Chronic pain Support - fatigue cymbalta or oxycontin?

Author

fatigue cymbalta or oxycontin?

soft

2005-04-24, 5:50 pm

Last weekend I started Cymbalta and uped my oxycontin. Unfortunately
I found myself so droggy that I kept dozing off. I never selpt more
than 20 minutes but I kept doing this all day over the weekend.

I was also hit with a huge increase in pain - which I think was
because of very fast weather changes.

I went back to work on Monday - I decreased both the Cymbalta and the
Oxy because I can't do my job in that condition and driving would not
be a good idea.

I only work 3 days a week right now, so yesterday (Thurs) I took the
Oxy and the Cymbalta at full doses. Again I dozed off all day. I am
not sure which one is making me so sleepy - any clues?

If the Cymbalta is the cause I can switch it to night time - but the
doc said take it in the morning. I am suppose to take 60 mg. The first
3 days of the week I only took 30 mg and I must admit I still was
tired. But not falling asleep tired. I also did not take the midday
Oxy.

Any ideas?

I took the full dose of Cymbalta this morning and may skip the midday
Oxy to see how it goes. But I think its the Cymbalta.

soft

~*LiveLoveLaugh*~

2005-04-24, 5:50 pm

"soft" <noone@email.com> wrote in message
news:clrh611bbj3c5a5p8ej87go3h464hk0s2p@4ax.com...
>
> Last weekend I started Cymbalta and uped my oxycontin. Unfortunately
> I found myself so droggy that I kept dozing off. I never selpt more
> than 20 minutes but I kept doing this all day over the weekend.
>
> I was also hit with a huge increase in pain - which I think was
> because of very fast weather changes.
>
> I went back to work on Monday - I decreased both the Cymbalta and the
> Oxy because I can't do my job in that condition and driving would not
> be a good idea.
>
> I only work 3 days a week right now, so yesterday (Thurs) I took the
> Oxy and the Cymbalta at full doses. Again I dozed off all day. I am
> not sure which one is making me so sleepy - any clues?
>
>
> If the Cymbalta is the cause I can switch it to night time - but the
> doc said take it in the morning. I am suppose to take 60 mg. The first
> 3 days of the week I only took 30 mg and I must admit I still was
> tired. But not falling asleep tired. I also did not take the midday
> Oxy.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> I took the full dose of Cymbalta this morning and may skip the midday
> Oxy to see how it goes. But I think its the Cymbalta.
>
> soft

Hey Soft,

Decreasing the Cym. is not the answer since you just started it. Give it a
chance to work. I started taking it and have had no problems with
drowsiness... altho' I'm an extremely hyped up type of person, so your
mileage may vary. Set aside the next month to allow the Cym. to get into
your system, and tell your doctor you're going to take it at night.

If your pain is bad, try and bear it while your body becomes adjusted to the
Cym. My pain is acceptable nowadays after being on 12 to 16 oxycodones at a
time (x3)... but if you've read some of my posts, you'll see I was abusing
them (along with fentynal, muscle relaxers, xanax, etc.)

I wish you luck!!

--

·.·´¨ ¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
Laurie
((¸¸.·´ ..·´
-:¦:- ((¸¸ ·.·

*~*LiveLoveLaugh*~* Aloha!!!!!

"Well behaved women rarely make history!!"

soft

2005-04-24, 5:50 pm

>
>Hey Soft,
>
>Decreasing the Cym. is not the answer since you just started it. Give it a
>chance to work. I started taking it and have had no problems with
>drowsiness... altho' I'm an extremely hyped up type of person, so your
>mileage may vary. Set aside the next month to allow the Cym. to get into
>your system, and tell your doctor you're going to take it at night.

I will give it a chance - but I am going to start at a lower dose -
then increase it to give me a change to regulate the new medication,
after all I just came off lexipro not to mention the constant pain
medication over the past several months. My system is a bit shell
shocked.
I plan to increase it back from the 30 mg a day next week to the 60.
That just means that I give it at least 3 months from next week to see
if it's helping.
I can't be so drozey that I can't work or drive.
soft
>
>If your pain is bad, try and bear it while your body becomes adjusted to the
>Cym. My pain is acceptable nowadays after being on 12 to 16 oxycodones at a
>time (x3)... but if you've read some of my posts, you'll see I was abusing
>them (along with fentynal, muscle relaxers, xanax, etc.)

