Just started Cymbalta - happy so far.

[ICLori]

I decided I needed to go back on an antidepressant (even though they all bug my bladder) because the depression was just getting kind of unmanageable. So I asked for Prozac because out of the various antidepressants, that one hurts my bladder the least.

Well, my really great new PCP (in the military hospitals there is frequent change of doctors) talked me into trying the new antidepressant Cymbalta. He said it's been helpful for pain for some people.

Anyway, it's only been two days but I swear I'm feeling a pretty big difference in my bladder already. Is that even possible, LOL? Anyway it's got me hopeful that maybe when I get up to the full dose (60mg, I'm doing just 20 mg per day now) I will be able to go off Ultram. Keeping my fingers crossed anyways.

I have no idea why this one helps me when the others have given me bladder pain, but I'm glad for this.

Blessings, Lori

[ICLori]

Okay, now on day 3 of Cymbalta, and I can say with confidence that it is making a huge difference in my IC pain.

You know I had gotten so used to chronic bladder pain that I didn't even realize how bad it was. If you had asked me before I would have said I didn't have pain during the day, only at night. Now that the Cymbalta has gotten rid of the daytime pain (pretty much, it starts to wear off after about 8 hours so I will have to talk to the doc about maybe taking 3 doses 8 hours apart) I can see that I really was in pain all the time.

I'm really excited about this Cymbalta, and I would encourage anyone who hasn't done well with other attempts to control pain, to put this on the list of things to try. I know it doesn't work for everyone, but it seems I'm not the only one to notice good pain control from this antidepressant (I've been reading the old posts) so maybe it's worth a try.

Blessings, Lori

[Dianne]

I'm so happy for you, Lori. You've been through a lot. I so wish it had worked for me. I'm green with envy! Maybe some day.

[Cheries]

I tried it once and got a really bad flare. Maybe it was a cooincidence. I think I am going to try it again. Do you know of any ingredients that would cause a flare in it?

[ICLori]

Rats. Cymbalta turned on me. I started getting really intense pain (I was sure I was passing a kidney stone) and it turned out to be the Cymbalta. I have no idea why I start out so well on antidepressants and then about a week into it, boom, they turn on me and cause pain instead of helping me.

I'm at the point where I am seriously considering bladder removal. I am so tired of being in pain all the time. Tired of my stupid bladder.

Thanks for letting me whine some. I hate disappointments like this.

Blessings,
Lori

[Dianne]

I hear ya! I bombed 3 days into it. Which was 2 days longer than I usually get. I went back later and tried to do one every 3 days but got the same effect on day 1. It seems after I bomb that it's worse on the 2nd try.

[Kara29]

Some of them can take a week to 4 weeks to build up in the system and that is why you don't notice a flare right away until it has built up into your system. There are so many antidpressants I can't take b/c they hurt my bladder so bad..................it's soooooo annoying! They are trying me on Zoloft but I am afriad after a week or two my bladder will reject this one too.

Kara :mad:

[ICLori]

Hi, Kara, that makes perfect sense - I've had this happen with EVERY antidepressant I've tried, even the tricyclic ones. My bladder rejects them anywhere from 1 1/2 weeks into it to about 2 1/2 weeks.

Thankfully, I'm on misoprostol now and my bladder isn't rejecting it so far (2 weeks now and counting...) In fact I feel that I am currently in complete remission, knock on wood. Still scared of course that it may stop working, but amazed that my bladder feels like normal now. I'm not peeing any more often than my hubby is, and I can eat/drink what I want (although I am concentrating on giving my body the building blocks for the prostaglandins it needs to fix my bladder lining...)

You know, looking back on it, every single anti-prostaglandin medicine (antihistamines fall into that category, of course all NSAIDS do too, so do antidepressants, and even fish oil, quercetin, other herbal remedies, and foods like cherries and seafood) made my bladder WAY worse. And of course, those medicines are the exact ones docs prescribe for IC! Now since my particular brand of IC was caused by my prostaglandins being severely inhibited (shut down) from years of NSAIDS/fish oils etc., and not enough meat in my diet to get the essential fatty acids to make prostaglandins, those drugs were the worst possible drugs I could have been given!

