Cymbalta experience- did it help you? I'm starting it today...

[Con]

So for you, did the cymbalta help with the fibromyalgia pain? And how long did it take to help? Are you at 30 or 60 mg? Sorry for so many questions... I just have so much to learn. Thank you!

We started low and now at 90.

 

[SeaPhoenix]

Thanks to everyone for your replies so far. I'm kind of bummed that there aren't many positive cymbalta experiences, but I appreciate your honest input so I have a reasonable idea of what to expect. Best wishes to everyone and hope we are all feeling better soon!

Hi Jennifer,
Sounds to me like you are a little earlier on in your fibro journey than me. I also once was on lexapro for many months, back then just for anxiety/depression and when fibro symptoms set in my psychiatrist immediately switched me to Cymbalta. No, it was not considerably effective for pain, but I do think it helps with anxiety/depression, and I think it ever so slightly modulates the pain and accompanying physiological symptoms.

Unfortunately a hard truth that I've had to learn about fibro and that I think all fibromites eventually come to learn is that there is almost never a single treatment that effectively reduces ALL the hardships and symptoms of fibro. More and more I'm coming to terms with, and viewing the end goal in my treatment as a personalized 'concoction' of several treatments and therapies which combined both manage and, eventually with time I hope, mitigate the symptoms & pain. By concoction I mean you will hear of all types of treatments/therapies, and not just idealistic homeopathic ones but less prominent, in the MD medical field, allopathic ones like antivirals, off-label prescriptions (LDN - highly suggest you read about it), complicated but high-quality numerous specific/targeted supplements (i.e. from fullscript) and then on to regenerative lifestyle changes (diet, yoga, even career transitions or slight shifts). The highest price we have to pay, not to downplay healthcare costs at all, is really the long time it may take to try all these different treatments and see only slight improvements with a few to move towards each own's individual personalized treatment.

Nonetheless I do recommend cymbalta. Moreso though, I would suggest you continue after cymbalta to try allopathic/other treatments that will be more geared towards pain, like gabapentin, LDN, CBD. I don't recommend trying to function without cymbalta - the depression/anxiety aspect of fibro is very real. From personal experience, in the last year I tried switching from cymbalta to a very revered new anti-depressant - Trintellix, supposed to work on treatment resistant depression - and didn't find improvement. In fact my mentalilty suffered greatly, and my doctor rushed to get me back on Cymbalta. Since getting back I feel at least my mental health is better and pain might be a little less volatile.

Lastly I sincerely want to convey another lesson I have learned and am still learning about fibro, which is that you cannot think of it as a purely mental health condition. Western & modern medical practice still does, despite not understanding it fully, and large percentages of the world's most prestigious doctors live under the impression that psychiatric treatment - i.e. pharmacotherapeutic via cymbalta - is the sole and unfortunate way to treat it. It's not. Fibro is an autoimmune condition which, in affecting many systems of the body, affects neurotransmitter levels and both neurologically as well as psychologically (just dealing with the impacts it has on quality of life) induces depression and anxiety. But it also has chemical markers and dysbiosis / deregulation outside homeostasis in many other bodily systems. Once you've treated the depression and fibro fog, you almost surely can find some treatments or changes in lifestyle, diet, or therapies that your body will be responsive to. Never be too hard on yourself, and always remember that the pain and condition you're afflicted by is not your fault or life's retribution in any way or form or reason for anything from your past or present. It's not the doctor's faults or healthcare systems entirely either, advancements do and will come with time, but the autoimmune system is probably one of if not the most complicated in the body. Wish you the best and know that you're not alone.

 

[Jennifer V]

@SeaPhoenix - Thanks for such a thoughtful and detailed response! I appreciate your thoughts.

 

[sunkacola]

Nonetheless I do recommend cymbalta.

@Jennifer V ......Please always remember, when someone recommends a medication or a protocol to you, that everyone is very different and what works for one may give another person serious side effects or have no effect at all. Not saying you shouldn't try Cymbalta! But just be aware that you have to do your own experimentation on things to find what works for you. Cymbalta may help, or may not.

I would suggest you continue after cymbalta to try allopathic/other treatments that will be more geared towards pain, like gabapentin, LDN, CBD. I don't recommend trying to function without cymbalta -

Again, it may turn out that Cymbalta is not something helpful, and certainly many many people with fibromyalgia function without the use of Cymbalta, or even the use of serious pain medication. In fact, the less medication you can manage to take the better. There are so many other things you can do to help yourself, and I will link at the bottom to my post about that, which I highly recommend that you read and consider.

