![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 23 of 23. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by TommyIsland on September 21, 2005, at 1:14:23
I was on Effexor XR for over 5 years and it was a rollercoaster of a ride. The bottom line was that it seemed to work a lot better than Cymbalta. My doc recently switched me to Cymbalta about 2 months ago and it has been nothing but pure hell. My motivation factor is non existant and to take a shower seems like the biggest chore in the world. My moods go up and down almost minute by minute. My appetite is very low and my energy levels are non existent. Has anybody else experienced any of these symptoms while taking Cymbalta and has anybody else been on Effexor XR prior to taking Cymbalta? Please let me know where to go with this. I'm thinking of immediately switching back to Effexor XR.......
Tommy!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by med_empowered on September 21, 2005, at 3:38:38
In reply to Cymbalta Does Not Seem To Work Compared To Effexor, posted by TommyIsland on September 21, 2005, at 1:14:23
i think it might depend on your dosage of Effexor prior to the cymbalta (or maybe effexor works better for you, period). I took 150mgs Effexor, later took Tofranil+Cymbalta, then just cymbalta...cymbalta wasn't great, but it was roughly as good as Effexor..but 150mgs isn't a huge dose, so who knows. You could switch back, or talk to your doc about adding something to the cymbalta. Why did your doc do the switch? Were you having problems on Effexor? Good luck!
Posted by SLS on September 21, 2005, at 7:55:27
In reply to Cymbalta Does Not Seem To Work Compared To Effexor, posted by TommyIsland on September 21, 2005, at 1:14:23
I echo M_E's question regarding the motivation for the switch.
How high did you go with the Effexor? If tolerated, anything less than 300mg would not represent an adequate dosage for a trial.
How much Cymbalta are you taking?
Many people react to Cymbalta the way you describe. Others find it to be "cleaner" than Effexor. You obviously find it worse than Effexor. The choosing of treatment is little more than trial-and-error. If the amotivation and fatigue are drug-induced and have persisted for two months at a steady dosage, they probably will not disappear.
Given your partial antidepressant responses to both Effexor and Cymbalta, you might want to move on to a tricyclic. Should it be necessary, you could add back the Effexor. I like the combination of Effexor + nortripyline.
Have you tried Wellbutrin in combination with Effexor?
Can you describe in more detail what you mean by "rollercoaster"?
- Scott
------------------------------------------------
> I was on Effexor XR for over 5 years and it was a rollercoaster of a ride. The bottom line was that it seemed to work a lot better than Cymbalta. My doc recently switched me to Cymbalta about 2 months ago and it has been nothing but pure hell. My motivation factor is non existant and to take a shower seems like the biggest chore in the world. My moods go up and down almost minute by minute. My appetite is very low and my energy levels are non existent. Has anybody else experienced any of these symptoms while taking Cymbalta and has anybody else been on Effexor XR prior to taking Cymbalta? Please let me know where to go with this. I'm thinking of immediately switching back to Effexor XR.......
>
> Tommy!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Bill LL on September 21, 2005, at 10:51:07
In reply to Cymbalta Does Not Seem To Work Compared To Effexor, posted by TommyIsland on September 21, 2005, at 1:14:23
I would probably first try an increased dose of Cymbalta since that is the easiest first step to take. If that doesn't work, and if you were doing good with Effexor, then you should probably go back on it.
Posted by theo on September 21, 2005, at 17:27:29
In reply to Cymbalta Does Not Seem To Work Compared To Effexor, posted by TommyIsland on September 21, 2005, at 1:14:23
I'm currently on 30mg for a couple of weeks now, and I feel like SH***. My pdoc mentioned I might go up to 60mg but the side effects are already bad and I can't see them getting better at a higher dose??What dose are you currently taking? What's weird is that I took 15mg for a few days, broke open a 30mg and split the pellets, and actually felt a lift, but as soon as I went to 30mg I have felt bad. A lot of my bad feelings I believe are from poor sleep. Pdoc has me taking it at night and I think it is causing sleep problems. When do you take it, morning or night?
