Connect
← Return to Internal trembling/shakiness, nerve pain - Gabapentin? Please help
Discussion
Internal trembling/shakiness, nerve pain - Gabapentin? Please help
Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 | Last Active: Jul 19, 2023 | Replies (27)Comment receiving replies
@emo - ditto on the duloxetine which is why I'm afraid to try it. i would be more comfortable with trying Gabapentin. In researching it does say it helps with sleep anxiety as well.
This is my sole reason for posting my questions - I'm curious what anxiety/depression meds have helped others, since as we know, LT Covid sets anxiety/depression on fire to the max!
Hoping others will chime in what they're taking and has helped. I believe someone mentioned Cymbalta.
Replies to "@emo - ditto on the duloxetine which is why I'm afraid to try it. i would..."
Before starting duloxetine (Cymbalta) do some research and possibly talk to a pharmacist. I read it's extremely difficult to stop taking due to severe withdrawal issues. Gabapentin has the same problem, but not as severe. I tried it once before bed and didn't help me sleep at all so I quit taking it. I've been taking 50-100mg Trazodone to help me get to sleep. If anxiety keeps you from falling asleep, I found an audio program on YouTube that helped me relax. It's by a hypnotist--Paul McKenna, Sleep. (You need ear buds.)
Connect
Thanks for clarifying. Cymbalta is the brand name for duloxetine, so it's the same medication.
My father takes Prozac at a very low dose (2.5 mg) because he's very sensitive to medication. He hasn't had any side effects at that dose. We tried to get him to 5 mg, but it was too activating for him, as he has some symptoms of anxiety. His neurologist actually recommended Paxil instead, because I guess it can be "better" for anxiety, but we were not comfortable with the higher risk of side effects.
The way it was explained to us, SSRIs or SNRIs (Cymbalta) are better tolerated, especially in older or more sensitive individuals than older antidepressants. And the response is very individual, so it's hard to say which is "better" than others. In our situation, choosing between Prozac and Paxil, Prozac won out because Paxil is known to have the most anticholinergic effect of all the SSRIs. We were just not comfortable with the risk when other options were available. My dad is already extremely sensitive to medications, and older adults are more susceptible to the side effects of anticholinergic medications (dry mouth, urinary retention, constipation, confusion) and associated with cognitive decline.
Hopefully others can give you insights as well.