Gabapentin and Cymbalta

I wrote in another neuropathy group yesterday about my surgery mistake damaged my intercostal nerves. That resulted in a flank bulge, which I had never known I had a FLANK and it’s now called pseudo hernia. Once the intercostal nerve is damaged, a recent study indicates there’s a domino effect to other nerves resulting in neuropathy pain and in my case ET, essential tremors. It was 6-8 months after the surgery that both those issues appeared. Of course, the neurologist prescribed gabapentin. I had been prescribed that drug previously and have it on my Allergy List. I use lidocaine topically and have Tramadol for other pain in the pseudo hernia.
The neurologist wanted me to use gabapenatal/Lyrica. No. My friend says she feels like a zombie. I had anxiety and confusion and trembling. No!

@gshfmb You're welcome. It's good to hear you're working with physical therapy. I hope they provide you help not only while working with them but to use at home when you work with yourself. "Motion is Lotion" as we say in Mayo Pain Rehab. The important key is to learn how to move appropriately.

I hear you about the island. It's not easy to pop into a Mayo Clinic. I flew from NY to FL and was blessed to have Medicare cover my whole 3-week pain rehab experience, however I incurred the expense of travel, hotel and meals.

Recently Connect was privy to have access to Dr. Sletten's Mayo PRC Family Day videos. Dr. Sletten is the director of the PRC in FL and breaks down concepts to the families of participants each of the 3 weeks they are there. The videos contain an inside peek of the principles and tools used for rehabilitation. I graduated the PRC almost 2 years ago and it was the hardest thing I've ever done, but most rewarding and life changing. My husband was able to learn about what I was experiencing in rehab each week so he could support and encourage me.

I'm happy to share the Week 1 video with you, and any other Connect member out there who is curious about Mayo PRC or who knows they can't get there but wants to pick Mayo's brain on how this program works. There is no shame in the game in learning or hearing about a plan you may be able to apply to your current situation, especially if its beneficial. Dr. Sletten explains the "Cycle of Pain" and the science behind "chronic". He educates on many factors and presents on how lifestyle changes can empower you. He's also kind of funny. Take a peek...

Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center - Family Day Week 1:

A doctor prescribed Lyrica for my Fibromyalgia. Although I started out on the lowest dosage (I am ever so sensitive to many, many drugs and many homeopathic products). Even at the lowest dosage of the Lyrica, I felt a definite difference ... an all over feeling of calm and reduction of aches and pains. BUT...after a couple of months I became zombie like - didn't have any desire to do anything. I stopped taking it.

@gshfmb You're welcome. It's good to hear you're working with physical therapy. I hope they provide you help not only while working with them but to use at home when you work with yourself. "Motion is Lotion" as we say in Mayo Pain Rehab. The important key is to learn how to move appropriately.

I hear you about the island. It's not easy to pop into a Mayo Clinic. I flew from NY to FL and was blessed to have Medicare cover my whole 3-week pain rehab experience, however I incurred the expense of travel, hotel and meals.

Recently Connect was privy to have access to Dr. Sletten's Mayo PRC Family Day videos. Dr. Sletten is the director of the PRC in FL and breaks down concepts to the families of participants each of the 3 weeks they are there. The videos contain an inside peek of the principles and tools used for rehabilitation. I graduated the PRC almost 2 years ago and it was the hardest thing I've ever done, but most rewarding and life changing. My husband was able to learn about what I was experiencing in rehab each week so he could support and encourage me.

I'm happy to share the Week 1 video with you, and any other Connect member out there who is curious about Mayo PRC or who knows they can't get there but wants to pick Mayo's brain on how this program works. There is no shame in the game in learning or hearing about a plan you may be able to apply to your current situation, especially if its beneficial. Dr. Sletten explains the "Cycle of Pain" and the science behind "chronic". He educates on many factors and presents on how lifestyle changes can empower you. He's also kind of funny. Take a peek...

Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center - Family Day Week 1:

Thanks for sharing the video! I'd love to see weeks 2 & 3 please.

Would like to see Week 2 and Week 3 videos. How?

Hello @irishlady1974 how are you doing? Thank you for showing interest in the PRC videos. I became familiar your posts and found you struggle with neurological symptoms. Before getting into the next video, may I ask how you are currently managing and if anything in video 1 resonated? Do you think perhaps going to the Mayo Pain Rehabilitation Center may be a consideration for you pain management?

@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

I found the video very enlightening! I recently stopped lyrica because of neurological side effects I want to stay away from. I'm going through physical therapy for upper body (but could use it all over) in the form of Myofascial Release, dry needling, and massage. I'm very interested in learning more about the mind-body connection as I also suffer from anxiety, depression and high blood pressure. I'm staring to see a bunch if different specialists through a different provider but wondering if Mayo's PRC would make more sense.