Cymbalta and neuropathy

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herdizziness
herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
edited July 2012 in Colorectal Cancer #1
This is for those suffering from neuropathy, according to the testers of chemicals and such, Cymbalta (an anti-depressent)appears in tests to have reduced neuropathy.
Just something to ask your oncologist about.
Winter Marie

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  • RobinKaye
    RobinKaye Member Posts: 93
    #2
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    It works but...
    My sister was on Cymbalta for pain after spinal surgery. It helped the pain but
    made her miserable in other ways: moodiness, weight gain etc. She couldn't take it anymore and
    decided to stop taking it - the withdrawal was horrible. I think she tried to come off too fast
    but regardless, not fun.
  • Brenda Bricco
    Brenda Bricco Member Posts: 579 Member
    #3
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    Will never know... I read
    Will never know... I read the studies and had my husband talk to doc about it, the doc perscribed it and the insurance company said NO because it is too expensive to try before trying other things like Gapapentin*. I asked the pharmacist about paying for it "out of pocket" and was told they couldn't even sell it to us with out the insurance because he is now on a state funded insurance since his private insurance ran out. So for now he is trying the Gabapentin. :/ It's frustating because this man worked his rear off for 40+ years paying the taxes that funds the state insurance and now that he needs something expensive the answer is no way. I guess we can chalk that up to another one of cancers crappy realities.
  • RobinKaye
    RobinKaye Member Posts: 93
    #4
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    Brenda Bricco said:

    Will never know... I read
    Will never know... I read the studies and had my husband talk to doc about it, the doc perscribed it and the insurance company said NO because it is too expensive to try before trying other things like Gapapentin*. I asked the pharmacist about paying for it "out of pocket" and was told they couldn't even sell it to us with out the insurance because he is now on a state funded insurance since his private insurance ran out. So for now he is trying the Gabapentin. :/ It's frustating because this man worked his rear off for 40+ years paying the taxes that funds the state insurance and now that he needs something expensive the answer is no way. I guess we can chalk that up to another one of cancers crappy realities.

    Agree...
    Maybe can understand if they don't let you have the drug before tying something else - and that's a big maybe, should be the doctors decision. But, what's with not allowing you to
    buy it with your own money, that's crazy. I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot more of this down the road.

    I don't know how the Gabapentin will work, it was so-so for my sister but it might be a good think to stay off the Cymbalta. I'm sorry, I just watched sis go through hell with that drug and I know it's not the same for all but I've read lots of horror stories. Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.

    Robin
  • RobinKaye
    RobinKaye Member Posts: 93
    #5
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    Brenda Bricco said:

    Will never know... I read
    Will never know... I read the studies and had my husband talk to doc about it, the doc perscribed it and the insurance company said NO because it is too expensive to try before trying other things like Gapapentin*. I asked the pharmacist about paying for it "out of pocket" and was told they couldn't even sell it to us with out the insurance because he is now on a state funded insurance since his private insurance ran out. So for now he is trying the Gabapentin. :/ It's frustating because this man worked his rear off for 40+ years paying the taxes that funds the state insurance and now that he needs something expensive the answer is no way. I guess we can chalk that up to another one of cancers crappy realities.

    Agree...
    double post
  • RaineySkies
    RaineySkies Member Posts: 10
    #6
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    RobinKaye said:

    Agree...
    double post

    May work for some,but not others
    I am on cymbalta for neurpathy, fibromyalgia and anxiety and it works great for me so far. I have been on it for about 3-4 months. I did take gabapentin for neuropathy, but it did nothing for my neuropathy, but made me so tired. You dr office can't figure a way to get it authorized? I'm sure they can, they just don't want to put the effort in to get it authorized.Maybe you need to talk to them again and explain that you really need it. Good luck, yep our system is messed up.I worked my whole life, but now I am constantly fighting for my state insurane.
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    #7
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    Different for Different People
    I think it's different for others, I don't think a drug like Cymbalta would stay on the market it has, if everyone had that kind of reaction to it. I'm sure some have a reaction, but I'm betting the majority is safe with it.
    Here's hoping that those that need it for the neurapothy that is so bad and can take it, can get it.
    Winter Marie
  • steved
    steved Member Posts: 834 Member
    #8
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    Cymbalta
    It is a good drug but as with all drugs it has potential side effects that some get and some don't. It probably isn't first line treatment for neuropathic pain and gabapentin probably does have better evidence so should be tried first. If it doesn't work or is only partially effectiev adding in one of the antidepressants that help is next- the choices of antidepressants include duloxetine (cymbalta), venlafaxine (very similar to duloxetine but cheaper) or amitryptiline (older drug with more side effects including sedation but many tolerate it well at low doses and can help sleep too).

    I talk about this from the perspective that I prescribe all of these regularly as a psychiatrist and am on gabapentin for nerve pain (caused by the cancer not chemo) and have tried amitryptilline. I find gabapentin very helpful and tolerable at a moderate dose.

