Cymbalta, pain, or??
June 16, 2015 9:31 AM Subscribe
In the last several weeks I've had physical/emotional issues that I'm not sure what the cause is...Cymbalta, knee injury, something else??
My brain is not so much with the functioning lately, so apologies for any lack of clarity.
A few months ago, I noticed that I had lost interest in doing much of anything and was just sort of feeling blah. This is how my depression rolls...numbness instead of sadness. I've been on Lamictal for atypical depression for a number of years with good results, so it was surprising to have this happen. I saw my primary, and she put me on Cymbalta/duloxetine because I also have issues with chronic pain and she said it was an excellent choice. I said great, and started taking it on May 19. The morning after my first dose, I woke up very early and couldn't get back to sleep, and then had a VERY sudden attack of nausea with dry-heaving. I called my doctor who said that it was unlikely the Cymbalta caused the nausea that quickly, so I continued taking it. The nausea abated a bit but was always sort of there in the background. Less than a week after I started taking the Cymbalta, I tore my lateral meniscus on May 24. I had a lot of pain and was given Norco for it. The nausea was still hanging around, but I attributed it to pain and Norco. As the days wore on, I started experiencing increased nausea, hot flashes, major body aches, and an insane amount of sweating. Again, I attributed it to the pain and/or Norco. However, it finally occurred to me that it might actually be the Cymbalta instead. So here's where I did something really stupid...I stopped taking it last Thursday. The nausea level ramped up very quickly, as did the other symptoms, and by Sunday night, I was in a very very bad mental place where I could only think about terrible things happening to my children and I couldn't stop crying. So yesterday (Monday), I called my primary (in tears) and spoke to the nurse (my doctor wasn't in). The nurse recommended I start taking the Cymbalta again, which I did last night. I feel a bit better today, but I still have some nausea, fatigue, and can't focus at all...it's the sort of feeling you get right before you get sick.
My questions are: is this a normal response to Cymbalta? Have the knee injury and Norco caused "normal" Cymbalta side effects to be magnified? How long can I expect to feel this way, because I'm completely miserable. Is there anything I can do to feel better?
(Other possibly relevant info: 37F, chronic migraines, myofascial pain syndrome, ADHD)
My brain is not so much with the functioning lately, so apologies for any lack of clarity.
A few months ago, I noticed that I had lost interest in doing much of anything and was just sort of feeling blah. This is how my depression rolls...numbness instead of sadness. I've been on Lamictal for atypical depression for a number of years with good results, so it was surprising to have this happen. I saw my primary, and she put me on Cymbalta/duloxetine because I also have issues with chronic pain and she said it was an excellent choice. I said great, and started taking it on May 19. The morning after my first dose, I woke up very early and couldn't get back to sleep, and then had a VERY sudden attack of nausea with dry-heaving. I called my doctor who said that it was unlikely the Cymbalta caused the nausea that quickly, so I continued taking it. The nausea abated a bit but was always sort of there in the background. Less than a week after I started taking the Cymbalta, I tore my lateral meniscus on May 24. I had a lot of pain and was given Norco for it. The nausea was still hanging around, but I attributed it to pain and Norco. As the days wore on, I started experiencing increased nausea, hot flashes, major body aches, and an insane amount of sweating. Again, I attributed it to the pain and/or Norco. However, it finally occurred to me that it might actually be the Cymbalta instead. So here's where I did something really stupid...I stopped taking it last Thursday. The nausea level ramped up very quickly, as did the other symptoms, and by Sunday night, I was in a very very bad mental place where I could only think about terrible things happening to my children and I couldn't stop crying. So yesterday (Monday), I called my primary (in tears) and spoke to the nurse (my doctor wasn't in). The nurse recommended I start taking the Cymbalta again, which I did last night. I feel a bit better today, but I still have some nausea, fatigue, and can't focus at all...it's the sort of feeling you get right before you get sick.
My questions are: is this a normal response to Cymbalta? Have the knee injury and Norco caused "normal" Cymbalta side effects to be magnified? How long can I expect to feel this way, because I'm completely miserable. Is there anything I can do to feel better?
(Other possibly relevant info: 37F, chronic migraines, myofascial pain syndrome, ADHD)
Yes. Cymbalta helped mask my pain, but it made me feel sick to my stomach every day for 3 weeks. When I suddenly stopped taking it because I forgot to pack it on a camping trip, I was an emotional wreck. I felt immense anxiety/depression and hopelessness for about a week, as well as weird tingling and nausea. I also suspect that taking Norco and Cymbalta together may have amplified the side effects. Hope you feel better!
posted by doctordrey at 12:49 PM on June 16, 2015
posted by doctordrey at 12:49 PM on June 16, 2015
Cymbala can cause nausea, for sure. Ask your doctor for the lowest dosage of cymbalta you can get and dose up slowly.
If you take cymbalta for more than 2-3 weeks and stop it abruptly, the withdrawal can be really really rough.
It's tough to say what to think about the Norco. Generally, dose up as slowly as possible on an antidepressant (cut it if it's not coated), and never stop them suddenly. If you're having issues after a week or do with bad side effects, talk to your doctor about switching. So here you might look at Savella or a tricyclic.
Good luck!
posted by persona au gratin at 2:32 AM on June 17, 2015
If you take cymbalta for more than 2-3 weeks and stop it abruptly, the withdrawal can be really really rough.
It's tough to say what to think about the Norco. Generally, dose up as slowly as possible on an antidepressant (cut it if it's not coated), and never stop them suddenly. If you're having issues after a week or do with bad side effects, talk to your doctor about switching. So here you might look at Savella or a tricyclic.
Good luck!
posted by persona au gratin at 2:32 AM on June 17, 2015
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posted by Green Eyed Monster at 10:41 AM on June 16, 2015