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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by spriggy on December 17, 2005, at 15:03:20
I've been reading online that Cymbalta can be helpful in fibro pain..
If I wigged out totally and completely and thoroughly on Lexapro- does that mean I will also wig out totally and completely and thoroughly on Cymbalta? I know the properties are a bit different but it still hits seratonin.
My guess is that if you mess with my seratonin, I should be put in the psych ward. That's what happened before.
They had good food but I don't feel like going back again. BUT, I would like some relief from this pain/aching- and maybe a lift in this "blah" depressed feeling.
The depression isn't overwhelming like it used to be, it's just more of an "empty/dull/who gives a flyin' flip" feeling.
Posted by Glydin on December 17, 2005, at 15:19:36
In reply to should I try Cymbalta for fibromylagia?, posted by spriggy on December 17, 2005, at 15:03:20
It might be worth a try.Be aware that as a dual action med, it also effects noriepi and if you are proned to anxiety issues, this effect can sometimes be profound, especially on startup.
I did try it but was intolerant of the re-emergence of anxiety symptoms and panic. BUT (always the disclaimer) everyone is different and it might turn out to be great for you - something you won't know unless you trial it. I suggest if you do speak with your doc about it, you discuss options to help with the startup anxiety if you think that could be a problem for you - getting good control of that may make the difference between a fair chance to see what it could do for you and it being a bust even before you really know it's effect for you.
Let us know...
Posted by ShellyM on December 17, 2005, at 18:15:50
In reply to should I try Cymbalta for fibromylagia?, posted by spriggy on December 17, 2005, at 15:03:20
Hi there,
I've been taking Cymbalta for anxiety / panic attacks and pain as well. So far it has worked really great for me. Lifted me out of my depression and have reduced anxiety and panic attacks. Pain is pretty much non-existent now.
I read a lot on Cymbalta so started out on 10mg (I had to split the 30mg capsule) for a week to adjust my body to it. I've heard a lot of people say they had a hard time with Cymbalta and anxiety, but for me, the results have been really good.
I did try Lexapro for about a year and it really didn't do much of anything to me, so can't really tell on how your reaction will be. The good news is with Cymbalta it is pretty fast acting so you would know if you are going to flip out pretty early in the process.
Best of luck
Shelly
> I've been reading online that Cymbalta can be helpful in fibro pain..
>
> If I wigged out totally and completely and thoroughly on Lexapro- does that mean I will also wig out totally and completely and thoroughly on Cymbalta? I know the properties are a bit different but it still hits seratonin.
>
> My guess is that if you mess with my seratonin, I should be put in the psych ward. That's what happened before.
>
> They had good food but I don't feel like going back again. BUT, I would like some relief from this pain/aching- and maybe a lift in this "blah" depressed feeling.
>
> The depression isn't overwhelming like it used to be, it's just more of an "empty/dull/who gives a flyin' flip" feeling.
Posted by spriggy on December 17, 2005, at 19:09:01
In reply to Re: should I try Cymbalta for fibromylagia?, posted by ShellyM on December 17, 2005, at 18:15:50
"The good news is with Cymbalta it is pretty fast acting so you would know if you are going to flip out pretty early in the process."Yeah, that is good news. LOL
If I'm going to flip out, I'd rather do it sooner than later.
Thanks for the feedback..
Oh just curious.. what kind of pain do you have that it is helping?
Posted by Phillipa on December 17, 2005, at 21:49:16
In reply to Re: should I try Cymbalta for fibromylagia? » ShellyM, posted by spriggy on December 17, 2005, at 19:09:01
Popping in I had a lot of aches and pains and cymbalta got rid of them or rather I was not aware that I had them til I stopped. And lexapro wigged me out too. Yes you can dump out part of the capsules and take a few of them to start and see how you react. Mix in some food do not chew! or use the capsule from the med or from a vitamin you dump out. Fondly, Phillipa. ps I tolerated 60mg but I don't think I stayed on it long enough.
Posted by lynn971 on December 18, 2005, at 0:07:13
In reply to should I try Cymbalta for fibromylagia?, posted by spriggy on December 17, 2005, at 15:03:20
I know that different meds work differently on different people, but cymbalta actually caused my to have bad pain in my joints. I especially had pain in my ankles and elbows.
I know that it may not do the same for you. I do think that I read somewhere that lexapro caused you to have akathasia. I took lexapro after I read your post and experienced the most horrible akathasia. So I am wondering if maybe cymbalta will have the same effect on you that it had on me.
