![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by flmm on June 20, 2005, at 21:01:17
I am one month 30 mg Cymbalta for panic, depression. It has worked well for panic but it seems to vary where it feels like it works in waves. Couple days feel good, couple days a little manic, couple days a little depressed. It feels like a high enough dosage! Would I get to manic at higher dosage, lower dosage, or will it even out? Is this wrong med. Been on ssri meds for years and am just tired of the flatness of them!
Posted by linkadge on June 21, 2005, at 6:26:33
In reply to Up Down on Cymbalta, posted by flmm on June 20, 2005, at 21:01:17
How is your sleep? On the manic days was your previous nights sleep solid or broken half wake type of sleep.
Linkadge
Posted by SLS on June 21, 2005, at 6:35:03
In reply to Up Down on Cymbalta, posted by flmm on June 20, 2005, at 21:01:17
Other than the Cymbalta, what other drugs are you taking?
Without knowing or remembering anything more about you:
Get on a mood stabilizer if you aren't already. I like Trileptal or Depakote. You can titrate both rapidly. Bring the Cymbalta up to 60mg and try to keep it there. It seems like the right drug for you. You are probably responding partially and episodically to the Cymbalta because the dosage isn't high enough. If you have bipolar tendencies, your natural cycles are being amplified by the cymbalta. We don't want that. If you become manic before the mood stabilizers can take effect, use Zyprexa as an temporary mood stabilizer. Of course, if you like Zyprexa, you can stay on it. You'll just want to educate yourself as to the risk versus benefit of these medications.
- Scott
Posted by Bill LL on June 21, 2005, at 9:28:18
In reply to Up Down on Cymbalta, posted by flmm on June 20, 2005, at 21:01:17
When I took Cymbalta, I did very well on 60 mg.
> I am one month 30 mg Cymbalta for panic, depression. It has worked well for panic but it seems to vary where it feels like it works in waves. Couple days feel good, couple days a little manic, couple days a little depressed. It feels like a high enough dosage! Would I get to manic at higher dosage, lower dosage, or will it even out? Is this wrong med. Been on ssri meds for years and am just tired of the flatness of them!
Posted by KayeBaby on June 21, 2005, at 11:34:01
In reply to Re: Up Down on Cymbalta, posted by Bill LL on June 21, 2005, at 9:28:18
> When I took Cymbalta, I did very well on 60 mg.
>
Bill,
Why did you discontinue the Cymbalta? I remembered that you were doing well on it.
Thanks!
Kaye
Posted by flmm on June 21, 2005, at 21:01:37
In reply to Re: Up Down on Cymbalta, posted by linkadge on June 21, 2005, at 6:26:33
I sleep fairly well on it, as well as I did on lexapro. I don't think I really become manic, just where the drug feels "heavy" and intense. Never been diagnosed as manic and ssri meds always worked completely for panic, just left me flat after 10 years of usage. Tried effexor and could not tolerate it. Cymbalta seems better, just uneven. P Doc wants me to go to 60 mg also but I am not sure if it will be to much, seems like it might be! Maybe I will stay at 30 another month and see what happens........
Posted by flmm on June 21, 2005, at 21:15:46
In reply to Re: Up Down on Cymbalta, posted by flmm on June 21, 2005, at 21:01:37
Would like to add, Cymbalta helps me more for depression than Lexapro in a way, it also helps my back surgery pain! But it does make me feel a little more unstable, will this get better or worse at 60 mg?
Posted by KayeBaby on June 22, 2005, at 2:35:46
In reply to Re: Up Down on Cymbalta, posted by flmm on June 21, 2005, at 21:15:46
> Would like to add, Cymbalta helps me more for depression than Lexapro in a way, it also helps my back surgery pain! But it does make me feel a little more unstable, will this get better or worse at 60 mg?
I did not like the feeling when I went up to 60mg but it works fine split into two 30mg doses per day. 60 1xdaily would probably have been fine if I had tuffed it out. I felt rather restless and worse of all, beneath my tranquil surface I was endlessly bitching at myself-just chattering away in my head. Had songs and words just looping over and over!!!Maddening!!!
Kaye
Posted by Bill LL on June 22, 2005, at 9:13:45
In reply to Re: Up Down on Cymbalta » Bill LL, posted by KayeBaby on June 21, 2005, at 11:34:01
Kaye- When I was on Cymbalta, I would occasionally lose my temper. Normally, this does not happen to me. When I yelled at my daughter for no good reason, I decided to switch. This occasional lost of temper also happened when I took Strattera which like Cymbalta also affects norepinephrine. So that might be the reason, but I don't really know. When I took Cymbalta, it was my only drug (only psychotropic drug).
I now take Concerta 72 mg along with Lexapro 20 mg. It's working reasonably well during the day, but I get anxiety around 8 or 9 pm. But I then take Lunesta (1 mg) which helps with that. With Lunesta, I don't have to go to sleep right away, but when I do, I can fall asleep quickly.
> > When I took Cymbalta, I did very well on 60 mg.
> >
> Bill,
> Why did you discontinue the Cymbalta? I remembered that you were doing well on it.
> Thanks!
> Kaye
Posted by barbaracat on June 27, 2005, at 1:08:54
In reply to Re: Up Down on Cymbalta, posted by KayeBaby on June 22, 2005, at 2:35:46
I'm on month 5 now at 8mg, opening a capsule and counting out 80 pellets. I'm bipolar and am also reducing my lithium to 300mg, trying to give my thyroid a chance. This may not be the wisest choice for a bipolar, but I feel great. Perhaps all those other healthy things I've been doing have finally caught up, who knows.
I'm curious what a higher dose would do, but am wary. The first few times at 30mg and everytime I went too fast it was way too much. I was unpleasantly tripping my fanny off. Don't even know why I persisted after the first scary attempts.
I can't say I understand any of this. All of us have such varied responses to Cymbalta. Time will tell if halving the lithium (don't think I'll completely go off) will have a negative effect. I'm on week 2, going slowly and so far so good.
I understand that at higher doses, less NE and more Serotonin kicks in. I'm surprised at my positive response then since NE type meds usually cause too much anxiety.
In short, for me at a micro-dose it's a great med. It pulled me out of a suicidal mixed state depression in February, shows no sign of pooping and has zero side effects (well that's not true, it does take me a little longer to get in the mood). - Barbara
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.