Posted by rskontos on December 14, 2007, at 11:30:44
In reply to Re: need help,please. Minimum dose too strong » rskontos, posted by Meagan on December 14, 2007, at 10:46:14
Hello rskontos,
I'm on 20 mg of cymbalta, and this is my third day on it. My main side effects are weakness, insomnia and mild to moderate headache. The insomnia I can take care of with a benzo. I tolerate the headache, but I am most concerned about the weakness I feel. I go to the gym and am exhausted after my workout, rather than energized. I've had to drop my weights (which weren't very high to begin with) and I do my workout very slowly.
Did you experience weakness, and if so, did it go away?
**Yeah the weakness did go away, but I never experience the high that most people do. I don't on any SSRI. I usually get flat or numbed out. That is why I quit cymbalta it made me so numb and that is a problem for me anyway with my diagnosis. I was so emotionless it was bad. And it messed my gi tract up really bad. But I have collitis. So it would affect me that way.
It took me probably several weeks to adjust to the tiredness effects of cymbalta which is what you are feeling. They do go away after awhile at least for me. I was able to return to my normal stuff go to work etc.
Like you, I know, (and fortunately my pdoc knows) that I have other issues that realistically contribute to my depression, but that is not the entire cause of it. So I need something - I take other meds that have worked for me for a long time with no side effects; problem was when my prozac stopped working, and that's why I'm on Cymbalta right now.My pdoc has no plans to increase my dose, and I'm only on day 3 of it; i need to give it a decent trial, but if the weakness doesn't go away, it is not worth it to me to be on it.
If I have to go off it, I'm dreading withdrawal, and I thank you for sharing the info your phramacist told you about the beads; it's good to know there are options that help ease the withdrawal process.
Thanks again,
Meaga
You are welcome, Withdrawal is hard on this one so when you do be sure to look around for advice supplements do help as well as other stuff. The brain zaps are the worst and the flu like stuff. Anyway, I hope it works for you. I would go ahead and stick it out because as my neuro says you have already altered your brain chemistry at this point give it time to see if it will work because going off it now also alters your brain chemistry. After about 10 weeks you should know. The literature says 12 weeks, neuro will say 2-3 months, I say 2 months. You have to make your own decision based on your doc's information and then how your body tells you it feels. Listen to yourself too. Don't discount what the body tells you either. Especially if you start getting a itchy rash that is raised bumps. This could mean you are having a reaction to it. My neuro says this is something you want a doc to look at cause it can mean it not agreeing with your system. Your liver dumps excessive meds through the skin sometimes when it needs to....this is my quick and unscientific explanation. Anyway, itchy rashes can be a early indication something is up. Take care, let us know.
rk
poster:rskontos
thread:800540
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20071213/msgs/800766.html