Duloxetine / Cymbalta diary 2012

[NCP]

Day seven - end of first week

Happy to report, I've been sleeping well last couple of days, waking up at 4 - 5am both days but getting back to sleep. I am tired during the day, but I was before I started, so no change.

Dry mouth has stopped. Feel a little queasy and different times of the day and not as hungry, but can still eat once i get started. Although I had all of these things when I was anxious!

So at the moment, no noticeable side effects beyond what I normally deal with.

Too early to have any impact on depression or anxiety but I feel quite good.

[loreen]

Pleased you have no side effects.You may start to feel an improvement over the next few days(I did).

I am on 60mg Duloxetine/cymbalta which I take once a day .

Keep us posted and good luck!

Loreen x

[NCP]

Thanks Loreen.

Today (day 8) I have been quite tired despite over 8 hours sleep, I spent most of the day lazing around in bed or on the sofa. And I've had a bit of a tender / sour stomach. Its been bloated most of the day and quite stiff.

I'm going for dinner tonight, so I'm going to try a glass of wine with dinner and see how I get on.

All still going fairly swimmingly so far I'm happy to report.

Feeling pretty calm in general, although a bit nervous now i'm going out but not as much as normal.

Have a good weekend one and all.

[NCP]

Day 11.

Been sleeping ok, but could not get to sleep last night. Very busy mind and quite anxious. I think I got about 2 hours sleep in the end. My nerves feel jarred and jangly today. I have a rather unpleasant angsty feeling across my chest and in my stomach. Along with big black rings under my eyes.

I've got a big business meeting in an hour and I feel like hiding under the bed. Even when I am anxious normally I can cope with business, so I don't think its that - that caused the blip, feels chemical.

Apart from that, still no real side effects to speak of, but also no real sense of it kicking in yet either - still early days.

Wish I could have a big strong coffee but that'll probably make me more anxious.

[NCP]

TWO WEEKS

Will be two weeks tomorrow. The above blip was just a day, I was fine by the evening.

I feel ok at the moment, no real sense of being uplifted but quite calm and stable.

Summary of mild side effects

*Bit of a dry mouth / dehydrated, drinking plenty of water helps
*Some disrupted sleep, odd dreams
*Feel quite tired in the morning but fine once I get out of the house
*Have spent a few whole days in bed, could quite easily do nothing, but have to force yourself up.
*Get a bit tired late afternoon
*craving fatty food
*Have been putting on a little bit of weight (linked to giving into the above no doubt)
*bleeding gums??

My gums have been bleeding alot when I floss at night, I don't think its gum desease I'm pretty good with looking after them. Will mention it to doctors when i go for follow up at end of the month. I've googled and there seems to be quite a few links.

Happy to report I'm getting on very well with this drug at the moment.

[loreen]

Good news NCP.I am so pleased for you

Loreen x

[NCP]

Week three

I'm feeling really tired all the time. I'm actually sleeping pretty well, I managed to get to sleep quite quickly, I often wake up in the night or very early (4-6am) but I get back to sleep. And I just want to sleep all day.

Yesterday I slept till mid day, went to my parents for lunch, got back at 3pm and slept till 5pm.

Today I woke up at 5am then slept through till 11am, I'm now up, I have meetings all afternoon but fighting the urge to cancel them all and sleep.

Its not unpleasant tiredness, its actually very pleasant, but being self employed, I have the ability to spend the day in bed if I want to, I just can't because I'll not earn any money.

My motivation which is normally very high is fairly low.

Hopefully this passes.

[lisa010265]

Hi
It was heartwarming to read your posts - I'm on day two of Duloxetine, and have been worrying about side-effects (being naturally anxious, my mind automatically assumed I'd get everything listed on the information sheet!)

I was on Seroxat for 10+ years, with no real improvement (but i guess constant repeat prescriptions with no discussion with GP might have been the cause of this). Six months ago, I changed my GP and she prescribed me with Citalopram - starting at 20mg, moving on to 30mg - only downside was weight gain (10 lbs in six months) and I just felt they weren't really doing alot for me. I asked her to prescribe me Venaflaxine but apparently only psychiatrists prescribe this now as there are concerns over it.
She decided to put me on Duloxetine, and here I am, day two.

I suffer from GAD and social phobia (and have had mild depression, but this was due to the constant anxiety).

I'm really really hoping the this drug might just make me feel human again. I don't want alot in life, just to be able to go about day-to-day things without the churning stomach, muzzy head and feeling that I might pass out if I drive, or don't walk close to a wall etc.

Basically, I would love to just do something normal without getting in to a state about something that others just do without thinking.

Sorry, I've gone on too much, but if anyone can empathise with what I've said, it would be lovely to hear from you.
Lisa

[loreen]

Hi Lisa

Welcome to Duloxetine!

As you will have seen from my posts,this medication has done wonders for me.I can totally understand your symptoms as I too suffer from the same fears and worries.

Driving is now much better for me.I don't have that dreadful heart banging,and light headed feeling which used to come from nowhere.

My anxiety and irrational thoughts are much more in control and I feel like I can cope,instead of being an emotional reck at the thought of doing every day social things.

I keep my fingers crossed you too have a positive result.If you want to ask me anything, feel free to do so!

Loreen x

[LilyPad1991]

What a fantastic post!

I have suffered with GAD and some really horrible depression over the past 2 and a half years. I've had two major episodes with a wonderful period of normality between them but as we speak here I am again in my black hole of rubbish-ness.

First time around I was given citalopram which was an absolute miracle worker. I was on a dose of 30/40mg all through my 'stable' period and when I relapsed the doctor tried me on fluoxetine which was horrendous so back onto citalopram. Now I'm on 40mg once a day of propranolol and 40mg of citalopram. Tried 50mg of citalopram but that made me worse too.

Anyway, currently I'm reasonably stable. I mean, I'm not myself but I'm not in absolute pieces. My main symptoms of anxiety are dizziness, insomnia, lethargy and depersonalisation. I had my first psychiatrist appointment yesterday which in many ways made me feel worse, talking about anxiety triggers etc. Still, it's always nice to talk to someone who understand what you're goog through.

The thing is, the psychiatrist suggested citalopram is no longer right for me, as the dose should be having more of an effect. She suggested this SNRI Cymbalta. But I'm so scared of changing and potentially disrupting myself again with side effects, especially after the awful experience with fluoxetine.

Any advice? Please? I really don't know what to do.

Thank you

Ps - sorry to hijack the thread but you folk are knowledgeable about this SNRI.