Duloxetine

[foxglove]

I have peripheral neuropathy in my lower legs and feet and have been taking pregabalin in varying doses for over two years, at last I'm having the sense to admit it just isn't working. I have heard (and have been told by physio) that it might be an advantage to switch to Duloxetine. Has anyone one tried this? and if so did it work?

[cyberbarn]

Not everyone responds to drugs in the same way. So for every 6 people that try duloxetine one person will get benefit from it. For pregabalin for every 11 people that try it only one person will get benefit from it.

The problem is, we don't know until we try a drug whether it will work for us. Although some drugs come in families where if one doesn't work well for you, another might not either.

So if you fee that pregabalin isn't working for you, it does sound like it is time to try something else.

My son tried duloxetine, and it was a disaster for him, but a friend of ours felt she finally had her life back when she took it. On the other hand my son has found amitriptyline really suites him well.

[foxglove in reply to cyberbarn]

Thanks for detailed reply, agree that we all respond differently to drugs, I was prescribed amitriptyline for shingles pain but did nothing (apart from helping me sleep). I shall have to be brave and see if I can get gp appt. - even if phone call!

[Bazer-Sci]

As cyberbarn says every one responds differently. For me pregabalin, duloxetine and gabapentin offered little relief in the end ended up on opioids and eventually matrifen patches which worked well. I found duloxetine gave me migraines. For a while amitriptyline worked well.

[foxglove in reply to Bazer-Sci]

Thanks for reply and suggestions, I have more or less stopped pregabalin and if I can manage to do without for a bit I'll see how I go. Pregabalin does nothing for my pain but does relax and has a peculiar effect of seeming to alter time!

[Mollycooper11]

I take 120mg Duloxotine for depression and I've been on it a lot longer then I have had fibro for. So sorry I can't say if it has helped me in that respect.

[foxglove in reply to Mollycooper11]

Don't really think ANYTHING works long term....alas!

[vespatone]

I was on both for years but they stopped working after a few years by which time I was hooked.

Both are difficult to get off of (6 months the pregablin and left me with stomach pains and breathing problems with coughing ) the Duloxatine I was told would take me a few weeks to get off . Joke after a fortnight I had to go to a mental health drop in centre late at night as it made me manic.

Both have their place but for long term neuropathic pain the safest way to handle the pain is diet, exercise, meditation, diversion.

Taking any of the prescribed medication long term , A stops working after a while. B will damage your body ( breathing difficulties, osteoporosis, stop mineral and vitamin uptake, etc etc.)

Eventually they'll put you on opiates and that's a whole different ball game, they nearly killed me and getting off them is difficult and dangerous.

Try everything that's going therapy wise before going down the medication route.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy works wonders but can be expensive ( go through the MS society it works out cheaper )

Good luck and I hope you find something that works longterm for you.

P. S. Don't believe everything your medical profession tells you, they never tell you about the drugs long-term effects or how difficult they are to stop.

[foxglove in reply to vespatone]

Thanks for your kind and understanding reply, I have decided not to take any more drugs and just see what happens. You're so right when you say the medics never really tell you the long term problems drugs can cause and not much help when you want to stop.

Hopefully something will help if I keep an open mind!

[Moonshine15]

I have been taking Duloxatine for peripheral neuropathy for a few years with little improvements however once pregabalin was prescribed alongside it the pain improved a lot more, I have no side effects from it and I know I would suffer more pain if it were stopped.

[foxglove in reply to Moonshine15]

Thanks for reply (love the user-name) I have been off pregabalin for about 3 weeks now and can't say I feel any more pain than when I was taking it! However I really miss the sedating effect that it gave me. Duloxetine was recommended by a physio but didn't want to add another into the mix!

I was reading about wild lettuce today and thinking about giving it a try. Apparently the juice from boiled lettuce is a Gypsy remedy for insomnia and anxiety.. I have tried so much - and spent money - on things that just don't work that I'm hesitating