What Is Duloxetine Used For?

Some people may wonder, "What is duloxetine used for?" Duloxetine is approved for use in treating adults with depression, neuropathic pain, generalized anxiety disorder, or fibromyalgia. The medication can also be used off-label to treat stress incontinence, chronic pain, and fibromyalgia. Duloxetine works by helping to block the reuptake of certain chemicals in the brain that can cause symptoms of depression and anxiety when they become unbalanced. The medication has not been approved for use in children.

Duloxetine HCl

What Is Duloxetine Used For?

Duloxetine hydrochloride (Cymbalta^®) has been licensed to treat the following conditions:

Depression (also known as major depression or clinical depression)
Peripheral diabetic neuropathy pain
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Fibromyalgia.

Duloxetine Use for Depression

Depression is more than just "feeling sad." Common symptoms of depression include:

Changes in sleep (sleeping too much or not enough)
Eating too much or too little (and weight gain or weight loss)
Having little interest in things that you used to enjoy
Physical pain
Feeling hopeless or worthless
Suicidal thoughts.

Duloxetine has been proven in large clinical trials to help adults with depression. However, keep in mind that many antidepressants (including duloxetine) take several weeks to begin working. Sometimes, other people will notice an improvement in your depression symptoms before you do. Often, the physical symptoms of depression (such as pain or changes in sleep) will improve first, sometimes within the first few weeks of treatment. It usually takes at least four to six weeks before significant changes in mood occur. It is important to give duloxetine a chance to work before becoming discouraged.

Counseling and therapy (see Psychotherapy for Depression) are often used along with antidepressant medication to treat depression. Ask your healthcare provider if counseling or therapy would be good options for you (see Depression Treatment).

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