34 replies to this topic

[summer975]

A pain management doctor put me on 30mg Teva Duloxetine for post-Shingles pain. The idea is to train the nerves not to create this highway so I won't have this low-level, intermittent pain for the rest of my life. I think she's thinking it would only be a month.

 

My side effects were mild nausea and extreme sleepiness. At one week (today), the nausea is mostly gone. My appetite is suppressed (the one good side effect), but I'm sleeping 10 hours a night and then taking a nap an hour after I get up. I feel pretty spacey until it's a few hours until my next dose.

 

After reading some of your posts here, I'm not sure it's worth it to be on this drug. My doctor said for 30mg, they don't wean you off, just stop  She's calling in a 20mg perscription for me. 

 

What do you suggest? Try the 20mg? Or if I decide I want to stop, is my time so brief that I can do that? This is feeling like it's a case of the remedy being much worse than the problem. 

[summer975]

It is coming up to my dosage time and I am wondering if I should just not take it. I'm reading through threads but not seeing anyone who had only taken this drug for a week.

[FiveNotions]

Hi Summer, I'm sorry I didn't see your posts until just now! Welcome to the forum, I'm so glad you've joined us!

 

What you're feeling are definitely Cymbalta / duloxetine effects ... extreme sleep, nausea, etc...

I think you're very wise to choose to get off of this before you've been on it so long that it causes more problems ... that you're at a relatively small dose, and haven't been on it for long is a good thing ...

 

Note: I've edited this to correct my suggestion to stay on it and bead count. TM, FH and the others are correct. Get off it now ... if you have too much trouble, you can go back on and bead count, but if you can just get off right now, that's the thing to do!

Definitely take your next dose ...the 30 mg... and keep taking it until we have a chance to help you work out a solid plan for getting off it ... another day or two at the most ..

And definitely do no quit taking it cold turkey, even at the low dose ... I quit CT almost 9 months ago ... it was the hard way to do it ....

The best way to do this is to use the bead counting method, over a period of time... since I didn't do it that way, I'll let the others here who did give you the specifics ...

I wasn't aware of Cymbalta being used for shingles ... I'm going to research that, and I'll post some links and info here for you tomorrow ...

Stay with us, I'm sorry that we didn't see your posts today ... that's not typical here, we're usually "on the ball" ...
 

Edited by FiveNotions, 15 August 2014 - 09:25 AM.

[summer975]

HI FiveNotions, thanks for replying. I was just reading about someone else here who was on it for 5 days and she stopped cold turkey. I've only been on it for 7 doses (tonight will be #8). But you think I should take tonight's dose. I hate the way this makes me feel and after finding this site, I see why. 

 

Btw, it isn't for active shingles but post-shingles. Thanks for being here. 

[thismoment]

summer975

 

Here is what I would do: first I'd stop the Cymbalta outright cold turkey right now. Second I'd get some proper pain medication like an opioid for the post-shingles pain. Third, I'd find a new doctor-- preferably one from this planet.

 

Take care.

[FiveNotions]

Summer, it's definitely possible that you can come off it cold turkey ... it has a half-life in the blood stream of about 12 hours... so, If you quit CT, it'll be out of your system in about 4 days ... although it's stored in the liver and fat cells, so that can vary depending on weight ...

 

As you said, you haven't been on it long, and you're at almost the lowest dose ... that's good ... also, it seems like those of us here who are older (I'm 61, for example) have a harder time with the withdrawal effects ... cold turkey just isn't good for us "old farts"

 

Because it has such a short half-life, if you quit CT and are going to have a hard time doing it that way, you'll know within a couple of days ... as the stuff gets out of your system, the withdrawal effects .... if any ... will start showing up ...

 

If you want to give it a try and not take tonight's dose, that's fine ... then, if you do get the withdrawal effects, you can just hop right back on the 30 mg, and stay on it for a few days while you stabilize and the bad effects disappear ... then, we'd help you start using the bead counting method, removing beads over a longer period of time ...

[FiveNotions]

Okay Summer ... ThisMoment just weighed in and agrees that you can stop tonight ... just keep an eye on how you feel, and keep posting here to tell us how it's going ... and be sure to tell us at the first sign of any problems!

 

And yes, your doc is an asshat ... from the planet jackass ...

[summer975]

Thank you both so much. The post-shingles pain is not that bad really. I am so happy not to take the pill tonight. I will weigh in tomorrow. I am close to your age, but otherwise in healthy shape.

