It is not clear about the inner workings of the diabetic neuropathy and that is why it is hard to make a definitive course of treatment. The treatments only temporarily fix the problem not cure it. Some treatments such as Tricylic Antidepressants or TCA’s and Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRI’s and Antiepileptic drugs or AED’s don’t affect the problem they just help ease the pain of the problem.
The TCA treatments will include imipramine, amittriptyline, desipramine and nortriptyline. These actions of treatment will help decrease the pain but the side effects will not make you feel any better at first. One side effect that you must watch for is toxicity it is rare but it does appear in some people. There are many side effects to each course of treatment but if you want an effective medication with very little side effects then ask your doctor about desipramine and nortriptyline.
The SSRI line of medications includes fluxetine, paroxetine, sertraline and citalopram. These types of medications are generally less effective then the TCA line of treatment but the body handles them better leaving little or no side effects. These medications can cause a weight gain and may make gylcemic control harder which is not desired, so you must be careful with any medication you take and make sure you follow your doctor’s orders.
One such drug approved to treat Diabetic Neuropathy is the medication called Cymbalta. This medication goes directly to the Serotonin and Norephinephrine. The most painful symptoms and depression is what the medication tackles.
The AED line of treatment which includes gabapentin and pregabalin are the first lines of treatment for diabetic neuropathy. When the gabapentin mixes with amytiptiline the effectiveness is great. One main side effect though is sedation and this combination is recommended to be taken three times a day and causes weight gain. So the good thing is, it treats the pain extremely well but it acts like a sedative and causes weight gain which is not good for a diabetic. Ask your doctor which form of treatment may be good for you.
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