I wonder how many of us out there, besides me, Norm's wife, and the other lady from NOLA who posted, can't remember her name, have that variation of IC and so the typical drugs don't work for us, in fact make us worse? And our "cure" is misoprostol and stimulating the prostaglandins as much as possible to repair the bladder lining?

Blessings,
Lori

[gpooh88]

I have just had my first dose of Cymbalta(30mg) I was banking on the dr's word that it wouldn't make me flare,but I just read how it turned on you.Another thing,did you notice any other side effects while on it? I swear I feel sooo weird today,kinda like I'm inside of myself looking out.My husband says it can't be possible after just one dose.Did you have anything like that happen?????

[fayecarole]

I started cymbalta on Wed. Have taken two tablets and I really felt weird this morning. Really jumpy & anxious. I took a xanax (which the doc said would be ok) and am feeling better now. It seems that every anti-depressant I try maKES MY DEPRESSION WORSE. i HAVEN'T NOTICED Any change in my bladder but the web site says you might have difficulty urinating. Anyhow I am going to try and tough it out. Naturally the weekend is coming up and I will have difficulty reaching my Dr if it causes more problems. The web site also says not to stop taking it cold turkey. I just knew this was the answer to my prayers because my depression has been really bad lately. Please pray for me as I will pray for all of you. Thanks, Faycarole

[gpooh88]

Am sorry you had the weird anxious feeling,but am relieved a little because I had it,too.My husband told me it was all in my head.......that nothing could do that with only a couple of doses.I felt so WEIRD that I thought I was actually going to die....my skin kept geting cold chills and I felt like I was in a tunnel or something.I was like that for a good 24hrs. My doctor is going to be upset because I quit the Cymbalta,but the ant-depressants all react crazy with my body. I take Imitrex for my migraines and I found out the combination of that with Cymbalta is very dangerous and my dr never said a word about that.I am beginning to question all doctors........don't know who or what to believe.........never had long enough to tell if cymbalta would have helped my bladder.

[mare mare]

I thought I was going to jump out of my skin during the first week of taking cymbalta!!!!!!!!!! :loco: I called my pharmacist and she said that was a side effect and it would go away and for me to hang in there at least for a week. She was right! I'm still taking it. (6 months now) It also helps curb my appetite. Has anybody else noticed that? My bladder is giving me a fit right now! I don't know if it is from cymbalta or antibiotic (doxycycline). I'm also taking iron supplements.Does anybody have any advice on wether any of these meds could be making my bladder flare??
Cymbalta has not helped my pain at all! It has helped my depression!

[ICLori]

I found that Doxycycline really irritated my bladder....I think some other IC'ers have had that reaction too if I remember right.

Blessings,
Lori

[mare mare]

You were right!! : :woohoo: IC'ers are soooo smart!! I've taken all of my Doxycycline and I'm supposed to get it refilled! No Way! :biglaugh: My bladder is starting to feel better today! I went to my pharmacisit and he told me it was definitely the Doxy.! My Dr. is supposed to call in another antibiotic that will be easier on my bladder. (If there is such a thing!)I'm trying to get folliculitis cleared up. Has anyone had folliculitis? How did you get rid of it?
:grouphug:
mare mare

[pomeranianic]

I used to take Cymbalta but 8 or 9 months ago I melta them by mistake.
Long story.
Well Because I Just filled the it. I had to wait a month. I went threw all the withdrawls. I just never got back on. But Im having so much trouble that the doctor call in new one today for me too. so I am going to do it mail order cost less so would start them for a wekk or so.

[monica78]

Has Anyone Tried Wellbutrin ? Any Side Effects?

[fayecarole]

Have been on cymbalta two weeks now and I have good days and bad days. I think it is helping but I still have periods of depression. I have also noticed hesitancy in urinating but I have had that before so don't know if it is the cymbalta or the IC. The paperwork said it might taKE 2-4 weeks to show improvement so I am going to try and stick it out. My aunt is on zoloft and she said she could tell a difference after one day. Of course she does not have IC and we are all so different in how we react to medicines it is hard to know what to do.

[mela414]

I've been on a low dose of Lexapro for about 10 days now and don't feel the panis as much. I also take ativan at bedtime and am sleeping better. The IC pain is another story though.