I have been on cymbalta for the last 7 weeks for small fibre peripheral neuropathy, I must admit it has helped with some of my pain but I am still left with terrible pain in my legs and I have found it hard to sleep what with pins and needles and pain so my doctor has given me valium to help me sleep at night. What I would like to know are these two ok together, also I have read some bad reports about cymbalta, not working after awhile, liver damage, also withdrawals when trying to get off it. I chose cymbalta because it was the cheapest of the three drugs the neuro recommended and am wondering I maybe I should be on either lyrica or neurontin and would they also help the leg pain.

hoping someone will read this and advise me,
thank you

Lesley

Hi Lesley ~ I don't think I would want to be on Valium as that is quite addictive although if you're just using it for sleep, you should be ok.

I find it strange he'd give it to you in conjunction with PAIN. I don''t think I'd ask for Neurontin as it makes you retain LOTS of water, makes you feel loopy, gain weight, etc. I'm on Topamax, and FOR ME, I've had no side effects. In fact, you tend to LOSE weight on Topamax. It's the same kind of drug as Neurontin, but for me it worked better than Neurontin. I've been on the same dosage for 8 years, and have never needed an increase!!! It has taken away ALL the burning & stinging & pins & needles completely!

I can't say you won't have ANY side effects, but chances are good that you won't. I haven't met anyone yet who has had any serious ones yet, other than losing weight, and most of them wanted to. LOL.

So see what your doc says about the topamax. And by the way ~ cymbalta SUCKS as a pain reliever, as far as I'm concerned. I have to be on a REAL pain reliever. I'm on Cymbalta for depression, but it sure doesn't do anything for the pain. God bless and take care. Peace, Lee

Hi, lesley.

As you have found Cymbalta does help with pain but unfortunately, your pain may not be completely contained. Cymbalta is prescribed for pain as well as depression and anxiety.

Valium is in a category of medications called Benzodiazapine (sp?), Benzo for short. Valium has been used to treat pain as well as other conditions and yes, it will make you sleepy.

Can it be addictive? Yes. Does that mean you and everyone who uses it gets addicted? NO. There are many people who can use Benzos responsibly and without addiction, I am one of them.

Withdrawl from Cymbalta: Some have a difficult time and some do not. Cymbalta as well as many other drugs require you taper (decrease) your dosage. Your prescribing doctor can recommend how to do this correctly.

Many drugs can cause liver damage that's why doctors do bloodwork every so often to check liver function when using meds that might affect the liver.

Personally, I didn't like Lyrica, it never touched my pain.

If any one can help regarding my liver function test done in November,2009. I was told my liver test was high, I do not drink, I put it down to being overweight. some of the high results were;

ALP 127
GGT 128
ALT 60

Should I have another blood test to see if the cymbalta have raised these any higher and would taken it for only 8 weeks make any difference to my levels.

hope someone can make sense of this and advise me

Thanks again for listening to me.

Lesley

Sometimes a viral infection will raise liver functions. As it clears they return to normal. You should have tests run for hep C and B as well, if they remain high.

Being overweight should not be a cause.

I would be very careful with Cymbalta, and get the proper testing done without delay.

Too much Tylenol, or NSAIDs may raise functions in some people.
The antihistamine Claritin (loratidine) may also affect liver functions.

Thanks Mrs D, I will see my doctor about having another blood test and talk to him about maybe going off cymbalta, I have been taking panadine (tylenol) and panadine forte for a while now and was also taking tramdol but I am not any more as I can not take it with cymbalta. I have been trying to manage just by taking cymbalta but sometimes the pain gets to much so I need something else as well. The valium seems to help me get to sleep but I find I am waking up later in a lot of pain.

Thanks for listening and for your advice,

Lesley

I have neuro TOS which came from overworking on a computer. There is no doubt about the cause of the TOS.

Having said that, I became bedridden within 9 months of the illness, barely able to get up to go to the bathroom or doctors.

At about year 3, they put me on Cymbalta and Lyrica. My liver enzymes went up. No work comp doctors noticed or cared. (At the time I was too sick to notice, but then I took charge of my illness!)

Next, I got blurry vision.

Next, I got Type II Diabetes.

I stopped Cymbalta and Lyrica and my LEG CRAMPS disappeared.

Someone told me to try Benadryl for leg cramps at night. That actually CAUSED my leg cramps to go crazy!

What works now is that I have my home nurse work in aspercreme into my legs and feet each day - not too much that I get over-stimulated, but enough to make me feel better.

God bless.

neurontin works for my painful tingling nerve pain!! have not felt anymore loopy then I already do with memory issues I have had before neurontin... not gained any water weight or such. I could not handle the lyrica side effects but I think that each body is different, where some can do the neurontin but others prefer the lyrica... the cymbalta... oh wow.. they tried that recently for me... for pain... yucky.. few days and my body always felt like it was RACING ... could nto take it... good luck, sarah

Good news regarding my recent Liver Function Test, my results are a lot lower this time, they are still a little high but my doctor has said they are very close to being normal. We have put the good result to the supplements I have been taking since joining neurotalk, he said sometimes nutritional deficiencies can cause high readings. So I will e staying on the cymbalta fo the time being, we also talked about trying neurontin (this is more affordable for me than lyrica) neither drug is approved here(Australia) for neuropathic pain. Another question has anyone taken cymbalta and neurontin together, I have searched the internet and found people who do take them together with no trouble, of course I would have to have regular blood tests, I have learnt so much from all you wonderfull people on NeuroTalk.

Special thank you to MrsD and martin who put me on the path to nutritional supplements.
Thanks again

Lesley