Cymbalta

[Ga5bby]

So I just started this today, at the lowest dose. I'm just wondering if anyone has had any luck with it? It's for depression. But has also been known to help with chronic pain. Any advice?

 

[Lina]

Cymbalta worked very well for me, at first. I started on 60mg and was feeling better within a week. The only suggestion I would make would be a suggestion I would make for anyone starting a new anti-depressant drug. Be aware of yourself, know your baseline, know what "normal" depression and anxiety feel like for you (if that makes sense). Should you find yourself with a "different" kind of depression or anxiety after beginning a new anti-depressant, that's when you make an appointment with your doctor that's before your regular follow-up, and tell them exactly how you're feeling.

When they brought me to 120mg Cymbalta is when I had problems.

 

[kimba]

I recently attempted to start Cymbalta at 30 mgs. and found it was too much for me. Led to sleep issues and fast heartbeat after just three nights on it. Just not for me i guess. Good luck!

 

[Deleted member 1860]

No luck. Extreme suicidal ideation. I didn't want to die, I somehow thought that jumping off my third story balcony was a good idea. Go figure.

 

[DharmaGirl]

I had good luck. It helped with the pain, but not so much the depression. I went off it to go on another antidepressant and had an increase in my chronic pain. Everyone is different though.

 

[DeadMann]

Cymbalta was the singular most horrific drug I have ever been damaged by. Despite detailed warnings to the therapist/prescriber about my sensitivity to certain types of drugs (a written document citing specifics along with my MD's warnings) and the need to use very small dosages to start and check for tolerance and for dosage titration, I was given maximum adult dosage right out of the blocks.

The side affects were massive and uncontrolled. My chest hurt and my heart beat altered from rapid to skipping and irregular. I sweat rivers. I was told later I bordered on a heart attack. The panic attacks were violent and continuous. I had hallucinations. The pain was a misery. I needed sedation for three days while the drug cleared my system. Outside of my original trauma, probably the worst thing I have ever experienced in my life.

I would recommend that anyone foolish enough to use this drug should do so only as a last resort and then only under carefully monitored conditions.

For my own part, if given a choice between taking it again and dying, I would probably opt for dying.

Am I being too subtle?

 

[JustBe]

I took Cymbalta years ago along with Zoloft for Depression and chronic pain. At first it worked well, but within a couple of months I started randomly falling down while walking! It was embarrassing! My kids would just say "there goes Mom again!" and pick me up. The Pdoc took me off of it when my liver enzyme test didn't look good.

I hope you have better luck. Everyone's different.

 

[Bilby]

I have found this to be the very best anti-depressant medication for me. What works is different for everybody, but this really has been fantastic for me, and I have tried many, many anti-depressants.

Good luck :)

 

[Britt.f7]

It worked for me for a number of years. Toward the end of last year it stopped working and before spring of this year I ended up hospitalized with a rush to change my meds. We still don't have it right but I know longer take cymbalta. My doc did say you can grow a tolerance to it.

 

[Lina]

I have found this to be the very best anti-depressant medication for me. What works is different for everybody, but this really has been fantastic for me, and I have tried many, many anti-depressants.

I think you've ht the nail on the head, right there. It's unfortunate at times, but medication is so very individual, that it's hard to tell what the effects will be on any given person. It's so frustrating, sometimes![/quote]

 

[JustBe]

That was actually Bilby's quote, but I agree. ;)

 

[Lost In This World]

I have been on Cymbalta for 7 years, I started on 30mg went to 90mg used to help my Depression and Chronic Back Pain.

Bad side: every time I have a dose change (up or down) I go a little "crazy" for about a week. *Bursts of anger, tears, yelling, throwing cups/pens at walls. After I learned this I just plan a low stress, no appointment week if dose changes are needed.

I was taken off Cymbalta July 2011 by a new pain specialist, I had been on it 90mg for years My pain was off the charts so I figured it had stopped working. I was put on Lyrica instead. Lyrica should come with a huge warning if not pulled (for pain management) completely. I had a small Stroke after 2 1/2 weeks before reaching recommended dose. After recovering I researched this, Stroke IS a listed Side Effect of Lyrica. How can they give this to people? Sorry back to Cymbalta...

The Good: After my time off of Cymbalta in mid 2011 I realized how much good it was doing. so I started it again at 30mg, 1week later I braced for the mood swings and went to 60mg where I stopped this time, much less emotional YoYo this time. So even with these side effects Cymbalta is Absolutely worth it for ME.
Side Note: I have been on the Medication "Wheel of Torture" aka "Pill Guinea Pig" ie. trying to find the right medications, as few as possible while still being able to function, with the least side effects and interactions for over 17 years.

I have talked to my Primary Dr. & Psychiatrist, followed by online research - The emotional rollercoaster I go through with dose changes is considered rare however it is more common in people of Polish, Russian, Icelandic, and Scandinavian decent.