How to sleep while taking cymbalta?
Most people complain of finding it difficult to sleep after taking Cymbalta. Cymbalta is a medication often taken to reduce depression, anxiety, and several other different conditions. It is a prescription drug that is used for long-term treatment. Good quality sleep is essential for both physical and mental well-being and the lack of it can affect you in so many ways.
Mood disorder is a common effect of sleep deprivation and if you’re taking Cymbalta, there’s a chance you’re suffering from anxiety, depression, or any of the conditions the drug is used to treat. Possibly you’ve also found it very difficult to sleep while taking it. Fortunately, this article will show you how to sleep while taking Cymbalta, along with other things you should about the drug.
WHAT IS CYMBALTA?
Cymbalta is one of the commonly prescribed antidepressants. It is a prescription-only medicine and belongs to a group of drugs called Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). It is available only in capsules, with different strengths: 20mg, 30mg, 60mg, and 120mg. the effect of them all is said to be the 6omg capsule.
Cymbalta is also available in its generic form known as duloxetine. It is considered to be as effective and safe as the original form Cymbalta is strong medicine. Your doctor would only prescribe it if it’s the right treatment for your diagnosis. it should be taken whole according to the doctor’s prescription. Don’t crush, chew or open the capsule.
USES OF CYMBALTA
Cymbalta is approved by the FDA to treat conditions such as:
- Major depressive disorder (MDD)
- Fibromyalgia
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Nerve pain and damage from diabetes
- Long-term musculoskeletal pain
- Dementia
- Chronic pain
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors work mainly on 2 types of chemicals in your brain: serotonin and norepinephrine. Cymbalta works on these 2 chemicals by inhibiting their reuptake in the central nervous system while increasing the diffusion of dopamine in the brain, which changes your mood, so you feel good, thereby relieving symptoms of depression.
However, if it is used prescribed for pain, it is known that it works by blocking sodium channels. Sodium channels play key roles in transmitting pain, therefore blocking the transmission would cause pain relief. Cymbalta also decreases proinflammatory cytokines and increases the anti-inflammatory ones, which also helps in relieving symptoms of depression.
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HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE CYMBALTA TO WORK?
How long it would take for Cymbalta to work depends on what it is used to treat. For instance, when taken for pain, you could expect to start noticing improvements within 2 weeks. After taking Cymbalta, it could take about 2 hours before your body begins to absorb the drug. Cymbalta is a delayed-release drug, therefore it takes time for your body to break it down.
You can expect a peak concentration of the drug to reach 6 hours after taking a dose It may take 6-8 weeks before you begin to notice the full effect of the drug, although, within 1-2 weeks, improvements such as sleep, energy, or appetite may show.
SIDE EFFECTS
Although Cymbalta is an effective drug for treating depression, anxiety, and pain-related conditions, like most drugs there are some side effects linked with taking the drug. For some, these side effects may be mild or severe. Speak with your doctor about possible side effects, meanwhile, If you experience any of these side effects, let your doctor know immediately.
Here are some common mild side effects you may experience:
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Unusual sweating
- Constipation
- Decreased appetite
- Dry or perched mouth
- Headache
- Belly or abdominal pain
- Trouble sleeping
- Diarrhea
- Low sex drive
- Weight gain
- Sleepiness
- Delayed ejaculation
- Erectile dysfunction
These side effects should be temporary and go away as soon as your body has adjusted to the drug. But if they seem to worsen, talk with your doctor. Don’t stop the medication unless your doctor tells you to.
On the other hand, some serious side effects Cymbalta can cause, although they’re rare, include:
- Liver damage
- Having suicidal thoughts and exhibiting suicidal behaviors
- Eye problems
- Severe dizziness that could lead to fainting
- Change in blood pressure
- Low sodium levels
- Unusual bleeding or bruising
- Serotonin syndrome
- Difficulty urinating
- Mania in people with bipolar disorder
- Panic attacks
- Confusion
- Seizures
- Severe skin reactions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
HOW DOES CYMBALTA AFFECT SLEEP?
