I've been on strong opioids for a very long time due to severe pain due to arthritis....
I once was on Cymbalta for the same reason. I weaned off that poison very, very S...L...O...W...L...Y....taking over 3 months to do so...A journey through hell & back. But back I came with the help of the ppl here on the forum. My brain will NEVER be as it once was prior to Cymbalta but as they say "It is what it is"....
Anyhow just to let the folks here on the forum know that a withdrawal from morphine sulfate expended release & also the immediate release morphine taken for break thru pain is NOTHING like the withdrawal from Cymbalta...
It can't even begin to compare! Not in my brain or body anyways...
I continue to have pain in my left hip and my dominate hand/thumb due to arthritis. I had surgery on my left thumb last February and the results continue to be wonderful with relief of pain and restored function as well. The downer in that is it requires 6 weeks of occupational therapy and wearing a splint for 6 weeks. I'm on my 4th artificial hip on the right side. The first being at age 35 due to having Legg~Calves`~Perthes disease as a child. I was a nurse for 34 years until the hip could just not do it anymore.
The left hip will be able to be replaced using the anterior approach which will result in less pain, less hospital and a lot less recovery time. Fact is, I will be able to be "back in my saddle" in about 2 weeks. Things have come such a long way since my first hip replacement which required a 10 day hospital stay and months of rehab.
I love to trail ride and have a little 14.1HH gaited gelding by the name of "Hershey" who is just my size. Had it not been for him after recovering from such a long, long rehab I don't know what I would have done as I was told that my nursing career was "over"...
I just wanted to share with the wonderful ppl here on the forum a little of how I've been doing. Everyone here on the forum remains in my daily prayers. The ones just finding this forum, the ones on their journey through hell and the ones who have made it out on the other side.
Hang in there. You can do it. I did with the help of fishinghat and thismoment who taught me how to 'bead count'...
Thanks for the others who have come on board and chosen to remain in order to help others.
I am forever grateful to them.
Love, support & prayers from,
TheEquusWoman 
