Pain control methods for nerve and muscle pain?

September 1, 2016 7:22 AM

1) Have you taken Cymbalta for nerve and/or muscle pain (or do you know about it)? How did it work for you (if you have)? 2) What other medications have you taken for pain like that, and how did that work? 3) Have you used non-pharmacological methods for this kind of pain, at maybe a pain clinic (or on your own)? What were they, how did it pan out? How much time did they take out of your day, were you able to be productive? What about cost, etc?

Cymbalta has been suggested as a way of managing my nerve and muscle pain. (The pain is from parasthesia in the feet, and chronic & widespread tendinopathy.)

The idea is that I'd just take it for a year, to sort of "retune" my CNS. I'm hesitant, though, because it seems to be similar to Paxil in side effects and discontinuation issues.

I've been on Paxil in the past, and loathed the emotional blunting and apathy (have characterized it as feeling like a "ghost", disconnected and detached from my own life and body... Also experienced significant weight gain and horrific [to me] discontinuation effects.) Apparently, Cymbalta can do all that and cause nausea and cognitive symptoms, like being foggy? I need whatever mental sharpness I can hang on to :/

So I'm interested in experiences with and thoughts on alternatives, pharmalogical and non-pharmalogical.

Lyrica was also mentioned as a thing that could work in theory, but wasn't suggested for various reasons. I have read about these, any experience with them?

*Really* interested in non-pharmacological methods. Particularly ones you can do at home yourself. (But do they take a lot of time? Can they be woven into a productive day?) I've had experience with massage and electroacupuncture, and they are great. Interested in other ideas.

(Self massage is a problem because of issues with my dominant hand - if you know of any devices that do as good a job as manual massage, grateful for recommendations!)

posted by cotton dress sock to Health & Fitness (12 answers total)

Best answer: My wife has had some success using a Quell. (Also available from Amazon).
posted by bajema at 8:05 AM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]

Not taking for pain management but I have been on a low dose 30 Mg cymbalta for two years. Discontinuation effects are real, but apparently manageable through slooowww ramp down, like counting grains ramp down.

Disembodied? Check. But this is not bad, since Im less reactive to negative things. Foggy? No more than usual BUT can forget things within 2 seconds when distracted. Going to room for phone, see mail, forget phone. Markedly worse since cymbalta.

No weight gain.

Why stay on it? Benefits outweigh costs at this dose. Will discontinue if I want to have a baby. Also will need to devote 2 weeks to discontinuation to safely manage the ramp down.

Doc might be suggesting cymbalta to treat both pain and anxiety.

Good luck
posted by charlielxxv at 8:44 AM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]

I've been on Cymbalta for depression, not pain, so I can only speak to its side effects and not its efficacy. The discontinuation effects were pretty sucky, but for me tapering (over the course of 3-4 weeks) managed them. I lost my appetite and 20 pounds, and I remembered all my dreams every night for two or three months. Mentally and emotionally, I felt pretty good and like myself, but that's probably because I was taking it as an antidepressant. Overall I found it to be worth the side effects.

I paid about $60 for 30 days of 60-mg capsules, with insurance. Without, it was twice as much. This was about 10 years ago and I may have had crappy insurance and prices could have changed since then.
posted by Metroid Baby at 8:59 AM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Around this time last year I thought I was dying; it turned out to be a massive b12 deficiency. This meant, for some time, horrifying neuropathic pain; I got a prescription for Cymbalta.

I stayed on it for as long as I could because it worked extremely well for the pain, and of course one will endure a lot to not endure neuropathic pain. It gave me intermittent 'my brain is going to burst out of my skull' headaches (I am not normally headache-prone) and bad acne (I am 41). If dealing with nerve pain I would totally take it again, though.

(I also have pretty nasty tendinitis in both elbows. It did not affect my elbows.)

