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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by sac on April 10, 2005, at 7:19:33
OK, I'm going to give Cymbalta a try. I have bipolar II and currently on Lithium and Prozac but have been battling anhedonia, lack of motivation, etc. for a few years. I really think I need to tap into the norepinephrine component. Does anyone know the average starting dose of Cymbalta? What is the half-life? How much does it cost? (Most pharmacies around me don't even carry it??).
I see my Pdoc tomorrow and am going to request a try, any info would be GREATLY APPRECIATED.
Posted by Minnie-Haha on April 10, 2005, at 16:09:28
In reply to Cymbalta..info please on starting dose etc., posted by sac on April 10, 2005, at 7:19:33
I am BP2 and on Trileptal. I started Cymbalta at 30mg and after 1-2 weeks went up to 60mg with no problems. Some here who are super sensitive to meds had to start at super low doses -- like pulling the capsules apart and counting out a few of the little beads inside! The smallest capsules are 20mg. If you are sensitive to meds, you might want to consider starting with those.
I was having a great antidepressant effect, and relief from my chronic neck and back pain, at 60mg, but my blood pressure got a little high, so I dropped down to 40mg. Not as great an effect, but still pretty good. Unfortunately, I did not find it effective for motivation, but some here have. I am augmenting with Wellbutrin XL.
Posted by Phillipa on April 10, 2005, at 17:07:33
In reply to Re: Cymbalta..info please on starting dose etc., posted by Minnie-Haha on April 10, 2005, at 16:09:28
I tried it starting at 30mg and increasing to 60mg after a month. Didn't notice a thing. Except it seemed to be waking me up earlier each day. Not good if you have problems with sleep. I was new to the Board at the time so I did as others did and decreased slowly and stopped it. I never had to purchase any the whole time I was on it. My old pdoc kept sending me home with a "doggie bag" of samples. Boy he must have been getting a good kickback from the drug company. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Bill LL on April 11, 2005, at 9:20:30
In reply to Cymbalta..info please on starting dose etc., posted by sac on April 10, 2005, at 7:19:33
It's probably more expensive than Lithium or Prozac because it is too new to be in generic form.
I like it a lot. I started on 60 mg about 7 months a go and am still doing very well on that dose.
> OK, I'm going to give Cymbalta a try. I have bipolar II and currently on Lithium and Prozac but have been battling anhedonia, lack of motivation, etc. for a few years. I really think I need to tap into the norepinephrine component. Does anyone know the average starting dose of Cymbalta? What is the half-life? How much does it cost? (Most pharmacies around me don't even carry it??).
> I see my Pdoc tomorrow and am going to request a try, any info would be GREATLY APPRECIATED.
Posted by sac on April 12, 2005, at 5:34:02
In reply to Re: Cymbalta..info please on starting dose etc., posted by Bill LL on April 11, 2005, at 9:20:30
Thanks all for the info.
I am starting Cymbalta today. My Pdoc wants me to start slow at 30mg. since I already have the Prozac still in my system.
I am mainly hoping that Cymbalta will help me with lack of motivation, anhedonia, difficulty focusing. I tried Wellbutrin...but WAY too stimulating. My doctor wanted to prescribe a stimulant but I said I wanted to give Cymbalta a try before I go that route.
Posted by Bill LL on April 13, 2005, at 8:53:19
In reply to Re: Cymbalta..info please on starting dose etc., posted by sac on April 12, 2005, at 5:34:02
It's possible that Cymbalta will help your ADD symptoms. The SSRI's did not help very much with ADD for me. But Cymbalta has helped, although probably not as much as Ritalin would. Cymbalta affects norepinephrine as does Effexor (at higher doses) and Strattera (an ADD drug).
> Thanks all for the info.
> I am starting Cymbalta today. My Pdoc wants me to start slow at 30mg. since I already have the Prozac still in my system.
> I am mainly hoping that Cymbalta will help me with lack of motivation, anhedonia, difficulty focusing. I tried Wellbutrin...but WAY too stimulating. My doctor wanted to prescribe a stimulant but I said I wanted to give Cymbalta a try before I go that route.
This is the end of the thread.
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