--- In Peripheral_Neuropathy@yahoogroups.com, helene brown
<helenwithane@...> wrote:
>
> Ken, I have been taking Cymbalta for a year now and it feels like
it isn't doing the job anymore. Excuse my ignorance but what is
the difference between dopamine and serotonin on a good or bad
standpoint? All I know is my feet feel awful and I am getting
pretty sensitive again. I haven't cried over anything in a year now
because of the Cymbalta. It has kept my depression over my feet in
check, and all of a sudden I'm crying over everything. What's up
with that? Seems to me it's time to move on to something else. I
will tell you though, when I first starting taking Cymbalta I
thought I died and went to heaven. My brain was telling me my feet
hurt but I didn't even care. My life was great, depression gone,
and I was more mobile than ever. But, now the party's over! Good
luck with Wellbutrin. Maybe that will be my next pill!! I'll try
anything! It seems like it's working for you. Helene
>
> Ken Thorland <ken37917@...>
wrote: I haven't
contributed for some time and was on the list under a
> different yahoo address which I no longer have.
>
> I have what I consider some great news regarding the treatment of
my
> Peripheral Neuropathy (PN). Here's the story: Back in
December 05
> I filled my last prescription for Wellbutrin, I also stopped
drinking
> on December 28th. I decided to stop the anti-depressants and
try
> SamE approximately the third week of January 06. The SamE
seemed to
> help with depression about as much as the Wellbutrin, so I was
> content with the change. When I stopped I had 10 300mg XL's
left
> and kept them. A week ago I was feeling really down about the
pain
> and mobility issues and decided to start the Wellbutrin again to
help
> with depression. Within two days I noticed the pain in my feet
> subsided significantly and it continues to be manageable to the
point
> where I no longer feel much pain at rest and only a little when
> active. It also seems that the proprioception issues are
somewhat
> better. I started to put two and two together and realized that
my
> neuropathy did not bother me much before I quit drinking and
taking
> Wellbutrin. I couldn't figure out why it was getting worse as I
was
> abstinent and felt that alcohol may be the primary factor in my
> disease. I thought perhaps the alcohol had been masking some of
the
> pain.
>
> Yesterday, I researched wellbutrin on the Internet and sure
enough it
> has been used successfully for some in the treatment of the
symptoms
> of PN. I thought I had done thorough research but obviously
not.
> So, I'm am really kind of excited about this as Wellbutrin is a
drug
> I have no negative side effects from and in fact, helps me reduce
my
> smoking, curbs my appetite and helps with my mental state. My
God,
> almost an all purpose pill!!
>
> I hope this moderate success continues, I thought others might be
> interested and I would be interested to hear if any have tried
> Wellbutrin? It is a dopamine and norepinephrine uptake
inhibitor,
> whereas Cymbalta (which I have not tried) is a serotonin and
> norepinehrine uptake inhibitor. Cheers,Ken

Hi Helene, it sounds like cymbalta may be losing it's effectiveness,
if I were you I would talk to my doctor about trying Wellbutrin. One
thing you should be aware of is that W can make you feel a bit like
you are on at least a caffeine high if not a mild anphetamine. It
can be very energizing and some don't like that, it tends to wear off
after some weeks of use. I started with 300mgs and it may be better
to start with lower doses, some think that antidepressants work on
neuropathy at lower doses than is effective for treating depression.
Serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine are all brain produced
chemicals that effect us...how I don't know. good luck, Ken