[kyethra]

I was scheduled to have a sleep study on the 29th of August. Then yesterday they called me to reschedule for the 5th of September- apparently they are redoing the roof in the building the week I was scheduled for.

For the sleep study I have to go off a lot of the meds I am currently on- including my cymbalta.

I have been on cymbalta for about a year now. I like it- it does a lot for my fibro and it takes care of my depression. I have been on antidepressants since I was 17 and the medications take care of any depression I have. On medication I have normal and apropriate emotional responses. I very recently started in therapy to deal with some very specific issues that I need some help with after a bad auto accident in June.

For the study I also have to go off a lot of my other meds completely in a week including my sudafed and topamax that I take at night.

I am definitely starting to notice the effects of the decreased dosage of cymbalta- I am currently at 1/4 of my previous dosage. I am irritible and kind of blue and so forth. And my shoulders hurt and my calves ache, etc. Fibro stuff.

This has actually been a couple of really good weeks for me though in general so I would hate to see what I would be like on a bad week! I got married on the 12th in Vegas and we had our wedding reception this past sunday. Both went very well. Plus I start grad school tomorrow. I am only take one class this fall, but I am very excited about it. It is in library science- history of children's lit- a topic I am obcessed with. I also just found a new job- I won't start for a douple of weeks yet, but it sounds perfect for me. I will be customer service telephone work from home. i get to set my own schedule and it is very flexible, etc.

As exciting as all of these things are I am still feeling down, so I know that the medication change has gottten to me and I am depressed.

One positive that I have noticed about the medication change, however, is weight. Getting off of the cymbalta is also taking off some pounds. I did gain weight going on it, so I guess this shouldn't shock me. I think that if I manage to keep losing and the sleep study yeilds results, as long as I get back on my cymbalta ok.

[Leenie]

Good luck with the study and congrats on getting married WHOOT!!!!

[jamamom]

I have just started taking the Cymbalta, doc says I should actually lose weight with it. Anyways I am suppose to take the topamax also . I have found if I take both I have less cravings and eat less. Did you not find this at all? I unfortunatley don't take all my meds like I should. I am trying to lose and I am also being treated binge eating disorder on top oof the depression, Just needed AN OPINION.

Catherine

[kyethra]

The topamax helped me lose weight. I like the topamax a lot- less cravings if I did get one I could eat a less to satisfy it. I did gain some weight on the cymbalta- about 10-15 pounds and it wasn't until I got on the topamax that came off.

However now that I am off of both meds for my sleep study tonight, i find that I am much more prone to binge eating. I just eat and eat. I don't even feel that hungry and I don't always stop when I am full. I also find myself shopping and spending money more. I really want to buy things. This makes sense to me I suppose as both of these behaviors are impulse type things and I think the activities themselves can give a serotonin boost. Since without the topamax I don't feel as well I also want to give myself comfort food I think- same with the cymbalta not controlling my pain now that I am off of it.

One problem I did have with the topamax in the past that I built up a tolerance to it. Its not supposed to happen with topamax, but it did. After about six months I got back on it again and it helped again. But after I built up a tolerance it didn't work for anything anymore even the apetite stuff and migraine control.

[Mel]

Topomax doesn't work very well at stopping binge behaviors if you stop it and go back on. It's kind of a once only benefit. The pain blocking effects (along with the brain scrambling) will come back, though. I had to stop taking it because it caused such severe dry mouth that I felt like my teeth were always falling out. After my salivary glands started to work a bit again, I restarted it at a lower dose. My fibro pain was much higher without it, and now is back to a dull backgound noise. BUT I can't ignore hunger like I could before.

My doc wanted me to do a sleep study, but I haven't because the thought of going off all pain and sleep meds scares me to death! You're very brave

Please let us know how it goes for you!

Mel

[kyethra]

I was lucky in that the topamax worked the same for me again going back on it. I think it was because I just built up a tolerance. Not sure how it will be after a week off.

I had my study today I get to start working up to my normal dosages again. The pain part did stink, I was really miserable at first. But the study went well- I managed to throw one pillow of the bed and take and crumple the case off of another pillow all while tossing and turning like crazy. They said that while I showed some apnea it was very mild and not signifigant. And I went right to REM sleep. So now the doctor gets to interpret all my results and figure out how to make it better.

If I can less drowsy and sleep quieter than it will be worth the misery.