Posted by 4WD on September 8, 2004, at 17:32:55
In reply to Cymbalta Journal, posted by 4WD on September 4, 2004, at 15:58:30
Days 5 & 6
Cymbalta 30 mg
I had a really bad day yesterday (day 5). Lots of anxiety in the morning which didn't really abate last night like it normally would. I felt really grim and bleak. I've had this feeling before so I went back to my calendar to look and try to make some connections. I found I had noted feeling this way after switching from Effexor to Wellbutrin and also after switching from Effexor to Paxil. It finally occurred to me that the problem may not lie with the *new* drug but with withdrawal from the *old* drug. My pdoc had told me to continue my Effexor at my regular 37.5 mg dosage, add Cymbalta 30mg for 3-4 days, then start tapering the Effexor. I hate Effexor so much that I decided (brilliantly) to stop it completely immediately-figuring that going from one SNRI to another would be a snap. After I got my epiphany yesterday, though, I took about 1/8 of a 150mg Effexor. Again today I took about 1/8 (or 19mg) Effexor. I feel better already. The anxiety has lessened by about 50% and the grim bleak feeling has almost gone away. (I was only completely off the Effexor for less than 1 week)
Anyway, my mistake in not tapering the Effexor obviously is going to have some influence on how I'm feeling and what I'm reporting here. Sorry.
Side effects: Still some dry mouth. Some slight orgasm delay but nothing like with an equivalent amount of Effexor, Zoloft, Prozac or Celexa. Still have the ringing in my ears.
No increase or decrease in appetite or weight.
I am falling asleep more easily at night but was waking up earlier than I should. I thought this might be because the once daily morning dose was wearing off too quickly so yesterday I took half the capsule in the morning and half before bed. I woke up earlier again but was able to go back to sleep easily til my normal time.
Efficacy: I have much more energy. The psychomotor retardation is completely gone. I am no longer a slug. However, I seem to be more sensitive to caffeine. Two cups of tea made me a bit jittery.I am not depressed in the sense of feeling sad or hopeless. I am no longer having suicidal ideation.
I still don't feel much inner motivation to "go out and do things." I still can't think of anything that seems like it would be pleasurable to do. So I guess that means:
No improvement in anhedonia.
I did involuntarily smile a couple of times today. That hasn't happened in a while. I didn't realize I hadn't smiled (except deliberately) until I noticed myself doing it today and was surprised by it.
Marsha
poster:4WD
thread:386422
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040904/msgs/388239.html