My doctor has been changing my meds around constantly trying to figure out how to help both my fibromyalgia and cfs symptoms, we’ve had little progress so far and i’ve been absolutely miserable. We’ve finally come to a point where he put me on Cymbalta, which I am very scared about because I’ve read SO many bad reviews. It’s my primary care doctor trying to help me and I have an appointment with a specialist in two weeks so he prescribed Cymbalta as kind of a last effort before we “bring in the big guys”. I just started the Cymbalta today and I’m really worrying about it because side effects always hit me VERY hard, I’m on Cotempla for my cfs and the side effects for that (nausea mostly) are pretty severe. Someone please like either make me feel better or give me advice because I’m so nervous and I just want to get better!!
I would say the biggest thing with cymbalta is titrating up SLOWLY. It takes about two weeks to get into your system fully so you’re not going to know what’s what for at least 14 days.
I also react very strong to medications and I’m one of the unfortunate “less than 20%” who went into sereve cymbalta withdrawal syndrome so I’m not a good source for information on the drug in general.
Just GO SLOW and LISTEN TO YOU BODY (not the doctor).
azurelle
I was in the same 20% as azurelle so I too am not going to be a good source for the med. But I do second what she said about just going slowly… And that you aren’t going to know for a few weeks.
Two weeks is when I see the Fibro specialist, so I’m not sure if she will have me continue the Cymbalta or switch my meds again. I thought the Fibro was bad when I was trying treat it naturally, but once I started trying medication, it’s really taken a toll on my body. Flares, and side effects, and midterms all together is not working out well so I am dying for some relief!! Let me know if you guys have any suggestions of what I should talk about with the specialist. I’ve read a lot about specialists just prescribing things and sending you on your way without listening to your symptoms so I’m pretty nervous, I’m 20 years old but adults always tend to overlook me… even doctors. If there’s anything I can do or say to get a doctor to understand/believe my fibro story please share it with me!!
My understanding is that Cymbalta is an antidepressant but also good for chronic pain. I have been taking it for a few years, I don’t notice any major side effects. The thing is, remember the side effects for all antidepressants are strongest in the first week or two. Plus it takes several weeks for the med to work, so keep that in mind.
With me however, and probably for most people with chronic pain/fibromyalgia, Cymbalta by itself will not be sufficient. I am taking cymbalta, lyrica, CBD capsules, tylenol, and now low dose naltrexone (LDN) right now. It’s a “cocktail” of drugs. They all seem to help, and the total of all of them helps better.
I highly recommend asking your fibro specialist about low dose naltrexone. When I added this med to my regimen about 3 months ago, I was very impressed with the results. It is a relatively new med, and also helps with sleep, and seems to also be helping with my energy level (probably because it helps with sleep).
Best of luck!
I recently went off of Wellbutrin and started Cymbalta on the recommendation of several doctors at Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN. I have been taking it for about 3 weeks and I do not see any different side effects than what I had felt before starting the medication. Maybe I am not as achy all over but I still have stiffness chronic pain etc… I made need to increase the dosage next appointment. I have Vertigo so I am not sure if any of the nausea is from medication or vertigo. I know for sure I am a lot less anxious on Cymbalta.
Kenn, it sounds like you stopped holistic therapy when you went on meds? You know you didn’t need to do that, the two different lines of therapy often work very well together. The biggest thing is you need to make sure your doctor and your pharm know what holistic treatments you’re doing – afterall, just because it’s “natural” doesn’t mean it’s not seriously dangerous!
azurelle
Azurelle,
I still see a chiropractor and use heating pads. I’ve tried stretching and yoga, but I just don’t have time for it. I’ve also tried meditation, but I just can’t get the hang of it and there’s not a meditation app that’s completely free. I am VERY sensitive to smells so aromatherapy isn’t an option. I used to take different vitamins: ginkgo biloba, tart cherry, a probiotic, and a few others, but I didn’t see any benefit from them. I also can’t take vitamins with the medications I’m on. I’m not quite sure what other “holistic” therapies to try anymore. Let me know if you have any suggestions!
