Updated and substantively reviewed 27 August 2026.
For me, trigeminal neuralgia is not an abstract condition. I live with bilateral TN and have reported neurovascular compression on both sides.
My route to diagnosis took years. I was eventually diagnosed around 2017. In December 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic and the first UK lockdown, I underwent right-sided microvascular decompression (MVD).
What happened after MVD?
The surgery did not provide complete or lasting relief. I continue to live with bilateral trigeminal neuralgia and severe facial pain, including pain triggered by wind and moving air.
That is my experience, not a prediction of how MVD will work for somebody else. Treatment decisions need to take account of the individual diagnosis, imaging, health, risks and specialist clinical advice.
Living with bilateral TN
Trigeminal neuralgia more commonly affects one side of the face. Bilateral TN is uncommon. My experience includes pain affecting both sides and reported neurovascular compression on both sides.
I continue to work, travel, campaign and lead while living with the condition. Being able to do those things does not mean the pain is mild. People with severe facial pain can look well between attacks while organising daily life around avoiding the next one.
Medication is personal
I do not currently take prescribed medication for TN. That is part of my personal treatment history, not a recommendation. Nobody should stop, start or change prescribed treatment because of another patient’s experience; appropriate clinical advice matters.
The definitive TN and MVD page
For the most up-to-date account of my lived experience, patient advocacy and evidence-led information, see Trigeminal neuralgia, MVD and patient voice.
Sources and further reading
- NHS: trigeminal neuralgia
- NHS: treatment for trigeminal neuralgia
- ICHD-3: trigeminal neuralgia classification
- Trigeminal Neuralgia Association UK
This page provides patient voice and general information, not individual medical advice.