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Cymbalta/Duloxetine

Posted , 7 users are following.

charlotte1824
charlotte1824

Hi everyone,

I had a very successful pain clinic appointment yesterday, by successful I mean i saw a Dr who wasnt a complete arrogant idiot, he was very nice and tried to think out of the box a little. I asked him for lidocaine patches and although he said he did not think they would work beacuse of the pain being deep he was willing for me to try them, he couldnt prescribe them so hes written to my GP, he also suggested capsasian cream and finally he thinks i should try cymbalta/duloxetine. I explained that id tried various anticonvulsants an hated them due to side effects and that i was not depressed (i probably should be) but im not, i get angry more than sad for the chronic situation but i dont feel hopeless and apart from super hellish days i cope fairly well. 

The thing is my little boy is my world, im so concerned taking an anti depressant when i dont feel depressed will kick off depression, especially if they dont work and i come off. I used to suffer with depression when i was younger and i know how horrible it is and when your i was in that cycle nothing or no one mattered anymore so im concerned as id rather continue to live in daily pain knowing my son is getting the "real" me than be on any meds that might change how i feel or how i am towards him. 

Does anyone have experience with these specific meds? Especially taking them for just pain and not depression?

thanks in advance

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • loxie
    loxie charlotte1824

    Posted

    Hi Charlotte.  There's some good articles around the internet regarding the prescribing of anti depressants and anti convulsants for fibro pain, even though the patient may not have a condition for which they were originally designed - they seem to work as pain suppressants equally as well as they do as anti depressants.  So be assured they arent being prescribed to you because they think youre depressed, its because theyre proven to work for pain syndrome symptoms as well.
  • shelagh6
    shelagh6 charlotte1824

    Posted

    Hi Charlotte I take Amytriptyline for pain, we take it a lower rate than for depression. I also take Pregabalin but not for convulsions, they help me sleep, not sure whether they help pain or not.
    • charlotte1824
      charlotte1824 shelagh6

      Posted

      Thanks guys, I know they are being prescribed purely for pain but I'm just concerned they may kick off a depression cycle and I don't want that, that is 1 area where I feel sorted, it's the daily pain that is literally a pain in the butt however for my sons sake I would rather be in pain and be in a decent place mentally than take antidepressants and end up depressed. If I didn't have him id take everything they gave me but I'm so worried I won't be me anymore. I'm bad enough when it's pmt week so if they start messing with serotonin levels in my head I just don't know if I'd go the wrong way.
  • derek1979
    derek1979 charlotte1824

    Posted

    i have had duloxitine in the past and it made me sick all the time and i found it caused a lot more depression for me then it did helping it but the thing is it works different for other people give it a try and if it does not work try amitriptyline it numbs the nerve endings in your spine and im normally always in severe pain but without amitriptyline i know i would never cope without it
  • Meg53
    Meg53 charlotte1824

    Posted

    Hi Charlotte I take a very low dose of Pregablin, it sure helps with the pain and sleep. I don't find it causes depression,in fact quite the opposite because you can sleep at night, and not in pain all the time. The trick with all these drugs is to find the right dosage of them. The right dosage is when you keep side effects at a minimum and pain relieve at an acceptable level. All this requires patience and perseverance, not one of my strong points. 

    I have no experience of the two drugs your doctor has suggested but they may be worth a try. The only silver lining to all this is that we seem to respond to very low levels of these drugs, which certainly helps with the side effects.

    I tried for ages to go drug free but life was getting harder and harder, for myself and my husband.

    Good luck and keep us posted.

