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Recommend Cymbalta?


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    In the future I would like to stop cymbalta

Posted 03 September 2010 - 01:08 AM

Dear Christine:
5 years ago I was hit by a major depression. And when I say major, I really mean a major one.
I was not able to get out of bed, eat, talk to my friends, work, concentrate, I would burst into tears and even had psychotic symptoms, dark thoughts. I started taking Cymbalta. My symptoms improved considerably. I would say cymbalta worked for me for one year, then it started losing efficacy. I gained a lot of weight (50lbs) and started having insulin/glucose problems. Even though cymbalta kind of helped in the worst moment of my life, I never went back to be the person I was before my depression hit and I wasn´t able to go back to work. When I first took cymbalta I felt better, but I never felt like myself while on it.

I was never told the side effects or withdrawal effects of the drug. When I read all the symptoms people were having withdrawing, I made the decision to start to wean slowly from the drug. Since I started dropping dose, I´ve experienced a wide range of symptoms (physical and psychological) which I never had when my severe depression hit or while I was taking cymbalta. But during weaning, I found out that the drug had blocked my feelings. I realized I hadn´t felt for 5 years, I was in complete apathy for life.

I started to take charge of my health, with healthy nutrition and exercise. And I find that food and nutrients (vitamins and minerals) are very important and exercise improves mood and lowers anxiety.
I realized that I cannot rely only on a pill to do all the work, you have to take care of your health.

I am not a doctor, just a person who has severe depression and has taken cymbalta for 5 years.
You have to analyse with yourself and with your doctor, if what you are feeling really comes from a chemical imbalance or is caused by external factors. From what you describe it sounds like you are over stressed.

Whether you decide to take cymbalta or not, it is very important that you talk periodically with your doctor so he gives you tools to cope with your life. It is important to have time for yourself, yoga was an excellent to improve my mood and give me a sense of calmness.

Concerning options you have other antidepressants (do not know much about them because the only antidepressant I´ve taken besides cymbalta has been prozac) and there is also alternative medicine and therapies (homeopathy, acupuncture, supplements)

When you ask "if your brain chemistry needs the drug...." I do not think any human being needs a particular drug, unless you give that drug to your body and it gets used to it. Just my thought (again I am not a doctor)

I am still on 13mg. I still have a long journey ahead
Please keep me updated on your decision

Hope this helped
Hugs
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