2 replies to this topic

[its840]

hello all...
well i was in a major accident in january of this year. broken back, hip. pelvis.. you know the drill.
so any who. they put me on norco and gabapentin.. and that just wasnt cutting it...
so then they decided to put me on cymbalta along with the others..
the first 2 weeks freaking sucked.. my head felt like it was gonna explode.. i didnt know who i was or where i was.
doc said just give it some more time.. let my body adjust to the meds.. it would take some time...
i was taking 30mg 2x a day.....
well finally my body adjusted... and i guess you can say it was sorta good? idk.. it sorta helped.. and the only
reason why i think that is cause when i missed a dose.. oh i felt it.. and it didnt feel good....

fastforward 6 months later.

Ok now my issues have gotten out of control. i can not remember anything. i have no motor control.
my whole body jerks and spasms uncontrolably. balance is about as good as a yr old baby walking for the first time.
Im sorta like a pin ball bouncing off the walls. as i walk down the hall to go to the restroom i bounce off the walls as i walk
down the hall... ive even started to use my crutches and walker again. which were put up about 3 months ago...

so i went to the ER as numbing had gotten really bad.. first trip. they had no clue. told me to follow up with a neurologist.
waste of time.
secont trip, i went to the trauma center that i went to after my accident. they prescribed me baclofen to help control the spasms. and sent me home... ugh.. starting to get agrivated.. then 2 days later....
then my girlfriend took me to a diffrent hospital about an hour away.. they admitted me and took me off of cymbalta. cold turkey.. no smaller dosage.. just done. they said that is what is causeing your issues.. dont take them.. they took me off baclofen too and stareted me on cogentin. so this is the first of many that puzzeled me... how are you going to take me off one med. and put me on a nother.. but then claim that since im improving its what you took me off of. when the med you put me on is used to treat the symptoms that im having...
Ok. but anyways.. they did a mri of brain to make sure that i didnt have MS or aneurysm. both came back normal.
i asked for a 5-ht test.. they said something about why they didnt think it was needed.. i put my headphones back in cause i really didnt care what they had to say and they just walked away... so after 4 days they released me.. at that time my symptoms had improved... my speech was cleaner, my balance had start to return. my jerking decreased a lot. but.. i still had other issues.. biggest of which was my left eye.. i had a hard time focusing on anything with that one eye. and also when it wouldnt dialate as well as the other eye. and movement was slower compared to right and it jerked as it moved... any ways.. i got to go home.. i was happy about that...
when i was released they took me off the cogentin and upped my dosage of gabapention to 1200mg a day. and returned norco to 4x a day.. they were giving it to me 6 times a day in the hospital... and to follow up with my PCP.

so now im home.. and im off everything... and now im going through withdrawls from the cymbalta...
my head feels like its going to explode.. every time i move my head it feels like its blowing a balloon up and when i stop, it pops...
I have been having trouble with my left eye.. same as before.. my pain level has trippled if not more.. i have parts of my body that hurt that ive never once had any issues with.. my right shoulder has been in pain... why my shoulder.. ive never had any issues with that.. but for some reason now i do.. my balance issues are becoming more visable agian. studdering has returned. (no were near as bad) headache like i spent the whole night drinking. huge hangover headache.. and i dont drink! i even tried to drink a beer the other night while trying to watch the red moon.. and i barelly touched it.. tasted like poop...just didnt want it.. Also, my tummic has been in knots.. feeling like im going to vomit all the time. and then my lower back and hip. the main reason why i started this drug in the first place... when i say im in pain that is an under statement. it hurts to stand, also lower body goes numb when i do stand....  it hurts to sit. it hurts to lay down. but for some reason the doctor doesnt seem to think that it has anything to do with cymbalta.. he even said that there is no medical evidence of withdrawl from cymbalta and that sudden stopping it is fine..
but now all im taking is my norco and gabapentin. which isnt cutting it even by a long shot... and now he wants me to start weening off the norco... WTF.. so i called pain managment center this morning.. i need some help. my girlfriend has been a huge help. but ive nopticed im snapping at her over the stupidest small little things.

please tell me im not the only one going through this!!??!!

[fishinghat]

First of all welcome its. You are not the first one to run across idiot drs. Even the manufacturers warn of coming off Cymbalta too fast. Given that you have also had other medicines dropped during this period it is a wonder that you aren't worse than this. At this point I wouldn't recommend going back on the meds to taper slowly. You need to find a good psychiatrist (a trick by itself, let them know what you have been through and you need some help until your body adjusts. Now they will probably recommend going on another ssri or snri and maybe a benzo like lorazepam. These will give you relief  but have nasty withdrawal themselves. I would recommend something like clonidine, hydroxyzine or some other drug with good effect and little to no withdrawal. Luckily you weren't on the Cymbalta for years, that will help a little.

 

Keep us posted and if we can help in anyway let us know. You are not alone. Your reactions to coming off these meds are typical if even a little light. I think it might be advisable for you and your girlfriend (sounds like you have a good one!!) read some of the old posts of what people have experienced. It will help you prepare for what may come.

 

God bless. Time and patience.

[its840]

thank you. yes, she is a great girl. helped me out so much after my accident.
i just got myself an appointment at the pain managment center here in town.
hopefully they will be better with this issue then my primary doc has been.