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Cymbalta question

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Posted 5/15/2013 2:11 AM (GMT 0)
I know a lot of people on here take cymbalta for both depression and chronic pain. I was seeing a really terrible pain management doctor before switching to the one I have now and she was always flip flopping my Meds all the time for no reason. She put me on cymbalta 60mg twice daily so a total of 120mg a day, but only for about
3 weeks and then she said she didn't feel it was worth me taking because It wasn't covering my pain 100 % and I was still needing to use narcotics. Anyways I am going to ask my PM doctor to put me back on it because even though it didn't really work for pain too much it did help my depression. However when I was on it I noticed that it really depleted my sex drive. Not necceserily my want to have sex but it made it very difficult as a women to climax. I know too much information , I'm sorry. I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this side effect and if it gradually goes away over time. This injury has screwed up both my life and my marriage enough, I don't think my husband will be too happy if I know longer want to have sex lol. I say lol because I'm just trying to look on the bright side :). I have to say finding this forum and seeing that I am not alone is one of the best things that ever happened to me. I finally feel like I have someone to talk too that gets me. Also I am planning to try and stop taking my narcotic medications all together as I am young and plan to have children in the near future and don't really want to be dependent on narcotic Meds the rest of my life. I would rather try non narcotic ones. I know that I will expierience mild withdrawal Sympthoms and I was just wondering how I should tell my husband what is going to be going on with me, without me looking bad. I know I will prob need to sleep separate from him the first few nights because of the insomnia and sweats and restless legs. I want to be honest with him, I just don't know the best way to go about it. I am sorry for so questions lately also it just seems like for 3 years I've been keeping things all bottled up because besides my husband I have zero support from my family
And it is very difficult. And all though I have the best husband in the world sometimes this whole situation just gets to him, so it's nice to have others to communicate with :).
Posted 5/16/2013 5:20 AM (GMT 0)
Liza,
One of the most common side effects from medications such as Cymbalta, Lyrica, Zoloft, Paxil, etc. is reduction is sex drive and either trouble achieving climax or not being able to at all. I hope I'm not breaking rules here by discussing this. Would a moderator please remove my post if this is going too far. I just feel that when I can answer a question that someone has then I need to do that. Having said that, Liza, I know that every one of the anti-depressants/nerve medications affected me in this way. Even my narcotic pain meds affect me that way to a certain degree. I gave up the AD meds but I just can't give up the pain meds yet.

As far as going through withdrawal, I know that it can be very rough. I would definitely stretch out whatever you have right now as long as possible. Even if that just means taking one a day. It is not a pleasant thing to go through and I hate that you may end up going through this. Hopefully when you get into see the doctor, he/she will change meds or increase the dosage to help a bit more. Until then just hang in there and do the best you can.

Much love and gentle hugs,
Lynn
Posted 5/16/2013 5:37 AM (GMT 0)
If that doctor started you out on Cymbalta on that dose then s/he was a complete idiot and I am shocked you didn't have a lot of side effects and again coming off it if you were stopped cold. Cymbalta's protocol is to start low...15-30mg per day and slowly increase to a max of 120mg day or until a therapeutic effect is noted whichever comes first. When stopping it is suppose to be stopped gradually working down to at least 30mg per day.

To be honest with you it is not shocking that Cymbalta did not cover all your pain. It is good at dealing with nerve pain but other forms of pain it isn't real good at.

As far as your sexual health issues as mentioned this is common with not only Cymbalta and other meds used for treatment of nerve pain but a lot of pain medications in general.

As far as stopping narcotics there is no reason for you to suffer through any withdrawals as there are medications available that will handle most of it. Clonidine is one that I am aware of and know that works. It is available in a patch that you wear for a few days as the worst of the withdrawals pass.

I strongly urge you talk to your doctor about your desires and plans. S/he may know of treatments that are safe for you to conceive and carry on and help manage your pain and as mentioned can write you a script to help get you through any narcotic withdrawals.
Posted 5/18/2013 4:21 AM (GMT 0)
Hello Liza!

It's not uncommon to find Dr's that do not understand Chronic pain and how to treat it, and in many cases I have seen patients that actually educate their Dr.'s on some of the meds. Mine being one of them!

Also, it is rare that a nerve damage med will treat all of a chronic pain patients's pain. Dr's looking for a meds like this to get you off all narcotics, have a much different reason for doing this than your health! They are worried about their license to practice! Also, Cymbalta should be started on a low dose, and if taken off, should be reduced slowly.

I hope you can find a PM that will treat your pain accordingly and with compassion. As far as reduced sexual drive while taking Narcotics for pain, and some of the nerve meds…these problems may go away over time, but be patient, as it may take several weeks to several months.

Take care,

SE
Posted 5/18/2013 6:52 PM (GMT 0)
Liza, the standard beginning dose for Cymbalta is 30 mg, that's for the first month , then you should be stabilized at 60 mg. I wasn't moved to 90 mg until I'd been on it for 5 years. No wonder your libido was shot! I have cancer pain that includes neuropathy and joint pain. I started taking CYM. before the FDAapproved it for pain and yet I noticed after I was moved to the 60 mg dose that it was really helping my perception of pain as well as ending the suicidal loop ideations that were plaguing me due to facing a long term and terminal cancer. It's a great drug when Rxed correctly.Please, explain this to your Dr.and if he doesn't listen, get anew one. I'd change just because of the incredible initial dosing error. Best of luck, least of pain . . . Q
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