cymbalta for pain

[hilary]

I take Cymbalta. I have tried opiods and lyrica neither of which any use. Cymbalta I take 60mg I dont know why this helps. Has anyone tried a higher dose and if so has it made any difference over and above the results on 60mgs? Thank you. Hilary

[rick]

Hilary,

I take 180 mg of Cymbalta each morning. I noticed a considerable decrease in pain between 120 and 180. I have tried to go back to 120 a few times and have had to go up to 180 again. I also take 1200 mg of Lyrica a day. Between the two I have less pain; perhaps a 3 instead of an 8 or 9.

Rick

[Ray P.]

Rick don't you get a lot of the side effects from cymbalta?

[hilary]

Ray - interesting - the manufacturers have not evaluation doses beyond 120mg for safety.
Does anyone else take such a high dose? Lyrica didnt work for me

[missmarple]

I tried both Lyrica and Cymbalta for my pain. Both gave me blurred vision and I have double vision in one eye that I have to attribute to the Cymbalta. I had it with Lyrica, but it disappeared when I discontinued it, came back with Cymbalta and never left. Neither did anything for the pain situation, but I didn't stay on either for long because of the severe vision problems.

[KC17]

I tried cymbalta and it made me unbearably moody and sad. It also cause me to yawn continuously. I had no relief in pain. I currently take lyrica 75mg 2x a day and I find that it takes the edge off but at this dose it doesn't come close to relieving the pain. I'm unwilling to go higher because even at this low of a dose I get brain fog and I'm not sure I want to get any foggier!

[missmarple]

My pain started suddenly also and was linked to sitting on a hard barstool in the course of my employment. (Auditor in a large resort behind the front desk) This was in April 1989 and I am still looking for pain relief. Opiates don't work. Lyrica and Cymbalta gave me blurred and double vision and Neurontin actually made my pain worse. I had an Epidural in the 90's with steroids and that laid me up for 4 days. Very nearly lost my job because of my absence. My pain is constant day after day. I wasn't diagnosed with PN until 2006, but was never referred outside the area. Just told to buy lots of foam rubber!!

[rick]

Ray,

For about a month after I upped the dosages I felt like I was in a fog. I upped the Lyrica quickly and still had quite a bit of pain after 1200. I was on Cymbalta 60 mg and went to 120 without much change. The increase to 180 mg was almost an afterthought but I felt much better.

I have tried to go down; 150 Cymbalta or 900 mg Lyrica (not at the same time) but I feel much worse.

I take Concerta (timed release ritalin), 108 mg and ritalin 20 mg to deal with fatigue issues from Cymbalta and Lyrica. I also have severe sleep apnea and I can't sleep more than 2 or 3 hours most nights. This contributes to my terrible tiredness.

I do receive SSDI tied, not only to the above, but to a fall on my butt in June 2005 which started me down the PN path.

If there is any one out there looking for disability. Objective evidence, xray etc., that you can tie to development of disability will up your chances a lot. Also, search for the Grid, easily found through Google. SS examiners use the Grid as the rule to make decisions.

Learn it and use it. Good advice.

Rick

All in all I am a prisoner of modern medicine.