I've been taking 60mg cymbalta and 150xl of wellbutrin for about a month now. I do feel better, but my depression is not totally lifted and nor is my anxiety. Now, I don't want to be numb, and I'm not expecting these meds to be miracle workers, but I think I'd like to try an increase. But here's my dilemma: (and of course I will ask my doc about this too, but I was wondering what your opinions are) Primarily, I feel like the cymbalta helps my anxiety but makes me sleepy, and the wellbutrin helps my mood, and to counteract the sleepiness but increases my anxiety. Sooooo....I am wondering what I should do about an increase. I feel like if I just increase the cymbalta my anxiety will lessen but I may be so very sleepy all the time, which is difficuly because i have school, work, and an internship to deal with. I'm not good at motivating myself when I am tired. On the other hand, if I just increase the wellbutrin, I may have a better mood and more energy, but if it increases my anxiety it will just be pointless. Honestly, I'd rather be depressed without anxiety than free from depression but anxious. When I'm anxious, I can't do anything.

SO: my questions :

Should I increase both meds by a little? I don't want to take more than I need, but i think a bit more would help.

What is an average dose for cymbalta? I think in a handful of clinical studies that I've read about the dosage used there was 80mg and 120mg. Maybe I could pull off 80.

For those of you that have increased from 60 to 80 or 120, did you notice an increase in sleepiness/grogginess, etc? Or was it about the same?

Is any one else on the combination of cymbalta and wellbutrin? If so, how is it working and what dosage are you on?


Thanks in advance! :tounge:

First off, I am not a dr so I won't even pretend to be one in dispensing advice about how much you should take...lol...so talk to the dr for sure...however I can tell you I am only taking cymbalta (no other meds) and started taking a half dose for a week, then my dr. upped me to a double dose the next week. I do not feel "more" tired than I was after week one. The only thing I noticed after upping my dose was my initial side effects of the cym kicked in again...nausea, sweating, sleepiness (everyone is different btw! :) ). <big hugs> Thankfully my kids keep me relatively active and with the constant thought that I have to be awake and alert for them! lol Let us know what your doc says and how it all works out for ya!!!! :)

This post has been edited by texasmom: Feb 23 2006, 03:16 PM

I actually decided not to ask about an increase. I seem to be doing ok where I am at now, and taking meds make me nervous enough as it is (I get paranoid about dependency, liver damage, all that good stuff). I did ask my doc about that stuff tho /\ and I feel better about it. I figure if I'm alright now, I'll just stay here so that way if it seems to poop-out on me or something, I will still have room to increase, rather than already being at the maximum dose and feeling like I need to switch meds or something... so, so far so good! I'm proud of myself actually, because I've been at the point before (despite my paranoia) where I've just been desparate for anything, even if it made me feel drugged up, because I preferred that feeling over being depressed and anxious--and therefore would want the max amount of whatever I could get...this time around I am realizing that meds help, but there is a lot more to moving myself along and really making improvements in my life. Besides, I don't want to be numb, I just don't want to feel overly down or anxious.

Yay!

Hi quietCherub!
The Cymbalta has also been causing me to feel more tired than usual (I am also on 60mg)....although it is improving with time. I have found that drinking a little more coffee and exercising as often as I can really help. Especially the exercise! I take classes several times a week...my favorite are actually yoga classes because they develop strength while also helping with stress relief. I would highly recommend yoga! But really, just getting out and going for a walk makes an incredible difference. Keep us updated on how you are doing. I know decisions about meds are really hard!

Yeah, I actually gave up coffee for a while but now I'm hooked again! It does seem to help...rather it gives me something to do in the mornings rather than falling back asleep!

I was considering yoga as a form of exercise and relaxation...there's this place in a shopping center near me, and every time I walk by I see the people in there and want to join them! I'm a little low on funds now tho, and I think I'm going to get a gym membership to this other place down the road. I have a friend at work who got a membership that she never uses, so I figure if I get one there too we can motivate each other to go! I think that will help...perhaps in the summer I can take up yoga, when I have more time and money! I do take small steps now, like I do a lot of walking at school, and I don't let myself take the shuttle bus or the elevator!

I am on 30mg of Cymbalta....I tried 60, but I slept for 2 days....doc still wants to try Cymbalta as it does seem to help some depression symptoms. It makes me soooooo tired though. I take it at 6 pm as it has about a 12 hour half life. I am still tired in the mornings though. Dr. has added 150mg of Wellbutrin and 30 mg of Metadate (for my ADHD). The Wellbutrin and Metadate kind of make me feel like I have had a bunch of caffeine, but it doesn't take away the underlying exhausted feeling. I have been on the Cymbalta for 3 weeks and Wellbutrin for a week. I WISH I could get motivated again to exercise...I am just a zombie. I sure hop that the tiredness subsides because changing meds is a nightmare all by itself....

