I’m new here. I went to my doctor a couple of days ago to get back on medication for fibromyalgia. She talked a lot about Cymbalta, but one of the reasons I’m pursuing medication again is because of “fibro fog.”
I was wondering, does Cymbalta help with “fibro fog”? What has been your personal experience with Cymbalta?
I am on Cymbalta and have found it has it's own "fog." So I now have Menopausal fog, fibro fog and Cymbalta fog. The Cymbalta has helped me with the fibro pain though.
I could not handle Cymbalta, as it made me very loopy. Of course, that was when I was still working, and I couldn't see myself working in that state of mind. Now, I live with "loopy" aka "fibro fog" and I might find Cymbalta tolerable compared to some of the other meds I'm taking now and their side effects.
I'm not sure this is at all helpful, but I do hope you find some relief somehow!
I took Cymbalta for my Fibromyalgia because I was put on Effexor for pain (Lyrica made me gain weight.) I struggled with the side effects of Effexor, very painful on my stomach. My doctor switched me to Cymbalta because the side effects were supposed to be milder. They were, but they were still present. Unfortunately, I experienced more severe symptoms from it. (loopy barely begins to describe it.) I do NOT feel that it help with pain or fog. It made me stressed because I was always worrying about the problems it was causeing: stomach pain and nausea, psycohmotor agitation , sleep apnea. My fiance says that I might be allergic to SSRIs because I have had negative reactions to Prozac, Effexor, and then Cymbalta. I have talked to other people that have gone psycho on Cymbalta as well, and none of us have had actual allergic reactions. I do not recommend it.
I was put on Cymbalta for pain from a back injury, surgery and nerve damage (this was before my fibro diagnosis). I was OK while I was on it although it did not help. The problem was coming off of it. Make absolutely certain that you have a doctor who is very knowledgable about the drug. Weaning off of it must be done VERY slowly. I ended up going to a psychiatrist to get off of it and he said if not weaned correctly it can be as bad as weaning off heroin!!! He felt that many doctors were using it who were not educated about the drug.
I am on Cymbalta and have found it has it's own "fog." So I now have Menopausal fog, fibro fog and Cymbalta fog. The Cymbalta has helped me with the fibro pain though.
Good luck!
Pam
Hi!!! I was prescribed Cymbalta in Nov.08..For depression..not knowing it was perimenopause. I was a total zombie for a few month's.Had to slowly take myself off of that stuff...I improved for awhile, and then BAM!!! Woke up one morning feeling like nothing I could ever explain. All I know is that it seem's as if my life is on hold at this point...I feel that I was lead to this site..I never dreamed that there was so many other's going through the same thing...I'm truely blessed to be able to post to ladies who know how I'm feeling......
The following user gives a hug of support to ineedrelief: Luvmy2cats (12-23-2011)
I wondered about my doctor's knowledge of Cymbalta. When he diagnosed me with FM, he was extremely quick to give me Cymbalta samples and he really did not warn me about side effects. As I have talked to him about my side effects, he has said "yes, that is one of the side effects, just try to ride it out and see if it will diminish." Now I am really scared that if I decide to come off the Cymbalta that it will be a nightmare!
I wondered about my doctor's knowledge of Cymbalta. When he diagnosed me with FM, he was extremely quick to give me Cymbalta samples and he really did not warn me about side effects. As I have talked to him about my side effects, he has said "yes, that is one of the side effects, just try to ride it out and see if it will diminish." Now I am really scared that if I decide to come off the Cymbalta that it will be a nightmare!
Pam
Doctors can be really crappy about their approach. Mine is actually a rhumatologist, so i have no idea why i am seeing him for fibromyalgia, but he is the one that diagnosed me. I have always showed signs of every single symptom and indicator. It has been obvious to me from the start that it is what I have.
The doctors have this order from insurance companies that says that they have to prescribe drugs in a certain order in order for them to be covered. This might be because the best supposed treatment plan for fibromyalgia is to take drugs in order to find a low intensity medication that works for you. I dont know.
I was started on Naproxin (which is just like 600 mg ibuprofen). Then I took Daypro (a different kind of ibuprofen), Neurontin (nerve deadener), Lyrica, Effexor, Cymbalta, and now I am back to over the counter Ibuprofen.
I moved on to different medications because I wasn't getting any results (at least that I noticed) from each one up until Effexor. Naproxin and Daypro just made me feel like I took an advil, which you know doesn't do anything when it's your nerves and tendons that hurt for no reason. Then neurontin was supposed to help by making the nerve pain go away, but from what I could tell, I felt the exact same until I tried to stop taking it, which is when I felt worse. I dont think that sounds right, but my doctor was like "yeah, thats how you know it's working."
