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Anyone have any experience taking this drug for nerve pain?

Well, I took it for depression before it was labeled for pain, but I DO have MS and a couple of other autoimmune issues. I felt GREAT!! I mean, unbelievably AWESOME until... I had an allergic reaction to it. Now, I'm prone to developing allergies to meds, so that may not happen to many people. It was so fresh on the market, my Dr. couldn't find any reference to people having severe reactions to it, but I sure did!

I say give it a shot!

My H was on it for depression and muscle aches.

He too felt great, then it stopped working as well and he basically went a little whacky for a bit.

It is also insanely expensive ($75/mo with insurance and about $500/mo if you're paying out of pocket).

I felt great on it, too. Having to come off it now because of a couple of side effects and coming off it is H.E.L.L. I wish I knew that before I started taking it.

Its known for being really really hard to wean off, and lots of people only take for a year or so, and then when the med is stopped the pain comes back.

Gabapentin (Neurontin) is the old stand by for this. It has less side effects, cheap, and proven track record.

I have read and heard about the issue with trying to get off of it, that is one of my concerns with starting it. Although if it works for me, I would not be trying to get off of it.

I am on gabapentin now, it is working, but not well enough without raising the dose which makes me really sleepy.

coming off it is H.E.L.L

1000% this ^^^^. I took it for depression, as well, and it worked okay (not a complete fix, but it did help a little). I took it for about a year and the DT was horrible, once I stopped taking it. I also agree that it is ridiculously expensive (even with insurance).

I used to take cymbalta for both debilitating pain from chronic Lyme disease, and bipolar depression. It worked for the pain, but it made me bonkers! Really, I just about lost my mind! Withdrawal from cymbalta is just awful! I went through it for nearly a month!

I currently have a running rx for gabepentin for the pain, prn. It also helps with mild anxiety. I like it!

Withdrawal is tough. It can help if the doctor gives you some Prozac while your weaning down.

It went generic a few months ago so the price will really plummet in about another 12-18 months.

So here is my other question, if I did not do well with Effexor or Prozac as AD's will I have a problem with this med?

I tend to be sensitive to AD's and I am always leery of starting one. It took me 9 months to get off of effexor, I didn't have a hard time with getting off of it because I took so long doing it.

Effexor XR was great for me...until the Dr increased my dose and I went BSC. Prozac really didn't work for me, either. I was thankful, when I went on the Cymbalta, that it worked decent b/c I wasn't sure what I would do if it didn't. Sooo, there is hope that it will work for you, too

I used to take cymbalta for both debilitating pain from chronic Lyme disease, and bipolar depression. It worked for the pain, but it made me bonkers!

ME TOO! (but only for the Lyme pain; was not depressed, but I do take Xanax-XR for anxiety, which is physiological in nature). Great for the pain, but it made me literally insane while I was on it. I felt like things were crawling on me, and was extremely anxious and upset. I'm wondering if those with neuro Lyme experience this side effect for just that reason. I could only stand it for a week so I did not experience any significant withdrawal.

Going by everyone's posts, it seems like the risks/withdrawals outweigh the benefits. Have you tried a pain management specialist? Mine has done wonders for me. I do have pain meds for extreme breakthrough pain, but rarely need them.