Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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Cymbalta and RA pain

debbierisner
debbierisner
Have any of you or do any of you used Cymbalta? I have read the side effects but I am more concerned about the need to go through withdrawal when you stop taking it. Does it help you with the pain?
Angelpuss
Angelpuss
Cymbalta could help with pain but it doesn't treat RA, so you are only masking the symptoms.

Like Prednisone, one should withdraw by small amounts at a time.
If you're concerned about withdrawal, it may be easier not to start taking it.
Sk8ingjudge
Sk8ingjudge
I was started on Cymbalta about 9 months into treatment with dmards and biological. I was having a lot of muscle and generalized pain associated with RA that was not in my joints. It has helped quite a bit.
I worked slowly up to the dose I am on(. Luckily no side effects) and will have to slowly taper off if treatment is discontinued. I am not worried about going off it as I know there is a protocol in place that doctors use to taper patients off the drug.
pcreamer
pcreamer
I habe been on it for about 3 months now. No terrible side effects. Don't know how much it has helped though. Right now nit s lot has helped for long.
JillieBean71
JillieBean71
Cymbalta, as with any other anti-depressant in the SSRI or SNRI family requires dosing down to stop. It's just par for the course. Stopping suddenly after long term use can cause some very weird, uncomfortable symptoms, but I can tell you, withdrawal from narcotics is a million times worse. If you follow a dose down schedule recommended by a doctor, most likely you wouldn't have withdrawal symptoms. My mother has been on Cymbalta for over ten years and is dosing down to switch to a different medicine because it has stopped working for her. She was on 60mg and has not experienced a single withdrawal symptom while dosing down.

If it will help alleviate your pain while you are waiting for DMARD to kick in, then, by all means give it a go. Just don't forget to treat the disease, too!