Fibromyalgia Symptoms HOME

Hi nola girl
I am in the same boat you are. Just diagnosed with fibro but have had it for a while. Also my doctor wants me to try cymbalta. Im kinda sensitive to everything, so I am a little worried, plus just found out my insurance wants me to try various drugs before they will approve this drug. But I hope it works and its not just one big side effect waiting to happen

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Hello - I've been on Cymbalta for over a year. I am extremely sensitive to medication. I can only tolerate the 30 mg dose. However, even at that low dose it has made a difference in my overall pain level. It took me about two weeks to adjust to Cymbalta. I was groggy but no other symptoms.

I'd rather be on this than Lryica which causes swelling and weight gain in most people. There are quite a few people on this board that have or are using Lyrica. The most common complaint seems to be significant weight gain.

My doctor wants me to try Savella which is new to the market for Fibromyalgia. I have a two week sample pack which I am going to use when my current script runs out. I have mixed emotions about trying it especially with my sensitivity to medication. I'll know pretty much immediately if I can't tolerate it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained...

As for your insurance company bbass, I'd be arguing with them and your doctor should be too. There are only certain classes of medication that work on Fibromyalgia (FMS). Having you "experiment" with other drugs may or may not work. In the interim, your chronic pain cycle will have longer to establish itself. The latter will make it harder to stop/manage and more expensive to treat in the long run.

Take care and let us know how you are doing.

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Hi nola girl,
I have been on Cymbalta for almost 2 months and I honestly feel so much better! The first 2 weeks on the drug were the worst. I lost 5lbs in 9 days, was fatigued, etc. I had almost every single side effect. But my rheumatologist told me to stick it out. I'm glad I did. I really feel great. I'm at 40mg now (started at 20mg) and they would like to move me up to 60mg by July.
I too am sensitive to drugs, but I'm feeling the best I've felt in a really, really long time. I have energy to do things I haven't been able to do because I've been too tired and in too much pain.
The only thing that I've read that could be dangerous with Cymbalta is alcohol intake. The warnings label makes it sound scary, (I'm 29 and still enjoy happy hours and going out) but my dr. said it's not a major concern unless you have a pre-existing issue with alcohol.
Keep me posted on how it goes. My best advice is to stick with it for the first 2 weeks and the side effects should go away. If they don't then it might not be for you.
Good luck!!
eriey

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Hello Nola Gal,

I've been on Cymbalta 30mg. for awhile now at first you are going to feel weird like dizzy, nuasea or stomach upset, but it seems to be the only medication that I have tried that actually works! The only downfall is constipation. But I'm able to function and sleep good at night and not only that mentally it helps tremendiously, I don't feel as depress or anxious. Good luck and give it some time you'll see you'll feel better! Serafin

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Wow after reading this post it makes me wonder. about 2 yrs ago I was given cymbalta for depression and after about 10 i stopped taking it. the fatgue was so bad i couldn't get out of bet to bath let alone take care of my kids. I wonder where I would be today if I had stuck it out then.

Again Thanks all for being here

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Hi nola girl
I just started Cymbalta last week. I have to say I am not yet feeling the good effects yet but I tried lyrica and it was a horrible experience for me emotionally I was crying all the time and I was horribly sick to my stomach. With the Cymbalta I am really tired even more than usual but I hear that should pass. Other than that I am having no other side effects. Too bad I wouldn't have minded having the weight loss side effect ( :
hope this helps

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Hello nola gal

I've been on Cymbalta 60mg, it's been 6 months, and yes at first I had the same sensitivity, when taking it, so I started taking it with food, and I have had no problems since. It took me 2 weeks to get used to it, I had groggy symptoms and it gave me the time to sleep. I slept like a puppy for those 2 weeks and it made such a difference, I actually danced into my doctor's office, what a change it did for me. It took away the pain and I took care of my mental state.

Cymbalta common side effects dry mouth, sleepiness, constipation, increased sweating, decrease appetite.

Good luck to you nola gal and I would try it, and stick with it for a month before you decide it's not for you.

Axxie

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Sorry the late reply, butI'm new here. Unfortunatly, NOT new to Fibro. Had it for a few years now. In 2006, I was going thru a separation from my husband ( long story )...anyway, during that time of major depression, I was put on Cymbalta. It helped a little, but made me sick to my stomach, as you stated. After we reconsiled in 2007, I went off the drug and felt much better. Last year, my fibro Dr. wanted me to take it for the fibro symtoms. I said NO WAY ! After suffering from no sleep, no concentration, tired all the time, and the especially bothersome restless leg, I agreed to try it. After 2 long weeks of throwing up and sick stomach, the side effects lessend and the benefits began. I've much more enery and the RLS is near gone ! I still have days ( 1 - 3 /wk.) that I'm run down and can't do much, but the Cymbalta helped... so I'm still on it.

