Cymbalta

[msmarydee]

Ok Everyone,

My new Doc took me off the Bextra, (of course) and put me on Cymbalta. He seemed to think this would help me. :wacko: Ok, I had pain before, but now after nearly a month on it, the pain is worse. None of my blood work showed any signs of Lupus. So this new Doc thinks I have fibro.

Well, first he made the mistake of telling me to take the Cymbalta in the morning. It makes you sleepy. :asleep: Hello!!!!! I already have fatigue.....and a very physical filing job. So I consulted my trusty pharmacist and she said to take it at night since he also had me stop the Elavil at night. I also take Klonopin at night. I sleep less hours at night now. I use to be able to fall asleep at about 10:30 and get up at 7:00 and feel fine. Not much pain during the day.

Now I take a while to fall asleep and wake at 5:45 when my hubbys alarm goes off. There I lie, awake until 7:00. I am so tired all day long and sometimes fall asleep on the couch in the evenings. I hurt ALL over. Lately I have been having a lot of pain in my chest. I can't take a deep beath without it hurting all the way through to my back, like stabbing. My wrists are killing me, my knees lock up on me and my hips hurt too. I have Irritable Bowel, too, more lately with pain around the middle of my abdoman.

So I guess the doctor seems to think this is helping me. I haven't been back to see him since he put me on it and the pharmacist said not to go off of it until I see him again because it is an antidepressant. I guess I could crash or something. First I couldn't afford the co-pay and now he is out of the country for a month.

Anybody got any ideas or suggestions? :cry: I'm open to hear anything at this point.

Thanks All,
Mary

[raggedyann1]

Mary,

Cymbalta is a newer medication being used instead of pamelor or elavil. Some patients are getting better relief than they did with elavil or pamelor. I am still on pamelor and I will argue with any doctor that wants to change it. I do take my evening meds 2 hours or so before bedtime as it takes awhile to affect me.

If he is gone so long there should be a doctor filling in for him. See if you can get the sub doctor to agree to gong back to elavil, at the minimum and hopefully a nsaid as well.

I am glad you got him to agree not to take you off plaquenil. Have you been able to get all your old records for yourself? and a copy for him? I don't remember what the trouble was but doctors who retire or stop practicing are still required to keep their patients records for 7 years ( ithink maybe 10).

Let us know how things go.

take care,
Karen