One day in the spring of 1993 I woke up with a headache centered at the back of my head on the right
side. I suffered from this headache until the spring of 2009. In addition, the right side of my face began
hurting continuously in 2003. This was diagnosed as Trigeminal Neuralgia. Typical TN does not hurt
continuously, but my pain was unrelenting.
The story of this pain is so traumatic to me, that I hesitated to write about it. My pain has affected every
area of my life, limiting my experiences as a wife and mom. I put off telling this story because I do not
like remembering how painful and frustrating my situation was. Obviously, when my headache started
in 1993, I had no idea that it would continue for 15 years. I began to wonder how I could choose to live
through the rest of my life, or sometimes even the rest of the day.
I visited medical doctors and chiropractors. I tried various herbs, pain meds, physical therapies,
acupuncture, and nerve ablations. In the first few years I took ibuprofen daily around the clock until I
had completely burned out the lining in my intestinal system. I was seen by a neurologist at Mayo. He
prescribed Topamax, which did give me significant relief from the headaches for a few years, and within
a year of starting the Topomax, I developed many side effects. I also developed Trigeminal Neuralgia
(TN). As bad as the headaches were, the TN was MUCH worse and more difficult to treat. I failed to
respond to the medications normally used, and many of the side effects were so negative that I could not
tolerate the anti seizure drugs. They are extremely sedating, and they generally shut down any lower
intestinal function. My medication schedule became impossible to keep with constant note taking, and I
wasn’t getting enough relief for any period of time.
Because I had “failed” all of the medications used to treat my pain, I became a candidate for Brain
Surgery. The surgery involved looking at my Trigeminal nerve to see if a vein or anything else was
pressing against it. I underwent this surgery June 4, 2008. While in intensive care, my surgeon
explained to me that he had not found anything physically wrong with me. This was probably the
lowest point in my journey through the pain, because at that point it was clear I had exhausted
everything that Mayo Clinic had to offer me. I would always hurt. I went home a few days later with 22
staples in the back of my head.
Over the next year my pain increased. The pain also began to cross the center line of my face. Even
with all the medications that I took, my nose hurt and my right eye felt like pins and needles. One day in
March 2009 I asked God if he had an answer to my situation. I admitted to Him that I could not solve
my pain and no one I knew of seemed to be able to help me.
After praying, I did an interesting thing. I made one Google search for “cures for Trigememal
Neuralgia”. It was an odd thing to do, since there aren’t supposed to be any cures for TN. But what I
found was uppercervicalcare.com I browed the site with EXTREME skepticism. After everything, I
had surely encountered one more heartbreak. But I knew that I had just asked God what I should do, so
I followed through by finding a link to Dr. Troyer’s office. I began care and within a few corrections I
was off ALL neurological medications, as well as the Nexium I had been taking for my stomach. I
ENJOY LIFE! I don’t hurt. I get outdoors and enjoy life. I’m experiencing joys in life that I have not
been able to experience for 15 years.
side. I suffered from this headache until the spring of 2009. In addition, the right side of my face began
hurting continuously in 2003. This was diagnosed as Trigeminal Neuralgia. Typical TN does not hurt
continuously, but my pain was unrelenting.
The story of this pain is so traumatic to me, that I hesitated to write about it. My pain has affected every
area of my life, limiting my experiences as a wife and mom. I put off telling this story because I do not
like remembering how painful and frustrating my situation was. Obviously, when my headache started
in 1993, I had no idea that it would continue for 15 years. I began to wonder how I could choose to live
through the rest of my life, or sometimes even the rest of the day.
I visited medical doctors and chiropractors. I tried various herbs, pain meds, physical therapies,
acupuncture, and nerve ablations. In the first few years I took ibuprofen daily around the clock until I
had completely burned out the lining in my intestinal system. I was seen by a neurologist at Mayo. He
prescribed Topamax, which did give me significant relief from the headaches for a few years, and within
a year of starting the Topomax, I developed many side effects. I also developed Trigeminal Neuralgia
(TN). As bad as the headaches were, the TN was MUCH worse and more difficult to treat. I failed to
respond to the medications normally used, and many of the side effects were so negative that I could not
tolerate the anti seizure drugs. They are extremely sedating, and they generally shut down any lower
intestinal function. My medication schedule became impossible to keep with constant note taking, and I
wasn’t getting enough relief for any period of time.
Because I had “failed” all of the medications used to treat my pain, I became a candidate for Brain
Surgery. The surgery involved looking at my Trigeminal nerve to see if a vein or anything else was
pressing against it. I underwent this surgery June 4, 2008. While in intensive care, my surgeon
explained to me that he had not found anything physically wrong with me. This was probably the
lowest point in my journey through the pain, because at that point it was clear I had exhausted
everything that Mayo Clinic had to offer me. I would always hurt. I went home a few days later with 22
staples in the back of my head.
Over the next year my pain increased. The pain also began to cross the center line of my face. Even
with all the medications that I took, my nose hurt and my right eye felt like pins and needles. One day in
March 2009 I asked God if he had an answer to my situation. I admitted to Him that I could not solve
my pain and no one I knew of seemed to be able to help me.
After praying, I did an interesting thing. I made one Google search for “cures for Trigememal
Neuralgia”. It was an odd thing to do, since there aren’t supposed to be any cures for TN. But what I
found was uppercervicalcare.com I browed the site with EXTREME skepticism. After everything, I
had surely encountered one more heartbreak. But I knew that I had just asked God what I should do, so
I followed through by finding a link to Dr. Troyer’s office. I began care and within a few corrections I
was off ALL neurological medications, as well as the Nexium I had been taking for my stomach. I
ENJOY LIFE! I don’t hurt. I get outdoors and enjoy life. I’m experiencing joys in life that I have not
been able to experience for 15 years.
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