As usual when I have a problem, I reach out to the online community at HBMB and this occasion is no different!
I spat the dummy over my cymbalta dosage and stopped taking it three days ago. I haven't noticed any wild withdrawal symptoms, apart from crying all the time. No difference in pain levels, but considerably better sleep. Are crying jags a common withdrawal symptom? God knows I have plenty to cry about at the moment, but I am not usually as weepy as I have been over the past few days...anyone help?
Hi.
I too went away from boards for a long time and only returned recently when I needed help. I got help and support by the bucketfull.
Please read my post "weaning off cymbalta" I wont go into all the gory details, but the crying, oh yes I cry about anything. It's about five weeks now and I am still very emotional. This is not normal for me and I keep wondering how long this is going to go on for. Those that know have told me it will pass and it just takes time. The amount of time is different with everyone.
Good luck with it.
brend
The following user gives a hug of support to brend: beccablob (06-19-2012)
The Following User Says Thank You to brend For This Useful Post: beccablob (06-19-2012)
hi becca!
welcome back. like brend said you will cry till you stop. sorry life is hard enough for you to come running home. how can we help with why you are crying, besides cymbalta? i never took it but i do know a sudden stop throws your emotions into hyperdrive. so does weaning.
sending you mountains of strength to get thru. is anyone monitoring your health with you? what mgs were you on? concerned and nosy. giggle.
it's nice to see you again. hugs and butterfly kisses.
peace,
blue
The following user gives a hug of support to bluelakelady: beccablob (06-19-2012)
The Following User Says Thank You to bluelakelady For This Useful Post: beccablob (06-19-2012)
Hey there!
Welcome back! Yes, we haven't seen you lately. But I'm sure everyone understands. I'm here more when having more problems because I rest more.
I'm glad to see you aren't having major symptoms! That's great! It was such a nightmare for me & hate it when others go through the same thing!
I notice with fibro my moods change allot. I go through emotional times, angry, stressful, blissful, ect lol. Changing meds are so hard on a person it's bound to make you emotional.
Going off cymbolta could be sooo much worst... I hope things get easier for you
Thank you all so much! I saw your replies and wait for it....cried buckets! For the past few months I have been without any support and to suddenly receive it was wonderful. I am going to write about what I've been up to and what prompted me to sling the cymbalta in the bin, so I hope I don't bore anyone to death....I need to get it off my chest.
In January of this year, I went back to Wales, to my dearly loved fishing village, to finish sorting out my parent's gear. I couldn't take my Dave with me, so he stayed in Oz, looking after my furry babies, Psycho, Zorro, Chess, Snoopy and Bandit. I thought I could cope. What a fool I was. Walking back into the family home and seeing everything as they left it, as if they had just popped out and would be back any minute, was so upsetting. Leaking just writing about it.
I couldn't bear the thought of selling their beloved antiques and books and nick nacks, so I organised a removal company to come and ship it all out to Oz, but that meant I had to do all the packing, lifting and shifting myself. In the meantime, I had to clean the place, do the gardens etc, in the hopes that I could find someone to rent it. Again, I just cannot bring myself to sell the family home. I don't want to live in Australia. I hate Australia with its racist overtones and male chauvinism and the only reason I am here is because of my Dave and my daughter, who will not entertain the idea of moving to Wales. I don't blame them....I am not angry with them....I am just incredibly sad that if I want to do what my heart is begging and return to Fishguard, to the hills overlooking the Irish sea, I will have to leave them, and since I love them so much...I will never be going home. It feels like my heart is broken, so homesick I am.
As you can imagine doing all this heavy work by myself gave me immeasurable physical pain, but to my delight, the local doc was a little more pragmatic than Australian docs, who become hysterical over just the mention of an increase in dosage of Oxycontin. I was only on 30mg twice a day....have been for over five years and the breakthrough pain was quite frankly, if not laughable, ridiculous. The Welsh GP, upped my dose to 40mg twice a day and for a while, that gave me loads more pain relief.
As soon as I returned to Australia and went to the docs, my problems really started. I received a damning lecture about my Oxycontin dosage having been increased and was made to feel like a criminal and then the doc refused to keep me on 40mgs, insisting that it was a very high dose and made me go back to 30 mgs. In addition, despite me forcefully telling the doc that the cymbalta was wrecking my life, he increased the dosage from 30mg to 60mg. When I asked him whether I would get any side effects from the increase, he lied and said no. With the increase, I developed anxiety and night sweats, involuntary muscle twitches, headaches, lethargy, loss of appetite and a profound lack of sleep.
