not quite sure how this support group works. But my doctor has increased tegretol-xr to 200mg 2x a day. Feeling pretty good just periods of fatigue which a short naps helps. The pain is now waking me out of my sleep I find that getting out of bed helps to relieve it. Are there any special pillows that anyone knows of.

Sorry to hear you are going through this pain. I also have had to do alot of trial and error with medications. About the pillow, I find that if I don't sleep on my right side I can usually make it through the night. Good luck!

welcome and blessings over you working through this condition. it has been ten yrs since i started dealing with Atypical form of trigeminal neuralgia and my heart breaks whenever i see new member but so happy you found us!
there are a lot of kind and compassionate people here.
when you start on tegretol your body will need some time to adjust to sleepiness maybe two three weeks. sometimes the fatigue is annoying but better than the pain. rest when you can. you also have to allow your body ore rest time since it is on over load dealing with the pain.
i am on neurotin, tegretol was great but i couldn't take it any longer after on it for six years. sometimes that happens with certain drugs you develop side affects over time.
it also works for me to take narcotic with two of my doses of neurotin a day. everyone is different and there is no one answer for who should be on what meds. trial and error kind of thing.
8 years ago i did have a procedure to decrease pain because meds didn't work well until after i had surgery. now on maint dose of medication and watch for my triggeres.
do you know what triggers your pain? do you have symptoms all the time the atypical type or off and on with periods of remission which is the classic tn?
we are all here for you abnd blessings for pain free days!.