I'm having a bout of Vertigo...

[moosmom]

Since my meds have changed, I've gone through bouts of withdrawal and it isn't fun. Now I'm having vertigo, and can't get hold of my nurse practitioner. Everytime I get up, I feel like I'm going to topple over, like a wheeble (they wobble but won't fall down). I called the place where I'm being treated and they were absolutely NO help. My NP doesn't come in until Wednesday, the day I'm due back at work. They said I shouldn't be driving (I don't plan on going anywhere today). They also told me something I never knew. Cymbalta is like Effexor . I hated that drug. It too always gave me vertigo. I'm scared right now. I hope this passes before I have to go back to work on Wednesday.

[Karen]

Oh, no fun at all.

I, on the other hand, am the "Anti-Weeble." If I even start to wobble, I fall down!

[Grace]

Do you have a blood pressure cuff at home? If so, take your BP while sitting, and then immediately after standing. It will show if you have orthostatic hypotension, which can cause vertigo.

[moosmom]

Well I DID have those things, but left them behind in a box in MI. I believe it's my medicine that's doing this. If I don't feel much better soon, I'll go to the ER or a walk-in clinic.

[carole]

Donna i am so sorry to hear this, vertigo is the pitts,my mother suffers from it and it is terrible, she get's it very bad, i sure hope you can get better before work, as you will be unable to do anything, you have my utmost sympathy dear and i hope you can get hold of someone at the medical center to help you,you should not have to go through this, don't be scared sweetie we are all here for you.

[Randi]

Donna, I hope this isn't anyting serious, but in any case, you should have a chat with a doctor. Can you ring one at an emergency place to ask about this?

Hope you get better soon!

[dukedogsmom]

Boy can I sympathize! Ever since I got my fractured skull in 95, I had it bad. I would lie in bed and it would feel the room was spinning out of control and I wasn't even moving. Now, finally, it's gone. I didn't sleep on my right side for over 12 years. I hope you find out what's causing it and can get rid of it easily. It's horrible.

[Catty1]

Hi, Donna:

I looked up the generic names of the two drugs you mentioned. They don't appear to be the same.

Venlafaxine Hydrochloride - Effexor

duloxetine - Cymbalta

Side effects(Cymbalta)

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

* Disturbances of the gut, such as nausea, diarrhoea, indigestion, vomiting, constipation

* Dry mouth

* Headache

* Sleepiness

* Insomnia

* Dizziness

* Fatigue

* Increased sweating

* Decreased appetite and weight loss

* Blurred vision

* Tremor

* Anxiety, nervousness, agitation

* Awareness of your heartbeat (palpitations)

* Decreased sex drive or difficulty achieving orgasm

* Impotence or delayed ejaculation

* Hot flushes

* Taste disturbances

* Difficulty passing urine

* Increase in blood pressure or heart rate

* Cold hands or feet

* Jaundice

* Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis)

[Medusa]

Oh gosh, Donna, I feel for ya. When you have vertigo, there isn't much you can do except lie down and wait for it to pass. I just don't know about Cymbalta. I was on it for a while to help w/the pain of fibromyalgia and in the beginning it worked fine. But then I started getting terrible stomach cramps that lasted for hours and after a few weeks, I couldn't take it any more so a medical asst. told me to go off it cold turkey w/out consulting w/my dr. I asked "Shouldn't I be weaned off this?" and I was told to just stop taking it. Long story short, I had even more terrible withdrawal than the side effects I had been experiencing. So even though you've only been on it a short period of time, if you're going to stop taking it, do it slowly and wean yourself. Please let us know how you're doing.

[moosmom]

I just talked to someone "medical" at the center I'm treating at. She told me to stop taking the Cymbalta (I had JUST that minute taken today's dose). She's going to call me back. I'll let ya know what they say.

[Catty1]

{{{{hugs}}}} I was posting to you at the same time a phone call came in...I wanted to add that I hoped you were better SOON!

I hope you hear something helpful from the centre.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

How are you doing?

[moosmom]

I'm okay. I'm afraid to go anywhere. I'm still waiting for "Hope" to call me back. I HAVE to go into work tomorrow. I'm so afraid of passing out. Hope told me to stop taking it. If I do that, I'll surely go through bad withdrawal. I've been on Cymbalta for almost a month.

[carole]

Oh donna what an awful situation you are in, damned if you do and damned if you don't, so to speak, when my mother has vertigo it is so bad she is bed ridden, and even that is bad, as the room is spinning, i understand how bad it must be and i never ever want to suffer from it,you have my utmost sympathy and then some,can you afford to have a sick day off, sounds like whatever you do you are not going to be feeling very well at all,you are really caught in a catch 22 aren't you, you poor thing,i can only wish you well and hope that you can get through this without too much suffering, HUGS.

Just wanted to add, Catty1 you are such a nice person, you always go out of your way to research things for people and help them, i have noticed you do this time and time again,you are very thoughtful and helpful.

[Medusa]

Hope told me to stop taking it. If I do that, I'll surely go through bad withdrawal. I've been on Cymbalta for almost a month.

Maybe not. What mg. are you taking? Since you've only been on it a month, if you're on 30 mg., it may not have that effect on you.