Cymbalta or Elavil

[glassd18]

I was wondering what anti's people were taking that helped their pain the most. So if you'd all chime in I'd love to hear about them. I'm currently sitting on 2 full bottles of anti's: 1 Elavil, and 1 Cymbalta. I didn't even try the Elavil because I read too much about the side effects, and talked myself out of it. I took 1 cymbalta and felt really wierd and didn't take it again so any info would be appreciated.

Di

[mayray518]

I know how side effects of drugs can scare you but I guess I was so desperate in the early 90s I would have tried anything. I also hated the side effects of elavil; I could not get up in the morning and had no energy but I stuck with it because nothing else over a period of years had worked. The high dose of elavil (at 50 mg) worked for me even though the side effects were not pleasant. I stuck with it and lowered my dose and am now down to 5 mg. I have been pain free for 7 years.

[ICLori]

Oh, please don't let the potential side effects scare you away from a drug that could potentially take away your pain... Just think - are the side effects worse than the constant IC pain? If so, then of course it doesn't make sense to take them. But what if the IC pain is worse than the potential side effects? Then it would make sense to try it. Most side effects go away once you stop taking the medicine (like they did with the Cymbalta) so it's not something you would be stuck with forever...

Also, sometimes side effects of drugs do lessen a bit with time as your body adjusts to the medicine. So even if you have some side effects that are unpleasant, you can hope that they might go away in time.

One of my uros told me once, "Elavil is the best drug we have for IC" and looking at the studies, about the number of people who got relief from it, without risking serious side effects, I tend to agree.

Best of luck to you, if you do decide to give Elavil a try.

Blessings,
Lori

[glassd18]

Thanks Lori, and Mayray,

Mayray did the side effects go away or lessen eventually?

Di

[Ginny]

These drugs are not given for the same reason. Elavil does help with IC at doses around 10 to 75 mg. If it was given for depression (which doctor's do not give it anymore) it would be given at around 250 mg.
Elavil is mostly given for the pain of IC and to sleep at night.

Cymbalta is a newer antidepressant and is given for depression. It is also advertised as helping with body pain that comes with depression.

Ginny

[glassd18]

Thank you Ginny, but I also heard that Cymbalta can be used for certain types of IC pain as well.

[Elle]

You're right...Cymbalta is used to treat pain as well as for depression. It is used to treat diabetic neuropathy & generalized nerve ending pain as well as depression. I've been on Cymbalta since shortly after is came out and have had very good results with it, and I don't suffer from depression. I'd also like to scream VERY LOUDLY at the people who decided to start that "Depression Hurts" campaign!! I'm sure depression does hurt some, and that's awful. But it also makes those of us who aren't depressed seem like that may be our only problem. It's like saying IC, Fibro and other painful conditions really are all in your head!!:cussing:
It does make you feel a bit wierd when you first start taking it, but then that goes away. I take mine before I go to bed, that way I don't have to put up with the horrible side effects. One very good side effect (for me, anyway) is that Cymbalta really curbs my hunger. Elavil didn't help me a whole lot, and I tried it for over 2 years at varying strengths. Not to mention that it made me incredibly sluggish. I would recommend trying the Cymbalta, but if you still have reservations about it, call and talk to the nurse at your Dr's office. I'm sure they will be able to give even more insight.

[glassd18]

Elle when you say you had good results do you mean that your IC pain is relieved and to what degree. The first time I took it I took it around 7:00pm and I could not sleep at all. Most of them keep me awake. I know that that side effect goes away, but how frustrating not being able to sleep is. Can I take an Ativan with it to start? You mention taking it at bedtime to avoid horrible side effects. I take it you mean the side effects you get when you start taking it. How long did it take before you felt okay. 1 week, a month. I've been told over and over again that I don't stay on these things long enough. I just can't get past the wierdies!!! I will be having time off soon so maybe I could try it then. Thanks a lot for all you help. We all metabolize differently. I'm going to see my md for my annual physical tomorrow so I'll ask her more questions.