Posted by Phillipa on September 21, 2005, at 18:07:17
In reply to Re: Cymbalta Does Not Seem To Work Compared To Effexor » TommyIsland, posted by theo on September 21, 2005, at 17:27:29
I took cymbalta in the morning at 60mg for a couple of months. I weaned off of it because it wasn't helping depression. But I did notice at the end it was waking me up earlier in the am. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Colleen D. on September 21, 2005, at 18:29:53
In reply to Cymbalta Does Not Seem To Work Compared To Effexor, posted by TommyIsland on September 21, 2005, at 1:14:23
I took Cymbalta for two months after being on Effexor for 10 months. Effexor was very activating for me, but a steady ride. Cymbalta sedated me heavily which I thought was quite odd since the drugs are supposed to work on the same neurotransmitters. The main reason I tried the Cymbalta was because of the difficulty I was having with reaching orgasm. I switched back to Effexor and it's doing well for me...maybe not quite as energizing as the first time around, but it's helping my depression a lot. I also added Klonopin to it so maybe that's why I'm not quite as energized as before. Oh well. It's working and I don't want to stop it. The sexual side effects are now pretty much gone. The worst side effects I still have are dry mouth and sweating. I can live with these. Good luck!
Colleen
> I was on Effexor XR for over 5 years and it was a rollercoaster of a ride. The bottom line was that it seemed to work a lot better than Cymbalta. My doc recently switched me to Cymbalta about 2 months ago and it has been nothing but pure hell. My motivation factor is non existant and to take a shower seems like the biggest chore in the world. My moods go up and down almost minute by minute. My appetite is very low and my energy levels are non existent. Has anybody else experienced any of these symptoms while taking Cymbalta and has anybody else been on Effexor XR prior to taking Cymbalta? Please let me know where to go with this. I'm thinking of immediately switching back to Effexor XR.......
>
> Tommy!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by TommyIsland on September 21, 2005, at 23:45:59
In reply to Re: Cymbalta Does Not Seem To Work Compared To Effexor » TommyIsland, posted by SLS on September 21, 2005, at 7:55:27
> I echo M_E's question regarding the motivation for the switch.
>
> How high did you go with the Effexor? If tolerated, anything less than 300mg would not represent an adequate dosage for a trial.
>
> How much Cymbalta are you taking?
>
> Many people react to Cymbalta the way you describe. Others find it to be "cleaner" than Effexor. You obviously find it worse than Effexor. The choosing of treatment is little more than trial-and-error. If the amotivation and fatigue are drug-induced and have persisted for two months at a steady dosage, they probably will not disappear.
>
> Given your partial antidepressant responses to both Effexor and Cymbalta, you might want to move on to a tricyclic. Should it be necessary, you could add back the Effexor. I like the combination of Effexor + nortripyline.
>
> Have you tried Wellbutrin in combination with Effexor?
>
> Can you describe in more detail what you mean by "rollercoaster"?
>
>
> - ScottWell Scott, the highest dose I ever took of Effexor XR was 150 MG. I took that in addition to Depakote. That cocktail kept me going at a relatively descent steady stream for a long time and then things started to change. I started to get irritable and moody constantly. I eventually got off the Depakote of which I don't know why I was ever prescribed it in the first place. I suffer from Unipolar depression with no signs ever of being Manic. Anyways I then went off Effexor Xr and crashed into a deep dark depression. I then went back on it again and it never seemed to get me back to a good level again. I then was switched to Cymbalta about two months ago. I started off with 1 20MG pill a day and then moved to 2 20MG pills a day. I have not felt good whatsoever on this. I am suffering severely from having zero motivation. All I wanna do is lay in bed and watch TV. I'm having serious problems with wanting to do anything. Is this something attributable to the Cymbalta? Where does 40MG of Cymbalta compare to 150MG of Effexor XR? Anyways, I'm going to have to switch back once again to Effexor XR and hope and pray that it helps me. Also, I once upped my dose of Effexor to 225MG daily and it seemed to cause racing thoughts and ADD and I quickly went back down to 150 MG. Well any advice would help tremendously.
Thanks,
Tommy!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------
>
>
> > I was on Effexor XR for over 5 years and it was a rollercoaster of a ride. The bottom line was that it seemed to work a lot better than Cymbalta. My doc recently switched me to Cymbalta about 2 months ago and it has been nothing but pure hell. My motivation factor is non existant and to take a shower seems like the biggest chore in the world. My moods go up and down almost minute by minute. My appetite is very low and my energy levels are non existent. Has anybody else experienced any of these symptoms while taking Cymbalta and has anybody else been on Effexor XR prior to taking Cymbalta? Please let me know where to go with this. I'm thinking of immediately switching back to Effexor XR.......
