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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Simcha on January 16, 2007, at 21:11:14
I'm back from a trip back to Chicago to visit family.
Anyway, I'm experiencing relief from my latest bought of depression with Cymbalta.
My regimen:
60mg Cymbalta (morning)
300mg Wellbutrin XL (Night) Now Generic!!! Woo Hoo!
1500mg Neurontin (some during the day some at night depending on anxiety)I've lost 8 pounds in the past month! This is fantastic. I'm not hungry much anymore. I'm eating small amounts and I'm satiated. This is big news because I gained 70 pounds over the first six years on anti-depressants.
I came off of Celexa last month (to recap). I don't know if the Celexa was the culprit in weight gain. I don't know if coming off of it is allowing the Wellbutrin (buproprion) to do it's work in helping me to lose weight. And I don't know if it's the Cymbalta that is causing me to lose weight. All I know is that I'm grateful.
Also, my Fibromyalgia pain is in check. I can walk without pain. This has improved my quality of life immeasurably.
My mood has lifted and I have much more energy. Cymbalta has been working for me.
I've had some mild break-through anxiety. I went to the pdoc today to report and he let me increase the Neurontin from 1200mg/day to 1500mg/day. Neurontin works for my anxiety, teeth grinding at night, and restless legs.
Also, upon refilling the Wellbutrin XL, I just found out that Wellbutrin XL has gone generic! This will save me $10 worth of copays per month. That was exciting to me since I felt that GSK was cruel in developing an XL formula applying and receiving a patent for it when buproprion is nothing new and day-long formulas of other medications are so common. It should have been developed as a generic as a natural evolution of generic buproprion SR, IMHO.
Simcha
Posted by Phillipa on January 16, 2007, at 21:17:18
In reply to Cymbalta At 30 Days Or So, posted by Simcha on January 16, 2007, at 21:11:14
Wonderful news. Although cymbablta did nothing for my depression or anxiety it did get rid of chronic back pain while I was taking it. Love Phillipa
Posted by shadowplayers721 on January 17, 2007, at 0:31:35
In reply to Cymbalta At 30 Days Or So, posted by Simcha on January 16, 2007, at 21:11:14
GREAT!!! Cymbalta does help me with pain too. Wellbutrin does help weight loss. I was allergic to it. :( Boy, I am happy for you. That's awesome!! Sounds like the right combo.
Posted by blueberry1 on January 17, 2007, at 5:05:43
In reply to Cymbalta At 30 Days Or So, posted by Simcha on January 16, 2007, at 21:11:14
Seems like a lot of people who have been treatment resistant do well with the cymbalta+wellbutrin combination, according to reports at remedyfind. One guy even went through ECT, mao inhibitors, everything. It sounds to me like it could be a combination that would be very challengin physically to get started. But if able to endure through that, it seems to have good potential.
I am very excited to hear you are pleased with it. That's very cool!
I have considered it myself except for one problem. I am already underweight to begin with. I'm not sure my body could handle appetite loss or weight loss. I do not even have a gram to lose, not to mention a pound or two.
Posted by SLS on January 17, 2007, at 7:19:10
In reply to Cymbalta At 30 Days Or So, posted by Simcha on January 16, 2007, at 21:11:14
Hi Simcha.
That's great news!
Thanks for posting it.
Can you describe the progression of improvement for you? How long did it take for you to notice an improvement? Was it gradual? Did it come on rapidly at some point?
Thanks.
- Scott
Posted by SLS on January 17, 2007, at 7:23:50
In reply to Re: Cymbalta At 30 Days Or So, posted by blueberry1 on January 17, 2007, at 5:05:43
> Seems like a lot of people who have been treatment resistant do well with the cymbalta+wellbutrin combination, according to reports at remedyfind.
Good to know.
Where on RemedyFind do you find this kind of information?
Thanks.
- Scott
Posted by Simcha on January 17, 2007, at 23:16:16
In reply to Re: Cymbalta At 30 Days Or So » Simcha, posted by SLS on January 17, 2007, at 7:19:10
Scott,
> Can you describe the progression of improvement for you? How long did it take for you to notice an improvement? Was it gradual? Did it come on rapidly at some point?
Great questions...
