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When you get an illness such as bronchitis or the flu, you may expect that you will be feeling better and functioning normally within a week or so. A chronic illness, such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, is different. A chronic illness may never go away and can disrupt your lifestyle in many ways. But there are many steps you can take that can make living with arthritis easier.
Effects of Arthritis
With arthritis, pain and fatigue may become a frequent part of your day. Physical changes from the disease process may affect your appearance. These changes can diminish your positive self-image. When you don't feel good about yourself, you may prefer isolation and withdraw from friends and social activities.
Chronic illness also can influence your ability to function at work. Morning stiffness, decreased range of motion, and other physical limitations may require you to modify your work activities and environment. Decreased ability to work can lead to financial difficulties. For the homemaker, a specific task may take much longer to accomplish. You may need the help of your spouse, a relative or a home health care provider. As your life changes, you may feel a loss of control and become anxious about the uncertainty of what lies ahead.
Arthritis and Stress
If you have arthritis, the stress can build and influence how you feel about life. Prolonged stress can lead to frustration, anger, hopelessness, and, at times, depression. The person with the illness is not the only one affected. Family members are also influenced by the changes in the health of a loved one.
How Can I Make My Life Better With Arthritis?
The most important step you can take is to seek help as soon as you feel less able to cope with your arthritis. Taking action early will enable you to understand and deal with the many effects of a chronic illness. Learning to manage stress will help you maintain a positive physical, emotional, and spiritual outlook on life.
A provider of mental health care can design a treatment plan to meet your specific needs. Strategies can be designed to help you regain a sense of control over your life and improve your quality of life.
There are many types of help available for people with chronic illnesses. Among them are support groups and individual counseling.
Support groups provide an environment where you can learn new ways of dealing with your illness. You may want to share approaches you have discovered with others. You will also gain strength in knowing that you are not facing hardships alone.
Sometimes people have problems that are better addressed in a one-on-one atmosphere. By participating in individual counseling, you may be able to express sensitive or private feelings you have about your illness and its impact on your lifestyle and relationships.
What If I Am Feeling Depressed?
Again, an important step you can take is to seek help as soon as you feel less able to cope. If you are feeling depressed or unable to cope with your arthritis, talk to a mental health professional. He or she can design a treatment plan to meet your specific needs. Strategies can be designed to help you regain a sense of control over your life and improve your quality of life, something everyone deserves. At times, if depression is present, medications other than those treating the arthritis may be ordered to help lift your mood.
WebMD Medical Reference
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD on May 16, 2012
© 2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
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Important Safety Information About Cymbalta®
The most important information you should know about Cymbalta:
Antidepressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens, and young adults. Suicide is a known risk of depression and some other psychiatric disorders. Call your doctor right away or seek emergency help if you have new or worsening depression symptoms; unusual changes in behavior, such as agitation, irritability, impulsivity, or restlessness; or thoughts of suicide. Be especially observant within the first few months of treatment or after a change in dose. Approved only for adults 18 and over.
Cymbalta may be associated with serious side effects. Call your healthcare provider right away or seek emergency help if you experience any of the following:
- Itching, right upper-belly pain, dark urine, yellow skin/eyes, or unexplained flu-like symptoms, which may be signs of life-threatening liver problems. Severe liver problems, some fatal, have been reported
- High fever, confusion, stiff muscles, muscle twitching, or racing heart rate, which may be signs of serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition
- Abnormal bleeding, especially if Cymbalta is taken with aspirin, NSAID pain relievers (like ibuprofen or naproxen), or blood thinners
- Serious, possibly life-threatening skin reactions, which may include skin blisters, peeling rash, mouth sores, hives, or other allergic reactions
- Abnormal mood (mania), which may include greatly increased energy, severe trouble sleeping, racing thoughts, talking more or faster than usual, and reckless behavior
- Seizures or convulsions
- Decreased blood pressure upon standing, which can cause dizziness or fainting, mostly when first starting or increasing the dose. Cymbalta can also increase blood pressure. Your healthcare provider should check your blood pressure prior to and while taking Cymbalta
- Headache, weakness or feeling unsteady, confusion, problems concentrating, or memory problems, which may be signs of low sodium levels in the blood. Elderly people may be at greater risk
- Problems with urination, including decreased flow or inability to pass any urine
- Changes in appetite or weight. Children and adolescents should have height and weight monitored
Do not stop Cymbalta or change your dose without talking to your healthcare provider, as you could have side effects.
Cymbalta is not for everyone. Do not take Cymbalta if you:
- Are taking or have recently taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), including the antibiotic linezolid, or Mellaril® (thioridazine). Taking Cymbalta close in time to these medicines can cause serious or even life-threatening side effects
- Have uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma (eye pain due to increased eye pressure)
Before taking Cymbalta, talk with your healthcare provider:
- About all your medical conditions, including
- kidney or liver problems, heart problems, or high blood pressure
- glaucoma or diabetes (Cymbalta may worsen diabetes or a type of glaucoma)
- seizures/convulsions, mania, or if you have bipolar disorder
- if you have ever had or been told you have bleeding problems, low sodium levels in your blood, or delayed stomach emptying
- About all prescription and over-the-counter medicines and supplements you take or plan to take, including
- antibiotics or medicines for migraine, mood, or psychotic disorders, to avoid a potentially life-threatening condition when taken with Cymbalta
- aspirin, NSAID pain relievers, or blood thinners, because they may increase risk for bleeding
- About your alcohol use (you should not take Cymbalta if you drink heavily)
- If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during therapy or are breast-feeding
Most common side effects of Cymbalta (this is not a complete list):
Nausea, dry mouth, sleepiness, fatigue, constipation, decreased appetite, increased sweating, dizziness. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Other safety information about Cymbalta:
- Cymbalta may cause sleepiness and dizziness. Until you know how Cymbalta affects you, you shouldn't drive a car or operate hazardous machinery
- People age 65 and older who took Cymbalta reported more falls, some resulting in serious injuries
How to take Cymbalta
Take Cymbalta exactly as directed by your healthcare provider. Do not open, break, or chew capsule; swallow it whole. Cymbalta is available by prescription only.
See Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning about antidepressants and risk of suicide, and Medication Guide.
DD CON ISI 02OCT2012
©Lilly USA, LLC 2012. All rights reserved.
Cymbalta is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company.
DD80746 11/2012
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Exercises
to Ease Osteoarthritis