> >
> > Tommy!!!!!!!!!!!
>
>
Posted by TommyIsland on September 21, 2005, at 23:50:03
In reply to Re: Cymbalta Does Not Seem To Work Compared To Effexor » TommyIsland, posted by theo on September 21, 2005, at 17:27:29
I usually take it during the day. Over the years I've given little to no attention about taking it day or night because it has a shelf life of 24 hours so whatever in it causes negative side effects is there the entire day anyhow. All these meds cause extreme sedation and somnelance. It is of coarse a major setback to anybody taking meds because it makes you always looking for that next nap and it seems that all the sleep you can get in a day still isn't enought.
Tommy!!!!!!!
Posted by grammy on September 22, 2005, at 2:31:52
In reply to Re: Cymbalta Does Not Seem To Work Compared To Effexor, posted by TommyIsland on September 21, 2005, at 23:45:59
Tommy, have you ever tried Prozac? It was not sedating to me - it caused me to have energy. I also have unipolar depression where I want to sleep all the time and eat. The Prozac gave me much more energy. Carole
Posted by theo on September 22, 2005, at 7:39:27
In reply to Re: Cymbalta Does Not Seem To Work Compared To Effexor » theo, posted by Phillipa on September 21, 2005, at 18:07:17
> I took cymbalta in the morning at 60mg for a couple of months. I weaned off of it because it wasn't helping depression. But I did notice at the end it was waking me up earlier in the am. Fondly, Phillipa
Was Cymbalta very hard to wean off of? What dose did you stop at?
Posted by blondemomints on September 22, 2005, at 10:14:30
In reply to Re: Cymbalta Does Not Seem To Work Compared To Effexor » Phillipa, posted by theo on September 22, 2005, at 7:39:27
My personal experience only on Cymbalta was it took away aches and pains (joints mainly). I was still depressed, eating EVERYTHING in sight, it really took a toll on my hypoglycemia, my sugar was plummeting down to 30 (yes 30!) without prior notification (very dangerous for anyone who knows anything about sugar probs). I'm only on Wellbutrin now and feel like crap! I've gotta find something to augment with to get back to feeling decent!
God Bless
Posted by med_empowered on September 22, 2005, at 18:46:40
In reply to Re: Cymbalta Does Not Seem To Work Compared To Effexor, posted by blondemomints on September 22, 2005, at 10:14:30
hey! The standard dose of cymbalta is 60mgs for *everyone*...that covers diabetic neuropathic pain and major depressive disorder. Based of Eli Lilly's data, less than 60mgs doesn't give a reliable antidepressant effect, and more than 60mgs doesn't offer any additional benefit for either depression or neuropathic pain (any possible benefits are largely offset by an increase in side-effets). Cymbalta is stronger than effexor in terms of reuptake inhibition, so its kind of like a Tricyclic with a bit more serotonin action and a different side effect profile, one that is more in line with SSRIs. I took 90mgs b/c my shrink claimed it would help with ADD symptoms. *BAD CALL*. I felt strangely wired; not manic, just weirdly stimulated and uncomfortable. I didn't get any additional benefit. When I tried going back to 60mgs, Cymbalta pooped out completely and I was back at square one. The idea, I think, is that Cymbalta is like Effexor, only more tolerable...plus, its new, and shrinks LOVE having shiny new toys to play with. I don't know what this nonsense with toying with the dosage is about; Eli Lilly's data on dosing is pretty exhaustive and complete; either you take 60mgs and you like it, or you move on to something else. PERIOD. If you're dealing with motivation, you might want to get some dopamine action; very high dose Effexor can do this (375mgs used to be "high-dose," but now some people are on up to 600mgs), but the side-effects suck and some people can't completely withdraw from it b/c of the withdrawal syndrome. Adding a stimulant might help; Ritalin is 1st line for depression, but I personally hate Ritalin with a passion...Adderall worked much, much better. Provigil is another option; if nothing else, it should help with the constant fatigue/exhaustion (it is for narcolepsy, after all); additional benefits are possible, but largely hypothetical. Wellbutrin could work, and it can be added in usual doses to full-dose antidepressant you're already taking...if you already have problems with agitation/anxiety, though, you'll probably want to talk this over AT LENGTH with your prescriber. I've found that SSRIs aren't the best for motivation, probably b/c they indirectly screw with your dopamine. Maybe a different approach to the serotonin would be worthwhile...like Wellbutrin+Remeron. That would also minimize sexual side effeccts. Buspar is usually used for anxiety...even if you're not particularly anxious, Buspar can help augment an antidepressant and help relieve start-up anxiety (if you're taking a novel AD like Remeron, the primary benefits would be anxiety reduction, AD augmentation, and Buspar's weird dopamine agonist properties). Oddly enough, low-dose antipsychotics, when added to antidepressants, can pump up pretty much all the neurotransmitters floating around in your