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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by invisiblemanpa on December 10, 2006, at 4:15:26
Ok short and sweet....Major depression/anxiety....long term.....tried em all...plus recent ect.....I had been on Lexapro most recently in 06, with Remeron and Ativan....recently switched to Cymbalta and Xanax....I hate both...the head doc....when I metered down off the Lexapro and started at 20 mg of Cymbalta, I felt feelings that I never had before...anger, agression,...plus total confusion...then he bumped it up to 60....I was on the floor literally...crawl to the bathroom then back to the floor...two weeks ago I went back to 20....to help at all........Anyone had success with the 2005 wonder drug?? I go back tomorrow to the head shed and am trying to decide what to ask for or suggest..........a bucket of cold ones??
Posted by SLS on December 10, 2006, at 5:01:18
In reply to Cymbalta Anyone?, posted by invisiblemanpa on December 10, 2006, at 4:15:26
> Ok short and sweet....Major depression/anxiety....long term.....tried em all...plus recent ect.....I had been on Lexapro most recently in 06, with Remeron and Ativan....recently switched to Cymbalta and Xanax....I hate both...the head doc....when I metered down off the Lexapro and started at 20 mg of Cymbalta, I felt feelings that I never had before...anger, agression,...plus total confusion...then he bumped it up to 60....I was on the floor literally...crawl to the bathroom then back to the floor...two weeks ago I went back to 20....to help at all........Anyone had success with the 2005 wonder drug?? I go back tomorrow to the head shed and am trying to decide what to ask for or suggest..........a bucket of cold ones??
Cymbalta does not seem to be a wonder drug. I don't think it's efficacy has been well characterized, though.
What did you do with the Remeron? Perhaps there is an adverse interaction between these drugs.
I experienced an intitial positive antidepressant response to Cymbalta that lasted for about a week. This is a common scenario with my case, though. I found the drug surprisingly fatiguing.
- Scott
Posted by lymom3 on December 10, 2006, at 7:45:42
In reply to Cymbalta Anyone?, posted by invisiblemanpa on December 10, 2006, at 4:15:26
I can't claim any success with Cymbalta. I had much the same reaction as you did. Doc at that time added Seroquel to *help me sleep*. I slept for 18 hours straight and was 2 days before I could go back to work. It's the only med that has made me feel like I could potentially harm myself. I've never had that feeling in my life except on Cymbalta.
So, I can't add anything good, but I can completely relate to how it is making you feel. Guess you can figure my vote would be to get rid of it...
Posted by Phillipa on December 10, 2006, at 11:32:49
In reply to Re: Cymbalta Anyone?, posted by lymom3 on December 10, 2006, at 7:45:42
Only thing I felt the first time was lack of back pain. Second time couldn't tolerate it my head felt like it would explode. Wanted to cry and couldn't. Love Phillipa
Posted by blueberry on December 10, 2006, at 14:48:56
In reply to Cymbalta Anyone?, posted by invisiblemanpa on December 10, 2006, at 4:15:26
In clinical studies I have read at pubmed.com and on google, cymbalta really doesn't look like a good antidepressant. When I tried it, I got a real nice effect almost immediately, which faded within a week and all I had were bad side effects, and then depression started getting a lot worse real fast. My cymbalta journey was very short.
Posted by stargazer on December 10, 2006, at 18:17:15
In reply to Cymbalta Anyone?, posted by invisiblemanpa on December 10, 2006, at 4:15:26
Tried 20 mg Cymbalta for a week, made me more depressed, got into bed and didn't want to leave. Then went to 30 mg, depression got worse, lots of self deprecating thoughts, my pdoc added Seroquel which eventually got me out of the depression.
But Cymbalta made my depression worse or so it seemed in the short time i was on it, about 2 weeks.
SG
Posted by greywolf on December 11, 2006, at 19:59:53
In reply to Re: Cymbalta Anyone?/short lived trial, posted by stargazer on December 10, 2006, at 18:17:15
My experience on Cymbalta was an unmitigated disaster. The SEs were brutal, and my depression actually got worse.
