![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 274 to 298 of 335. Go back in thread:
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?
Posted by golfgirl74 on October 18, 2004, at 10:50:45
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report » supermom, posted by Minnie-Haha on October 17, 2004, at 15:29:39
I've been on Cymbalta for a week and the sleepiness continues. I thought I'd be able to make it without a nap yesterday, but I decided to take a nap at 5:30pm. I didn't wake up until 6:30 this morning. I missed my 30th birthday dinner because of this damned drowsiness.
Posted by Iansf on October 19, 2004, at 14:23:30
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by golfgirl74 on October 18, 2004, at 10:50:45
> I've been on Cymbalta for a week and the sleepiness continues. I thought I'd be able to make it without a nap yesterday, but I decided to take a nap at 5:30pm. I didn't wake up until 6:30 this morning. I missed my 30th birthday dinner because of this damned drowsiness. >
I'm having the same problem. Even if it does go away with time (and who knows if it really will) I don't know how I'll last through to that point because of work. I can't sleep the day away and still earn a living. Anyone come up with a successful strategy for combatting the sleepiness?
Posted by karaS on October 19, 2004, at 14:56:31
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - sleepiness » golfgirl74, posted by Iansf on October 19, 2004, at 14:23:30
> > I've been on Cymbalta for a week and the sleepiness continues. I thought I'd be able to make it without a nap yesterday, but I decided to take a nap at 5:30pm. I didn't wake up until 6:30 this morning. I missed my 30th birthday dinner because of this damned drowsiness. >
>
> I'm having the same problem. Even if it does go away with time (and who knows if it really will) I don't know how I'll last through to that point because of work. I can't sleep the day away and still earn a living. Anyone come up with a successful strategy for combatting the sleepiness?
>
Does coffee help at all? I just started on Cymbalta but am at a very low dose so I don't have this problem yet. Others on the board have reported that it goes away if you can hang on longer. I think I've read that it generally takes 3-4 weeks though.
Posted by Rhapsody on October 19, 2004, at 15:02:22
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - sleepiness » golfgirl74, posted by Iansf on October 19, 2004, at 14:23:30
Iansf,
When do you take Cymbalta? If you take it in the morning, try taking it at night and vice versa.
> > I've been on Cymbalta for a week and the sleepiness continues. I thought I'd be able to make it without a nap yesterday, but I decided to take a nap at 5:30pm. I didn't wake up until 6:30 this morning. I missed my 30th birthday dinner because of this damned drowsiness. >
>
> I'm having the same problem. Even if it does go away with time (and who knows if it really will) I don't know how I'll last through to that point because of work. I can't sleep the day away and still earn a living. Anyone come up with a successful strategy for combatting the sleepiness?
>
Posted by boomarang on October 19, 2004, at 16:17:35
In reply to Re: Cymbalta - sleepiness--to Iansf, posted by Rhapsody on October 19, 2004, at 15:02:22
my pdoc said that if i got too sleepy on cymbalta she would add provigil
Posted by golfgirl74 on October 20, 2004, at 10:01:28
In reply to Re: Cymbalta - sleepiness, posted by boomarang on October 19, 2004, at 16:17:35
Yesterday I actually made it through with no napping, but I conked out at 9:30PM. I feel a lot more awake today. But Cymbalta has permanently dilated my pupils, so I have vision problems. Argh. Other than that, this is a miracle drug for me.
Posted by supermom on October 21, 2004, at 21:18:32
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report » supermom, posted by Minnie-Haha on October 17, 2004, at 15:29:39
Minnie -Haha
I do have hypertension. I am taking 180 mgs. of Cardizem for it. My depressions in mostly hormonal. I think related to Perimenopause. Since taking this med. my anxiety is gone! I don't have OCD or bipolar disorder. As far as Cymbalta, I have been on it about 6 weeks and it has helped me tremendously. I haven't had much trouble with insomnia, like I did with Celexa. I do take my Cymbalta in the morning. Also, my doctor has given me a scrip for Klonapin, PRN - and I take 1/2 on nights when I am having trouble sleeping. On another thread I read that some people were having sexual side effects, but I am not having problems in that area I did with Celexa. So far, I am very happy with the results of Cymbalta.
Posted by karaS on October 22, 2004, at 1:48:20
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by supermom on October 21, 2004, at 21:18:32
> Minnie -Haha
>
> I do have hypertension. I am taking 180 mgs. of Cardizem for it. My depressions in mostly hormonal. I think related to Perimenopause. Since taking this med. my anxiety is gone! I don't have OCD or bipolar disorder. As far as Cymbalta, I have been on it about 6 weeks and it has helped me tremendously. I haven't had much trouble with insomnia, like I did with Celexa. I do take my Cymbalta in the morning. Also, my doctor has given me a scrip for Klonapin, PRN - and I take 1/2 on nights when I am having trouble sleeping. On another thread I read that some people were having sexual side effects, but I am not having problems in that area I did with Celexa. So far, I am very happy with the results of Cymbalta.
Hi supermom,
Are you having any trouble with sleepiness? I'm on a small amount now but am feeling really groggy from it. It's so hard to function now and I'm wondering if I can stay on this long enough to get to a therapeutic dosage and then to get some help from it.K
Posted by Minnie-Haha on October 22, 2004, at 11:19:04
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by supermom on October 21, 2004, at 21:18:32
> Minnie -Haha
>
> I do have hypertension. I am taking 180 mgs. of Cardizem for it. My depressions in mostly hormonal. I think related to Perimenopause. Since taking this med. my anxiety is gone! I don't have OCD or bipolar disorder. As far as Cymbalta, I have been on it about 6 weeks and it has helped me tremendously. I haven't had much trouble with insomnia, like I did with Celexa. I do take my Cymbalta in the morning. Also, my doctor has given me a scrip for Klonapin, PRN - and I take 1/2 on nights when I am having trouble sleeping...Thanks for the further details. One last Q: What is "PRN"?
Posted by jboud24 on October 22, 2004, at 12:13:58
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by Minnie-Haha on October 22, 2004, at 11:19:04
PRN = Per Rotation as Needed = as needed
Posted by konfuzed on October 30, 2004, at 17:02:03
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by Minnie-Haha on October 22, 2004, at 11:19:04
Where are you Scott? If you are still out there please talk to me. You were giving me support while I'm starting Cymbalta. I feel all alone.
Posted by SLS on October 30, 2004, at 18:00:13
In reply to Re: Cymbalta (duloxetine) - report, posted by konfuzed on October 30, 2004, at 17:02:03
> Where are you Scott? If you are still out there please talk to me. You were giving me support while I'm starting Cymbalta. I feel all alone.
Hi Konfuzed.You are never alone when you are part of this community. Are there any questions that maybe I can answer for you?
Cymbalta has not been helping me very much. It started out great, but then stopped working. Unfortunately, this has been a consistent pattern with me. I am unusually resistent to treatment. I didn't want to keep posting of my failure to respond to Cymbalta because I didn't want to discourage anyone. It seems that it is helping others, though.
What are you doing with your treatment right now?
- Scott
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.