Medicines for Nerve Pain

Dear Dr. SerVaas,
I am not diabetic but have a bad case of neuropathy. Gabapentin is not helping me. Are there other medications to relieve this discomfort? Your medical column is most helpful and informative. I look forward to each issue.
R
California

We recently received a letter from Post reader Mrs. J. V. Moore of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who writes that her neuropathy “feels like 1,000 bees stinging. After a stroke triggered the pain in 2005, her neurologist prescribed Cymbalta (duloxetine hydrochloride), a drug first approved for treating depression and now used for some cases of peripheral neuropathy. She reports that taking one capsule daily certainly makes her life more comfortable. Lyrica (pregabalin) may be another drug option for you and your doctor to consider.
According to the Physicians’

Desk Reference (PDR), people should take Lyrica at about the same time every day.

2 Comments

June 29, 2009

2 Comments ( Post a Comment )

Dorothy Figi

Posted November 5, 2009 at 8:08 pm | Permalink

My problem (I do not have diabetes) my feet feel like I am walking through hot coals, especially early morning and it doesn’t go away for a couple hours, although not as bad. I tried to take Neuroton and it made me sick to my stomach, and Lyrica didn’t set much better. I am willing to try them again, but should I get Cymbalta instead. I will ask my doctor, but he doesn’t seem to know anything about Neuropathy. I go to a support group, but none of them have had much luck with doctors. Everyone’s case seems to be different. My feet are so hot and some are cold.
Dorothy Figi

Posted November 5, 2009 at 8:10 pm | Permalink

See my first comment. My feet feel like I am walking through hot coals.