AnJeL
Posts: 11
New Member
Send a PM
Give a Hug
|
I wrote this in an earlier posting, but it seemed an appropriate response here too, so I cut and pasted it. My experience with Cymbalta was terrible. It helped somewhat for a short time (a month or two), but then went right down the tubes. I changed into a different person! I became severely depressed and started with suicidal thoughts. I told my doc, who recommended upping the dose instead of taking me off of it! So, I took myself off of it after the suicidal thoughts became unbearable. Once the medicine was out of my system, all of the depressive symptoms went away, as if by magic! Here's what I wrote in the other post. Hope it helps:Watch out for the Cymbalta! As soon as you feel it's not working for you as well anymore, WEAN off of it slowly. The side effects of going off cold turkey are horrific! I did it that way last year and it made my entire body, every nerve and blood vessel and muscle, feel like it was crawling and tingling for two solid weeks! Wouldn't recommend anyone to go off of Cymbalta without weaning! Unless you are actually clinically depressed and/or have an unmanageable anxiety disorder, I'd advise that you see a specialist (preferably a rheumatologist) before continuing with antidepressants at all. There are a few, such as amitriptyline, that in LOW DOSES are used to help with fibro and chronic fatigue. They are generally prescribed to be taken at night just before bed because they help to make you tired. With Fibro and NO clinical depression, low-dose amitriptyline is considered a good starting treatment choice along with pain meds b/c it helps to raise your serotonin availability slightly and relax the body. Any more than that could be dangerous for a person with relatively normal serotonin/norepinephrine functioning! The full doses of antidepressants (prozac, cymbalta, zoloft, effexor, etc.) really are for people with clinical depression and anxiety, not Fibro treatment. Please make sure you fit into this category before continuing with antidepressant treatment. Depression and anxiety can and frequently do occur at the same time as fibro, but some people may mistake their exasperation from all the physical pain for depression. And anxiety can be confused with exhaustion. Once you find a good specialist and start with real pain relieving treatment, you will be more able to tell whether you actually need treatment for depression as well. I was explained all of this by my wonderful new doctor, plus my own life experience!  |
"When I was diagnosed I was scared didn't know what to do or where to go..I started reserching bipolar and somehow ended up here at MD....Again scared but needing to know what was in store I asked a question..WOW the people who care..I know I would be lost now if I did not join..made many friends and they have helped me through thick and thin. and never judged...........XX Thank you MD and all.Love all of you.......Laurie Pachin" (puppylover)
