[ccrown25]

Can anyone share their experiences with Cymbalta?? My insurance absolutely, positively refuses to pay for Abilify so my doctor is taking me off of Brintellix and trying me on Cymbalta. He wanted to try Wellbutrin but I had tried that before and it gave me nasty, nasty headaches and I have been on Lithium before (three years ago) but I was unimpressed with it. Any comments would be appreciated!! Thanks!!

[Skeezyks]

I was on the maximum dosage of Cymbalta (at 1st the name brand & subsequently on the generic) for... oh... a couple of years I guess. It was by far & away the best antidepressant I took.

Even though I was taking the maximum dosage, there were few side effects. The one thing I did notice was that, after a while, I developed some jerkiness in my hand & arm movements. For example, when I was using my computer mouse, sometimes my hand would just twitch unexpectedly. It was a fairly minor thing & it may have been due, at least in part, to the fact that I am an older person.

I'm no longer on any antidepressants. I went off the Cymbalta when I changed insurance carriers & the out-of-pocket cost skyrocketed. I've read where other people have had difficulty getting off of it. But I tapered off of it over the course of a two week period & had no difficulty at all. I don't have any plans to go back on an antidepressant. But if I did, Cymbalta, or at least its generic equivalent, would be at the top of my list.

[ccrown25]

Okay. Yea I am a little hesitant when it comes to generic forms of medication. I was on Lexapro years ago and it helped me but the generic did nothing. I have since been diagnosed moderate bipolar because my Brintellix has not been working after seven months.

[Skeezyks]

When I switched from the brand name Cymbalta to the generic, I never knew the difference...

[Travelinglady]

I am taking the generic. It's given me more energy. I do have some twitches. But I recommend it.

[bolair811]

I just wanted to add my experience, but I hope it doesn't scare you away from trying it. Everyone reacts so differently to meds, but Cymbalta was right up there with the worst that I've tried (competes with Depakote for the worst ever). I tried Cymbalta two different times (about a year apart). Looking back, I realized that both times I tried it, I ended up extremely depressed and suicidal. My psychiatrist kept trying to add other meds, but until I stopped the Cymbalta, nothing helped. The other issue I had was trying to get off of it was horrible. I felt like my head was getting these little jolts of electricity every 30 seconds or so, and I was dizzy, super tired, and sick to my stomach for days and days. Even with tapering the dosage.

Now... that was just MY experience. I know that a lot of others have had great success with Cymbalta! I've heard horror stories about Lamictal rashes, etc., but I still tried that med, and it has been incredibly stabilizing and I believe life-saving for me. I think if your doctor is ok with you trying it, I don't see a reason to completely rule out giving it a try.

[ccrown25]

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. I start the med today so we shall see how it goes. I have been hesitant in the past few years to try anything that is a generic as I feel they do not have the same effect as the brand name. (I can take the $.99 Walmart acetaminophen and it does nothing but the $5.99 Tylenol Extra Strength works wonders) However, I am willing to try new things and new meds to get myself out of this depression and anxiety.