That's it, I made a decision. I am going to stop cymbalta. I started it back after the first of the year, started at 20mg, for a month or so, went to 40 than currently at 60. Looking back, my depression has gotten worse, I am having more suicidal thoughts, the sweating is horrible, my stomach hurts all the time, I feel very up and down, with major bouts of angry followed by severe depression.
I looked it up and everything I am experiencing are side effects of this drug. I switched from zoloft to cymbalta in hopes of it helping my fibro and neuro pain but its not helping my pain one bit.
I know I can not stop cold turkey but tonight instead of taking 2, I will take one. Currently, I take one 20mg in the am and 2 20mg in the pm. I see my pain doctor next Wednesday and hope to be down to just 20mg a day by than. I have been on various ad's for many years. Prozac was awful. Wellbutrin ok. Zoloft ok. Felt the best on Lexapro.
My hubby wants me to try going without. I tried that about 3 years ago, made it 3 months and wanted to die I was sooo depressed. So, now I am afraid to go without but not sure what to try?? Anyone have any comments or advice?
I don't mean to at all diminish the seriousness of clinical depression,
but have you tried a regular exercise routine? I find that really helps with my depression. Also, if you can find a really good therapist (not an easy task) it would be helpful.
Michele,
My sisters are on zoloft. They are very happy with it but again, you just cant stop taking it. My little sister tried and got very suicidal. I think all of this depression medicine is like that.
Both my sisters agree they will take it for the rest of their lives.
I am wondering if it is OK to just switch medicines. You said zoloft was OK.
Please dont try to go without.
I used to exercise, used to do 6 miles, 5 days a week on an elliptical. Now, I can't even keep my house clean. The pain and swelling is too much. I would love to get into a water aerobics class at the Y but by time I get done with my low stress desk job, I barely have the energy to drive my half hour commute home. I absolutely have no doubt I would feel a bit better if I could work out but, when I talked about stopping the ads last time, it was before I got sick and I was working out so I think I may truly need more. I think I might like to try it for a little while without but I am afraid of the suicidal thoughts getting to be more than I can control.
This is how my sister explains it to me. She told her doctor she wanted to stop but got suicidal. The doctor said she shouldnt stop because that medicine was a part of her now that she has taken it for so many years.
What it does is up the seratonin in your brain. ( Thats Good) when you stop. You take a real nosedive.
I would talk to a doctor that knows something about this because some doctors are real stupid about it. At least discuss what I am saying here.
Please be careful. I have read many of your posts that you were depressed and it dosent sound like cymbalta is working.
My sisters are great on zoloft. But they are on it for life and I am so happy because their depression seems to be managed on it.
Please let me know what the doctor says.
Thank you. I am not opposed to being on an ad for life, IF it makes me feel better. When i tried to stop them last time, it was a happy time in my life and it scares me I got so bad. I KNOW I am really depressed right now but I also feel that if I wasn't in so much pain and felt so crappy all the time, I wouldn't be nearly as depressed!
Hi Michele, I am so sorry you are feeling like this, I take Aropax, which is also known as seroxat, (paroxetine hydrochloride) and find it agreeable, I was like you when I was on nothing and this one I take and my sisters take and it works well, please don't try to go without, deprerssion isn't something to muck around with, I will say a prayer for you, love Janie.
(((Michele))), I'm sorry you are feeling so awful. You mentioned doing best on Lexapro. Can you go back to it? I have been on it since Dec. I didn't think I was depressed, but apparently my Primary did. Please talk to your Dr. and let him know what is happening. It does sound like Cymbalta is not doing it's job for you. Hang in there.Hi, I have a dear friend who has done very well on zoloft, I hope it helps you. Honestly, we might as well try different things. Good luck, LyndaOh sweetie!! *hugs*
I was on ZOloft last summer for my post partum depression (25mg), and
then thhey kept upping it once my joint pain started (was on 100mg by
the time we switched). It was great for my PPD, but once the joint pain
started, it didn't work as well. SO, then we switchehd to
Celexa....that just made me a RAVING lunatic. I was crying ALL the
time, etc.