Posted by Ed O`Flaherty on December 18, 2005, at 19:35:40
In reply to Re: should I try Cymbalta for fibromylagia?, posted by lynn971 on December 18, 2005, at 0:07:13
I have two patients who suffered great distress with fibromyalgia. They attended various specialists but were still doing very badly with pain and depression. I read on a website www.lowdosenaltrexone.org that
a low dose of naltrexone (3-4.5mg at night)might help.Much to my surpise it worked well in both cases and they are much better and life is actually quite good for them now but not 100% normal and neither is cured.It took several months for the dose to work to its maximum extent. I have found this medication useful in many conditions and am gradually coming to the conclusion that it may have antidepressant properties too in some but not all patients.I will give just one example. I have a lady who was still very depressed on 40 mg Prozac 6 months after having breast cancer treated. She could barely leave her bed in the morning and lost interest in getting a job. I put her on 4.5mg naltexone because it seems to boost the immune system and sometimes stops many types of cancer spreading. A month later she was full of life,in good form ,not tired any more and had got a job. Her mother asked could she get some of that medication too,although she has no particular disease herself.I have found Cymbalta to be of use to a small number of patients for anxiety and depression but on the whole I have not been very impressed by it.
Posted by Phillipa on December 18, 2005, at 21:09:24
In reply to Re: should I try Cymbalta for fibromylagia?, posted by Ed O`Flaherty on December 18, 2005, at 19:35:40
Frankly to be very nosey are you a doctor? You may not want to disclose this publically. Babblemail me please. Fondly, Phillipa. Just click on my name in blue at the top and babblemail will appear. lie a private e-mail
Posted by spriggy on December 19, 2005, at 0:53:00
In reply to Re: should I try Cymbalta for fibromylagia? » Ed O`Flaherty, posted by Phillipa on December 18, 2005, at 21:09:24
Posted by Ed O`Flaherty on December 19, 2005, at 6:03:21
In reply to what is naltroxene exactly Ed O'Flaherty? (nm), posted by spriggy on December 19, 2005, at 0:53:00
Naltrexone has been used for many years as an opiate antagonist. That means that it blocks the receptors in the brain where opiates such as morphine and heroin work. About 20 years ago a Harvard graduate, Dr Bernard Bihari,who practices in New York, discovered that in small doses it works for a whole lot of other conditions such as MS,some forms of cancer and some autoimmune diseases. As a physician in Ireland I find it very useful too for quite a few of my patients.
Posted by Cairo on December 21, 2005, at 0:35:11
In reply to should I try Cymbalta for fibromylagia?, posted by spriggy on December 17, 2005, at 15:03:20
I've tried many things for FMS pain, including Cymbalta. I had to titrate a starting dose of 60mg downwards very fast due to intolerable side effects of akithisia, anxiety, panic, and an increase in pain due to muscle tension and stiffness. At 5mg, most of the above stopped and I had lots of energy, but some muscle tension remained, therefore the pain was still there and it didn't do anything for the "don't give a flip" attitude you mention or the fibrofog. I cannot tolerate any SSRIs due to side effects of agitation, muscle tension and sleep disruption, so I don't know if the Cymbalta side effects were due to the SSRI effect or my sensitivity to noradrenergic effects (can't tolerate caffeine or chocolate or any type of stimulants).
If you're going to try Cymbalta, I would suggest starting VERY LOW on the dose (you can open up the capsule and count pellets as long as you don't crush or chew them).
Right now I'm doing better on Nortriptyline 20mg at bedtime and Klonopin (playing with the dose, but 0.5mg at bedtime and 0.25mg in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon as well seems to help.)
I think Fibromyalgia symptoms are due to different things in different people. You need to find what works for you. Look for FMS patients who post on this forum who have similar reactions to meds like you do. You might see what works for them. Also, look for underlying "perpetuating factors" such as arthritis, vitamin/mineral deficiencies, myofascial pain, thyroid, etc. Correcting these can help towards controlling the FMS pain.
Cairo
> I've been reading online that Cymbalta can be helpful in fibro pain..
>
> If I wigged out totally and completely and thoroughly on Lexapro- does that mean I will also wig out totally and completely and thoroughly on Cymbalta? I know the properties are a bit different but it still hits seratonin.
>
> My guess is that if you mess with my seratonin, I should be put in the psych ward. That's what happened before.
>
> They had good food but I don't feel like going back again. BUT, I would like some relief from this pain/aching- and maybe a lift in this "blah" depressed feeling.
>
> The depression isn't overwhelming like it used to be, it's just more of an "empty/dull/who gives a flyin' flip" feeling.
This is the end of the thread.
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