How Many Meds before one works?

hyundai · 08-16-2006, 12:55 AM

Yesterday was one month on Cymbalta for me at 30 mg. I was on Effexor before for 2 months and my Dr decided to change me to Cymbalta instead of increasing my dosage of Effexor. I was on 75 mg of that. At first I thought the Effexor was working, but on my second month I felt like it wasn't so my Dr said I should change to Cymbalta. I dont like it at all. With Effexor I felt more calm (less irritable) although it didn't stop by bad thoughts about living.
Cymbalta sucks in my opinion. I am groucy again and I dont feel any better from it at all and it makes me sleepy. I myself was going to write tonight, (before I saw this thread) and ask whats the most meds someone has tried before finding one that works and is it possible I never will find one that does? So far I have tried Paxil, Zoloft, Cymbalta, Effexor, Prozac, Lexapro, Celexa and Wellbutrin(for a short time - I was given a double dose to start and made me sick, so they took me off it completely). It is so embarrasing going to the Dr and telling them that once again the medicine you are taking is not working. I mean really will anything ever work and I feel like the Dr must think its either all in my head or I am a nut case because I have tried so many different things. What do I do next? Any suggestions? Thanks and good luck to all of you. Life is to short to feel this way all the time.

msbibe · 08-16-2006, 01:06 AM

THat's the $6,000,000 question!

It depends.

It depends on the individual. It depends on the doctor. It depends on the depression. It depends on the medication. It depends on the dose. blah blah blah.

I don't get why your doc didn't up your Effexor (altho a number of people here probably do) rather than switch you over to Cymbalta. I think the effective dose for Cymbalta might be 60 mg. And it can be increased after a fairly short time--a week? Anyway. Is this a psychiatrist prescribing for you?

trg247 · 08-16-2006, 01:09 AM

the problem with antidepressants is they are completly trial and error before you find one that works or a combo that is effective. My list is pretty high and currently I take three AD's and it is really not that effective. So its either hope the meds work, you find the right one(s) or go off all of them and try another way.

trg247

hyundai · 08-16-2006, 01:12 AM

It is Dr that is prescribing the meds. Does anyone know, will something eventually work, if I dont give up before it does?

msbibe · 08-16-2006, 01:19 AM

hyundai,

I asked about your doctor because online I've seen so many people whose doctors just fool around with low doses and changing from med to med with no results. A psychiatrist is less likely to do that, so one is more likely to get better faster (although, unfortunately, that's not always the case). Your chances of finding the right med or combo is better with a psychiatrist, in mho.