New Doc wants me to try Cymbalta????

HI BBs: Ive been on BB off and on for some time. Ive been off benzos for some time now, got off doxepin in 2016 and have been tapering off Mirtazapine for 20 months that my doc gave me back in ~2014 to help me sleep. Made me nice and fat too. Well I am almost off the mirt, only have 0.8mg to go. For some time, especially during the taper I have been having lots of fatigue, malaise, low back and shoulder pain in various combinations and intensities. I've been complaining to my PCP for some time about it. He's been very understanding and helpful, wanted me off the mirt, BUT he quit his practice and went to work for the Indian Health Service looking for a more meaningful experience helping people who are less fortunate.  They assigned me to a new YOUNG doctor who has only reviewed my chart along with a letter I sent him about whats going on  with me before I see him for my first appointment with him next week. Without physically seeing me and only looking at my chart and getting my letter he has suggested I go on Cymbalta. I see its used to treat depression, anxiety as well as arthritis and fibromyalgia pain. I get his logic for suggesting it, but without physically seeing me yet I think that's pretty damn premature. Cymbalta is an SSNRI. NOt that differnet from the SSRIs I have tried in the past and they really set me off, very activating, couldnt sleep for days. SO I am very reluctant after all I have been through, but Im pretty sick n tired of not feeling well. Its debilitating.  Some mornings I wish I wouldnt wake up, thats how miserable I have been. I'd appreciate any input from folks who have been on Cymbalta or otherwise. thanks

Pokey

My reaction is much like yours, it seem a bit premature for the new guy to go down this road just yet.  When was the last time you had blood work done, are your thyroid levels in good shape?

Had Blood work yesterday. All normal. Though thyroid was not checked this time buts never been out of whack to date. Yeh I’m thinking I might need a more experienced PCP to replace the really good one I had that left. He wanted me off the mirtazapine and NEVER mentioned taking another psychotropic. He said he was perplexed what was/is going on with me. I told him I think it’s a messed up brain from to many years of being on a benzo or AD. That they changed my “circuitry”. while he was not positive about that he didn’t think it impossible either.  No I’m not planning on starting another psych med out of the chute with this new guy. And if I am left with no confidence in him after seeing him I’ll quickly look for another doc.

I've taken A lot of meds...but not cymbalta.

The only reason I'm responding is to tell you that I watched my mom try and taper it....it was ridiculous to try and come off because it's comes in capsules with little tiny balls in it.

Ugh. She had to count all those little tiny balls and take just 1 out to decrease.

Granted...we go through a lot to taper benzos too. Just thought I would mention it!

I'm glad you're going to proceed with caution, you've been through enough.

Thanks Southern Belle and Pamster.

The PC who originally put me on Benzos saw what I looked like the first time I CT'ed xanax , I was really sick in acute and instead of recognizing /admitting it was withdrawal he pronounced me having a nervous breakdown over the surgical complications he'd rxed the benzos for  . I didn't have emotional problems or even a sleep problem before this .

 

Before he reinstated me  with massive amounts of Xanax , he rxed Cymbalta and I had the weirdest reaction to it. I don't remember how much he gave me but I was a zombie .  I was at my therapist who sent me to this quack in the first place and I was sitting there with my eyes closed and she asked me if I were ok and I told her yes but that I was so drugged that I could not open my eyes  - and that I drove there like that. THEN , when I would yawn and I started yawning alot , I could NOT shut my jaw back , I had to manually take my hand and shut my lower jaw .  Therapist and I both agreed that I stop that med asap . 

Thanks Blue. I’m not taking the god D’d stuff.

It scared me to death , it really did . It may help some people but what I went through was bizarre .

Pokey, for this, he wants you to take Cymbalta?

 

For some time, especially during the taper I have been having lots of fatigue, malaise, low back and shoulder pain in various combinations and intensities.

 

Oh my goodness. I had a shrink (a stand-in for my "real" psychiatrist back many years ago when I sorta believed all that SSRI/SNRI stuff) think that Cymbalta was just the ticket for me. Like your new doc, she didn't know me at all. I was depressed. Yeah, yeah, who isn't? She gave me samples, I went home and read the s/x: fatigue, sleepiness, nausea, headaches, and thought nope. No way. I got over my depression without the dam**ed drug.

 

If it's just (don't mean to minimize this) physical pain that's troubling you, I don't get it why a doc would grab for an SNRI. Yeah, it's sometimes helpful, apparently, for musculoskeletal pain, but so is valium and look at the messes many of us got into with that mother's little helper.  I hope you have a heart-to-heart with your doc and weigh carefully the risk/benefits of Cymbalta. Speaking just for myself, my 11+ years of taking psych drugs for various conditions persuaded me that I will NEVER take one again. They did not help.

 

This may sound wacky and off-the-wall, but I had a lot of PT during my taper for pain, as well as a fair amount of acupuncture.  Both are pretty benign and helped my pain and fatigue a lot.

