Looking for Post-op Chiarians with Trigeminal Neuralgia

General
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Trying to find out which came first, the chicken or the egg. I had decompression 7 years ago for a 13 mm herniation for debilitating headaches. Was pain free for 2 years then they came back, but Lyrica has "cured" them. However, in the last year I have developed trigeminal neuralgia, Type 1, V2 branch. Am now getting opinions from several neurosurgeons and radiation gurus on whether to have a microvascular decompression or gamma knife (DBS creeps me out). Of course my Chiari neurosurgeon says no way any scar tissue from his surgery could be at fault, another neurosurgeon says he won't operate because scarring would not give me a good outcome...how they both can be looking at the same $$$$ MRI is beyond me. I am meeting with gamma knife guru this week and another soon.

Are there other Chiarians out there with trigeminal neuralgia and did it develop after your surgery? Have you had successful/unsuccessful procedure(s) for your trigeminal neuralgia? I need some input!

Have a pain free day!

Mollycule

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Hi Molly,

I am a post op Chiarian & have Geniculate Neuralgia. It involves the same Cranial Nerves as TN. My NS Dr. Peter Janetta is the world's leading authority on TN & did not only my CM & C Spine surgeries, but Micro Vascular Decompression Surgery. That was very successful. I also am a Member of our Trigeminal & Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia Discussion Forums.Geniculate Neuralgia is rarer than TN & GPN, The Head Moderator on the TN forum is great. If you would like I can put you in touch with her. I know many Chiarians that have Cranial Nerve Disorders. I also have Occipital Neuralgia. All were caused from my CM. I had my MVD surgery before my CM Surgeries. All the Dr's I have seen since my surgeries are shocked that I don't have scar tissue from MVD or CM surgeries. Send me a message or just reply if you have any specific questions. I know a lot about Cranial Nerve Disorders & CM.

Tracy Z.