Had my second RFA of my sphenopalatine ganglion done at Stanford today. This time it was apparently successful, as I could feel the electrode stimulate the correct place in my nose.

I could see my skull on the giant flatscreen monitor via fluoroscopy.  He moved the probe around and activated it at various locations.  When he would activate it I could feel a weird sometimes painful sensation in various areas around the left side of my mouth and face.  The goal was for me to feel a sensation inside my nose.  After about 20 minutes of being "probed" I finally felt it inside my nose and I hollered out "Yes!  In my nose!  I can feel it!"  He had to move the probe in an unusual way, apparently he had to go above something, then back down.  I think it was a maneuver only a pro would know.

I'm sitting here in bed with the left side of my face partially numb.  I think most of that will wear off since they used local anesthetics, however I think I will have some persistent numbness around the left side of my nose.  If it helps my headaches it's a small price.

There is something I want to anyone considering the procedure to understand:  be very assertive and picky when it comes to the surgeon.  Let me explain.

Time travel back to May of 2015.  I was scheduled for my first RFA of my SPG at Stanford.  I assumed Stanford was a world-class facility and my surgeon would be one of the best of the best.  His name was Dr. W.  He spent 90 minutes probing around and never found the SPG - I didn't feel the tingling inside my nose.  Eventually he called it quits and the procedure was a failure.  My guess is he didn't know the technique to go from above.  Several months later I met with the neurology-headache specialist, who has been around Stanford a long time, and he said something like "they assigned Dr. W? hmm, that's interesting...  you should try it again but this time let's get Dr. Qian, he's very experienced".  So I was a bit annoyed and confused that they would have put a green surgeon on my case.  I guess I had to fail with their basic team before getting promoted to their A team.  In all fairness to Dr. W, he may be an expert in RFA but just not of the SPG.

Cluster Lesson:  If you are going to have RFA of the SPG make sure the surgeon has done this exact procedure many many times, even better if he teaches facial RFA procedures and has written about them.

It's been a tough year for me, and I'm hoping this procedure gives me some relief.  More importantly, I hope it means I can stop Topomax, buprenorphine, and Lyrica because they've turned me into a zombie.  I'm tired of people saying "don't you remember that conversation where you agreed to do x, y, and z" and I have no memory of it.

Robert

Neverly,

Have you no oxygen ??????

Melatonin last thing at night will help. I take 10mg but some people here take 20mg every night and swear by it.

It takes a little time to build up in your system, maybe 5/6 days, but by that time the D3 at 10,000iu/day should be working as well.

Between the two you should be in better shape shortly.

I would advise against sticking Qtips up your nose. It's an area all too prone to infection, not least after the procedure you've had.

Take care and keep posting.

Peter.