I didnt listen to him, i just wanted something better. Lyrica was the best thing that I have taken so far but my insurance wasnt ready for it for i had to pay 70$ a month for it. Also, it made me gain a lot of weight. It wasn't a good enough medication to make me feel like exercising again, so all it did was make me bigger. I had problems with swelling with that pill too.
This was when I moved on to the antidepressants. Effexor has some problems where it eats your stomach from the inside out, i swear. It is very similar to Cymbalta, but Cymbalta's side effects are milder, which they were.
I noticed while taking Cymbalta that my pain was the exact same, only then i had a constant feeling of sickness on top of it. When i wasn't trying to hurt myself, it was extremely uncomfortable. I was nauseous every day. My classmates used to tell me i looked really pale and clammy.
The day i stopped taking Cymbalta, i felt better. I hated having to take it. I took ibuprofen to help me move around the house and get up and down the stairs. With that alone, I have felt more mobile and free than I had since before I went to the doctors about this problem. I will not take anything else that they try to give me unless they can guarantee that it will be better than ibuprofen in every way.
I do have problems from taking it for over a year. My digestive system is always struggling with it and I do take Miralax. I have stomach pain from time to time, fearing ulcers, when it's really just gas. Gas can be pretty terrible, i tell you what. I take 600 mg Twice a day, my doctors know that, and its the best treatment for me.
My next step is to go to the gym. I need a work out buddy.
This week I have been having some terrible brain fog problems. I am a math tutor for a remedial math class at my college. I run a workshop with them on Fridays. This week, we started fractions. I have been too out of it to keep up with them, let alone able to lead them. Today was out first fraction friday. I was glad that the teacher came and helped lead the workshop. The best I could do was write the warm up on the board, which was created with A LOT of help from one of the more advanced students in the class.
It has been so bad this week that I feel like I need a week off to just stare at the wall and get it out of my system. All I want to do is nap and pout. I dont even want to eat. I work two jobs and go to school 15 hours a week. I know I have a lot on my plate and I have some sort of obligation every day that forces me to get going and take care of it. Still, I fight it tooth and nail like mad.
Thanks, everyone. My doctor brought up Cymbalta a couple of weeks ago as an alternative to my current medication. But my current medication helps with the fibro fog, which is as big of a thread as the all the muscle aches.
Doctors can be really crappy about their approach. Mine is actually a rhumatologist, so i have no idea why i am seeing him for fibromyalgia, but he is the one that diagnosed me. I have always showed signs of every single symptom and indicator. It has been obvious to me from the start that it is what I have.
The doctors have this order from insurance companies that says that they have to prescribe drugs in a certain order in order for them to be covered. This might be because the best supposed treatment plan for fibromyalgia is to take drugs in order to find a low intensity medication that works for you. I dont know.
I was started on Naproxin (which is just like 600 mg ibuprofen). Then I took Daypro (a different kind of ibuprofen), Neurontin (nerve deadener), Lyrica, Effexor, Cymbalta, and now I am back to over the counter Ibuprofen.
I moved on to different medications because I wasn't getting any results (at least that I noticed) from each one up until Effexor. Naproxin and Daypro just made me feel like I took an advil, which you know doesn't do anything when it's your nerves and tendons that hurt for no reason. Then neurontin was supposed to help by making the nerve pain go away, but from what I could tell, I felt the exact same until I tried to stop taking it, which is when I felt worse. I dont think that sounds right, but my doctor was like "yeah, thats how you know it's working."
I didnt listen to him, i just wanted something better. Lyrica was the best thing that I have taken so far but my insurance wasnt ready for it for i had to pay 70$ a month for it. Also, it made me gain a lot of weight. It wasn't a good enough medication to make me feel like exercising again, so all it did was make me bigger. I had problems with swelling with that pill too.
This was when I moved on to the antidepressants. Effexor has some problems where it eats your stomach from the inside out, i swear. It is very similar to Cymbalta, but Cymbalta's side effects are milder, which they were.
I noticed while taking Cymbalta that my pain was the exact same, only then i had a constant feeling of sickness on top of it. When i wasn't trying to hurt myself, it was extremely uncomfortable. I was nauseous every day. My classmates used to tell me i looked really pale and clammy.
The day i stopped taking Cymbalta, i felt better. I hated having to take it. I took ibuprofen to help me move around the house and get up and down the stairs. With that alone, I have felt more mobile and free than I had since before I went to the doctors about this problem. I will not take anything else that they try to give me unless they can guarantee that it will be better than ibuprofen in every way.
