There are several pharmaceutical treatments for neuropathy that could help. But at what cost?
My wife was about to have our second child when we found out that she had type 1 diabetes.
Of course, we were over the moon about our new baby. But the idea that she had to battle diabetes at the same time was overwhelming for her.
After the initial shock, my wife became determined to not let diabetes limit her in any way.
But then, the nerve pain kicked in. And it put her back to square one.
It started as a burning sensation in her feet and spread to her legs. As time went by, it became much worse and prevented her from leading a normal life.
We went to see a physician, but all the doctors really struggled to target the condition. Plus, all pharmaceutical approaches had side-effects that were really scary, especially with the fact that she was pregnant.
I kept wondering if there was a healthier way to treat her condition and help her get back on track.
This led me to create a supplement that didn’t have any side-effects of the big pharma.
Nervitalize completely transformed my wife’s life and health. I knew it could do the same for other neuropathy sufferers.
In this article, I’d like to explore the standard pharmaceuticals prescribed for neuropathy so you can see how detrimental they can be.
The Medications
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Amitriptyline
What It Is:
This is a prescription medication for treating nerve pain and migraines. And in some cases, it’s prescribed as an antidepressant.
Available in liquid or tablet form, the indication is to take it in the evening since drowsiness is a leading side-effect.
It could take up to 6 weeks for amitriptyline to relieve neuropathic pain. But people usually feel a bit better 1-2 weeks into the treatment.
It’s worth noting that amitriptyline isn’t recommended for people with diabetes, as the medication may affect their glucose levels. Extra caution is necessary at the onset of treatment.
The Side-Effects:
As indicated, amitriptyline can cause drowsiness. But it may also cause nausea, tiredness, and nightmares.
Some people experience constipation or difficulty urinating. It’s also not uncommon for people to sweat excessively and feel confused and unsteady. And that might be accompanied by changes in weight or loss of appetite.
Now, these are only the milder side-effects. The more serious ones include:
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Severe chest pain
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Rashes throughout the body
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Muscle spasms (particularly in the back, neck, and jaw)
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Hallucinations
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Numbness and weakness in lower and upper extremities
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Shaking
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Yellowish eyes or skin
If you’re on amitriptyline and experiencing any of the side-effects listed above, you need to seek immediate medical help. The same goes for milder side-effects that won’t go away.
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Duloxetine
What It Is:
Aside from nerve pain treatment, duloxetine is an antidepressant and may also be prescribed for urinary incontinence.
After starting treatment, it might take up to a month for the medication to work. Nerve pain relief could come even later than that.
This medication isn’t for those with liver, kidney, or heart conditions. It may also increase eye pressure, so people with glaucoma shouldn’t take it.
And like most similar drugs, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid it.
The Side-Effects:
Commonly, its side-effects include dizziness, nausea, and headaches. Some patients could also experience blurred vision, loss of appetite, or weight loss.
Duloxetine may also cause loss of libido, both in men and women. Men could even have difficulty sustaining an erection or reaching ejaculation. However, the drug could also trigger persistent painful erections.
If these side-effects aren’t serious enough, the medication might also cause uncontrolled bleeding. If a nosebleed persists for 15 minutes, make sure to seek medical help.
Furthermore, duloxetine could have certain psychoactive side-effects - one could become angry or aggressive for no apparent reason. It might also trigger excessive excitement and euphoria that’s often accompanied by restlessness.
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Gabapentin
What It Is:
Predominantly, gabapentin is prescribed to treat epileptic seizures. But it’s also effective for addressing neuralgic symptoms such as stabbing pain, burning sensation, and aching. And it could help with RSL (restless legs syndrome).
For seizures, gabapentin targets the brain and reduces excessive excitement. But to treat nerve pain, the medication affects the way the body feels pain - it tricks the body into not feeling it.
However, medical experts aren’t certain how gabapentin helps with RSL.
The drug is available as tablets, capsules, or liquid. And if you’re prescribed the last, gabapentin should be diluted in a glass of water before intake.
It’s important to stress that the medication alleviates symptoms, not the underlying condition.
The Side-Effects:
Commonly, people may experience speech difficulties, dry mouth, and tiredness. Diarrhea and constipation are among the usual side-effects, as well as nausea and vomiting.
Some also get struck by uncontrolled eye movement, such as eyes rolling or going back and forth involuntarily.
The serious side-effects are mostly psychoactive and may include:
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Severe or worsening anxiety
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Panic or manic attacks
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Rage and aggressive behavior
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Increased restlessness
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Debilitating depression
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Suicidal behavior
Though rare, gabapentin may cause severe allergies with symptoms like hives, rashes, swelling, fever, etc.
If any of these happen to you, seek medical treatment right away.
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Pregabalin
What It Is:
Another anxiety and epilepsy medication, pregabalin is also used for nerve pain treatment.
To prevent epileptic seizures, the medication balances out the brain’s electrical activity. It stops neuralgic pain by blocking pain signals that travel down to your extremities.
Meanwhile, it alleviates anxiety by affecting the brain’s chemistry - it prevents the brain from producing anxiety-inducing chemicals.
Like with most medications on the list, it takes at least a few weeks before you start feeling the remedial effects.
It’s important to note that this medication shouldn’t be prescribed to those who are on a controlled diet, particularly with respect to potassium or sodium intake.
The Side-Effects:
Surprisingly, one of the common side-effects includes numbness, burning, and tingling in the extremities. And that may come with pins and needles. Speech difficulties aren’t uncommon, nor are dry mouth, double vision, and constipation.
People may become much clumsier and feel a lack of coordination. Beyond that, the medication could also affect cognitive skills and cause poor planning, judgment, and thinking.
Some also even find it difficult or painful to urinate.
The equally worrying but less common side-effects include:
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Difficulty breathing
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Involuntary movement and muscle ache
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Cold sweats and tightening of the chest
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Mucous cough
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Fever
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Nightmares
These are only some of the side-effects that can occur. And if you’re experiencing something strange that’s not on the list, consult with your physician.
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Capsaicin
What It Is:
Capsaicin might be familiar to you as the active ingredient that makes peppers hot. But it’s also a common ingredient in pain medication.
The medication works by blocking pain signals in the nerves and is effective for the following conditions:
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Fibromyalgia
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Post-surgical pain
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Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
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Muscle spasms
Research also shows that capsaicin may improve inflammation. And that’s one of the reasons it could be effective for diabetes-induced nerve pain.
Unlike most other nerve pain medications, capsaicin is available as creams and patches. While this is an over-the-counter medication, it’s still recommended to consult your doctor first before using it.
The Side-Effects:
The good news is that capsaicin has the least side-effects of all the medications listed here. But it doesn’t mean they’re not worth mentioning.
When applied topically, capsaicin may cause a burning sensation or itching. Redness in the area of application also isn’t uncommon and some may even notice swelling in the area. There could also be some pain soon after the first application.
Luckily, the side-effects shouldn’t last too long. But you should know they could worsen if you’re exposed to heat.
Moving to the Safe Zone
Knowing how serious the side-effects could be, you’re likely to seek treatment that won’t make you worse.
For many, one of the most worrying is the psychoactive power that some of the listed medications have. No one wants to become anxious, depressed, or aggressive just to remove nerve pain.
And honestly, you don’t need to.
Nervitalize is completely natural and targets only nerve pain. This remedy contains B complex vitamins and carefully selected herbs that don’t have any negative effects. It’s also chock-full of antioxidants to expedite your recovery.
And if you want to find out more about Nervitalize, check out our website and choose an option you like best.