cymbalta? - Interstitial Cystitis Network Support Forum

just1ofamillion · 10-09-2009, 08:44 AM

I am recently diagnosed with pelvic floor dysfunction, pelvic congestion and IC. I also found out when I was 17 that I had endometriosis. I've been having a hard time dealing and find myself pretty depressed, so my doctor suggested cymbalta. I was wondering if anyone has taken this and if it helped them deal with chronic pelvic pain.

Briza · 10-09-2009, 01:25 PM

I took it for a short time. I had to discontinue because it put me to sleep for two weeks! It is often advertised for helping with actual pain but I have not seen many post here report that it helps them with pain, tho some have reported success with it for depression.
Welcome to the board!

nkier · 10-12-2009, 07:56 AM

I have not taken it but I hear it is a great medication when used for pain. I have no experience with the depression part of it. They can't put me on this med since I'm already on a different antidepression medication. I did work for a spine center and they used if for pain relief when other meds failed. Good luck. I wish you well!!!!

just1ofamillion · 10-12-2009, 08:41 AM

I have only been taking it for 3 days now and it has eliminated most of my pain! I'm looking forward to when it stops making me feel... "high" but this has worked wonders for me.

Shai · 11-02-2009, 02:53 AM

I am on my 5th day of 30 mg Cymbalta- I am currently having a flare and am hoping it is just a fluke. I have been sleeping like a rock, which is good for me. I have no motivation though...hopefully also a fluke. If anyone else has input on cymbalta keep me posted

PenguinK · 11-05-2009, 03:49 PM

I started Cymbalta for Anxiety Attacks and Fibromyalgia pain 6 days ago. I think it's started to help both. I am just wondering if it has any adverse effects on the bladder. My IC is in remission and I'd like it to stay that way. I've had a few flares from the anxiety attacks, but it seems to be ok so far.

Jereme · 11-09-2009, 11:13 AM

I think it is really difficult to tell if a medicine affects IC or not. I think many people start taking medicines and then have bladder symptosm and blame it on the medicine and when they stop it the symptoms appear to get somehwat better they think that the medicine caused the symptoms. That may or may not be true and this lack of objective evidence can cause some one with an anxiety disorder to go crazy. With thoughts such as, does it bother my bladder? Did the medicine cause this flare? If I continue with the medicine will I continue to flare? I might as well stop taking the medicine since it is causing a flare? At least for me, my symptoms tend to have a way of waxing and waning on their own. It's hard for me to actually pin down specific things that cause flares, outside of coffee. I'd suggest giving medicines you try at least three months to see how they affect you. It is probably a good idea to keep a pain journal and and/or voiding log for a little bit of time before treatment as well as at various intervals during treatment to have some objective evidence about your symptoms differ while on a medicine. I have been keeping a journal for almost two years and looking back there were many times I thought I had this beat and then other times I thought it would never go away and then times when things were going ok. It waxes and wanes almost regardless of what I do. However, I do believe all and all I am better now than I was several years ago, however I still get flares for what ever reason and I still have days when thinkgs are just ok and also days and times when I think perhaps I might be in remission. It's the nature of the best. I take Nortriptyline as an antidepressant and when I first started taking it I thought it might affect my bladder since I also thought other medicines had in the past. However, in the year and a half I've been on this medicine I've had both good and bad days. I think I would also have the good and bad days without taking the Nortriptyline. However, without out it I do not function very well and actually get severely depressed and suicidal. For me going without the medicine is not an option and I think it is the case for many. IC is a very strange illness since it can wax and wane depending on diet, stress level, muscle tension...ad infinitum. You can certainly drive yourself crazy trying to figure out every reason you might be having symptoms more one day, one week or one month. However, IC like many illnesses, has some waxing and waning of its own.