Cymbalta/Lyrica Combination

[MelancholyMama]

Hi all-
Have any of you taken Cymbalta and Lyrica together?  Just wondering about other peoples experiences taking these two meds together.  

I am to take 60mg Cymbalta 1x daily (I've already been on this for awhile)
and 75mg Lyrica 2x daily

I had a bad reaction taking Cymbalta and Savella together so am leery of trying another combination, but my PM doctor seems to think this will work.  We are in a "trial and error" stage right now...and I'm so sick of feeling like a lab rat!  I also worry about weight gain...I am already aware that people say Lyrica causes weight gain which of course I know if the med works it will be one of those things where you choose alleviation from pain vs weight gain.  

Hope all of you are having a somewhat pain free day...I hope to say the same for myself in the future!

[NEMDD]

Hello, I too have just been prescribed Lrica and Cymbalta for fibromyalgia and MDD-Major Depressive Disorder. I have been taking it ok but sometimes wake in the morning with a headache. I feel better mentally, the Cymbalta completely killed my appetite, but I think I was eating because of the depression. So far, the only drawback is the headaches in the morning. My pain is all but gone. I don't wake up stiff and miserable. My hip and back pain has numbed considerably. My family is in a better mood because I am. Lol.

[bwalden]

I started taking Lyrica 3 months ago afer I ruptured a disc and had nerve inpingement which Morphine couldn't even touch! I felt relief almost instantly!!! It was a miracle! It hasn't helped so much with other pain, but I don't care right now. I have been feeling depressed and anxious lately, so I am trying the Cymbalta too. My best friend is on it for her fibro and suggests taking it in the morning?. I am planning to replace my morning dose,75mg, of Lyrica with the Cymbalta and keep up with the evening dose and see if that helps. If the nerve pain comes back I will definetly up the Lyrica again tho. It has been a Godsend to me! I still feel like I am 90 somedays, I am 49, but I am not bedridden on Percocet and muscle relaxers like I was before the Lyrica! Good luck and God bless!!

[Huckleberry68]

I took cymbalta and lyrica for close to two years.  It worked great for the first year, but then I didn't see much relief in the second year.  I am only taking cymbalta now and I am in the same pain if not less than when taking both.  I do take Ultram aka tramadol for pain when it gets to bad.  I did have the weight gain and dropped a quick twenty when I came off the lyrica.  If it works the weight gain can be minimized by an increase in exercise as you will feel like moving more.

[Thurdo]

I have been taking Lyrica, 600 mg per day for about a year for neuroma pain in my finger. This was done in conjunction with 2 radio frequency ablation procedures. This combination was fairly effective in controlling the stabbing attacks, down to a only a couple or three times a day with manageable pain levels. My PM doc said this was a good result and I agreed. I told my regular Doc about this and he suggested amitryptiline to supplement the Lyrica, since it works differently and risk of interaction is low. At 25 mg per day of the amitryptiline the result was really good! One stabbing per day with very low pain level. I did have the side effect of being very drowsy during the day and looking like a heroin addict with deep black circles under my eyes from the amitryptiline. When I told my regular doc this, he suggested Cymbalta instead of amitryptiline, because it does not make most people drowsy. At 30 mg per day, the Cymbalta has been miraculous! Two weeks now, almost no stabbing episodes, and can barely feel them at all. I am having no side effects, except my general mood is better and my energy levels are way up. I feel very lucky to have found the right combination of things that works. Hang in there. I hope you can find it as we'll.

[Van_74]

I just tapered of Cymbalta and lyric and it is the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. At first I felt like my body had been beat to death and like the flu when u ache. Headaches - nervous - very emotional - my left foot hurt and now my muscles hurt so bad I cry - I have shooting pain out my feet and hands at night - my muscles are so weak in my legs and arms. I can't sleep! My neck and shoulders hurt - my doc seemed to think it was my fibro acting up due to seasons changing - gave my a steroid shoot and more muscle relaxers - but I have been reading on withdrawal systems and I think that is what it is - I forget what I am saying and say things backward a lot - I have this crazy feeling in my head when I turn it fast or move my eyes back and fourth - the doc doesn't tell u all the side effects of these drugs. It did help with the pain but I am tried of the weight gain and swelling of my legs, feet and hands and the blurred vision and the worst thing was the sweats! I hope this helps someone - because I really think I am dying sometimes it has been 3 weeks - I will never take these drugs again!

[MelancholyMama]

I'm still giving Lyrica a go with the Cymbalta.  My PM doc wants me to take the Lyrica at 75mg 2x per day for another week, then go to 75mg 3x daily along with the Cymbalta.  I do notice a difference at times, and my energy level has increased.  I'm still not convinced that all of this pain is nerve related, but I am going for a Nerve conduction test with a Neuro next week so maybe that will provide a few answers.  I also need to write down a few more questions for the Neuro doc to ask at that appointment as well.

[JKWNC53]

Nerve Conduction test are very painful and not helpful for me in any way...

[samboski]

does ur insurance pay for both the oxycodone and cymbalta.

[diddle837]

I have taken Lyrica 600 mg, Savella 100 mg, Cymbalta, along with flexeral and oxycontin together for a long time. I did not have any adverse reactions to this combination except that with the lyrica my hands go numb from time to time (for short periods.)

[JadedSweetheart]

I think part of the reason they prescribe Cymbalta is that it was one of the first of it's class to treat depression and pain.  I tried it before I had CP and it gave me daily headaches.  I think I may have been taking it with Paxil but it was 2.5 years ago.  When I told the doctor about the headaches she switched me to something else.  I think it's a great thing for the people it works for, though.

