# Anyone on cymbalta



## degrassi

I"m IBS D and I'm currently on 40mg of celexa. Its not really helping my anxiety/depression or my IBS. I've been on it since August 2006, so I think i've giving it enough time to work if it was going to. I"m thinking of asking my doctor to try something else. Has anyone been helped by taking Cymbalta? Or what other anxiety/depression meds should I ask my doc about?


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## 18438

Wow, yeah you have had time to see if they work, generally antids start working in 4-6 weeks. I havent taken cymbalta, but I just started paxil today. Check out www.crazymeds.org its like my bible for informatino on meds, lists a lot of info about a ton of different antids, plus there is a forum to ask questions.


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## 18438

FYI, i just read the small section on cymbalta, if you decide to go off of it, please read the section on crazymeds about SSRI discontinuation syndrome, as apparently cymbalta can be a harsh one to come off of.


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## Rowe2

I've been taking its sister, Effexor. It is more for GAD...I've been thinking of switching to Cymbalta, due to the fact it is suppose to help with Fibromyalgia pain, which I have. That's a long time for you to not get results! I would say it's time for a change. I like the Effoxor's effect on IBS, and I hope I get the same results with Cymbalta if I change. My best to you!


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## 18438

Be careful with switching to anything from Effexor, it is notorious for having the worst discontinuation syndrome of any psychotropic med, like I mentioned above read up on crazymeds. Lots of info on the forum too I was reading a bit about it the other day.I feel like such a pimp, im not affiliated with crazymeds, but its the most thorough site I have found and I loves it


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## Rowe2

Thanks, Starr







I'm going to have to check that site out!


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## tltrull

I had some D the first few days I was on Cymbalta, but since i was upped to 60mg I have been able to stop all of my other meds, even my Lotronex and I have had no D, pain, or urgency.


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## Rowe2

That is great news! I want to come off some meds, and I'm hoping to do so from the results of Cymbalta.


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## tltrull

Rowe2 said:


> That is great news! I want to come off some meds, and I'm hoping to do so from the results of Cymbalta.


If you need to, to get used to the med, get the 30mg for the first month and then go up to the 60mg.I still had some problems with the 30mg, and still had to take Lotronex.I also had some D the first few days on the 30's, but nothing unbearable or painful.Its been about 2 weeks so far and no flares, I cannot believe it. I have never gone this long without needing Lotronex, Imodium or Pepto! Crossing my fingers that it stays this way.I feel ya Rowe, I used to take 5-7 pills per day(2 to 4-Lotronex, 1-Elavil 2-Pamine) and am now down to just one Cymbalta, nothing else.


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## Jannybitt

Been on Cymbalta 60mg for over a year. Very happy with results. Just a FYI: Cymbalta is NOT a SSRI.Weaned off it the first time I tried it to go on something else; had no withdrawal problems. Doctor convinced me to go back on Cymbalta and give it another try because I was having other difficulties and I attributed it to the Cymbalta and that ended up not being it. That's why she really felt I would get great benefit from the Cymbalta, and she was right.


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## degrassi

Thanks for all the replies!My appointment is next week and I think I'm going to ask to try Cymbalta. Its worth a try atleast.If Cymbalta isn't a a SSRI what is it?


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## tltrull

degrassi said:


> Thanks for all the replies!My appointment is next week and I think I'm going to ask to try Cymbalta. Its worth a try atleast.If Cymbalta isn't a a SSRI what is it?


Its an SSNRI.SSNRIs are anti-depressant medications which act by selectively inhibiting the reuptake of both serotonin and norepinephrine.


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## degrassi

Well I had my doctor appointment today and asked for Cymbalta but it turns out that its not available in Canada







So we talked about different meds and which ones I"ve tried before and my symptoms and he prescribed Effexor. I've been scared to try effexor becuase of all the bad stories about side effects and coming off it. But my mom and brother take it without any problems, so i'm hoping I do well on it too.I start it today, the first week he said take 37.5mg/day and then after that take 75mg. I go back to see him in one month to see how things are going.


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## katie_scarlett

That's too bad you can't get the cymbalta.I am thinking of asking my doctor if it would help me.Right I take sarafem(fluoxtine) 10mg once a day.It was prescribed to help with pms symptoms & chronic headaches.Worked reallly well for a while.But now my IBS symptoms are becoming increasingly worse & the sarafem doesn't seem to affect that.I'm curious to see if cymbalta can help with pms symptoms as well as the IBS.


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## Rowe2

Hi everyone!I'm HAPPY to say I switched from Effexor to Cymbalta three weeks ago, and I'm beginning to feel like a totally different person! I'm starting to be myself again..LOLThe medication has helped with IBS symptoms, Fibromyalgia pain and RA pain. I can't begin to tell everyone how thankful I am I switched. The commercial on t.v. is right. Depression hurts. I didn't know I was so depressed until I started to correct the problem. My prayers are with everyone who decides to try this medication, that you will receive the help I have!


