Cymbalta

[YGB]

I am considering switching from my 20 mg Prozac to 20 mg Cymbalta to hopefully help my neuralgia/aching eye/head pain.

Dr. Tseng thinks that I have occipital neuralgia and I agree that my pain is likely neuralgia related. I read somewhere that it is good to not let chronic neuralgia pain continue for more than 6 months if possible, since the brain may not be able to figure out how to turn it off after that time.

I have had the neuralgia pain for about 3+ months. Sometimes the pain feels like it is just behind my eyes and other times it spreads through my head to the back of my neck. I pretty much have neuralgia/aching eye/head pain most of the day ranging from mild to severe with much of the time spent in the mild/moderate stage.

I did a search on Cymbalta on the DEZ site and saw some okay thoughts about it. However, before I proceed with trying Cymbalta, I was wondering if anyone had experience with using Cymbalta to treat chronic pain (especially head pain) that they could share. Thanks. YGB

[Scout]

http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/cymbalta_ad.htm

The most commonly observed adverse events in Cymbalta-treated DPN patients (incidence of 5% or greater and at least twice the incidence in placebo patients) were: nausea; somnolence; dizziness; constipation; dry mouth; hyperhidrosis; decreased appetite; and asthenia (see Table 2).

IMHO, [I am not a doctor] Cymbalta has a very high side effects to clinical efficacy ratio. Please read this link to see the results of the clinical trials.

The side effects that you may need to consider are the ones that indicate a general overall body “dryness” effect, highlighted above: dry mouth, constipation, hyperhydrosis [excessive sweating]. It does not specifically state dry eyes, but in most cases if there is mouth dryness and excessive sweating, dry eyes are probable.

The incidence of insomnia and nausea are unusually high.

Have you considered a natural way to relieve the pain, like massage therapy, acupuncture or acupressure?

Scout

[elaine]

Cymbalta

YGB, I think you just have to try the Cymbalta and see if you feel better or not. I took Prozac once for depression and my headaches disappeared. When I took it another time, it had no effects at all. I have been taking Cymbalta for the better part of two years, I was put on it because of my depression about my DES, and it hasn't made my eyes worse (unlike alcohol, Trazodone and Vicodan.) All the antidepressants list dryness as a possible side effect.
Elaine

[YGB]

Scout and Elaine - thanks for the replies.

As an fyi, I have tried acupuncture and while I am confident that it has helped, it seems like it can only take me so far when it comes to my neuralgia/head/eye pain. I also run the shower massager on my head/neck and this helps as well. However, this positive effect is mostly temporary.

I am likely going to try the Cymbalta to see how it goes. We are all so different and hopefully I will not get the side effects. If I do, I'll stop and from what I have learned, there is a likely chance that the Cymbalta side effects would go away once the medication is stopped.

I'll think about it for a few more days and see how my head feels. I had a good day today (only mild head pain and eye aching). Of course, it rained all day and I took a nice nap so I'm sure that helped. Maybe it will help me start the week on the right foot. Thanks again.