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I tried cymbalta a while back but it made me so tired and sleepy I couldn't get anything done. After reading these posts I wonder if maybe I should have tried a little longer. Right now MY DR.has me on lyrica and it is helping my pain level but I am so scared I am going to get fat . Also I am not sleeping good at night. I am going to hang on a little longer and see how it works on me. IF i DON'T LIKE IT i will ask to try cymbalta again maybe.Guess we all have to keep trying new meds til we find the right one.Any relief from pain is great so goodluck to all.
ps. what about this new med, Savella? I never heard of it.

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What time of the day is best to take the Cymbalta? I'm asking because I heard it makes you drowsy in the beginning and I drive an hour to get to work every day. I can't afford to be falling asleep at the wheel. So would it be better in the evening?

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Kim 57, in response to your post, about the time you should take cymbalta. I was taking it in the evening, it gave me time to chill out, then I tried night so that I could sleep, but did nothing for me, actually was making me stay up. So I now take my 60mg in the morning, about 1 hour after I take my thyroid medicine. Your body will tell you, when to change, so for now I would just take it at the time you usually take it, then your body will response differently and you can change your time to take it in the morning.
Please make sure you do eat when taking your dose, especially in the morning, otherwise it will give you strange sensation (sorry I can't describe it, I'm in a slow mow and feeling crappy for the last few days). I'm hoping to be able to get through this episode, but weather has everything to do with it, and we have not been getting any sunshine and warm weather here for the last two weeks and it looks like its going to be another week of oh-um weather.

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My dr wanted me to take Cymbalta, but it has the side effect of increased sweating, and I live in Alabama, and am an over-active sweater. My body believes in the sweat. I drip sweat even in the winter.
So, I am NOT eager to increase my chances of even MORE dripping sweat.
Did y'all notice that side effect?
Lyrica did help me, but when I started taking it, I had to quit my Topamax for migraines (something about them being too similar ) , and then the migraines returned with a vengeance, so I had to quit the Lyrica and go back to the Topamax.

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Axxie...thanks for you suggestion as to when best to take the Cymbalta. Matter of fact, I just went to my GP today and got the prescription to start on it. I also asked her and she suggested the same thing..to take it at night and with food. After reading the beginning side effects, I am hoping I get by with mild nausea and fatigue. (Wishfully thinking..none of the above..LOL)

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Man, I wish I'd had the same success with Cymbalta as the posters I'm reading here! All it gave me is a lot of groggy mornings and an extra 30 pounds... seriously pesky ones that I still haven't managed to lose two years later!

In hindsight, if both Cymbalta & Lyrica had worked I'd choose Cymbalta. The psychedelic dreams are so not for me!

I hope you have the results the others had!

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I was just prescribed Cymbalta and I am afraid to begin taking it because I am so sensitive to meds. Does anyone know a good time of day to take it to limit the side affects? Please let me know any info from those of you who are taking it.

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My sister just got home from a seminar about Cymbalta! The dr giving the speech highly recommends it for fibro (as well as diabetic neurothopy). He DOES NOT like the new drug that starts with an "S", said he took all his patients off of it.
He also hates Elavil , which I take. She missed that part, was in the bathroom , but will ask one of the pharmacists tomorrow WHY he hates Elavil . He said it has "so many really bad side effects"

My sister is a Pharm Tech for a company that fills scripts for several nursing homes , so he was mostly addressing Cymbalta use for the elderly, but I found it very interesting since I picked up MY Cymbalta samples from my dr today.

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Elavil is a central nervous system depressant, and should be used very cautiously, I took the damn drug and was in a deep depression from it, trying to get you off is murder and then the damn side affects of being depress returns, I know I lived it and ain't no fun....

Some of the side affects I went through were noticeable from the beginning, high blood pressure, hearing loss, constant high pitch ringing in my ears (to this day I still have), I was constantly dizzy, and had no balance was extremely unstable and felt like I was 1,000 years old. My body would swell up like a flow fish, actually looked like one and blood pressure and high blood glucose and liver enzimes went through the roof. I didn't take it for long, and yes, my friends I still remember. Don't ever take it, if you do take it and you stop, it will return and bite you in the but and find out you are severally depressed, actually a yo-yo affects was more like it.

