Gabapentin and Cymbalta

Posted by jeanniem @jeanniem, Mar 15, 2021

I am taking 300mg of Gabapentin twice a day and my neurologist seems to feel pretty strongly that I add 30mg of Cymbalta. Does anyone else take this combo? I really hate adding new medications!

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@Good evening @tigreyes2004, I just read my post again. “We chose Gabapentin instead of Lyrica. Cymbalta was added later for anxiety control.”
Have a lovely evening.
Chris

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@kelsey1234, @steeldove, @tigtreyes2004. Hello, all. I can tell you about my personal story, my experiences with diseases, pain and meds. This pain journey has and is a long one for me, lasting over 40 years. Beginning with fibromyalgia and osteoporosis and sarcoidosis......and more. Most of those years, as is true of most of the ladies who experienced whatever illnesses so long ago, doctors discounted most of what we women said as female dribble, just our hormones or whatever. Thankfully, the last number of years I've been blessed with doctors who listened and heard me, and I've learned to stand up, speak and be heard.

I was given by my neurologist gabapentin several years ago for nerve pain, it's purpose in life. It indeed helped relieve some of my neuropathy pain, lumbar and cervical pain as well. Lyrica was prescribed for help with neuropathy and restless leg syndrome which was severe. It helped. Then, Cymbalta was prescribed for off-label use to help with fibromyalgia and chronic pain syndrome, which Lyrica also helped. Cymbalta was developed for anxiety treatment, so it helped with that as well as the fibromyalgia.

I wanted to reduce my entire medications load, so the Mayo docs have worked with me to accomplish this. I'm now, in the last 2 years, off oxycodone, celebrex which does help with arthitic pain, ibuprophen - 800 mg/4 X daily, ( one of the best pain relievers for me due to the increased arthritis pain added to the other issues, and it's a marvelous anti-inflammatory.....I miss it but it's not good for my stomach/intestines)....off lamictal for seizure control which I no longer need, gabapentin, lyrica, and other.

I fully expect to stay on Cymbalta forever. It helps me tremendously with the fibromyalgia and other chronic pain. We increased the dosage to 120mg, the highest for me, and I'm very pleased. I take cymbalta, robaxin muscle relaxant, use voltaren gel when the arthritic/bone pain is worse, use topical MMJ lotion for my hands and feet - arthritis, neuropathy, and a 1:1 Thc:CBD tincture at night for pain and anxiety and sleep. I use THC spray and CBD tincture during the day for pain and anxiety. Soon, after finishing some testing, I'l be walking more with my hot pink walker and spending an hour a couple times weekly in the 94 degree therapy pool, one of the best pain relievers around.

It's all one me, one body, all wrapped together hurting, so I'm chosing to use the least amount of medication and MMJ possible to get the job done properly, with fewest side effects. It's working pretty well. I think by combining these different aids, from different but legitimate and proven sources, I am finding what is best for my body and it's needs. This is all very personal. Each of us requires our own 'cocktail' of aids to give us relief to walk this walk. This is best for me at this time. I'm sure it will change as I change. It changes as I am more or less active, have more stress in my life, deal with more or less anxiety, etc. I suspect you'll find much the same.

Wishing you well on this little painful personal journey. Keep thinking clearly, which I do much more easily now without the heavy meds, the brain fog has lifted....keep thinking and taking charge of your care and working jointly with your medical folks to do what's best for you.
Blessings and may your day be filled with joy. elizabeth

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@artscaping

@Good evening @tigreyes2004, I just read my post again. “We chose Gabapentin instead of Lyrica. Cymbalta was added later for anxiety control.”
Have a lovely evening.
Chris

Jump to this post

I'm afraid of the lyrica.

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I just started taking 60 mgs of Cymbalta and 100 mgs of Gabapentin. So far I am walking a little funny but sleep through the night.

Do anyone else take this combo and how long does it take to work?

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@tigreyes2004

I'm afraid of the lyrica.

Jump to this post

Lyrica made me have seizures and the pain in my legs were awful.

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Thank you for the info.
I have heard too many bad things about it so I won't take it but that gabapentin is making me dingy.
I forget & the words wont come out of my mouth. It is embarrassing when your speaking to someone.
There is nothing they can do for Neuropathy. They need to do more study on it.

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I take 100 mg of lyrica 3x/day and 30 mg of cymbalta 1x/day. I have not had any issues with these meds. I ran out of lyrica and it took a few days for a refill and I was quite uncomfortable with neuropathy pain so I feel it helps me.

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Hi everyone. I'm 47.
I take 300mg of Gabapentin 3x a day. And I also take 60 mg of Duloxetine 1x a day. I use nerve cream on my legs, feet and hands at every night. It seems to give a little relief. I added a cane to my accessories due to being a fall risk. Neuropathy is awful. I hope everyone finds relief and a good mixture for their specific needs.

Peace and Love.
Michele

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Speaking from experience on gabepentin !! I feel it is a great drug for a short time use. Long term it causes lots of issues. It shut my stomach down (gastroparisis) for 3 years. I got off it and am now back to living and loving life. We need to get off the "pill" kick in America and start taking control of our lives. Lifestyle changes are in order not more pills. I took back my life--lots of doctors not happy with me but just cause they don't write scripts for me no more and I don't have to see them every other week anymore. Can't express it enough LIFESTYLE CHANGE ! What we fuel our bodies with affects every aspect of daily living. Bless you and hope you get relief.

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I was just just prescribed both of these. I’m afraid of the side affects and my doctor had the nerves to tell me to worry about them later as they come. I feel there is really no help for nerve pain with out taking something else out. 😰. I suffer on a daily with my Arms and hands im not diabetic.

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