Posted by simcha on August 21, 2010, at 19:55:35
In reply to Re: Cymbalta approved by FDA for chronic pain » Phillipa, posted by ed_uk2010 on August 21, 2010, at 10:34:15
I'm not sure why this bugs me, but it does. It just infuriates me that our War on Drugs in the US makes treating chronic pain 1000 times more difficult. I've been on Cymbalta for years and was originally put on it because they thought that not only would it be a good anti-depressant for me, but it would take care of my alleged Fibromyalgia pain. I have to say that it's done nothing for my aches and pains. I still have back pain, for apparently no good reason. And I've been on Cymbalta for years. The only classes of meds that has ever worked for my back pain has been opiates or opioids. I only take Vicodin when I have a flare up that becomes debilitating (which is rare). I used to take Neurontin for similar reasons. It allegedly helps with pain. All it did for me is make me gain weight. It didn't even help with my restless legs as the doc promised. I had to fight to get put back on clonazepam, which continues to stop my restless legs without having to increase the dose. I'm on 0.5mg per night and I'm allowed to go as high as 1mg. It's very rare that I take the 1mg dose. I go that high maybe three times per month.
Lyrica was once mentioned to me and I refused. I'm glad I did because my Mom was put on it for alleged Fibromyalgia and all it did was make her gain weight. It never touched her pain. However, she doesn't do well on opiates or opioids so she relies on heavy doses of Aleve and ice packs. And she may not even have Fibromyalgia. She's getting more tests and who knows what they will decide she has next?
I believe that these meds get approved for pain because docs are afraid to prescribe opiates or opioids when they are indicated due to the pressure from the DEA in fighting its War on Drugs. I believe that our FDA is in on the whole thing too. For me, these alleged "pain meds" which are really anti-convulsants and anti-depressants aren't worth spit.
I'm annoyed that Ely Lilly gets to push Cymbalta (which seems to be useless to me as an anti-depressant. all I get from it is increased heart rate and sweating as far as I can tell) on a whole new group of people who need relief but won't get it while they make big $$$ on a drug that won't help them.
This is my opinion and isn't intended to negate other people's experience or to be construed as medical advice.
poster:simcha
thread:959273
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100821/msgs/959356.html