So, we switched to Cymbalta. Started at 30mg. DIdn't really do
anythhing. I was NOT coping well with all the pain. We then upped it to
60mg. It is NOT helping with my pain AT all. BUT, I am coping SO much
better. I feel like my old self mentally. I'm just kind of pissed that
it hasn't made any effect on my pain, and it's been 6weeks. *sighs*
(they DID rule out this all being psyco-sematic pain thhough....cause
thhe Cymbalta shohuld hhave helped already)
I am resigned to the fact that I will probably be on an AD until this
pain goes away, and I'm okay with it. It makes me a nicer person to be
around, thats for sure!!! I was also having the "maybe I should end it"
thoughts....but they pass quickly, It would be too selfish of me to
bail on my husband and the kids like that.
I AM bummed that my sex drive is ZERO. Total suckage. But part of tat
is because my hips have just been in SO much pain, it's not comfortable
to HAVE sex.
Ugh, the joys of pain. I hhonestly don't know whhat I would do if I
woke up one morning and it was all gone! (which my old RD, thhat I
about to fire, keeps saying it will just "go away" one day soon)
*hugs* hang in there sweetie!! It's all SO rough!!!!!!!
Michele, your symptoms sound like my nieces' who is by-polar(manic), a big difference than clinical depression. From your post info you go from from one extreme to another, kinda euphoric at times,to suicidal at times. My question is have you been dx'ed with di-polar disorder? Or do the Drs. say that you are clinical? Maybe even both.
My niece takes Lithium and it has been a life saver for her.It is kind of a last resort, the " BIG GUN " as they say, because it's kind of hard to regulate and the side effects may be unpleasant. The change in her has been miraculous though, so it may be something you want to ask your Dr. about. It seems you have tried most of the usual anti d's and haven't had much relief so you have nothing to lose by mentioning this to him, and hopefully a lot to gain. Maybe your life back.
Wharever you decide I hope you find something that will help you and ease your pain.
I really like Effexor XL. It helps with pain and depression and does not ruin my sex life! This is the only one that has done all 3 for me. I've tried a bunch.Michelle~Not much experience with these medications; but I wanted to wish you well and tell you to to hang in there. It's a difficult situation and it's got to help to know you aren't alone and that you have many friends here with the same experience.
I hope you will soon find the right medication to help you. Don't give up.
I have not been diagnosed with bipolar but I have wondered. Yes, lately, I do go from lalala whatever mood to writing suicide letters, sometime within hours and nothing to trigger the change in mood.Marion, I am interested in effexor XL. Did you try other ADs first? Lexapro helped my depression, but killed my sex drive so I have been considering stopping it. My Dr said lexapro was one of the only ADs that doesn't cause weight gain. It's hard to know if the med is working or if I no longer need an AD.
Wow, I feel for you so much. I have had a lot of physical problems, numerous surgeries etc. NOTHING was as difficult physically or mentally as depression. I am off AD's now, but I have had to use them on and off for 20 years.Michele, after my heart attack and by-pass surgery 2 and 1/2 yrs. ago I became severely depressed,mostly from pain I think, and anxiety and fear. I was told this was very common after a traumatic event such as this. My Drs. said chronic pain and depression go hand in hand as I'm sure most people with RA or any other dibilatating condition will tell you. Anitaxiety meds (ativan), and AD's (Paxil) have helped me tremendously.But it was after a trial and error method that the right combination worked for me. I know there is the right combination for you too. Just keep on with your Dr. till you find it.
I also had wonderful family support that was essestial to me and was wondering if you have the same? Most important though was my faith in the Lord and the prayers of many in my church and family. ( no I'm not going off on a tangent, just a suggestion from a Christian point of view).
Please get help soon and don't give up, the world would be a sadder place without you in it. God Bless You ,you're in my prayers..
OwieDeb yes i tried a few AD's before I found my winner. Zoloft messed up my vision and made me nausous. Paxil worked great but killed my sex life totally and then the night sweats started to be really intense along with insomnia so we added transadone to the Paxil. I said enough..Want my sex life back and went to Wellbutrine. The no smoking AD gave panic attacks that I never had before and I started smoking again! So we switched to Serzone. My insurance dropped coverage for serzone and it was pricey so I went to Effexor xl. Dicovered upon changing to Effexor that Serzone had been causing me lots of joint pain, either that or Effexor really helps with pain.
It was like trying to find an nsaid that worked without causing more trouble...except that it was terribly hard emotionally. Of all my drugs I would give up effexor last. I never want to be in that pit again.
