![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 262 to 286 of 335. Go back in thread:
Posted by Ritch on October 4, 2004, at 13:02:22
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by SLS on October 4, 2004, at 10:28:21
> 10/04/2004
>
> Day 46
>
> 6 days at 30mg
> 40 days at 60mg
>
> 60mg (30mg b.i.d.)
>
> Nothing. It completely stopped working.
>
>
> - Scott
>Scott,
Do you think that some of your AD poop-outs could be bipolar cycling phenomena? You mentioned that you had a med-induced mania from desipramine in the past. If your cycling has a long enough period, the poop-outs might be temporary depressive dips in your cycling profile. Just wondering what your thoughts were about that ...
Posted by ravenstorm on October 4, 2004, at 20:15:30
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report » SLS, posted by Ritch on October 4, 2004, at 13:02:22
Not to keep harping on this and I know that you know your own brain better than any of us. . .but that said, you are only a little over week six. Please don't ditch it until you've put in eight to twelve weeks. Week ten has been a magic time frame for a number of my friends.
Sorry its not working. That sucks.
Posted by flipsactown on October 5, 2004, at 1:29:36
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by SLS on October 4, 2004, at 10:28:21
Scott,
I can understanding how frustrating it can be, waiting and hoping that Cymbalta will kick in soon, if at all. However, you have come this far, certainly another 2 to 4 weeks or longer, is worth waiting for. We all still have our fingers and toes crossed for Cymbalta to finally kick in. Please remain positive. We are behind you all the way.
FST
> 10/04/2004
>
> Day 46
>
> 6 days at 30mg
> 40 days at 60mg
>
> 60mg (30mg b.i.d.)
>
> Nothing. It completely stopped working.
>
>
> - Scott
>
Posted by iris2 on October 5, 2004, at 11:13:38
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by SLS on October 4, 2004, at 10:28:21
Scott,
I am so sorry to hear this. You have really stayed with this too. Are you going to stay on it much longer?
I continue to hope the best for you,
irene
Posted by Minnie-Haha on October 5, 2004, at 19:14:58
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by SLS on October 4, 2004, at 10:28:21
> 10/04/2004
> Day 46
> 6 days at 30mg
> 40 days at 60mg
> 60mg (30mg b.i.d.)
> Nothing. It completely stopped working.
> - ScottI don't think I've chimed in yet, but I'm rooting for you, too... whatever you decide to do. My doc suggested I try Cymbalta, but I told him I wasn't sure yet, so I've been watching your experience with great interest. You are very kind to share your ups and downs on this trial.
Posted by sl on October 8, 2004, at 11:11:55
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by Minnie-Haha on October 5, 2004, at 19:14:58
My doc was thinking about trying me on this to potentially replace my Wellbutrin that I've been on for over 10 years.
Is this something I can overlap with wellbutrin, when starting up?
The idea of going 6 weeks with no chemical support is very scary to me, I've tried ineffective meds and been nonfunctional til I went back on wb.-sl
Posted by karaS on October 9, 2004, at 19:52:06
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine), posted by sl on October 8, 2004, at 11:11:55
> My doc was thinking about trying me on this to potentially replace my Wellbutrin that I've been on for over 10 years.
> Is this something I can overlap with wellbutrin, when starting up?
> The idea of going 6 weeks with no chemical support is very scary to me, I've tried ineffective meds and been nonfunctional til I went back on wb.
>
> -sl
I'm attaching a link from below that talks about Wellbutrin and Cymbalta being combined. This should answer your question.
Posted by iris2 on October 9, 2004, at 21:03:05
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) » sl, posted by karaS on October 9, 2004, at 19:52:06
I was curious about the reasons your doctor wants you to change medicines. Do YOU think the Wellbutrin is not working as well as you would want to feel or think you should be feeling better than you are?
irene
Posted by karaS on October 9, 2004, at 21:10:42
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) » sl, posted by karaS on October 9, 2004, at 19:52:06
Irene,
sl was the original poster on this thread and is the one who is switching from Wellbutrin to Cymbalta.
I had the same question though. It sounded like he or she had been doing well on Wellbutrin - so why switch?
