Cymbalta Approved For Fibromyalgia
Cymbalta is an antidepressant that blocks the reuptake of serotonin and noradrenaline. It was first used to treat depression, but also may help to reduce chronic pain. This week is was approved to treat fibromyalgia, but has been prescribed off label to FMS patients for a while now.
A paper out of the university of San Francisco says that noradrenaline is a key component in inhibiting pain. They have found that low levels of noradrenaline make the use of opiates less effective. But, they are still not certain whether it is inhibitory to both acute and chronic pain. Serotonin may also be involved in pain inhibition. It was showed that drugs like prozac, which inhibit the reuptake of serotonin, also can provide pain relief.
Many types of antidepressants can relive pain, including tricyclics, and ssri’s. It is unclear whether cymbalta (Duloxetine) would be better at treating pain than other types of antidepressants.
I have read alot of discussion among fibro patients using cymbalta. Some real feel that cymbalta has had a big effect on the amount of pain that they feel. It also might help with the depression, insomnia, and anxiety that come alog with fibromyalgia.
