New Medication????

purplegirl · Tadpole Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 15 Location: Michigan

I know that many of us are in various Lupus groups and read various magazines. I received a booklet called the lupus newslink and it had an article regarding Milnacipran, that is a promising treatment for chronic pain conditions like Fibromyalgia & Lupus and relives chronic pain and depression. Most SSRI's (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) have unwelcome side effects, the most common being an increase in erectile dysfunction and a decrease in libido.

I mentioned it to my psychiatrist and she looked and looked for it even calling the pharmacy to ask about it. This particular medicine does not have the FDA approval yet. So ultimately, it is not available.

She mentioned to me a medication called Cymbalta which has the same affects. I began taking it on a Tuesday and felt like a different person within 2 days. Has anyone ever heard or taken Cymbalta?
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Mrs. Kimberly Turner

Saysusie · Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 11:32 am Post subject:

FYI

According to Remedy RX:
Cymbalta works to basically marinate your neurons in brain chemicals, and that helps to relieve pain. Often, when attempting to relieve nerve pain other medications are used in conjunction with Cymbalta to repair nerve tissue to relieve pain both short term and long term. Cymbalta is a very beneficial drug for many people who suffer from the awful nerve pain associated with diabetes and other diseases like Fibromyalgia.
" Cymbalta etc. (Duloxetine) is a newly approved (U.S. FDA; European Union August 2004) selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SSNRI) antidepressant. Preclinical studies have shown that Duloxetine works by increasing levels of serotonin and norepinephrine, and a lesser degree, the neurotransmitter dopamine. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that carries messages between nerve cells. Neurotransmitters are secreted by one cell and picked up by receptor proteins on the surface of another cell. Once the message has been delivered, a neurotransmitter is either destroyed or absorbed into the cell that made it. This process is known as re-uptake. When re-uptake is inhibited, the effect of the neurotransmitter (in this case serotonin and norepinephrine) is amplified. Neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine are involved in the regulation of pain, pleasure, anxiety, panic, arousal, and sleep behavior (the sleep-wake cycle)."
NOTE: All of the antidepressants have been shown to work for treating depression. Unfortunately, they don’t work for everybody, and finding the right antidepressant is something of a chemistry experiment – trying to match the chemistry of the medication with the user’s unique body chemistry. The general rule is - if one antidepressant therapy doesn't work, you should try another.)
Cymbalta is the first antidepressant to hit the market since the FDA began studying whether antidepressants can increase the risk of suicide, particularly when used by adolescents.

"Cymbalta is produced by Eli Lilly and is a versitile medication approved to treat depression and certain types of pain. The company hopes that it has found a money-maker, since It's flagship antidepressant Prozac is now available in a cheaper generic version. Cymbalta (duloxetine) is one of a new class of antidepressants that targets both serotonin and norepinephrine. Cymbalta was also the first antidepressant to hit the market since the FDA began studying whether antidepressants can increase the risk of suicide, particularly when used by adolescents.
In February 2004 a college student, taking part in a study of Cymbalta, hanged herself in a Lilly company research facility.
Other facts:
* The FDA approved Cymbalta to treat major depression for up to nine weeks.
* In one study Cymbalta users were almost three times as likely to achieve relief of depression as patients given a placebo.
* Cymbalta is approved to treat the pain from diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
* Cymbalta's wholesale price started at almost $3.00 a day, similar to other new antidepressants.
* Cymbalta may also be marketed as a treatment for stress urinary incontinence.

Saysusuie

Ariel · Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 7:40 am Post subject:

I tried a seratonin reuptake inhibitor originally for diabetic neuropathy pain which was also, probably, lupus pain as well. I took Effexor.

They changed the patient insert 3 times in the year I was on it. I got seratonin poisoning which nearly killed me. To top it off I gained 30 pounds in 30 days.

Stuff is dangerous.

kelibeli · Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 10:48 am Post subject:

AngelaS · Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 3:12 pm Post subject:

I am taking Cymbalta and have been for 3 months. My PCP, the person who figured out that I had lupus, started me on Cymbalta because research showed that it helped depression and chronic pain. I think it does help, but I take so much different medicines that I'm not really sure. I do know when I miss a dose I tend to have more anxiety.

I am very glad that it is working for you. There are 2 other people I know that is on Cymbalta and they love it. Like Saysusie said, every serotonin medication works differently on each person, but it sounds like you are on the right road!!!!!
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Angela Sears

greeneyes58 · Sea Monkey Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 14

I was also just prescribes cymbalta and if its at all like effexor I did not like effexor at all. Im one that does not sleep and just wondering if this one will add to me not being able to sleep. I dont want to take if if its at all like effexor. I probably should stick to lexapro. So let me know about it and how you do. I also so am a mild lupus pt. and fibromyalgia. Thanks greeneyes58