1crazyjew Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 I have been on Zoloft for 5 years. It worked great! I'm bipolar, so I also take Abilify, 5mg. This combo worked wonders for me starting in 2007. Before this, I was suicidal, cutting, and my life for so many years was just a long, long suffering hell. I also have OCD and GAD, PTSD. I have some paranoia with the bipolar, some audio hallucinations. Over time we have had to up the Zoloft. Never the Abilify. It was always the depression. My dad died, we upped it. Then my mom died, then we upped it. I got to 300 mg. It just stopped working. 6 weeks ago he added Welbutrin. I got a little boost, but then, back to sadland. 2 weeks ago he started me on 30mg of Cymbalta, says in 36 days when I go to 60mgs I can start tapering off the Zoloft. When will I feel this Cymbalta? I feel like I did before 2007. I also take: Clonipin, Topomax, Neurontin...I take this other stuff for anxiety and Multiple Sclerosis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcjimjam Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Well Cymbalta is only proven to work at 60mg and higher, so I would say two weeks to two months after you get up to that dose. Some people do find 30mg effective, so if you're lucky you might feel something any time now. Good luck and welcome to Crazyboards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieN Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Hello!......I took cymbalta for 6 years. It stopped working after a while. I found that any dosage above 60mg, would not give additional benefits, only side effects. I really don´t remember exactly how long did it take to work. But I think it was pretty fast ( a couple of weeks)..... Cymbalta had horrible withdrawal effects, although I tapered slowly. I have 2 questions for you: 1. Do you still have hallucinations and paranoia in spite of taking the Abilify?. 2. I read that Topamax can be used for Bipolar off label. How would you rate this med? Has it worked for you?, any weight gain? side effects? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1crazyjew Posted March 13, 2013 Author Share Posted March 13, 2013 Thank you both for the feedback. It gives me a sense of what to expect. CookieN, 1. Do you still have hallucinations and paranoia in spite of taking the Abilify? Very infrequently. I can count the incidents on one hand over the last 5 years. They were all in the last 3 years when I was under intense duress. 2. I read that Topamax can be used for Bipolar off label. How would you rate this med? Has it worked for you?, any weight gain? side effects? Topamax makes me lose weight, not gain. I did not know it was used for Bipolar. It was prescribed to me for migraines, which did the trick. No other side effects that I can notice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieN Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 1crazyjew: Hello again!.....I am glad Abilify is working for you and is treating the hallucinations effectively. Stress can bring a lot of unwanted symptoms. It´s important to learn how to manage stress (that is something I am trying to learn). Exercising helps me a lot with anxiety. I read once that Bipolar and Epilepsy are somehow related. That is why antiepileptic drugs are sometimes used to treat Bipolar. Actually I feel that there are "mini-seizures" that happen in my brain, everytime I switch moods. How much weight have you lost on Topamax? Have you gotten the memory problems listed on the side effects? Do you know if your blood sugar changed while taking Topamax, or if you became more insulin resistant. Sorry if, I am asking you so many questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1crazyjew Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 You are right about exercise helping anxiety, walking especially. I have not experienced the blood sugar or memory loss on Topamax ...at least that I can remember. I have lost 20lbs, but I am also on a strict diet - trying to lose weight right now. I don't know if Topamax is helping or not. Maybe it is? I am also living on apples and snap peas! I'm starving! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1crazyjew Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 (edited) I talked to my shrink. Today I am starting 60mg of Cymbalta and cutting my Zoloft in half to 150mg. In 10 days I will stop taking the Zoloft completely. I am scared of Zoloft withdraw - most specifically the brain zaps. What do you think my chances of that are? Here is my full cocktail as of right now: 60 Cymbalta 150 Zoloft 300 Welbutrin 50 Imuran ? Omeprezol 1.125 Synthroid 200 Topamax 800 Neurontin 100 Baclofen 30 Oxycodone 2x 5 Abilify 1 Clonipin for bed and as needed 200 Plaquinil 3 inhalers for asthma/allergy + Zrtec-D b-12 injections Vit d pills Edited March 16, 2013 by 1crazyjew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1crazyjew Posted March 19, 2013 Author Share Posted March 19, 2013 DAY 3... no brain zaps yet. What do you think my chances are? I am scared of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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