brain, which would (theoretically) help with motivation and the underlying depression. I'd recommend Abilify b/c its more or less weight neutral and the diabetes risk isn't quite as high as it is with, say, Zyprexa...plus, it doesn't screw with hormones like Risperdal does. The important thing would be to keep the dose low (any antipsychotic at high-ish doses can cause apathy, lack of motivation, and considerable cognitive dulling..the last thing anyone needs when they're depressed is a chemical lobotomy) and watch out for tardive dyskinesia and akathisia, both of which can make life HELL. If all else fails, there are the MAOIs...Parnate in particular can be stimulating, so this could be helpful if you can deal w/ the side effects and dietary restrictions (there's going to be an MAOI patch available in a couple months I think, so that option would probably allow for fewer dietary restrictions and more ability to augment with other meds). The more activating TCAs would be an option, but the side effects can be rough and they tend to cause a bit of cognitive impairment during treatment. Good luck!
Posted by TommyIsland on September 22, 2005, at 20:08:28
In reply to Cymbalta, posted by med_empowered on September 22, 2005, at 18:46:40
> hey! The standard dose of cymbalta is 60mgs for *everyone*...that covers diabetic neuropathic pain and major depressive disorder. Based of Eli Lilly's data, less than 60mgs doesn't give a reliable antidepressant effect, and more than 60mgs doesn't offer any additional benefit for either depression or neuropathic pain (any possible benefits are largely offset by an increase in side-effets). Cymbalta is stronger than effexor in terms of reuptake inhibition, so its kind of like a Tricyclic with a bit more serotonin action and a different side effect profile, one that is more in line with SSRIs. I took 90mgs b/c my shrink claimed it would help with ADD symptoms. *BAD CALL*. I felt strangely wired; not manic, just weirdly stimulated and uncomfortable. I didn't get any additional benefit. When I tried going back to 60mgs, Cymbalta pooped out completely and I was back at square one. The idea, I think, is that Cymbalta is like Effexor, only more tolerable...plus, its new, and shrinks LOVE having shiny new toys to play with. I don't know what this nonsense with toying with the dosage is about; Eli Lilly's data on dosing is pretty exhaustive and complete; either you take 60mgs and you like it, or you move on to something else. PERIOD. If you're dealing with motivation, you might want to get some dopamine action; very high dose Effexor can do this (375mgs used to be "high-dose," but now some people are on up to 600mgs), but the side-effects suck and some people can't completely withdraw from it b/c of the withdrawal syndrome. Adding a stimulant might help; Ritalin is 1st line for depression, but I personally hate Ritalin with a passion...Adderall worked much, much better. Provigil is another option; if nothing else, it should help with the constant fatigue/exhaustion (it is for narcolepsy, after all); additional benefits are possible, but largely hypothetical. Wellbutrin could work, and it can be added in usual doses to full-dose antidepressant you're already taking...if you already have problems with agitation/anxiety, though, you'll probably want to talk this over AT LENGTH with your prescriber. I've found that SSRIs aren't the best for motivation, probably b/c they indirectly screw with your dopamine. Maybe a different approach to the serotonin would be worthwhile...like Wellbutrin+Remeron. That would also minimize sexual side effeccts. Buspar is usually used for anxiety...even if you're not particularly anxious, Buspar can help augment an antidepressant and help relieve start-up anxiety (if you're taking a novel AD like Remeron, the primary benefits would be anxiety reduction, AD augmentation, and Buspar's weird dopamine agonist properties). Oddly enough, low-dose antipsychotics, when added to antidepressants, can pump up pretty much all the neurotransmitters floating around in your brain, which would (theoretically) help with motivation and the underlying depression. I'd recommend Abilify b/c its more or less weight neutral and the diabetes risk isn't quite as high as it is with, say, Zyprexa...plus, it doesn't screw with hormones like Risperdal does. The important thing would be to keep the dose low (any antipsychotic at high-ish doses can cause apathy, lack of motivation, and considerable cognitive dulling..the last thing anyone needs when they're depressed is a chemical lobotomy) and watch out for tardive dyskinesia and akathisia, both of which can make life HELL. If all else fails, there are the MAOIs...Parnate in particular can be stimulating, so this could be helpful if you can deal w/ the side effects and dietary restrictions (there's going to be an MAOI patch available in a couple months I think, so that option would probably allow for fewer dietary restrictions and more ability to augment with other meds). The more activating TCAs would be an option, but the side effects can be rough and they tend to cause a bit of cognitive impairment during treatment. Good luck!
