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Posted 11/5/2012 6:03 PM (GMT 0)
Just got off the phone with my rheumatologists office.

I'm not reacting well to the Cymbalta. The first day I took it, I had a major panic attack about 5 hours later, just hit me out of the blue. I haven't felt okay since then. I did take another dose the next day. I am still feeling jumpy and nervous, unable to sleep. The doctor's response? That's not the Cymbalta. He said to cut my dose in half, though.
mad

I'll have to call my insurance to see about changing rheumatologists. He refuses to believe anything outside of the textbook.

I have to go around to the different offices today to pick up office visit notes to send in for my STD appeal as well.

Feeling anxious and agoraphobic today. Thanks for letting me have a mini rant.
Posted 11/5/2012 6:43 PM (GMT 0)
Give the drug a fair try. It's not for everyone. It is also one of those that you need to build up slowly to get full effect, and then wean off slowly if you decide to stop.

I tried it for over six months before I decided to not use it.
Posted 11/5/2012 6:48 PM (GMT 0)
Anxiety CAN be a side effect of Cymbalta:

http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-91491-Cymbalta+Oral.aspx?drugid=91491&drugname=Cymbalta+Oral&pagenumber=6

SSRI's/SSNRI's are used to treat anxiety/panic (among many other things, including pain), but the side effects can INCLUDE anxiety/panic (sounds so counter productive, doesn't it?). I think that sometimes the anxiety will go away as your body gets used to the drug. Also, some docs will prescribe an anti-anxiety med to use with the SSRI/SSNRI initially.

A few years ago I had the worst panic attack of my life after taking Celexa (an SSRI). I had problems for days. I stopped the Celexa and ended up taking Zoloft for a short period of time, which didn't seem to cause the same problems.

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that SSRI's/SSNRI's definitely can trigger or worsen anxiety/panic. That often calms down with time and/or a change to a different medication. I don't know if it was the Cymbalta or not, but for your doctor to say that it definitely wasn't is disingenuous in my opinion.

It doesn't really help the fibro if it causes panic. shakehead
I hope you are able to find a doctor who will work with you, and I hope you feel better soon.
Posted 11/5/2012 6:49 PM (GMT 0)
Some of us like myself are sensitive to some medications. I was tried on Cymbalta. It didn't help my pain, it seemed to make my pain worse, and it made me feel numb.

Drugs.com is a great place to check on side effects of medications. Here's the one for Cymbalta.

http://www.drugs.com/sfx/cymbalta-side-effects.html

I've been tried on several kinds of medications in the past and I was told more than a few times to take them longer but the side effects only became worse for me. My rheumatologist finally declared me to be medication sensitive. She said most people with fibro are.

Since I'm so medication sensitive I do all that I can naturally to deal with the many syndromes of fibro.

Good luck to you.
Posted 11/5/2012 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the links and info. :) I have had a similar reaction to Lexapro in the past, but have done well on Wellbutrin and Nortriptyline. At least for depression and anxiety.

I'll give it a few more days.

I'm hoping that I cut the dosage in half correctly, as well. Luckily, I am not having to work right now. The only thing I am happy with at the moment is that he wants to make sure I have my pain managed before he will release me for work. I'm scared at this point that I might not be able to go back as my job is very physical warehouse type work.

The doc is helping me to appeal my STD, so .... Anyway, thank you guys for the information. :)
Posted 11/6/2012 3:23 AM (GMT 0)
Seriously, most of the time the side effects go away after a couple of weeks. So try to hang in there that long. It could take six to eight weeks for the med to reach it's full potential. But you do start to feel better before that.

Hang in there. Give it a couple of weeks and if you don't feel better, talk to he prescribing doc. But if it gets too bad and you know you can't tolerate it, call imediately. Cymbalta helps many with pain. I hope that it works to help you.

Hugs, Karen

I got this off the internet, and thought that it should help you with anxiety once it starts working...  I hope that this helps some...

The main uses of duloxetine are in major depressive disorder, general anxiety disorder, stress urinary incontinence, painful peripheral neuropathy, fibromyalgia, and chronic musculoskeletal pain associated with osteoarthritis and chronic lower back pain. It is being studied for various other indications

Posted 11/7/2012 1:54 AM (GMT 0)
I just want to say, when the doctor put me on 30mlg of cymbalta, my first two weeks on it were pure hell, I was dizzy, bumping into walls, queasy, tense, anxious, was having random hot flashes and night sweats, dry mouth and just all sorts of nasty side effects, I was miserable and at the end of my nerves, but finally I evened out and have to say, cymbalta is one of the few medications that really help with my depression (and as a nice side effect help take the edge off my normal day pain just a tiny tiny bit)
Posted 11/7/2012 11:23 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for all the info. I think cutting the dosage in half helped a lot. I felt more normal yesterday and I am noticing a little improvement in my depression. Hoping it will help with the pain in the future. Yesterday I experienced the worst fatigue of my life. I keep thinking it can't get worse, lol. No fun to wake in the middle of the night and feel like you were hit by a truck.
Going to keep giving the Cymbalta a chance. I'm writing this at 3am from bed, so I hope that all made sense. :)
Posted 11/7/2012 1:33 PM (GMT 0)
I'm glad you are feeling better, and I hope the Cymbalta helps improve your pain. :-)
Posted 11/8/2012 2:16 PM (GMT 0)
Cymbalta was good for my pain but I did have some anxiety attacks with it, high blood pressure, and would grind my teeth at night on it. After a cracked tooth and continued dry mouth I gave it up. I kept trying to go back on it b/c it worked for my pain but the teeth grinding would start back up! Ugh! It sure helped my pain though. I hated to have to give it up. Savalla gave me stomach cramps. Looking for a new med. topamax worked well but I was allergic.

 

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