Anyone take Cymbalta?

Published Jul 25, 2011

1,051 Posts

Specializes in ER/Ortho.

My Dr just prescribed Cymbalta for anxiety/depression and I am having trouble trying to schedule when to take it. It says to take it at the same time every day. According to what others are saying if you don't take it at close to the same time each day you will get a mega headache.

In addition, some of what I have read says it can make you really tired when you take it. Other people say it will make cause insomnia and make you a bit out of it for a few hours. Clearly I need to take a dose to see how it affects me personally before making the decision to take it at bedtime or when I get up.

Here are my issues:

1. I am a single parent who works nights. My bedtime the three days I work is in the AM including a few hour nap on the fourth day after I get off. Then I have a late bedtime on that fourth night, and a PM bedtime the fifth and sixth night, and stay up all day and night on the seventh night. I have to be alert and awake to take my kids to appointments etc on my days off, and being a single parent I can't just sleep in. Also I only get about 5-6 hours of sleep (I was a 9 hour a night sleeper prior to nursing) is this enough on this med.

2. If it causes insomnia and makes you a bit out of it then I really need the few hours of sleep I do get so I shouldn't take it before bedtime. Has anyone had experience on what a bit out of it means.

Any info from anyone who has taken it would be appreciated.