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Cymbalta is prescribed to patients suffering from depression and to patients who experience diabetic nerve pain. However, Cymbalta, like any selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), taken with an anti-migraine drug, or triptan, can cause serotonin syndrome and can be fatal.

Serotonin syndrome occurs when the body receives too much seratonin, which is a chemical produced by nerve cells. Serotonin controls moods, emotions, sleep cycles and appetite. SSRI drugs and migraine headache drugs containing triptan both work to retain serotonin in the brain and to increase serotonin. The two drugs combined can lead to serotonin levels that are extremely dangerous.

Untreated serotonin syndrome can be fatal. The syndrome can occur within minutes or hours of taking the drugs. Symptoms include:

• restlessness
• hallucinations
• loss of coordination
• increased heart beat
• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• fever
• shivering
• tremor
• muscle spasms

If you experience any of these symptoms, and you take Cymbalta and a headache medicine, contact your doctor immediately.

Cymbalta is used to treat depression and diabetic nerve pain. Depression is often accompanied by anxiety. Depression affects as many as one in four women and one in 10 men, and can make it difficult to work, rest, or complete many daily functions. Depression can also lead to suicide.

Depression can be caused by an imbalance of serotonin in the brain, which is a chemical that allows nerve cells to communicate. When these nerve cells don’t communicate correctly, it can cause heightened sadness, moodiness, worry, fatigue, and general feelings of unhappiness. Cymbalta works by rebalancing serotonin.

Diabetic nerve pain occurs when people have blood sugar levels that are too high for too long. These pains can cause severe damage. Cymbalta is designed to help ease some of the nerve pain symptoms.