    Meg

      🌺

     

    • loxie
      loxie Meg53

      Posted

      Good to read that pregablin works for you meg.  You've made a very good point regarding the dosage levels, which are best kept very low if prescribed for pain/sleep rather than depression etc.  I took citalopram at a very low dose level for sleep issues and they worked very well without any issues but some years later when I was prescribed them for anxiety and got given a higher dose, they gave me terrible side effects so was told to stop them.  I'm trying too to stay drug free as part of the issue with fibro is that we often have unusually adverse reactions to some meds - it's all part of the syndrome.  Catch 22 eh, we would benefit from the meds but because we have fibro, we react badly to lots of them.  I am coping with most symptoms but to be honest I'm struggling coping with the pain and the fatigue at the moment regardless of all the non drug self help remedies I'm trying.  What a hateful situation this is eh.
  • bronwyn97278
    bronwyn97278 charlotte1824

    Posted

    Hi Charlotte; my advice is Not to take either...if you don't feel depressed then don't take them....I've taken both...the Fluoxitin in the beginning as I was feeling down, but as you say, it was when we didn't know what was woring with us, and going through the "stages".....my last visit to Rhuemy was given Cymbalta for pain....but it made me depressed...just couldn't stop crying ALL the time...stick to what you know works for you....me it's Amitriptylline and Gabapentin.....wishes....Bronsmile
  • charlotte1824
    charlotte1824

    Posted

    Thanks everyone, I have tried Pregablin, Gabpentin, Amytriptlyn before and none have been well tolerated. Pregablin worked a little but gave me dangerously high heart rate and restless legs.

    Bron if they gave it to you solely for pain and it made you depressed thats the exact thing im concerned about. Ive also heard that withdrwal even after a tiny amount of time on it is horrendous. I read some reviews that people said 4 days in all thier pain had gone so its tempting but my son is just to important for me to do anything that affects the way I am with him, i already feel like i let him down as i cant sit on the floor to long to play or do lots of physical things and im forgetful but mood wise im all good, i try to make sure he knows he is loved every second of every day and anything that makes me manic or numb would be my worst nightmare for him.

    Thanks everyone for your input

    x

  • ladynewby
    ladynewby charlotte1824

    Posted

    Hi Charlotte, I take Lyrica for my Fibro and it keeps the pain and weakness away.  I had a spell of mild symptoms for a few weeks in June, but that was the only time in the last ten years.  I had the condition for about 38 years and back then they didn't even have a name for it, just that I was a hypocondriac.  A chiropractor put me on super B-complex pill that really helped and I still take one even with the Lyrica.

    Good luck!

  • mflett33
    mflett33 charlotte1824

    Posted

    Yes, I have taken them for pain and not depression.  They have worked very well for me.  Before I took them, I felt like I was hit by a bus!  After, I no longer feel that during the day.  I still wake up in pain, but it isn't as severe.  I can now work again and manage the daily pain with a short acting analgesic.  It really has given me my life back.  You must titrate the dosing up gradually though otherwise the side effects are too great.  So go slow and they are very tolerable!  
    • charlotte1824
      charlotte1824 mflett33

      Posted

      Thank you for letting me know. Do you feel like a different person mentally at all? Do you feel numb or general mood changes? How do they affect weight, sex drive etc for you?

      I'm seeing GP next week so I am going to try and have a chat about them with her.

      Thanks again

    • mflett33
      mflett33 charlotte1824

      Posted

      No, I don't feel different mentally or feel numb or feel like my mood has changed.  They told me my mood should "improve" but I think they were just generalizing people with fibro.  I have gained a few pounds but I think it has more to do with my eating habits than the medication.  The medication really did make me feel nauseous so I started taking it late at night before bedtime.  In general, I think the medication makes people lose weight probably due to the nausea.  My sex drive isn't really much any more anyway, so that hasn't changed either.  I think it might be worth giving it a try for you.  It took me over a year to find a combination that worked for me.  A long miserable year, but I am glad I didn't give up hope!  I wish you all the success in the world!  Please let me know if you have any more questions smile
    • charlotte1824
      charlotte1824 mflett33

      Posted

      Thank you, im pleased it doesnt affect you negatively too much and has made a positive impact to your pain. I was really worried about not being me on it or unbalancing the chemicals and becoming depressed as that is one thing i dont have wrong with me!! Ive gained a bit of weight of late due to lack of movement and didnt want something that would up that even more as it would be more strain on joints etc.

      Thanks again

       

    • loxie
      loxie mflett33

      Posted

      Thank you Mrflett for your straightforward and positive post.  Very nicely explained and very helpful.
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