I am not ready to say I am a success story yet but I do have some of my life back. I went 3 years undiagnosed trying to raise my 2 young daughters. I was unable to work and my 2 year old kept asking if the doctors would "help Mommy stop crying". I finally found a doctor that diagnosed me with Lyme and I am taking abx now. Even before that, however, I found a Psychiatrist (I was sent to her because the Rheumatologist thought I was nuts) who had me try Cymbalta for my mental symptoms. Not only did it help with the anxiety, depression and brain fog but it helped relieve some of my fatigue!!! It gave me a portion of my life back and has continued to help me as I try and fight this disease. I can't say that it will work for everyone but I thank God for the scientists that discovered this drug. I look forward to the day I stop using it but my life is SO much better with its assistance. I was afraid a pill like this would make me feel like "someone else". Unreal and disconnected. This drug simply took the edge off so that I could better cope with life and this illness. I felt more like myself than I had in years. Hope this helps someone else!!!
Linda
p.s I take the 60 dose which is the lowest clinically significant dose but not as high as what they use to help diabetic patients with neuropathic pain.
Posted by je (Member # 14653) on :
My dad has had type 1 diabetes since he was 5.
I've seen noticeing that his short term memory is totally shot. Do you think it would help him?
Posted by LindaInRhodeIsland (Member # 14727) on :
I don't know. The diabetes use I have heard of is to help with the nerve pains that many patients get in their feet and hands. It might be worth talking to a Psychiatrist. My general practitioner tried to help with Effexor(sp?) but admitted it wasn't her expertise. My Psychiatrist was actually a drug specialist and more than a therapy role, she knew about which drugs, at which doses help in which situations. If you can find someone like that and set up an appointment I think it would be worth it. I personally have not had any side effects (that I know of given all the problems I have) that I can attribute to Cymbalta. With age it is hard to rule out early Dementia and Alzheimer's for your father although I am not sure of his age. Good luck!
Posted by BugBarb (Member # 210) on :
When they diagnosed me as bipolar, and gave me depakote...a cou;e of months later I noticed that I wasnt' hypersensitive to everything. I didn't want to bash my husbands head in when he tapped his coffee cup. I could actually stand to live in the world. I had been locking myself in a dark room laying on a fuzzy blanket, fan on, earplugs,,,sensory deprivation as best I could. I, too was leery of psychmeds until I was suicidal and part of me wanted to live...so I met the psychiatrist. My experience has been that it is my choice to take the meds...I'll do research, think about it and then get back to the doc. I don't just jump into a new med. It is my right to ask them as many questions as I need to.
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
I have been taking Cymbalta, 90 mg, for over two years. It has been a great choice for me. It cut my pain in half, and worked wonders on my anxiety and depression.