[thismoment]

summer975

 

Hopefully you've read some posts on this forum and others, and you've probably googled Cymbalta and SS/SNRIs in general. When you start on these drugs for pain, it opens up a whole world of other symptoms and potential problems down the road that are in no way related to pain-relief. Please get appropriate pain medication and stay away from these bad boys. Cymbalta will put you on the other side of the Antidepressant Fence, and after a while it's impossible to tell if you are inside or out!!

[summer975]

It has been an education tonight, reading this site, I'll tell you. Thank you so much.

[thismoment]

summer975

 

It's possible you will get some upset from stopping, perhaps some dizziness, GI upset, nausea, and general out-of-sorts for a few days. But it will go away and you can skip down the street clicking your heels and singing, "I Dodged a Big Bullet!" 

 

Happy trails kid.

[summer975]

Thanks for the warning. I've been feeling all of that for this last week anyway. I will report back. 

[ZappAlta]

I suggest 'quit while you are ahead' It will mess with your Neurological signals and overall well being for a long time.As for getting off this Med after a few months or long term the posts here speak the truth. I think your system has not loaded up -absorbed much yet  and so getting off now should be negligible.

[fishinghat]

I also have to throw my hat in the ring and say that I support TM on this one. Even if you get some withdrawal it SHOULD be minor. Worse case you go back on 30 and bead count from there but I don't hink trhat will be necessary. Please keep us informed on what happens. That is how we learn.

 

I also am sorry I didn't respond earlier. My internet was down.

[brzghoff]

 

other anti-d's, old school types such as tramadol and tricyclics are used, but i've seen nothing in regard to SSRI/SNRI meds used to treat post shingle pain. however well established that they are used to treat other neuropathic pain. seems these day docs like to use the C as a one size fits all med for physical and mental pain. those who've been on the C for either reason don't see much benefit given the impact of withdrawal. 

 

as for the tramadol, don't know much about it except the vet gave me some to give my cat after he had minor surgery to have an abscess removed. pain meds for a cat??? he didn't act like it was intolerable pain, kept trying to pull off his E-collar .. forget giving a pill to that cat! if he could struggle that hard he didn't need any pain meds! i never gave it to him and his energy and demeanor were fine. still wanted to chase around and harass our other cat. just goes to show you how med happy docs can be. 

[thismoment]

Hi brzghoff

 

Like you, I am a cat person. At one time I wondered about pain meds for cats, but have subsequently been convinced it's totally appropriate.

 

I'm happy for your kitty that he didn't need the pain meds in this case. I know that it's difficult to administer anything to cats, including pills, liquids, and suggestions like, "I'd rather you didn't sleep on my head". They simply don't have the "Yup yup I can eat anything, and I know you're always right mumma!!" attitude of puppies and dogs. Cats are skeptical about everything, whether it's a physical event or a philosophical concept; it's a mindset I strive to emulate.

 

Surely our highest moral ethic is to alleviate the suffering of all conscious creatures. And of course each of us has our own idea of what constitutes consciousness, where each species fits on that list, and where on that list our concern for suffering begins. Most of us (but not all) put homo sapiens on the top of the list. We care more about dolphins and cats than we do about bed bugs. Do bed bugs suffer? I honestly don't care. But I know cats suffer, but it's beyond their sense of dignity to reach out, so I reach in.

 

I just learned that cats and homo sapiens shared a common ancestor about 90 million years ago, and cats share 90% of (homologous) genes with humans. Wow, we're cousins.

[brzghoff]

 

perhaps i could have worded it better regarding my skepticism of cats needing pain meds. i guess i should have clarified in this situation. i understand that there are times a cat or other animal may need pain relief. i am aware that cats don't like to show how bad off they are. in this case, i had to weigh any possible benefit from the med vs. how his struggle to fight off getting the pill might have had on popping his stitches and increasing his pain. however, when i looked up the name tramadol on-line and saw it was an antidepressant i had to shake my head. i'd hate to think he could have gone through a discontinuation syndrome.  ;-)

[FiveNotions]

My vet is rabidly anti-drugs for animals ... he rants about how big pharma has used vets/animals as their next big "market niche" ... he told me he's had many many cats and dogs brought to him ... in horrid withdrawal from the likes of Prozac etc ... and quite a few of them don't make it out alive ... he said that if we humans have horrid side effects and withdrawal, so do animals and babies whose mothers have taken the drugs while pregnant .. (gee, I wonder if he'd take me on as a patient ... better doc than what I'm stuck with currently )

 

he uses antibiotics, anesthesia (of course), as well as benzos (miniscule doses) occasionally to get a freaked out critter calmed down so he can treat them... but Lordy, does he hate the pharma reps who come into his office with all the heavy duty drug samples and their schtick .... his wife said he literally runs them out... chases them out through his filled waiting room, yelling at them... then comes back in and gives a lecture to the pet owners sitting there ...

