Feeling good

I think the higher dose (1200 mgs per day) of tegretol has finally clicked in. I feel pretty good today. Just a few twinges but no big spasms. Of course, I am avoiding rubbing my face (e.g., when drying myself after a shower - that reminds me - did I have a shower today?) 'coz I know that will cause a spasm. But the important thing is that I am not getting any spontaneous spasms. And at last - I can eat and drink. Still don't know if I can talk - haven't tried that - still living like a recluse.

I am noticing some things which might be side-effects of the high dose of tegretol.

• Bad memory - just now I couldn't remember whether or not I had taken a shower. Don't laugh - this is serious. I had to go and feel my face cloth to check if it was wet. It was, therefore I must have taken a shower.
• Drowsiness - yesterday I just had to go to sleep in the middle of the afternoon - I was so drowsy. Today I had great difficulty getting up - about three hours after the normal time I get up.
• Joint pains - I have a neck pain that I think is totally unrelated to the TN. It feels like a stiff neck - as if one has been sitting in a draft. Also, the arthritis in my left knee seems worse.
• Spelling - my typing on the computer keyboard is all over the place - keep hitting the wrong keys.

But I don't really care about any of these. Anything is preferable to that demonic pain.


However, I still have to determine what to do as regards operating on the tumour. Here's a possibility - a positive story about a revolutionary alternative to traditional open-brain surgery and/or daily radiation treatments. The new Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion™ instead uses focused doses of radiation without making a single incision to treat malignant and benign brain tumors and other brain disorders.

You can read more about my fight with an acoustic neuroma in my About Acoustic Neuromas blog.