My sister and her husband took low doses of Cymbalta as well as some of their friends on several occasions during some tough times and they all had great results. The effect was immediate and stopping taking pills was a non issue. This medication covered both depression and anxiety part. Cymbalta was prescribed by general practitioner in all of these cases.
Everybody is different but it seems that this medication helped a lot of different people. With any medication it is the best to start with the lowest does and see how it goes and adjust level IF needed.

I personally never took any anti-depressants but I think that additional suffering in situations like this (having a cancer) is absolutely unnecessary. Please do not look at this class of medications as something that represents weakness - you are just trying to adjust brain chemistry the same way one tries to adjust glucose metabolism chemistry when needed. If you never had depression before a cancer diagnosis, I do not think that you need a psychiatrist but probably somebody that is more on a line of being psychologist and /or therapist.

Yes, there are MANY natural ways to combat depression and anxiety but if person is overwhelmed and can not even function, than short period of time of taking a mild anti-depressant can give that person an initial boost and help him/her with coping and finding balance and after that one can find alternative ways of coping.

Wishing everybody good mental health and healing on every level < 3