[KittyKat23_78]

I take them for treating a combination of depression and fibromyalgia. I tired without for ten years and got to a point where I could hardly function day to day to I'm giving it a go. Still trying to figure out what works best for me. I hear you on the pharma though...

[mkh9]

Do you all have nerve pain and that is why the nerve drugs? I was on Neurontin and it didn't help my pain at all. As I tapered off of it I got pain flares about twice a week (worse than my usual pain). I am actually doing better without any pain meds and without nerve drugs but once I increase my actiivity I am going to have to go back on something. All the docs push Cymbalta.They must get a kick back from the pharmas. I read the FDA said that it is much harder to go off of than the package insert says and that the company that makes it was being deceptive. They talked about "brain zaps" and so forth when trying to go off. Every time I go to my family practise doc he has more pharma reps than patients. I am skeptical and seeing a new doc tomorrow and I am very scared. I don't know what to do.
I will write again as a separate question.

good luck
mkh9

[KittyKat23_78]

I love Topomax. It has helped me significantly with my daily headaches!! I does definately help curb the appetite too...I have lost about 30 lbs since I started taking it (I have it to lose after a baby).

I still really want to give Savella another go, but am going to taper off of Cymbalta waaay slower than last time. For now I am taking the Cymbalta. In my opinion it doesn't do squat for my pain, but does help with my mood and energy.

[JadedSweetheart]

I tried lyrica and I don't remember now why I had to stop it.  I think it had to do with not seeing significant relief although now I don't think we really gave it a good try for long enough.  I believe these meds build up in the system and work well only at a higher dose for some people.  
I ended up trying topomax after that and it worked pretty well.  One of the side effects of topomax was weight loss and I think it had a hand in helping me lose 50lbs.  Which helped with joint pain, of course because I didn't have to carry that 50lbs around on my small frame.
The side effects you've had from cymbalta/savella sound like the ones I had with paxil/ultram.  I developed Seratonin Sydrome (which was acknowleged as a risk).  Some people don't have a problem with that combination at all, though.  The weight loss may have been partly from switching from Paxil to Wellbutrin as well.

[MelancholyMama]

The Lyrica seemed to work well the first day I took it...but I'm thinking I was having a "decent" day at the same time (I know you all know what I mean!)  I'm taking it twice a day along with the Cymbalta once a day, but I'm not feeling a difference now.  This is so discouraging!  What sorts of meds seem to work well for you all?  My doctor seems adamant on trying nothing BUT nerve drugs.

[happyhbmom]

For me the big issue was just knowing when to stop.  I could eat an entire Claim Jumper meal and be ready for dessert.  So, the weight gain was hardly a shock, but I have never been very good at ignoring cravings!

[MelancholyMama]

My reaction with Cymbalta and Savella was a living nightmare as well!  I couldn't even get past one dose of it! I'm not sure if it had something to do with the doc decreasing my Cymbalta that same day as when he added in the Savella, but wow!  I was so dizzy, felt nauseated, blurred vision, increased heart rate, and just felt like hell!  I don't know how to describe it any other way, but it was scary enough to where my husband thought we might have to make a trip to the hospital.  I couldn't even stand up without feeling as if I were going to pass out.  The docs tried to get me to keep on taking it, but I said NO WAY...for something to make me feel like that I could not continue to put it in my body.  So really I wasn't even able to tolerate giving it a shot at all...I tried that first dose, but have never been so scared from taking meds together in my life.  I have taken my first dose of the Lyrica...I took Cymbalta this morning.  So far so good.  I feel a sudden increase in energy, and my back/leg pain isn't bothering me as much.  Crazy to say after taking one dose, but we shall see what happens in time.  My doctor is very conservative with meds, and does not want any narcotic pain meds involved at this time which I was upset over at first because I am so sick and tired of being in pain and nothing working.  Note: I just moved to a new area 4-5 hours from where I was living before so I'm starting fresh with all new docs which is difficult to handle, but praying this is the answer to it all for now.  I am going for a nerve conduction test in 2 weeks with a neurologist as well.  

I am worried about the weight gain, but have read that if you watch your sugar intake and try to ignore the cravings for it then the weight gain issue might not be a problem.  Sure hope so!  Then again, I have read about people having weight gain simply from swelling related to taking the Lyrica.  

[happyhbmom]

Kitty, coming off Cymbalta is hard- I've been on it for years, and at this point I get these electric shock things in my brain if I even forget one dose (I'm on 120mg/day).  But on the other hand, it's been a really great med for me so I haven't wanted to yet.  Good luck!

[happyhbmom]

We're all lab rats!

Yep, cymbalta and lyrica together worked great for me, other than the Lyrica side effect of weight gain, coupled with sudden onset hypertension- I had to come off of it :(  But it seriously reduced my pain by like 80%.

Good luck!

[KittyKat23_78]

May I ask whay your reaction was to taking Cymbalta and Savella together was? You can send me a private message if you don't want to post it. I was trying to go off of Cymbalta and onto Savella and my best description of it was "a living hell." I ended up at the doctors office telling her that my brain was broken. Wondering if your experience was similar. She blamed it all on coming off of the Cymbalta, but I was indeed taking them both as I was weaning off of one and titrating on the other. Bummer is that Savella did seem to be helping with my pain, but since I was having such severe issues with things, we stopped immediately and I am back on just the Cymbalta now.

I know how you feel about calling yourself a "lab rat." I call it the "med-go-round." :)

[JKWNC53]

Lyrica and Cymbalta work great together! I take at bedtime along with 5mg valium. No weight gain if you exercise. Like yoga and light walking...