Comparing Abilify vs Cymbalta

For Bipolar Disorder I would hide at home for months, shaking when a telephone rang. I couldn't let people go and had obsessive thoughts. Abilify gave me calm, confidence and hope. It made me less sensitive to light and time, I was no longer at the mercy of each passing moment. I woke up relaxed, went to bed without a noise in my head, inner voices stopped criticizing me, thoughts didn't race. I was creative but focused, and began wonderful new projects. Had NO side effects- NO weight gain. 'Worked magic that first day. But after a month it seemed to do nothing but make me sad. Evidently that was a manic phase. It blocks my mania, but not my depressive switch. Feels like I've traded manic depression for unipolar depression. I am being switched to lithium.

For Bipolar Disorder I've been taking Abilify for eight months now. Although it made me gain 15-20kg (something like 33-40 lbs I believe?), my experience is quite positive. The sadness from my major depressive episode, as well as my suicidal thoughts, have been almost annihilated. The reason why I rated it as a six is because it didn't help ease the great fatigue I have. But it helped a lot, that is for sure.

For Depression I've been on Cymbalta 60ng for about the 5 years, it was working fine for me I thought - until people started telling me that I was snappy. But I had a lot of trials in life happening all at once. Any how I decided to switch and what a nightmare it has been. New Psych tried me on Lamictal for a bit, that made me hyper and jittery, so I thought I'd try zoloft since my sister has been on it. Sometimes meds can work the same.. but, Yikes ...not for me..I'm in an awful depression and working on getting back on Cymbalta, what I hope will, work for me. I guess the old saying goes, "if it's not broken why fix it?" I will keep you all in my prayers and hope you will do the same.

For Depression After 2 weeks (60mg/day) I am pleased with this. I had constant dysthymia, black periods lasting a few days, breaking into tears for no reason, not coping, couldn't see a way out, hopelessness. I couldn't tell my partner everything: she needs me to be strong. She knew anyway. The medicine leveled it all out. Only 2 weeks but the depression is gone. I even felt briefly euphoric today. I am easier to be around. Calmer. Negatives: a strange dissociative feeling, sort of out-of-body, as if hearing myself talk slowly, dizziness, an itchy rash on my hand, dry mouth, general tiredness, lethargy in bed in the mornings, no erectile problems, but problem reaching orgasm. If these moderate in time, then my 7/10 score will increase.