Thanks,
Kenn
Kenn, I’m not a fibro person… but if you search “Book Review” in this community you’ll find a long list of books suggested by community members, many of which deal with alternative treatment and management techniques.
azurelle
I have been using Cymbalta for quite a while. The first couple of weeks I thought the Dr. had made a big mistake by putting me on this drug. Just about the time I was going to report that it wasn’t working at all, I started to feel some relief. I haven’t really felt any side effects from this med. I know that after a long while on Cymbalta, my Dr. added Paxil to help with the depression of feeling so isolated because I wasn’t feeling well enough to be with people doing things that required activity. I was diagnosed in 2013 so I have been on meds for quite some time now. I actually feel so much better. I have more better days than bad days. I was so good last Nov. that I was able to take a plane trip from TN to New England to see relatives I haven’t seen in years. Of course the FM came back to stop my activities, but I can still make plans to do small things and usually get to do them. At this time I am also fighting Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis and Alpha-Gal Allergy. My poor immune system is in such bad shape. But I am able to fight all these things off and still live my life again
Hi Kenn, I was on lyrica but had horrible side effects so my rheum doc discontinued that med and started me on cymbalta 30mg cap daily. Now I’m taking 60 mg a day. It’s hard for me to say what is a side effect and what is a symptom of my fibro or CFS. I was diagnosed with CFS after I started cymbalta so I had signs and symptoms of CFS as I was starting cymbalta. I was keeping a log of my symptoms but now with CFS I just couldn’t do it anymore. If you are able to keep track of your symptoms or of new symptoms maybe that would help you & your doctors. Good luck!
I have Fibromyalgia and secondary Raynauds with possible scleroderma. Among many other things lately BPV both sides due to acoustic neuritis. The bottom line is since I started on Cymbalta 30mg Qday I have had severe nausea 24/7 even wakes me at night. I have been living with this for 3 months. I take xanax to help with nauses Zofran doesnt help. I am going to stop this medicine and see if that is what is making me so sick. I cant take this constant nausea anymore all I eat are mini saltines and digestive cookies for a temporary relief. I want to just stop this instead of opening the capsules and mixing 1/2 into yogurt for 4 days! That nauseating me just the thought. Has anybody just stopped Cymbalta without tapering? I’m on such a low dose and only for 3 months! Help?
Hi again, so for my CFS my rheum started me on phentermine 15mg capsule daily and it has helped me so much. There are days that the phentermine doesn’t really help but that’s usually when my previous night was really bad pain wise. And for my fibro I am finally on steady meds…after alot of trial & error…
My meds are: cymbalta 60mg, neurontin 300mg x3 daily, plaquenil 200mg daily, meloxicam 15mg daily, trokendi [for migraines], vitamin B injection monthly, and this is my 2nd month getting methotrexate injections.
I was on methotrexate and plaquenil among other meds a few yrs ago with my old rheumatologist when she thought I had rheumatoid arthritis but my pain level was so much better than what it has been this year. So I begged my new rheumatologist to put me back on methotrexate to see if I had any relief from my pain and idk if it’s the new medication regimen or my flare is over but I haven’t cried in a while so that’s good😊
Good luck! And what works for one might not work for another…but maybe something I take might help you or someone else…God Bless! Sorry so long😉
Kenn I am so sorry to hear you are suffering so much from the fibromyalgia. I give you a lot of credit for #1 joining a support group and #2 going to college and not feeling well!! It’s so hard for others to know what your going through when they have not been in your shoes!( Although I am a young 60 year old) I went through a lot of illnesses when in college) I somehow had a knack for getting whatever illness was out there! Legionnaire disease and salmonella no one my age in Iowa City had any of this at the time they were all elderly lol! I have 3 kids my daughter had and has a lot of illness when in college Meningitis, mono and some weird bacterial thing only she picked up when in Jamaica!! She did graduate but continues to not be well all the time. Have you tried CBT Cognitive Behavior Therapy? This helps with anxiety and learning coping skills. It’s important that you find someone other than friends to talk to. Not sure were you are at school but sometimes student health services have therapist to connect to. This support group is a great step for you and I would look into CBT. By the way my daughter just finished her 1st Masters in clinical psychology and is working towards her PHD in Clinical Psych. So hang in there! You must be very smart to be studying for a degree in business! Also are family found that sense of humor seems to be a coping mechanism for things you may not find funny at the time!