Fibro is an autoimmune condition

This is not something that has been to any degree proven. It is only a theory at this point, and some researchers are considering it seriously, and others are not. It is unwise to make such a statement when in fact the research does not support it.

But it also has chemical markers and dysbiosis / deregulation outside homeostasis in many other bodily systems.

While fibromyalgia does affect many aspects of a human body and its functioning, there are no actual chemical markers for fibromyalgia. If there were, then there would be a test that you could take which would prove, through the presence of those chemical markers, that you have fibromyalgia. But because there are no actual chemical markers associated with it, there are no conclusive tests.

nce you've treated the depression and fibro fog, you almost surely can find some treatments or changes in lifestyle, diet, or therapies that your body will be responsive to.

I recommend highly that no one wait until certain things have improved or been treated before starting to change lifestyle aspects that may help significantly, especially as making those changes can also lessen the effects of depression and brain fog, as well as other things. Start making positive changes in your life right away, even if they are tiny things. Baby steps lead to better health every bit as much as do larger steps. The important thing is to be taking those steps.

but the autoimmune system is probably one of if not the most complicated in the body.

Again. please keep in mind, everyone, and especially SeaPhoenix, that there is no scientific evidence as yet that fibromyalgia is an autoimmune disorder. This is only something that is being theorized about at this point, and while some people will claim it to be true I feel it is best to wait to see hard scientific evidence before believing that.

My advice for managing fibromyalgia (especially for newcomers)

I am not a doctor or anything, just a person who has lived with fibromyalgia for several years now and has done a lot of research and trial and error experimentation. What follows is just basics. There are a lot of variations. You will find your own versions of everything I say, as this is not a...

www.fibromyalgiaforums.org

 

[JayCS]

Good thoughts from you, @SeaPhoenix, but I have to agree fully with @sunkacola's caveats, and second it by adding that I don't have the least mental issues (altho I used to have social phobia). Closest to that was taking a week of "humphing" after the fibro and then an unreckoned with hyperlipidemia diagnosis. When things fog my mind, it's usually meds, or treatments, or Ache from overdoing it or tiredness. Even MCAS and having to watch histamines now hasn't stopped my mind. So my fibro is 100% physical.
Also I doubt, especially knowing my body and my fibro, & all the hypotheses flying around, that fibro is one thing with one cause.
The "(bio-)chemical markers" are usually called biomarkers, and quite a few have been found that may be associated with fibro, but also with many other conditions, so they will be no help for a long time.

 

[LolaMerle]

I did decide to go from 120 mg of Cymbalta down to 60 mg about a week ago. Pain has been getting worse daily. I don’t know if it’s because of side effects from taking less, or if I’m having more pain because there’s less in my system! Right now I don’t feel like I want to wait to find out because everything hurts and if going back up to 120 mg will help, I have to do it! GABA doesn’t seem to be doing much; neither does CoQ10. For anyone who has weaned off of Cymbalta over time, what were the withdrawal symptoms, if any? More pain, or other symptoms? I don’t know whether I should re-up my dose or not.

 

[chance1252]

I just started Cymbalta 6 days ago. The first couple days were really ruff but now I’m starting to turn a corner from the side effects. I have not noticed much except in the morning I’m not so stiff. But I didn’t start noticing that till yesterday. Good luck I hope it helps you. I started at 30mg and on day 8 I’m suppose to increase to 60mg. I am weaning of Prozac onto the cymbalta

 

[MaiTai]

I am having really good results with the general version of Lyrica for my fibromyalgia. I have had fibromyalgia for 3 or more years. I am taking cymbalta but I may stop taking it since it doesn’t help.

 

[MaiTai]

I think it has as far as replacing the Lexapro. With the discomfort of my Fibro it wasn’t enough and why we kept increasing the gabapentin.

I stopped taking GABA because it stopped working, I’m on the generic version of Lyrica it’s doing better than the Gabapentin. I’m still in pain from other issues

 

[JayCS]

I stopped taking GABA because it stopped working, I’m on the generic version of Lyrica it’s doing better than the Gabapentin. I’m still in pain from other issues

Hi MaiTai, and welcome!
I guess you mean G(aba). as an abbreviation for gabapentin/Neurontin rather than the amino acid neurotransmitter supp GABA = gamma aminobutyric acid?
If you do mean GABA I'd be interested in details, as I can't imagine it stopping working once we've found the right dose?!

