TRIGEMINAL NEUROPATHY

I am currently 39 years of age and until just after my 37th birthday I was free from any type of nerve pain. In March 2007, I caught a viral infection which essentially after a week attacked my right Trigeminal nerve.
Of course, at the time I had no idea what was happening and was very scared when the right side of my face became increasingly numb. This followed with severe pain down the complete right side of my face. This included my scalp, jaw, teeth and right side of my tongue (even extending down my throat). This was (and still is constant i.e. 24/7). After many visits to the doctor I was referred to a neurologist at one of the hospitals nearby to me.
The neurologist confirmed that all my symptoms were typical of Trigeminal Neuropathy. I had an ‘MRI’ which confirmed this. All three branches of the nerves were damaged. For about three months it was agony for me with hardly any sleep.
Various tablets were tried. Tegretol just knocked me for six – I felt sick and extremely tired and thus had to stop them. I tried Amitryptiline and eventually got a tablet which started to help. It was Lyrica (Pregabalin). I had to keep increasing the dose until I reached the maximum you can take a day which is 600mg. After about 4 months my scalp felt better giving me the hope that one of the branches had healed. However the other two which are covering my forehead, eye, nose, cheek, tongue, jaw, teeth etc. are still bad. I was given another ‘MRI’ about 8 months later and was only told that the virus had gone.
However, in Mid June this year, I was given a much better diagnosis from a neurosurgeon at the hospital, this visit was advised from my ‘Pain Management’ doctor as he suggested surgical procedure.
The neurosurgeon told me that the first MRI showed that due to the virus, the nerve had enlarged considerably. On the second MRI it had shrunk which meant that some of the neural fibres had gone on the nerve. He told me the fact that it is now 2.25 years since it started that it was unlikely that it was going to heal as neural fibres grow back at a rate of 1 inch per month. He told me that it was definitely Trigeminal Neuropathy as there were no external sources i.e blood vessels giving pressure on the nerve.
His advise was that there were only two things he could do which weren’t cures but pain relief.
One was electrolysis of the brain i.e. sticking probes on the brain and trying to excite the nerve. He was not a fan of this procedure as he didn’t see much success in it.
However, he recommended fitting a type of ‘Shunt Catheter’ under the skin of my abdomine which would periodically release (or pump) a form of Morphine to my spine to relieve the pain from my face.
I do not know if any of you guys have heard of this procedure but would be interested in your feedback. I am on a waiting list to have a trial needle injected into my spine to see how I feel.
I have to say that although I still suffer, I have it more under control now with a mix of pregabalin and Cymbalta. I have days where the symptoms are not so bad and then, particularly if I’m stressed quite bad. Pain estimate between 1-10 for me = 4 – 7 (with medication).
Thanks!