Hi Jan, I take Cymbalta which was just raised to 90mg. I know some people do not like this but it has worked well for me. I will tell you that when I first started it my symptoms seemed to incrrease but once by system adjusted to the med it clamed down. I also take synthyroid because I have hypothyroid. I take I take Plaqunil 200mg at night. I also take Tramodal for the pain on a as needed basis. I also take B12 every morning.
Currently, my neuro does not want me to add any more supplements. He wants to do more testing and said he does not want me to muddy the waters.

I do have neuropathy from head to toe. The only area that is spared is the left side of my face. It does seem to be creeping across my nose though. The accupressure seems to aleve my symptoms a little and believe it on not it lifts my spirits some. Accupressure is different fomr accupuncture. NO needles it is shiatsu. Done with the hands on trigger spots.

I hear your frustation. I go through it a lot too. Today I seem to be in a good place but did wake up in a lot of pain this morning. The best advice I can give to anyone with this, is to keep yourself active to your limit. Keep your mind occupied. Give yourself a break once in a while. I have begun to realize that I can't be super anything anymore. I can only do the best I can. I hoope this helps you. Try to find something that reduces your stress(I know that is easier said then done) butI do find that stress raises my pain level significantly. Hope this helps, hopeful

Jan, you are going to want to start slowly with the R-lipoic.

Perhaps take it every other day for a week or so, until you think you can handle it daily. (this would be the 100mg) and take it in the morning.

It may lower blood sugars, and if you have palpitations, it might aggravate that also. I started at 50mg a day... back when.
And I cannot really tolerate more than 100mg a day now.

A couple of posters here have had the same experience, but the majority don't seem to have a problem with it at all.

So just go slowly in the beginning.

FWIW, I tried going from 100 mg to 200 mg. I experienced no problems whatsoever, but there were no appreciable benefits by raising the dose either, so on that basis (and additional cost) I dropped back down to 100 mg without incident. In my mind this just supports that:
1. Everyone's sensitivity/response to RLA is different, and
2. More isn't necessarily better.

I do wish it worked for everyone as well (and as quickly) as it has worked for me; IMO it was the turning point.

I have since experienced additional benefit when I added pantothenic acid (B5), verified by stopping & starting it again. What I get from this is, if the RLA doesn't seem to help any, I'd try adding B5 before abandoning it altogether (I don't know of any evidence that B5 alone would help unless one were deficient in it, which would be possible, but unlikely/rare).

Best wishes,

Doc