[metabagel]

I have had a couple of bouts of very painful trigeminal neuralgia, which was successfully treated with carbamazepine (an anti-convulsant). The latest bout was most likely caused by Covid.

I just wonder if there is a drug which can reduce nerve sensitivity, although I guess this is a well explored topic for you.

I have not continued the carbamazepine. In both cases, I used it for about a couple of weeks, and then stopped using to test if there would be a flare-up (and there was none).

[FollowingTheDao]

Nerve receptor sensitivity is controlled in a large part by the amount of Guanine Triphosphate (GTP) in the cell by sensitizing the G Coupled Protein Receptors (GCPRs). Guanosine[1] and Inosine (Purines) are added to foods as flavor enhancers, along with glutamate because they are excitatory.

I have an enzyme deficiency called Partial PNP Deficiency which slows the speed I can metabolized these low level purines. When I eat these food I have full body pain as well as mood issues.

They add these to nearly every processed food in forms as innocuously sounding as "malted barely extract".

I used to need drugs, now I just need to watch what I eat (and watch other things in my environment like stress).

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanosine_monophosphate [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disodium_inosinate

[computerdork]

Good to hear the pain medication worked for you! Have tried a few myself. They work okay, but not well enough that I'd like to take them for the rest of my life - yeah, unlike your temporary pain, my unfortunately came back after stopping the drugs.