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Positive update on starting Cymbalta

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Posted 9/1/2011 5:27 PM (GMT 0)
After getting off of amitriptyline (took it for 13 months and it quit working for me) and dealing with horrible withdrawals, my dr pushed me to cymbalta. I was so resistant after reading all the side effects and such but started on 30mg last Friday. I am to take 30mg for a week, then up to 60mg. Within 24 hours of taking the 1st dose, my withdrawal symptoms (off of amitriptyline for 10 days) ended. No more nausea, vertigo, extreme tiredness, and I felt a bit better. Now, 6 days into the 30 mg, I feel different - a happier, less anxious and less painful me. I can say the pain went from an 8/10 to about a 6/10 and am hoping once the dose goes to 60mg, for it to reduce further.

I am eating less, have lost a couple of pounds and don't have the desire to keep snacking. PLUS... an added bonus is that I've finally got some energy and I am tackling the piles of clutter in my house. I have had NO desire to do this in the past 2 years because I was so fatigued and in pain.. I feel hopeful that I might be able to get back to riding my horse soon.

Just wanted to update for those thinking of trying cymbalta....
Posted 9/1/2011 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
I'm glad cymbalta is helping you, I found it helped me as well but am now again in limbo but instead of increasing my medication I am hoping when my stress settles down again so will my pain.

How much amitriptyyline were you taking? I take 10 nightly and I keep telling my dr that it doesn't do anything.
Posted 9/1/2011 7:45 PM (GMT 0)
I was taking 50mg amitriptyline. I started at 20, then 30, then 40 and finally 50. I didn't notice ANY reduction in pain until I was on 30mg and about day 4 on 30mg I noticed a slight decrease in pain and waking almost pain free. I continued to increase it to 50 with the hopes it would completely eliminate my pain. It didn't but it did help for almost a year. Mostly it helped me sleep. In hindsight, I should have stopped at 30mg when it was helping or maybe 40mg. From 40-50mg there was no difference.

Some other positive things that happened with amitriptyline - my bowels (IBS) were much calmer, as was my bladder (IC). I slept great while it worked and fell asleep easily. Unfortunately it did make me eat more and I felt quite groggy in the mornings when I was on the 50mg.
Posted 9/2/2011 3:28 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for sharing, I am currently taking 60mg of cymbalta in the morning and 10mg of ami at night the dr said take 1 or 2 nightly and the few times I have tried 2 I have had horrible mornings I just can't wake up.

I was a month on the 30mg of cymbalta before dr raised it to 60 and now I know I should go up to 90 but I have an appt with my pain doctor the end of this month and maybe he will change it. This is very expensive medication for us to be able to function but I guess I shouldn't put a price tag on my health.
Posted 9/4/2011 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
Hi there,  I started taking Cymbalta and Lyrica in August 2011, so my body is trying to get used to it. I take lyrica twice a day 100mg, and Cymbalta 60mg. The next time I go to the doctor I will have him upddose my Lyrica.

    Even though they both make me feel loopy....lol

     It sure does help with the pain though, it really does

 

Posted 9/4/2011 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
Hello all, I'm Gigi, I just joined yesterday, I really love this site, mainly because there are all of you sweet people that actually believe in Fibromyalgia when no one else doesn't! turn I

 have had Fibromyalgia since 2009 after my Hystorectomy. I had to go to 5 doctors for 3 diagnoses.

     Here are my conditions: Fibromyalgia, Diverticulitis, IBS, GERD, Chronic widespread pain, Athritis, Fallen Bladder, Sleep Apnea, High Blood Pressure, Kidney Stones, Umbilical hernia, COPD and severe Asthma, Depression, Anxiety, Vertigo, Cervicalgia, I'm just so blessed that I found this wonderful site!! Thank you so much

Post Edited (beastbeauty2) : 9/3/2011 9:30:36 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/17/2011 9:57 PM (GMT 0)
I too just started Cymbalta. I was very reluctant to do this because most of the time I am able to control my pain with no dairy and malic acid. insurance doesn't cover malic acid though. I am a nursing student and my husband pays for everything right now. So I bit the bullet and started taking a prescribed NSAID etodolac, cymbalta 30mg then to 60mg in 1 week. and prilosec for the stomach upset. Don't feel any different however I do feel very jittery
Posted 9/19/2011 1:31 AM (GMT 0)
I've been on the 60mg of Cymbalta for just over 2.5 weeks and almost 1 month now since starting Cymbalta (at 30mg for 1 week then 60mg after that). I have to say I was very skeptical. But... I now have about 30-40% of the pain I had before starting Cymbalta.

My question to you all on Cymbalta is... if you up the dose, does it get rid of more pain? Or how does it change things? I know that 60mg is the maintenance dose for FMS but wonder if anyone went higher with positive results.

I take it in the morning and it does really help, gives me more energy, my mood is better, and I can do more physically. I have lost the constant craving to eat which is nice - think that was amitriptyline side effect. I still ache horribly the day after physical exertion and I still have trouble sleeping (less though). I found it made me sleepy for a few days after starting the 30mg, and then again after upping to 60mg. But the sleepiness is gone.

I miss when amitriptyline was working and I woke up almost pain free, but ami made me so drowsy in the mornings that it was hard to wake up.

I also take a muscle relaxant at night - I alternate Tizanidine and Cyclobenzaprine. They are not as effective as when I started. I can't take NSAIDs due to ulcerative colitis.

Any comments on Cymbalta would be appreciated....
Posted 9/19/2011 6:11 PM (GMT 0)
Oh good, thank you so much for the info! The doctor started me on 30 mg a day, and I have been thinking about whether I really want to take it (she gave me samples)
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