Generic Name: Cymbalta for Osteoarthritis (duloxetine)
Cymbalta for Osteoarthritis Reviews
"Cymbalta changed my life. I started using Cymbalta for severe chronic lower back pain. My pain was so bad I considered suicide on many occasions. After failed back surgery, over-the-counter medications, epidurals, spinal ablation, and everything else imaginable, my pain doctor prescribed Cymbalta. The side effects from Cymbalta were horrible, but within 2 weeks my back pain completely disappeared. I still deal with the side effects, and Cymbalta is a highly addictive drug that is near impossible to withdraw from. I have come to terms with the alternatives and have decided Cymbalta is worth all of the negatives. It has saved my life."
"Had severe arthritis, knees, hips, wrists, back below shoulder blades also middle in front left pectoral muscle. While in hospital, Dr. gave me Cymbalta. After 3 days, pain level went from 7 down to about 2 1/2. All pain gone from knees which were in constant pain. No side effects that I have noticed so far."
"I was prescribed Cymbalta for anxiety but I have noticed that my osteoarthritis is so much better. I can get out of bed in the morning without hobbling around trying to get my joints working. I can also get up from my chair at work without pain. I am amazed at how much better I feel. Oh & it takes care of my anxiety as well."
"Do not take Cymbalta! The side effects are horrible, and the withdrawal symptoms from getting off of it can land you in the hospital. I took it for arthritis and would rather hurt than go through this garbage again. If I had known what damage this drug does, I would never have taken it."
"I was put on Cymbalta approximately 4 years ago for depression due to my spouse's terminal illness. I was experiencing lower back pain at the same time and subsequently had surgery 2 years ago. During this time, I tried to go off the medicine but discovered that I do have severe pain from osteoarthritis. Went back on Cymbalta and have almost complete relief from it. I take 60 mg at around 1:00 pm. Morning dosage brought diarrhea quickly and this does not cause that."
"I suffer with arthritis in hands, knees, elbows, and hips. In 2013, I underwent a total left hip replacement and worked hard in rehab to become active again. However, as time progresses, my joints continue to 'talk' to me loudly. In the mornings, I look like a crone hobbling around until from moving, they begin to become fluid. Ridiculous! My doctor put me on Cymbalta back in December of 2014. Wow. What a difference. I did have some struggles on learning when to take it without suffering from nausea, dizziness, etc. For me, the morning time seems to be the ticket. Midday or evening caused stomach and head issues. I am on a lower dose compared to what I have read, but I give this an A+. Within 15 minutes of taking my dose, I am fine."
"I suddenly developed osteoarthritis of the knee with crippling pain. I was overwhelmed with the pain and the challenges of my mobility. My doctor prescribed Cymbalta for the depression I'd developed as a result of ambulatory challenges, and within two days, I noticed that my knee pain had subsided. After a few more days, I realized that the connection with the end of my pain and Cymbalta was obvious. I called my doctor and learned that she was very much aware that she would kill two birds with one stone if she prescribed Cymbalta. I've been telling all my friends with chronic pain about the wonderful medication. Yoo-hoo!"
"I had terrible back pain and leg pain. Walking was getting very difficult even for short distances. The effect of Cymbalta was almost amazing. Within a week, my pain had diminished to such a degree I felt almost normal. My pain was so bad I used to cry almost every night. I am just hoping this medicine keeps working for me."
"I was prescribed Cymbalta for arthritic pain in my knees. I took 30 mg/day for 3 days and was fatigued to the point of not wanting to do anything but lie down. In addition (to which I found out was a rare side effect) I was yawning all day and evening. After reading about the difficulties that some people had getting off this medicine, I stopped it after the 3 days. Unless I can be somewhat assured that the side effects are temporary, I would rather live with the pain than take this medicine."
"My doctor prescribed Cymbalta for me as an antidepressant. I am also arthritic and cannot believe how the pain in my joints has improved since I started taking Cymbalta. I had gotten to the point where I had to go to bed by 7 or 8 pm - not because I was sleepy, but because I was in too much pain to move. Now I am easily able to do a few more hours of chores before calling it a day. I am not sure how well it is working as an antidepressant, but the simple feeling of accomplishment of being an adult able to stay on my feet until 'bedtime' is enough to call it a success in my book."
"I’ve been on this med for 3 long years for major depressive disorder and severe osteoarthritis. Not by choice, mind you, but because the withdrawal effects were so severe for me I couldn’t get off it even with tapering. It gives me massive brain zaps, increased insomnia and racing thoughts, nausea, the worst dizziness I ever experienced that I just can’t take anymore after 2 days nonstop. I don’t recommend this medication because of how differently it affects people. You could be a statistic like me and suffer hard from this medicine. As for the pain relief, I didn’t feel much of it, I have severe osteoarthritis in many joints, so I don’t really feel much relief from many medications."
"Cymbalta has been a heaven-sent. I have severe osteoarthritis in both knees, and I'm 35. I stayed in chronic pain. On a 1-10 scale, I was at 7-6. This medication took my pain level to a 2. I couldn't believe how effective it was after one dose. I do suffer side effects such as nausea and diarrhea, but I'm praying it passes. I've only been on the meds for three days. I don't feel sidelined in life anymore. I can participate nearly pain-free."