K
Posted by sl on October 10, 2004, at 21:35:14
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) » karaS, posted by iris2 on October 9, 2004, at 21:03:05
> I was curious about the reasons your doctor wants you to change medicines. Do YOU think the Wellbutrin is not working as well as you would want to feel or think you should be feeling better than you are?
I could feel better, more social, less irritable--but mostly I could have less side-effects. It'd sure be nice to have my brain back. :P
Basically from that post, it looks like I could take just a teensy amount of duloxetine, and then after a couple weeks eliminate the wellbutrin and up the duloxetine--seems like that'd shorten the ramp-up period. Does that sound right? Like I might have a shorter time to wait til it started working?
Thanks!
sl
Posted by happy lady on October 11, 2004, at 13:54:55
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report » jessie77, posted by 4WD on September 2, 2004, at 18:44:09
Hi there,
I am posting for the first time but have been reading all of your response for a long time. I appreciate all the care all of you provide to one another.
I have been taking cymbalta for month. I started at 15 mgs then went to 30 mgs. I am experiencing overwhelming sleepiness around 10 or 11 in the morning. I take the cymbalta at night along with 40 mgs of paxil. I am also experiencing some nausea and slight headache. I am hoping that thse side effects will go away with time. Any thoughts? Best to all..
Posted by utopizen on October 11, 2004, at 15:11:26
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by SLS on September 21, 2004, at 7:39:17
> This is what I'm taking:
>
> Cymbalta 60mg
> Lamictal 150mg
> Namenda 20mg
> Abilify 10mg
>
> Because I am bipolar, it is possible that I need one or more of these other drugs for the Cymbalta to be effective.
>Scott, may I ask why you take Namenda? It is for ADD or do you suffer from Alzh.?
Posted by SLS on October 13, 2004, at 7:22:18
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report » SLS, posted by utopizen on October 11, 2004, at 15:11:26
Hi U.
> > This is what I'm taking:
> >
> > Cymbalta 60mg
> > Lamictal 150mg
> > Namenda 20mg
> > Abilify 10mg
> >
> > Because I am bipolar, it is possible that I need one or more of these other drugs for the Cymbalta to be effective.
> >
>
> Scott, may I ask why you take Namenda? It is for ADD or do you suffer from Alzh.?No. I continue to take it in the hopes it will somehow contribute to the resolution of bipolar depression. When I first started it, I experienced two mild antidepressant responses separated by a week, each lasting 3 or 4 days. I am seriously considering disontinuing it, as I doubt it is helping at all.
In Europe, Namenda is also used to treat Parkinsons Disease and sometimes depression. I am not aware of its use in treating ADD.
- Scott
Posted by supermom on October 13, 2004, at 12:27:17
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by jeopardy on October 2, 2004, at 11:38:01
My Dr. prescribed Cymbalta for me 5 weeks ago. I took 30 mg the first week & then 60 daily since. It worked for me within a week and I am feeling great. I had been on Celexa for about 4 years and had (stupidly) weaned off of it. Anyway, I am having great results with this medicine. Also, I don't drink and I don't know if that helps or not. B
Posted by utopizen on October 13, 2004, at 13:29:56
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by supermom on October 13, 2004, at 12:27:17
> My Dr. prescribed Cymbalta for me 5 weeks ago. I took 30 mg the first week & then 60 daily since. It worked for me within a week and I am feeling great. I had been on Celexa for about 4 years and had (stupidly) weaned off of it. Anyway, I am having great results with this medicine. Also, I don't drink and I don't know if that helps or not. B
>Do you find your concentration is better? Motivation? Alertness? Mood? Did you have other problems besides depression, like feeling vague sense of pain in your body, or aches, or ADD, anxiety, or anything else?
Posted by Rayray on October 13, 2004, at 17:48:04
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report » utopizen, posted by SLS on October 13, 2004, at 7:22:18
Hi Scott --
Is Cymbalta still not working for you? I was really hoping it would. I'm in my 3rd week and doing OK on it -- no miracles, but pretty good nonetheless.Take care,
Ray
Posted by supermom on October 13, 2004, at 18:02:25
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by supermom on October 13, 2004, at 12:27:17
Yes, I was having severe anxiety. I had been to the hospital thinking I was having heart problems. Also, I am able to concentrate much better on Cymbalta than on Celexa.
