# CYMBALTA FDA approved 8/3/04



## thomasw839 (Aug 21, 2002)

Hi everyone,There is a new antidepressant called CYMBALTA made by Eli Lilly which has just received FDA approval. This drug is the first approved selective serotonin AND norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SSNR). It is supposed to be good for chronic pain control as well as depression.Thought you all would like to know.


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## SpAsMaN* (May 11, 2002)

Do you think the side effects are ridiculous?


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

What ARE the side effects and also does this drug helps with anxiety too?


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## thomasw839 (Aug 21, 2002)

Hello again,I have been on Cymbalta for a couple of weeks now. Switched over easily from Effexor. Doctor says it will take six or seven weeks to know if it helps with my fibromyalgia pain. So far, so good--I have not experienced any side effects. Antidepressant effects of this drug seem idential to Effexor. Would just like the additional benefit of pain control.Has anyone else tried it yet?


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## thomasw839 (Aug 21, 2002)

Hi again,Still on Cymbalta. There don't seem to be any negative side effects for me. There are two positive side effects that I am happy about: First, my IBS-C has been helped very much; second, I have experienced about a 95% reduction in involuntary body jerking which used to wake me many times each night. I still have fibromyalgia pain, though. Waiting to see if that will be relieved, but understand it takes a long time to kick in in this regard.Best to all.Cyndie


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## mxwe (Apr 7, 2002)

How do SSNRs work?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

How it works...http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/cymbalta_cp.htmSide effects http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/cymbalta_cp.htm with the number of people in the trial who had each one.Most drugs have long side effects lists but only a few people per thousand have any given one.A different SNRI is used for general anxiety, I do not know if Cymbalta does as well, but effexor in the same class works, so this one may as well.It has some evidence to be good for overactive bladder and my Doctor said that in the early development it looked like a good drug for IBS, but the market as an antidepressant was bigger so they went for that in the FDA approval process. He said the SNRI's are kinda in between a SSRI (prozac and most of the other new antidepressants) and a Tricyclic in how it acts. Tricyclics are often very good for pain control.K.


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## sok-in (May 29, 2003)

Is Cymbalta good for IBS-D or IBS-C, those who are on it, can you comment? Does it help with your abdominal pain? Constipation?


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## Joan Gregg (Jun 6, 2000)

I am the one in excruciating digestive pain and I found Cymbalta to be no help after five weeks; I actually got worse.


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## thomasw839 (Aug 21, 2002)

Hello folks,Sorry not to answer sooner, but I don't check in as often as I used to.I am IBS-C, and Cymbalta has helped me a lot in that department--an unexpected bonus! I have only had constipation once since I went on it, and I used to suffer EVERY DAY from that.To update you all on the results of Cymbalta for depression with me--I began experiencing some mood swings after I had been on the drug for about a month. I have recently switched my dosage by dividing it up and taking smaller doses twice a day (30 mg AM and 30 mg PM). Seems to work much better now, and I am hoping that will continue to be the case. Takes a while to be sure.Hope everyone is coping well and will enjoy the happy holidays!Best to all,Cyndie


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## 22540 (Jun 28, 2005)

I was on Cymbalta for about 3 weeks for depression/anxiety but had to get off of it because for me, it caused terrible insomnia. I have IBS-D and it improved the symptoms dramatrically. I found I could eatr foods that had always given me trouble. Now I am on Wellbutrin XL and have lost this benefit.


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## 2btrue (Jul 22, 2003)

I was really surprised to find someone has found Cymbalta to help with constipation. I thought it helps more with diarrhea - it also lists constipation as a side effect.Has anyone else found Cymbalta to be helpful for constipation?


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## 2btrue (Jul 22, 2003)

I was surprised to read that Cymbalta could help with constipation as it lists that as a side effect.Has anyone else found that it has helped with constipationz?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

It goes both ways like most of these drugs.If you look at table two on this page http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/cymbalta_ad.htmAt lower doses it caused more diarreha than constipation, The higher doses depending on the dosing it either caused equal diarrhea and constipation or more constipation.So it could help people with constipation. The effects of serotonin drugs on people's guts are highly idiosyncratic (meaning they effect different people differently).K.


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## 2btrue (Jul 22, 2003)

Thanks K, really appreciate the info.I thought that Cymbalta was more like Effexor, meaning that it is not only a SSRI but has Norepenephrine (sp??) too which tends to be constipating. Effexor is extremely constipating for me.I guess it is trial and error though.People say that its good for pain however according to info that I can find, it seems to only be effective for diabetic neuropathy.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

It is a SNRI like Effexor.You may be one that this class of drugs can be constipating in. But the results are variable and you can't generalize well from one person to everyone. They cause diarrhea in other people.And you may not be able to generalize for you from one drug in a class to another one. A lot of people will respond differently to drugs in the same class, which is why we have more than one drug in a class. People have minor differences in receptor structure and metabolism of medications and sometimes one drug in a class is a better fit than another one for a given person.One of the areas of reasearch going on is can they do a genetic profile of you so they know enough factors to help decided which class of drugs may be best for your problem, which one in the class might be best, and what dose of that drug may be best. Rather than just trial and error which is so frustrating. Right now we can't really predict who will have which side effect, who needs a high dose of something to get an effect and who needs a low dose to be just as effective and avoid side effects. K.


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## 2btrue (Jul 22, 2003)

Thanks K,That was a very interesting reply. I have heard of this research being done on studying each individual's genetic makeup for the purpose of medication, treatments, response, requirements etc but thought it is still in its very early stages.It is so incredibly antiquated using the current hit or miss that is used today and one would hope that this genetic testing happens fairly soon.


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