Generic Name: Cymbalta for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (duloxetine)
Cymbalta for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Reviews
"Took Cymbalta for severe nerve pain. (Hemangioblastoma removal inside spinal cord @ C4, 5, 6). It worked well for the pain, and I had little side effects. Came to a point my doctor and I decided I didn’t need it anymore. Then the fun began. I don’t care what kind of issue you have or how much pain you are in - DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION! Trying to get off this was the worst thing I could ever have imagined, and it went on for months!! The list of symptoms was long and bizarre. I can’t stress enough how bad it was... please, please don’t take even 1. PS To Loulou: after being deathly ill for weeks, I called my doctor again, and they told me to just start taking it again and start tapering off again at another time! What?!? No frigging way, so I suffered through almost six months of horrid withdrawal. It does go away, I promise! You aren’t alone - I felt EXACTLY the same way you do now! Hang in and do not start taking it again!! Good luck to you!"
"I was originally put on Cymbalta for depression. I was told to take it during the day, which I did. When I took the Cymbalta during the day, it made me incredibly sleepy to the point where I could not stay awake, so I discontinued its use. Fast forward a few years, and I started experiencing HORRIBLE Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy. The doctor put me on Cymbalta to try and treat the pain. This time, I took it before bed. I didn't notice any sleepiness during the day, and my nerve pain got better, and eventually was completely gone. After a year of use and almost no pain at all, I started having some 'breakthrough pain'. Even though I am having 'breakthrough pain' after a year, the Cymbalta still makes life 100x better, and I am grateful to have it!"
"I have been on Cymbalta for over 2 years. I have M.S. and am a type 1 diabetic with severe neuropathy. Before this medication, the searing pain in my legs was unbearable. I could not walk because of it. I was originally put on gabapentin, and had such severe side effects that I quit taking it. My neurologist then prescribed me Cymbalta. He started me on a low dose, then after a month doubled it. Since then, I experience little to no pain. When I am a bit uncomfortable, I get in a warm bath and the pain is gone. I sleep better, have better control over my blood sugar as it does suppress appetite, but that means I am not munching or overeating. I cannot live without it!!!"
"I'm a Type 1 Diabetic for 39 years. Had VERY painful muscle spasms/seizing and twitching. I tried various supplements which 'should' have helped but no improvement. I started Neurontin at 1,800mg/day and I had terrible swelling plus gained 18 lbs in 6 months (and my eating habits actually got better while on it). The 1,800mg of Neurontin no longer controlled the muscle spasms. I started Cymbalta, 30 mg before bed, and had significant reduction in pain the first morning. I did notice a very strong headache that first day. I had only 3-4 muscle spasms that first day as well...Wow!! Second day...almost NO pain in the morning and only a dull headache with much weaker muscle spasms. Side effects: Crazy dreams, difficulty sleeping, headache."
"I have been taking the drug for just a little over 3 weeks. I want a life membership for this drug. I hardly have any pain, I can feel my feet and feel great on it. I am one of the lucky ones after reading many posts. I have had nerve pain for almost 3 years and it has been brutal. I have tried amitriptyline and Lyrica, both did not work. I am feeling way better."
"Excellent results with Cymbalta on 30mg once each night. Burning pain reduced by about 80%. Does generate dreams, but not uncomfortable dreams. This is the first medicine that helped. Side effects were too great with Neurontin; felt little to no effect with Lyrica."
"I was not sure how well it worked at first. Then I was unable to get it for a while, and was in a lot of pain, having trouble getting through the day. I just wanted to sleep. Once back in my system, I noticed the difference. This helps my depression, back pain, and the neuropathy."
"I've tried many, many different medicines for my nerve pain. Finally after being put on Cymbalta for my depression, I noticed that my nerve pain was not near as bad as it was before. I'm overwhelmed with my results. Almost to tears of joy, instead of tears of pain! Thank you!"
"I have taken Cymbalta for 12 years for peripheral neuropathy. The prior 15 years I had what felt like a million little electric eels burrowing just under the skin of my right thigh. Or it felt like my thigh was packed in ice. For 15 years, I was blown off by every doctor I saw under my insurance. A doctor not covered by my insurance prescribed Cymbalta. I had an immediate improvement, which just kept getting better. 0 side effects. A year in, and things unrelated to the neuropathy improved dramatically. A hand tremor went away, I no longer fell a lot. Eventually, Kaiser would cover the generic, which makes me throw up."
"Diagnosed with idiopathic small nerve fiber neuropathy and eventually put on Cymbalta, 60 mg daily. Been taking it for 5 years. The first week was difficult, but my neurologist encouraged me to soldier through. Relief began after about the 5th day. My main complaint is fatigue. On the upside, I sleep like a teenager. I’m retired so I can sleep in. I don’t think I would be able to work on this, though. Recently, I discovered I can get by with 60 mg every other day. That’s what brought me here, looking for info about that. I have an appointment with my neurologist in July and wanted more info before I discuss my condition."
"Horrible. Made my stomach upset, groggy, nausea, anxiety worse. After one day!!!I can't handle it. I can't believe how hard it is to find decent pain relief. Inhumane to keep someone alive with nerve pain."
