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First day on Cymbalta

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Posted 3/5/2010 11:45 AM (GMT 0)
After my visit to the Pain Managment and rehab doc, she prescribed Cymbalta and today is my first day to take it.  I am so nervous...I know the meds affect everyone a bit different and I hoping I am on that it works great on but always so nervous to try a new med...but if it works then Yea!!!!  She thinks it will help since I also have panic attacks with anxiety.  Now its a wait and see.

For anyone who has tried it...how long did it take to determine if it worked or didn't?

Posted 3/5/2010 11:49 AM (GMT 0)
I forgot to ask...for those that take cymbalta: do you take it in the morning or at night?
Posted 3/5/2010 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Tamz,

I take my Cymbalta in the morning, because it is supposed to aid you with energy....

I do not know that Cymbalta ever really helped me with anything.....I am, however, stuck continuing to take it because it has bad withdrawal effects and I have not had the time away from work to commit to the effects of withdrawal.......

Look seriously at websites that are out there about the cymbalta withdrawal...and determine if the good outways the bad.

Posted 3/5/2010 2:50 PM (GMT 0)
I take 60mg and I take it at night.

I would say it may take a month for you to notice anything. It helps my depression, but I dont think it does anything for pain or at least not much.


Good luck hope it works awesome for you.
melissa
Posted 3/5/2010 4:40 PM (GMT 0)

I am one of the people that can't take it due to horrible side effects. I started taking it at night and had really bad insomnia by the 3rd night, so I started taking it during the day and could only take it for 2 days due to side effects. I was really bummed because I know of 3 other people who take it or have taken it, my sister being one and they loved it! I hope you have good results because it seems when it does work you can get some relief.

Posted 3/5/2010 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Tamz,

I take 60mg in the morning and the same at night, in addition to all my other meds. I felt it starting to work by the second week - it lifted my mood a bit (and I didn't realize I was mildly depressed) and I didn't feel the overall aching sensation I normally have.

I have been experiencing side effects such as loss of appetite and hot flushes/heavy sweating, but I'm not sure if that's from the Cymbalta, or other meds, or a combo. Overall, any negatives are outweighed by the positives I'm getting.

Good luck with it...I hope it provides you with relief!

hugs,
Pam
Posted 3/5/2010 9:35 PM (GMT 0)
I was taking it and although it helped with the depression and anxiety I had to stop because it was raising my blood pressure.  I was not aware that this was a side effect but when I went on line and checked this was definitely one of the side effects.  It really didn't help at all with the pain.   It took about a week before I started to notice the effect.  Hope it works for you. 

Sandy

Posted 3/5/2010 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
I just got to say that you are all so wonderful, sharing your experience's, knowledge, and advice. It is so wonderful to know that we are not alone in this struggle. Blessing to you all.

Tammie
Posted 3/6/2010 12:08 AM (GMT 0)
One of the little know side effects is reckless behavior. It could be gambling, sex, or spending. My mom will never recover from the debt she ran up while on it. If our family had been aware of this side effect, we might have been able to stop her before she spent so much money.

