Doctors appt earlier today…
Well, actually yesterday.
I told the NP (Nurse Practioner) what the counselor at the psych clinic said
about Cymbalta and/or Vistaril. The NP wouldn’t put me on Cymbalta as she
stated that there were some recent serious side effects coming to light that
hadn’t been documented in the limited clinical trials the manufacturer had
held. She also stated she didn’t have enough positive feedback from patients
on the drug as well to feel comfortable with it. So she gave me some
Effexor-ER to try. She said it was the next best thing to Cymbalta, in
action. In a month if it’s not working as it should or I have a lot of sides
from it she will switch me to Lexapro. She says most people she’s given
Lexapro to have had very good results with very few lasting sides. She also
gave me Vistaril which is an anti-anxiety drug as well as an anti-histamine
with anti-itch properties (My only physical symptom has been unendurable
itching which nothing seems to help) and anti-nausea properties to boot. I’m
thinking the addition of the Vistaril will blunt a lot of the initial sides
especially those of nausea.
I took two Vistaril and the first of the loading dose for the Effexor
tonight. Feel a bit …. weird. Alert but laid back. But the best part
is…NO anxiety!!!! 
Only someone who’s been there knows what I mean.
And I didn’t even realize how high the anxiety level was until it was gone.
I really like this NP. She’s very good, easy to talk to and very willing to
listen. And *very* knowledgeable about these drugs. Most General/Family
practioners are not.
Barbara