I do have problems from taking it for over a year. My digestive system is always struggling with it and I do take Miralax. I have stomach pain from time to time, fearing ulcers, when it's really just gas. Gas can be pretty terrible, i tell you what. I take 600 mg Twice a day, my doctors know that, and its the best treatment for me.
My next step is to go to the gym. I need a work out buddy.
This week I have been having some terrible brain fog problems. I am a math tutor for a remedial math class at my college. I run a workshop with them on Fridays. This week, we started fractions. I have been too out of it to keep up with them, let alone able to lead them. Today was out first fraction friday. I was glad that the teacher came and helped lead the workshop. The best I could do was write the warm up on the board, which was created with A LOT of help from one of the more advanced students in the class.
It has been so bad this week that I feel like I need a week off to just stare at the wall and get it out of my system. All I want to do is nap and pout. I dont even want to eat. I work two jobs and go to school 15 hours a week. I know I have a lot on my plate and I have some sort of obligation every day that forces me to get going and take care of it. Still, I fight it tooth and nail like mad.
Ugh. You're going through a terrible time. I can relate. College and working can be exhausting enough, but throw in fibromyalgia too...
I was on Effexor for a bit about 10 years ago. I swear it permanently messed up my stomach. I've found ibuprophin helps with the muscle aches too, but watch out. I started taking it daily a couple of years ago, and it seemed to further my stomach problems. (Never had a good stomach, even before Effexor and fibro.)
Ugh. You're going through a terrible time. I can relate. College and working can be exhausting enough, but throw in fibromyalgia too...
I was on Effexor for a bit about 10 years ago. I swear it permanently messed up my stomach. I've found ibuprophin helps with the muscle aches too, but watch out. I started taking it daily a couple of years ago, and it seemed to further my stomach problems. (Never had a good stomach, even before Effexor and fibro.)
I know. And nobody even realizes it unless they've gone through it themselves. I can't tell you how many times I've been dismissed as a whiner (even by my fiance). Believe me, I do NOT whine. I prefer to bleed and break bones over the daily pain I go through.
I know what you mean about effexor. That crap is torture for the stomach. It's worse than wiskey gut rot. Ugh.
Glad Effexor was brought up. I had a Dr bring that up the other day...
I've had the fog since 99 (like living in a dream state, but more of a nightmare) & nothing has ever lifted it. Not to be a downer but I just gave up on it ever going away & excepted it... I assume that maybe if I could go through life without stressing or worrying maybe it would help lift it...
I have been reading the posts and I am now contemplating trying to go off Cymbalta and see what happens--I have been on it a long time and I really think it just might be worth it just to see if I'm worse or the same--my life has changed since I first started taking it-who knows?
I have been reading the posts and I am now contemplating trying to go off Cymbalta and see what happens--I have been on it a long time and I really think it just might be worth it just to see if I'm worse or the same--my life has changed since I first started taking it-who knows?
The Withdraws are awful! I was sooo sick for a week... I thought I was going to go to the hospital for dehydration... I didn't realize how much it helped until I went off of it... The body aches & everything is sooo much worst. It helped me allot with my Anxiety also. I couldn't go back on it, I never want to go through the withdraws again.. If it's helping, I say to just stick with it...
It is horrible how we are suffering in so many ways isn't it? I was on Cymbalta which did help, once it got into my system and then how much it helped started to decline. My doc changed me to Savella which I had a hard time getting used to as it caused heat sweats which made hot sweats look like nothing! I would actually look like I had just come out of the shower. But that finally went away for the most part and the Savella took away about 90% or more even sometimes 95%.
Then I had a heart thing. I was having V-Tach for like a second or even less than a second and everyone freaked out and I was in ICU for 4 days and they took me off the Savella in the hospital. It turned out that the V-Tach was from a low potassium level caused by one of my blood pressure meds. They changed me to a different BP med and I was fine, but my doc would not put me back on Savella "just in case."
So now I am on Lyrica. It does help but I have gained weight like this spongy unnatural type weight and also the Lyrica does not fully help when I am having a big Fibro flare. When that happens, I have to have something for breakthrough pain, like Robaxin,which is a muscle relaxer.
So I have been on the major 3 drugs for Fibromyalgia. In my opinion they all work to a degree and all have their own unique set of problems, but if I could choose, I would be on Savella. Not only did it help with my pain, but it gave me a lot of energy too.
Gentle hugs to everyone! We are a very misunderstood group as are others with different autoimmune diseases. Our pain is very real and it is a blessing to know that you can come here and find people who are going through exactly the same thing that you are!
