HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

2 weeks on Cymbalta

Support Forums
>
Depression
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 10/22/2006 8:44 PM (GMT 0)
I've taken Cymbalta for 2 weeks now.  I noticed a reduction in anxiety almost immediately and received some relief from some aches and pains.  The only noticable side effect was feeling tired during the day and not sleeping well at night.  The second week, I doubled my dose (per doctor's instructions) and had quite a bit of "brain fog", especially in the mornings.  This disappeared after 6 days and now I'm feeling pretty good!  My depression has eased and my mood has lifted.  And I am definitely less anxious.
Posted 10/22/2006 11:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, I am wondering if you were on any other anti depressant before starting cymbalta?  I noticed you have CD, which I also have.  I am on various meds, prozac for anxiety/depression for the last 3 years, however, I am still very anxious, & with that depression will set in.  I am getting married in February in St. Lucia & the anxiety has increased just on the planning part.  I am very nervous traveling & am wondering if I should try another antidepressant?  I know the prozac works a little, but I guess I feel I should feel better than I do.  I'm glad you are feeling so much better.  Thanks

Posted 10/23/2006 12:12 AM (GMT 0)

keepingthefaith said...
Hi, I am wondering if you were on any other anti depressant before starting cymbalta? 

This is my first medication for anxiety/depression.

Traveling and traffic stress me out too and I've noticed I'm much more relaxed about these since I've been on Cymbalta.

I hope you feel better too!

Posted 10/23/2006 11:02 AM (GMT 0)
MrsGriffin, I am so glad that the Cymbalta is working well for you.  I havent taken this medication...have taken a lot of other meds and am currently on Effexor Xr now that is helping to a great extent.  I hope the Cymbalta keeps up for you....keep us posted :-)
Posted 11/6/2006 2:43 AM (GMT 0)

hi I, too am on cymbalta..and I, too also have crohns. I started taking cymbalta in feb. of this year and i absolutely love it. i had to start taking it cause i was on the verge of turning my truck off on some train tracks..it also helps me with my hip pain that i'm assuming is from the CD . what I like about it was I felt better after 3 days instead of a few weeks...i think i would have killed myself if i would have felt the way i was feeling for much longer.

               good luck to you and continue to do well    brenda

Posted 11/6/2006 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
Brenda, How long have you had CD?  Can you tell us a little about you, just wondering what other meds you are on.  Also, to all, how do you know when you are depressed and its not the fatigue we get from CD?  I hate taking meds, does anyone know if there are psychological side effects from imuran, vicodin?  My problem now is my mental state.  I'm not trying to sound selfish, but, the icing on the stupid cake today is my fianace found my dog dead this am.  I feel so bad for my dog, I've had him since he was a puppy, his name is George & was  98# black lab, 10 1/2 yrs old.  We had to hoyer him in the trunk of my car, it was horrible to see him lying there. I do have another dog, but, no children & my dogs are my kids.  I miss him so much.  I wish I could show you guys a picture, ok I'll stop now. 
Posted 11/6/2006 11:49 PM (GMT 0)
People with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases may have a very physical reason for depression: 90% of the body's serotonin is found in the gut. When that is out of whack, it effects your brain and rest of your body!

Brenda, I'm glad you're feeling better. I think the Prednisone was, in part, making me unbalanced. It can really mess with you! Are you on steroids?

Keepingthefaith, I'm so sorry to hear about your dog! He was part of your family; it's OK to grieve and be sad. I'm sure you gave him a happy life and a loving home.
Posted 11/7/2006 1:12 AM (GMT 0)
hi. i was dx with cd in 2003 ( feb ) i had been sick for around 5 or 6 years prior to that though. im 33 years old i have one child. hes 13 . ok background info....

   i have always been sad... not just depressed but sad and for a long time i felt hollow... like i had no soul. i was abused , physically and emotionally by my mom and sexually by my grandfather . my dad died when i was 15.

    my depression comes in cycles or waves ... sometimes it lasts a few days and sometimes it lasts for months at a time .

    the whole time i was pregnant with my son i was happy but as soon as i had him....the second i had him it was like someone flipped a switch in my head and my soul and i had no feelings for him..and the post partum depression lasted for 2 1/2 years. i did take care of him and i was a good mother to him i just didnt love him the way i knew i was supposed to.  I had my tubes tied because of the post partum and i was afraid that if i had another child that the depression might turn into post partum psychosis

     as far as me saying i was always sad, i remember being in kindergarten being sad... and as long as i have been aware of happy and sad i have always been sad .

