pyschopharm notes-Cymbalta, amitriptyline,xanax

I feel somewhat like a zombie on the Cymbalta that I was started on this week along with the amitriptyline and xanax which I used to take but got away from. I know only the first 3 on the list are psych meds but was wondering with everything added together if there are certain things to watch out for?

Cymbalta 90mg - going to 120mg
Amitriptyline 75mg
Xanax 2mg
Altace 10mg
Coreg CR 20mg
Maxzide 25mg
Crestor 20mg
Zetia 10mg

I do not think there are any problems here aside from your Cymbalta dose being rather high which could be adding to your cardio problems. Do you see a cardio doc? If you were my patient I would get rid of the amytrip. Cymbalta does the same thing for pain, and there is a rish of serotonin syndrom with these 2. If you need something for sleep there are better options for sure.

Further to amitrip: Once years ago I was given that for sleep while on ummm i think it was celexa then too. I thought it was strange?

I do have a cardio doc but 3 hrs away and I don't see him again until July. He doesn't know that the PA I see here at home started me on cymbalta and amytrip. What would be a safer dose of Cymbalta? If it is high now what is 120mg going to do when I'm supposed to go to that? I'm not sure what the purpose of amytrip is even for.........should I just not take it?
What is seratonin syndrom? I forgot to put the Ambien 20mg a night on the list, I've taken it for years.

I forgot to ask you if hand tremors are associated with these meds.......my right hand mostly but visible tremors.

Hi mssumom,

I just looked up Cymbalta and amitriptyline in my Nurse's Drug Book, and both have tremors listed as adverse reactions. That doesn't mean it's from the meds, though, or it might be from only one med. And I didn't bother to look up any others since I saw that tremors were already listed for two anyways.

Ask your doctor what he thinks of the situation. He may say that his patients only experience tremors for a few weeks, or he may suggest something different.

Good luck, hon.

God bless,
Sandy

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psisci said:
I do not think there are any problems here aside from your Cymbalta dose being rather high and there is a rish of serotonin syndrom with these 2. If you need something for sleep there are better options for sure.

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Sandy, thank you for the information on the tremors........it is really a bothersome side effect and hopefully will go away soon.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but 90mg of Cymbalta seems quite high? I'm at 60mg, and my pdoc told me that 40-60 was standard, with 60mg for the pain management effect.

I think of Xanax as being kind of a zombie med too... or at least for me. 0.25mg of alprazolam is more than enough to make me zombie-ish. But I don't take that every day.... only for major ptsd relapses.

I went from Celexa to Cymbalta in part for pain issues associated with interstitial cystitis. I don't disagree that it is a high dosage, that is why I asked because I feel so zapped and in a fog. I take 30mg morning and 60mg a night for 1-2 weeks and then supposed to go to 60mg am & pm. I'm not taking the amyptrip tonight at all because I don't think I will be able to get out of bed to go to work in the morning. The past 2 mornings I've not been able to get up until 10 or 11 and I can't do that. I never stay in bed past 6:30-7:00am.

I don't know what to do but call him tomorrow and ask.

I am not sure what the standard dose is buti am currently on 140 mg
This is agreed to by both my p-doc and my rheumotologist

How long have you been on that dosage and how does it make you feel? Do you take others in combination with cymbalta?

Thanks,
Lori

Hi! I think a safer dose of Cymbalta would be 60 mg each morning. You r on an awful lot of Cymbalta. I'd make some serious inquiries! TGC-dottie

cymbalta and ambien are both for sleep right? I don't think you should take 2 kinds of sleeping pills hon. doesn't sound safe

Even the Cymbalta website says that going beyond 60mg a day does not show a positive effect...Something like that anyway, I just started it yesterday. Can't remember exactly what it said, but basically no need to go past 60mg. FWIW