Anyone on it? I've done some reading and it sounds good. I'm on Effexor, but it really doesn't work very well. I've tried everything else within the AD spectrum, so I'm running out of options. :D

I started cymbalta several weeks ago and it is working well for me. I have little to no side effects other than the first three days I was tired. I take 20 mg 2 x a day. I am on adderall 10 mg 2 x a day too. I was on a SSRI and adderall but switched over due to side effects from the antidepressant. The cool thing for me about the combination I am on now is I no longer feel the adderall wearing off and my concentration has greatly improved.

Good luck to you! Finding the right meds can be frustrating.

I tried Cymbalta and it did not work for me -- for some reason it made me fall into a really really deep sleep whether it was at night or just taking a nap. It was, like, impossible to get me up. And I would understand that I was supposed to get up, but I was just soooooo sleepy.

By the way Cymbalta is not just an SSRI, it's an SSNRI -- Selective Serotonin and Norepinepherine Reuptake Inhibitor -- so I assume it's the Norepinepherine that made me so sleepy.

Interestingly, Effexor apparently switches over from SSRI to SSNRI mode at about 250 mg. And I had the same groggy side effect when I was on an increased dose of Effexor.

In my continuing search for an single, effective ADD+anti-depressant med, I'm going to give Cymbalta a try.
I came off Wellbutrin 3 monts ago. It's not a bad anti-depressant, rather mild both in it's effectiveness and in it's side-effects, at least for me. It just seemed to rev.-up some OCD behavior I had, not a good thing.
Didn't help at all with my ADD though.
After being on just about everything else in the past (from standard Ritalin to Strattera and several SSRIs) I'm again trying to go without a stimulant. (all seemed to make me agitated) .
I'm hoping that the 'norepi' action of this SNRI may give me some ADD relief along with it's anti-depressant action.
Doc seems to think it's superior to Effexor.
I will post results and experiences regularly.

I didn't realize that Cymbalta was used in the treatment of ADD. I had a brief, albeit nasty, experience with Cymbalta in September. My GP prescribed it for depression and after 2 days I was had uncontrollable rage and morbid thoughts. I had ZERO level of patience. I felt so unlike myself, I was crying a lot and very very angry. My GP ordered me to stop immediately.

Now, I'm confused because isn't Strattera a SNRI too? I know it doesn't work on serotonin, but it works on norepinepherine? If I had such a bad time with the Cymbalta does that mean Strattera shouldn't be tried with me? I think this is what my doctor is going to suggest to try first. I am on nothing now, since I was just diagnosed.

Cymbalta and Strattera are both SNRIs, but they work differently. I think Cymbalta affects other chemicals in the brain while the Strattera just works on the norephedrine which in in turn affects dopamine? Strattera is more focused on what it does. Cymbalta and Effexor are similar drugs. I did research about this but I forget the exact details of why.

I went on the cymbalta due to depression while I was also being treated for ADD. It just so happened that it helped my ADD. It was just an added bonus for me. I take adderall in addition to the cymbalta.

i just finished my first week on cymbalta. i think that it is helping, i can't really notice a huge difference yet. my therapist seems to think that it has kicked in. i was on wellbutrin in addition to the adderall, but found out i was allergic. i was off of it for a few weeks, and i just emotionally crashed. panic came back and everything. it was the worst couple of weeks ever! when it was confirmed i was allergic to it, my psych gave me cymbalta. all of those horrible feelings are now gone, so i guess it works. the only thing that i noticed is that pre cymbalta, i hardly had an appetite, now that i take it, i have NO appetite at all. i have to force feed myself. i lost another five lbs this week. i know that the adderall has an anorexic effect, but man this is really bad. im sure it will wean off a bit and ill go back to having a slight appetite in a few weeks. i will update you as the weeks go by and how it is working out. i am very positive about this med and have read nothing but good things about it
-heather

