Has anyone used Cymbalta for nerve pain?

Hi, for me..couple years ago, 90mg/day helped my neuropathy. But it stopped working after 1 year of effectiveness. They tapered me off of it, and I experienced minor brain zaps for a few weeks.

Benedryl should not be taken with Cymbalta. You must make sure that all over the counter meds or herbals that you take, even if you only take them occasionally, are on the med list you give your physician and your pharmacy. People think OTC meds like Benedryl don’t need to be listed but you are a prime example of someone who could have had a fatal drug interaction. Update your med list today to include every med or herbal in your home that you may take so professionals have all the info they need to protect you from adverse drug interactions.
To answer your question, I find low dose Cymbalta to be more helpful for nerve pain than Lyrica.

Did you start on something else, and if so, how did that work for you?
Thank you!

Good to know!!!

They tried several things before that. Gabapentin, carbamazepine, Lyrica, nortriptyline and Duloxetine. My pain is nerve pain...neuropathy caused by diabetes. Tramadol is the only pharmaceutical that has helped over time.. Best of luck to you.

Having had extensive spinal surgery - many fusions to prevent further deterioration of the spine, nothing has been able to relieve the pain. Pain docs are necessary but unfortunately, in the all knowing eyes of the government and the insurance companies, getting extremely advanced advice , pays the pain doc nothing. He/she is left with two choices, injections: epidural, median nerve root (for facet joints), forminal injections, nerve root ablation work and reimburse them much more equitably but if those can't be done, all they are left with is prescribing medications. These medications ranging from Tylenol to hi strength opiods and all those in between, all have their side effects and significant ones. They are easy to start by are hard to wean off. Even steroids, a Medrol dose pack starts high and has a seven day wean. Drugs may be fine but research them as to their side effect and interactions with other medications. They are not harmless but pain is also horrible

Yes I take it, it does nothing for my pain

Cymbalta was original developed for depression. The reason why most doctors use this for pain management is because it's safe, it also builds up serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a chemical that helps cut the pain level in your brain or in your brain transmitters. You can never take serotonin with any strong tier 3 pain medication. It might put you into a depressant without you knowing it. I have gone to my recent Pain management doctor for 23 years. I am bipolar, but it has been behind closed doors for 42 years. I became bipolar when I was 18 and I saw a psychiatrist to the age of 28. I was taught how to conquer my bipolar to mental exercises medication, and clonazepam at 6 mg a day. This helps to control my anxiety. As soon as I get that control I developed diabetic autonimic peripheral polyneuropathy (I have three forms of the neuropathy that have combined together) I am in nonacute pain for 24 hours a day seven days a week since the year 2000. I have a double spinal cord stimulator with 20 leads going to my hand to cut the pain signals down. I was on fentanyl patch 100 MCG every 48 hours for a long-term pain and short term pain I was on oral fentanyl 800 MCG three times a day. Before I got the stimulator, I was on physical therapy and deep massage heat. However, once I got the stimulator, double stimulator. My pain management doctor I had to stop all therapy and concentrate medication. Pain management doctor anesthesiologist which is a great help to. He is also a teaching doctor meaning he explains the full detail why you need this medication and what is it going to do. Cymbalta. never worked for me, Lyrica never worked for me on pain. Gabapentin was a joke. It just made me sleepy the entire day and this was before I went out on disability. I could not go to work. I never wake up.
I have had in 20+ years about 25 nerve blocks. I almost forgot the stimulator. My C3 was cut. One believes went down the epidural canal to touch the nerves in my arms. I had carpal tunnel surgery and 1999. I have one iPad Pro tablet with the desktop M1 processor. this tablet to for medical apps, professional medication apps, 3D Human body app ... I can show exactly where my pain is coming from. I use apple pencil and a white board. I take screenshots of the 3D human body. I usually show the bone, nervous system, some muscle , and the heart - since my Small Fiber Neuropathy attacked my electrical system of the heart, and that I had to get a double or dual chamber pacemaker. I went one year with severe chest pain. it took all of my doctors, that is why doctors to brainstorm and track down what was really happening. Because my heart was perfectly fine on the inside. after been in the Cath lab 4 times in one year. I been a diabetic for 43 years and with in the last 6 years I was placed on an insulin pump. Now I have Neuropathy Edema , since I can no longer take fentanyl , I had to drop to slow release and fast release Morphine for 4 + years. It really helps with my nerve pain. When my surgeon did the double spinal cord stimulator , it took 16 hours. . The main key is finding a great pain management doctor. Always do a background check on each doctor that you plan to see . The web site or App , Healthgrades, is a great resource in finding full details about your doctor. Customers constantly right in that application about the office staff, and about the doctor, the doctor bedside manner, if he really cares about the patient and the treatment , how many lawsuits against the doctor.

I had taken Cymbalta for some time for osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, neuropathy, depression due to chronic pain, etc. and it helped. I took it at night and was gradually increased to 60mg. I also take Acetyl l carnitine and alpha Lipoic acid supplements for small fiber neuropathy which has helped. I had burning and pins and needles in my feet and it is much better now.

Thank you for the good news. Hopefully this will work for me. I am miserable.