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## 15976

I'm considering it as well.


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## Rowe2

I can't say enough good things about Cymbalta!! Whatever is in it is what my body needed. I am happy to say I'm finally back to how I felt 40 years ago, and I'm 55 now. It's made a huge difference in my life. I hope anyone who tries it gets the same results!!I haven't had IBS spasms in so long it's like a dream!!


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## kitkat17 Lady of the Loo

Congrats! I Am SO happy for you. I am going to ask for it . I am scared BUT I am going for it. I have tried about 12 different antidepressants and had reactions to all but 2 of them whcih did nothing for me. SO I will try it.Take care , wishing you continued successKat


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## Rowe2

Thanks, Kat, and I wish you the best, too!


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## MyOwnSavior

Rowe, would you mind telling what dosage of Cymbalta you're on? I started it about a week ago and of course am not feeling any better yet (I know I didn't give it enough time to work, or whatever). But, I am only on 20mg per day, which (after being on 225mg of Effexor for a while) doesn't exactly seem like it's a whole lot... doesn't really seem like it's enough to do anything... But oh well... two different meds, two different ways of working, I'm sure...


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## Lilly1

I'm on Cymbalta too and I love the results. Myownsavior I've only heard of people being on 30 mg or 60 mg so maybe you need to up your dosage. Good luck.


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## Rowe2

So sorry MOS..I just saw your request...I'm on 30 mgs...how are you doing?


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## MyOwnSavior

Rowe2 said:


> So sorry MOS..I just saw your request...I'm on 30 mgs...how are you doing?


Oh, no problem, I've only recently picked up my posting again so I probably wouldn't have seen your message until now anyway. I'm on 20mgs and I do feel better than I had. When I'm up and walking around (i.e. at work) I almost feel perfect for most of the time. That, and the fact that I'm on Align as well, has really helped me. I mean, I'm not perfect, but I'm very much improved from where I had been, which is a relief.


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## Rowe2

Well, that is wonderful! I hope you continue to do well...don't be afraid to go up some if you need to though..this medicine has worked great for my aches of Rheumatoid Arthritis, too.


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## MyOwnSavior

Rowe2 said:


> Well, that is wonderful! I hope you continue to do well...don't be afraid to go up some if you need to though..this medicine has worked great for my aches of Rheumatoid Arthritis, too.


I've heard something about Cymbalta working well for "diabetic nerve pain", or something similiar to that, so perhaps that's why it's helping for your authritis? Either way, thanks for the advice; I'm so glad I got put on this medicine! I think I'll stay where I'm at as far as dosage goes though, because I'm already experiencing a fair bit of C, but as long as I feel good it doesn't bother me too much.


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## ArcanA

Cymbalta helped somewhat with my IBS stomach pain. It did give me some C though, badly at higher doses. I just got off Cymbalta and wanted to point out the awful discontinuation symptoms you might experience with this med so keep that in mind when considering taking it.


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## Rowe2

Thanks, AA and welcome!I was on Effexor and Lexapro before. The Lexapro gave me brain zaps and was not a good thing coming off of. The Effexor was as bad, but it sure had me pulled down as far as my energy and making my depression worse.


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## linigh

Regarding Cymbalta - I haven't found that it helps my IBS. I have been taking it for about a year for depression, & my IBS began to flare up around 3 months ago. However, my rheumatologist (don't ask - I'm a walking time bomb) mentioned that Cymbalta is good to assist with pain relief in general for the body, even if that pain is aching joints, etc. It has done wonders for my depression, hasn't done anything that I can tell for my IBS. Has anyone found anything out there that helps the pain??? I'm on anti-spasmodics & GI doctor just added Elavil with that to try & help spasms. I think I can live with the constipation & bathroom issues, but I don't live well with pain. I could seriously see this driving me insane.


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## MyOwnSavior

It's worked very well for my pain. However, my main problem was always feeling the need to go to the bathroom (so more of D, I guess). You say you have C as your main problem though, and since Cymbalta can cause C, I'm guessing it just made yours worse, which of course wouldn't help for the pain...Sorry I can't suggest anything else, but it seems that most medications have C as a side effect (or at least, all the antideps that I've been on), so it's difficult for me to recommend anything... maybe you should talk to your doctor to see what he/she recommends? Hopefully the Elavil will work for you, but if not, there are many other drugs out there you can try out...


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## newscat

I've been on the Cymbalta for about three or four weeks, a week at the higher dose. It's helped a lot with the depression, when some others didn't. But I am more constipated. Any suggestions specific with taking this and curing constipation? At times mine almost feels like the muscles in my colon/intestinal area don't want to push.


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## ibs-d why me?

My dr was torn between Cymbalta and Lexapro so he put me on 10 mg of Lexipro first. Have any of you been on Lexapro before? I have IBS-D so i=to me having C would not be that bad.


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