Wow, it seems you've been around the block on meds as I have been myself. I've tried Anti-Pychotics for Obsessional Thoughts, etc. and they have all failed miserably. I've tried Risperdal, Abilify, Geodon, and Seroquel. All of these meds caused considerable side effects that were hell to deal with and the side effects started immediately. The bottom line is that the Effexor XR 150MG combo with Depakote for a 5 year stretch seemed to work nicely. Things changed however and that combo stopped working over time. Currently I'm taking only 40MG Cymbalta and the Amotivation is at an all time high for myself. I'm depressed and feel like doing absolutely NOTHING. Simple tasks like getting out of bed and going outside seem overbearing. I've always been an extremely social person in the past and now I'm completely the opposite. The only thing I can think about doing is going back onto Effexor XR for the 5th time. I'm also considering ECT as a last resort. I'm currently 29 years old and my life has a very bleek outlook at the moment. I hear what you were saying about Dopamine making you more motivated and I agree with that however too much Dopamine activity can throw you into confusion as this already happened taking Geodon when I went up to 40MG daily. I had the oppositie effect of what it's supposed to do. The med is primarily prescribed for Schizophrenia to stop hallucinations but for me it started to cause auditory hallucinations and I immediately stopped taking it and they subsided within a few hours thankfully. I recently bought SAM-e and have been taking that for about a month and I've seen no positive changes from that. Also my appetite is down since taking Cymbalta and my libido is pretty much the same as when I was on Effexor Xr.......barely there at best. Anorgasmia doesn't seem to be as big of a problem on the Cymbalta but who cares when every other aspect of this med is terrible. Motivation is my main concern at this point. I don't know where my next turn will be because all and I mean ALL the meds I've tried have had terrible side effects. ECT is really sounding like a last ditch effort. Waiting for the meds to start working and then analyzing them day by day to see if their working is getting monotaneous to say the least. Any suggestions on miracle meds or combo's that might work will of coarse be appreciated. Also any combo's that work with Effexor XR would be appreciated also.
Thanks,
Tommy!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by med_empowered on September 23, 2005, at 1:18:38
In reply to Re: Cymbalta, posted by TommyIsland on September 22, 2005, at 20:08:28
Hey! I hear you on going through the meds and *still* finding no relief. Personally, I refuse to do ECT...I have some relatives (older ones) who did ECT and I'm not impressed...they don't seem any happier (still on meds and still upset), and they don't seem to have aged as well as my relatives who didn't do ECT--more memory/cognitive problems, *more* age-related depression/anxiety, etc. Anyway, the reaction you had to Geodon pops up now and then with antipsychotics--particularly the new ones at low-doses. For some reason, Geodon seems to pop a lot when case reports of antipsychotic-induced mania come up. SAMe is good stuff; Eli Lilly, the Prozac, Cymbalta and Zyprexa people, did a study where they found that combining 5-HTP with Prozac resulted in a significantly higher number of patients responding and/or achieving remission...ading b-vitamins helped too, in another study; apparently, lots of people with depression (and presumably other mood disorders, as well) have mild to moderate vitamin deficiencies; since they're not severe, they escape notice in terms of physical symptoms, but supplementing sometimes helps with mood/anxiety. I dont know how you feel about talk-therapy, but that really does help a lot of people. Sometimes, I've found that the best "therapy" is doing something that *isn't* directed at your problem; re-focusing your attention and finding something meaningful sometimes helps..personally, I've found Logotherapy to be tremendously helpful; it isn't directed at problems per se...the focus is more on YOU as an individual and your goals, needs, beliefs, etc. One other thing I've found that helps considerably is sleep deprivation...when I'm "in a funk," I deliberately stay awake for a day or two...in the past, my insomnia could result in anxiety, hypomania, and mixed-episodes; these days, after some trial and error, I can "feel" a bad depression coming on, do some sleep deprivation, and then feel much, much better for a good