While this was going on, my dear Dave, who is usually as fit as a mallee bull and as strong as Atlas, became ill with a swollen stomach that made him look like Santa Claus. He stopped going to the toilet and was in considerable pain. We rushed him to emergency and he's now been in hospital for nearly two weeks with peritonitis and the very definite likelihood that he has cancer. It is unbearable to see my man looking so thin, yet swollen and in so much pain.
So, peeps...that is what has been going on with me. I feel so very sad and scared. I am normally quite a strong, wilful person but I feel my strength has gone the way of the dinosaurs at the moment. Can I borrow some of yours?
Last edited by beccablob; 06-19-2012 at 05:29 PM.
Reason: grammar
The following 3 users give hugs of support to: beccablob FibroButBlessed (06-20-2012), thefarm (06-20-2012), WoodsWalker (06-20-2012)
You have so much going on that it is a wonder you have not had a complete crash. I know it is difficult when you are in the middle of all that you have going on, but you have to find time for you. To heal, to get strong again and some of these "big" issues become less of an issue. Listen to me, preaching to you what I have being trying to say to myself for the past few weeks. It is easier when we are thinking of others and their life. Thank you for making me realise this.
You know from the past that it will get better. Try to prioririze where you are with all of the things going on in your life. See what you have to do now and what can be put off or can be passed on to others.
Thats all I have for now.
Stay well.
The following user gives a hug of support to brend: beccablob (06-20-2012)
The Following User Says Thank You to brend For This Useful Post: beccablob (06-20-2012)
hi becca,
i knew there was more to your reaching out. letting go is not easy, yet in time we must let go of all we know and love. your mom and dad would want you to do what is easiest for you. you have your memories, which never need dusting, everything else is stuff. sure it's special to you, however, is keeping it more draining than letting it go?
i learned at 21 when my dad died that memories are all you really have or need. i used to have some of his things. they are gone now. i let go. i remember for the first year i could still smell his cologne on his robe. then the scent was gone and all i had was a robe made of wool that i could not wear. i gifted it to someone in need. that felt good.
it was brave of you to do this alone, maybe not wise, but for sure brave.
sending you many pats on the back and energy for being there for your dave. i will ask that it not be cancer. take my energy, as much as you need. i will speak to friend redwood and ask that all trees gift you with energy and guide you back to balance.
deepest empathy and peace,
blue
The following user gives a hug of support to bluelakelady: beccablob (06-20-2012)
The Following User Says Thank You to bluelakelady For This Useful Post: beccablob (06-20-2012)
Wow, was that a tough time --- and a tough time to back down from a pain med and then come off of a med involved in brain chemistry. Sorry you have to do all of this at once! I hope the struggle with the med changes is short lived.
I am so sorry the doctors felt they shold lecture ou so severely. Where are they keeping those defective molds for making doctors? Let's break down the doors and shatter the molds. I would like to blame it on sexism, but I just had a female rheumatologist write in my medical record that she doesn't believe in fibro. At least I know. Time to change docs. Voting with my feet. Not that she cares. maybe she will a little when she sees the online reviews.
Hold on until your legs can support you!
The Following User Says Thank You to Rhaquel For This Useful Post: beccablob (06-21-2012)
I think that many doctors develop a type of arrogance and world weariness born of the knowledge that with chronic pain, there is no cure available. There may well be a cure but it wouldn't be good for the bottom line, if you know what I mean. I think they get sick of us continually asking for updates on new treatments and the possibility of a cure and in the case of private doctors, I believe many of them are motivated not by the desire to make people better, but by the pharmaceutical companies who offer financial incentives for the doctors to peddle the latest, 'pink pill for pale people'.
Not cynical at all, am I?
Imagine the blow to the economy if cures were available and implemented for things like chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, parkinson's, ms, cancer, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, asthma and other chronic conditions. The pharma giants would lose trillions around the world. It is better for them that we remain in the grip of illness. Got to placate the share holders, you know.
Gee, I'm grumpy today. Sorry, everyone. I guess having my honey in hospital is getting to me.
I think that many doctors develop a type of arrogance and world weariness born of the knowledge that with chronic pain, there is no cure available. There may well be a cure but it wouldn't be good for the bottom line, if you know what I mean. I think they get sick of us continually asking for updates on new treatments and the possibility of a cure and in the case of private doctors, I believe many of them are motivated not by the desire to make people better, but by the pharmaceutical companies who offer financial incentives for the doctors to peddle the latest, 'pink pill for pale people'.
Not cynical at all, am I?
Imagine the blow to the economy if cures were available and implemented for things like chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, parkinson's, ms, cancer, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, asthma and other chronic conditions. The pharma giants would lose trillions around the world. It is better for them that we remain in the grip of illness. Got to placate the share holders, you know.
