posted
Has anyone found Cymbalta helpful for lyme-related pain?
Posts: 991 | From California | Registered: Feb 2006
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cactus
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
Which type of Lyme-related pain?
For me, it has had no effect on muscle or joint pain, for example, but has seemed to have some useful effect on peripheral neuropathy (PN) - specifically, in my case, burning and tingling in my hands and feet.
I ramped up slowly, and it did take a while to see the effects, but I've found it more effective than the other options I've tried for PN.
That said, I have a friend with similar severe PN symptoms, and Cymbalta had no effect at all on her PN.
I'm also not sure if it's actually the Cymbalta helping my PN, or if it might be simply Lyme treatment in general.
-------------------- �Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?� - A.A. Milne Posts: 1987 | From No. VA | Registered: May 2005
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dmc
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Member # 5102
posted
didn't work for me, couldn't get over the extreme sleepiness & fatigue
Posts: 2675 | From ct, usa | Registered: Jan 2004
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posted
I, too, can't say what is what with all the treatments I'm on at the moment -- I do think Cymbalta might be helping a little bit with the pain overall. but not dramatically.
It has, however, helped me to stay emotionally stable during all this physical craziness -- I used to be extremely prone to panic attacks, and the cymbalta helped a LOT with that -- and, amazingly enough, I haven't had prolonged depression, even when in the worst possible pain, etc.
I think my anxiety symptoms, in general, are also helped by the cymbalta, and it seems to help me get more restorative sleep.
I won't be going off Cymbalta any time soon, I don't think....
-------------------- "Looks like freedom but it feels like death.. It's something in between, I guess"
Leonard Cohen, from the song "Closing Time" Posts: 822 | From California | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
how much cymbalta are all of you taking? i started with 20 mg and just increased to 40mg, and how long did it take for u to feel any difference in pain and or anxiety level? thanks radha
Posts: 392 | From New York | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
If you have painj,goto a pain clinic,dont take no steriod shots.Life is far better being addicted to pain meds,than living years in agony,
Posts: 510 | From NEVERLAND.USA | Registered: Jul 2005
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map1131
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Member # 2022
posted
I started taking Cymbalta back in Oct. I didn't realize just how depressed I was until it was being treated. Sometimes I'm so stubborn when it comes to not wanting to take pills.
I was told Cymbalta might help my pain also. Yes, it did. Winters are miserable for me, because I would stay cold all winter and the aching was much worse. For whatever reason the Cymbalta seems to raise my body temperature. I'm not freezing all the time, therefore I'm in much less pain.
I had been taking Xanax for about 3 years. I was worried that I was addicted. I slowly decreased my Xanax within 3 weeks of starting Cymbalta and now I'm Xanax free unless I experience a very very stressful situation. No need to repeat a dose.
I'm doing 30 mg twice a day. It has also helped with my sleep. Everyone reacts differently to different meds. For me it's been a great help.
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6478 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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cactus
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7347
posted
Radha, I ramped up very slowly - started out with 15 mg for one week, and increased by 15 mg each week up to 60 mg daily. It took me a while to notice any difference in PN symptoms - maybe 6 weeks.
I've played with the dose (always in 15 mg increments), increasing to 90 mg, and decreasing to 30 mg, but it seems that staying at 60 mg is most helpful for me. Again, though, I'm not sure how much of the PN relief I'm feeling is coming from treatment in general and how much comes from Cymbalta.
Anxiety/depression hasn't been a big issue for me - but the reason for that could be the Cymbalta. I'm fine with any "happy" side effects, even if the main reason I'm taking it is for PN!
-------------------- �Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?� - A.A. Milne Posts: 1987 | From No. VA | Registered: May 2005
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