[TinyTimmyTom]

Hello everyone,
I am new to the boards. I wish I could say I was glad to be here, but I'm really not. In June I was diagnosed with major depression. Depression runs in my family, but not in the same exact way it has affected me. My family members have panic attacks and irritability. Over the summer I started feeling lethargic, out of it, spacy, dumb, and unable to think clearly. I eventually started ignoring my phone and quitting my temporary job early. I wasn't able to communicate - trouble reading, writing, and talking. This has never happened before. I took my Pdocs advice and started taking Pristiq. Apparently I'm sensitive to medications, and I had to get off it ASAP because I was having blurred vision. I then tried Lexapro for a month and a half, but with no relief. I decided to then try Cymbalta since my father is currently on it and it helps lift his mood. I was on Cymbalta for 2 months, but after feeling dumb and out of it still, I decided to stop cold turkey. I've been off of Cymbalta 60mg for an entire week now, and I have an appointment tomorrow with my Pdoc.

Now that I've filled you in on my background, here's what I need advice on. When I started Pristiq, Lexapro, and Cymbalta I was feeling FANTASTIC (back to my energetic self) from day 3-10 on each medication. I've been told multiple times that the meds should start working at 2 weeks earliest, so possibly I don't need the meds? I really don't know at the moment. I was also diagnosed with Mono over Spring Break, so that could have been lingering over the summer and caused the temporary depression and sleepiness over the summer?

My life is a mess... I just feel dizzy in the head and out of it all the time.

Any tips, advice, or suggestions is greatly appreciated!

Thanks and good luck to all!

[outamymind]

Hi there,

I'm really sorry you're feeling so bad. On the time these Mede take to kick in - they say around 2 - 3 weeks but like everything else in life, this could differ from person to person. It may well be they started working earlier for you. Having said that, if you're off them, stay off them if you possibly can, especially the poison Cymbalta!

If you read through this site you will find the damage that has been done by this stuff - both while on it & then through withdrawal. I've never really been an advocate for natural stuff. Not that I have anything against it, just never thought I'd need it. However I swear by the capsules that contain omega 3, 6 & 9. I've found that they have made me feel more alert, far less aggressive & have also lessened the physical pain of fibromyalgia. They take a little while to take effect, but it's got to be better than the chemical crap the uneducated doctors prescribe. I even had one doc say to me I needed to go back on it because I had the ordacity to complain about the lack of knowledge surrounding the drug. Needless to say, I haven't been back.

Like you, I was prescribed Cymbalta 60mg for severe depression. I was on it for nearly
three years. I then dropped to 30mg for 3 weeks & stopped. What a ride! They reckon it's
like heroin withdrawal & from what I've read, it's pretty damn close. Not nice at all.

This forum is awesome for support from all walks of life. We're all bound by the same trauma. I'm so glad I found it & even though I'm now nearly 7 weeks off it, I still check in to see what's new. I'm almost human again so there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Hang in there & best of luck to you

[TinyTimmyTom]

Thanks so much for the encouraging post outamymind! I really appreciate the feedback.

I met with my psychiatrist two days ago, and he has given me a prescription for Wellbutrin. It's been a week and a few days since I've been off of Cymbalta 60mg. Like I stated earlier, I was only on it for 2 months so hopefully my body wasn't dependent on it. I still feel nauseous from time to time which I know is a withdrawal effect, but besides that I'm back in the same slump I was before. I just feel out of it. Loss of energy. So I'm going to give Wellbutrin I try. I'm really sick of going from med to med, but I have to accept that I'm not a productive person at this time in my life. And at my age, I should be out doing stuff.

Thanks again! And best of luck to you as well. I'm glad to hear things are going well for ya!

[TinyTimmyTom]

Also, if anyone on here is taking Wellbutrin, I would be glad to hear how it went for you. I'm taking 150mg XL for first week, and then bumping the dosage up to 300mg and seeing how things go from there. All advice and knowledge about this pill is helpful. I hate taking pills, but I've come to the realization that I have to.

Anyone who's taken Wellbutrin, let me know how it went! Thanks. None of the prescribed meds above have had a lasting effect (only placebo effect for the first few weeks because I think I'm getting better, but once the meds kick in I'm back in a slump, strange huh?) on me, so maybe this will?

[Hydra]

Hello and it's nice to know I am not alone. Day 6 weaning myself from 120 mg with every other day then 2 days in arow w/out Cymbalta.
Still angery, sweating, mind races so fast I cannot complete a sentence, tremors, heart rate seems insane, suicide thoughts bad first 3 days.
I feel as i write this I seing a glimpse of clarity.
Family and Friends cannot undertand. Bendryl 50 mg Fish oil. I hope I will be the same person I used to be,???

[MrsWin2709]

Hey TinyTimmyTom. I take Wellbutrin XL as well as cymbalta (weaning off now). Started on 150 of wellbutrin and tried 300 for a short time before going back to 150. I was highly physiologically aroused on the 300. It was a great addition for me bc of my LOW energy, but I could still sleep at the drop of a hat. Winced I started weaning off cymbalta my energy is much better, but I have noticed I have a much lower tolerance for caffeine and being easily physiologically aroused - usually increased heart rate is the tell. I will be weaning off wellbutrin in time too. In all honesty I think my birth control has been the culprit all along of my emotional issues. Been off that for 2 weeks and what a difference! Aiming to get off all pills. Hope I helped!

[happyzapynot]

MrsWin2709, on 24 April 2012 - 09:50 PM, said:

Hey TinyTimmyTom. I take Wellbutrin XL as well as cymbalta (weaning off now). Started on 150 of wellbutrin and tried 300 for a short time before going back to 150. I was highly physiologically aroused on the 300. It was a great addition for me bc of my LOW energy, but I could still sleep at the drop of a hat. Winced I started weaning off cymbalta my energy is much better, but I have noticed I have a much lower tolerance for caffeine and being easily physiologically aroused - usually increased heart rate is the tell. I will be weaning off wellbutrin in time too. In all honesty I think my birth control has been the culprit all along of my emotional issues. Been off that for 2 weeks and what a difference! Aiming to get off all pills. Hope I helped!

Have you considered iodine supplements or other thyroid supplements such as bladderwrack? You may want to google it to learn more. Some birth control pills are very hard on the thyroid gland.