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Sjogrens Topics => Living With Sjogren's => Topic started by: bluegardenia on May 29, 2018, 04:49:33 PM

Title: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: bluegardenia on May 29, 2018, 04:49:33 PM
hi everybody, since a few days i have pain  and tingling in my feet and legs.just wanted to know if thre is somebody who had some relief from natural meds or something else. i do not want to take anti depressives even in little doses,i know that i could somatize any possible disease...
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: Carolina on May 29, 2018, 06:52:27 PM
Gabapentin and Low Dose Naltrexone make my life bearable.

Regards,  Elaine
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: Carebear on May 29, 2018, 09:27:18 PM
I tried lots of things and nothing worked. 

Then in desperation I took gabapentin.  It saved my live.  As Elaine stated, it made my life bearable.

Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: bluegardenia on May 30, 2018, 09:02:55 AM
thanks carolina and carebear,i read the possible side effects and this scared me like i was scared by antidepressants.
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: Carolina on May 30, 2018, 02:00:47 PM
Life is scary, Blue.

If you read the side effects of life (like guaranteed death) you would opt out.

We make choices of the best possible outcomes vs. the least possible side effects.  That doesn't always happen, I KNOW.

But, we usually are forced by pain and other circumstances to take a 'leap of faith'.

Without Gabapentin, my skin feels like it is on fire.  So, skin on fire (and I mean that almost literally) or Gabapentin?

All the small peripheral nerves in my skin are damaged by my Immune Disorder.  Even my eye lids burn, even my lips and tongue.  And my fingertips feel as if needles are jabbed into them.  The most minor effect of this damage is the feeling that I have a bad sunburn (hands, arms, legs).

Someday I may have a terrible side effect from Gabapentin, but I cannot bear life without it.  So far so good.

You can drown in water, and yet you drink it.

Regards, Elaine
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: bluegardenia on May 31, 2018, 03:44:24 PM
so i went to the neurologist and after visiting and testing he said that his opinion is that my pain is not neurological but reumatic, its lke the nerves are slightly overexcited and inflamated, i do not know what is better... anyway ill have an alettromiography and another exam that is not a biopsy because he says that it can give false positives in cases like mine.
what i know is that its like i keep the memory of  pain, if  they put me a needle in my feet it can be that in two days i will have a little pain that remembers me that or if a mosquito picks me in one week ill still have an itching sensation, anybody has that sensation?
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: Nomad on June 03, 2018, 06:48:56 PM
You  might want to see if you can find a podiatrist who has used compounded creams before.
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: SjoGirl on June 06, 2018, 02:23:43 PM
Gabapentin is a godsend.
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: Sweetcheex76 on June 07, 2018, 10:21:26 AM
I started taking Gabapentin when I was diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia. It worked like a miracle on my neurological pain. Unfortunately, it made me incredibly depressed and couldn't continue taking it. When I went off of it, the neurological stuff came back full force. It made me realize how bad my neurological pain is. Wish I  could go back on the Gabapentin.
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: bluegardenia on June 07, 2018, 03:13:58 PM
more than pain its tingling that bothers me.pain its when i walk  and no tingling but it becomes tingling when i stop moving. this  is how peripheral goes? and it will be for always now that it started if i do not take any thing? this  scares me
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: bluegardenia on June 07, 2018, 04:53:58 PM
again me. going around this fantastic blog that often helps much more than speaking with doctors, i had the impression that many of you with  doubt of  neuropathy made EMG  but few  made a skin biopsy. i wonder why because skin biopsy is a quick cut with anesthesia while EMG is much more painful
i know that EMG is for neuropathy and skin biopsy is for peripheral neuropathy
thanks
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: Joe S. on June 08, 2018, 01:58:44 AM
I have found that eventually neuropathy becomes numbness. The pain does seem to decrease. In the past I reduced neuropathy with detoxing foot patches. They also improved my overall feeling of health.

After my broken thigh/hip I have not been able to bend my legs to use them. An Ionic foot bath is a good second option when you can get one.
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: SjoGirl on June 08, 2018, 02:25:03 PM
Bluegardenia there are several good books out about peripheral neuropathy, check Amazon or your friendly local book seller.
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: Carolina on June 09, 2018, 05:09:36 PM
EMG is for peripheral Neuropathy.

Skin biopsy is for Small Fiber Neuropathy (the small nerves in your skin).

I have had EMG twice on my legs and once on my arms.  For me it is not so painful as it is just 'surprising'.  The electric stimulation isn't very strong, but it is always a 'surprise' and it is always hard not to jump.

Regards, Elaine
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: irish on June 10, 2018, 11:18:22 PM
There are some antidepressants that will help with nerve pain. Check with your doctor first of all. Irish
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: bluegardenia on June 11, 2018, 01:23:02 PM
thanks Carolina and Irish
i do not want to take anti depressives even in little doses,i know that i could somatize any possible side effect. things go better since a couple of days. i did not change anything and did not take any medicine. every evening i make a foothbath with lot of salt, i make a massage with arnica or if  much pain with ketoprofene  foam. i take some drops of benzodiazepine and PEA.
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: bluegardenia on June 11, 2018, 03:18:41 PM
but i forgot a question: is this thing appears and disappears without any apparent reason? after i finished my previous post, pain and this sensation of ants going around my ankles started again, so now i have my feet in salty water etc. i was surprised that i had moments when i forgot this thing, i could walk painless  and have normal hours. then everything starts again? till the new bad moments?
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: jazzlover on June 11, 2018, 03:57:15 PM
I don't know, but I would stay clear of benzos .. they can make matters worse.
Title: Re: alternatives to cimbalta or lyrica for pain?
Post by: bluegardenia on June 12, 2018, 06:00:05 AM
jazzlover benzo are ok for me, a very low dow dimineshes pain and when i asked the neuro he said that its possible