When to take Cymbalta..A.M or P.M.?

Hi!  I'm new here.  Here's me in a nutshell.  I've dealt with anxiety since my early teens.  I was first put on medication in college, Effexor XR.  It worked well for years.  Then, after having my son, I switched to Lexapro, 20mg.  I've been on it for about six years.  While I have had some anxious moments, I was able to get past them.  about six months ago, I started getting monthly reoccurrenes of anxiety.  I went to see my doctor (gen practitioner), and he presribed a sleep aid.  My anxiety often relates to worrying about sleep, how I'll function without it, and then snowballs from there.  Each month, I was able to get past it.  This month, for whatever reason, it is lasting.  I'm probably overanalyzing and worring too much.  Anyway, the first sleep aid my doctor prescribed, while allowing me to sleep, made me a zombie the next day.  I have two children and can't afford to so "out of it."

I returned to my doctor.n  Since my anxiety has been heightened lately, my doctor suggested Cymbalta (30mg) rather than the Lexapro as well as trazadone for sleep.  I've tried the trazadone and had some success and some awful nights (maybe this is all related to how hopeful and relaxed I feel going into each night).  But I've also still felt out of it (who knows if this is due to trazadone, anxiety/depression, or bad sleep).  I guess there are a lot of questions marks right now.  I'm hesitant to start the Cymbalta.  I'm scared that it could get worse.  But I suppose you never know until you try.  I am just tired of feeling so exhausted and obsessing about the way I feel.  While I know everyone is different, I'm looking for some feedback.  Thank you so much!

I was prescribed Cymbalta yesterday for anxiety. I went to my doctor because I can't concentrate at work at all and I'm tired often. I was hoping she would prescribe a stimulant. I have tried zoloft and wellbutrin in the past with no help. I hated the sexual side effects with Zoloft and I'm scared Cymbalta will have these too even though the doctor said it's not likely. Wellbutrin didn't do anything good or bad to me...felt like I was taking a placebo.

Hi and thanks, Chartreux. I mostly hang out on the Ulcerative Colitis forum. My doctor told me to take Cymbalta in the morning. She said it usually wakes people up, but I have nbeen reading it makes many people tired. My main problem is a really hard time concentrating at work so I am kind of skeptical this will help with that at all.

Thanks for the welcome. The doctor wouldn't give me a stimulant, unfortunately. She said if I had ADD, I would have had symptoms as a child. I first went to my regular nurse practitioner and she said it's illegal for her to prescribe stimulants so that's when I went to this doctor. I didn't specifically ask for a stimulant because I know some people abuse them and I didn't want the doc to think I was a drug seeker, but I really do think they might help me. Do you like vyvanse? Did you do well on adderall?

Thanks for your input, Karen. I was on Geodon for 6 weeks (anti-psychotic) and it was a pretty bad experience overall. It made me need to sleep 15 hours a day. I'd have to leave work in the middle of the day to take 4-hour naps, I'd fall asleep driving even if it was only a mile from work to home. It was just crazy how tired I was. It did help my anxiety though and my obsessional thinking, and it was the happiest I've probably ever been...but that may have been because I was about to fall asleep all the time. haha. I think the psychiatrist put me on way too high of a dose so that was part of the problem, but then when I went back to see her after 6 weeks she said I never should have been put on that in the first place....even though she's the one who put me on it! And she said I couldn't try it at a lower dose and that it doesn't help with anxiety or obsessional thinking, so she told me that must just be in my head (even though I looked it up online and it is used off-label at low doses for anxiety and obsessional thinking!) Needless to say, I stopped seeing her and filed a complaint with the hospital.

Do you ask your doctors for these meds or just go with whatever they give you? I'd like to ask for what I want but I don't want to seem like I'm "drug-seeking." I'm pretty young so I feel like the doctors tend to think that, but I just want something that will help me get my work done since I am falling more and more behind and getting nothing done.

Do you have to take vyvanse every day?

Post Edited (Sara14) : 2/2/2012 8:05:39 AM (GMT-7)

No pain, just fatigue, and the fatigue isn't extreme...I just feel like i need a lot of sleep each night. Mostly it's just the concentration issues.

I don't do meditation but it's something I've been thinking about starting. I do yoga once or twice a week. I just feel like I have no motivation. I'm really behind at work and I just feel like I don't really care. I don't want to lose my job though. It's a good job and I don't know why I feel like this. I used to be a really good worker and did really well in school.

I just got a bunch of bloodwork done and it was all normal.

I'm reluctant to try abilify since it's in the same class of drugs as geodon, but I'll keep that in mind as a possibility. Thanks again.

I had that problem with paxil. So I know it can be disappointing and frustrating. I have never taken geodon, so I don't know the side effects. But I don't have any on abilify, though everybody is different. So it is hard to say what will happen unless you try it.

It sounds like you may need a different antidepressant. You shouldn't be feeling so badly. Unless you aren't on one at this time. Medications can be so frustrating trying to find the right thing to take with the least amount of side effects. I hope that you can find what is right for you. You need a doctor or psychiatrist actually. That is who prescribes my vyvanse and anti depressants.

I hope that you feel better soon.

Hugs, Karen

Hi Sara,

I hope that the cymbalta works for you. It could take six to eight weeks to reach it's full potential, though you could start feeling better sooner. Which I hope happens for you. I use to notice my antidepressants rather quickly. Maybe it was all psychological because I was trying a medication, but even if it was, at least I was feeling better.

Do keep us posted as to how you are doing. We all do truly care...

Hugs, Karen

The xanax should help you sleep. I think it takes about two weeks for the side effects to go away. Have patience with it. It might be worth it. I take xanax and ambien for sleep. My hubby takes ambien cr. Last night was his first time. He said he got a lot more sleep than usual. I am glad. I don't think he has slept through the night once since we have been together.

I really hope that you can wait the cymbalta out and that it works for you. We all deserve to feel good. I am sorry about the sexual side effects. I had that with paxil. Best wishes to you...

Hugs, Karen

Make sure that you let your doctor. Maybe there is a better match for you. I personally don't care for what I have heard about cymbalta. I read more problems than not. And with it effecting your ulcerative colitis, I am sure that there is something that will be easier to take. Keep us posted. I hope that you feel better soon.

Hugs, Karen

I agree with Karen/gettingby, make sure to let your doctor know about your side effects on this medicine and that
you felt you had to stop taking it, it's good you we're on a low dose as higher dosages need weaning off it....
Many many well wishes...Hope they can find something to work good for you...