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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Does Cymbalta Cause Elevated BP And Hair Loss?

Hello Doctor; 4 months ago I developed very painful radiculopathy and recently found out through an MRI that I have compression of C6/C7 related to osteoarthritis. I was taking Lyrica 300 mg daily for the intense pain, but because of weight gain and mental fog, I ve slowly switched over to Cymbalta 60 mg with relatively good pain control. I started out at 30 mg and increased to 60 mg before tapering off the Lyrica because trying to taper down at 30 mg of Cymbalta was too painful. The first 4 days on only the 60 mg of Cymbalta, I experienced insomnia at night with days of drowsiness, so I switched to taking it in the morning instead of at night. Not only have I been sleeping well through the nights since switching (and not hearing the alarm in the am), I ve been having tremendous difficulty waking and falling asleep frequently and uncontrollably during the day, needing 12+ hours of sleep daily. I saw my Dr again today who is perplexed by my case. My baseline BP is 60/90, and today it is considerably elevated for myself at 122/88. She prescribed me 200 mg daily of Alertec for the next week (to keep me awake and get me through my school exams), and suggested that I could try cutting back to Cymbalta 30 mg if I want but that my pain will likely get worse. She said the Cymbalta should not be causing my sleepiness. In the meantime, she has sent a referral for a sleep study because she thinks I may have developed sleep apnea with the weight gain. (5 2 , 190 lbs) I am also awaiting a nerve conduction study and a referral to a pain clinic. (When uncontrolled, the pain affects my ability to work). My Dr has been trying to seek answers for me via e-consults, and she isn t sure what to suggest next. I have complained to her about excessive sweating over the past 2 years or so, and I do lose a moderate amount of hair every day in the shower. My Dr did bloodwork to rule out thryoid issues. We seem to have a diagnosis for my pain, but not for the excessive fatique, sweating (mostly neck and back), and hair loss. Or the sudden elevation of my BP; could that be related to the Cymbalta? Do you have any further suggestions for myself and my Dr based on any similar cases out there, or am I just a mystery? If you have any additional insight, I d be grateful.
Mon, 3 Dec 2018
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General Surgeon 's  Response
Hello,

It is not related to Cymbalta.

If symptoms persist, it is better to consult a physician and get evaluated.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Shinas Hussain,
General & Family Physician
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Does Cymbalta Cause Elevated BP And Hair Loss?

Hello, It is not related to Cymbalta. If symptoms persist, it is better to consult a physician and get evaluated. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. Shinas Hussain, General & Family Physician