Jane,

Did you research these meds? If not, I'd recommend drugs.com as a good resource.

Cymbalta is a antidepressant. I haven't heard of it being prescribed in the direct pain management of RA, but it can help with the depression associated with the disease.

Gabapentin (Neurontin) is a anti-epilectic drug that has a side effect to calming nerve pain. It is typically prescribed for patients with neuropathy to the extremities caused by diseases like diabetes.

I'm sorry if this alarms you or is disappointing. These are not front line drugs for the treatment of RA pain. Is the prescribing doctor a general practitioner or a rheumatologist? This line up of treatment is suggestive that your doctor may not understand your pain or feels that it may be caused by something other than RA. Just speculating. Do your research and talk to your doctor and if the doctor is not a rheumatologist, get one. :)

Jane,

Were you maybe prescribed this for fibromyalgia? I was prescribed cymbalta for fibromyalgia because it is supposed to help the muscle pain. I haven't started it yet though, to be able to give you any feedback on it.

I am taking cymbalta for fibromyalgia, but there is a lot of new research that it is being used for any type of musculoskelatal pain. I have seen some improvement in my overall aches and pains, but I haven't noticed much improvement in my joint pain. Unfortunatley I don't know a lot about the medication you are taking. Did you talk directly with your insurance company, or did the pharmacy say they denied it? There may be a way to have your Dr. code your need for it differently to have insurance cover it. Either way, it's still pricey... cost me about 65 bucks a month even w/insurance. Good luck !

Cymbalta was recently approved for pain relief. I just started it a week ago, the doctor said it could take up to a month to start making a difference though. I'm also on Voltaren and Baclofen.

I've been on Cymbalta for about 4 years. It has helped my over-active nerves and the subsequent muscle pain as well as the anxiety based depression that goes with Fibromyalgia. On the Cymbalta I have had issues with intermittent nausea and heavy sweating when I do the least amount of exertion. For me, the side-effects DON'T out way the relief of muscle pain. I also have RA & it doesn't help with joint pain. Hope this is helpful. Best Wishes, Naynie

I also take cymbalta for fibromyalgia, been on it for about 3 months and had quite a bit of nausea for the first few weeks especially when I had mtx on thevsame day. But I'm so glad I stuck with it because the muscle pain and "skin tenderness" has greatly reduced. But like others it hasnt done anything for the RA

Good luck
Kate

I tried Cymbalta, but it raised by BP too much, so I had to discontinue the drug. I take Lexapro, now, and it does help w/overall body aches, but not with joint pain.

Some may have mentioned this already, but . . .
Cymbalta is approved for neurogenic pain, namely diabetic neuropathy. However, I have neurogenic pain related to a car accident and was given Gabapentin at first. By the third dose, I was in the ER for anaphylaxis. Sad part, my nerve pain was actually starting to feel better. The next day I was back in the ER, after the first rescue meds wore off. This time via ambulance, they had to give me epinephrine in the ambulance before we left my parking lot at work.
That said, all of my doctors have said, they've never had a patient have this reaction and by the sounds of it, neither will you.
However, this is why ALL meds have the allergy warning.
Since I am allergic to Gabapentin, they wouldn't even try me on Lyrica (a newer generation med which is chemically similar to Gabapentin). So I was put on Cymbalta.

It HAS helped. For a while, I was on 120 mg daily. Two months ago, I weaned down to 90 mg. I'm now trying to wean down to 60 mg.

Yes, drugs.com is an amazing resource.
Cymbalta is also used for pain secondary to depression and Fibromyalgia. It helps turn of the pain pathways, which get stuck "on" with chronic pain conditions.

I should also add that I've been on it for two years.
I just read Naynie's remark about the sweating . . . I've had that too. For about two years . . . and I was getting down on myself for it because I haven't been able to exercise enough.

I never had any nausea, but I've always taken it with food. I've heard of many others who have had that.
I don't think it's done anything for joint pain, because I was on it way before the joint pain started.
My skin tenderness and muscle pain related to the nerve pain are gone.