cymbalta - for and against
 

please - try to convince ( or prevent) me to start with cymbalta (or any other medications that can help my pains).

We're all different, I chose to go off of it because it caused me severe nausea and I was losing weight to rapidly. I hear if it works its great...

Just keep in mind....

Cymbalta is the ONLY antidepressant that causes liver damage in some patients. I think this is an unnecessary risk.
There are so many Cymbalta links on the net now.
I'd Google it for more input.
This is one example:
http://patientsville.com/medication/...de_effects.htm

Effexor is very similar and does not cause liver damage.

I treied it a few years ago, for a month.
Did nothing re: pain for me - except make me kinda
more cheerful in the morning.

I wanted to take for pain management. But had to go off my Lexepro which I did. I had VERY high hopes for this stuff...I took it for 4 months & gave up. It did not help with any pain issues for me & I missed the effects of my Lexepro so switched back. It did not give me any bad side effects, just didn't help.

It's interesting that the Cymbalta didn't also help your depression as that's one of its primary functions. It's an anti-depressant. Of course it's dose dependent and perhaps the dose wasn't high enough. I'm trying to remember how the dosing goes for pain v. depression the two combined.

Cymbalta is used to treat pain caused by depression but it also works on other types of 'nerve' pain, I guess you could call it, such as PN and the types of pain people with fibromyalgia experience. To me it seems people with PN have less success with Cymbalta than do the other types of pain. That's not to say it doesn't help some people with PN. Just not so much I don't think. Can someone correct this impression if I'm mistaken?

Cymbalta
 

I was very depressed and experiencing very high levels of pain when I started Cymbalta almost 5 yrs. ago. It worked well for the depression and just getting that under control ultimately had positive effects on the pain, I'm sure. I cannot say for certain that the drug had a direct impact on the pain as the pain level remained high. Since I've had no side effects and my liver function is fine, I've stayed on it for managing my depression.

I'd like to also say that working with a therapist who has experience in helping those with chronic pain has been just as important in managing my PN as any medication has been. My PN came on fast and strong and I was (still am, sometimes) a real mess! :eek: I was very lucky to find a Pain Mgmt. Group and a neurologist who understand how to treat the "whole person" rather than just the pain or the condition.

Best of luck to you!
Doxie

Cymbalta has helped
 

My son and I both started cymbalta teo years ago, it has been a godsend for us. I have been on and off many anti depressants for some years and this one really works for me. My son who has schizophrenia has been on many drugs for 5 years and it wasn't until cymbalta was added to the list that he has finally stabolized.

Cymbalta makes me feel very out of sorts and spacey. If your pain is from neuropathy I think neurontin is better.

Lyrica is even better, and less dosage per day.