Sometimes you just need to try meds for yourself. Get as much information as you can up front so you are well prepared and able to recognize any side effects of the drug alone or mixed with your other meds.

For me, Lyrica is my "devil drug" as I had horrible side effects including weight gain (Yikes).

Good luck to you!
Doxie

Sometimes ya gotta compromise.
Weight gain (30 lbs - 220 to 250), against suffering from pain -is one that I had to make. Lyrica (and Neurontin) gives me carb craving.
But.....For me - its a no-brainer.

Cymbalta did nothing for me.

I must admit I am a little afraid of any antidepressant, probably because I have such a sensitivity to them. I tried to take Paxil a few years back and it was really bad. Then last year I tried to take a couple of the lower dose older antidepressants for another pain condition I had and they caused my heart to skip so bad I could barely breath.

But I have had friends who swear by them. Like MrsD said, with Cymbalta, you want to keep a watch on the liver.

Cymbalta worked for my pain mgmt but it made me extremely spacey and brain fogged. I didn't funtion very well on it. Everyone said I was spaced out all the time. However, that didn't worry me!!! I was very happy and didn't really care that I wasn't doing my job. I had finally found my happy place and didn't want to leave there!!

I have been on Cymbalta since mid january. I take 20 mg 3 x per day concomitant with 3600 mg of Gabapentin. Dr. Latov felt like there was a synergy between the two. The pain has been reduced to where there is not burning ALL the time. And the severity of the burn is diminished. That being said, the I am sure that any of the SSRI's are probably effective, since they work on the mental component of the pain. Depression/Anxiety, as we all know, exacerbate pain, and in some cases cause it. In treating neuropathy, the goal is a 50% reduction in pain...if that is achieved, then treatment is thought of as a success. I have had no real side effects...a bit drowsy at first, but that is it.

Mark

I have not tried Lyrica or Cmbalta. I have been on Gabapentin (Neurontin) since August 08. I have diabetic neuropathy. I must say you must give it some time to work. It helped me in the beginning, but I am now at the maximum dosage.

some docs push gabapentin to 4500 mgs per day. It is excreted through the kidneys, so u have to watch creatine levels. but the good thing is no processing through the liver.

WOW!!!! Didn't know you could go so high with Neurontin. Bet my insurance wouldn't pay for that since its not reccomended to exceed 3600mg per day. I wonder though, if it would help me any? Would it work better than uping my Methadone?

Jay

I was at 4200 mg/day for years,
before I switched to Lyrica.
No problem with my ins Rx plan paying.