I was taken off my Lyrica, so am now on only Cymbalta (90mg 1x/day), and am I flaring. My whole body just hurts and it feels like the nerves in my arms are too short/tight to reach all the way down my arms, so they're constantly curled up and excruciating. I'm still working what I can, but it's fallen to about ten to fifteen hours a week. I'm giving up my Friday shift, so that I'll only work four days a week, and no more than five hours a day. Hopefully that will give me some recovery time. I've been sleeping at least 12 hours a day for over a week now...well, at least I've been in bed that long or longer. Sleeping is painful, as I can only sleep on my back for my neck to feel ok but on my side for my back and knees, so I wake up many times a night to pee or roll over or just lay there in frustration and pain.
I am thinking about trying to go inpatient at a pain therapy clinic in St Paul. Does anyone know anything about Britton Center in St. Paul? The site is here: http://www.brittoncenter.com/index.cfm
I know I should have gone to the emergency room last week and probably should have gone inpatient in the psych ward at least, but my stupid insurance doesn't cover my city and thus I would have had to have someone drive me over two hours away to find a hospital where I could have stayed.
Mostly I'm concentrating on just getting through the pain. Hopefully the work hour reduction and drug changes will kick in and I'll start feeling better. Hoping against hope to get my disability approved within the next three months. That would just make my day.
Hi pixie - I am so GLAD you are okay. I was so worried about you. I sure hope, too, that your disability will be approved. I am so grateful that I am on disability, because there is no way I could work now. Hurt too much and the lack of sleep certainly wouldn't make me the best employee! (smile) Stay with us!! Love, Laurie
I am so happy u r doing better. I do hope that these new problems will go away. i take the same dose of cymbalta and the only thing that bothers me is dry mouth. than in turns makes me drink more water so not so bad unless i am out and about and i forget a water bottle. u may want to keep some on hand.
when it comes to sleeping try to lay on your back with a heating pad on your lower back and one on your sholders and back for 20 minutes and then try to sleep. i do this every night and it helps relax the muscles. i also try to shower before bed every night but that doesnt always happen. if i shower right before i get into bed like a nice long hot shower that really helps. my pain is not gone but at a place where i can at least fall asleep.
maybe u can get your dr to give u something to help with the pains that bother u most at night while u r trying to get to sleep. for me i get bad spasms. so try to think of what pain and what kind of pain u r having to help make sure u get a med that will help.
i wish u lots ok luck on getting better with your depression u r on the right track just keep your head up. we r here for u.
So good to hear from you! I hope the changes you are making will help you feel better!
I know, I can only sleep on my back as well because of my hips and knees, my husband keeps finding me sitting up sleeping in bed. He said I have been ready to tumble out a few times. I know it is because of my back stiffening and hurting that I do this, though I have no recollection of actually sitting up! Sleep is a problem for me to now, the Rheumatologist prescribed me 5mg of Valium at night, since none of the muscle relaxants have worked for me, sometimes it helps, sometimes not.
Have you tried Gabapentin for nerve pain? It is very similar to Lyrica, far less expensive, also for nerve pain, so if you have not tried it, you may want to ask your Dr about it.
Wishing that things go better for you, we'll be very glad to keep you company anytime!
Hi Pixie, I am so glad you are ok, so many have sent messages asking how you are ? I am amazed you have pushed through the pain and managed to keep working, I can totally relate, my work hrs gradually declined… I just couldn’t push any more. So I know exactly what you are Going through !!!
Have you tried neurotin ( Gabapentin ) I couldn’t take it, but many say it helps with the nerve pain.
I think looking into the pain clinic is a great idea. I am going to check out the site u listed.
I’m hoping for you that your disability gets approved, makes me so mad to think someone who needs it could ever get denied…
Fighting the depression can get hard, recognizing when it’s getting the best of us & talking to someone who can help is so important. Finding the right antidepressant is hard sometimes to, we have to just keep going back to our dr. Until we get the right combination of the right meds.
My daughter found a fibro support group that gets together once. A month about 30 min from my house, I’m seriously thinking about going. I think things like that can help, I’ll let you know.
So glad your doing better !!!
Hugs& blessings
dee
HI dee - I think it would be a great idea to go to that meeting!! I sure wish they had something here where I live. Let us know how it goes?? Love, Laurie
It's hard to be taken off one medication and then put onto a different one. Each med has its own side effects to get used to. Actually many pain meds for fibro have some of the same side effects. I remember back 25 years ago when the doctors would not start you on a new med until six weeks after you stopped taking the first one. The idea being that your body needs six weeks to rid itself of the first medication. That six weeks was hard because you had no medication to help you, but I do see the logic behind it. However that is not the method used now which leaves us still with new side effects to deal with and old side effects ridding your system of their side effects. We learn to be strong and to reach out to others for support.
I am indeed glad to hear that you are feeling better. I understand the frustration, the time of feeling like you are at your wit's end. But you hung in there. Good for you. You are stronger than you think you are. We are here to support you and care about you and comfort you through the rough patches and you made it through so there is great rejoicing!
So glad to hear from you! I have been thinking of you and hoping you've been doing better. I tried taking gabapentin, but it made me feel like I couldn't breathe. I think that is bc the doc wasn't letting me get used to one dose before upping my dosage again. Now, I take Cymbalta and Lyrica. All I can say is if I hurt this bad while taking these medications, I can't imagine what the pain would be like without. Been laying on the couch since Monday bc my back hurts so bad that it hurts to breathe. I have also developed sensitivity to touch. I hope you disability gets approved! I wish I knew how to go about trying to get disability. I can't work at all, but still need to take care of my kids. I am all for heating pads for pain. Just wish they had one large enough to cover all the spots that need it! lol
