[tscott]

Hi,
I have been on 20 mg of Cymbalta and don't think I can tolerate it. I feel very uncomfortable in my own skin and sort of caffinated. I have recently diagnosed bipolar. I take 1 mg of abilify in the pm and have been desperately trying to incorporate an anti-depressant. I have not had much luck...prozac, wellbuterin, paxil and now cymbalta. I don't think I can handle these types of anti-depressants, my p-doc wants me to try remeron?

I also think its causing my hair to thin and haven't thought about sex and it's only been 1 week. I don't think I can take another one, is it safe to just stop?

[MaureenV]

Hi tscott,

You'll probably get different opinions, as the truth is we just can't tell you.

Your brain gets used to the chemicals pretty quickly, but the thing with this is that if you do just stop, then feel worse, you can always take it again, but a smaller dose (by ditching some of the balls inside the capsule) until your body adjusts to not having.

I don't know, but I think the warnings about stopping suddenly are more to do with feeling awful and getting withdrawal symptoms than it being unsafe.

With hindsight, if I were you, I'd take 10mg for a few days - that way you've hedged your bets as to what your body's going to do.

keep in touch, Maureen.

[tscott]

Hi Maureen and thanks for your prompt reply. My fear is not just the withdrawal, but not being on something to help me get through this terrible depressive state I've been in since june. I want to continue with it, I'm just not sure I can. Going to call the doc tomorrow and see what he has to say. He wanted to put me on Remeron, but I chose Cymbalta instead as I know several people that were helped by it. I'm not sure I can stand another failed med /: Maybe I should have taken his advice, who knows?

[MaureenV]

Who knows indeed. Nobody really. Frustrating that going through this process happens when we're a state which makes it difficult to tolerate emotional roller coasters.


People here have dropped from 120mg Cymbalta cold turkey and survived (just!) to tell the tale. Some don't seem to have too much of a problem, others have difficulty dropping small doses.

A lot of the anti=depressants are different in the way they work. Try to think of it like trying on some trousers - you just know that there's a pair somewhere there that will fit you, you just have to plough your way through the others.

I can't comment on starting on Cymbalta because I went from Lexapro straight to Cymbalta. I know that for me, Lexapro helped immediately, and although Ihad to stop it eventually due to the side effects, It put me in a place mentally where I was actually able to change things about my life which were making things worse, but didn't have the 'strength' to work on when depressed.

Maureen.

[tscott]

I was on Prozac for 5 years with no problems, until I had a depressive "episode" and ended up stuck in bed for a couple of weeks back in late June. I've been suffering with it ever since. Thats when I left my general practitioner for a psychopharmacologist. The p-doc didn't really want me back on the Prozac and really wasn't thrilled with me going back on any ssri/snri either. He started me with the abillify first, which did get me functioning, but I absolutely needed an anti-depressant. I had a good run with the prozac so I wanted to try it or another like it. I'm taking the cymbalta in the am and the abilify adjunct in the evening. The abilify is a leveler and should prevent any manic moods. I do trust the doc and he is definitely someone that I can work with.

[nursedeborah]

tscott,
Cymbalta even says or the company, that if your bipolar you should not take
this med.

I too had a way up there shrink, and he knew nothing about this drug period,
doctor's dont'. We are all having to bring them in the FDA report that' s here
to prove to them we are not nuts.

It is the worst drug, and we are all having so many problems on it, and getting
of of it. Also once off it they still have withdral symptoms for 6 mo. to 2 years.
Sounds like you have enough on your plate as it is, don't add this noxious stuff
to it!

Debbie

[tscott]

Update, I stayed on it at 20 mgs for two weeks, and 30 mgs for 1 week. I don't like the way it makes me feel, altho it has helped me with the depression. I also don't like the side effects...overly stimulated, loss of appetite and waking up at 6 am every day, so I stopped it cold turkey. It s been two days and I'm ok so far. As it has a 12 hour half life, does this mean I've made it off or is the worst yet to come? Btw, I'm still taking 1mg of abilify daily, which has seemed to help with the over stimulation of the cymbalta.

[nursedeborah]

tscott said:

Hi,
I have been on 20 mg of Cymbalta and don't think I can tolerate it. I feel very uncomfortable in my own skin and sort of caffinated. I have recently diagnosed bipolar. I take 1 mg of abilify in the pm and have been desperately trying to incorporate an anti-depressant. I have not had much luck...prozac, wellbuterin, paxil and now cymbalta. I don't think I can handle these types of anti-depressants, my p-doc wants me to try remeron?

