My doctor recommended Cymbalta to help me with my cronic pain. She also said it would give me some much needed energy. I started on 40 mg for 2 weeks and then moved to 60 mgs for 1 month. It didn't help with my pain or increase my energy level. Intially I didn't feel any effects, but soon after I had trouble sleeping. Then my BP elevated about 20 points systolic & diastolic. I have tinnitus and the ringing in my ears got worse. I have always been headache free but I also began to get headaches. I was always thankful that despite living nearly 30 years with cronic pain I very rarely had headaches. I then began having trouble controlling my bladder. I began feeling really strange and light headed. I started gaining weight and had abnormal amounts of gas. I was fatigued most of the time. My doctor urged me to try to stay on the medication for a little longer but I reached the point where I couldn't tolerate it any more. I forgot to mention that I also began to have nightmares and strange dreams. When I stopped taking Cymbalta my BP soon returned to normal but after more than a month all of the other side effects are still lingering. I am beginning to feel helpless and worry that somehow the cymbalta has permanently altered my natural brain chemistry. I can't really describe the way I feel, but I'm I just don't know what to do any more. I'm hoping that there my be some natural remedies to help get me back to normal.
katewolf,
First off Welcome!
What it did to you it did to me, the nightmares, sleep, bladder, weight gain, so tired all the time, and would sleep so
much of the time during the day, and would even fall asleep sitting up in my meetings, or just at my house, I looked
like a junkie nodding. I also fel hopeless, and that i was going insane, or already had, also that I now had some kind of
untreatable depression. I never did feel like this when I went on it, later to find out these were side effects, but also
withdrawl symptoms.
Please do not give up, like i said I was about to until I found this place, and it validated everything I was thinking, and feeling!
I then was told it was not be, it was the drug, also that the withdrawls could last up to 6 mo. to 2 years or more, and may also
come back at times that are really hard to deal with.
You will be ok, just know it's your brain, and it is addicted to this crap, all it knows is that it wants it, and wants it now, just like
a addict wanting their drug. Once it gets it all the maddness stops! Yet then you just get the other crap to deal with.
I did get on the Prozac, and was first put on 20 mg for 2 weeks, and then to raise it to 40 mg after two weeeks, and stay on it,
not just take a few doses. It really has helped me.
You do have choices, and I would never do what your doing, but that is what is so nice around here, we all decide what we are
going to do, and still get all the care, and support, whatever you nedd to get you through this.YOUR NOT ALONE EVER!!!!
Keep us posted as to what is going on with you, ok? Take care.
Debbie
