HEALTH Question concerning Cymbalta's use for Fibromyalgia

[Angel Lady]

Ok, well I went back to the rheumatologist today. My vitamin d level is up some....3 months ago it was at 4 and he wants it to be 30. Still have a lot of muscle pain due to fibro. He wants to change the depression meds that I am on which is celexa to cymbalta. He says he has had some luck with it helping fibro patients with the depression as well as the fibro pain. What I would like to find out is if there is anyone here that has taken cymbalta and if so how did you or are you doing on it? I am kind of nervous about it as my sister and and my daughter in law were both on it before and had some pretty bad side affects, so much that they had to quit taking it.

I tried to get the doc to go ahead and try lyrica on me but he would not, not until I have tried cymbalta.

I am so sick and tired of hurting. I wish I knew where I could go to see a doctor that deals with natural ways of healing people. But, I can't seem to find anyone in my area that does this.

One of my main problems is that I have a very bad time absorbing vitamins and minerals that my body needs because of the gastric bypass that I had done 4 years ago. And I do believe that that could be the underlying cause to a lot of my problems.

Anyway, I am frustrated beyond belief tonight. Can't sleep...again. So, I decided to come here to see if I could get some input because I know there is a wealth of knowledge from folks on this board.

Thanks in advance.

Angel Lady

 

[Flippper]

Angel Lady, do you have a subnormal body temperature (below 98.6F)? If so you might check out http://wilsonsthyroidsyndrome.com/ I've heard that many people who have fibro and low temp have a lot of their symptoms alleviated using the Wilson Protocol. It's obvious what you've been doing isn't working, you might read up on Wilson's treatment.

Low vitamin D (not really a vitamin but a hormone) is common with people who have compromised adrenals. Compromised adrenals affect how the cells convert hormones, it blocks absorption so you may present with symptoms of low thyroid, vitamin D, sex hormones, etc. If thyroid meds don't get your temps up (I'm assuming you have low body temperature and feeling hot doesn't mean you have high temperature) you most likely have adrenal issues. You can go to zrtlabs.com and get a saliva test that will determine where your hormone levels are at. Canaryclub.com gives you a large discount on saliva testing if you choose to get one done.

Good luck, I hope you find your answers and begin to heal and feel better!

 

[agmfan3]

I couldn't sleep on cymbalta ...... not taking it and sleeping again

 

[Loon]

http://www.kensavage.com/archives/gastric-bypass-surgery-causing-neuropathy/


http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/v/vitamin_d_deficiency/intro.htm

 

[coldoc]

Do some reading on fish oil. Fish oil (omega-3) can reduce inflammation. Carlson brand seems best. No interest in the company. A rheumatologist and internist I spent time with had some very positive results in many of their patients.

 

[theoriginaldeb]

A close family member has fibro. Used Cymbalta for a year. It didn't work and the side affects were scary. Getting off the stuff was even worse. I wouldn't recommend this stuff to anyone.

Has been taking vitamin D and just started Lyrica in hopes of alleviating a recent flare-up...... so far so good.

 

[Burntfish]

...
I am so sick and tired of hurting. I wish I knew where I could go to see a doctor that deals with natural ways of healing people. But, I can't seem to find anyone in my area that does this.

One of my main problems is that I have a very bad time absorbing vitamins and minerals that my body needs because of the gastric bypass that I had done 4 years ago. And I do believe that that could be the underlying cause to a lot of my problems.

Anyway, I am frustrated beyond belief tonight. Can't sleep...again. So, I decided to come here to see if I could get some input because I know there is a wealth of knowledge from folks on this board.

Thanks in advance.

Angel Lady

I tried some SSRIs a number of years ago and they really don't help depression IMO. I use 5-HTP and L-Theanine to help mood and anxiety. L-Theanine is what is in Tea. St. John's Wort and Kava seem to help me as well.

As for sleep, I take melatonin and Dr. Teitelbaum's "From Fatigued to Fantastic Revitalizing Sleep Formula" which is manufactured by Enzymatic Therapy. Vitacost.com is where I get a lot of my vitamins...they have good prices.

Many people with Fibro use Klonopin to sleep...but it is very addicting and is supposed to uncouple oxidatative phosphorylation in the mitochondria...a process that manufactures energy in our bodies. CFS/Fibro patients tend to have compromised mitochondria to begin with...however, many of the CFS/fibro people in my support group use it at a low dosage without too much trouble.

For sore muscles...MAGNESIUM MAGNESIUM MAGNESIUM !!! Take some Epsom salts...about a cup and put them into the tub in hot water and soak in it. Your skin will absorb the magnesium just as well or ...probably better than...your stomach.

As for other supplements, try to find sublingual versions (under the tongue) since you have trouble with absorption.

I also have chronicially low vitamin D levels. I have to take about 5000-10,000 IU a day just to get my levels into the "normal" range.

Good luck.

Fish

 

[Angel Lady]

Thank you all for your input. Some great suggestions here.