Cymbalta can affect your sleep in two ways: It’s either you feel tired and sleepy after taking it or you have trouble sleeping. However, in most cases, trouble sleeping is reported. Some people have also reported waking up earlier than they wanted to as a side effect of taking the drug.
Serotonin and norepinephrine are chemicals that keep the brain active when we’re awake and since Cymbalta works by inhibiting the secretion of these chemicals, it causes them to accumulate in your system, causing you to feel energized, hence making it difficult for you to fall asleep.
Cymbalta can also interfere with your rapid eye movements (REM) by suppressing it. REM is a unique phase of sleep that occurs at intervals, in which your brain, breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure increase and your eye moves rapidly even as they’re closed. When Cymbalta interferes with your REM, you’re likely to wake up more frequently in between sleep.
HOW TO SLEEP WHILE TAKING CYMBALTA
If you’re finding it difficult to sleep while taking Cymbalta, here are some tips on how to sleep while taking
Cymbalta you could try to help improve your sleep:
1. Pay Attention To Your Side Effects
When you begin treatment with Cymbalta, be observant to know how it affects you. If one of the side effects you notice in the first few weeks of using the drug is trouble sleeping, let your doctor know. However, it could be a mild side effect, so your doctor may recommend waiting to see if it’ll be temporary. If it isn’t, they may prescribe a different medication.
2. Create A Routine
Cymbalta can be taken at any time, usually once or twice a day. For effective results, it is better to take it around the same time every day, as long as you haven’t completed your prescription. However, if you notice that you find it difficult to sleep after taking Cymbalta, you may want to change your routine and take the drug during the day, preferably first thing in the morning.
3. Slowly Increase Your Dosage
If you’re taking Cymbalta for painful neuropathy or depression, initially your doctor may get you to take low doses of the drug and with time, increase the doses. It may take several weeks before you reach the desired target dose.
However, when you tell your doctor of your inability to sleep, they may recommend slowing down the rate at which your doses are increased, as a slow dosage increase may not interfere with your sleep and it also enables your body more time to adapt to the drug effect. Therefore, it may take several months to reach your target dosage, but that is better as poor quality sleep can also increase symptoms of depression and anxiety.
4. Use Sleep Aids
There are several sleep aids, but before using any, speak with your doctor first as they could interact with the effect of Cymbalta. However, melatonin has shown to be safe to use with the typical dosage of 1mg-5mg nightly. It can increase the side effects of Cymbalta such as dizziness, drowsiness, and confusion, but if you’re taking it at night, you are less likely to feel it.
Generally, don’t take any medication along with Cymbalta unless your doctor approves of it, as they may lead to drug interactions. For instance, taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) along with Cymbalta can inhibit the enzyme that works with Cymbalta to suppress serotonin and norepinephrine, thereby, making it ineffective.
5. Limit Caffeine Intake
Watch out for your caffeine intake. Any amount above these quantities will interfere with the action of Cymbalta:
- More than 225mg in tea
- 4 cans of cola or soda
- 2 cups of brewed coffee
Caffeine blocks the production of a chemical –adenosine, that signals our body to feel drowsy and sleepy. Therefore, if your body has a higher amount of caffeine while you’re taking Cymbalta, your energy levels increase, thereby making sleeping difficult.
6. Practice Good Sleeping Habits
A good way to get quality sleep is by practicing good sleep habits. Fix a time for when you retire to your bed and a time when you should wake up, and limit or stop screen time at least 30 minutes before your fixed bedtime. This will help improve your sleep even while taking Cymbalta.
CONCLUSION
Cymbalta is an excellent prescription-only drug that is used in treating several disorders that are linked to depression, anxiety, and chronic pain. However, patients have reported being unable to sleep while taking the drug, but there are basic and easy steps to take to help you sleep better even while taking Cymbalta.