SNRI (cymbalta) vs SSRI (escitalopram)

[tuto170]

Hi,

I am currently on Haloperidol for my SZ and I am also on escitalopram 10mg and my pdoc said it has a bad interaction so she prescribed me 30mg duloxetine (cymbalta). Is it better than escitalopram in your experience?

 

[awfullife]

I used to represent Forest Labs and sold Lexapro (escitalopram)
They are different drugs and people can respond to them in different ways. Most people consider escitalopram 10mg to be a very small dose. I've seen it written to 40mg for OCD patients.
Cymbalta was launched as an antidepressant but was also promoted to be able to relieve physical symptoms of depression / anxiety.
In general most psychiatrists would say that Cymbalta is a "bigger gun" than escitalopram and would be more efficacious in achieving symptom relief.
Snris like effexor and cymbalta will always be considered as a bigger tool than SSRIs for patients with severe chronic melancholic depression. Their increased efficacy also comes with a more active adverse event profile but it is what it is. Effexor was a bitch for me to get off of. I'm not sure if Cymbalta is or not. Isnt it interesting how all these first line treatments for depression have withdrawal symptoms? Makes you wonder.

 

[Cherry Crumpet]

I've been on generic Cymbalta for about 3 years. Before that was a bunch of different anti-depressants. None of them are a smoking gun for me, but Cymbalta does make me feel less suicidal overall, I think. It's a gradual thing that I can only really notice if I look at my mood diary from the years that I was not on it.

 

[Ghost2211]

Cymbalta worked great for me at first, but after a couple years it didn't works as well anymore. It was awful coming off it too. I had brain and limb zaps for months. Funny thing was I was happier when I got off it.

 

[RealHumanBean]

Cymbalta worked great for me at first, but after a couple years it didn't works as well anymore. It was awful coming off it too. I had brain and limb zaps for months. Funny thing was I was happier when I got off it.

Same here. I felt too zombie-like while I was on it, and coming off of it was horrible. Brain zaps were agonizing.