Taking Cymbalta for Fibromyalgia?

[VisualImagery]

Is anyone taking Cymbalta for Fibromyalgia? I just started on it one week ago. It is used for depression, fibromyalgia, and chronic pain. So this is a homerun med for me. It will treat all three dx's for me.

I had to stop taking my trazodone after 14 years to avoid the serotonin syndrome interaction with Cymbalta-It has been tougher to adjust to stopping it than I realized. The Cymbalta does make me a little sleepy, but it will take another 2-3 weeks before the full effect of my new cocktail takes effect.

Cymbalta-60mg
Concerta-72mg
Ritalin-10mg, 3xday
Alprazolam-.25mg 3xday with the Ritalin
Estrogen Patch-.5mg 2xweek

If you are taking Cymbalta, share your experience with symptom relief here. Thank you so much.
Becky

[VisualImagery]

I started taking 60mg of Cymbalta 3 days ago. It takes up to 4 weeks for SSNRI's to reach full effect. However, I often feel the changes as they occur. Today my pain is much lower and my mood is brighter. I am not saying it will be smooth sailing now, but it is nice to have a good day once in awhile. I have been so sick most of the summer that this is a nice moment to enjoy.

Perhaps, when my pain is well controlled, I will be able to accomplish the things I want to and need to. My ADD meds seem to be working well, so the pain is the priority to treat at this point. I see my PsyDoc on Tuesday at 12:00, I will not forget!

I had been so focused on my ADD, I did not realize how bad my fibro pain had gotten. Plus, that type of pain is like the proverbial frog in a pot of water with the heat gradually turned up.

Becky

[ClarityWhere]

SO glad to hear this is already showing some hope of relief for you!


One thing I don't remember where I heard/read (sorry, that's typical eh?) is that in some patients Cymbalta has withdrawal issues similar to those of venlafaxine (brand name I can't remember, doh!). I haven't looked into why this would be, BUT just please check before going off it abruptly. (venlafaxine has hideous w/drawal side-effects for some people, and doctors don't seem to "get" this.) So there's a sort-of-heads-up for you, which might not even be relevant. But hey at least I've got your best interest in mind!

Wishing you a soothing weekend and a very good visit with your Doc, whom I wish lots of wisdom and insight for your benefit.

[VisualImagery]

Thanks Clarity!

I found a link to that information for anyone who wants to read more. I had real problems with effexor if I missed a dose-so I will extremely vigilant taking Cymbalta. It seems to be helping quite a bit-I can't say the same thing for effexor.

Becky- Sorry about the bolding-I couldn't get the formatting to change in those sections.

http://www.depression-guide.com/cymbalta.htm

How to Take Cymbalta:

Take this medicine as directed. Do not stop taking this medicine abruptly without consulting with your doctor. Cymbalta comes in a capsule and can be taken once a day. The recommended daily dose for Cymbalta is 60 mg. It appears as if the discontinuation syndrome for Cymbalta (duloxetine hydrochloride) might be as harsh as that of Effexor (venlafaxine). So if you have to stop taking, be careful and do so slowly.

[ClarityWhere]

How did discontinuing the effexor go for you?

I went off it (twice!) b/c the half-life for me was much shorter than it was supposed to be, so I had to break the doses up and take it every 4 hours or so, or the w-drawal kicked in. That was pre-ADD-acceptance (had been dx'd but thought I needed to treat "depression" etc first) and venlafaxine-fluoxetine (SSRIs can intensify the effects of venlafaxine) was the best combination I'd found. The ADD wasn't gone, but I wasn't clumsy any more and felt very clear. Of course, now I'm taking methylphenidate every 2 hours, but when it wears off, it just wears off, doesn't give me the violent-headache zombimania that venlafaxine did.

[VisualImagery]

I went of the effexor a long time ago-and off the Cymbalta on Monday-it did not do anything for my depression-though it might have helped the pain a bit.

I an on Wellbutrin XL now-WOW-not an SSRI-works with dopamine and norepinephrine-Those must be the neurotransmitters that were not transmitting in my brain because I am feeling so much like I always thought I should. And--I have very little pain! Must be something related here. What it is, I don't know though.

RADD-see the comorbid section for more of my thoughts on this.

[dormammau2008]

hope you do well on it raddmom dorm

[orangecat]

Radmom,

I just started taking Wellbutrin XL today and after about five hours I felt very zombie like and unfocused. It was an entirely pleasant feeling and I felt relieved when it wore off about 10 hours later. Did the effects of the Wellbutrin XL change for you the longer you took it? I would like to hope that if I hang in there, it might work for me.

[VisualImagery]

The Wellbutrin is working very well for me! But I think I need a dosage increase to really treat the depression.

Sorry you are having trouble with it.

Becky

[dormammau2008]

glade your doing so well raddmomo hope it keeps up dorm