I didn't improve right away. I hardly noticed a change for the first few days to the first week. I started on 30mg Cymbalta and after 3 days I went to 60mg. I started to feel buzzed after the first week, like I had a lot of energy and I felt kind of high. This lasted for the next week or so. During this time, I started to feel less hungry. I was agitated at that stage. I felt the old "road rage" more intensely than usual.
Then, the next week I started to feel better mood-wise gradually. My appetite plummeted some more. I got full faster. I've noticed a steady improvement lately. Today I got some horrible financial news (my auto insurance went up so much that I can't afford it) and I cried with my mother on the phone. While I was depressed, I'd quash the sadness with anger and self-loathing. I wouldn't cry. I'd crawl into bed and stay there.
Pain-wise I didn't start feeling an improvement until after a week or two on Cymbalta. The last couple of weeks have seen some improvement here too. I feel more mentally alert. Depression causes mental fog, so does fibromyalgia.
I started with this regimen that wasn't working anymore:
40mg Celexa (am)
300mg Wellbutrin XL (pm)
600mg Neurontin (pm)Now I'm doing:
60mg Cymbalta (am)
300mg Wellbutrin XL (pm)
1500mg Neurontin (a little during the day most at night before bed)The increase in Neurontin was for pain and anxiety.
Thanks,
Simcha
Posted by Simcha on January 17, 2007, at 23:18:13
In reply to Re: Cymbalta At 30 Days Or So, posted by blueberry1 on January 17, 2007, at 5:05:43
Blueberry1
> Seems like a lot of people who have been treatment resistant do well with the cymbalta+wellbutrin combination, according to reports at remedyfind....
That's very interesting, indeed.
> I am very excited to hear you are pleased with it. That's very cool!Yeah it is cool. Thanks.
> I have considered it myself except for one problem. I am already underweight to begin with. I'm not sure my body could handle appetite loss or weight loss. I do not even have a gram to lose, not to mention a pound or two.
Um, then I wouldn't suggest Wellbutrin. I'm sure your doc would agree. I know that some others find that Cymbalta makes them gain weight. So, I'm not so sure what's causing my appetite and weight loss.
Simcha
Posted by Simcha on January 17, 2007, at 23:19:39
In reply to Re: Cymbalta At 30 Days Or So, posted by shadowplayers721 on January 17, 2007, at 0:31:35
shadowplayers721,
> GREAT!!! Cymbalta does help me with pain too. Wellbutrin does help weight loss. I was allergic to it. :( Boy, I am happy for you. That's awesome!! Sounds like the right combo.
That sucks that you're allergic to Wellbutrin... I'm amazed at how much Cymbalta has helped with pain. I haven't felt this pain free in over a year.
Simcha
Posted by blueberry1 on January 18, 2007, at 5:38:54
In reply to Re: Cymbalta At 30 Days Or So » blueberry1, posted by SLS on January 17, 2007, at 7:23:50
> > Seems like a lot of people who have been treatment resistant do well with the cymbalta+wellbutrin combination, according to reports at remedyfind.
>
> Good to know.
>
> Where on RemedyFind do you find this kind of information?
>
> Thanks.
>
> - ScottIt's not easy. Takes some time. In my worst times I just dig into the computer and escape the world, looking for hope. Go to remedyfind.com, click on the option of health conditons, scroll down to where you see depression, and then click on that.
From there you get a list of the highest rated meds, and then you can also click another option that lists all meds. I basically just surf through all the medications one at a time and notice 'patterns'. I mean, we all know how mileage varies, so you definitely see that. One med totally sucks for someone and it totally magic for someone else. I overlook that stuff. I'm looking for patterns. Like for example
people do either really well on Remeron or really bad, but not much inbetween. Weird.
Posted by SLS on January 18, 2007, at 6:29:01
In reply to Re: Cymbalta At 30 Days Or So, posted by blueberry1 on January 18, 2007, at 5:38:54
> > I'm looking for patterns. Like for example
> people do either really well on Remeron or really bad, but not much inbetween. Weird.That's a really interesting observation. I hadn't noticed. Now that you mention it, though, I think you'll find the same pattern on PB for those people who bring the dosage up to 45mg. Remeron makes me feel worse. I hate being limited by having negative reactions to so many drugs. I know I'm not alone.
Have you found a pattern of utility to adding Remeron to Effexor (California Rocket Fuel) or perhaps adding it to any SRI in general?
- Scott
This is the end of the thread.
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