In one of my search flurries that I occassionally do, to find causes of neuropathy, I ran across the following citation. I have to go find the journal if I want to read the results. That doesn't surprise me, given the plethora of articles on how much TCAs benefit people in pain. The study is 10 years old, and it seems to be the only mention of TCAs as a potential cause of neuropathy. Hmmm, wonder why?
Interestingly, I was treated with TCAs, and zoloft concurrently, back in the '90s, and my TCA blood levels were never monitored. Of course, I felt awful the entire time, and slowly weaned myself off them and back into life. I can't tell you how bad my restless leg was back then as there are no words. The worse I felt the more they gave me and the more they gave me the worse I felt, and I had an 'a ha' moment. that perhaps this stuff wasn't good for me.
Anyway, here I find this Italian study, only one, and I can't find even the abstract, let alone the full text.
I have a very strong opinion on TCAs and I won't get into it. TCAs were replaced by SSRIs in the treatment of depression...and the psych profession was ever so glad, as TCAs can be lethal and SSRIs are not as lethal if overingested. So what to do with TCAs...hey, why not use them as pain meds. (Like people in pain don't think of doing themselves in at times..hmmm)
Big Pharma's reasoning has me stumped, other than, how to have a rummage sale with drugs we no longer really need....Repurposing!!
Lately, SSRIs are being repurposed for pain relief, well, what isn't these days. I suppose it is cost effective to find new uses for old 'research and development' as new drugs hit the market.
Anyway, if any one has access to this study, I would like to read what it says. Of course, 'correlation is not causation' and the title says, associated with, not causes. It isn't a case that would stand up in court,
I do think that we do need to ponder about what medications we take. Seriously. At times, I do not know what is worse, the cure or the disease or even more ominous if the cure for one thing, brings on another.
Neuropathy Associated with Tricyclic Antidepressants
Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 1997; 12(8):868-9 (ISSN: 0885-6230)
Benazzi F; Ciucci G
PreMedline Identifier: 9283933