[nursedeborah]

Hi you guys,
I had one of the most frightening things happen to me yesterday, and this was how
I would get all the time on the Cymbalta at the full dose of 60 mg.

Anyway I always get up, and drink my coffee, journal, meditate, and then come on here.
When I was doing this, all of a sidden I could not stay awake, and would just nod out,
and come to finding myself in front of the PC, and seeing what I had said, and would try
to go back, and read it, but I would just nod, again. I knew I was making no sense on
what I was saying, so I would try again to clean it up, only to nod out again.

I finally just had to put the PC down, and lay down, and the next thing I knew it was 6:30
pm.

This used to happen to me all the time when I was on the drug. I would get up, and some
times I would sit in my chair, and just could not keep my eyes opened, and would just have
to go back to bed, and sleep the entire day away. I also had times that I would do that in
the am, then go back to bed, but I felt like I just had no blood in me at all, I would just sleep
for the entire day, and night, and do the same for the next day. The by the next day I would
be awake, but still tired, and also full of so much anxiety too.

I am ok this am, but that's one of the things that really does worry me, and I have not had since
all this started. Now I did have the full moon thing, and I was out of it for 6 days, but now that it's
over I also realize that I never got that way before the Cymbalta!

I just can't believe what it has done to me. I remember when this was happening, and I asked my
doctor for a sleep apnea test. I never did get the test done, I never could follow through with any-
thing while on this crap. I really am seeing just how much it did to me all the way around, all the
wreckage that I am now having to finally take care of after 3 years of neglect!

I am so pissed at this frigging drug, at the company for what's it's done to me!!! I just want my
life given back to me.

I know in time!!!! Very slow process for some of us, but I am getting somewhere!

Thanks for all your patience, and support.

Debbie

[MaureenV]

Hi Debbie,


That's truly awful.

You really did get the short straw when it comes to this drug.

I was sleeping about 12 hours a day on Lexapro, but that dropped two or three hours when I changed to Cymbalta. I immediately noticed I was more alert. Strange how everyone responds differently. I certainly need less sleep again, though, now that I'm off.

Remember this is a roller coaster, and that you will get to the end, one day at a time, but they won't always be better than yesterday.


take care, Maureen

[Junior]

Hi Debbie

I'm so sorry to hear of your hypersomnia problems. It's weird. Some people can't stay awake (you) and some can't sleep at all (that was me). Stupid drugs!

All I can say is hang in there. You have come such a long way. This is just a minor setback. Remember how Houdi talked about those? Don't give up hope. One day at a time.... "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can....."

Thinking of you
Debbie

[nursedeborah]

Thanks both of you guys !
It reallly had been a hell of a ride for me on or off this drug. I do see it's way better,
but then all of a sudden when I do have these things happen that were just like it was
when I was on it for so, also I was on 120 mg for how long I don't even remember as It
really did make me so out of it. I do know that after awhile I just said oh I am not taking
this 120 mg anymore. I do think that somewhere inside of me knew it was the drug, yet
I just could think right, or know if what I was thinking was even correct. Then having my
doc's who knew nothing, and so I just owned it all.

The only thing I did do was keep praying, and I know that is what saved my ass, and allowed
me to have those withdrawls so bad when he cut the dose in half, and didn't believe me that
it was the drug doing it, so I just went back on 60 mg, and all went away.

That's what got me here. I think having the severe PTSD on top of it all haw also played a big
part in all this , as when I do get the withdrawls that are like the thing that just happened, I
fear I am snowballing back into what I really thought all this time, was insanity! I get real
triggered!!! MAJORILY.

I hate that I do seem to have it so much harder, but that's just life, and the damage it did
to me.

I actually felt really great today, and went to my AA meeting, and then when and got my nails done,
and on the way home I thought there was really something wrong with my car. I didn't get nearly as
freaked out like I used to on the full dose. I got out, and only had a flat tire, called roadside service,
and they came and changed the tire. Whew!!

Again thanks for being here for me, during these scarry up's and downs.

I do remember what Houdi used to say, and steal her line ofter, ALSO what I really like is what you
put at the end somettimes is "I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN!!!"

dEBBIE