while. Apparently, sleep deprivation functions kind of like a stimulant. Be careful, though, if you've had problems with (hypo)mania and/or psychosis. I just mentioned it b/c I get the same sort of depression you're describing--fatigue, lack of motivation, etc. Its technically considered "atypical," but its surprisingly common. Mood-stabilizers might actually be a good thing for you. It used to be thought that mood-stabilizers just lowered mood to normal, or helped prevent mania in bipolars. Turns out some people, bipolar and unipolar, don't respond well to antidepressants alone but will respond well to an antidepressant+mood-stabilizer combo. Adding a mood-stabilizer may also help with anxiety, sleep, anger/hostility...but do watch the dose; if it gets too high, there's a risk of cognitive impairment and emotional "flattening". Depakote is an old standby, but lots of people make progress with some of the newer ones, like Trileptal or Lamictal. Lamictal in particular is effective for bipolar depression; presumably, it should help unipolar depression. You might atually have "soft" bipolar; some people dont meet the usual criteria for bipolar disorder, but they respond well to mood-stabilizers and have other bipolar-esque features in their disorder. If you can deal with weight gain, you could always try Symbyax; its zyprexa+prozac in one cap. I'm not a huge fan of antipsychotics, and Prozac doesn't have the best rep, either, but the combination seems to produce amazing results in many people who have failed trials of other medications and combinations. Its approved for depression in Bipolar I disorder, but its being used off-label for all kinds of stuff. I personally found that 5mgs abilify+celexa was *amazing*, at least for a while...I was suddenly able to leave my house and I had the motivation to do something besides brood and think about how hellish my life was. I noticed in your note that you said you're 29..I hear you on having all these problems when you're young. I just turned 21, and all these "issues" have had a *terrible* impact on my life. I still have to finish school--I dropped out at one point b/c my social anxiety was so bad I couldn't go to class and my doc refused to prescribe benzos..instead he rx'd antipsychotics, and I was both *stupid* and *anxious*. Great guy. Anyway, good luck to you, and keep us all posted!
Posted by barbaracat on September 25, 2005, at 13:53:52
In reply to Desperation, posted by med_empowered on September 23, 2005, at 1:18:38
Well, this is very interesting. I recently upped my Cymbalta to 30mg and have been a total blob. Can't get off the couch, lay around and read all day. It's also tiring trying to prevent those nagging thoughts like "you slob, do the dishes, find work, pay the bills, take a walk" from creeping in.
As you may know, I'm the original 3 pellets of Cymbalta poster girl. Worked up to 10 pellets and it did me fine for many months. But not enough to take away chronic low-level anxiety. So I finally got it up to A WHOLE CAPSULE! and it took away my anxiety allright. I could give a sh*t - except now I'm stressing that I'm letting everything slide.
Gonna start taking Adderal now and hope it offsets the dopmamine funk. I hear you about the 60mg and if the Adderall doesn't do it, I guess that's where I'll try next. But refresh my memory, doesn't Se kick in at higher doses? More Se and I'll turn into mud. - BarbaraCat
Posted by Phillipa on September 25, 2005, at 18:18:03
In reply to Hmm, maybe that's why I'm a blob lately, posted by barbaracat on September 25, 2005, at 13:53:52
Barbracat glad to see you back! Where have you been except on the couch? Hope your new combination works out. Fondly, phillipa
Posted by barbaracat on September 25, 2005, at 18:44:36
In reply to Re: Hmm, maybe that's why I'm a blob lately » barbaracat, posted by Phillipa on September 25, 2005, at 18:18:03
Thanks, Phillipa, glad to be back. Pretty much just on the couch. I had an injury 2 months ago - tripped on concrete while jogging with my brother's 2 dogs and got pretty badly beat up with some disc injuries. As if that weren't enough I'm having some 'womany' problems with too high estrogen. I swear, it amazes me how ob/gyns give everyone the same cookie cutter hormone regimen without testing hormone levels. I know saliva tests work but my doc isn't even allowed to order them or prescribe based on patients ordering their own tests! It doesn't help to get natural hormones if the levels are wrong. So I end up with endometrial hyperplasia - just what I need, a nice little pre-cancerous condition.