Angel Lady

 

[k-man]

Right now I am on Cymbalta, Lyrica,Valium,vicoden and wellbutrim for my Fibromyalgia.It seems to work well but if I forget to take the Cymbalta for a day it makes me looney where I cannot think straight, suicidel thoughts and just angry. From what I here everybody reacts different from it.

Prayers that things work out for you.
Jay

 

[PinkyTink]

HORMONES

I have been suffering with Fibromyalgia again the past 4 weeks. Coincidentally, a few days ago I went to a new doctor who does the Bio-Identical Hormone testing. I told him "I don't normally look this bad, but my fibromyalgia flared up again." I could barely sit up in the chair, I was SO exhausted. He said, "do you know how many women have sat in that chair & told me the same thing? Fibromyalgia is a label doctors decided to use to describe all the symptoms of fibromyalgia, but they don't know what causes it. But, I'll tell you what causes it - Hormonal problems. You fix your hormones & you won't have fibromyalgia anymore." Oddly enough I had gone off my hormones 5 weeks earlier in order to take the Saliva Test, so it made sense to me.

Hormone problems can cause osteoporosis also, because your bones need the estrogen. I have osteoporosis too. So today I spent all day taking the Saliva Test. My blood test showed low on Vitamin D. Thyroid fine.

Well, info. sounded good to me, but I had already made an appt. with my GP for later in the day to get a prescription for the fibromyalgia. So my GP gave me Lyrica & said he felt it worked better than the Cymbalta. One woman told him it saved her life! She can actually live again. I have not taken the Lyrica because the weather warmed up & I am getting over it, plus I couldn't mess up my Saliva Test. I have a friend who uses Cymbalta & she has done well on it. She even told me that on Cymbalta she could actually "feel" emotions, whereas other anti-depressants you can't.

Any other ladies out there on Bio-Identical hormones? Could you add your comments about that regarding Fibromyalgia?

 

[bev]

Do some reading on fish oil. Fish oil (omega-3) can reduce inflammation. Carlson brand seems best. No interest in the company. A rheumatologist and internist I spent time with had some very positive results in many of their patients.

Fibromyalgia pain is NOT inflammation. Yes, some anti-inflammatories can help with the pain, but a flare-up does not mean there is inflammation.

 

[bev]

I started Cymbalta just before Christmas. The doc said I should see results (if I was going to) within a few weeks. Absolutely NOTHING. I finally weaned myself off about two weeks ago - no point in taking something that doesn't help. Yes the pain was bad, but I actually wanted to try it for the depression which was getting much worse. Now, with the weather getting better, I have days where the depression seems to be easing up. Maybe I've got S.A.D. as well - I think a lot of Fibro patients do.

As another poster said, meds work differently for different people. Cymbalta may work well for you. With Fibro, you just have to keep on trying until you find what helps. I've been trying for 22 years :-( One of these days I'll find what works for me!

 

[Jaded]

Medication reviews by real patients, with the meds rated on a 1-5 scale:

www.askapatient.com

Just type in the first few letters of a med, or search by drug catagory. Most drugs have hundreds of patient reviews.

Jaded

 

[bev]

Jaded, that's a great website - I hadn't seen it before. Thanks!

 

[cjoi]

Angel Lady, do you have a subnormal body temperature (below 98.6F)? If so you might check out http://wilsonsthyroidsyndrome.com/ I've heard that many people who have fibro and low temp have a lot of their symptoms alleviated using the Wilson Protocol. It's obvious what you've been doing isn't working, you might read up on Wilson's treatment.

Low vitamin D (not really a vitamin but a hormone) is common with people who have compromised adrenals. Compromised adrenals affect how the cells convert hormones, it blocks absorption so you may present with symptoms of low thyroid, vitamin D, sex hormones, etc. If thyroid meds don't get your temps up (I'm assuming you have low body temperature and feeling hot doesn't mean you have high temperature) you most likely have adrenal issues. You can go to zrtlabs.com and get a saliva test that will determine where your hormone levels are at. Canaryclub.com gives you a large discount on saliva testing if you choose to get one done.

Good luck, I hope you find your answers and begin to heal and feel better!

Flippper - excellent suggestions, all.

 

[It'sJustMe]

I have fibromyalgia also, Angel Lady, amongst other issues. As has been said many times, every body is different, and I had to go through a lot trials to find what helps the most for me, and that changes too. I haven't tried either of the designer meds, mainly because I am leary of newer meds, until they gain a proven track record, because our bodies don't react like normal bodies do, know what I mean? My niece was diagnosed in the last couple years, also after a gastric bypass. She was on, and loved, Lyrica, but she gained 60 lbs of her weight back and she was miserable from the weight. That is apparently a side effect many expereince with that drug. So she went off of it, but I don't think she's gone to anything else now. I'll ask my SIL though, as she might be taking Cymbalta, as she's game for anything that will help with the pain. Good luck if you try it. IJM

 

[Angel Lady]

Angel Lady, do you have a subnormal body temperature (below 98.6F)? If so you might check out http://wilsonsthyroidsyndrome.com/ I've heard that many people who have fibro and low temp have a lot of their symptoms alleviated using the Wilson Protocol. It's obvious what you've been doing isn't working, you might read up on Wilson's treatment.