Posted by SLS on October 14, 2004, at 10:43:19
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by Rayray on October 13, 2004, at 17:48:04
Hi Ray.
> Is Cymbalta still not working for you? I was really hoping it would. I'm in my 3rd week and doing OK on it -- no miracles, but pretty good nonetheless.
Miracles do happen. It isn't often that someone experiences a full remission by 4 weeks. I think it is likely that you will continue to improve.
I encouraged my doctor to let me go up to 90mg on the Cymbalta. It had completely stopped working. I don't think I should invest too much hope in it at this point. My history seems to be of an early brief response followed by relapse. Thereafter, no amount of dosage increase helps to recapture the response. Oh well. Maybe this time will be different. Each new drug that comes out represents hope for me. I am beginning to think about trying pregabalin (Lyrica) when it comes out as a sort of mood stabilizer. We'll see.
I hope you continue to feel better and better on Cymbalta. It seems to be a good drug. How have side effects been for you?
- Scott
Posted by Rayray on October 14, 2004, at 17:48:23
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report » Rayray, posted by SLS on October 14, 2004, at 10:43:19
Hi Scott --
There were a few side effects the first week, but they largely subsided in the second. I also increased from 30mg to 60mg (30mg 2xd) then as well. Initially there was a bit of sleepiness, fatigue, a bit of flushing and feeling warm. No nausea to speak of. I feel a little bit "perkier" (at times that translates to "irritable") and maybe a little more energetic and interested in things.
Overall I feel at least as good as I did on 150mg Zoloft + 300mg. Wellbutrin. The verdict is still out on the libido, and I've yet to experience the much hoped for decrease in appetite. I remain hopeful in week 3.
I wish you the best as you continue your search for happiness because you deserve it. Your kindness, knowledge, and compassion call for nothing less.
Take care,
Ray
Posted by golfgirl74 on October 15, 2004, at 8:59:14
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report » SLS, posted by Rayray on October 14, 2004, at 17:48:23
This is day 6, and I've been sleeping 10-15 hours a day. The doc said that the sleepiness should go away by the end of the week, but I spend most of my time sleeping. The nausea has mostly gone away, and my appetite still hasn't come back.
Posted by yznhymer on October 15, 2004, at 17:50:33
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by golfgirl74 on October 15, 2004, at 8:59:14
I believe this is day 12 on Cymbalta 30 mg for me and its not going all that well. The side effects are very uncomfortable. I feel very anxious and shaky as well as very sleepy. Yet, there is no rest in sleep. I took two ativan last night and managed 4 hours of continuous sleep. I am exhausted today, again.
My libido has disappeared as well as my ability to do anything in that department even if I were so inclined. I have no appetite and have lost about 9 pounds. That is the one bright spot for me at this time. This misery might be worth the weight loss but otherwise I have become almost non-functional. I have become so irritable that I'm afraid I might snap someone's head off under the right circumstances.
I'd forgotten what misery these trials can be and remember now why I've lost hope in a medical solution to my depression.
Mark
Posted by utopizen on October 16, 2004, at 18:34:23
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report » Rayray, posted by SLS on October 14, 2004, at 10:43:19
Styron credits the ‘‘real healers’’ of his illness as ‘‘seclusion and time.’’ If the depressed person can ‘‘survive the storm itself,’’ as Styron did, ‘‘its fury almost always fades and then disappears. . . . Mysterious in its coming, mysterious in its going, the affliction runs its course, and one finds peace.’’ The hospital merely served to facilitate this process, because in the institution ‘‘one’s only duty is to try and get well.’’ Styron seems to claim that his recovery stemmed completely from his own efforts and his ability to hold on to life in the face of despair.
Still, Styron’s final chapter is a testament to the sense of hope that he and other sufferers may yet find within themselves. Like Styron, many of those afflicted with this grave disease have recovered, conquering this despondency of the soul. Further, Styron believes that many of these people have also been ‘‘restored to the capacity for serenity and joy.’’ He ends his essay with a quote from Dante’s Inferno: ‘‘And so we came forth, and once again beheld the stars.’’ Writes John Bemrose in Maclean’s, ‘‘That note of hope is Darkness Visible’s final, moving gift.’’