So yeah, I've been physically hurting, hormonally wacked and figured it's no wonder I was feeling depressed and whining and maybe I needed to tweak the Cymbalta. So increased it to a whole 30 mg capsule and couldn't figure out why I wasn't feeling better, in fact feeling worse, like a slug, no motivation, no interest. Reading about other's experiences with Cymbalta and lethargy makes me feel better cause maybe there's a reason I'm feeling like a big inert lump of bitchiness.
How are things with you? Are you still on Cymbalta? I should remember but my brain has been Cymbotomized. - Barbara
> Barbracat glad to see you back! Where have you been except on the couch? Hope your new combination works out. Fondly, phillipa
Posted by Cybele on October 18, 2005, at 13:16:21
In reply to Desperation, posted by med_empowered on September 23, 2005, at 1:18:38
By what point should Cymbalta have kicked in, if it is going to work? I've done a week of 30mg and then 10 days at 60mg. Still feel the same. Almost no side effects except some fatigue. I have atypical double depression (ADD-like symptoms, when not depressed am polar opposite of ADD). My doc put me on Lamictal for 5 weeks which was an absolute nightmare. I did eventually begin to start to concentrate a little better, but I was angry all the time and raged at my kids. Now I am back to my normal patient self, but my concentration is awful again.
Took 6 weeks of Paxil 10 years ago which made me feel worse WRT concentration. Wellbutrin used to help, but now screws up my REM sleep too much. I can no longer take it.
Posted by grandpa on October 20, 2005, at 8:42:28
In reply to When does Cymbalta kick in?, posted by Cybele on October 18, 2005, at 13:16:21
I have GAD.
After a year or 2 of Effexor I
transitioned to Cymbalta. I was 1 week at
30 mg per day and am now at 60 mg per day
for 5 to 6 weeks. So far, the side effects
and good effects are constantly changing -
with the good effects continuing from that
which was created by Effexor.
Posted by Cybele on October 20, 2005, at 20:21:03
In reply to Re: When does Cymbalta kick in?, posted by grandpa on October 20, 2005, at 8:42:28
> I have GAD.
> After a year or 2 of Effexor I
> transitioned to Cymbalta. I was 1 week at
> 30 mg per day and am now at 60 mg per day
> for 5 to 6 weeks. So far, the side effects
> and good effects are constantly changing -
> with the good effects continuing from that
> which was created by Effexor.
>Now at one week of 30mg and 2 weeks of 60mg I *might* be having some improvement. It's subtle, but I think I can concentrate better. I do need a nap every day. I start yawning around 2:00 pm. I wake up at 6:00 and go to sleep around 10:00. I need to take a Klonopin at bedtime to sleep through the night.
Posted by majdep on December 26, 2007, at 11:49:22
In reply to Cymbalta, posted by med_empowered on September 22, 2005, at 18:46:40
Major Depression for eight years, dramatically more serious (4 suicide attempts) in last year. Very treatment resistant. The only thing I haven't tried is ECT.
On cymbalta for one week. It may not be the case in the longer term, but so far less than 60 mg of cymbalta has had a major impact on me. I tried 20 mg initially, but that was too much , made me extremely edgy and wired. Dropped to 5 mg and it is a definite improvement, though nowhere near my old self.
One huge side effect is dyskinesia, i.e. restless leg syndrome and uncontrollable twitching, urges to move muscles. Taking 400 mg of gabapentin now, definitely helps. BUT, after reading about some of the permanent side effects of drugs like zoloft, I am more than a bit concerned about the longer-term potential for the dyskinesia becoming a permanent part of my life, especially if I have to increase the dosage of cymbalta to maintain the relatively positive impact on mood and awareness (not so much, so far, on memory, concentration or motivation).
Any info on this?
Posted by cookie_gal on December 31, 2007, at 1:32:43
In reply to Cymbalta Does Not Seem To Work Compared To Effexor, posted by TommyIsland on September 21, 2005, at 1:14:23
I wish like anything that I could go off of Effexor. I have tried several times to go off of it and have had worse withdrawls then people describe.
In the past I tried to switched over to Cymbalta, tapering down the Effexor over a 2 month period. Finally I was on just Cymbalta for 3 days and felt I got hit by a truck because Effexor was keeping the pain away caused by Fibromyalgia. I had never realized before how much the Effexor was keeping me from being in pain!
The Cymbalta was almost like taking nothing. So, very discouraged, I went back on the Effexor.
This is the end of the thread.
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