![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by greywolf on November 20, 2006, at 16:13:36
I'm kind of at brick wall here. As some of you may know from my posts the last couple years, I'm bipolar II with severe OCD. I've been on all kinds of meds. You name the SSRI, SNRI, NDRI, TCA, Nardil, Depakote, Lamictal, etc., I've been on it.
After long-term trials of Depakote and Lamictal that were blood-tested to make sure therapeutic levels had been achieved, I was experiencing no results either positive or negative. So, my doctor decided to put me on Cymbalta despite my prior lack of success on similar medications. Thus far all I've experienced is severe nausea, fatigue, grogginess, emotional flatness, urination problems, and sexual side effects.
Anyone out there with BP run into similar issues with Cymbalta? Does Cymbalta provide a true, significant benefit, or is it just another mixed bag of SEs with small therapeutic benefit?
Posted by blueberry on November 20, 2006, at 18:30:48
In reply to Cymbalta's kicking my butt, posted by greywolf on November 20, 2006, at 16:13:36
In a case like yours I think it makes sense to look at things that are very different from things you've tried, and things perhaps that don't even make sense. After all, everything that does make sense is turning out wrong.
Lithium and/or alprazolam? Go to the corner drug store and buy a cheap bottle of acetyl-l-carnatine and try it...in 1 to 7 days you'll know, a nice short test. St Johns Wort...not for its reuptake inhibition stuff, but for the other unknown stuff. Adrafinil...after failing all kinds of meds like you did, I did great on adrafinil for several years...and I would take it again...easy to order legally from overseas. Amisulpride (called solian)...easy to order legally from overseas. Zypreza and prozac combo? Tianeptine...reuptake enhancer that also boosts dopamine...again, overseas order.
I'm just rambling, but the idea is to think outside the box at this point. If it doesn't make sense or it is quite different than what you've tried, then it just might work.
Posted by linkadge on November 20, 2006, at 19:22:44
In reply to Re: Cymbalta's kicking my butt, posted by blueberry on November 20, 2006, at 18:30:48
Posted by greywolf on November 22, 2006, at 6:51:09
In reply to Just so long as thats not where depression hurts.. (nm), posted by linkadge on November 20, 2006, at 19:22:44
Thanks blueberry and Linkadge.
I've done the lithium route already and, combined with some other meds, I ended up hurting myself pretty badly. Not that I think the meds were at fault; they just weren't enough help.
I have alprazolam right now, and it helps take the edge off the anxiety associated with my all-pervasive OCD rituals and intrusive thoughts. I'm meaning to talk to my doctor about Zyprexa on Monday.
I just wish I understood why I have such problems with reuptake inhibitors. I can take high doses of, for example, depakote or lamictal and they have absolutely no effect at all on me--not the slightest side effect, not the slightest therapeutic benefit. Put me on an RI, however, and I get just about every SE you can think of. I wish I could find something to break out of this cycle.
Thanks again for your thoughts.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.