I think the tiredness from the cymbalta will subside a bit...will still be there most likely, but I found that the wellbutrin helped counteract the tiredness. But it does take a while to kick in sometimes, I think it is one of the meds that takes the longest to really be in effect. I did feel better from it beforehand, but it kind of came in waves. So I'd stick with it for a while, it seems to be a good combination, at least for me! Let me know how you are doing...

The waiting part is the worst...everyone here knows that! I have probably been depressed for most of my life without realizing it. I have never been so tired though. I have actually fallen asleep at my desk at work. I have finally conquered my agoraphobia and panic attacks though after 30 years! I finally found a program that worked for me. I NEVER thought I could do that. It has given me hope though that I can somehow be happy; that I can laugh and have fun; you know....stuff that "normal" people do.

I have stumbled upon a wonderful psychologist, purely by accident because you know insurance companies are no help....., and he hooked me up with the psychiatrist that I'm seeing. In all the years that I've been seeing docs, these guys are the most caring people that I have ever been to. I have been through so many and none come close to the level of care and concern that I've found with them. Here's hoping that I can find the right combo of meds before I go crazier!!!

*hugs* I am so happy for you! To conquer something after so long must feel absolutely wonderful! I think that is also an indication of the future to come. If you conquered that, I'm sure yu can conquer anything! Congradulations! And if it makes you feel any better, I've fallen asleep at work too...I try to have something to munch on, or sip on because that should revive you if you're feeling really sleepy...or just get up and walk to the bathroom or something to get you moving for a bit.

I'm also glad you found the right docs--it really makes a difference! I too have seen many, and most of them ended up not working out for me either. My last one (before the guy I am seeing now) was absolutely horrible, and I began to lose faith. This time, I really feel like the guy knows what he is doing...and my meds seem to be doing well for me now, which I would definitely connect to a good dr.

Glad to hear the good news! Keep posting, I want to hear some more! Gives me hope as well :)

If I could just sleep and wake up in a month or so and see if I feel better. The doc added 150mg of Wellbutrin
to the 30 mg of Cymbalta and also 30 mg of Metadate. I have to take Cymbalta when I get home from work; 6 - 7 pm. I can't stay awake after I take it. I am still beat in the morning and take the other 2 meds. I can feel my body tense, I guess. If I still had panic attack problems, I'd have one, but I am still exhausted. I don't feel awake or refreshed. The Cymbalta has been about 4 weeks, only about a week for the other 2.

I can't get anything done at work. I come home and lay in bed because I'm tired. I hate it. I have no desire to do anything and quite frankly, no will to exist. If I was sure that this combo would actually work, it would be easier to try to slug through it but I don't know that it will be any better in 2 weeks or a month. I was happier when I was a b**ch and biting everyone's head off. At least I felt alive then.

Ok...I'm done being whiny...I am just so discouraged. I want to feel better, but each day is as miserable as the last....here's to hoping it gets better!!

Could those of you who are doing Cymbalta and Wellbutrin give some updates? I need something to balance the wellbutrin. Cymbalta or ssri alone would likely make me a zombie!!!

I feel like a zombie sometimes. I been on cymbalta for for 2 years and wellbutrin about 3 or 4 years. I think anyways. I'm doing fine on the combination. It's cool cause cymbalta inhibits the reuptake of serontin and norepinephine. and he wellbutrin inhibits the dopamine and the norepinephine. Thus you have all nerotranmitters working

I'm about to go on both myself. 150 twice a day of Wellbutrin and 30 of Cymbalta until the doc eliminates my cymbalta.

I hope it works well enough that I can remain on both if necessary. Not sure but only time will tell.

Let's hope the Wellbutrin eliminates the tiredness I feel in the mornings. Even though I take Cymbalta at 7:30 AM before heading out to work, by 9:30 or so I'm ready to pass out, and I've dozed off more than a couple of times while working at my computer.

When I added WB to cymbalta, I found that it did counteract the tiredness. That's why I like the combo so much. It's hard when you take one med, and then take another for the 1st med's side effects, but then that one gives you another side effect and you take a med to counteract them....and then you end up on a bunch of pills. But for me the Cymbalta and WB just rounded each other out, and I didn't/don't have any really bothersome side effects from them.

So far the only serious side effect I'm having is Walletus Emptius... the co-pay for the Cymbalta (highest copay of $40) added to the WB at the lowest ($10). Small price to pay for peace of mind, heh...

I'm currently taking 120 mg cymbalta and 200 mg of wellbutrin with 100 mg lamictal. Is anyone else taking this combination. I'm just wondering because it seems like alot of meds. Is anyone experiencing eye sight changes with these meds?