All the medications I have tired for neuropathy I was on for at least one month, with a dose increase after two weeks.

The Neurontin reached max dosage after one month.

At this time Elavil was added started at 25mg at night.

After a month or so Elavil was upped to 50mg at night.

Neurontin was removed for Lyrica.
The Lyric started at 50mg twice a day then moved to 75mg. After a month with no pain reduction my doctor increased.

Cymbalta was added at 30mg a day.


After my last doctor visit since Lyrica and Cymbalta have had no help he wanted me to stop taking them. Now I am just waiting to have my MRI and from that I am under the impression he will prescribe something else. He does seem rather worried tho, with only being 28 and only having been diagnosed with diabetes six months ago.

On another note does body temp seem to increase pain for anyone else? When I am in a cooler room it's not as bad but everytime I am in a warmer room my pain levels shoot up and the stabbing feeling starts all over my feet and legs.

Thank you all for replying and giving me your input!

--increased heat and body temperature exacerbates neurological symptoms--heat is the enemy of smooth nerve signal transmission. (Nerves seem to work better in a moderately cool to warm environment.)

The multiple sclerosis people talk about this all the time--increase in symptoms with heat is well documented in MS, enough so that there's a big industry selling cooling vests and ice packs to that patient population. It's also an issue for people with peripheral nerve damage--although, for people whose damage involves the small, unmyelinated fibers that subsume the sensations of pain and temperature, any temperature extremes seem difficult--and if the damage is extensive, it may be hard for them to tell what the temperature actually is.

As far as the meds you've been taking go, I'm sorry you haven't had more relief. For many, finding a med regimen that works is very trial and error, with multiple meds being involved for maximum effect--I know many people who take meds from both the anti-depressant (i.e., Elavil) and anti-epileptic realms (i.e., Neurontin, Lyrica) and do well with the synergistic effect. some even add in something from the opioid area to get maximum relief. And don't forget supplementation--such things as B1 Benfotiamine and Lipoic Acid have been used for symptom relief for neuropathy for a long time, even before a lot of the current drugs were formulated. They tend to have lower side-effect profiles, too.

John, have you tried a cold pack on the back of your neck?

The larger gel packs are very handy. I use them often.

The ones with gel in them are hard to find in drugstores now, so
I got my recent ones here:
http://www.amazon.com/3M-COLD-PACKS-...ds=3M+gel+pack

I use them on my wrists, and neck and lower back almost daily.
One 20 minute period is all that is needed to turn off the hyper nerve signalling.

Our bodies divide up sensations and assign them to different nerve paths. The cold sensing ones have priority so stimulating them blocks perception of heat. You can do this with ice pack or chemically with topical gels you rub on like Biofreeze.
This is a link to Biofreeze:
http://www.amazon.com/BIOFREEZE-Pain...ords=Biofreeze

Biofreeze is a professional "secret" that only physical therapists had and chiropractors. But now it has become available in other outlets thank heavens. It is wonderful...I use this on my feet and knees.

I find the ice pack on the neck is good for global discomforts in the whole body.

Don't forget you need that magnesium since you are diabetic. This is very important. The magnesium may fix some of your symptoms.
You will have to space any magnesium away from gabapentin/lyrica...by 2 hrs before or after.

Also I have to wonder about that diverticulitis...did you take antibiotics for that? If so which one(s)?

On another note does body temp seem to increase pain for anyone else? When I am in a cooler room it's not as bad but everytime I am in a warmer room my pain levels shoot up and the stabbing feeling starts all over my feet and legs.

Yes I was the same, I hated the warmer months and just about prayed for winter to come along.

If it does turn out to be the sugar levels that has caused the nerve damage, the most important thing to do is getting your sugar levels back down as close to non diabetic numbers as possible and watch out for any lows as well as they to can damage the nerves.
The peripheral nerves do have the ability to regenerate, it is a slow process though.

best of luck to you.

John Thank you for replying,

Sorry you havent had a good response with your meds. I see you had the "better" repsonse with Lyrica. Did you have any withdrawal symptoms after stopping the lyrica? How are you doing on the r-lipoic acid?

I havent noticed any diff with body temp. Guess Ill find out in a few months when the temps here start to go up (summer). So far the cold dosent seem to make a difff, The "monster" neuropathy sitcks its ugly head out at any given time or temp.
Keep us posted on your upcoming results..good luck.

I had my MRI today and had them put it on a disc so I could look at it and keep it in case I see a doctor that needs access to it. From what I can tell it looks all normal.

**
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I should have the results tomorrow, so I am hoping for the best!


Marie33: I did not having any withdrawal symptoms after stopping the Lyrica.

Hi John

Did you get off the lyrica slowly or cold turkey? I think I may have to stop taking it side effects from lyrica becoming to strong. Does ambien help you sleep? My Doc scared me , said he wouldnt dx ambien for me because I could sleep walk.
You said you had Gastroparesis for a 2+ years. Itsnt that nerve damage to the stomach nerves and affects bowel and stomach funtion? Was that caused from autonomic neuropathy. I thought once you have it ,it doesnt really go away..

Best of luck with your MRI results!!

Yes I went off it cold turkey. The ambien helps now and then, it just depends it's kinda hit and miss. I still sometimes wake up after taking it. I also don't take it every night just when it's like 5am and I can't sleep at all. There are some side effects such as sleep walking and sleep driving o.O, but my doctor said as long as I don't take more then one 10mg pill I will be fine, people tend to run into the crazy side effects when they keep taking more because one pill is not working.

Gastroparesis effects the way you process food, it was kinda of like being full all the time. Only if I ate I would get really sick. Heck if I did not even eat I would get sick. It was not fun at all. Once I reduced the seizure medication I was on it went away for the most part. I still get really bad nausea a lot, but I am able to keep food down.

Ambien is in the news now ...especially for women!

Doses are being lowered.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ghlight=ambien

Thank you MrsD will have to read it later. Not sleeping well but dont want to ask my doc for any more meds. Not sure what to do anymore.