Severe hand tremors taking Cymbalta/Duloxetine

Cymbalta is used as a antidepressant so watch for Seratonin Syndrome if on Amitriptyline. I used it for about 4 wks but blood pressure went up an I normally dont have it. It did help with my all over body pain fr Fibromyalgia though! But needed something for depression and anxiety to. I should have stuck it out till 6-8wks when usually it's kicked in if on rt dosage . I was on 60mg but started 2 wks on 30mg so was only on 60 for 2 wks. When you chg doses its like starting all over. No tremor at that time. My Dad has been on 30mg Duloxetin for over a yr an his tremor is pretty bad. Neurologist called it essential tremors not Parkinsons since he had testing done for that. But help with pain. He's 81. Not many startup side effects like Zoloft an Prozac (the devil!!) I may get back on or get on Effexor XR. Goodluck!

I wonder if what I did would help your Dad.  It wasn't seratonin Syndrome making me shake.  I upped my dose way too fast.   I have been taking 60 mg every morning and it ended up being able to greatly reduce my pain AND the number of Gabapentin I take.  I backed off completely also, and then VERY slowly upped my dose.  I took 20 mg for 2 or 3 months, then upped it by 20 until I hit the 60 mg.  I didn't stick to a specific schedule, I think I started upping it every month 1/2 after the first jump.  I do I know I went really slow.  I don't shake at all now.  My hands were shaking so badly that I was at a Girl Scout meeting II am a leader) and was trying to carry sugar in a spoon and I ended up showering a poor kid with it.  Super embarrassing.  I'm 48, I'm not sure if your Dad's age changes any of it.  

The nurse commented to me that this proves they raise the amount too quickly for some people.  

This works better than Effexor for me, Effexor actually made my legs jump when they raised it, it was so weird.  I must be quick to have that side affect though it didn't make my hands shake.

I always risk seratonin syndrome to a degree because of my tramadol script anyway by taking anti depressants with it but I've been doing it for many years now.  My biggest problem is I am tired ALL the time.  Droppping my Gabapentin has been helpful so far but it's too soon to tell if that was the issue.  I now only take it at night.

The best med I ever took for my muscle pain was Savella.  I was able to to take only Savella alone.  However, it caused bad heart palpitations for me.  Honestly, I would recommend trying that for anyone up to it.  I dumped the Tramadol and Effexor to do that.  When I had the side affects they had me try Lyrica and that didn't help at all and caused me to gain 20 lbs.  

I hope you find something or some way to help with the duloxotine.  People without chronic pain have no idea how it radically changes your life and makes it miserable.  

Yes, chronic pain can make one have depression and anxiety an have no hope or no good outlook! My Dad is 81. But was 79 when started at 30mg. Still on 30mg. He has horrible osteoarthritis. He had been taking hydrocodone #10's breaking in half but prob taking actually 3-4 whole pills by end of day. For yrs he did that. Then in 2012 he had a blood clot go to his bowel (iv been in med field since 18) actually small intestine an caused a "bowel infarction " or bowel death. 20" was dead fr no blood getting to it fr clot. He had just been dx with Atrial Fibrillation an put on Coumadin 2 wks earlier. I think the Coumadin thinned his blood enough to dislodge a clot an it went to bowel. He almost died 3 times in hospital. 2 months in hospital. So fr then on Iv been caring for him an my Mom. Neither drive. He started Cymbalta around time when drug laws changed. It was harder an harder to get him to dr appt to get rx for Hydro! So went to Tylenol #4 (only 1 a day) an tried Cymbalta. He said he's always had a tiny tiny tremor. Well Cymbalta starts magnifying them! Neurologist calls it essential tremors. No Parkinsons. Was tested. We are afraid to go up. I just got them to move to a assisted living community out of their home. That was an is very hard an heart breaking. But my Mom cant care for him hardly anymore an its looking like they may move again in Oct when contract up due to his increasing care all of a sudden. Very confused in new apartment. My Mom isn't. Im adopted so I do not know family history. Iv got fibromyalgia an took it (Duloxetin 30mg then 60mg) for 5 wks. Blood pressure went up. So stopped it. But did help the pain. Yes, Tramadol can cause Seratonin Syndrome if taken with antidepressants. Seizures. Contraindicated. Seems to me you are on alot of meds. Im sorry you are. Have you tried just Cymbalta?

Your poor Dad!  I was on that hydrocodone merry go round too, and the fact he was breaking them shows he didn't want to take any more than necessary.  Poor guy.  I remember getting up and hurting so bad all I coud do was cry and pace until the hydrocodone kicked in...it hurt so bad I couldn't hold still and it was maybe 3 in the morning, I couldn't sleep because it hurt to lay down.  I understand how depserate it is to find something that works that doesn't make you feel stupid.  The crappy thing, for me anyway, is it made me artificially feel "good" when I stopped I found myself super depressed.  The irony of it is I used to be a Mental Health Case Manager for the severely mentally ill...I *should* have recognized my depression but I didn't.

I have tried stopping the tramadol, I hurt so bad that I can't stand it.  I know it's possible that taking Cymbalta 60 mg a day twice a day may help but I find myself scared because of how long it takes me to get up to that dose if I were to do it at night also.  I've tried taking 30 in morning and 30 at night with only 2 tramadol a day and that doesn't work.  I've become a crazy person who keeps switching meds around in hopes of taking the least possible.  Plus I take something for hot flashes, lol, I'm a mess.   On the bright side, I function pretty normal with bearable pain.  

That is awful about your blood pressure.  What do you take now then?  Have you tried Lyrica?  I knoiw it works for some.