Well, I finally statred taking Cymbalta about a week ago. I was on Effexor XR 150 mg for about 5-6 years until now. So far the switch has been fine, but nothing special. I'm pretty sure my appetite has returned more than on Effexor, which killed it. Only on 20 mg of Cymbalta, so I imagine I need to get up to the 30 mg dose before I notice any change, if at all. In some ways I feel better on it than with Effexor, but my depression and anxiety is still the same. I'll repost when I go up to 30 mgs.

i just completed my first month on cymbalta. i am now on 60mg a day. i was upped in dose since i wasnt at the clarity that i had with the wellbutrin. i believe that this med is great and that it is working, just not to the point i was with the wellbutrin. only thing that is really noticable is that my appetite is now non-existant. i am NEVER hungry and the thought of food makes me ill. i thought that the appetite supression on adderall was extream. it is in no comparison to the addition of cymbalta. my doc isnt too worried yet since i still need to loose a bit more weight. does anyone else have this huge appetite loss?
-heather

Hey, All,

I just wanted to bump this thread because I started taking Cymbalta two weeks ago for MDD -- 30mg/day for first week, and 60mg/day for second week. I had been extremely depressed w/anxiety, and the med stopped the crying and helped ease the anxiety almost immediately, but unless I take some Adderall, I am just unable to accomplish anything. I also feel a little flat emotionally. and maybe lowered sex drive. I know it's early, still.

If there is anyone out there who has been on Cymbalta for a few months or more, please post and let me know if you are still on it, and what your experience has been.

thanks a bunch!

Abby

I am currently weaning off the Cymbalta, after taking it since April this year. My problem with it is that if I forget a dose, I get those awful zapping sensations in my brain and mouth. I had the same problem with Zoloft, Paxil, and Lexapro. It seems I need to keep taking higher doses to get it to go away.

As for depression, Cym was excellent. When I decreased from 60 to 30 a few weeks ago I got suicidal and crying/agitated rather quickly. I am back to the Prozac which I took for years in high school, and my family says I did really well with it. I still have the zapping, but I only have to take 30mg of the Cym every 3-4 days to stop it, so it is getting tolerable. (The Prozac never gave me that zapping, which is why I want to try it again.)

If it weren't for that effect, I would still be on the Cym!

HTH!

Hi,

Is Cymbalta an anti-depressant....Do you know why you are depressed?

Deb

Cymbalta was bad for me too...I was extremely suicidal when I got on the 60 mg dose.

Strattera and Wellbutrin are SNRI's, meaning they work on norepinephrine. Cymbalta and Effexor are both SSNRI's, they work on norepinephrine and serotonin....the only two in that drug class to date.

Cyndi


I didn't realize that Cymbalta was used in the treatment of ADD. I had a brief, albeit nasty, experience with Cymbalta in September. My GP prescribed it for depression and after 2 days I was had uncontrollable rage and morbid thoughts. I had ZERO level of patience. I felt so unlike myself, I was crying a lot and very very angry. My GP ordered me to stop immediately.

Now, I'm confused because isn't Strattera a SNRI too? I know it doesn't work on serotonin, but it works on norepinepherine? If I had such a bad time with the Cymbalta does that mean Strattera shouldn't be tried with me? I think this is what my doctor is going to suggest to try first. I am on nothing now, since I was just diagnosed.

Cymbalta was bad for me too...I was extremely suicidal when I got on the 60 mg dose.

Strattera and Wellbutrin are SNRI's, meaning they work on norepinephrine. Cymbalta and Effexor are both SSNRI's, they work on norepinephrine and serotonin....the only two in that drug class to date.

Cyndi
Not sure what you mean..from the wellbutrin PI sheet:
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

Pharmacodynamics: Bupropion is a relatively weak inhibitor of the neuronal uptake of

norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine, and does not inhibit monoamine oxidase. While the

mechanism of action of bupropion, as with other antidepressants, is unknown, it is presumed that

this action is mediated by noradrenergic and/or dopaminergic mechanisms.

