I have TN 1 and TN 2 My Doctor suggested that I switch from taking Fluoxtine to taking Cymbalta for my anxiety and menopause issues because the Cymbalta helps with nerve pain also, has anyone else know anything about Cymbalta helping Nerve pain.
I’m trying it right now at my primary cares urging. My neuro doesn’t agree with it, but I’m at the point that I will try anything and since I see my neuro every 5 months and my PCP every month, I thought I would try it. I’m at 30mgs and it doesn’t help much. At the end of 2 weeks I’m supposed to increase my dose to 60mgs. If the 60 doesn’t work, I’m going to suggest a tricyclic.
My PCP thinks that with chronic pain comes depression and is cyclical—which I understand. He also believes in using multiple low does of meds instead of constantly increasing the Gabapentin, or switching to a high dose of Tegretol.
Jennifer G said:
I'm trying it right now at my primary cares urging. My neuro doesn't agree with it, but I'm at the point that I will try anything and since I see my neuro every 5 months and my PCP every month, I thought I would try it. I'm at 30mgs and it doesn't help much. At the end of 2 weeks I'm supposed to increase my dose to 60mgs. If the 60 doesn't work, I'm going to suggest a tricyclic.
My PCP thinks that with chronic pain comes depression and is cyclical---which I understand. He also believes in using multiple low does of meds instead of constantly increasing the Gabapentin, or switching to a high dose of Tegretol.katthompson4I hate doctor that say it is all i n your head or that anxiety/depression is causing this. Let me know how it works It would be nice to m=find good doctors who will listen and know something about TN
Jennifer G
My Doctor Said today that maybe it was anxiety causing my TN. and that If I was having pain on the other side that I did not have trigemnial neuralgia I had atypical face pain I started out have electric shocks on my left sit after going on Gabapenin I now only get them once in a while but I get mild spasm followed by boring burning aching pain. on both sides of my face, so she said I do not have TN. She also said it is OK to take my gabapenin once a day instead of 2 or 3 that it stays in the system for 24 hours I thought it only stayed in the system for about 5-8 hours I thought it was best to keep a consistant level in your body I had been taking 300mg twice a day and now she wants me to take 800mg once a day I think she is nuts but I could be wrong. She also said that if I went on Tegetol it would be a low dose and I would not need blood testing I think she is wrong. I could be wrong again but everyone and everything I have read says different.
I always go to askapatient.com and look at med side effects --- this one scared me away
ask for alternatives if you like -- there are at least 100 med combos - minimum for comfort with tn and stress that comes with it!
I take Cymbalta in conjunction with Trileptal. Works for me. My neurologist added it when the trileptal became less effective by itself. Cymbalta is classified as anti depressive and Trileptal as anti seizure. The thinking behind this is by reducing the lconstant nerve firings in thepain center of the brain (trileptal) and increasing levels of serotonin(cymbalta) the pain can be managed. Trileptal is thought to have fewer side effects than Tegretol. It does however, lower blood sodium serum levels, so that needs to be watched. By lowering serum sodium (which is necessary for nerves to "talk" to each other) it reduces the number of firings which in turn reduces pain levels. But with like so many other drugs, it's not effective for everybody and has side effects, most notably for me brain fog, forgetfulness, inabililty to focus.