Did you know that a staggering 70% of Americans under the age of 64 are taking at least one prescription medication? That’s a statistic from a Mayo Clinic study, and as you might guess, the numbers only climb with age. The CDC reports that nearly 90% of adults over 65 are on prescriptions, with a huge portion of them taking more than five different drugs. This trend points to a culture of seeking a “pill for every ill,” where we often chase symptoms with a prescription without fully considering the consequences. We tend to view medications as completely harmless, forgetting that every single drug comes with a long list of potential side effects. This can create a dangerous downward spiral: a drug causes a side effect, which creates a new symptom, which leads to another prescription, and so on. It’s not uncommon for adults in their 70s to be juggling 9 to 13 different medications.
Today, we’re going to pull back the curtain on some of these commonly prescribed drugs and reveal four types that have been scientifically linked to causing or worsening peripheral nerve damage. (Based on the insights of nerve doctor, Dr. John Coppola)
Key Takeaways
- A significant number of common prescription medications, taken by millions of Americans, list peripheral nerve damage (neuropathy) as a potential side effect.
- Four major classes of drugs are particularly concerning for nerve health: certain anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants, a class of blood pressure drugs called calcium channel blockers, and cholesterol-lowering statins.
- Some drugs, like the antidepressant Cymbalta (duloxetine), can be extremely difficult to stop taking due to severe withdrawal symptoms, creating a cycle of dependency.
- It is crucial to be an informed patient. Lifestyle changes and alternative medications may be available, but you must always consult your doctor before stopping or changing any prescribed medication regimen.
Important Disclaimer: Before we dive in, it is absolutely critical that you understand this: Never, ever stop taking any medication without first consulting the doctor who prescribed it. Abruptly stopping certain medications can be incredibly harmful to your health and could lead to severe complications. This article is for informational purposes to help you have a more informed conversation with your healthcare provider.
4. Anti-Anxiety Medications
It’s estimated that over 20% of Americans between the ages of 12 and 80 are taking some form of anti-anxiety medication. These drugs, known as anxiolytics, are not just prescribed for diagnosed anxiety disorders. Doctors frequently prescribe them to adults as sleep aids to help with insomnia. While they can be effective in the short term for managing acute anxiety or helping you get to sleep, the long-term ramifications are often overlooked, and one of those is the potential for peripheral nerve damage. If you’re taking one of these medications, especially for an extended period, it’s a conversation worth having with your doctor. The risk of nerve damage is real, and you need to be aware of it as you manage your health. Some of the most common medications in this group include:
- Ambien (Zolpidem)
- Buspar (Buspirone)
- Valium (Diazepam)
- Klonopin (Clonazepam)
- Xanax (Alprazolam)
- Ativan (Lorazepam)
If you’ve been prescribed any of these, it’s important to understand they are typically intended for short-term use. Discussing a long-term health strategy with your doctor that addresses the root cause of your anxiety or sleep issues, rather than just managing the symptoms, is a vital step in protecting your overall health, including that of your nerves.
3. Antidepressant Drugs
Since the 1980s, the use of antidepressant medication in the United States has skyrocketed by an astonishing 400%. The National Institute for Mental Health reports that roughly one in four people now take some form of antidepressant. While these drugs can be life-saving for individuals struggling with major depressive disorder, their widespread use for a variety of conditions comes with risks, including, once again, peripheral nerve damage.
Some common antidepressants include:
- Prozac (Fluoxetine)
- Celexa (Citalopram)
- Cymbalta (Duloxetine)
- Mirtazapine
- Effexor (Venlafaxine)
- Amitriptyline
- Nortriptyline
I want to share an extremely important side note with you about Cymbalta and its generic version, duloxetine. This drug was originally approved to treat depression. However, it was later also approved to treat the pain associated with peripheral neuropathy. Here’s the alarming paradox: it is widely known in many clinical circles to also cause or worsen peripheral nerve damage. Even more concerning is the potent physiological addiction associated with Cymbalta. When you try to stop taking it, you can experience debilitating withdrawal symptoms, most notably something patients call “brain zaps.” This is a powerful electrical shock sensation in the brain that is extremely painful and disorienting.