I am now on cymbalata 60mg, and to this day, I suffer from welts on my body and now I have just started having weird moods. Either I want to pick a fight with my husband or I am depressed to the point of having flash thoughts of suicide.

Going to see the doctor tomorrow and I notice that if I take any kind of over the counter drugs it interacts with cymbalta, but I constantly have these sharp shooting pains going in my head. Does anyone every get those?

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Well I tried my first dose of Cymbalta Tuesday night. I did like dr. said and took it with food around 8:30 that night. Woke up around 3 in the morning with terrible nausea and had chills and sweats at the same time. Dry heaves started around 8 am. Felt sick off and on all day Wed. My daughter works also as a Pharmacy tech. and told this to her pharmacist who said he never heard of anyone getting this sick on it. Called my doctor the next day and she also said she never had any patients complain of being this sick. Now I'm thinking maybe I just had a 24 hr. bug or something. I didn't take one last night and I have felt fine today. I'm on vacation now and don't want to try it again until I get back home for as I don't want to ruin the rest of my time off. I'm really nervous about going back on it. I have felt great while on vacation..less pain and no depression. I'm beginning to think this is a psychological thing. Away from the hustle and bustle of home life you tend to forget your problems. What do you think? Should I give it another try?

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Hey Kim, wait until you return from holidays and then give it a shot again.

As for what you describe on the very first pill is not right.

Maybe you are taking additional medication and or something else?

It took me a 4 or 5 days to feel the nausea, but found I was tired and just went to bed and slept it of, I didn't feel refresh after the sleep but my body was not feeling pain and my mood changed overnight, but like everyone it's takes about two weeks to get through nausea and tiredness and then it's get much better, you will get the full affect as you keep taking them.

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Hi all,
I've been taking Cymbalta for six months now, I take one 60mg tablet in the morning with breakfast. I have found taking it the morning works best for me, when I took it in the pm I had restless legs which drove me crazy!!! The only problem I have is that it doesn't last all day, and I have gained about 20lbs!!! I still have to take 6-8 percocets daily, pantoloc, muscle relaxer at night, iron pills, and gravol. I don't find that it has made me depressed thankfully, but we all have different systems and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for all. I guess it is trial and error until we find what works best for each of us.
As for the weight gain, does anyone have any suggestions???? I developed fms after a work accident which has left me disabled unable to work, drive, walk without aid, walker at home and wheelchair if we go out. I do a mild pilates workout and stretches at home, and am extremely cautious about what I eat. In the am I have a cup of fibre 1 raisin bran, lunch one slice of rye toast with low fat peanut butter, dinner is either chicken with rice or plain cheerios. I will have pudding with 1/2 banana with crushed nilla wafers for desert. I also drink about 6 bottles of water daily and at times a green tea, if I need to snack I will have a cup of berries at around 3pm. I'm frustrated with the fact that I am no longer able to be as physically active as I was before my spinal injury!!! Any advice would be appreciated!!! I would love to get back down to my previous weight (120lbs).
Take care,
Patty

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I too have had fm for a long time but was diagnosed recently and I am currently taking 60mg Cymbalta. I have a very sensitive stomach and it made me very sick so my dr. told me to take it with Prilosec OTC (he said I can take the Prilosec forever if I need to). I have taken it for 5 weeks now and although it has not helped with the pain at all it has helped with keeping me calm. I haven't experienced depression so I don't know if it helps for that. I tried Lyrica and it had terrible side effects for me, but other than the stomach upset I haven't had any real problems. I was very sick when I first took it and ended up with a double ear infection so I was probably getting sick when I started the Cymbalta. I went back today to let my dr know that it wasn't helping with the pain but he is keeping me on it and also giving me 300mg Neurontin twice a day. I also take Soma 350mg up to 3 times daily, darvocet 750mg twice daily, klonopin 1 to 2mg nightly, and of course the Cymbalta 60mg and a Prilosec OTC. So I'm a walking drug store and I only weight about 100 lbs 5ft tall. I wish I didn't have to take all of this but if it makes the pain stop its worth it. Try the Cymbalta just understand it is hard on your stomach or you can take the Prilosec to cut the stomach problems.
Good Luck and God Bless,
Cindy

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I have been on it for about 2 weeks now and the plus side is that I am no longer sleepy during the day and I feel like being social, but I cannot sleep at night and I get dizzy. Good Luck to you:)

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I have been on Cymbalta since July and it hasn't helped the pain, but my mood is stabilized. The first week or two was awful. I felt like throwing up all the time and I barely was able to get out of bed. I am feeling alot better, the pain is still there and the lack of energy can sometimes be a problem. But I am planning in asking my Dr. about starting on adderoll this friday when I have my appointment. I take the Cymbalta in the morning because it keeps me up if I take it at night.