Low vitamin D (not really a vitamin but a hormone) is common with people who have compromised adrenals. Compromised adrenals affect how the cells convert hormones, it blocks absorption so you may present with symptoms of low thyroid, vitamin D, sex hormones, etc. If thyroid meds don't get your temps up (I'm assuming you have low body temperature and feeling hot doesn't mean you have high temperature) you most likely have adrenal issues. You can go to zrtlabs.com and get a saliva test that will determine where your hormone levels are at. Canaryclub.com gives you a large discount on saliva testing if you choose to get one done.

Good luck, I hope you find your answers and begin to heal and feel better!

Actually Flipper, my temperature is always subnormal. Every time I go to the doctor it is always like 97.2.

I have had thyroid tests run many times and it always comes back normal.

Thank you for this info.

Angel Lady

 

[Angel Lady]

I have fibromyalgia also, Angel Lady, amongst other issues. As has been said many times, every body is different, and I had to go through a lot trials to find what helps the most for me, and that changes too. I haven't tried either of the designer meds, mainly because I am leary of newer meds, until they gain a proven track record, because our bodies don't react like normal bodies do, know what I mean? My niece was diagnosed in the last couple years, also after a gastric bypass. She was on, and loved, Lyrica, but she gained 60 lbs of her weight back and she was miserable from the weight. That is apparently a side effect many expereince with that drug. So she went off of it, but I don't think she's gone to anything else now. I'll ask my SIL though, as she might be taking Cymbalta, as she's game for anything that will help with the pain. Good luck if you try it. IJM

After hearing from many, I have decided that I don't want to take cymbalta or Lyrica. The side effects sound horrible.

Angel Lady

 

[Mercury3]

I've been fighting Fibromyalgia with Chronic F. over six years and have finally been feeling better the last few months after much treatment trial an error.

Here is what works for me.... (finding a good doctor who understands all this stuff is the hardest part(I can reccomend mine if anyone needs one in the denver area))

Low dose Hydrocortosone for Adrenal support. I started with 50 mg/day in divided dose's but have now gotten down to only 15 mg/day (5mb three times/day)

Adrenal support via hydrocortosone must be started prior to Thyroid meds.

I take 25mcg Cytomel in the am and another half dose in the afternoon. Total 37mcg but was around 75mcg for a while. Cytomel is T3 as T4 does not work for me and nor did Armor Thyroid.

Anywhere from .5 to 1 mg Clonazepam an hour before bed for sleep. Without it I only sleep 3 or 4 hours but I can get 7 with the Clonazepam. People say it's addictive but I've been on it for five years with no problems. I think I have good luck because I wean off at least one day a week and I don't increase dose's like some people do.

Ambien does not work at all for me. It has the oppiste effect. No good.

Supplements
B12 injections (I do this myself too via doctor prescription)
Carlsons Fish Oil!
TMG: must be the Trimethylglycine (Anhydrous Betaine)
(not just plain Betaine as some are)
Carlon's E gems elete
Quercetin with Bromelain
Choline & Inositol
Vitamin C

As hard at it is....... doing as much cardio as possible helps

********************************************

Things that CLEARLY make me worse are:
MAGNIESUM!!!!
Vitamin D
Folic Acid
B6
CoQ10

Treating this is really complicated an I could write a two hour post here but just don't have the time. Am just off an all night 12 hour shift and heading to bed.

 

[Mercury3]

Oh another thing I forgot to mention. For anyone seriously battling this it is a MUST to keep a daily health log with daily entries for:

How many hours slept
How you feel
what you did that day (work, off, exersise? go somewhere)
which body parts hurt
energy levels
Dose's and times of each drug
Blood pressure / Pulse (I use to check this several times a day but don't have to anymore)
Morning temps before getting out of bed
dose's and times of any and all suppliments
sometimes while your in very bad shape even what you have eaten that day

Always only add one new suppliment or drug at a time so you can be sure of it's effect as to if it helps or makes matters worse. Many things take a month or so to start working so I don't like making any change's for a month or two at a time or else you'll never know what's causing what or whats helping you.

It's taken me years of this to finally make progress but I may have saved a lot of time if I'd started a log right off the bat and not added multiple suppliments at a time.

Health diary is a MUST!

 

[Sebastian]

Actually Flipper, my temperature is always subnormal. Every time I go to the doctor it is always like 97.2.

I have had thyroid tests run many times and it always comes back normal.

Thank you for this info.

Angel Lady

Just what were your TSH numbers ?
- a lot of these problems are or are related to thyroid issues - there are still doctors out there who think a 10 for TSH is perfectly normal

- your TSH should hover around one anything over two is to high.

Hard to find a good doc its even harder to find a good thyroid doc.