Source: Rena Korb, Critical Essay on Darkness Visible, in Nonfiction Classics for Students, The Gale Group, 2001. Korb has a master’s degree in English literature and creative writing and has written for a wide variety of educational publishers.
Posted by Minnie-Haha on October 17, 2004, at 14:01:15
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by supermom on October 13, 2004, at 12:27:17
> My Dr. prescribed Cymbalta for me 5 weeks ago. I took 30 mg the first week & then 60 daily since. It worked for me within a week and I am feeling great. I had been on Celexa for about 4 years and had (stupidly) weaned off of it. Anyway, I am having great results with this medicine. Also, I don't drink and I don't know if that helps or not.
B: In a follow-up you were asked if you find your concentration, motivation, alertness, or mood are better. Also whether you had other problems besides depression, like aches or pains, ADD, anxiety, etc. If I understood your reply, your answer was "Yes" to the first question and "Severe anxiety" to the second (which the Cymbalta is helping, along with mood, etc).
I'd also like to add: How are you sleeping? Is your depression unipolar or bipolar? And, do you have an OCD DX or tendencies?
I'm trying to find someone with a profile similar to mine who's switched to Cymbalta. I'm 45 years old and pre-menopausaul. My original DX (8 years ago now) was BP2, though recently my symptoms have featured prominent anxiety and insomnia (falling asleep OK, but waking between 2 and 4 a.m. with anxious thoughts to occasional panic symptoms). The last time I switched psychologists, to discuss if my BP2 DX might have been a misdiagnosis, I got DXd as OCD!
Anyway, my current psychiatrist suggested Cymbalta, so I've been watching this thread and being thankful that others are thoughtful enough to post their experiences... which, of course, seem to be all over the place!
Posted by yznhymer on October 17, 2004, at 15:22:31
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by yznhymer on October 15, 2004, at 17:50:33
> I believe this is day 12 on Cymbalta 30 mg for me and its not going all that well. The side effects are very uncomfortable. I feel very anxious and shaky as well as very sleepy. Yet, there is no rest in sleep. I took two ativan last night and managed 4 hours of continuous sleep. I am exhausted today, again.
>
> My libido has disappeared as well as my ability to do anything in that department even if I were so inclined. I have no appetite and have lost about 9 pounds. That is the one bright spot for me at this time. This misery might be worth the weight loss but otherwise I have become almost non-functional. I have become so irritable that I'm afraid I might snap someone's head off under the right circumstances.
>
> I'd forgotten what misery these trials can be and remember now why I've lost hope in a medical solution to my depression.
>
> MarkHey Mark...
Day 14 on Cymbalta and the side effects noted above continue. Yesterday I went to a barbecue in Golden Gate Park. The anxiety I experienced was physically palpable and I was sleepy the whole time. I went home for a nap before the evening I had planned but was unable to relax enough to sleep. I just could not lay still. At dinner with friends in a groovy french bistro the discomfort continued. I kept getting hot flashes and the sweat was dripping down the back of my neck. I enjoyed splitting an appetizer with a friend but could barely eat my main course. Later, in the theater, the pressure in my chest and the other symptoms of anxiety were so uncomfortable that I had to leave at intermission. I slept on and off through the night and well into the morning.
Anyway, I'm wondering what about this drug drives my anxiety so high? Is it the serotonin or the norepinephrin action, or both? I've had similar experiences with other SSRIs. It seems to me there ought to be a more informed way to choose meds to try rather than just hit or miss. I don't know where to go from here. I'm feeling a bit better this morning but can't bring myself to take todays dose of Cymbalta. On the other hand I don't think 2 weeks makes for an adequate trial. I guess I'm taking a break from meds today but don't know what to do tomorrow.
Mark
Posted by Minnie-Haha on October 17, 2004, at 15:29:39
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by supermom on October 13, 2004, at 18:02:25
> Yes, I was having severe anxiety. I had been to the hospital thinking I was having heart problems. Also, I am able to concentrate much better on Cymbalta than on Celexa.
Are you taking any other meds? (especially for the anxiety) or are you just taking Cymbalta? Do you have any hyperthyroidism or anything like that contributing to your anxiety?
Go forward in 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.