I also think its causing my hair to thin and haven't thought about sex and it's only been 1 week. I don't think I can take another one, is it safe to just stop?

tscott,
From what I have read, and seen in the insert for Cymbalta it say's not for people
who maybe Bipolar, yet now they are just hadning this out to everyone.

If I were you, I would think about if this is doing more harm than good.
I now knowing what I do about this drug would tell everyone to flush it
down the toilet. What's so stupid, is that Remeron sounds more on the
money for you dx, and he even wanted to give you that, but gave you
the Cymbalta instead. Did he say why?

All meds have side effects, they all react in people differently, what you
have found here is a place where many of us have lost our lives because
of this drug, the side effects, then the almost unbearable withdrawls.

For me the med itself turned me into a "Thing" I was no longer a real
human being, no feelings, couldn't take care of myself, my home, I had
the sweating, diarrhea, constipation, nightmares, sleeping problems,
even on sleep tabs, couldn't eat yet gained 30+ pounds, memory, focus,
concentration, all gone,anxiety throught the roof, and I also got what I
thought was untreatable depression. There is more that it did to me, and
i am not alone.

Read lots of posts, google search this medication, but if I were you I
wouldn't even think of taking another pill, and start decreasing your-
self off it now!

If you want to know how, we will show you.

Debbie

[tscott]

He gave me the cymbalta instead of remeron because I wanted to try it as some people I knew that were helped by it. as far as the bipolar dx, I'm still not sure about that. I started with a phycologist this week and he dosen't think i'm bipolar, but instead he thinks it's adhd causing my problems. the good thing about all this is the frustration I'm feeling toward all these doctors is it's giving me new focus. I think they're all fucking nuts, and just give they're best guess. I think I'm going to have to help myself if I want to get through this.

[Junior]

Hi tscott

It's interesting when you talk of bipolar and ADHD because I've been hearing that children diagnosed with ADHD are later re-diagnosed as bipolar. How accurate those Dx's are, I don't know. I've also heard that more and more children are being Dx as bipolar which seems ludicrous to me (I have a degree in psychology, a sibling with bipolar, and a son with autism/adhd) as I am sceptical about childhood depression, let alone childhood mania.

You said you were on Prozac when you had a depressive episode. I'm wondering why it didn't prevent you from sliding into depression. Was it becoming ineffective, do you think? Did they try increasing the dose? Sorry for the questions but I'm trying to gauge why you were switched from an SSRI to an SNRI. Remeron is different again....

When you call doctors "f**king nuts" .. I hear you. But it is good to be aware that the cause/s of depression, bipolar, adhd..indeed most mental health issues.. are not yet fully understood, which makes it difficult for the doctors to know what to prescribe. Unfortunately with anti-depressants it tends to be trial and error. The only thing I would be wary of is doing the cold turkey thing. You may be perfectly OK and I certainly hope that is the case.. but most people suffer withdrawal, to a greater or lesser degree. I went C/t from 60mg and was fine for the first 3 days... then it hit. If that happens to you, you might think about reinstating at 30mg, stabilising for a week or two, then tapering.

Good luck, whatever you decide
Junior

[nursedeborah]

tscott said:

He gave me the cymbalta instead of remeron because I wanted to try it as some people I knew that were helped by it. as far as the bipolar dx, I'm still not sure about that. I started with a phycologist this week and he dosen't think i'm bipolar, but instead he thinks it's adhd causing my problems. the good thing about all this is the frustration I'm feeling toward all these doctors is it's giving me new focus. I think they're all fucking nuts, and just give they're best guess. I think I'm going to have to help myself if I want to get through this.

tscott,
I really was wondering how or why they even gave you that dx. I get so pissed off at
these shrinks, and doctor's. I have just been a nurse for so long, and I do know what
goes on behind the sidelines with patients, and especially with those with any kind
of mental health problems. I have been told that I am this or that, or been given meds,
and will go to my pharmacy, and they will say "what in the world do you need this for"?
Thank God for pharmacy staff! I trust them over any doc anyday! Well one that see's me
and knows me very well.

I never did believe in labels, neither did my therapist. He just delt with what ever waw going
on with me at that time, and I never ever had to take anything! Then time goes by, and I end
up on Paxil, and then this on to totally destroy me.

We willl be ok, it's just that this is a horrible drug, and one that you want to stay away from.
I just hope you have better luck with this new person that your seeing!!

Keep us posted as to what's going on!! Alway here for you.

Debbie