I have been switching meds for my nerve pain and was wondering if people on Cymbalta found it worked and how long it took. Any issues too with it? Right now I'm only on 30 at dinner but then later will up to 60 as I'm sensitive. Do you usually spread it out during the day? I need to call and ask. The lidocaine patch that is prescribed I have been wearing and was wondering if that also helps in the long run as it builds up or just when using?Last ? I have a range of pain killers. I rotate depending on how severe pain I have vicodin,motrin 600,tramodol 50, and neuproxin. I also bought on less days tylenol extra which has 500mg and you take 2. Now what I'm confused is the motrin prescription is just 1 tablet at 600 but the tylenol is take 2 at 500 is it just different and still the motrin is higher or is actually the tylenol cause can take 2? I have been taking vicodin but my neuro wants me off and said actually said tramadol is better for nerve pain but I feel vicodin works better is it just that I'm more flared up or does tramadol overall daily work better? Its tramdol reg not slow release. Ok thank you.

Tramadol on its own may be a better choice for nerve pain as it does alot of what the cymbalta does as well as some of what the vicodin does. However as you are on cymbalta, you would be better off with the vicodin as cymbalta and tramadol can have an interaction problem. Tylenol is basically useless for nerve pain, and for most pain outside of a mild headache etc..., and can be hard on your liver especially as you are getting 500mg of tylenol in each vicodin as well. lidocaine in a local anesthetic, and it will only help with pain at the exact site you place the patch; it has no centrally acting properties. Your best bets are to stick with the cymbalta, and get the dose to a good dose for pain (60-120 mg/day), and use vicodin for breakthrough pain as needed, but not on a regular basis.

please call your pharmacist -they will have the list of drugs that do not mix.
although if you feel something is not right - sick or anything unusual
it would be best to go to the ER, or your physician...

but to check - you can go to
www.drugs.com
check drug interactions~

Tramadol does nothing for me, except give me a headache and an upset stomach. I wish it did.... hubby has bottles of the stuff floating around!

I have no experience with the anti-depressant-as-pain-med situation.... I leave my serotonin levels alone as much as possible.

I take Baclofen, 80 mg p/day, Vicodin 40 mg p/day, and morphine (er) 45 mg p/day. They work reasonably well for me, and don't interact with my aids and epilepsy meds.

Thank you. I heard that about cymbalta and tramadol but my doc put me on both. My symptoms with other then the severe leg/foot pain come and go so were nt sure if its side effects from all the meds. I do want to get off all the vicadin so am tryying not to use it as much. I'm going to go to a pain clinic at cleveland if they feel they can help me which I'm praying and they said it sounds like I fit. So I'm hoping for some alternatives and other treatments as I'm so not functioning. Thank you

I know that this is late, but I wanted to answer the one question you posed- Lidocaine patches work while they are on, and sometimes a small period of time after they are taken off.

HTH!

I could not take Cymbalta. It made me have siezure-like spells. I would kinda zone out briefly. I was working at the time and it was a real problem. After reading the other threads I may ask to try again. But the Lidocaine Patch helped but only the first few minutes. It caused me more pain b/c when I took it off - it hurt so bad I felt like I was pulling my skin off and my skin is so tender to touch that is was not worth the 5-10 minutes of relief. I am taking percocet (2-3 a day per Pain Clinic's orders)and wear a Fentanyl (also called Duragesic)Patch(25mg) that I change every 72 hours. I would much rather try some of the other treatments that were mentioned in the other threads but my level of pain with the RSD might be higher. I hope that my describing how Cymbalta helps you a little.

DebDog