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I take Vyvanse with my Cymbalta and it does give me energy, but I am like you the Cymbalta keeps me awake at night..The best thing about Cymbalta for me is I feel like being soical again.

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I take my Cymbalta in the morning that is because with me it wakes me up.Yesterday and 2 days befor my hands have been on fire and I couldn't understand why?Well I realized I hadn't take my Cymbalta for 5 days and I called my spouse and he brought it to work to me .After taken 60 mg of it he asked me why I was talking so much.Well after 20 to 30 minutes it started to work and the fire left my hands and the just became kinda numb and like they weren't there anymore.So now I know don't forget the Cymbalta.
I take it in the morning for the reason of it making to active and kinda crazy acting.Trust me my co0 worker think I am crazy if I screw up with my meds and have put me in tears.It the fibro is so real and terriabe it effects everyone different and we have to be treated better.I just wish they all could feel how I feel just for 1 hour and then they would have some sympathy for me.It just seems unfair that we woman seem to get everythin.We sure pay the price for being a woman Gotta go closing work.

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Still taking cymbalta 60mg, and I now have a prescription for cymbalta 30mg. (The only two they sell in Canada, apparently). Anyway, 60mg calms me down, but they sweats was getting too much for me, and I had problems remembering things. So now I have started 30mg and I'm still getting the sweating, but I feel more level headed and I remember things, which I wasn't with 60mg. So to get off the 60 is my question, should I do it cold turkey and see how things are, or should I go with one day 60 the other with 30? Can someone give me advice, please

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Yes one day 60 and then next 30 then 60 then none then 30 then none then 30 then try none.I did this and the none day at the last time 30 then none completely.People understand cold turkey is very dangerois.I tried and i had ticking sounds in my head that drove me crazy and was very shakey and agitated.
So the above worked for me.But now I have gone back on because i stand the pains to much to handle.If you ever detox you have to let your brain work with you and not against you.It has built a toleranc to the meds.Good Luck and God Bless.

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Thanks Pfinch, I will try your suggestion, except after one week of 60, 30, alternately, do I do, 60, then 3 days with 30? I am not seeking to get off of Cymbalta, but merely lower the dose to 30.

I am looking at returning to work 3 days a week, workers compensation has denied me my fibro, so I have now hired a lawyer, I just don't understand, I know plenty of people who have fibro and compensation pays them. Somehow, the last doctor who is a bone specialist, said to the board, that I didn't fit the bill for fibro, funny thing, I felt the range of motion after him checking me.

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Try 60 1 day then 30 then 60 then30 then none then30 and none and see if it works.Nobody should ever go cold turkey because you never know what can happen.The worst I had was the ticking sound in the back of my head.I am back on it and gain 4 more lbs.Gosh I hate the weight gain.But I know I need it.I just am thankful I found a way to work my meds instead of them working me.Plus I take it in the morning with my lyrica and pain med along with food usually a banana it coats my stomache so I don't get sick,sometimes alittle dizzy and talkative,but that is it. Good luck.I'm not a Dr. I just know what works for me.GOD BLESS YOU!!!
Patti f.

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Hello Patti f.

Well, I'm doing what you said and so far it works just fine. Except I seem to have anxiety, like today for instance, it was the first time I had to return to my work, to clear out things and have a meeting. I was able to calm myself and meeting work out fine, so I'm quite happy.
The only thick I have at the moment is, I seem to forget things everywhere, so I'm wondering if it's me or the Cymbalta, I do know that I have a clearer head when I take Cymbalta 30mg, the 60mg are fine for the week-end, when I don't want anything to bug me.
Thanks a bunch for your prompt reply
sandrivers

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Hey Patti f.

Are you sure it's not the Lyrica that is making you gain weight?

My doctor suggested that I try Lyrica, I'm kind of hesitant because I have read many people telling me that they had gained weight, and I seem to need the Cymbalta to calm my moods.

I've noticed being on Cymbalta for a long while now, that I actually gained a few pounds, I seem to be hungry around 10p.m. and I'm trying to resist. I do eat supper, so I don't know why?

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