Cymbalta and Neuropathic Pain

[Kathy]

I went to my pain doc yesterday and he advised me that Cymbalta had tested effective in use with neuropathic pain. I'd vowed never to take another SSRI, but I need more relief from this pain. So i bit the bullet and took the script. I tried 30 mg yesterday and noticed a change in the pain almost immediately. I take 30 mg a day for 2 weeks and then go to 60 mg.

I can tell there are going to be troublesome side effects. I already have intractable nausea and Cymbalta made it automatically worse. I will hang in as long as the pain relief outweighs other discomforts.

Oh, by the way, suicide is one of the listed side effects.

[oddjobs]

My doc prescribed me some about 3 weeks ago .I also got relief almost right away . About the 3rd or 4th day IT hit me hard makeing me nautis and really dizzy ,like one of those ya gotta hang one foot off the bed ta stop spinnin . I stopped it an the pain was back next day so waited and took one the next day an again spinnin like a top. So take heed if ya gotta drive cause it hits all at once on me anyways . Careful :D

[Kathy]

Thanks for the warning oddjobs. I also have pretty bad vertigo to begin with, so that concerns me. It is day 3. The pharmacist says those side effects will disappear.

Since you're ahead of me can you tell me what happens? I'd really appreciate that. I want this pain relief so much.

[Smokin Moose]

I am taking Gabapentin for neuropathic pain and my head feels like it is in a bubble with a high pitch noise ringing in my ears/head. What is it about these damn meds for neuropathic pan - they all seem to have dreadful side-effects.

[oddjobs]

What happened with me was I dropped them because of the dizzyness to the point of throwing up . Doc appointment next week for maybe a lesser dose? Sorry cant help till then.

[Cannahope]

Cymbalta can cause nausea, vomiting, somnolence, fatigue, dry mouth, constipation, hyperhidrosis, decreased appetite, dizziness, headache, anorexia, anxiety, decreased libido, diarhhea, heart palpitations, blurred vision, urinary tract infection, migraine, rash, night sweats, increased tendency to bruise, attempted / completed suicide, irritability, and a host of other side effects.

Have you folks tried high doses of concentrated Cannabis constituents...like hash oil or tincture? I had bursitis, tendonitis, and a shooting pain (like someone stabbing my leg with a big knife to the bone) for a long time, caused by injury to limbs and to my back (right about where the cervical meets the thoracic). It would take me to my knees suddenly and mercilessly almost every day. Cannabis made it go away completely. I know a lot of you suffer from worse, and for different reasons, though.

It's a beautiful thing for the pharmaceutical companies, though. You could be prescribed 10 other drugs to mitigate the side effects of the one.

[gelu65]

Ive come down with a spasticity that makes my upper toso bend over each time my foot touches the floor, docs havent been able to diagnose yet so I am going to try a lorazapam to see if it helps stop the jerking movements. What is SSRI that Kathy was mentioning. Jerry

[oddjobs]

Cymbalta can cause nausea, vomiting, somnolence, fatigue, dry mouth, constipation, hyperhidrosis, decreased appetite, dizziness, headache, anorexia, anxiety, decreased libido, diarhhea, heart palpitations, blurred vision, urinary tract infection, migraine, rash, night sweats, increased tendency to bruise, attempted / completed suicide, irritability, and a host of other side effects.

Have you folks tried high doses of concentrated Cannabis constituents...like hash oil or tincture? I had bursitis, tendonitis, and a shooting pain (like someone stabbing my leg with a big knife to the bone) for a long time, caused by injury to limbs and to my back (right about where the cervical meets the thoracic). It would take me to my knees suddenly and mercilessly almost every day. Cannabis made it go away completely. I know a lot of you suffer from worse, and for different reasons, though.

It's a beautiful thing for the pharmaceutical companies, though. You could be prescribed 10 other drugs to mitigate the side effects of the one.
Not yet because I,ve not had access to that much hash or good meds ta make enough BUT i,m workin on that:D oj

[Kathy]

Neuropathic pain can be totally debilitating. There are very few pharmaceuticals that have tested effective for it. Cymbalta has shown good results. I have had bad experiences with SSRIs and anti-depressants in general. They may be ok for a short period but they tend to turn on me after a while, giving me that 'dead' feeling. But the pain is so life-altering that I decided to give it a shot.

My dr explained to me that Cymbalta is a reworked version of Amitriptyline, which was one of the first antidepressants, and commonly prescribed for fibromyalgia. It was a terrible drug, leaving people parched, lethargic and always starving. Weight gain was inevitable and merciless. Apparently Cymbalta has those side-effects removed so they are easier to tolerate. Of course, weight gain has been replaced with anorexia. Take one bad side out and get 20 more new ones that are equally as dangerous.

Personally i will try almost anything that gives me any relief whatsover from this. I use Lyrica (a relative of Neurontin or Gaba-pentin) twice a day. At first I didn't think it was helping, but when I went off it to see, my pain increased by about 10%, so I went back on it. 10% relief with this kind of pain is significant. With the added Cymbalta, I experience an overall pain reduction of about 30%.

I had bad reactions to the original Neurontin. I remember that it made me so tired that I once sat down in a mall and cried. Moose's feelings in ears and head are something I have lived with a long time. Tinnitus and a general feeling of fullness in the head and ears led drs to find damage in my left ear, for which my right ear is not compensenting. I suspect that drugs i've taken over the years caused this, but I have no evidence of that.

I asked my dr about the dizziness effect. She said that it results from a drop in blood pressure and is pretty much a result of changing positions too quickly. She said it was 'lightheadedness' not vertigo. But if it makes you throw up, then it is serious.

I get a good deal of relief from cannabis in any form but do not have access to those tinctures.

I started this drug at 30 mg for 2 weeks then an increase up to 60 at week 3. I think that is standard for pain. Today is Day 4 and we shall see what happens. Generally, i've been able to do a lot more stuff since I started this drug. (which I am not endorsing in any way) . We'll see....

[Kathy]

Day 4 and the dizziness hit when i was out shopping. i made it home....

[gelu65]

Tried a lorazapam, felt pretty good but it did not seem to help and its too strong a med to keep trying.

[oddjobs]

Day 4 and the dizziness hit when i was out shopping. i made it home....
It [the dizzyness ]is wierd hits hard like ya just got off one of them tea pot rides in the carnival:( all at once without warning [for me anyways ] keep us informed Kathy. I know like you the need for some relief but is this worth it ? glad ya made it home safe :D oj

[Kathy]

OJ, I have never tolerated these drugs well. I want the pain relief so much that i am willing to stay home until the dizziness is gone. The blurb says that nausea and dizziness will go away in a few weeks. I have to try anyway since there is almost nothing else left to try. I am trying to find a dr who does xylocaine infusions. I've been referred to the pain clinic where they do those. Meanwhile I am going to balance the pros of this drugs against the cons.

AND...I am awaiting the arrival of HempEaze.

[oddjobs]

At least the not toleraten pharmas . I was in physical theripy a few months back and had some of the infursions you speek of there and they were doing some good but in the social securiy end my treatments ran out ,so much for that. My doc is now giving me phentinal patches [ they freezing when first applied] about 5x7s, on 12 off 12 and they also do some good just gotta use em during daytime as they tend to keep me awake . also if I used enough to reieve most of my pain at times I,d look like a mummy:eek: Wishing you relief soon oj

[oddjobs]

:confused: when i said phintinal I meant lidocane patches. oj

[Kathy]

I had 3 days of clear pain relief. Then it was gone. After 7 days I have no pain relief but most of the bad stuff. There is no use my doing this if the pain doesn't get better.