Michele,
Please speak with your dr about the way you feel. I'm so sorry you are going thru this. You are not alone. Many people fight this everyday. An accurate diagnosis is imperative to get you on the correct meds. don't give up and please, please don't stop your meds until you have another plan in place. With your suicidal thoughts and no meds could be a disaster in the making. Have you visited with a psycharist yet? If not, please do so to get an accurate diagnosis.
Also, are there any changes you can make as far as your commute, or someone to help with housework, etc?
Please keep us updated
Phats
Hi Michelle. I am so sorry you are feeling so bad. It is very common for RA patients and chronic pain patients to need anti depressants.
I never thought I needed them but several years ago, my doctor said I definitely did need something for depression because of the pain I was in. I have taken many different ones and, like Marian, Effexor has been the best for me so far.
My pain specialist has tried different ones on me. Zoloft worked well for a while, but when it lost its effectiveness, I tried Cymbalta. Supposed to help pain too. It didn't work well for me, at all. Did nothing for the pain. I take Methadone for pain and Morphine IR for breakthru pain.
A few months ago, she stopped Cymbalta and went to the Effexor . At first I was taking 75mg in the morning and 150mg at bedtime. But that was really too much anti-depressant for me and was having the opposite effect. I was extremely sleepy (but couldn't sleep), and began to get more depressed. When we went to just the 150 mg at night, it made a lot of difference.
I find I'm not dwelling on the bad things in my life anymore. I try to focus on the happy things and the joys I have. I am not saying I don't have bad days anymore, but at least I don't get so depressed that it is incapacitating anymore.
Don't let the psychiatrists put you off like that. Why don't you try calling the first one ( the children's specialist) and tell her the others aren't accepting new patients? Maybe she can refer you to someone else she trusts. But let her know the thoughts you've been having. You really need to see someone NOW.
I am worried about you, Sweetie. You must get in to see someone and get on a good antidepressant right away. I know I sound like a repeat of everyone else, but it's just that we care about you.
Whatever you do, do not stop your meds completely!
Please let me know how you are doing. Also, when you get an appt.
Gentle hugs and many blessings,
Nini
I was told that if you stop your depression pills and restart them they don't always work like they originally did. I started Lexapro one year ago when I had an anxiety attack. I don't know if the attack was due to the stress of dealing so much with my RA or dealing with teenage children. I had to do something though because I couldn't function. My husband was resistant on me being on Lexapro since I had only had the one attack. I tried to go off it about 2 months ago and found that I was rushed and anxious all over again. I say if it works..use it. I have never been a fan of taking it, but I now am. It is not a cure, but it helps and along with doing other things I love like gardening or attempting to work out I find I am less anxious and more at ease. Don't go off it if you think others will not approve of you being on it (that is the way I thought!)..Go off it only if you don't need it. I take Remicade for my Rheumatoid Arthritis and I take Lexapro to keep me from being anxious. Keep your head up. You will work through it and be fine !As depression comes with RA Michele think we can all empathise with you. Do not stop anti depress. medication slowly as this can cause suicidal thoughts, a dr. needs to help you get off slowly. I too suffer from mood swings - was put on benzodiazepines 6 or 7 years ago because I couldnt sleep and then onto benzo antids because I was anxious - who wouldnt be with this disease. I think I have read Cymbalta is one of the so called Z drugs, others are Zopiclone, Ativan, Valium and many others, their names change and there are also generic variations. These drugs have the same effect on your brain as benzos. The benzos can cause terrible symptoms such as suicidal thoughts, depression, and a long, long list of symptoms. They are very addictivemichele,
Honey, it is very dangerous to change your meds without talking to your dr. Sometimes you need to be off an antidepressant for a week or so before starting another. It depends on the class of drug. Please, please, please talk to your doctor and don't try to medicate yourself. That is sooo dangerous. I really want you to call your doctor tomorrow and talk with them about how to switch over. Promise you will do that, ok?
Phats
I agree with Phats. I have been on and off a lot of anti depressants and there have been times that I have to be completely off of one (very slowly) before I can start another.YEAH!!!! Thumbs up for retail therapy. I'm so glad you followed up with your pharmacists. Sounds like you are doing great.
Phats
Glad you are feeling better Michele - would love to go to the Stevie Nicks concert. Coincidentally she was one who was addicted to benzos and they caused her probs for years. If Cymbalta is from a similar drug family, I think it is, similar to benzos but ever so slightly different but has the same effect on the brain then it will take a long time to get off them and the side effects are really bad. The British sites are good for benzo drugs, their side effects and how to get off them