I am - I also decreased the oxycontine and it will not be increased
until I get the cymbalta back to 60 mg and tolerated.

You know some people can't tolerate certian medications - so I want to
be sure I am able to make the switch without too many side effects.
The best way to do that is to reduce the dose and go back up slower.
>
>I wish you luck!!

thanks

soft

~*LiveLoveLaugh*~

2005-04-24, 5:50 pm

"soft" <noone@email.com> wrote in message
news:7mbi61la8irhkc05ga5ialslvvte222bve@4ax.com...
>
a[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> I will give it a chance - but I am going to start at a lower dose -
> then increase it to give me a change to regulate the new medication,
> after all I just came off lexipro not to mention the constant pain
> medication over the past several months. My system is a bit shell
> shocked.

You really should talk to your doctor about this, Soft. Lexipro is similar
to Cymbalta, but the Cym. has a positive effect on pain. Since Lex. and
Cym.
have the same antidepressants "techniques", there shouldn't be much of a
shell shock. But, if you want to wean yourself on the Cym., one week @ 30
mgs.
shouldn't hurt at all. Just try not to increase the oxy too much. Give the
Cym.
a chance to work for you.

> I plan to increase it back from the 30 mg a day next week to the 60.
> That just means that I give it at least 3 months from next week to see
> if it's helping.

3 months should be a great time frame to see if it works.

> I can't be so drozey that I can't work or drive.

Drozey? Is that drowsy and dozey? ;) Good luck with your plan, Soft!

--

·.·´¨ ¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
Laurie
((¸¸.·´ ..·´
-:¦:- ((¸¸ ·.·

*~*LiveLoveLaugh*~* Aloha!!!!!

"Well behaved women rarely make history!!"
the[vbcol=seagreen]
at a[vbcol=seagreen]
abusing[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> I am - I also decreased the oxycontine and it will not be increased
> until I get the cymbalta back to 60 mg and tolerated.
>
> You know some people can't tolerate certain medications - so I want to
> be sure I am able to make the switch without too many side effects.
> The best way to do that is to reduce the dose and go back up slower.
>
> thanks
>
> soft
>

natalya35@hotmail.com

2005-04-24, 10:52 pm

On Fri, 22 Apr 2005 17:10:23 GMT, soft <noone@email.com> wrote:

>
>
>I will give it a chance - but I am going to start at a lower dose -
>then increase it to give me a change to regulate the new medication,
>after all I just came off lexipro not to mention the constant pain
>medication over the past several months. My system is a bit shell
>shocked.
>I plan to increase it back from the 30 mg a day next week to the 60.
>That just means that I give it at least 3 months from next week to see
>if it's helping.
>I can't be so drozey that I can't work or drive.
>soft
>
>I am - I also decreased the oxycontine and it will not be increased
>until I get the cymbalta back to 60 mg and tolerated.
>
>You know some people can't tolerate certian medications - so I want to
>be sure I am able to make the switch without too many side effects.
>The best way to do that is to reduce the dose and go back up slower.
>
>thanks
>
>soft

Soft,
You are exactly right. When I was on the duragesic patch, and they
took me up to the 100's I started dozing off at odd times - not only
driving (very scary and I should NOT have been driving) but at the
movies - there are at least 10 films I have no recollection of at all.
I remember walking into the theater and then blank. Same with some
DVD's we rented. Stuff like that. I knew I had to chuck that med.
Besides it was costing me like $400 a month, we no medication
coverage at the time. New pain doc switched me to low dose of
methadone and it was like a miracle. I have had only one small
increase in 2 years. it is cheap. Working out side effects and
interactions sometimes becomes a full time job!

Nat

ZombyWoof

2005-04-24, 10:52 pm

On Fri, 22 Apr 2005 12:39:48 GMT, soft <noone@email.com> wrote
something wonderfully witty:

>
>Last weekend I started Cymbalta and uped my oxycontin. Unfortunately
>I found myself so droggy that I kept dozing off. I never selpt more
>than 20 minutes but I kept doing this all day over the weekend.
>
>I was also hit with a huge increase in pain - which I think was
>because of very fast weather changes.
>
> I went back to work on Monday - I decreased both the Cymbalta and the
>Oxy because I can't do my job in that condition and driving would not
>be a good idea.
>
>I only work 3 days a week right now, so yesterday (Thurs) I took the
>Oxy and the Cymbalta at full doses. Again I dozed off all day. I am
>not sure which one is making me so sleepy - any clues?
>
>
>If the Cymbalta is the cause I can switch it to night time - but the
>doc said take it in the morning. I am suppose to take 60 mg. The first
>3 days of the week I only took 30 mg and I must admit I still was
>tired. But not falling asleep tired. I also did not take the midday
>Oxy.
>
>Any ideas?
>
>I took the full dose of Cymbalta this morning and may skip the midday
>Oxy to see how it goes. But I think its the Cymbalta.
>
>soft
>
Yeah I have a couple since on am on the same treatment regimen as you.
First switch the Cymbalta over to nighttime. They told me to take it
in the Morning as well, but that isn't a good idea when first starting
it. A lot of Anti-Depressants can make you sleepy/drowsey when you
first start them. Secondly let your Doc know what is up and see if
he/she will give you a script for Provigil. It has been a real help
to me for drowsiness.
--
"patients who undertake opioid maintenance therapy
should behave in a way that is beyond reproach or
suspicion in all matters relating to their use of
medications. Patients who are unwilling or unable
to do so jeopardize not only their own health and
safety, but the health and safety of other patients
with chronic pain." -- Dr. Hurwitz

ZombyWoof

2005-04-24, 10:52 pm

On Fri, 22 Apr 2005 17:10:23 GMT, soft <noone@email.com> wrote
something wonderfully witty:

>
>
>I will give it a chance - but I am going to start at a lower dose -
>then increase it to give me a change to regulate the new medication,
>after all I just came off lexipro not to mention the constant pain
>medication over the past several months. My system is a bit shell
>shocked.
>I plan to increase it back from the 30 mg a day next week to the 60.
>That just means that I give it at least 3 months from next week to see
>if it's helping.
>I can't be so drozey that I can't work or drive.
>soft
>
When I started on the Cymbalta I was coming off another
anti-depressant as well. My Doc started me at 30mg for two weeks then
bumped it up to 60mg which is the maximum effective dosage.
--
"patients who undertake opioid maintenance therapy
should behave in a way that is beyond reproach or
suspicion in all matters relating to their use of
medications. Patients who are unwilling or unable
to do so jeopardize not only their own health and
safety, but the health and safety of other patients
with chronic pain." -- Dr. Hurwitz

soft

2005-04-24, 10:52 pm

>When I started on the Cymbalta I was coming off another
>anti-depressant as well. My Doc started me at 30mg for two weeks then
>bumped it up to 60mg which is the maximum effective dosage.

Well I now am sure it is the cymbalta that is causing the drowsiness.
We have major storms rolling in and since I don't have to go any where
I decided to take the afternoon Oxycontin.

I was bumped up from 2 times a day to 3 times a day of the Oxycontin,
at the same time I started the cymbalta 60 mg. I called the doctor and
he said it was know to cause drowsiness at first. For me it's almost
like I took a sleeping pill, but I never get deep sleep - just nod in
and out and am in a fog.

I only took 30 mg of the cymbalta this morning at 7 am, along with my
morning dose of the Oxycontin and no dozing off all day. I have been
awake and catching up on paper work today. I also did not take the
flexeril today because it will inhance the drowsiness of what ever I
am taking. I usually only take it a bedtime when needed. I never
really sleep well as many of you can identify with yourselves.

I also made the appointment with the endocrinologist, but they can't
get me in until August.

soft

soft

2005-04-24, 10:52 pm

>Yeah I have a couple since on am on the same treatment regimen as you.
>First switch the Cymbalta over to nighttime. They told me to take it
>in the Morning as well, but that isn't a good idea when first starting
>it. A lot of Anti-Depressants can make you sleepy/drowsey when you
>first start them. Secondly let your Doc know what is up and see if
>he/she will give you a script for Provigil. It has been a real help
>to me for drowsiness.

I really hope I don't have to add yet another pill to the pile. I
called today and talked to the nurse. I am going to give it a few
weeks and see if my body becomes use to it, if not I wrote down the
name of that medication so that I can ask for it if I feel like I need
it.

I haven't heard of that one before. Is it at all related to stimulant
drugs? Because of panic attachs, which Cymbalta is suppose to help
with also, I can't tolerated too much in the way of a stimulant.

soft

ZombyWoof

2005-04-26, 10:51 pm

natalya35@hotmail.com

2005-04-26, 10:51 pm