Hi,
I thought about this a lot yesterday. I have an appt with my rheumo in April. I'm going to bring up the use of steroids with my IVIG. They r increasing my Rx. to twice a month so I'm getting 40mgs of solumedrol a month. Not sure I want to continue with that because of the osteo.

I'm not sure about the aging factor. I'm sure it doesn't help but my mom is 82 and doesn't have osteo. I've only been menopausal for 2 years. ( hope not TMI).

So much to consider and question

Thanks again for the help!

Just because your Mom is 82 and doesn't have it does not mean anything. She could develop it later on or not. Men also can have osteo. There are many, many things that can come into play for developing it. Steroids is just one thing. Here is just one site:

http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info...porosis_ff.asp

Hi Mrs. D.
Thanks for the articles. As I'm writing this , my husband is on his way to the drugstore for the sudafed. PE. What you say makes sense. I'm going to give it a try. I'll keep u posted. Hopefully, it will help. I may not trying it till tomorrow. It is 2:30 pm here. I'm having so much trouble sleeping with all of this, I don't want to risk it making that worse.

I have been taking Benadryl that last 4 nights to sleep and realized the morning that's not the right answer for me. I woke with a major headache and congested sinuses this morning.

Thanks again for all u do! ps: no B/P issues

As I understand it Sudafed is sold at the pharmacy counter with some requirements in order to buy it. Maybe it differs state by state.

http://www.sudafed.com/know/buying-sudafed-ingredients

Sudafed PE is on the shelf-- contains 10mg
Of phenylephrine.

Sudafed is pseudoephrine 30mg and is behind
the counter and has to be signed for.

They are both decongestants.

I pretty much figured that. Thanks.

Just an update. I have not been on because of struggling so horribly with my withdraw from cymbalta.

I have been having terrible nausea, terrible headaches. Had a migraine two nights ago. Couldn't keep my eyes open. Went to bed at 9 and slept till 8 the next day. I have lightheadedness, dizziness, and extreme pain.

I spoke with the doctors office this morning. I was down to 30mgs and now I have to go back up to 60mgs every other day.

At least the thoughts of suicide have gone for now. Not that I ever would do it but I felt like I wanted to. Also a lot of crying.

Mrs. D I did try your sudafed idea. It actually did help a little with the pain. Thanks.
I remembered this morning at 1:30 that I could take dramimine for the nausea. It also put me to sleep which was great.

Hopefully, going back up to 60 every other day will help for now. I'm going to be reading all the post but probably not write anything rather than updates for a while.

I'm praying every night for all of us to get some relief for our pain.

Cymbalta withdrawal took me by complete surprise. My Doctor told me to take a week off work as I had to stop the drug completely and have it totally out of my system before she could commence me on a new drug.

Work was chaotic we were facing the GFC crisis. I was responsible for developing the selection criteria for redundancies (including my own), researching job roles and compiling statistics from company personnel files of employees who met the criteria. I worried for everyone jobs, I felt I had to be sure not one individual was incorrectly treated. I cried almost non stop, walked around with a hot wheat pack on my head and my hand to my forehead. I felt sick and was an emotional wreck, everyone witnessed my every weakened moments and those in a position to be able to help all they did was talk about me behind my back rather than offer assistance.

It was one of the worst weeks of my life, BUT, I do know, that it was worth it, the following week one of the oldest gentleman workers came in to see me two days after being made redundant and bought me a bottle of champagne. He said to me, I know what you did for me. You see, his was one of the jobs that could be done without. I heard from other gloating cost saving senior mgt he was upset over where the company was headed under the new regional GM and he intended to resign. I caught him on the staircase going to the meeting and I said to him, Jim, follow my lead. He worked 7 hours a week doing the garden beds. As was my responsibility I lead the conversation. I launched in immediately stating I had heard the rumour he was going to resign but that he had changed his mind and intended to stay. Jim nodded, I went on and said unfortunately the job he fulfilled could be handled by the maintenance team and the role was no longer required, as such he qualified for severance pay and redundancy. Jim was 72 had a heart of gold and a true gentleman who had given many years service to the company, week in and out, never missing a week and the garden beds were immaculate. He didn't have a pot to P155 in, he and his wife lived in a caravan and life was tough. If he resigned as the finance director and RGM gleefully stated to me, he would get nothing, just his accrued holiday pay. They treated him with such disrespect and the way they behaved over the redundancies atrocious. so, I made sure he was treated well, by the time I was finished he got accrued holiday pay, 4 weeks severance pay, an additional week for every years service as he was over 45 plus the redundancy package. Jim got over $15k. Not bad for working 7 hours a week and intending to resign. Now I know only to well many would frown on me for what I did saying I didn't do right by the company. But, I don't care, on this occasion I did what was right for a human being. He deserved that payment, without that job and at his age, no one else would employ him and allow him to work those hours at the pace he did. I have no regrets.

It was the knowing I wanted to do right by everyone that got me through that week. I considered daily ending my life I was in the darkest and deepest of holes and felt never ending pain and nausea. It passed though, and two weeks later in the new drug I was able to look back. I feel for you, I know how hard the withdrawal is from that drug as I did it cold turkey with nothing offered to make it easier. It truly was work that got me through. I am intrigued to read about your osteopenia, I too didn't have it, but after cymbalta I developed it. I have never even considered it contributed.

I'm praying for you that by today things are easing a little for you and there is a drug replacement ready for you to take as soon as you are able. So sorry about the lengthy diatribe and waffle. It will get better I promise you. This all happened to me in 2008 and here we are now in 2014, I can look back and acknowledge it was tough and one day so will you. We are all amazingly strong people on here, daily facing extraordinary battles. You can get through this and come out the other side with a smile, even if it is a wry one.

Hi Pamela June,
That is awesome that you did that for the gentleman. The job you have must be extremely stressful!

All the symptoms you said you had are exactly what I'm going through. It's so difficult. I just told my husband today that the thought of suicide came to mind many times since I've tried coming off of this drug. Don't worry I would never consider it. Wouldn't do that to my family. The pain, nausea and feelings of depression just gets so bad.

I do have to say I am feeling better today. I went back up to 60mgs today. Guess it is just going to take much longer to come off.

As for the osteopenia and cymbalta connection, look in this thread for the sites Mrs. D. sent to me. There is a connection. Who would have thought.

Thank you so much for your inspiration and prayers!!

Thinking of you.

You will get through this. You are not alone.

Each day you will find it a little easier, or sometimes perhaps the same as the day before, but never worse! You are getting better. You will be better. Soon.

If it were me (and it will likely be some day) I know I'd fill a thread full of anger and sorrow, all those mixed up feelings we get when things don't make sense. And I'd know you would be reading my words with love and care.

If you need to scream, come here and scream at us. Over and over again if you wish. Absorbing your words of frustration, pain and despair is the one thing we can do to help you. And we want to help.