Gee, I'm grumpy today. Sorry, everyone. I guess having my honey in hospital is getting to me.
hi becca,
hey some of what you say is true, bummer that it is. so sorry the stress of your honey being in hossy is getting to you. please try to breath more.
peace,
blue
The following user gives a hug of support to bluelakelady: beccablob (06-22-2012)
You are right. Negativity only attracts yet more negativity, so I am going to try hard to concentrate on finding some positives to think about instead.
I have a beautiful daughter who is carrying my beautiful grandchild to be. I have my wonderful animals, who always give me lots of cuddles. I have my lovely Dave, who is always so brimming with cheer and I have all my friends here, who at the drop of a post, always give me hugs and support. When I write it out, I can see how blessed I really am. Thank you, Bluelakelady. I wish I could meet you in person and give you a hug.
The following user gives a hug of support to beccablob: Glojer (06-23-2012)
hi becca,
i felt your hug the instant i read your words. thank you for the lovely hug. now hug yourself girl for me, kay?
a new life! what joy! blessings to new mommy and baby. you get to be granny! it's fun! i have 15 grandkids and they are all a blast to be around and nothing is as sweet as the smell of a new baby, well except when they poo, giggle!
peace,
blue
Hi becca, as usual I am coming a little late to the party. I just wanted to say thank you for coming here when you need help. That is what we are here for and if we can't help those we consider our fibro friends, then why are we here. Blue has expressed my feelings very well, so I will leave it at that. All I will add is my prayers and my energy to you and Dave. And I will add some good words for your daughter and soon to be grandchild. I can relate, our daughter is pregnant with the first grandchild from her. Our son has 3 children, one of them 2 months old. Being granny is the greatest, Holding and rocking that little newborn baby takes all the stress and worry away, if only for a couple hours a day.
Sending you all the baby rocking stress reducing energy you can use!
Glojer
The following user gives a hug of support to Glojer: beccablob (06-25-2012)
The Following User Says Thank You to Glojer For This Useful Post: beccablob (06-25-2012)
I've watched it & it's pretty convincing. But fibro symptoms are like sooo many things & so easy to wish it is something curable.
There is a naturalist close by but doesn't except insurance. I am thinking about going there to be tested for Lyme since they have more accurate tests. However it's a lot of $ which I just don't have. But then my problems started 11 years before the actual fibro pain set in so I have a hard time beleiving it's Lyme because my symptoms just aren't the same as the Lyme symptoms.
Firstly, let me say thanks again for all of the support. It never ceases to amaze. I have suffered Lyme disease. I caught it from paralysis tic poisoning, Actually, I am anaphalaxix to paralysis ticks now and have had a few close calls. I have been assured that my aches and pains are indeed fibro combined with spine damage, nerve damage, osteoarthritis, spinabifida, post traumatic stress disorder, acute angsiety and clinical depression.
The trouble with chronic pain is that over the years, according to recent reading I have done, is that the constant pain message changes the pathways in the brain and your muscles, 'remember', stresses and then react acutely to any pain message, Does that make sense?
The theory about fibro that interests me is the, 'FL1953', protozoa. This protozoa ordinarily lives in tics and when a human is bitten by an infected tic, the human is in turn, infected. The symptoms of infection mimic fibro, ms and chronic fatigue, but there is treatment available. The tests to prove the existence of the protozoa are very expensive, so I've been told, but the treatment, apparently is a course of tablets and then, lo and behold you are cured.
This test and treatment is not available in Australia, as per usual, but I understand that it is available in the US, if you have the money. I am seriously thinking about saving up and trying to get over there to have the treatment because I was exposed to paralysis tics for over ten years and have been bitten many times. Imagine if our illness was caused by something so simple and was so easily cured!
Have any of you heard of this protozoa? The Dr. in the States who discovered this is called Stephen Fry and his some of his work has been published online. It is well worth a read.
Dave is out of hospital for a couple of weeks now, while we wait for residual infection form the peritonitis to clear, before he has the spignoidoscopy. It is great to have him home, but very difficult to get him to relax. He wants to get into the yard and do his, 'man things', but I have hidden the key to the shed, so he's going to have a bit of job! He is still swollen, but his spirits are considerably improved. I am thinking about getting him some chickens to look after. What do you think?
hi becca,
happy to hear honey is home. yes yes yes to the chickens! excellent idea. let me know when you save up and you can crash at my house in california. giggle. there are some good doctors in san francisco at u.c.s.d. and in sacramento at u.c. davis. tho there may be better ones back east or down south where i hear there are more tics than here. we have them but i have been fortunate, never had one on me. just my cats.
sending more healing energy to you both.
peace,
blue
Re: gone, now back again 