 

Hope this is useful to you,

 

 

Katz

 

 

Thanks Katz. Yeh it seems Cymbalta is used these days for fibromyalgia and other chronic pain. I guess it’s an off label use. They tried me on SSRIs a few years back for depression and all they did was “ wire me up”. It was like I had a light bulb turned on in my head. Couldn’t sleep, I was buzzing. Awful. I sent a message to my daughter asking about the use of Cymbalta for pain. She’s a rehab psychologist at Ohio State University and has worked in their pain clinic. I’m interested to hear what she knows about using Cymbalta. I’m trying to be open minded but I’m VERY VERY skeptical and hesitant to even think of going this route after all I’ve been through. The pain  & discomfort however is very miserable and exhausting.

Oh my gosh.....NO!  Do not take Cymbalta!  It's rat poison and along with Effexor and Paxil, one of the hardest to get off of.  I've been tapering it for 3 years and am housebound and nearly non-functional.  I've lost my family, friends and home because of it.  My personality has disintegrated and I have symptoms that are too horrible to even describe.  I cannot believe anyone prescribes this neurotoxin.  You will live to regret it if you take it.  Stay away from ALL psych drugs!  They are poison and change the architecture of the brain in a way that is often irreparable.  It's exponentially worse to get off of than benzos, in my experience.  Benzo withdrawal was a cakewalk, as horrible as it was, compared to Cymbalta withdrawal.

I sent a message to my daughter asking about the use of Cymbalta for pain. She’s a rehab psychologist at Ohio State University and has worked in their pain clinic. I’m interested to hear what she knows about using Cymbalta. I’m trying to be open minded but I’m VERY VERY skeptical and hesitant to even think of going this route after all I’ve been through. The pain  & discomfort however is very miserable and exhausting.

Hello, Pokey.  I am sorry you continue to suffer from pain and discomfort.  Chronic pain is indeed exhausting.  What did your daughter have to say about Cymbalta?

Pokey I’m sorry you are having these pain issues,

 

I too cannot tolerate SSRIs.  I tried them long before I took Ativan.  They made me very agitated.  More recently a rheumatologist suggested Cymbalta for pain. I was wary because of my reaction to SSRI,s but I decided to try Cymbalta since it was SSNI.  Bad decision for me.  Sleeplessness and tremors.

 

My personal feeling are that many docs  throw meds at us way too quickly instead of making sure of what kind of treatment we really need. I know many on this site agree.

 

I also am struggling with low back and leg pain, fatigue, etc.  I am getting some relief from chiropractic and just had acupuncture with better results than I expected. Also massage therapy.  None of these has completely gotten rid of the pain but has helped me have some better days.

 

Getting a bit off subject but I have found body work involving touch like massage and chiropractic helps with depression and anxiety as well if you have a good practitioner.

 

 

I've tried it, along with plenty of others. It is horrible, the worst 1 I've tried for sure. Sends shivers down my spine thinking about it.

 

I understand the frustration of being in pain, that's why I took it, misdiagnosed with fibromyalgia (withdrawal). But for me personally I'd prefer the pain than that poison. It really was horrendous

dr ask me to take it all the time fact is it will damage your brain and probably not work any way.

I passed on the Cymbalta. I’ve been getting chiropractic treatment and doing exercises which helps a lot. Not a cure but better than another psychotropic in my brain/body. I do take 50mg of tramadol some nights at bed time which helps as well. I was also diagnosed this summer with SIBO. Small intestine bacteria overgrowth. Had to take a couple rounds of Antibiotics for that and go on a restricted diet. I’ve been feeling better as a result from that treatment as well. The SIBO turns out has been a major culprit in the fatigue and malaise I’ve been having. AND I’m about off the mirtazapine. Only 0.2mg to go. I sleep 7-8 hours a night now. So between all the above I’m doing better and best of all-NO CYMBALTA!!!!

Good decision pokey. If u see my signature I tried lots too, I drew the line at effexor and said no more. X

I'm just going to give another shout out to the Circadia / Fisher Wallace stimulator. Hopefully I am not responding to too many posts with this information (and no I don't own stock or anything!)

 

I think devices like these may be a game changer for people suffering from imbalances in the brain that can be re-balanced naturally without drugs. I have found it to be incredibly helpful.

 

[nobbc]https://fisherwallacereviews.com/[/nobbc]

I think devices like these may be a game changer for people suffering from imbalances in the brain that can be re-balanced naturally without drugs. I have found it to be incredibly helpful.

 

[nobbc]https://fisherwallacereviews.com/[/nobbc]

 

The only imbalance in the brain is that caused by psych drugs.  There is no such thing as a "chemical imbalance" outside of that caused by the drugs themselves.  It's a myth started by pharmaceutical companies that has been completely debunked in the medical literature.  Research it for yourself.

The only imbalance in the brain is that caused by psych drugs.  There is no such thing as a "chemical imbalance" outside of that caused by the drugs themselves.  It's a myth started by pharmaceutical companies that has been completely debunked in the medical literature.

 

 

Katz