"I experienced chronic pain for 4 years. I had difficulty sleeping, would go to work, come home, and go to bed. Every time I physically exerted myself—taking a shower, preparing a meal, doing household chores—I would need to go lay down. My family would visit me in my bedroom, it was depressing. Cymbalta has changed my life. I can tolerate the cold, even the grocery store used to bother me. I am much more active and find myself only going to bed when it is time for sleep. I also sleep much better. My family has noticed a huge change in me, as far as being a part of life again. This is not without cost: I have the strangest dreams, +30 lbs, tired, and terribly constipated."
"I've been in constant pain from osteoarthritis, with some fibromyalgia on top of it, for about two years and began taking Cymbalta about 6+ weeks ago. I've been pain-free for a month now with no need for any painkillers (I was taking Vicodin and Tramadol every day during that time). Truly a miraculous recovery. Interestingly, my doctor told me that his wife, who had bad osteoarthritis pain, had the same result from the Cymbalta. Hope that it continues!"
"Although I've read it could take up to 4 weeks to see any improvement while taking Cymbalta, I noticed the pain that I usually experience for several hours in the morning has subsided significantly with the first dose. It's been one week and the improvement continues!"
"I have arthritis, neuropathy, fibromyalgia, and depression. I have been taking Humira for my arthritis, which caused heart failure. I had stopped taking the Cymbalta for a while because I was trying to cut back on medication. I couldn't figure out why my arthritis felt so horrible. As soon as I started to take the Cymbalta again, my arthritis is so much better. It actually works better than the Humira did and better than the Lyrica that I am taking for my neuropathy. So I actually discovered how well it works accidentally. But it's so nice to be able to walk around again with so much less pain."
"After a back injury and subsequent surgery, I tried several medicines for the lingering nerve pain in my left leg. Nothing worked without severe side effects until trying Cymbalta. The first couple of weeks, the nausea was almost unbearable, but I toughed it out, hoping for some relief of the aching in my left leg. Pain pills had zero effect on the radiating pain, so my doctor prescribed Cymbalta. It did take a couple of weeks to see any relief to my pain. Although the pain is not totally gone, it has gone from a 10 down to a 7, so for me, this is a great improvement."
"This drug, over time, took away all emotional feelings. I could witness an accident and instead of being concerned, I wasn't even phased. I found myself being cold and blunt with people. I was also suffering from crazy head and body sweats. Random, but always severe. My blood pressure went through the roof. I lost ALL sexual desire to be with my wife or any woman. I'm blessed my wife stuck by me. Fatigue was also severe. I could sleep 12 hours and wake up feeling like I worked a 12-hour midnight shift. After two years and age 43, I am starting to come off of it. My dose of 60 mg has been reduced to 30 mg and the sweating is gone, BP stabilized, and energy returning. The main reason I suffered through the drug so long was because it did help my osteoarthritis. Right now, I sooner suffer with pain and tend to my wife's physical needs like I once loved doing."
"Tried Cymbalta for pain and slight depression. It helped for maybe 10 months. Then began experiencing panic attacks, anxiety, mouth sores, racing heart at bedtime, insomnia, and increased pain and cramps in legs. Took me about 3 months to figure out that the Cymbalta wasn't working. I tried increasing from 30 mg to 60 mg, and that made it worse. Have changed meds. Made the change easily in one week, but I had already gone back to the 30 mg dose. The anxiety, panic attacks, etc. have stopped."
"This was great for pain relief for the two months I was taking it. The problems I had far outweighed any benefits. I was suffering from blackouts where I would do things and not remember doing them. The depression, nausea, and headaches were unbearable too. I have been off it for 2 months now and am just starting to feel better. I'll live with the on-average 8 pain."
"I have never found an antidepressant that helps so well with arthritic pain management and generalized anxiety disorder. Very few side effects compared to other SNRIs, etc. Effexor. It has been a blessing for me so far. Have only been on it 2 weeks. Only side effect is a very slight nausea for about 15 minutes."
"Was taking Cymbalta for depression when my hip arthritis flared up. I had seen the ads about Cymbalta for use in arthritis, but wasn't really taking it for that reason, so I didn't think too much about it. I switched to another depression medicine after a period of weaning because of the high cost and side effects of Cymbalta. Within 2 weeks, my arthritis pain had become intense, almost unbearable. Guess they are right in saying it helps with the pain. It didn't totally remove the pain, but it did keep it under control. Now I am struggling to find something else to help with the pain."
"I was put on 60 mg of Cymbalta during an acute arthritis flare-up, and after about a year, I wanted to taper off of it. It killed my libido, and it didn’t significantly help with pain. Then the real nightmare began! Trying to go down in the tiniest increments brought on intense mood swings, crying for no reason, and horrible brain “zaps” that made life unmanageable. This stuff is TOXIC!!!!!!!"
"The pain in my knees was way down the following day that I took it. I am on 60 mg once a day. The only downside has been the stomach problem. My reflux has gotten a bit worse, and the first couple of weeks I had a lot of gas. For me, it has taken my knee pain down from a 9 to about a 3."
"My pain from osteoarthritis was not being controlled, and I had really reached a point of non-functional desperation. My nurse practitioner put me on Cymbalta. It is strong, and it took a few weeks for my body to adjust. I am so glad I did. I now lead a normal life. Yes, I have some pain, but I can handle it again. Cymbalta, I am sure, strengthens me emotionally too. I no longer feel life is too hard to deal with because the pain and fatigue is too much. I feel resolute and able to meet challenges. So I am grateful, and I would recommend at least giving it a try if you are considering it."
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