Michelle,

I am so sorry your friend was injured and your pain and depression. Cymbalta is good, I was on it. PM Dr's usually will prescribe antidepressants in my experience. Just so you know, google Cymbalta withdrawals. You have to taper very, very slowly. I had to take a weeks vacation when I went off it. I found that Lexapro was good, but everyone is different. It's probably a lot cheaper???

Hope you start felling better soon! You helped me so much, I am still thankful you pm'd me. You saved me from wanting to just die. You stay strong! Take it day by day or hour by hour like I had to. I definitely know the feeling that dying would be better, but its a permanent solution for a temporary problem. It does get better. Just make sure you ask about the meds the PM Dr. wants to give you and ask about if you ever want to go off it.....I sure wish I asked before I blindly took a med because I was in so much pain and as you know I went to hell and back when I went off it. Google before filling the script or ask the PM Dr.

Feel better soon my angel.

Thank you so much Judy! You helped me as much as I helped you! Being able to help others, helps me. I really have learned my lesson about blindly taking a medication after being abruptly discontinued from Opana. It was hell. I still say, if I had known what was going to happen, I NEVER would have agreed to start it. And, even now with all the pain, if I did get into a PM clinic that wanted to rx that or another ER med, I'm not sure if I would agree to it. I would have to REALLY think about it, even though I'm in a lot of pain. I am somewhat nervous about Cymbalta and the withdrawal if I need to come off it down the road but, at this point, since I'm not on any rx pain meds and the depression is so bad, I think the benefit is outweighing that risk in my mind. Plus, there's not as much fear of a doctor yanking someone off an antidepressant like there is a narcotic. I'm really hoping I can get away with taking a low dose of it and have it be effective enough for the depression, anxiety, and some of the pain I experience. The benzo I've been rx'd is probably the one I need to "worry" about the most. As far as abrupt discontinuation, that is. But, it's PRN so I'm hoping, after these inital weeks while the antidepressant is changed and adjusted, I won't need it at all or as often.

Anyhow, thank you! I appreciate all the encouragement and support. I am thankful to have such support, here and in my personal life. My work bff knows I've been having a heck of a time lately and, today, she's taking me to get my favorite...GIANT corned beef sandwich on rye with horseradish...for lunch, her treat she says! My tummy is rumbling thinking about it, yummy!

I am blessed, I know this...even when the days and thoughts are dark.

(((HUGS))) to all my CP friends. Thinking and praying for you all.

~Michelle

I think probably over 90% of people in chronic pain have some level of depression. How could they not. I have not seen one PM that cares if you are on anti-depressants. When you are in constant pain 24/7, depression is a fact of life.

I do have one question to your question. I keep seeing NASIDS mentioned. Perhaps that is not what they are called by my doctors; but I have never heard that term before. What are NASIDS?

NSAID = Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug

It's the drug class for both OTC meds like ibuprofen and naproxen or the rx meds like meloxicam, diclofenac, etc.

Hope that helps!

What prompted me to ask this question is I was reading something (I can't even remember what it was exactly) and recall seeing that PM's look at a patient's mental health history before determining whether pain medications will be prescribed as it stated those with a mental health history have a higher likelihood of misuse/abuse and diversion of their narcotic pain medications.

But, as others have said, CP goes hand in hand with depression so, when I read that, I wondered how that worked. BUT...if the patient is being treated, maybe their likelihood of misuse/abuse and diversion is lower? Maybe PM's are only concerned with untreated mental health concerns like depression and anxiety?

I don't know because this depression didn't start until after the CP and, even when I WAS in PM, the severity of my depression at that time was not enough that I felt I needed treatment nor did anyone (i.e. my fiance) suggest I seek treatment.

Anyhow, that's what prompted my original question. At any rate, I'm glad to see the "real life" application of this seems to NOT be what I initially thought when reading whatever it was I was reading (lol). I think it might have been something I found on Ohio's medical license information pages.