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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mmcconathy on January 10, 2005, at 19:04:20
Can you explain if it helped, i just got off a rough rollar coaster called wellbutrin, which had me almost puking my guts out after it was over.
ANYWAYS! well im still under the investigation of im nuerotic or psychotic, i think both.
Dont bother what just said im in a bad mood right now.
Tell me how has it helped you.
Matt
Posted by jerrympls on January 10, 2005, at 19:50:23
In reply to I;m about to start Cymbalta.... any one expereince, posted by mmcconathy on January 10, 2005, at 19:04:20
Matt- I was on Cymbalta. I started at 30mg and for about 5 days it made me really sleepy so I took it at night. After about a week or so the sleepiness vanished. I quickly moved up to 60mg. No side effects - I'd compare it to an SSRI. Even tho it's an SNRI like Effexor - it didn't compare at all to Effexor (for me). It helped my depression to a certain degree - but increased my apathy. I recently switched from Cymbalta to Lexapro and my apathy has improved. BUT we're all different and you never know how it will effect you. As far as sexual side effects- I didn't notice any.
Good luck
Jerry
Posted by sdjeff on January 10, 2005, at 23:27:19
In reply to Re: I;m about to start Cymbalta.... any one expereince » mmcconathy, posted by jerrympls on January 10, 2005, at 19:50:23
I am on 60 mg. of Cymbalta. Like the last poster, it has helped with depression but has increased apathy. I still have my adhedonic days.
side effects:
super low libido
headaches.
Posted by Iansf on January 11, 2005, at 0:32:09
In reply to Re: I;m about to start Cymbalta.... any one expereince, posted by sdjeff on January 10, 2005, at 23:27:19
> I am on 60 mg. of Cymbalta. Like the last poster, it has helped with depression but has increased apathy. I still have my adhedonic days.
>
> side effects:
> super low libido
> headaches.
>
>
As the earlier poster said, we all react differently. I'm taking 60mg/d of Cymbalta and if anything I find it motivating rather than causing apathy. It also doesn't lower my libido, though it does affect my ability to get an erection and my ability to orgasm. It also causes constipation, though that is lessening, and at each dose increase I experienced acid reflux, which gradually eased up. For me it's far from ideal, but better than the alternatives I've tried..
Posted by Racer on January 11, 2005, at 20:05:45
In reply to Re: I;m about to start Cymbalta.... any one expere, posted by Iansf on January 11, 2005, at 0:32:09
IanSF had constipation? I've had diarrhea on and off from it.
Otherwise, though, the adjustment phase stuff passed pretty quickly for me. I had some anorgasmia at first, but that's passed. Some vivid dreams, not too troublesome. A certain amount of amotivation, which my doctor thinks is related to another med I was on, that I just stopped today. We'll see if it changes. If not, I am going to ask for a reduction, from 60mg to 30mg.
As for effectiveness, I'm taking both Cymbalta and Wellbutrin XL, which are working great -- except for the amotivation. I'm not sure the Wellbutrin will work on its own, but the Cymbalta didn't really work on its own.
Cymbalta, though, has been a great med in some ways. Great for the pain of my joints, and the pain from my bones pressing against everything through my skin. Great for the worst of my anxiety. Good for sleep, I'm sleeping well and waking well, for the most part.
It's like every other drug out there, from Aspirin to Zyprexa: it's got its good side and its bad side, and the balance changes for every individual who takes it. The only way to know how it will effect you is to try it.
I do have some advice though: set up a support network to help encourage you to stick with it through your adjustment phase. No matter how much you say that you won't need it, after trying every med under the sun, I was ready to give up on Cymbalta at day three -- thankfully, our very own Chemist and Gardnergirl kept me on it through that period where I was overreacting to every little thing. That was just sensitivity because of my previous experiences, it wasn't the drug, and I wouldn't have recognized that myself without them. I strongly encourage you to set up a similar team, maybe your therapist, or someone at your doctor's office, and some friends. It does help.
Good luck!
This is the end of the thread.
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