Posted by yxibow on April 16, 2006, at 4:23:54
In reply to Cymbalta-does it work???? HELP!!!!, posted by Mandy on April 14, 2006, at 13:33:01
> I know I have asked a type of this question before, but now I am really not sure if I should stay on this med or not. Went from Lexapro and and am on 60mg cymbalta. I am tired all the time althought at first I thought it kept me awake. Would like to have opinions--take at night or during day?? Does it work? I have been on for 3 weeks. How much time should I give to know if it is working? I am not sure if I am depressed again or just plain fatigued. MY p doc is out of town for 3 weeks and I just don't know how to get motivated. I relly need input from others. PLEASE
I understand your concerns with your p-doc being out of town -- I don't look forward to an absence of mine for various meetings. Motivation though comes from from within -- its a hard thing.I have a complex disorder and have hit near anhedonia (total lack of motivation) at times and it doesn't help that Seroquel is very sedating.
When one defines whether a drug works -- one has to have realistic expectations. I would say a drug "works" if it more often than less often provides a degree of relief. For me, Cymbalta has worked well for secondary depression at 90mg, but not terribly well as a combination replacement for garbage OCD thoughts and the depression.
Depression by itself is a fatiguing disorder, so its hard to tease out which is causing what.
I would give it more than 3 weeks, and generally take it earlier than later in the day, unless you really feel that it is actually sedating. I, like a number of people don't notice its existance all that much unlike Effexor. However, some are intolerant to even 20mg of Cymbalta. Everyone is different.
I think it is one of those medications that takes quite a while to hit the right transmitters -- a definite wait time that isn't really calculable. Some may need even more than 60mg though Lilly doesn't advise this particularly -- people have taken up to 120mg.
I would stick it out a while longer.
Back to motivation -- I don't know your age or whether you're working or retired -- it doesn't really matter particularly, but there are tricks to play on the mind to just go and do anything. Walk down the block or just go outside -- it says a sense of accomplishment for the day. Build upon it from there. Its a hard thing to do when you feel that your particular disorder is becoming difficult to fight (I am at that point) but there is the simple statement that life is for living. Since there really is no explanation for all of this, look at it as an adventure to venture. Perhaps I'm being simplistic but as the saying goes, when you see a fork, take it.
To good health-- Jay
poster:yxibow
thread:633099
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060412/msgs/633748.html