My own patients have described it as feeling like their brain is being electrocuted repeatedly. Because of this horrific withdrawal, many doctors are hesitant to ever take their patients off the drug. The process of weaning off is slow, difficult, and painful. Research has shown that to avoid these severe withdrawal symptoms, a patient must be weaned off at an incredibly slow rate, decreasing the dose by only 10% every few weeks. The message here is to be extremely cautious with this drug. Try your very best to explore all other options before starting it.
2. Calcium Channel Blockers (Blood Pressure Medication)
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is incredibly common, and so are the medications used to treat it. While many different types of blood pressure medications can list peripheral nerve damage as a possible side effect, one class stands out as being particularly problematic: calcium channel blockers. These drugs work by relaxing the muscles of your blood vessels, which helps them widen and makes it easier for blood to flow, thereby lowering your blood pressure. However, their mechanism of action can also interfere with nerve function and lead to damage over time.
If you are currently taking one of the following drugs, you need to have a serious conversation with your doctor immediately and request to explore other options:
- Amlodipine
- Diltiazem
- Felodipine
- Isradipine
- Nicardipine
- Nifedipine
- Nisoldipine
- Verapamil
Thankfully, there are several other classes of blood pressure medication available. These include ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). Your doctor will be able to review your specific health profile and determine which of these alternatives would be best suited for your condition. You are your own best advocate. If you bring this concern to your doctor and they refuse to discuss switching you to a different class of medication, it may be time to seek a second opinion or find a new doctor who will partner with you in your health.
1. Statin Medications
Coming in at number one on our list are statin medications. Statins are a group of drugs used to lower cholesterol, and they are among the most prescribed medications on the planet. More than 200 million people worldwide take a statin, despite the well-documented harmful side effects they pose. The risks are so significant that in 2012, the FDA mandated a “black box warning” for all statin drugs to alert patients and doctors to their dangers.
Statins are sold under names like:
- Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
- Fluvastatin
- Lovastatin
- Pitavastatin
- Pravastatin
- Rosuvastatin (Crestor)
- Simvastatin (Zocor)
Statins have been found to cause a host of problems, including Type 2 diabetes, memory loss, and amnesia. They cause peripheral neuropathy by inflicting damage directly on the myelin sheath, which is the protective coating that surrounds your nerves. Think of it like the plastic insulation around an electrical wire; when it’s damaged, the signal becomes weak and distorted.
Furthermore, statins deplete your body’s supply of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). CoQ10 is a vital nutrient for the function of your mitochondria—the tiny power plants inside your cells. Your nerve cells are packed with mitochondria and require immense energy to function, so depleting CoQ10 can literally starve them of the energy they need to survive and repair. As if that weren’t enough, some studies have linked long-term statin use with an increased risk of developing certain cancers, including colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancer.
The best way to lower your cholesterol is often through lifestyle changes. Following a healthy, low-sugar diet like a well-formulated ketogenic diet, implementing intermittent fasting, and getting regular exercise can have a profound impact. However, if you temporarily need a cholesterol-lowering medication, there are other alternatives to statins, such as PCSK9 inhibitors (like Repatha) and fibrates. It’s important to align yourself with a functional medicine doctor or a naturopath who can help you explore these natural and alternative options.
Conclusion: Be Your Own Health Advocate
Our goal is to help you overcome the challenges of peripheral neuropathy and reclaim your life. To do that, you must be well-informed. The reality is that many modern medications, while sometimes necessary, are not without serious risks. By understanding which drugs are linked to nerve damage, you can have more productive, informed conversations with your healthcare providers. You can ask better questions, inquire about alternatives, and make sure your treatment plan isn’t inadvertently causing a whole new set of problems. Remember, your health is in your hands. Being an active, educated participant in your own healthcare is the most powerful step you can take on the road to great nerve health.
Source: Dr. John Coppola