Cymbalta for FM?

rachellepeters

I just started Cymbalta last week and this is the first time in 8 years I've been without pain.

They started me at 30mg, and it made me sick on day 1, then day 2, I was fine (I do take half the prescription--and I feel like a normal person again)

Love the drug, and will go with 15 mg per day as long as I can

When you do start it, be ready for some icky effects, but mine only lasted 1 day....

kyethra

Yes, I have been on cymbalta for a couple of months now. I'm pleasantly surprised at how its working. I started out at 30 for one week and then went to 60. I had to switch to taking it at bedtime because of some drowsiness and minor side effects, and taking it then works out better. At first it caused nausea and diarrhea but the nausea went away, although I do still have some bowel issues on it, but I'm attacking those with diet right now because the cymbalta is working well.

Since I have been on it my headache (I used to have a headache almost all the time) has been reduced dramitically. I know don't have a headache more often than I do have one and its not as bad. I'm having less pain.

Most impressively and surprisingly, my muscles seem to be working better. I swear I don't know if that is supposed to happen or not, but I have been in physical therapy for 8 months. After a couple of weeks on the cymbalta I started to notice an improvement. Before it would take me months to increase my time on the stationary bike by one minute. And building any strength was a long and slow process, though it was working. After the cymbalta I started increasing by one minute every week or every other week. And I am now regularily increasing the weight resistence (its still very low mind). I'm shocked. I'm starting to feel/respond a little like my old self again-- I look forward to the sessions to see what I can do and some days I have to remind myself not to push myself too much so I don't regret it the next day. Before it was a struggle just to get through my workout.

One thing about the cymbalta that concerns me a little is how happy I am on it. I know that sounds wierd. I was on zoloft for years before I got sick for drepssion that was always very well controlled on it. But I tried to get off the zoloft and when I got back on my dose had to be doubled for it to be effective. It wasn't too long after that that I got sick, and because I had extensive stomach problems my doctors suggested I switch meds, so I slowly switched over to wellbutrin and that was working for me.

And then the cymbalta is of course an antidepressant. And now I'm too happy. I'm not really as stressed as I should be. I keep trying to be nice and helpfull and mellow and easy going. Mellow is not a word people would use to describe me. I was happy before I got on cymbalta. Now I'm just annoying.

But If I keep remindng myself of certain things like its just the meds I feel better.

So yes, the cymbalta seems to help.