If this does not work you may want a break from SSRI’s ..
— End quote
My thoughts exactly, a month or two ago.
Why keep trying the serotonin/noradrenaline meds when it’s clear they do you no good? :?
From what I’ve read, and remembered:
Cipramil: Good results (in the past), I guess
Effexor: Crap
Paxil: Crap
Cymbalta: Crap
Don’t forget that a med that used to work may not work the next time around, so even cipramil may give you the same crap that the above have.
I’m so sorry to hear your feeling so lousy on the Cymbalta…I was really hoping that it would help you too!! That’s the worst when you feel so foggy and like you’re not comprehending anything. I know for me, it took a good 7-10 days before the side effects started to subside, and then 8 weeks before I felt as close to “normal” as I’ve felt in a year. These medications are terrible…especially the first few weeks. I give you so much credit for trying all that you have tried and still going about living your life.
Take it easy Scott. I hope that you start to feel a little more clear headed as the days go on. Keep us posted on how you are doing!!
Scott- so sorry to hear that. I wish you had a crystal ball that would tell you whether it would help. It you were sure this med would help, I’m sure you would be more likely to stick it out. One doctor once told me that side effects are sometimes an indicator that you are going to respond well to the med. I sure hope that’s true for you
Here’s my question: when do we keep soldiering on with a med thinking it will get better versus knowing it is likely not going to get better? My personal thoughts here are that if the med produces continuous pain in bizarre areas (heels, wrists etc) or causes some heavy gut disturbance (I’ve since realised that Cymbalta has brought on some very nasty reflux to the point of having a caustic feeling in my throat all day plus a punched in the stomach feeling), or produces an overwhelming ill feeling or suicidal thoughts (Topamax), then it cannot be good. Cipramil caused me to feel worse initially but it was a “worse” that I could handle and showed signs that it was not permanent – some increased dizziness for example and temporary head pain. Pizotifen did too but I knew I could tough it out for a while.
Tran: you may well be right. But given the wide range of side effects these SSRIs can have I need to know if there is one that will not cause the side effects and give me a good result. It’s not looking good though.
Don’t forget that a med that used to work may not work the next time around, so even cipramil may give you the same crap that the above have.
— End quote
I know you mean nothing bad but had I found a drug that worked fairly well, gone of it for whatever reason and had no luck with various other meds, I would feel devastated and very dreadful by a comment like that. If it works it works (which it does most of the time) and if it doesn’t it doesn’t, no point going there really…
I’m not worried about Cipramil not working as it once did before. I’m certain it will and it will bring with it the usual side effects that I could only just tolerate. I think I can do better though and am going to continue working at this until I exhaust all avenues. If I end up on Cipramil again then so be it I guess.
I think one of the trickiest parts of practicing medicine is how much to tell patients about possible side effects BEFORE we start taking a drug. I like to be informed, but I also don’t like reading the entire list that comes with my prescriptions because I’m afraid I’ll start LOOKING for signs of every single one of the items on a medication’s side effect list.
But having said that, I do think we deserve to have a doctor’s guidance once we start feeling something strange or uncomfortable - we need easy access to information about which side effects are likely to be only temporary, what does “temporary” mean, do many of the doctor’s patient’s get this, to what degree, etc. That would help us to decide when to quit or when to hang in there.
Whatever you’ve decided, I hope you’re feeling better by now.
