I was just prescribed Cymbalta form a neurologist. I started it Thursday evening. So I’ve taken it twice. My muscles seem to be tighter and I am in more pain than I was before I started taking it. Has anyone experienced this?
Does anyone have severe muscle tightness and more nerve pain when they are in bed? My body use to relax and feel great when I laid down but for the last year it is getting more and more painful when lying down.
I take an herb called Kratom for my clonus and spasticity. It’s legal in most States. I order it through the mail. I avoid medicinal drugs as much as possible.
Cymbalta is Duloxetin medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a604030.html “What side effects can this medication cause? Duloxetine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away: * nausea * vomiting * constipation * diarrhea * heartburn * stomach pain * decreased appetite * dry mouth * increased urination * difficulty urinating * sweating or night sweats * dizziness * headache * tiredness * weakness * drowsiness * muscle pain or cramps * changes in sexual desire or ability * uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following side effects, or those mentioned in the IMPORTANT WARNING or SPECIAL PRECAUTIONs section, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment: * unusual bruising or bleeding * pain in the upper right part of the stomach * swelling of the abdomen * itching * yellowing of the skin or eyes * dark colored urine * loss of appetite * extreme tiredness or weakness * confusion * flu-like symptoms * fever, sweating, confusion, fast or irregular heartbeat, and severe muscle stiffness * fever * blisters or peeling skin * rash * hives * difficulty breathing or swallowing * swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs * hoarseness Duloxetine may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication. If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).”
lthorne, if you are experiencing this since taking the medication then you should ideally speak to your doctor about this. Can I ask if it was a general practitioner who prescribed this because you really do need specialist advice.
Here is an advice leaflet for the medication that you are taking.
I was just prescribed Cymbalta form a neurologist. I started it Thursday evening. So I’ve taken it twice. My muscles seem to be tighter and I am in more pain than I was before I started taking it. Has anyone experienced this?
Does anyone have severe muscle tightness and more nerve pain when they are in bed? My body use to relax and feel great when I laid down but for the last year it is getting more and more painful when lying down.
Muscle tightness and nerve pain in bed?
Peter suffers with this. He has high muscle tone and feels much pain and tightness especially in his lower half when first getting into bed. His muscles don't like it when he lies down and it takes a while for them to relax again. Cold nights are the worst so we try to keep the bedroom warm until he is under the duvet.
These are the things that help him - just in case you haven't already tried? I know these don't address the nerve pain - but for Peter the muscle tightness triggers the pain.
Lying with the top of the bed slightly raised (we have an electric bed but pillows under mattress work too) and pillows under his knees (crook (ed) lying).
Very gentle stretching exercises before he gets into bed (I often help if he is tired).
Using a hand held massager on the muscles that hurt the most (for him hamstrings) or sometimes microwave heat pads
Baclofen taken an hour before he gets into bed.
If this doesn't work (really last resort and doesn't happen often) he sleeps in his electric recliner as this holds him in just the right position.
moco, thank you for all the info. I have been taking the Baclofen when I go to bed. Maybe changing the time will make a difference. It’s just so hard to get a good night sleep. Once I wake from a short sleep it hurts a lot to move into another position but also hurts more to stay in the same position.
vintage, I know you’ve told me before about that stuff and I didn’t follow through with it. I am going to look it up and see about getting some to try.
moco , thank you for all the info. I have been taking the Baclofen when I go to bed. Maybe changing the time will make a difference. It’s just so hard to get a good night sleep. Once I wake from a short sleep it hurts a lot to move into another position but also hurts more to stay in the same position.
Sounds so much like Peter. It's a hard balance isn't it? Taking the baclofen an hour before means that it is working well by the time you go to bed but can mean it wear off earlier. Peter does not move once he is "in position" with pillows etc. Luckily he has always been a very good and deep sleeper so until recently when his prostate started waking him every night (!!) he mostly made it through to the morning. Also I forgot to mention that he takes a small dose of diazapam at bedtime which is a muscle relaxant too (and makes him drowsy). Not ideal to take so much medication but it helps him sleep which is so important and he seems to suffer little after effects (I know some do). Good luck in working out what works for you lthorne,.
I’ve sent you a link by PM. Kratom dramatically reduces my clonus for about three hours,...time enough to fall asleep.
Baclofen side effects are explained in this medical research: “...Furthermore, caution should be taken when treating patients in the recovery phase of brain injury because there has been some evidence of deleterious effects on brain plasticity.4 Withdrawing baclofen treatment has been associated with hyperthermia, seizures, and altered mental status,19 but these symptoms can be avoided by tapering off the drug gradually.” www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4349402/
I was given Baclofen and took it for about a year,...until I researched it. Duh. Just what I always wanted,...brain damage to go along with my mangled body.
I do understand every medication has side affects. If you are able to stop taking Baclofen that’s great. There are some of us that would not be able to handle the spasticity we would be experiencing without taking Baclofen. I take 25mg 3 times a day and still deal with spasticity. It would be nice if taking Kratom would allow me to be able to lower my dose of Baclofen.
Sounds like Kratom is really worth a try. Sadly here in the UK it is illegal "Kratom has been banned in the UK under the Psychoactive Substances Act since March 2016. In the UK kratom is illegal to produce, supply, offer to supply, sell, import, and export." Peter hates how much meds he takes but life without them is too difficult. Also without them he can't move about much as the hypertonacity in his left side is too restrictive. Checks and balances. Risk assessment etc.
My condolences regarding the negative categorization of Kratom in the UK, Moco. Texas has been wanting to ban it, but many ill people have spoken out in it’s favor. Officials here have been caught in a difficult position because no one seems to know in what category to place it.
This site, with payment in pounds sterling, has Kratom- Green Malay strain in stock and available. kratomsupply.net
“We currently ship worldwide via DHL Express from our facility in mainland Europe. Most items arrive within a 2 working day time frame.” kratomsupply.net/kratom-store-re-open/
P.S. Days later (on 3/28/18), I am still able to add a message to this post. I contacted the above link and am advised that they are unable to ship to the UK.
I do understand every medication has side affects. If you are able to stop taking Baclofen that’s great. There are some of us that would not be able to handle the spasticity we would be experiencing without taking Baclofen. I take 25mg 3 times a day and still deal with spasticity. It would be nice if taking Kratom would allow me to be able to lower my dose of Baclofen.
It sounds to me that your position in bed may play a role, but likely you will have experimented with this. A lot! I know one person for who Cymbalta made a wonderful difference, but only one. I agree with your neurologist that is was worth a try, but you certainly got your answer quickly.
I can use tiny quantities of clonazapam before bed effectively but only within tightly controlled guidelines. Using it every day leads to needing larger doses but I've found using it 2/week keeps dosage stable. I use 1/8 mg. Additionally, using too much too leaves me with muscle pain during the day. I also respond well to melatonin.
As you imply, each person responds differently. I share a lot in common with Peter, Moco's hubby, all the way to finding that occasionally, when our symptoms are running really high, even our teeth hurt. Not often, thankfully.
It might help to tell us all the things you have tried already, and also whether anything else changed around the time these symptoms kicked into high gear.