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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by scratchpad on April 19, 2007, at 13:10:35
I've been experiencing increasingly severe PMS, and I know that Prozac is frequently prescribed. My main symptom that I experience is a 10-day bout of irritability that is just ridiculous! I already am on 60mg of Cymbalta, for BPII. Can both medications be used at the same time? Should the Cymbalta be helping, maybe at a higher dosage? I already suffer from GAD as it is, and have been using .5mg xanax for that.
Thanks for any advice.
sp
ps (ha ha that's me, backwards) I take Evening Primrose Oil and chelated Magnesium supplements too. And yoga. And no caffeine or alcohol. And yes, I still manage to have fun.
Posted by Phillipa on April 19, 2007, at 15:59:19
In reply to Cymbalta AND Prozac?, posted by scratchpad on April 19, 2007, at 13:10:35
Well you know me with the long half life of prozac how would and do they prescribe it for PMS. Is it compatible with cymbalta. Where is that link for the med checker. Should have saved it. Sorry about that. Love Phillipa
Posted by polarbear206 on April 19, 2007, at 19:33:21
In reply to Cymbalta AND Prozac?, posted by scratchpad on April 19, 2007, at 13:10:35
> I've been experiencing increasingly severe PMS, and I know that Prozac is frequently prescribed. My main symptom that I experience is a 10-day bout of irritability that is just ridiculous! I already am on 60mg of Cymbalta, for BPII. Can both medications be used at the same time? Should the Cymbalta be helping, maybe at a higher dosage? I already suffer from GAD as it is, and have been using .5mg xanax for that.
>
> Thanks for any advice.
> sp
> ps (ha ha that's me, backwards) I take Evening Primrose Oil and chelated Magnesium supplements too. And yoga. And no caffeine or alcohol. And yes, I still manage to have fun.
You don't mention if you are taking a routine mood stabilizer? If you have BP II, I certainly hope you are. If your not, a mood stabilizer will help with this. I don't think it's a good idea to be taking both AD's at the same time. You could be at risk to flip the switch, thus exacerbating mood cycling. If you are taking a mood stabilizer and still sleeping well, you could increase the Cymbalta slowly and see if this helps for relief of your symptoms. I know what you are saying, many of us bipolars are very sensitive to hormonal shifts with our monthly cycle.Polarbear
Posted by scratchpad on April 19, 2007, at 19:43:07
In reply to Re: Cymbalta AND Prozac? » scratchpad, posted by polarbear206 on April 19, 2007, at 19:33:21
I had been on Lamictal for a year and a half but it was not effective in decreasing the severity or frequency of my hypomanic episodes (which are mercilessly brief, a week or two at a time). My pdoc decided that I was "barely" BPII.
Lithium was a very short lived and horrendous experience at the start up dosage. I haven't tried any other mood stabilizers.So it's mostly depression and GAD at this point.
Thanks,
sp
Posted by dreamboat_annie on April 19, 2007, at 19:55:19
In reply to Cymbalta AND Prozac?, posted by scratchpad on April 19, 2007, at 13:10:35
I don't know about taking Prozac with Cymbalta, but I would be concerned about serotonin syndrome since both have an effect on serotonin.
Calcium is also supposed to be good for PMS. Casteberry (Vitex) is another herbal supplement that can help with PMS. I had read an article recently in a women's mag about the benefits of coconut water during PMS. Another herbal that is apparently quite good is MACA.
I hope you find some relief soon. As a fellow-PMS sufferer, PMS is a real drag :-( Nothing worse than feeling moody, irritable and anxious for 10 days each month, with the exception of dealing with the aftermath of PMS-induced moodiness, irritability and irrationality.
Take care.
> I've been experiencing increasingly severe PMS, and I know that Prozac is frequently prescribed. My main symptom that I experience is a 10-day bout of irritability that is just ridiculous! I already am on 60mg of Cymbalta, for BPII. Can both medications be used at the same time? Should the Cymbalta be helping, maybe at a higher dosage? I already suffer from GAD as it is, and have been using .5mg xanax for that.
>
> Thanks for any advice.
> sp
> ps (ha ha that's me, backwards) I take Evening Primrose Oil and chelated Magnesium supplements too. And yoga. And no caffeine or alcohol. And yes, I still manage to have fun.
Posted by Phillipa on April 19, 2007, at 20:26:40
In reply to Re: Cymbalta AND Prozac? » polarbear206, posted by scratchpad on April 19, 2007, at 19:43:07
SP well that sure makes a difference. Must have been the new pdoc you said online you were looking for. Love Phillipa
Posted by Racer on April 20, 2007, at 1:33:47
In reply to Cymbalta AND Prozac?, posted by scratchpad on April 19, 2007, at 13:10:35
It's not a great choice, because they're both serotinergic, and you'd risk serotonin syndrome. (I know, that's a repeat of what someone else said, but it's true...)
This is a way the heck far and gone out in left field thought, but there's a drug called verapamil, which is used for BP in women sometimes, as a mood stabilizer, AND is used for anxiety, too. It's actually a calcium channel blocker, but it's apparently effecctive enough to be worth a shot.
Just, you know, a thought...
Posted by scratchpad on April 20, 2007, at 6:44:12
In reply to Re: Cymbalta AND Prozac? » scratchpad, posted by Racer on April 20, 2007, at 1:33:47
> This is a way the heck far and gone out in left field thought, but there's a drug called verapamil, which is used for BP in women sometimes, as a mood stabilizer, AND is used for anxiety, too. It's actually a calcium channel blocker, but it's apparently effecctive enough to be worth a shot.
>
> Just, you know, a thought...
My gyn is going to talk to my pdoc about it (which pleases me, actually. Get the two experts to figure it out!). I have an appointment to see the pdoc after my holiday.
Also, the medication I take for migraine, Maxalt, is contraindicated with Cymbalta for triggering serotonin syndrome :-( This happened to me once already. As the PMS gets worse, so do the migraines...
I see an overhaul on the horizon. I'd love to try the verapamil and have it do triple duty - moods, blood pressure, and migraine control. My blood pressure has come down to within normal range as I lost weight per my doctor's advice, but it's been a recurring issue for me.thanks everyone, for all your advice.
sp
This is the end of the thread.
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