt diagnosed yet -- still at "rule out other nasty things" stage, but I'm having a terrible time with the medications they are trying on me. I'm finding they are worse for the exercise than the TN. Okay, when it hits, I can't move or breathe, but at least when it's not hitting I can exercise. Gabapentin is out; currently on Lyrica and although some of the side effects have gone,, others have arrived :-(.
  • jachristie123
    jachristie123 Posts: 2
    I found the same the thing the last few days. The first few minutes can be painful but I relax my stride and it goes away within 1/2 mile.

    We need exercise!
  • jachristie123
    jachristie123 Posts: 2
    My passes but a few times I have had to take my seizure med, wait about 1/2 then go out. While I am waiting for that to kick in, hot compress on the side of my face helps calm it.

    I hope you find a way to keep running.

    Sometimes when I run long my body is so tired my nerves don't have the energy to flare and hurt :)
  • hiphazel
    hiphazel Posts: 1
    I was recently diagnosed as well. I have only had the electro-shock feeling a couple of times. Mostly it is searing pain in my check, temple and jaw for hours at a time. I have found that if the pain isn't too bad exercise helps. If it is a really bad day exercise makes it worse.

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