I'm taking remeron for depression and amytriptyline for neck pain. My pain doctor recommended I try cymbalta instead to help with pain relief. I got some from my regular doctor. Tapered down the remeron from 60 to 30 for a week, then stopped for a week.... then read more details about cymbalta and how it doesn't mix well with amytriptyline so I spent another week without the remeron while I stopped the amytriptyline to let it flush out of my system. So Ive spent the last three weeks thus:

#1 half dose remeron, full dose amytriptyline
#2 no does remeron, full dose amytriptyline
#3 no does remeron, no dose amytriptyline

I was planning on starting the cymbalta in the next day or two, but I completely fell apart without the remeron last night so I went back on it. I had no choice, it was bad. Very bad. I cant get off it long enough to let it flush out to start the cymbalta. So what I want to know is: can I keep on the remeron and start the cymbalta as well

Hey House Cat,

None of us here are professionals to give you that sort of advice, so the best thing you can do is go and see your doctor or contact them and tell them how you are feeling.

He/She will know what is best for you,

HUGS
Isabeau

Hello House Cat,

I think that Remeron and amitriptyline is a bad combo.
Those drugs don't go well together.

If you google "drug interactions" you will get many answers.
You can check the combo of Remeron and Cymbalta for yourself.

Amitriptyline can help both with depression and pain.
It's not a modern drug, so the side-effects are bad.

Remeron is good for sleep, but you will need something for your pain.
Cymbalta is approved for depression and nerve pain.

Best of Luck,
X-ray

I have just switched to cymbalta from other ssri and combos ( effexor , mirtazapine and lithium )for the same reason to help with nerve pain which has been caused by 8 broken vertabrae. Two weeks after starting i am back at work dep has started to lift and have been able to stop pain meds all together.

All the best ...have a nice day...

I've been doing remeron and amytriptyline for several years now with good effects. They may not play nice with other people, but the play nice together with me.

I know amytriptyline is out of date, but it has been a miracle worker for my pain. The first time I used it I was on 50mg a day and it completely resolved my neck pain. Unfortunately I can't run that dosage for any length of time because the side effects slowly build and they are harsh when they hit full steam. But I'm now on it 20mg a day and when work requires more physical effort I bump it temporarily to 30mg a day and that helps when needed. As bad as the side effects are I'm better off with it than without it (assuming I control the dosage).

So back to the original point: is anyone using remeron and cymbalta together successfully/safely?

Actually, it's still being used a lot. It doesn't work as specifically as the newer drugs, which means more side effects, but when the newer drugs fail, the older ones get used with good success.
I took amitryptiline for chronic headaches, just 10mg, worked very well AND I slept so well.