But, as they say, ymmv.
Posted by stargazer on December 11, 2006, at 21:16:38
In reply to Re: Cymbalta Anyone?/short lived trial, posted by greywolf on December 11, 2006, at 19:59:53
Posted by jrbecker on December 12, 2006, at 0:56:22
In reply to Re: Cymbalta Anyone?/ def of ymmv? Greywolf (nm), posted by stargazer on December 11, 2006, at 21:16:38
just to offer the other side of the argument, I definitely respond best to Cymbalta when in comparison to all other SNRIs and SSRIs. I've had my fair share of trials with all of them, and Cymbalta seems to give the most relief for my atypical profile.
my personal rankings within these classes goes something like this. side effects are taken into consideration with this ranking, but most of it is based on efficacy alone...
Cymbalta>Effexor>Celexa(now generic)>Prozac(now generic)>Lexapro>Zoloft
I should mention that I'm ~extremely~ sensitive to low doses of ADs. For instance, with Effexor, I've found my optimal dose was 37.5mg per day, and with Cymbalta, somewhere around 10-15mg. Higher or lower doses sacrifice efficacy or lose out to adverse effects, respectively.
Posted by greywolf on December 12, 2006, at 5:59:41
In reply to Re: Cymbalta Anyone?/ def of ymmv? Greywolf (nm), posted by stargazer on December 11, 2006, at 21:16:38
Your mileage may vary.
Posted by stargazer on December 12, 2006, at 22:02:48
In reply to Re: Cymbalta Anyone?/ def of ymmv? Greywolf, posted by greywolf on December 12, 2006, at 5:59:41
cute expression....sg
Posted by antigua on December 16, 2006, at 21:40:36
In reply to Re: Cymbalta Anyone?/ def of ymmv? Greywolf, posted by stargazer on December 12, 2006, at 22:02:48
I'm up to 100mg of Cymbalta, and I feel great throughout most of the day. I'm focused full of energy, get lots done, and if I get too anxious (especially during PMS or too much caffeine) I take a little more klonopin.
What I can't take is the afternoon crash.It's not the klonopin either; I can do without it and still feel so tired. I literally have to take a 2-3 hr nap; I just can't function without the rest. The fatigue is just awful.
Any suggestions? I've been pleading with my Pdoc to do something but he thinks this is ok as long as I'm functioning. Doesn't want to mess with the meds.
Any ideas?
antigua
Posted by greywolf on December 17, 2006, at 1:20:34
In reply to Re: Cymbalta Anyone?/ def of ymmv? Greywolf, posted by antigua on December 16, 2006, at 21:40:36
Fatigue is, in my experience, a very common SE in reuptake inhibitors. Just about every kind I've tried has had too much of a fatiguing effect to be useful (I write a lot, and falling asleep with pen in hand isn't recommended).
What do you take Cymbalta for? If it's for depression only, you might want to consider Nardil or the new Ensam patch. Nardil helped me for a while, and I experienced no fatigue, no sexual SEs, and had no problem with the dietary restrictions.
> I'm up to 100mg of Cymbalta, and I feel great throughout most of the day. I'm focused full of energy, get lots done, and if I get too anxious (especially during PMS or too much caffeine) I take a little more klonopin.
> What I can't take is the afternoon crash.It's not the klonopin either; I can do without it and still feel so tired. I literally have to take a 2-3 hr nap; I just can't function without the rest. The fatigue is just awful.
> Any suggestions? I've been pleading with my Pdoc to do something but he thinks this is ok as long as I'm functioning. Doesn't want to mess with the meds.
> Any ideas?
> antigua
>
Posted by antigua on December 17, 2006, at 9:07:55
In reply to Re: Cymbalta Anyone?/ def of ymmv? Greywolf » antigua, posted by greywolf on December 17, 2006, at 1:20:34
I take it for depression. thanks for the suggestions; I'll ask my Pdoc.
antigua
This is the end of the thread.
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