Cymbalta

Cymbalta is the brand name for the drug Duloxetine. It is an antidepressant drug that is in a group referred to as SNRI’s. These are selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. These types of drugs are used to affect the chemicals found in the brain that may cause depression due to being unbalanced. Cymbalta is used for treating a few different disorders such as depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, and pain diabetic neuropathy. Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder and diabetic neuropathy is a condition that some diabetics may suffer from that causes pain stemming from the nerves. It is also possible for Cymbalta to be used for other conditions that are not listed here as well.

Before you start taking the prescription Cymbalta, it is important to evaluate other medicines you may already be taking. Your doctor should be made aware of other medications you are taking, whether prescription or over the counter. Cymbalta may have a negative reaction with prescription drugs such as Mellaril, Marplan, Nardil, Azilect, Eldepryl, Emsam, or Parnate. These are all to be avoided when taking Cymbalta. Another thing to be made aware of, when taking Cymbalta, is the potential for having suicidal thoughts for the first few weeks. For this reason it is important to always make it to your scheduled doctor’s visits to be evaluated, especially if you are under the age of 25.

There are other disorders or medical conditions that you may have that may prevent you from being able to take Cymbalta. If you have glaucoma, epilepsy, bipolar disorder, blood clotting disorder, liver or kidney disease, or have a history of suicidal thoughts or drug abuse, then you may not qualify for this medication or you may need special testing and dosage in order to take Cymbalta safely.

If you notice symptoms that are new or get worse over the course of treatment then you should notify your doctor immediately. Symptoms such as anxiety, panic attacks, irritability, anger or aggression, hyperactivity, sleeping problems, suicidal thoughts or worsening depression then you should see your doctor right away. You should also avoid drinking alcohol to prevent possible liver damage. Also beware that some over the counter cold and allergy medications, narcotics for pain, sleeping pills, seizure medications, anxiety medications, and muscle relaxers may all cause extra drowsiness when taken with Cymbalta. Cymbalta may cause impairment in thinking and a delay in reaction time. For this reason you should use caution when making the decision to drive or do anything that you need to be alert and awake for.

Your physician will schedule frequent appointments in order to evaluate your progress on the medication. It is important you stick to your appointments and be completely honest with your doctor about your side effects and feelings while taking Cymbalta. It is wise to inform family or friends that you are close to about your new prescription, Cymbalta, so they can help distinguish whether or not you are having symptoms relating to your moods or behavior.

If you are pregnant or breast feeding it is not a good idea to take Cymbalta. This drug may cause problems to the unborn baby or may harm a newborn if the mother has taken Cymbalta during the later part of pregnancy. This medication has also been found to pass into the mothers breast milk and therefore can harm a baby that is still nursing. If you are pregnant, nursing or planning on becoming pregnant in the near future, be sure to inform your doctor to avoid complications.

Cymbalta may be the appropriate medication for some, but no one medicine is the right fit for everyone. If you find that you are unable to take Cymbalta then your doctor may be able to prescribe something else that is better suited for your needs.

[quote|tags=Neuro-Natural Serenity]

Last updated on Jul 8th, 2009 and filed under Mental Health. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

1 Response for “Cymbalta”

  1. Jodie says:

    Thanks for the information; wikipedia has an article on Cymbalta, but the section on interactions with other drugs is rather bare in comparison to what is in this post.

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