Hello from Arkansas

[SouthernJumper]

Hi! I'm about to turn 25 but suspect I have had this since 19 when I had a riding accident that screwed up my back. I just thought I was weird for having pain when my arms and legs were touched, even by clothing.

Now that I work for my GP I have asked her about it and she said classic fibro (but I'm seeing a rheum in August too).

Started on Gabapentin and it did nothing. Switched to Lyrica which also did nothing.

Now I'm starting week 3 of Cymbalta. I hate the side effects but it was working through about week 1.5 on 30mg a day. So now I'm experimenting with 30mg in the morning and 30mg at night.


I was led to this forum through a Cymbalta Google search so I'm particularly interested in what people think of it!

 

[Ruralchick]

Welcome SouthernJumper,

Sorry you are having trouble finding something to help you. Everyone is so different as to treatments and what does/does not work. I was on Cymbalta for awhile. It helped the pain, but stole my brain. I weaned off it exactly the way my Doc. told me to and had no problems. Gabapentin trashed my stomach and I refused Lyrica as it can cause significant weight gain. I have heard of others using a combo that includes muscle relaxers.

Take a spin through other posts, there is much to learn--and you must learn to help yourself! Glad you have a good relationship with your GP, many have go through many docs before getting the help they need.
So you are blessed to have been taken seriously so quickly.

 

[jaminhealth]

Hi, I've taken none of the drugs you mention....the endo who diagnosed'd me tried to get me on his guaifenisen protocol, I resisted...there is a group about this med so you might want to look there...guai is in the cough med mucinex....

Personally, I do it all with supps except for ibuprofen, 2 two times per day, pain rx herbal supp in between the advil. Otherwise all supps and I spent a lof of years on another FM/CFS forum and MOST worked with supps.

A lot of us deal with other issues as I deal with lifelong OA and a mess from hip replacement, oh brother.... and I'm much much older and FM didn't hit my body until at 61, but I do thyroid is so involved. Check around as there is a lot of good info...I'm pretty new here but have been posting a lot of info I know about. J

 

[cmetryme]

welcome SJ. how do you know the meds are not working for u? please explain.

I have found that some folks say the meds are not working because the pain is still there.
it's supposed to still be there.

i'm not sure if your GP explained how the meds are to help you.
how you are to decide is they are helping or not helping.

those meds are nerve blockers not pain killers.

its not like you have a headache and you take an aspirin and it goes away.

they are there to reduce the number of knife pains and the burning in your skin from the nerves rubbing under your skin.

if your not seeing relief from those things then the meds are not working.

experimenting with the dosage as you say,

tells me you did not read the med guide that came with the meds your taking and
you did not talk to the pharmacist. or you would not be experimenting.

you see those meds are for folks with seizures. the meds will reduce the number of seizures a person will have by blocking the messages to the brain.

the med can also make you have seizures too, if you take to much or you body has a reaction to the med.

they find that the meds help to reduce the number of pains sent to areas of the of the body in Fibro folks.

please talk to the doctor as you are working there and see you pharmacist soon.

 

[SouthernJumper]

I couldn't handle the side effects of 30mg Cymbalta at first. It took my body a bit to get used it before going to the standard 60mg dose.

How did I know it wasn't working? It still killed me to put clothes on, or have someone brush past my arm. I felt like I wanted to crawl out of my skin still.

I have meds for pain that work just fine. The nerves were still driving me crazy. Now I'm still on Cymbalta and the nerves have calmed down drastically, I'm just still dealing with the side effects.

 

[cmetryme]

hang in there. keep trying and coping.

try to stay calm and do relaxation technics.

side effect can go away after time.