[changejobs]

I was recently diaganosed with SFN. i have been taking a tricyclic antidepressant and 30 mg of cymbalta. my doc wants me to start on Neurontin 300mg a day in the morning,and then increase to optimum level. from every i am reading, it sounds scary. i am worried an=bout the tired ness, the fog and coming off it when needed. I didnt mind the cymbalta because i was on it up to 60mg a few years back, but was ok for me to come off.

I am a 47 year old male. my hands and arm feel numby (Not total numbness-but has a numb feeling) with pain in the fingers.

can someone who is on neurontin now, please offer some insights into neurontin.

[Mere]

I have also been prescribed Neurontin for SFN pain. I have severe pain in my arm, neck and shoulder and fleeting pains elsewhere. The problem I have is that when I go up to 900 mg (300 mg/ 3xday), I develop pitted edema up to my knee. The dosage of 600 mg seems to be okay, although I don't think that I am getting the full pain relieving benefit.

I also have started on Savella and hoping that it will help with the pain, depression and fibromyalgia. I am still ramping up but so far all I am experiencing are GI side effects. That is pretty normal for me.

Good luck with the Neurontin. Many people do not have any problem with the larger dosages.

Mere

[changejobs]

thank you mere.

has it made you sleepy and foggy at all?

how was it when you lowered the doasge- any problems?

did you get your diagnoses also with the skin biopsy?

[lesley21]

I also have SFPN and I am also taking 60mg Cymbalta and 900mg Neurontin a day and I have no side effects, I take 600mg of neurontin at night and 300mg in the morning, the neurontin helps a lot with the pain and pins and needles in my legs, as the cymbalta makes it worse.
I have not had a skin biopsy but I am seeing a neurologist in July.

[echoes long ago]

if cymbalta makes it worse why do you continue to take it?

[jannaw]

I get brain fog with my afternoon dose sometimes, and weird sensation in my arms. I just recently replaced the middle of the day dose with nortriptylene 25 mg., gone is the brain fog so I'm down to 600mg x2. I take a second 25mg dose of nortriptylene at bedtime, fairly new to this drug, and so far have no problem with it. Of course theres a few other meds I take everyday too, but the ones I mentioned are strictly for PN. This isn't fun but it can be done, welcome aboard.

[lesley21]

To echos Long Ago,

Not really sure, when I first went on the cymbalta it did help with some of the pain I was having but was still having terrible Leg pain, but it is now not helping that pain, I have thought about going off it and see what happens, but I am worried about withdrawals. I do not see the neuroligist until July.

[COLBEYMOORE]

I take neurontin 4 times a day (2 600mg tablets) so a t total of 4800mg which is a high dose. I have "brain fog" at times and short term memory issues. When I cut down the dosage the side affects arent as bad. Weight gain is another side affect. Which I have but just taking a medicine recently released for type 2 diabetics called Victoza. Hopefully the pounds will drop off.

Since I am a type 2 diabetic so my neuropathy is due to my diabetes.

[Mere]

Originally Posted by changejobs

thank you mere.

has it made you sleepy and foggy at all?

how was it when you lowered the doasge- any problems?

did you get your diagnoses also with the skin biopsy?

Yes, it does make me a bit sleepy, foggy and emotional - but I feel that way normally - some days better than others. But yes, initially, it was worse, but seemed to get better with time.

No problem in lowering the dosage. In the past, I d/c cold turkey with no s/e. I have read more recently that the cold turkey method is not an intelligent way to d/c the drug. I did not have any difficulty in doing that at the time, however, I would not repeat the rapid d/c in the future...

I did get my diagnosis from my neurologist based on medical history and confirmed with a skin biopsy that showed "significant' peripheral neuropathy. I am in the long and drawn-process of finding out the reason "why" I have peripheral and autonomic neuropathy. I am beginning to think that I may never have a diagnosis as to "why" I have these problems - but we will see with time...

Mere

[lesley21]

I hope you get your answers also Mere, I know how hard it is waiting, waiting and not really knowing.

"Idiopathic" what does it really mean? I know they can't find an answer but why?