 

[Con]

I did decide to go from 120 mg of Cymbalta down to 60 mg about a week ago. Pain has been getting worse daily. I don’t know if it’s because of side effects from taking less, or if I’m having more pain because there’s less in my system! Right now I don’t feel like I want to wait to find out because everything hurts and if going back up to 120 mg will help, I have to do it! GABA doesn’t seem to be doing much; neither does CoQ10. For anyone who has weaned off of Cymbalta over time, what were the withdrawal symptoms, if any? More pain, or other symptoms? I don’t know whether I should re-up my dose or not.

How are you doing now? I know this post was a couple months back. I, too, decreased my cymbalta a couple weeks ago and unsure if increased discomfort was from actually having the right dosage with my gabapentin or if it due to not pacing well enough.

 

[longtimer]

I'm sorry I didn't see this post earlier - I've been trying to get off Cymbalta for years - the side effects are horrendous and for me, not worth being on it. It is VERY difficult to get off it - there are thousands like me trying to, so if you start having side effects please visit the FaceBook group "Cymbalta Hurts Worse" and read about the drug and how to wean yourself off of it. I have tried to explain to my doctor how it affects me and he keeps wanting to increase the dosage even though I want to get off it. Also, if you do decide to go off it - please go to the FB group and read how to do it without causing a psychotic break - most doctors advise too rapid a reduction.

 

[sunkacola]

I'm sorry I didn't see this post earlier - I've been trying to get off Cymbalta for years - the side effects are horrendous and for me, not worth being on it. It is VERY difficult to get off it - there are thousands like me trying to, so if you start having side effects please visit the FaceBook group "Cymbalta Hurts Worse" and read about the drug and how to wean yourself off of it. I have tried to explain to my doctor how it affects me and he keeps wanting to increase the dosage even though I want to get off it. Also, if you do decide to go off it - please go to the FB group and read how to do it without causing a psychotic break - most doctors advise too rapid a reduction.

Good for you for getting off this harmful drug.
I want to encourage you to ignore what your doctor is saying and simply decrease it on your own. (Which is maybe what you are already doing.) Best of luck to you and know we are here to support you.

 

[This2shallpass]

Hi There,
I was diagnosed with back in 1997 by a qualified Neurologist, after years of ending up in the ER or doctor's office and of course they couldn't find a thing wrong with me in blood work, or tests, scans, etc. As far as Cymbalta. Yes, it was given to me for Anxiety around 2006 and although it did seem to help the Fibromyalgia a tiny bit, it did a number on me otherwise, causing me to experience extreme shortness of breath, vivid and frightening dreams, sudden Vertigo and Tinnitus. I gave it five years due to my doctor's insistence. Cymbalta seemed to calm my pain in the beginning, but due to the extreme side affects (and the Vertigo and Tinnitus remains to this day) I felt it necessary to get off of it....going back to Prozac. I seem to not do well on any types of SSRI's for Fibromyalgia. Am I anxious? You bet. Am I in pain? All the time. Have I tried other medications? Yes. Nothing has done anything to help me, and in fact has left me in a status now of not taking anything except Advil, which I try not to take much of due to my stomach and my age. I have a great deal of empathy for anyone who suffers as I do. It's a horrible malady that won't kill us, but it will, and does make daily life a great challenge. Just wish the pharmaceutical companies would do more to assist anyone who lives with Chronic Pain.

 

[sunkacola]

Hi this2shallpass, and welcome to the forum.

Many of us have had similar experiences with Cymbalta and other drugs, and can easily understand what you have been through. Thanks for adding your experience.
I do want to say that there are many other things besides medication that can reduce pain intensity and frequency. While, as they say, mileage will vary, I have had experience with approaching the management of pain without using drugs at all, and I have written a post that has many suggestions of things you can try for yourself. My pain is reduced significantly because I have followed my own version and combination of the things I suggest. I recommend you read it and see what you can do.

I fully understand wishing that the pharmaceutical companies would do more, but really it's not up to them as much as it is up to us as individuals to manage our pain. Pain medications are good and necessary at times, for certain, but it is not the best or only way to deal with chronic pain. Being able to manage it without the use of drugs, at least much of the time, is incredibly empowering, much less expensive, requires fewer doctor visits, and is without side effects.
Check it out and ask any questions. We are here to support and encourage you, so don't feel you have to face this alone.

My advice for managing fibromyalgia (especially for newcomers)

I am not a doctor or anything, just a person who has lived with fibromyalgia for several years now and has done a lot of research and trial and error experimentation. What follows is just basics. There are a lot of variations. You will find your own versions of everything I say, as this is not a...

www.fibromyalgiaforums.org