Okay, so by now you know there is an issue with my meds at the moment. This post is partly for anyone who is interested in Cymbalta and partly to help organise my thoughts for the doctor tomorrow (today).
Firstly, of course, there is the whole serotonin syndrome thing:
If you have some or all of the following symptoms you may have something called serotonin syndrome: feeling confused, feeling restless, sweating, shaking, shivering, hallucinations, sudden jerks in your muscles or a fast heartbeat.
It then continues with the following symptoms; which may or may not also be symptoms of serotonin syndrome or not.
- stick neck or jaw muscles (lockjaw)
- fits or seizures
- mood of excitement, over-activity and uninhibited behaviour
- aggression or anger especially after starting or stopping taking this medicine.
You may need urgent medical attention.
But wait! There’s more! (And I don’t mean a free set of steak-knives.)
Glaucoma: I don’t have glaucoma, that I know of. (I really need to get that tested.) But my Mum does. And my brother. I am nervous about taking a medication that could cause it.
Liver damage or failure: Okay, noone really lines up to ask for this one. I wouldn’t be too concerned at the moment normally as I do not drink (still breastfeeding S4 and F1) and as far as I know, my liver is pretty healthy (despite it all.) However, elsewhere it talks about skin rash as a sign of a sick liver. Go to the Accident and Emergency of your nearest hospital if you have itching, skin rash or hives. I have had the most horrendous skin rash. It started on Sunday 5th August. It lasted until a few weeks ago. (Coincidentally when I stopped taking my old meds?) All over my legs, my arms and the trunk of my body. It was so itchy that I couldn’t sleep and it often had me in tears. Now my legs and chest are covered in scars. I still have itchy, broken skin on my abdomen. I don’t normally get rashes like that. It was just too hard for me to get to a doctor about it. It also says flu symptoms are a sign. I thought I was fighting another seasonal bug, but maybe that is not what the recurring aches and fevers were about.
And, actually, it IS concerning to be taking something daily that puts your liver into such a tenuous situation that a big night out could wipe it out. Not that I get big nights out.
Suicidal tendencies: I am not suicidal. But suicide is a real and rather nasty side effect of some medications for some people. I am a suicide-survivor, thank you Aropax. I know that I am so glad I survived, not just because I am here now, but because in that moment that I stopped taking the pills, I won the war. I do not want to go there again, and I am petrified to have that control taken from me.
Restless Legs: @#%^ restless legs! Restless legs drive me crazy. It came on in a big way when I was pregnant with H6 and has got worse since. I do not need to take something that has this as a possible side-effect!
Of course, there is the usual list of a thousand possible side-effects, the ones we are all used to seeing. Of these, there are a few that bother me:
- sleeping issues – drowsiness or insomnia or weird dreams. Take your pick. They are all there, and I get them all. Yick.
- anxiety/confusion – isn’t this part of what we are treating?
- and many, many more, but these are all the mild and short-lived ones, and generally speaking, I don’t bother with them if they don’t bother with me.
You know, in my gut, I just know this is not for me.
Inside the Storm 