Anybody having luck with Cymbalta.

I tried it about four years ago. It was prescribed for fibromyalgia and pain, more so than depression. I stayed on it for 6 months before tapering off. It had no effect on pain for me, and worsened my mood.

Actually I thought I should be feeling a lot better by now, but I never like to give up too easily so that my Dr. doesn't think I don't give it my best shot. I have also been on Prozac - might as well have eaten a candy - wellbutrin - couldn't take it - made me so sick, Effexor was working fairly well for me until they upped my dose to 150 mgs. and I had horrendous diarrhea for almost three months. They wouldn't believe it was the Effexor - sent me for CT scan to make sure I didn't have stomach cancer - everything there was fine - did blood work, urine, checked vitamins, bowel samples - nothing there. Had colonoscopy - nothing there - then they finally believed me that it was the Effexor - and put me on Cymbalta. I am going into my fifth week - everybody keeps telling me six to eight weeks for therapeutic level. Oh yes, also had Seroquel, Abilify. Sometimes I just feel like giving up because I try to freakin hard to keep busy to try to get through the six to eight weeks - most days all I want to do is lie down.

Zoloft was wonderful and worked for me twice. It stopped once when I had a violent flue, but started up again no problem and stopped again after 10 years. So far nothing has compared with the Zoloft.

Why did you go off of Cipralex? one of my girlfriends is on Effexor and is thinking of changing to Cipralex.

Thanks everyone - all good suggestions - will stay the course until the 8 weeks are up and see where I am then. I did try to go back on Zoloft and guess my brain said "what you again" and didn't work again.

I wish they would come out with something new that we could all take a shot at - that way there would be no news good or bad yet and we would all have hope for something new. With Zoloft I had so much energy, and loved my life - couldn't wait to wake up in the morning and create. I have three sites I sell in on Etsy, and I do a lot of sewing and handpainting. Used to get ideas in the middle of the night and had to write them down so I wouldn't forget them by morning. Now I think of something I want to do and have to wait until the spirit moves me and it takes me twice as long. You can see why I am depressed - no motivation. I probably couldn't stand Cipralix if you become placid and watch the world go by.

I do have a therapist and usually our session consists of her laughing at me, because I can have a wicked sense of humour that I use sometimes to cover up how I feel - most people would never know I am depressed because I rarely show it. Actually I didn't start off with depression, I started off with panic attacks and anxiety when I started menopause. I got depressed only since they can't get me on a pill that will stop the anxiety - so now I have anxiety and depression. How lucky can you get.

I think our artistic moods come and go as they please. I seem to do better art when I am depressed. Strange, but so...

Hang in there with the cymbalta. I take pristiq and it is relatively new, have you tried it? I have heard that when cymbalta works, it works well. I hope that is the case for you.

Best wishes for a good day...

Hugs, Karen...

I would let the doctor know what is going on. I would think at five weeks, you would feel a little better. But they do say six to eight weeks. I always felt better about two weeks into the medication. But a couple of months in, I would get the side effects. Strange, huh??? Then I couldn't take the medication. So actually it is different for all of us. Try to hang in there...

If it gets bad, let the doctor know what is going on. I hope that you feel better soon...

Hugs, Karen...

I hope that it works for you.

There are still many others to try... I would talk to the doc about it if you don't feel better soon. But yea, give it the full amount of time if you can.

Hugs, Karen

Wayupnorth,

I am way up north too...

I just had to say that the meds work differently on different people. What works for Carl may not work for you or your girlfriend. So nobody can say which med is better because it is going to be different for you most likely. Though I am sure he will share his experiences. I took effexor for 15 years. It was a good medication for me. Both effexor and cymbalta are hard medications to come off of. You often can't just switch, it takes weaning off of. I went from effexor to pristiq easily though because they are similar.

I think that the reason cymbalta is not the first choice, is because it is a more complex med. It is hard to come off of and it is more for treatment resistant type depression. Not that it is a last resort. But it isn't the first thing that they pull out of their hat. I think that would be something like buspar. Depending on what type of depression you have. That may not be the case all the time. I tried about six meds before I got to where I am now. Though one I took for a long time.

You will learn as you go. It comes with experience. I hope that this helped in some way. I hope that you figure out what it is you want to do where the medications are concerned.

Hugs, Karen

I am in Canada too - we have no drug plan as when my husband retired, so did his drug plan so to speak. The first time I picked up the Cymbalta and went to the cash register I darn near fainted - as you say - out of pocket.

In the US they can apply to the Liley Co. (spelling???) for a discount in the Cymbalta. I hope it starts working for me - are you still on it Keep Moving?

Make sure to let your doc know what is going on. Maybe you can try a different medication...

Hugs, Karen...

Sandi,

I hope that it starts working for you. It is difficult when a medication takes so long to start working. But as you said, you know you gave it your best shot. I am sure you will find something to work... Keep hanging in there and never give up...

Hugs, Karen...

Try needymeds.org. I think maybe they can help you. Or get a message to the manufacturer. Often they will help you for a year or so. I hope you get some help paying for the medication that you need.

Hugs, Karen...

Thanks everyone - I am going to take these now that I have them and if I am not any better, I will hang the boxes from my Christmas tree - most expensive ornaments I will ever own.
All I was told when I enquired as they would now be included in my Pharmacare deductible whereas they weren't before - imagine - you couldn't even use these suckers towards your deductible. My doctor had to phone and tell them that I had been on at least two other meds that did not work before they would allow them to be part of my deductible. I have yet to reach my deductible which ends in April, they put it up some bloomin high I don't think it is even a possibility in most people's cases.

Somehow I never pictured retirement being like this. Guess I will have to start having massive garage sales.

You are right generic Cymbalta is not here yet - how convenient.