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.

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

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

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.

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

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.