Please help re: Antidepresents and pain

[mark813]

Hi All

Recently I just started taking antidepressants for my depression due to my accident (c-5 c-6). I am managing the pain with the duragesic patch what a blessing. As far as the antidepressants go I tried Wellbutrin, Effexor and now he is going to start me on Cymbalta. Has anyone have anything good to say regarding antidepressants and do some of them help with pain? The first 2 I tried were no help so here I go the human ginny pig. I just want to find the best antidepressant out there so I bring this questions to all those who have tried.

Thanks
Mark

[David Berg]

I know of a number of people who take anti-depressants for neuro pain, but they're usually given along with something else, usually Neurontin.

If it seems weird to be taking an anti-depressant for pain, just remember that this isn't "normal" pain, it's pain in the CNS and these meds have their effect on that part of the body. We're not trying to tame down inflamation, we're trying to tame down screaming neurons.

[Myc0]

Hi, I'm taking Cymbalta as my Doctor told me it would elevate my mood and ease my discomfort. I was put on Neurontin a while ago to help with pain when they cut back on my primary pain killer (Oxycontin). However I'm pretty sure my pain wasn't actually nerve pain, and it didn't really help the pain. I talked to the Doctor about this several times. The first couple of times he increased my dosage of Neurontin. It still didn't help so I simply stopped taking the Neurontin. Does Cymbalta only affect nerve pain? My pain is more in my back, the scarred area on my ribcage where they did a Thoracotomy(?), and my butt gets real sore after sitting for a while even though I have no sensation there. I haven't really noticed any effect from the Cymbalta either, and don't want to take any meds that aren't necessary.

[SoFla]

It's important to read the side effects of the meds. Some will actually cause depression. I was put on Neurontin for nerve pain, Baclofen for spasms, and Wellbutrin for depression while in rehab. I cried a lot. I didn't really feel depressed, just incredibly sad. It wasn't until I came home that I was able to read side effects. I stopped Baclofen. The crying jags ended, so I stopped Wellbutrin, too. No problem! I still get sad from time to time, but not on a daily basis, and surely not to the extent that Baclofen put me to. Cymbalta made me terribly sick to my stomach. I didn't take it long enough to experience any other side effects.

I've been taking Gabapentin instead of Neurontin since January with no problems. Two weeks ago I was switched from the orange pills to yellow ones. My coping skills have deteriorated. I spent this past weekend in an emotional puddle. Thanks to another thread, I learned that there is a difference between generic manufacturers! I'm switching back to the orange pills today. Just knowing that it will only be a few more hours has lightened my load.

[litespeed4]

I've been on Nuerontin and Cymbalta and they seem to work well. Since Cymbalta is an anti depressent it may help with my mood but I'm not sure if I'm taking it in a stromg enough dose to help in that area (60 mg once a day). Most of my pain is in my back where they did surgury to fuse my spine. Neither of these helps in that area. I went off the oxy stuff and stick with advil for the back pain but can still get pretty bad some days. Good luck and stick with it.

[metronycguy]

off label use of tricyclic anti depressants such as amitriptyline are used effectively for neuro pain, they are usually used at much lower doses for pain than the prescribed doses for depression. 10 or 20 mg a day for pain, do a search here for amitriptyline and you will see the studies and how it physically works on nerve pain. (http://carecure.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-23467.html) i try to emphasize the the word physically since , when anti depressant are prescribed , i think people get the impression that the pain is in their head.

cymbalta was the first approved(on label) med for diabetic neuropathy. i tried it and as most here on cc with neuro pain from SCI it did nothing for my pain, plus it made me feel freaky and paranoid.

[metronycguy]

I've been on Nuerontin and Cymbalta and they seem to work well. Since Cymbalta is an anti depressent it may help with my mood but I'm not sure if I'm taking it in a stromg enough dose to help in that area (60 mg once a day). Most of my pain is in my back where they did surgury to fuse my spine. Neither of these helps in that area. I went off the oxy stuff and stick with advil for the back pain but can still get pretty bad some days. Good luck and stick with it.
somehow i dont think the neurontin or cymbalta is going to help with the pain at the fusion area.

[razzle51]

boy they didnt help me. I had a terrible reaction to cymbalta but it took about 8 months built up I guess. Everyone on it be careful!!!!!!!

[metronycguy]

i havent heard of one person on CC that had any pain killing effects from cymbalta. i guess diabetic pain is different than sci pain