Gabapentin and Cymbalta

@jeanniem Hello, Jeanniem. If I may ask, why are you taking Gabapentin and why add Cymbalta? I've taken both. I took Gabapentin for nerve pain, neuropathy, and other pain. Cymbalta I've been taking for years for firbromyalgia pain, and it helps with all my pain basically......perhaps because it truly helps wfibromyalgia. But, it's a miracle drug for me. Because Cymbalta helps so w/reduction of amount of overall body pain, I've been able to reduce and eliminate the gabapentin, lyrica, oxycodone, 800mg ibuprophen, lamictal.....added Requip for dopamine and am working on completing the 'cocktail' with MJ, THC./CBD at night for pain, sleep, anxiety and daytime for pain, anxiety. I'm thrilled with the progress, even tho I'm not there yet.

I take the max dose of Chymbalta, 120mg daily and don't think I could survive w/o it.

Good luck with these decisions. May they lead you to less pain and better life~ Blessings, elizabeth

@jeanium, @ess77, Good evening, Jeaniem. Thank you for using Connect to get verification of how Cymbalta (duloxetine) is used by others. I don't know if Elizabeth friended me or vice versa. However, we have ended up on the same trail. For me, Cymbalta replaced Nortriptyline, a few years ago. I saw an article last week indicating that it has become the most trustworthy medication for neuropathy pain and the anxiety it creates for all of us. I have worked up to 60 mg every day in the morning.

The rest of my day and the pain I have been facing has become managed by medical cannabis. My pain and my degree of comfort are now controlled with several different dosage tinctures composed of percentages of CBD and THC. Once you find the right dosage and become comfortable with the positive effects, your life will be more comfortable.

May you be free of suffering and the cases of suffering.
Chris

I take 300 mg of Gabapentin in the morning & 300 mg at bedtime. I don't know why I have Neuropathy except that I had abdominal surgery at the Mayo Clinic in 2018 for adhesion's & my adhesion's were so bad knotted & twisted & the dr. punctured a small tear in the small bowel but I am ok now but ever since the surgery, I have had the problems with the Neuropathy. Six months later I developed this & they started the Gabapentin at a lower dose but I have slowly increased it. The Cymbalta is to relieve the pain. I take 60 mg. I do think that helps me to function. The dr. says it makes the brain tell you that your feeling ok. I tried the 90mb but it made me too hyper. The 60 mg is good for me bc I can at least clean the house & take care of myself. I am always in pain though to a degree of 4-5levels but I keep my mind active & do chores to keep me busy. I do have bad days where I just want to lay in bed .Best of luck y to you.

I just joined the group. I was in great health, running 3-6 miles daily for 50 years. In 2009, my bloodwork showed my Cholesterol in the low 200's. I was put on statins at that time and stayed on them till a year ago when I was told by a neuropathy clinic since my Cholesterol was in the 170's to quit taking them because they were destroying my nerves in my legs. I mentioned to my PCP the end of 2011 that my feet were beginning to feel numb but he had no response. I went to a stem cell seminar that sounded convincing but I have reservations about spending good money after claims that they will heal my neuropathy. I have very little balance and don't have any feelings from the hips down. Has anyone tried stem cell therapy or anything else that has helped?? Thanks.

I would suggest to you taking 600 to 900 mg of benfodamine it works pretty well for me I hope you get some relief from it keep me posted as to how it would go you'll want to try and find if you can some pharmaceutical grade. God bless you

Good evening @texasflyboy. Welcome to Connect. You know, we are a pretty cohesive group of patients, caregivers, and providers. We want to make sure that we respond to members from our own experience. We are not medically licensed to diagnose or prescribe treatments/medications. It sounds to me that you are in need of some help. You mention numbness as a symptom but not pain. What is your current status regarding neuropathy? Have you been tested for SFN, small fiber neuropathy, with a skin patch biopsy? Do you currently or have you been seen by a neurologist?

I think we need to know more about you and your symptoms before we can be of reasonable assistance. In 2019, I attended a presentation about the status of stem cell therapy as an efficacious solution for neuropathy. The bottom line at that time was as I expected. There is research being done but finding encouragement may need to wait a few years. There are also three companies doing research on speeding up nerve regeneration. And so....we wait. And we learn to tolerate certain levels of pain and use what is
available to help us.

Please tell me more about your current status and I will see what might be possible at this time. Just so you know, I have idiopathic small fiber neuropathy. I think mine was caused by way too many falls and accidents that resulted in more than 10 orthopedic surgeries. Our bodies are filled with fascia that connects tissue with bones. Even our ligaments are composed of the fascia. Fascia covers all of the components in our bodies. Frequently it and its restrictions become the source of pain.

Let's see how we can help.

May you be safe and protected from both inner and outer harm.
Chris

Hi Elizabeth @ess77. I was reading your post and would like to inquire. You seems to have had some success on Cymbalta. I presently am taking Gabapentin 300mg 3x daily. I attempt to increase but the side effects are not great and my neurologist feels that I am needing to change meds to see if I can increase to a higher dosage that brings some relief. I have wide spread small fiber neuropathy - still going through testing to determine if there is a cause. Today I was offered Lyrica and Cymbalta. I went with the Lyrica because my lower does cause no side effects which seemed to be the lesser of the two. My biggest fear on either is gain weight. I worked hard to take off weights about 8 years ago and don't want to gain. I have been healthy and highly activity until Nov 2020. Major life change with acute now chronic burning, numbing pain everywhere. Could you please share your experience with Lyrica and how Cymbalta is better for you. I have yet to get the new RX for the Lyrica but I am hesitate going on it. Thank you! Kelsey

@kelsey1234 @ess77 I was told that Lyrica works in the same way as Gabapentin, while Cymbalta works in an entirely different way.

Good evening @steeldove, my experience agrees with you. My rheumatologist promoted Lyrica. I was taking Gabapentin on advice from my neurologist. Together, in a shared decision making process, we chose Gabapentin. Later, Cymbalta was added for anxiety control. My anxiety level was creating more pain than it should. I am still basing my medication on those two options.

May you be content and at ease,
Chris

You took Gabapentin & lyrica together? I am having good luck on the cymbalta bc it makes me hyper & I can get functional.