    EAch to their own- we have a limited number of tools in our arsenal to treat this so trying them sensibly in order is a useful approach. Of course if yo uare also depressed or anxious the antidpressants may help that too!

    Also makes me so grateful for the NHS in the UK- no real limiting of access to these drugs for anyone.As you say, you pay your taxes and should get the benefits.

    steve
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    #9
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    steved said:

    Cymbalta
    It is a good drug but as with all drugs it has potential side effects that some get and some don't. It probably isn't first line treatment for neuropathic pain and gabapentin probably does have better evidence so should be tried first. If it doesn't work or is only partially effectiev adding in one of the antidepressants that help is next- the choices of antidepressants include duloxetine (cymbalta), venlafaxine (very similar to duloxetine but cheaper) or amitryptiline (older drug with more side effects including sedation but many tolerate it well at low doses and can help sleep too).

    I talk about this from the perspective that I prescribe all of these regularly as a psychiatrist and am on gabapentin for nerve pain (caused by the cancer not chemo) and have tried amitryptilline. I find gabapentin very helpful and tolerable at a moderate dose.

    EAch to their own- we have a limited number of tools in our arsenal to treat this so trying them sensibly in order is a useful approach. Of course if yo uare also depressed or anxious the antidpressants may help that too!

    Also makes me so grateful for the NHS in the UK- no real limiting of access to these drugs for anyone.As you say, you pay your taxes and should get the benefits.

    steve

    The testing is in Phase III
    The testing that they are doing shows Cymbalta as being quite effective in lessening the pain, which is why I bring it up, with the word;s ask your oncologist, I myself am not on Cymbalta, my neuropathy is liviable for me, HOWEVER, there are those out there suffering quite badly from it, and this is an OPTION they may choose to try. It is in a Phase III testing, there is the link for those interested from fightcolorectalcancer.org:
    http://fightcolorectalcancer.org/research_news/2012/06/depression_drug_may_ease_peripheral_neuropathy_pain?utm_source=July+2012+enews+-+Time+Zone+3+&utm_campaign=eNews+July12&utm_medium=email
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #10
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    Gabepentin
    Mine is the generic form and my prescription is for 900 mg a day. It does help somewhat because if I'm not taking it when I'm supposed to my feet start to tingle. It just helps them tingle less. I've not had any side effects from this drug either.

    Kim
  • ron50
    ron50 Member Posts: 1,723 Member
    #11
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    Not for me
    I have done the rounds of the neuropathy drugs. My problem is that my neuropthy is not at the early stage caused by some of the newer chemo drugs. I was nearly eight years past chemo when I started to get neuropathy . At the time I was excercising heavily,walking up to 50 miles a week. I had some serious health issues with pancreatitis and gall bladder (now gone) and I found I was losing feeling with my feet ,lower legs and left hand. I was checked for diabetes but my history blood counts showed I was not at diabetic levels.I also started having serious problems with arthritis. Within twenty minutes of finishing a walk I could barely move. I was trialed on lyrica but it made no difference and at the dose they had me on it was costing a fortune. I tried neurontin(gabapathen) . Did not help ,always tired and out of it. Next was endep. I found the side effects of that scary.
    I have been tried on high doses of prednisone (supposedly for kidney disese) ,at 75mg a day it is a brutal drug . I was on it for 18mos and my gp suspects it is the reason I am now type two diabetic. I have also been on methotrexate,arava ,sulphasalazine and morphine patches ,mostly for severe psoriatic arthritis and alkylsing spondylitis. The one thing I have learned is that I now react badly to most medications. I take diabex twice a day for the type two. My rheumatologist and nephrologist both want me to go on Humira tho my kidney doc would be just as happy for me to go on on cyclosporine, cyclophosphamide or imuran.I have decided to go on nothing. I get by on panadol ,panadiene ,celebrex a couple of b/p meds and vit d3 and fish oil. Even the diabex causes severe diahorreah at times. I was on 5fu and an anti-parasitic called levamisole for chemo. Nobody has been able to tell me any long term side effects of theses drugs. As a result , medically ,I am in a grey zone. I have been told that my neuropathy and arthritis will only get worse. The prednisone has caused osteoperosis and although I have three kidney biopsies and my neph says they show abnormalaties none of them conform to any diagnostic regime so I remain with an undiagnosed auto-immune disease of the kidnyes.
    I think that in hindsight I would not have accepted most of the drugs that were proposed on the 'lets try 'system. Every time I tried a drug and it did not work or caused serious side effects (some did some serious liver damage)I became eligible for a more expensive and dangerous drug. What I have learned is that some times a lot of pain and inconvenience is better than some of the alternative super treatments,Ron.
  • dmj101
    dmj101 Member Posts: 527 Member
    #12
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    My mom used to say if it
    My mom used to say if it wasn't for pain you wouldn't know you were alive.
    I have not done the Cymbalta though I don't think I am candidate for it.
    I did try the neurontin and it made me feel like I had a hangover.. so my mind was not on the neuropathy.. I never took a secomnd dose as I that was so horrible I couldn't even function. not the way I forsee going thru anything.

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