[summer975]

Fishinghat and Zap, thank you for your input. I woke up this morning feeling good, a good start to the day!

[thismoment]

brzghoff

 

I apologize if I sounded critical-- that wasn't my intention at all. I totally understand how trying to 'contain' the cat and administer the pain meds (pills) could cause more damage to the wound; you made a sound choice. Take care.

[FiveNotions]

Summer, sounds like you're off to a great start! Looking forward to hearing your "daily report" !

[brzghoff]

brzghoff

 

I apologize if I sounded critical-- that wasn't my intention at all. I totally understand how trying to 'contain' the cat and administer the pain meds (pills) could cause more damage to the wound; you made a sound choice. Take care.

oh, not at all, i knew i didn't make myself very clear - thanks for your apology - bit none needed ;-)

[summer975]

So my first day off, my head was much more clear. I am SO happy not to be on this drug any longer. I didn't get sleepy until 4pm. My appetite is returning. I have a teensy tiny headache, not even bad enough to take an advil. I'm drinking a lot of water.

 

Will check in tomorrow. 

[thismoment]

summer975

 

You're doing great! Don't look for trouble (symptoms), just get on with living. You may not be sleepy simply because you have more dopamine, and you might consider upping your exercise some. Hang in there kiddo.

[summer975]

Thanks, thismoment. I did take a 2 hour nap today (unusual before the cymbalta), but otherwise doing fine. I am going to get some swimming in tomorrow! 

[summer975]

I want to thank thismoment and FiveNotions and everyone who took the time to post here. It meant a lot to me that you were there. This is my farewell, as I feel like the drug is out of my system and I am no longer sleepy or fuzzy-headed. I only took this for one week and yet I saw how it changed my life so dramatically (not in a good way). It didn't even solve the problem that it was prescribed for (second stage shingles pain). 

 

I feel for all of you who have had to deal with this for months or years. I wish you all the best and that you get to enjoy good health. Thank you again.

[thismoment]

summer975

 

Farewell summer! 

 

It does take 4-6 weeks for the duloxetine to fully upload, and while it may have given you some relief, it brings in a host of other problems. It's like inviting Dracula into your room to change a bandaid on your finger while you nap: not a good idea. Glad you got free!!!

 

Perhaps this brief brush with the dark side will help you see that you simply must be your own medical advocate! Doctors are just ordinary people, and the garden path has its share of physicians being led down it.

 

Take care.

[summer975]

Well said. Thank you.

[summer975]

I am back because for the first time in my life, I'm having eye problems. For the last week I've had flashing. I saw the eye doc yesterday, had a battery of tests and photos and he says the retina is not detached. But maybe the gel has worn and that is pulling and creating these flashes. I just wondered if this could have anything to do with my week on this drug. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but thought I would ask here. It is disturbing. 

[FiveNotions]

Hi Summer, it's great to hear from you again!

Yes, absolutely those eye problems are related to quitting the generic Cymbalta. Many of us have reported having them, and there are lots of posts/threads on the forum about eye problems related to quitting the poison. I had them, very very bad, for a couple of weeks (I'd been on 60 mg of the brand Cymbalta, for 7-8 years, and quit cold turkey) .. eye "flashes," spots, extreme sensitivity to light, horrid pain behind my eyes in the optic nerve. Also what we call "brain zaps" where you move your head and it feels like your entire brain is sort of rattling around, you get a "whoosh" sensation, and sometimes light flashes.

It's all related to your brain learning to live without the artificial boost in serotonin from the drug. The eye issues tell you what part of your brain is currently being "rewired."

You are clearly very sensitive to duloxetine/Cymbalta, as you took just 30 mg of the stuff for just one week.

This is just going to take some time and patience, and they eye issues will resolve themselves.

Are you taking omega 3? That helps with the eye issues. Also, I did some research back when I was having eye problems and found that a glycine supplement can help. (Available at vitamin shops. I'm still taking it.)

Hang in there, you're getting through this! (Isn't it a pisser that it can take longer to get off the stuff than you were even on it? Worse than having the shingles ... I'm still fuming about your doc telling you Cymbalta would retrain your brain... idiot .. all this trouble you're having is directly caused by that doc putting you on this poison.)

Please keep posting here, more regularly. We want to know how you're doing, and give you all the help we can!