Hi all! I have a call into my doctor but wondered if anyone else has a similar problem. I started taking Cymbalta 30mg 2x a day and Nortriptyline 75 mg 1x nightly. Both were started last Monday 01-07-13. Now I started itching on my side a rash is developing, and now I am very itchy EVERYWHERE. Like my face, scalp, armpit, leg just everywhere. I noticed last night this red patch ion my face and red splotches that kind of look like hives but aren't raised or anything. I feel like tiny itchy bugs are alll over my body and I can't get the itching to stop. other than medication there has been no major changes, like soap and detergent. I seriously cant stop itching....anyone else feel like that?

I did not have a rash or itching when I tried it, BUT I remember reading that if you have one, it should be reported "immediately" to a doctor as it may be an indication of a relatively serious side effect.

The statement below is from drugs.com regarding Cymbalta.

"Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to Cymbalta: skin rash or hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat."

I think if it were me, I would discontinue the Cymbalta until you talk to your doctor.

Good luck and keep us updated....

Birch,
I am waiting to hear from the doctor. I read that as well. I know that some rashes are common with Crps too, which is really what I was asking. I guess just wondering how bad rashes can get, i swear I am insanely itchy. I am almost constantly scratching something. It's really all over not in 1 particular place, though my sides/face.scalp are the most itchy. Very odd I was wondering if anyone else had symptoms similar to mine. Also I checked the drug interactions of what I;m taking and all three together have a high chance for Serotonin syndrome. I will talk to my doctor about that as well.

He's going to have me wean off then Cymbalta first then the Nortriptyline, if the rash doesn't go away. If it still stays off the meds then it's just from the CRPS. Dr. Bala is my new PCP and he's trying to get my care coordinated with a neurologist and new pain management doctor. Hopefully with better care and coordination I will get better as well. I know I still have a long road, but I am already tired!
I am itching CONSTANTLY right now, it actually makes it hard to sleep, so I have to go get a new prescription for the itching woo hoo lol I sure hope it helps!

Stay the course songbird.

Because the rash and itching started only 8 days since you started your new drug regime, my money is on the Cymbalta being the cause. It is NOT an unusual side effect of this drug. Follow your doctors "wean" instructions.

Finding the right combination of drugs that works for you can be challenging. What works for others may or may not work for you. Took me about a year or so and I'm still tweaking on occasion. Took me about a year (and a lot of docs) to diagnose, a year to find the right meds and therapies, a year to settle down the condition and now in year four, I'm definitely better; still symptomatic to be sure, but better. And thankful to be sure. This can be a tough journey. Gotta stay strong both physically and mentally; depression is common for many of us with CRPS so keep tabs on your mood and don't hesitate to get help for that if needed.

I use gabapentin, naproxen, amitrypyline and trazodone daily, with ultram for breakthrough flares. Started with percocet but didn't want to become hooked on it and use it long term, so weaned myself off of it (yuk!!) and with the help of my doctors, found a reasonable drug cocktail that is non narcotic.

Not sure what to tell you about the itching, but if they prescribed something, I'd sure try it. Nothing worse than constant itching; I can remember when I had chicken pox, if it is anything like that.

Good luck to you!

Thank you for letting us know of your dr. calling. sounds like a good move to wean off the cymbalta first. sounds like you have a good plan to see neuro and pain doc- this disorder calls for the long haul approach. But, I've found after 16 years, I'm in a much better place pain wise-sensitivity to touch better, the electric shocks are gone after years of high dose neurotin. the burn, tingling is still pretty bad, as dealing with the 'heat' of the body. Going thru the pain of physical therapy and getting use of harms, hands, toes, etc was well worth it, but tough at the time. So for those just starting the road, hand in there- it can and often does get better. Keep us posted how you are doing. loretta

It's unusual to start cymbalta on a 2x30mg dose daily. Normal protocol is to start on 30 mg daily for a week or two and build up to 60. It can even be done by taking the 60 only on alternate days for a while to make it even more gradual. It's not that helpful to start you on 2 new drugs at the same time because it creates exactly that problem you now have of having to get off both because nobody knows what is causing the problem. Slow and steady and one at a time is better and safer.

Keep hanging in there with the "marathon not sprint". It is tiring especially when all your hopes are invested in the next appointment, drug, treatment, person etc and each time they are dashed. You will eventually learn not to invest all of your hopes like this to protect yourself from the emotional roller coaster but it takes a bit of time and practice. I was hopeless at it for the first 2 years! After that I got great at it!

Hey Songbird,
I'm not a physician or anything but in my experince with trying Nortrityline it caused me to ich too. I switched to Amitriptyline and the itching subsided quite a bite.
I'm presently doing Cymbalta like you along with 600 mgs Gabaptine 3 x daily.
Hopes this helps and I wish you well...

I am late coming on to this thread, but the family of TCAs...tricyclic antidepressants, like nortriptyline... have a photosensitivity warning on them. Exposure to sun or tanning beds may cause a skin reaction. If your redness is confined to exposed skin, you might consider sun exposure as a culprit too.
http://www.wellnesspharmacy.net/photosensitivity.pdf
My son had a rash from imipramine which he used for a year for ADHD when he was a child. We had to discontinue it.

It is really not wise to take both Cymbalta AND nortriptyline.
Either one or the other should work. But together that raises the potential of serotonin syndrome. Cymbalta can also affect the liver, and then if that happens the metabolism of other drugs, may be affected.