yes it really didn't help that much but it did help me deal with the pain a bit better,I took it for 2-3 years and then when I went off it was given some bad advice and quit cold turkey,that is a very bad thing to do,I think insurance does not like to pay for it,Cindy

Not related to Lupus but I was given cymbalta for my RLS and after the first evening vowed would never take it again, got a terrible headache, so much nausea and next morning felt like i had the worst hangover ever without the alcohol. ... Dr said everyone that he had prescribed it to had horrible side effects not just myself,but everyone reacts differently to medication. I do know they wanted to put Hubby on it at one stage and I refused after my experience so they put him on Tramal, and he has been better on that...

I took it for anxiety-depression, it helped for that, but didnt do anything for pain. The only side effect I had was loss of libido, almost all antidepressive medication have that side effect.
Yes dont stop cold turkey, if you start taking it and find out that you cant continue ask your doc for a schedule to stop, it will take about a month to do it safely if you have taken it for a while. It can feel like electric shocks, you can get headache and nausea if you stop it too fast.
If your insurance doesnt pay for it and you want to take it, you can possibly get it for free at Cymbalta.com

thanks ladies... the experiences you talk about are what i had on lyrica and I dont want to go through that again. I cant take NSAIDS anymore due to having a stomach ulcer (probably from me over using NSAIDS for years before I knew what was wrong) NSAIDS are really the best for me as far as pain control goes. I am taking tylenol arthritis but its not that helpful.

I've been on cymbalta for years and have regretted every day that i've had to take the stuff. First of all, don't believe for one second when they say you loose weight with Cymbalta. Not True! Secondly, Cindy, How on earth did you go cold turkey!?!?!?! I tried that once and have never felt so bad in my life! I hate cymbalta, I don't like the fact that I can't seem to ween off of it, I don't like the weight gain, I don't like how dependent my body is on it, and I haven't noticed any good that it's done. If you have the option not to go on it, I would highly suggest you run in the opposite direction!

strange reading that you had bad experience's with Lyrica, as that is what I use for my RLS now , but I split the capsules to only half at a time, as realised I would sleep like I was comatised and wake up very groggy. I also only take it when my legs really give me trouble, I know Cymbalta is a very expensive drug, have two boxes in storage wish I could send them over to someone who could use them but not sure that sending drugs into the USA would be possible!Cindy you were brave going cold turkey,what are you using for pain now ?

Melanie, talk to your doctor. You can get off Cymbalta with few or no side effects. It just need to happen slowly.

My experience is that a psychiatrist knows how to deal with that stuff and how to stop it, when I have talked to other types of docs they really have no clue, even though they can prescribe it for pain.

I am off it now, I didnt need anymore when I dont have my superstressful-highpressure job and I didnt have any side effects from going off it, but it took over a month and it was so slowly...you will need a lower strength and take that every other day and then only the lower strength and then every other day and so on.

.

my dr. nurse is the one that told me to stop cold turkey a few days into it my symptoms started and by the time I realized what was happening It was almost a week and I read it would take about 10 days so I thought I would wait it out well it took 6 weeks and it got very bad I woke up screaming for weeks every night because of very real very violent hallucinations I had seziures the list goes on and on it was absolutley the worst thing I have ever gone through,I read on the support group board I visited that many people have tried to kill themselves due to the effects of cold turkey,but you can get off it slowly and safely as for pain I take vicodin because I can't tolerate nsaids ,when I took it I gained wieght and yes its hard on the libido,I have had allergies to many anti-dep. so I was surprised I could take it but after what I went through I will never take another one,Cindy

lovelykids4,
I have been on cymbalta for about 2 or 3 months now and I do see a difference in my pain. I have even been able to start running again. I don't see too much of a difference in libido because I actually am starting to feel like my old self. I wish you tons of luck and hope you find something that helps with the pain. The problem is that what works for one person doesn't always work for another!