Does Cymbalta help with type 2 TN?

Does Cymbalta help with type 2 TN?

Yes, I am currently at 90mg cymbalta and it keeps it under control. That was the only thing I took for a while but now I have added amytriptline *not sure if its helping though*

Yes. I take 120mg a day as well as 125mg of nortriptyline. Both help more than opiates for me.

And you both have the atypical TN??

Yes.

Yep

I am taking the new generic for Cymbalta, Duloxetine, 60 mg a day. I have a small amount of occasional breakthrough pain, but it is very minimal. I just started taking it at the beginning of January. I had horrible memory problems and brain fog from both Gabapentin and Tegretol.

Hey Vickie, I had the same problem from gabapentin. Made me a zombie/clouded mind.

For me nortriptyline was the BEST so far, but after getting too high the doctor added cymbalta, now I take 2x 60mg/day as well. It helped a good bit. I also take 40mg oxycontin but the nortriptyline was best...

Cymbalta seems to help me out the most the first month of stepping up a dose but then the effectiveness seems to fade. Does nortryptiline work better than amytriptline?

For geniculate neuralgia my wife took Cybalta for two years along with other pain meds. After MVD surgery, she made an effort to get off all pain meds, which hasn't worked because of post surgical pain nerve pain. But, she did get off Cymbalta and it did not affect on her pain level at all. When she tried to get off of Gabapentin, her pain level increased. We concluded that Cymbalta did not have any effect on pain.

I just had my worst TN attack. I have type 1 and 2 (atypical). I'm on an increase of Gabapentin from 1800mg to 2400 and 900mg to1200 of oxcarbazepine. I can't think! It has taken 10 minutes to figure out how to type this and I'm not sure it's right. The pain is better though. It was so bad I thought I would lose my mind. Oh, the Gabapenin is also taken for my neuropathy caused by primary Sjogren's Syndrome. I've never tried Cymbalta and don't have any pain meds. I am interested in any and all suggestions from you.

Thanks,

Bels


Hey, Bels,

I just wanted to share that I have primary Sjogren's along with AT TN. I knew there had to be somebody on here that had both, like me. I am sorry you have both, but I am glad to know I am not alone.


Bels said:

I just had my worst TN attack. I have type 1 and 2 (atypical). I'm on an increase of Gabapentin from 1800mg to 2400 and 900mg to1200 of oxcarbazepine. I can't think! It has taken 10 minutes to figure out how to type this and I'm not sure it's right. The pain is better though. It was so bad I thought I would lose my mind. Oh, the Gabapenin is also taken for my neuropathy caused by primary Sjogren's Syndrome. I've never tried Cymbalta and don't have any pain meds. I am interested in any and all suggestions from you.

Thanks,

Bels

No, you should get the same effect from amytriptiline if either are going to help...I've just heard nortriptyline doesn't make you as tired...

For me I didn't get any relief from cymbalta for 5+ weeks after starting it. I've stopped and started a couple times over the past 2 years and it always takes me 4-5+ weeks for it to take effect. Nortriptyline seems to be about a week delayed...If I stop taking it I feel great for a week, but then pain comes back full force and it takes another week after starting nortriptyline for it to take effect again....When I increase the dose I get relief for a few weeks but then it fades. Pretty much same story with all the meds I've tried, only help while you're adjusting to them.

sw88 said:

Cymbalta seems to help me out the most the first month of stepping up a dose but then the effectiveness seems to fade. Does nortryptiline work better than amytriptline?

My meds, Tegretol is maxed at 400 mg every 12 hours so they piggy back Lyrica 150 mg every 12 hours. I have MS as well as TN so I am taking Gilenya .5 mg daily for that.
Now my meds are keeping the pain almost manageable and I smoke medical which keeps the pain, well I can ignore it. You have to get the right kind. Get a referral to a Neurologist and do a little homework and try to find a doctor that has experience with TN.

I took lyrica and cybalta ( had to increase dose age) and it was not helping any more. Finally had CYBER KNIFE SURGERY PAIN FRRE ABOUT 5 months

Does Cyber Knife work for TN 2? or did you have TN


Any of the meds like cymbalta (which are also used for depression) normally take up to 6 weeks to be effective. I have found clonazepam to be effective for night pain...and it does not give me the morning fog/hangover that the tricyclic meds (amitryptilene, nortriptyline, etc) all do. I am currently only taking oxycontin 10 mg every 12 hours for pain and use 5 mg for breakthrough if needed. It does not take the constant pain away..but it does make it mostly bearable and allow me to live my life with the least interference from side effects. Except, of course, I cannot work :( My current diagnosis is neuropathic TN, after 2 successful MVD's (9 pain-free years and then only 9 months pain free) and then a failed stereotactic procedure.


Shindig said:

No, you should get the same effect from amytriptiline if either are going to help...I've just heard nortriptyline doesn't make you as tired...

For me I didn't get any relief from cymbalta for 5+ weeks after starting it. I've stopped and started a couple times over the past 2 years and it always takes me 4-5+ weeks for it to take effect. Nortriptyline seems to be about a week delayed...If I stop taking it I feel great for a week, but then pain comes back full force and it takes another week after starting nortriptyline for it to take effect again....When I increase the dose I get relief for a few weeks but then it fades. Pretty much same story with all the meds I've tried, only help while you're adjusting to them.

sw88 said:

Cymbalta seems to help me out the most the first month of stepping up a dose but then the effectiveness seems to fade. Does nortryptiline work better than amytriptline?

At the present time I am off all pain meds - this is because of a glycerol injection which was performed on Nov. 20, 2013. Prior to that I was taking 900 mg of Tegretol and 2400 mg of Neurontin daily. I never thought the Neurontin was doing anything and was so anxious to get off the Tegretol because of the way it made me feel (not only zombie like, but I was having serious suicidal thoughts).

I was told once that Lyrica is the same type of med as Neurontin, so I never pursued taking Lyrica before having the procedure last November. By the way, that was the second glycerol injection followed 2 weeks later by a failed MVD. Switched doctors and am hoping for the best.

I would check on the similarity of Cymbalta with other drugs that you have taken just to determine how different they actually are. I am just making this suggestion because if (and when) my pain returns, I would definitely research drug similarities and side effects. The thoughts of suicide were very frightening to me.

I hope this helps - and pray always that there is a cure for this insidious affliction. My prayers are with all of us.

I have type 2 TN and have tried Cymbalta on two different occasions. It did result in a pretty significant reduction in pain but made me feel so sick. I felt so weak and dizzy that I felt I could not walk across a room without having to sit down. Even though it reduced my pain, the sick feeling it caused was not tolerable. I tried it again a year later but had the same result. I'm currently trying Trileptal and am going into my third week on it. I am having little moments of lower pain but I think i'm going to have to increase my dose before I can really tell if it is going to be effective.

I've been taking this for many years. Has never helped my pain, but does help my mood dealing with TN. Will never stop. I do have Bi-Lateral TN. Also on Gabipentin and Methodone and have had many surgeries. Good luck to those it helps!