"Cymbalta was the first drug that actually improved the diabetic neuropathy pain I was experiencing in my legs, feet, arms, and hands. For the first time, I was able to sleep through the night without waking in tears from the pain. I was so happy my doctor put me on this drug in conjunction with Neurontin. The pain almost disappeared! Approximately 6-8 weeks later, I noticed that the neuropathy pain started back up again despite continuing on the medicines. I too had insomnia, making it difficult, at best, to be alert, focused, or have any energy the following day. To this day, I still have some insomnia and an increase in the neuropathy symptoms; BUT Cymbalta 60 mg and Neurontin 600 mg are the best drugs so far in lessening the pain."
"I've been on Cymbalta 30 mg for 1 week. Strong diarrhea the first night, missed work the next day. Since then, little trouble sleeping, napping on my days off. I work 12-hour shifts on my feet on a cement floor. I lost the feeling in my toes almost a year ago. Dealt with the hot coals burning on the bottom of my feet also. In such a short length of time, I have had some relief in the burning of my soles and with the back pain. Hoping for continued improvement."
"I'm a recovering alcoholic of 16 years. I was diagnosed diabetic in 2008 and continued drinking until May 7th, 2017. Unfortunately, my addiction had caused a lot of damage to my body that I didn't notice while consuming 3-6 gallons of beer a day. In the past, if I didn't have a drink, I would start to feel pain in my legs, so I drank more. Now, after the first few weeks and the shakes went away, I went to a doctor to get my health checked. After fully disclosing my situation, he prescribed gabapentin. I had a bad skin burning reaction after a few weeks, and my legs and feet were like lightning storms of pain. He then prescribed Cymbalta. I was reluctant at first, reading all the side effects. But now, I take it 2 hours before bed, and the pain is gone."
"I have peripheral neuropathy and very bad pain in my back. Cymbalta made a huge improvement in my pain level. The doctor started me gradually to lessen the nausea. I have worked up to 30 mg twice a day for a total of 60 mg. I have been taking it for 3 months and still find the pain level and my frame of mind much improved. I do have slight nausea occasionally and dry mouth. The excessive sweating has gone away."
"Was prescribed 20 mg of this when my hands started burning, which caused me more anxiety than the idiopathic nerve damage in my feet that was detected on an EMG. Feeling much less anxious, no nerve pain in my hands, and 80-90% less tingling/vibrating in my feet. The first week on this, I had severe headaches in the morning, which I pushed through and didn't have after about 10 days. I feel noticeably less energetic and groggy in the morning than I used to. Other than that, I haven't noticed any side effects, and I usually react to medications (which makes me cautious). I am not on any other meds. I would rate this a 10, but the awful headaches in the morning were a pain, and feeling groggy until noon-ish is tolerable but not ideal."
"I was on Cymbalta for a few years, and over that time, I didn't notice a significant reduction in the pain, but I did notice that my memory started to diminish. I asked my doctor to take me off of it, but he refused, so I quit cold turkey. The side effects are significant and severe! I wouldn't suggest this tactic! All in all, I'm very happy to be off of it... my memory is improving noticeably, and the foot pain is just about the same."
"Joined this website solely to warn others that the side effects of Cymbalta were worse than any other med ever. After taking for 10 days nearly all the side effects that others mention were experienced, after stopping the scariest pains were felt down the middle of left arm and less down the right, groin pain radiating down the left leg and less down the right and the feeling someone was pushing their thumb into my neck on my jugular."
"I have taken 60mg for 20 years. Three weeks ago my Dr. dropped the dosage to 30 mg. I had some hateful and days of crying. Now that passed but my feet and legs and lower back hurt so bad I can barely walk. Is this normal and would it stop if I took 60 again."
"I've been taking Cymbalta for 6 months 20 mg once a day it has helped with my neuropathy in my legs but nothing has stopped it so it's better than taking nothing which causes pain that is unbearable. But when taking the 60 mg it has me very nauseated and off balance. So I have not been able to take a larger amount, then 20 mg a day. I tried taking it at night but I was really restless oh, so I take it in the morning with food."
"I’ve been taking 30 mg a day for a few months, prescribed partly for depression but mainly for neuropathy. I’ve noticed a marked reduction in pain, a minimal positive effect on depression but the skyrocketing anxiety is crazy. It seemed to actually decrease anxiety for about a week, then went in the opposite direction. I asked my doctor about this, and discontinuing it, but he said not to, and instead go to 60 mg. This has put me in an awkward position of noncompliance (for good cause IMO). Ultimately though, I guess it’s my responsibility. If I don’t notice a decrease in the anxiety soon I’ll be stopping Cymbalta. No sense in paying a doctor to feel worse!"
"Not diabetic neuropathy, but neuropathic pain nonetheless. Works wonderfully... ...except for the terrible acne it's causing, and the relatively frequent but terrible headaches. I also have some issues with anxiety; it has done exactly nothing of use there."
"Debilitating side effects after only 2 hours with only one 60 mg pill. Extreme sweating, fatigue, difficulty swallowing, and walking. Next came the nausea and intense insomnia. Had to call in sick to work the next day due to lack of sleep and weakness. Didn't get out of bed until 3 PM."
"It was like a wonder drug at first. Then, even though I went up to the maximum dose of 60 mg, I can no longer tell I am even taking it. I stop it - then start it back up - still no help. It's just no good anymore."
"Cymbalta has been a lifesaver for my diabetic neuropathy. In just a few days, the pain and discomfort went away. The only problem I am facing with Cymbalta is insomnia, even in combination with Xanax 4 mg and Vistaril 150 mg."
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