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[Midisaya]

Hello, I'm new here and I really, really want to get off of Cymbalta. I was prescribed it for severe anxiety and bi-polar disorder, and it's only helped half the time!

I'd like to speak to my gp about this but my mother is refusing to go out to see her for at least the next month, and I want to start doing something about this now- I haven't had my cymbalta today and I can't tell if this horrible crying fit is because of withdrawal or actual problems I'm having in my life.

Please help, I don't want to be controlled by withdrawal and drugs- I want my own feelings back!

[lady2882Nancy]

Hi Midisaya

 

I don't know why doctors prescribe Cymbalta for Bi-polar the warning on the package insert says that it is not for Bi-polar:

 

Screening Patients for Bipolar Disorder — A major depressive episode may be the initial presentation of bipolar

disorder. It is generally believed (though not established in controlled trials) that treating such an episode with an

antidepressant alone may increase the likelihood of precipitation of a mixed/manic episode in patients at risk for bipolar

disorder. Whether any of the symptoms described above represent such a conversion is unknown. However, prior to

initiating treatment with an antidepressant, patients with depressive symptoms should be adequately screened to

determine if they are at risk for bipolar disorder; such screening should include a detailed psychiatric history, including a

family history of suicide, bipolar disorder, and depression. It should be noted that Cymbalta (duloxetine) is not approved

for use in treating bipolar depression.

 

5.8 Activation of Mania/Hypomania

In placebo-controlled trials in patients with major depressive disorder, activation of mania or hypomania was

reported in 0.1% (4/3779) of duloxetine-treated patients and 0.04%(1/2536) of placebo-treated patients. No activation of

mania or hypomania was reported in GAD, fibromyalgia, or chronic musculoskeletal pain placebo-controlled trials.

Activation of mania or hypomania has been reported in a small proportion of patients with mood disorders who were

treated with other marketed drugs effective in the treatment of major depressive disorder. As with these other agents,

Cymbalta should be used cautiously in patients with a history of mania.

 

17.12 Activation of Mania or Hypomania

Patients with depressive symptoms should be adequately screened for risk of bipolar disorder (e.g. family history

of suicide, bipolar disorder, and depression) prior to initiating treatment with Cymbalta. Patients should be advised to

report any signs or symptoms of a manic reaction such as greatly increased energy, severe trouble sleeping, racing

thoughts, reckless behavior, talking more or faster than usual, unusually grand ideas, and excessive happiness or

irritability [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8)].

 

Please look at the package insert with your mother or if you don't have it then go to the Cymbalta website. This is the link to the prescribing information. The information I posted above is on that document.

 http://pi.lilly.com/us/cymbalta-pi.pdf

 

I was on Cymbalta and it put me into a full mixed episode. I went into such a deep depression that I wanted to end my life and getting off it was a horror story as far as the Bipolar went. I have been off it now for 4 months and am still dealing with the extreme mood swings and other associated problems.

 

I don't know how long you have been on it or what dose you are taking but you will probably need help keeping your moods reasonably level.

 

Let me know how you are doing.

 

Take care