     My husband and i were having problems earlier this year and he wound up leaving and well i honestly wanted to die... i wanted the sorry excuse of my life to cease to exist. i went and talked to my dr.... after talking to a lot of people here at HW i was put on cymbalta..i felt better after 3 days and have been doing better ever since.. my husband and i are back together.

     i havent been on any meds for my cd in about 2 years. so the cymbalta is the only thing i am on right now. it has helped with my hip pain i can walk all day at work and  not have the bones in my hips feel like they are grinding together....... well i think i answered all of your questions... if not let me know and ill do my best to give you all the info i can

                                              .......brenda

Posted 11/7/2006 3:30 PM (GMT 0)

Brenda, You have been through so much, I am glad that Cymbalta is working well for you.  I too am 33 yrs old and was sexually abused by my stepfather for many years as a small child.  I dont have children and even though sometimes I get the feeling that I want one...I just have this very stong feeling that I cant supply the feelings towards a child that they require.  I have made an appointment to have my tubes tied next week.  However, I do have several illnesses, MS and an autonomic disorder that I know physicially I wouldnt be able to care for a child so this has helped in my decision...I guess but it is still a difficult one.  Post-partum psychosis is a very nasty thing to have go through but I am wondering if some of your abusive issues played a part how you felt at that time.  Did you go to counseling for these issues?  Seeking treatment and realizing that you do have depression is a huge step and it is great that you took it.  But the medication can only do so much.  If you havent sought counseling before perhaps it would help some.

Posted 11/7/2006 3:36 PM (GMT 0)
keepingthefaith, sad   I am so very sorry about your beloved dog.  I know how very difficult it is to lose a "child" with fur.  I had a Shih-Tzu named Babycakes who was almost 11 yrs old when she died...it will be 2 yrs ago this march.  It just about killed me, I cried for days and my eyes felt like sandpaper.  Still to this day it is hard to think of how short her life was.

Animals bring us so much joy and ask for nothing in return.  I will say a special prayer for George...my thoughts are with you.  Take care

Posted 11/7/2006 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
Hi y'all. I have had depression most of my life and I've had crohn's for about 8 years. I take Celexa and Remeron for the depression. I take Pentasa and calcium for the crohn's. I also take blood pressure and thyroid meds. And Xanax as needed for anxiety/panic attacks. Yeah, I'm a mess.

Keepingthefaith, I am sorry about your dog. I have two cats right now and they are my babies. I have a 17 year old son but that's not the same kind of love you get from your pets. I'll be keeping you in my thoughts.
Posted 11/9/2006 12:22 AM (GMT 0)
els... nope i have never been through counseling...it took me 32 years to get medication i dont know how much longer itll take me to do that lol.. the abuse is easier for me to deal with now as an adult than a few years ago.I can actually let my husband touch me in my sleep now. and as for the physical abuse from my mom i do not hit my son and i always think before i speak ..especially when im mad.. i remove myself from the situation til i can talk about it rationally with either my hubby or my son. i love my life and it took my whole life to get that way. eventually ill seek therapy. but not right now.

 talk to you later                                                     brenda

 

Posted 11/9/2006 1:06 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone for the thoughts for my dog.  I sure miss him.  I hope everyone is doing well.  I have a weird question though...My prozac prescription is through my ins plan & is mailed to me.  Anyhow, it took longer than usual to receive it, about 7 days without it.  The strange thing is, I feel better.  Its as a cloud has been lifted & am thinking clearer.  Is it possible that the prozac was making me anxious? therefore, depressed?  I know when I get closer to my cycle I have PMS severly, something I'll have to wait & find out.  I'm just wondering if the prozac could have the opposite effects on me. Last week I thought maybe it wasn't working anymore & needed an increase in dose, but now I don't know if I even want to start it again.  Any thoughts from you all? 
Posted 11/11/2006 12:24 AM (GMT 0)
  I am soooo sorry about your dog. I know just how you feel!! I see there are others here on Cymbalta. I just hope it works as well as Effexor did for me at first. I have ulcers..am taking prevacid. I wonder if that affects the depression, too.
Posted 11/12/2006 11:33 AM (GMT 0)
Hi keepingthefaith, I was on Prozac for a very short period of time and it calmed my depression by I had a underlying anger for some reason....I am not an angry person.  I had to switch medications as I didnt like how it made me feel.  This issue may be something you can bring up with your doctor and see if you want to go without meds for a while and see how you do...or try switching to another medication with a lower dosage.  Either way work with your physician on it.  Let us know how it goes.
Posted 11/13/2006 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
Hi guys,

   Els, I appreciate your advice.  I haven't taken my prozac for over a week now & still feel fine.  Well fine, psych.   My body is very tired & achy, but, I believe thats the OA.  My back always hurts & am thinking of going to a Rheumy.  I have an appt with the gi on Dec. 13 & am going to talk to him about the prozac.  I thought with the passing of my dog I would be much worse, but, I was able to finally cry & get it all out.  Maybe thats all I needed ... to cry.   When I broke up with an old boyfriend in 1998 I swore I would never cry again, since I cried so much when I was with him.  The passing of my dog enabled me to cry, & cry.  I actually felt good.  Well thanks again everyone, god bless you all. 

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply