I have had Trigeminal Neuralgia for years. Don't know how I got it. I control an attack with a steroid pack. I only take the steroids when I have a bad attack now. So, I am no longer on any medication for it. I have learned that Potassium is a trigger for an attack and have learned to control my intake of Potassium and have not had many attacks since, only the warning signals that one is coming. It makes sense if you study the link between Potassium and the nervous system!
Long version of my story:
(I put this in bullet form for a quicker read)
- I was diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia at least 6 years ago
- My great grandmother also had Tic Doloreaux
- Of course it took many doctors and dentists to diagnose me
- I was living with my sister at the time of my first attack and she has a very "raw" diet, which she forces on me. lol
- I take a metra-dose(sp?) steroid pack when I get a bad attack
- The steroids are supposed to take the inflammation out of the nerve and they do the trick!
- I have had extensive dental work which could be a probable cause but not sure of course
- I did a cleanse before I tried getting pregnant and within 30 minutes of the first "shake" I had an attack
- The attack that occurred during the cleanse was the worst ever! It spread into my cranial nerve for the first time and I had the "tics" for the first time
- Before the cleanse attack all my pain had been on the left side of my face only
- I started experimenting with my diet since the cleanse seemed to be a trigger
- I realized that a banana was a definite trigger for an attack
- After some research and trial and error I figured out that Potassium was the key component to an attack
- I can drink a glass of OJ a day and have a normal amount of Potassium but cannot "over do it"
- My blood always test positive for a Potassium deficiency which I am assuming means my body cannot properly "deal with" Potassium
- My holistic Chiropractor told me to try a high salt snack whenever I felt an attack coming on because basically the opposite of Potassium in your diet is salt
- I tried sea salt potato chips during my last "warning" that an attack was coming and it helped!
- It normally takes a few weeks to get the nerve to calm back down once I have irritated it (like when I just had my baby a few months ago & I was trying to get my strength back quick by drinking coconut water. I didn't realize it was loaded with Potassium and never thought about it. I started getting a pretty bad attack and took a look back at what I had ate and found out about the Potassium. Once I layed off of it for a week or so it calmed down)
So, try and see if it works for you. I am curious to see if some TN sufferers write back that they have a diet that is high in Potassium. I have already talked with one other person and they said they "live on OJ!" So, lets see! Write with your results!
Just because there is no known cure DOES NOT MEAN THERE IS NOT ONE that has yet to be discovered! Maybe this is it!
