Poll The Neuropathic Pain Treatment Poll

[Cort]

Another study found evidence of wide-spread small nerve fiber loss in fibromyalgia - this time in the cornea of the eye. Many drugs are used to treat neuropathic pain, but this type of pain (burning, stabbing, numbness, tingling, allodynia) s amongst the most difficult kind of pain to treat.

See Eye-Opening Finding: Small Fiber Neuropathy Found in Fibromyalgia Patients Eyes

If you're experiencing or have experienced neuropathic pain let us know how effectively it's being treated and please, if you've found something effective, let us know in the comment section - and consider reviewing it in our treatment review section.

 

[tatt]

I don't have peripheral neuropathy so I wont answer the poll but when I had major probems with a facial nerve carbamazepine actually helped a lot. My problem is intermittent and I've just had an MRI delayed so long that the problem has gone and it shows nothing. So the doctor says hope it doesnt come back and consider antidepressants if it does. The other thing that helped a little was magnesium sulphate baths as it takes a while for carbamazepine to build up.

The side effects of carbamazepine were unpleasant but did tend to diminish with time. The suicidal thoughts largely went but I still felt like a zombie.

 

[Cort]

I don't have peripheral neuropathy so I wont answer the poll but when I had major probems with a facial nerve carbamazepine actually helped a lot. My problem is intermittent and I've just had an MRI delayed so long that the problem has gone and it shows nothing. So the doctor says hope it doesnt come back and consider antidepressants if it does. The other thing that helped a little was magnesium sulphate baths as it takes a while for carbamazepine to build up.

The side effects of carbamazepine were unpleasant but did tend to diminish with time. The suicidal thoughts largely went but I still felt like a zombie.

Interesting - that's an older drug I believe....and hopefully better ones will come along - glad it helped though.

 

[Katie]

My peripheral neuropathy has been greatly helped by 30 mg cymbalta and cesamet a cannabinoid taken in the morning and evening.
Both have decreased my pain from an average 5-8 to 3-4. may be a small amount to some but I sure can do more with a pain level of 3 than with 7. However, my fatigue is as bad as ever. Pacing is more difficult than it seems. I try to stay active within my boundary, not getting into an aerobic state but all it takes is a poorer than normal sleep, or fighting off someone's flu or a little extra stress, good or bad and I'm down for the count.
Re eyes: I've had diplopia diagnosed a year before FM. The double vision is caused by a 6th nerve palsy. Does anyone know if this has anything to do with FM or ME?
p.s. I really have to change my photo, my daughter says it looks like I'm catching flies-nothing like a bit of humour eh! (yup, I'm Canadian)

 

[Cort]

My peripheral neuropathy has been greatly helped by 30 mg cymbalta and cesamet a cannabinoid taken in the morning and evening.
Both have decreased my pain from an average 5-8 to 3-4. may be a small amount to some but I sure can do more with a pain level of 3 than with 7. However, my fatigue is as bad as ever. Pacing is more difficult than it seems. I try to stay active within my boundary, not getting into an aerobic state but all it takes is a poorer than normal sleep, or fighting off someone's flu or a little extra stress, good or bad and I'm down for the count.
Re eyes: I've had diplopia diagnosed a year before FM. The double vision is caused by a 6th nerve palsy. Does anyone know if this has anything to do with FM or ME?
p.s. I really have to change my photo, my daughter says it looks like I'm catching flies-nothing like a bit of humour eh! (yup, I'm Canadian)

That just shows that pain is not necessarily linked to fatigue. I find that VERY interesting...Two different problems - it makes sense in some ways..
Glad to hear nabilone (cesamet) is helping...
Could palsy be linked to herpesvirus reactivation?
Catching flies! I think it's a happy photo

 

[Cort]

If you're interesting in reviewing either Cesamet or Cymbalta we have review sections for them here. Some people have reviewed medical marijuana but no one has reviewed nabilone yet.

• Cymbalta - http://cortjohnson.org/forums/reviews/treatments/pain/duloxetine-cymbalta.192/
• Nabilone (cesamet) - http://cortjohnson.org/forums/reviews/treatments/pain/nabilone.223/

 

[Katie]

That just shows that pain is not necessarily linked to fatigue. I find that VERY interesting...Two different problems - it makes sense in some ways..
Glad to hear nabilone (cesamet) is helping...
Could palsy be linked to herpesvirus reactivation?
Catching flies! I think it's a happy photo

Palsy and herpes virus: hmmmm, I do have HHV6 and was on anti-virals which has slowed down the progressive loss of vision due to diplopia. Maybe I need to go back on the anti-virals for a longer period of time. I've been on x 2 for 4-6 weeks each. Not sure why the protocol went like this. My family doctor is on-board and says she'll give me a Rx for 6 months of anti-virals. That may finally kick things in order. We'll see.
Happy photo Ok

 

[tatt]

Interesting - that's an older drug I believe....and hopefully better ones will come along - glad it helped though.

The British NHS often uses old drugs because they are off patent and have cheap generic versions, so you are probably correct. It's a anti-convulsant also used for nerve pain. Seems to interact with just about everything so I had to stop taking some of my supplements. Stopped it as soon as I felt I could but you have to wean yourself off it gradually.

It has been used as a treatment for tinnitus, although I found one small clinical study saying it doesnt work.