It's amazing how the same drugs can work so differently in two different people, even when they have the same conditions. I traded in my Strattera and Lexapro in for Cymbalta about three months ago. I too had been through nearly all the anti-depressants, and Lexapro was the first and only one that actually helped. I was a bit worried about losing the good AD effect with the switch, but the Cymbalta was even better ! I take 60mg at bedtime, and then 50mg Adderall XR in the AM. It's been the best of all worlds - so far.
Keith

I tried Cymbalta and it did not work for me -- for some reason it made me fall into a really really deep sleep whether it was at night or just taking a nap. It was, like, impossible to get me up. And I would understand that I was supposed to get up, but I was just soooooo sleepy.


Same thing happened to me.....it was a really nice relaxed sleep, and I felt so good sleeping...but at 3pm in the afternoon....sleeping is not a viable option! I really wanted to take a nap on this drug. After halving the dose, was better, but now off it completely and only on the Adderall.

Cymbalta was bad for me too...I was extremely suicidal when I got on the 60 mg dose.


I had a similar experience with Cymbalta. It made my depression worse, and I started feeling truly hopeless and suicidal on it. Although I have had a chronic depression for a long time, it had never got to that point before! After 2 weeks, I just couldn't stand feeling so horrible anymore, and so I stopped taking it. I was really disappointed because I was noticing it was starting to help a little with my ADD - in some ways reminded me of Strattera - which is what I am looking for. But I could just not handle what it was doing to my mood.... :(

*Sigh* Unfortunately, another one bites the dust....

I am gonna ask my psychiatrist tomorrow to change me from effexor XR to cymbalta. The effexor XR has caused my blood pressure to get higher. It was 140/100 today when I went to see my internist. Luckily cymbalta is covered by my crazy insurance. I am looking forward to trying it as alot of my online friends take it and they say its great. I am owner of a mental health group on msn with a private chatroom. So I hear alot about peoples med experiences...which helps alot.

Wish me luck.:p

Cymbalta works extremely well for my seratonin reuptake depression with my stimulant for ADHD. That's my experience.

Crazy :cool:

Cymbalta did not work for me. Unfortunately. It seems to be trial and error with any type of reuptake inhibitor-perhaps based on brain chemistry that there is no way to identify through lab tests. I start Wellbutrin tomorrow. Keeping my fingers crossed.

RADD

I have been on 60 mg cymbalta for a lil over a month. Took a lil fighting between my pdoc and aetna to get it approved. I have been on almost every anti-depressant in the last 16 or so years. Before the cymbalta, I was on 300 mg effexor XR. My blood pressure which has been in control for 3 yrs now suddenly began running very high. I also was grinding my teeth and clenching my jaw. As soon as I stopped the effexor, it stopped. My pdoc advised me to wean myself off the effexor gradually cos she said the withdrawals are terrible for alot of pple. But I cudn't stand one more day on the effexor so I just stopped cold turkey and thank God I didn't have any problems. From what I understand 300 mg of effexor XR is a very high dose. They started me out on that dose!

I have schizoaffective disorder and rarely get down...the anti-depressant is more of a preventative thing to keep me from crashing. But the anti-depressant in my cocktail seems to help the negative symptoms from the schizoaffective disorder....for example...lethargy, lack of motivation, things like that. I think it helps my ADD meds work better too.

In conclusion, I think cymbalta is a great drug. I am part owner of a mental health chat so I talk to people everyday about meds. So far everyone I have talked to recommended it. I didn't wanna go into my pdoc's office demanding to be changed from effexor XR to cymbalta. She actually suggested it to my suprise!! I think cymbalta is one of the best anti-depressants to come along in a very long time!!! JMHO.:soapbox:

I just started on Thursday. My new pdoc feels that this will work well for me, and I have to say that some effects have been noticeable already (besides stomach upset!) Is it helping me focus? Well, so far, only by quieting the cacaphony of mental chatter a bit. It does seem to have had an immediate effect lessening anxiety. The anxiety isn't gone, but it's clearly less, as evidenced by a significant reduction in the heart palpitations that have been making me nuts for months now.

I'd love to hear if anyone has had the miraculous effect my doctor has been telling me of. I think I'm most concerned about it wearing off the way paxil did and having to withdraw and/or find something else.