Posted by SLS on July 25, 2013, at 6:39:50
In reply to Re: can anyone compare effexor and cymbalta, posted by linkadge on July 24, 2013, at 21:21:17
> How would you compare them overall (I know you think fairly highly of effexor)?
>
> LinkadgeLinkadge, you know that I am a poor representation of the archetype case of depression. I say that just so that you can take with a grain of salt anything I report regarding my experiences with medications.
Cymbalta produced a mild improvement that lasted for less than a week before pooping-out. However, this is my usual pattern of reaction to antidepressants. Effexor also produced a short-lived moderate improvement. However, a mild improvement persisted for quite awhile. I am biased towards Effexor compared to Cymbalta because it has an established track record, and is more effective than most SSRIs. Lexapro is the SSRI that is most comparable to Effexor in terms of efficacy. It is my impression that some people will respond better to Pristiq than to Effexor. Of course, this is not based upon any kind of scientific investigation - just a few anecdotes of people who have taken both drugs. Perhaps it is a Celexa/Lexapro type thing, although the molecular relationship is different (desmethyl metabolite for Effexor vs. enantiomer for Celexa).
A friend of mine is doing spectacularly well on a combination of Pristiq + Wellbutrin. For her, Lexapro + Wellbutrin was not nearly as effective. I don't think she had tried Effexor, though.
I wish I could have been of more help.
- ScottSome see things as they are and ask why.
I dream of things that never were and ask why not.- George Bernard Shaw
poster:SLS
thread:1047765
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20130706/msgs/1047779.html