i am currently on 90mgs of cymbalta and its just not really helping. i have to see my primary dr wed for some test results and was thinking of asking him to start me on lyrica. i am not sure if he will since this clinic is not really set up to deal with cronic pain but right now its all i got. i should get an answer on my disability some where between march and july. till then i am stuck with the clinic i am at.
i know that there are a lot of side effects but i was on a med in the same class with almost the same side effects and i did ok so that is not a worry.
i am not thinking of stopping the cymbalta but adding the lyrica to it. i know some on this site are on both meds some just on lyrica and i would love some input before my appt. as i write this i just want to cry from the pain. i am dreading going to bed cause i will focus more on the pain.
i am going to see if the dr will halp me get on some type of drug to help with nights like this. narco does seem to help with some of my fibro pain but i have to take two of the 10/325 for it to help. it has taken me years to require this dose. i know narcotics are not really being handed out much but i need something and i am allergic to tramadol and i have ulcers so i cant take any nsaids.
i know alot about the different classes of meds cause my mom was in nusring school and i helped her study. i know that there is not much out there for general all over pain. i have read alot about the pain pataches and i dont think i am there yet.
I have no idea if it’s a good idea or not. I can only tell you my experience.
I tried Cymbalta…made me sick to my stomach.
I take Lyrica and if I even miss one dose…I am SICK!
Like withdrawl, feeling feverish and hot/cold all at the same time. Sucks!
I would exhaust all other options before starting it.
thanks Tina the reason for me writing this is cause i am unsure of asking to be put on it. i just want to have better over all pain control. i know i will never be pain free completly but right now my pain level is not acceptable. almost ever day i end up in tears w/o trying or really even thinking about my pain. i will be watching tv and i will have to wipe the tears away.
it is rare that a day goes but where i am not in tears. usually this happens many times in one day. something needs to give.
Well, Stephanie - as far as your pain levels go…I feel like my pain levels are rarely tolerable even with Fentanyl, Percocet, Lyrica and muscle relaxers (can’t think of the name now)
I am right there with you as far as the tears…at least once a day and that’s on a good day.
I really don’t want to discourage you from trying something you want to try.
I just know the horrible feelings when I miss a dose and now because of the expense of it, I am going to have to somehow wean off of it when I lose my insurance.
As far as the pain, I believe it does help some…I just don’t know if someone else might be able to recommend something that doesn’t have the bad side effects Lyrica does.
Hey Stephanie. I have been on Cymbalta from day one. Sometimes it seems to help and other times nothing would help. I needed that little extra to take the edge off so my Rheumy added Lyrica. No luck here, it just made me feel drunk when I woke and took me forever to clear my head. Just remember every drug effects us all differntly. This may be just what you need. Thanks for the fb message, your kind words mean alot, I know he is in a better place and isn't suffering any more. Please take care of that migrane... Give me a call when you get up. xoxo Robin
I know this is a little different from the question you are asking but I have been diagnosed with fibro and when I say I had it head to toe..I mean literally head to toe, joints, muscles and fascia. don;t forget about all the cranial symptoms and energy...meh just the thought.
I had a friend who was given Lyrica for a car accident with similar pain to me while I saw a different pain specialist (in conjunction with a neurologist) that prescribed me Endep. I was also given Epilim to break the 8 year cycle of my muscles spasming. I started exercise in a hydrotherapy pool and started walking up a moderate inline hill 10 times every few days...I lost weight and it is helping with the pain/sleep.
I improved in condition and my friend has gone into hospital to get procedures for her back pain...
My muscles have stopped spasming and my fascia pain is residing. I am also able to sleep again. Now I do have what is considered a high does of endep at 1 x 50mg a day which gives me dry mouth as a side effect and I get knocked out for up 12-14 hours if I don't take the pill a couple hours before I sleep.
I can't sleep unless i take the endep The epilim does play my stomach up a little
I can honestly say though that the Endep is worth trying before the others as the side effects are minimal. Ask your doctor....It really worked for me. I am finally starting to come out of fibro-coma.
Good morning, Ladies! I stopped lyrica because I would lose my balance and at the time I was taking care of my four month old granddaughter. . . I have never tried symbalta. . . Have a wonderful day you all? Hugs - Irma
Hi Stephanie, I am currently on both Cymbalta and Lyrica and really have sonme relief from the chronic pain. i have been experimenting with Green Tea as well. Been told that green tea can help prevent and reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. “Green tea has benefit for your health as it protects the cartilage by blocking the enzyme that destroys cartilage.” So far so good. All the best & take care !!! Regards,
Naz
Hi Stephanie, I am currently on both Cymbalta and Lyrica and really have sonme relief from the chronic pain. i have been experimenting with Green Tea as well. Been told that green tea can help prevent and reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. “Green tea has benefit for your health as it protects the cartilage by blocking the enzyme that destroys cartilage.” So far so good. All the best & take care !!! Regards,
Naz
if u dont want to stop taking it u can go onto lyricas website and there should b a form u can fill out to get it for free. that is the only way that i will ba able to get it. i get cymbalta and symbicort for free. i have gotten up to 4 meds free at the same.
thank you all for the information u have provided. right now i feel like going crazy. my left leg hurts so bad and it is making sleeping very hard. so i have more pain i am not sleeping well and my head feels like its going to explode.
Eeyore, it's worth a try. I had pretty good luck with Lyrica after about a month of dizziness and balance problems. It eased my pain up until recently and now the pain is back. But it does help still with that awful pain in the ribs...
It's worth a shot. (I sure wish I could hold on some Cymbalta so I could try both.) Please let us know how it goes if you do.
It is my understanding that cymbalta addressses the muscle pains and depression of fibro, while Lyrica works on the nerve pain (that burning feeling under the skin). There is no problem taking them together as they are from two different med categories. If you had severe lung disease or sleep apnea, then you would have to watch as both are drugs that go through the brain and can cause respiratory depression and mental sluggishness. But again, this is seen more in people who are in poor health or on high doses of each
Oh, really? I'm a bit surprised to learn that both could be a problem for those of us with sleep apnea. I'm not a happy camper to only find this out now but THANK YOU Maria for providing us with this necessary info. I'll be calling my doc about it tomorrow!
And no wonder that Lyrica has had limited success with me, given that it's more for the nerve pain and Cymbalta is for the muscle pain. Again, THANK YOU, Maria for providing this info.
do u think that with me having asthma i should not be on both. i am also on amatriptiline. thank u for letting me know cause i dont have much faith in the clinic i go to.
I would not panic. These precautions are well known but seldom a problem. Like I said, you would have to be on super high doses of both. A psychiatrist would know much better. I never saw this in clinical practice but have read this on information pamphlets that come with the drugs. Let me know what the doc has to say, but I would not worry.
Good and important questions, Stephanie. You can also ask your local pharmacist. They are trained in this and will tell you what goes with what - or not.