Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Suggest Alternate Medication For Cymbalta To Treat Neuropathy
Brief Answer:
You should get the FAA Approved List for Definitive Response
Detailed Answer:
The FAA's list of approved medications for pilots is rather funny because such a list ACTUALLY DOES NOT EXIST. NOTWITHSTANDING, the FAA does have a set of medications that they will approve for specific diagnoses being treated.
In your case what you're doing is using drugs typically FDA approved for depression to treat neuropathy. Medically speaking it is acceptable for SSRI's to be used as a treatment for neuropathy although in my opinion they are poor in efficacy. The problem is that most of the more robust drugs for neuropathy are NOT APPROVED by the FAA such as NORTRIPTYLINE or AMITRIPTYLINE.
Lexapro and Zoloft are approved medications but read what the FAA states about these drugs:
Anti-Depressants / Anxiety - Single-use Anti-Depressants such as: Celexa (Citalopram Hydrobromide), Lexapro (Escitalopram Oxalate), Prozac (Fluoxetine Hydrochloride), Wellbutrin (Bupropion) or Zoloft (Sertraline Hydrochloride) may be approved by the FAA for depression on a case by case basis only. Approval is very strict, and does not permit applicants to be approved by an AME or even the FAA office in Oklahoma City. These cases are decided by the FAA office in XXXXXXX D.C..
I have found that ALPHA LIPOIC ACID can treat some milder cases of neuropathy. Of course, the best way to treat neuropathy is to treat the root cause such as diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction, Vitamin B12 and D deficiency, or certain forms of autoimmune diseases. In order to know whether or not you have any of these disorders you need to have a full panel of laboratory analyses performed.
If I've provided useful and helpful information to your questions could you do me a huge favor by CLOSING THE QUERY and be sure to include some fine words of feedback along with a 5 STAR rating? Again, many thanks for submitting your inquiry and please let me know how things turn out.
Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional questions, comments, or concerns having to do with this topic or others.
This query has utilized a total of 44 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.
You should get the FAA Approved List for Definitive Response
Detailed Answer:
The FAA's list of approved medications for pilots is rather funny because such a list ACTUALLY DOES NOT EXIST. NOTWITHSTANDING, the FAA does have a set of medications that they will approve for specific diagnoses being treated.
In your case what you're doing is using drugs typically FDA approved for depression to treat neuropathy. Medically speaking it is acceptable for SSRI's to be used as a treatment for neuropathy although in my opinion they are poor in efficacy. The problem is that most of the more robust drugs for neuropathy are NOT APPROVED by the FAA such as NORTRIPTYLINE or AMITRIPTYLINE.
Lexapro and Zoloft are approved medications but read what the FAA states about these drugs:
Anti-Depressants / Anxiety - Single-use Anti-Depressants such as: Celexa (Citalopram Hydrobromide), Lexapro (Escitalopram Oxalate), Prozac (Fluoxetine Hydrochloride), Wellbutrin (Bupropion) or Zoloft (Sertraline Hydrochloride) may be approved by the FAA for depression on a case by case basis only. Approval is very strict, and does not permit applicants to be approved by an AME or even the FAA office in Oklahoma City. These cases are decided by the FAA office in XXXXXXX D.C..
I have found that ALPHA LIPOIC ACID can treat some milder cases of neuropathy. Of course, the best way to treat neuropathy is to treat the root cause such as diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction, Vitamin B12 and D deficiency, or certain forms of autoimmune diseases. In order to know whether or not you have any of these disorders you need to have a full panel of laboratory analyses performed.
If I've provided useful and helpful information to your questions could you do me a huge favor by CLOSING THE QUERY and be sure to include some fine words of feedback along with a 5 STAR rating? Again, many thanks for submitting your inquiry and please let me know how things turn out.
Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional questions, comments, or concerns having to do with this topic or others.
This query has utilized a total of 44 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
