Back from doctor

First of all, does anyone take cymbalta? I have been on effexor for 4 years. Now she says stop taking the effexor and start taking cymbalta. I'm nervous about that.

She also is making an appt: for me to see a nuro and have a spine and brain scan. She also stuck a needle of steroids in my back near my spine. She said it could be caused from continuous inflmation. She did say no it isn't MS so that's good.

she wanted me to do some sort of electrode thing on my back to see if it would help the pain but the person I was with had an appt: so I opted out of it.

I feel a little uncertain about things right now. I usually don't walk out with more questions than answers. and I am really really worried about changing my anti _D's. I'm gonna kick back with my heating pad for a bit.

hugs

carol

Oh man, ya, switching any kind of medication freaks me out too.  I'm always afraid I'll be allergic to the new stuff and have a reaction like I did in June.... OY.

 

Anti d's are something I used to be on.  Back in 200-2002.  I was on Paxil.  NOt sure if your meds are in the same drug family.  SSRI's?  I hated Paxil.  I hope your new one will work better for you.  I guess all you can do is try, and if it doesn't work, then you haven't really lost anything right?  You can go back on the old one?

 

I have had electrical treatments on my neck for my arthritis!  I found that it worked great.  Gave me quite a bit of relief for 2 whole days.  I'm getting another treatment this afternoon.  Rosie's idea of a tens unit is a great one.  My physiotherapist uses those too.  I'd give the electrical treatments a good try.  It sure helped me!

 

Ginny

Alway's Rosie, thanks for the advice. No she didn't mention at home just to try to it for 20 min. at the office. Yes I wish I had had more time but I can go in again and give it a shot. Yes that is a new one I put on the bottom I thought it was time for a change. Oh I used your bean pillows you sent me they stay warm for a long time. Thanks again for making them for me.

Hey Ginny I hope your treatment this afternoon was a great one and you can have a few days of releif. The real fear I have a switching is I read that it's hard to get off effexor and she isn't weening me off she's just changing them. I talked to a friend of mine and I'm gonna stay on my effexor until I get a chance to go spend a week at her house. Since I live alone maybe I'm being paranoid but I'm fearful of crashing from getting off the effexor. At least I will feel more comfortable if I'm with somone. I don't think to many other drugs would bother me and anti-d's do.

Redrose, I'm sorry for the depression you have had to go thru. I guess that's what I'm afraid of is the opposite happening if I quit taking them so abrutly. effexor is the only drug that has never seemed to give me any problems. I know that cymbalta is supposed to be good for nerve pain too so I imagine that's why she did it but I would feel better is she had wheened me off of it first.

that's everyone

hugs

carol

Hi Carol,

First, big hugs to you. So many changes for you in such a short length of time. Cymbalta and Effexor are both in the same class of antidepressants. They are NOT SSRI's. They are classed as SSNRI's. The difference is that Cymbalta and Effexor work on more than just serotonin. They also work on norepinephrine. Cymbalta and Effexor are prescribed for depression and as a general anxiety disorder. The big thing to remember when you are reducing the dosage on the effexor is to go slowly! Your doctor should tell you how to do that. (I always ask the doctor to write it all down for me.) Going off of it suddenly without a taper down in dosage can bring on some very unwanted affects.

I'm very glad the doctor is sending you to a neurologist. Start another list of all of your symptoms for him/her--even those you aren't sure have anything to do with anything. The scans will be helpful in seeing what might be going on even if all they come up with is nothing. In that case they are ruling out other things.

It's great you got a shot that will help ease your pain. I hope you decide to take advantage of the other options she offered you. You got so much information in this one visit that it is no wonder that you walked out with more questions that you came in with. Just write them all down, call and ask to leave a message for the dr. to call you back. Take notes on the answers you get. If you don't understand, let the doc know. And if you have more questions after that do it all over again.

Take care of yourself and know I'll be thinking of you.

xoxoxo emmie

Carol,

I hate to hear that you're having problems with your doctor. It's hard for me to imagine why a doctor would change your antidepressent without telling you why. Regardless what she says about switching them all at once, I'd talk to a pharmacist and get their opinion and following their instructions. They know so much more about these drugs than many doctors. By the way, which doctor did you go to? Is she the new one you were looking for? How did you like her?

Do you have any idea which neurologist you're going to see? I hope they can get to the bottom of your problem and give you some relief.

How is your breathing and your pneumonia?

Carol, I take Cymbalta and it helps me with whatever's going on with me. I tried to taper down to 1/2 dose and it didn't work so I went back up to my dose of 60mg a day. These things all work differently for each of us so I'm happy that you're doing your homework. As I've said a thousand times before, I have a great relationship with my pharmacists and go to them whenever I have any questions at all about meds. I hope you can get the answers you need about your antidepressant. I'd ride my doctor's nurse until I got the answers I wanted.

Good luck and do rest and have a warm cup of tea. Did you get a little snow last night?

Thinking of you,

Love,

Pat

Hi Carol,

  I'm glad your doctor is sending you to a Neuro to find out whats going on. I hope you get answers quickly and treated.

  I'm not much help with Cymbalta. My doctor gave me some samples one time and I took one and it wiped me out. He wanted me to take it in the morning and I couldn't work or function on it. I hope it works well for you. It sounds like the others do well with it.

  Take care and keep us updated. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

                                                   Love, Babs