Just be alert to changes that are outside of how you normally behave. It's supposed to be a rare problem but I feel the need to warn people just in case.
Posted 3/6/2010 12:58 AM (GMT 0)
I am new here and have not filled in a profile yet. However, when reading this, I felt the need to respond. Please contact your doctor before going off Cymbalta. It did nothing for my pain, and I was not told to wean off or take something else, just try it for 3 wks. with samples. I had what I consider a full blown withdrawal. It's a wonder I made it through 5 days. Yes, I called my doctor and did not get a return call except for a nurse calling me and saying now try Savella, which I refused and asked for a call from the doctor. I hope you are having some pain relief from Cymbalta but as I said, please contact your doctor before going off to see what to do if you have withdrawal symptoms. I think the drug should be double black boxed with this information.
Posted 3/6/2010 9:52 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the post. I am very lucky at the doctor is working closeing with me. She made an appt for two weeks after the start to check and told me, not to stop if I had problems but to call her. Thanks so much.
Posted 4/19/2010 10:54 AM (GMT 0)
Today is my first day on cymbalta for depression. I took it last night. I could only sleep for a few hours so today i am tired but so far that is the only side effect (besides being hot and nauseous last night).
Posted 4/19/2010 4:30 PM (GMT 0)
tomorrow I will start my 3rd week on cymbalta and will up the dosage from 30 to 60. I take it at night and I have an appt the 27th so the rheumy can see how I am getting along. I don't have the "burning" like I did before, but I am sleeping a little better, not great sleeping, but better.
Posted 4/19/2010 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
I went off cymbalta a few months ago because I thought it was making me grind my teeth in my sleep. But after being off for a few months, I have been struggling with horrible pain and fatigue. I took one yesterday and woke up feeling so good today. So, I am going to try it again. I may have to take it with a sleep aid to help me relax at night if I start grinding my teeth again. I don't know what else to do. I had to undergo more tests at the rheumy's two weeks ago for joint pain to see what's up. He wants me to go on plaquenil again. I am considering it. This sure can be a roller coaster ride.
Posted 4/19/2010 5:47 PM (GMT 0)
I took it for about 2 mo and found it to make me really irriatable. I snapped at everything and everyone. I did come off of it because it didnn't do much for me and I was very nervous about the withdrawl side effects. If I know about the withdrawl, I would not have asked to be put on it in the first place. Hope it works but be careful.
Posted 4/19/2010 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
I take Cymbalta in the morning, with Lyrica. The Cymbalta wires me, but the Lyrica has been causing confusion and fogginess. Cymbalta really didn't seem to make a lot of difference until I made it to 60 mg, and now I'm on 90mg, but still the anxiety and confusion. But still, I have bad pain days, especially when I overdo it, perhaps by going grocery shopping or standing to cook a big meal. I can't work because of the anxiety and confusion; I have a job that requires me to be intellectually alert and solve intricate problems. Fortunately I don't have to leave my desk much.

My neurologist wants to try adding adderal for ADD (my coping skills are nil right now) and see if I can function better in the brain department. We'll see.
Posted 4/21/2010 3:09 PM (GMT 0)
My second day on cymbalta was much like the first. I took it the night before and was up a few times in the night and didn't sleep well. I was tired at work and felt a little stoned.

I took the pill in the morning today (day 3). I felt fine at work except for being tired again.

I think I have been lucky because being tired is the worst side effect i have felt. Although perhaps when I recover from the drowsiness i will be better able to tell how i feel.

Oddly, despite being tired, i have been productive at work and feel quite good. I feel more in control. I know that cymbalta is supposed to take a while to work but i think i can feel its stimulating effect already. Its strange to feel so tired, yet so focused at the same time... although perhaps i feel focused because im so tired.

Post Edited (devone) : 4/21/2010 9:13:57 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/21/2010 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
I have taken it a year so far and I have noticed a difference in me w/my depressive feelings and my aches.
But over all its starting to slim down w/helping and now its starting to feel as if I am on a plateau. I am hoping
I dont have "all the side effects " that others have had with the with drawl!
Posted 4/21/2010 9:05 PM (GMT 0)
My Reumy put me on Cymbalta a couple of years ago.  It did help supress my appetite which I loved but it caused insomnia that I didn't like.

 

I stayed on it for about 6 months and started reading about all the side effects and decided it wasn't worth the effort.  So I haven't been on it for some time.  I do think it works differently on different people.

 

Hope it helps you!

 

God Bless!

Shannon

Posted 4/22/2010 1:56 PM (GMT 0)

Its day four and I am exhausted! I've started diverting my eyes in conversations with people because I am sure I must look like I am on drugs.

Posted 4/24/2010 10:42 PM (GMT 0)
 I have been on cymbalta for about 2 months. 60 mils. The doctor said to take it at about 5:00 pm. I felt much better from the start except for nausea the first week wich is normal. It was great! for the muscle aches but the last couple weeks it' coming back worse everyday and getting sleep is a huge problem. Maybe I can have my doctor up the mils. The hot flashes and sweats are rediculous! I do have decreased appitite  thats  good. I hope you all get settled on something that works. I'm pretty new at this so I'm not sure anything does. Bless you guys
Posted 5/3/2010 11:28 AM (GMT 0)
 Today is day 15 and i have increased my dose from 30 mgs to 60mgs. The first few days were exhausting because i took it at night initially. However I felt an improvement right away. I feel emotionally in control and much more social. I used to avoid people and conversations just because i wasnt even in the mood to interact with people. Today i feel slightly stoned because i have increased the dosage but I am looking forward to a more enjoyable life. So far, so good. The side-effects have been very minor for me.
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