I was terrified when the nerve pain kicked in because I've dealt with it in the past and have not found another thing that does anything for it -- when I had it years ago I kept two large super-soft cotton sheets out of the way so they would be totally free of random bits of dirt or fuzz or hair or whatever; during flare-ups I would lie naked between these sheets, and retire to bed with whisky and a book and atheistic prayers for death or relief. I was really amazed Cymbalta did what it did. I was in quite a fog at the time anyway, and did not notice that worsening, for what little that anecdata is worth.
posted by kmennie at 9:16 AM on September 1, 2016 [3 favorites]

Best answer: When I was suffering from some neuropathy my doctor prescribed Neurontin. Now it's definitely something you want to take before bed (and not ever mix up with a morning pill--ask me how I know), but a six-month or so course of it did help. Beyond the sleepiness (which is manageable if you take it shortly before bed), no significant side effects. In fact, the general lack of side effects was one of the reasons my doctor wanted to try that, since the neuropathy was less than comfortable but not debilitating, and I didn't really want to take radical steps as a first-line measure. Neurontin is now, I believe, available in a generic.
posted by praemunire at 9:19 AM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]

When pain killers were failing me, hot and cold treatments became a routine part of my life. I took a hot bath daily and learned a lot of little tricks for making that more effective.

When tendon issues were killing me, I consumed gelatin daily for a year or more. My tendons have never been as bad again.

Walking a lot and generally working on circulatory problems has helped my feet.

Best.
posted by Michele in California at 10:02 AM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]

My dad took it to help with trigeminal neuralgia pain, and has stayed on it for the mood improvements. (Well, to be honest, we as a family are insisting he stay on it because he's much easier to be around when he's medicated, but that's a whole other story...)

Regardless, he had great success with it for pain management, didn't have any other weight/fogginess side effects and had a nice boost in mood and behavior from it. For him it was a huge WIN. (And for us...ahem)
posted by jhope71 at 10:31 AM on September 1, 2016 [2 favorites]

I took it to manage migraines that are accompanied by tingling/nerve pain in my feet and hands. It was TREMENDOUSLY useful for managing my pain! I was nauseated for the first couple of weeks and then felt fine. I had to stop taking it quite abruptly (I got pregnant), and the withdrawal was brutal. I also gained 25 pounds in 6 months.
posted by katie at 11:05 AM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]

My wife was dismayed by Cymbalta horror stories, but decided to try it anyway. She now swears by it.
posted by DrAstroZoom at 2:05 PM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]

I take it for Anxiety but also have arthritis in my spine. I'd say it helped a bit. I've reduced my dose though and the pain's not be worse. YMMV
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 5:39 PM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]

I take it for fibromyalgia. I've not noticed any significant side effects aside from getting dizzy when I stand up. Even that has gone away as I've been on it longer.

I used to take Gabapentin. I think the brand name is Neurontin. It's related to Lyrica, but comes in a generic.

I went off it after bariatric surgery and didn't have any discontinuation effects. I recently went back on it because my fibro flared up again. I take 60 mg a day since that's all the insurance company will pay for.

A+ Would take it again.
posted by kathrynm at 9:01 AM on September 2, 2016 [1 favorite]

I have trigeminal and occipital neuralgias, and take both Neurontin (generic form is Gabapentin) and Trileptal (generic is Oxcarbazepine) to mitigate pain. Tegretol (generic is Carbamazepine) is another drug used for nerve pain.

I hate the brain fog and drowsiness, but I'm incapacitated if I don't take these meds. For breakthrough pain, I've found that acupressure - I hate needles - works well. And I can do it myself after learning where the pressure points are.

Meditation and mindfulness also help. Just slowing down a little bit and taking the time to actually live life. I've also found a lot of emotional support through the chronic pain and disability resources at 7 Cups of Tea.

Also, I don't know if this is true for paresthesia as it is for peripheral neuropathy, but when I had severe peripheral neuropathy in my forearms and hands, upping my B12 intake helped exponentially. (Thank you, Dr. House!)
posted by The Almighty Mommy Goddess at 1:58 PM on September 2, 2016 [1 favorite]