Cymbalta with Melatonin

[M4Y0U]

Hi there,

I want to know if anyone is taking Melatonin along with Cymbalta or any other SNRI? I know it is not recommended to take Melatonin along with Cymbalta but i also heard this advice can be overlook. I wanna know different opinion prior taking Melatonin with Cymbalta.

I know studies are saying it is not recommended with some anti-depressants but all they tested was SSRI and they only tested on animals.

If anyone can shed some light on this it would be greatly appreciated.

[SleeplessDave]

I am a 58 YO male that has suffered with fibromyalgia for most of my life. Ever get tired of hearing "Its all in your head" or "Man up"??? The military could never figure it out, "Take 800 MG IB twice daily"... Well they finealy found it a few years ago. I have tried about every antidepressant out there. Some work for a few days, others for weeks. NONE in long term usage. Well the Doc's tried me on 300mgs of Gabapentene at night. OH NO. Just 5 days in and I was almost arrested for anger in the work place, uncontrollable rage. Then I did 5 weeks of Cymbalta at 60 mg's daily but the side effects were not worth the benefits. So tonight I am starting on 37.5 mg Effexor and am researching the use with Melatonin as a sleep ade. I am glad to read that some have tried it together. I will be holding off on the mix till I see how my body takes to the Effexor by itself.  Dave

[Yogajama]

Don't know if you'll see this as last post is so old, but I have taken Cymbalta (60 mgs in summer; 90 in winter) for years for my fibromyalgia.  I noticed that when I did air travel, I would experience at least a day (or 2) of Fibro pain within 3 days of flying. I wondered what I could do to prevent these flare ups after flying. I decided to try Melatonin.  It helped so well with flying! No Fibro flare ups! I wondered what would it be like to take it regularly?  So I began taking 10 mgs of melatonin at night. (I take my Cymbalta in the morning).  I sleep really well now at night, and no longer have those vivid Cymbalta dreams!! I wake up ready to do my day.  (I do also take 300mgs of Gabapentene at night for Fibro maintenance).  One thing recommended in my melatonin readings is every 2 mos. stopping taking it for a week, which I do.  My Fibro issues have been much better also since adding the melatonin.
I do have to disclose that my main health problem is the fibromyalgia.  I am 65, not over weight and do a restorative Yoga daily as well as teach it. I also do a Yogic breathing practice daily that is an immune boosting simple breathing practice. I have not had any illness (except the Fibro) in two years. Because of the Fibro I have changed my lifestyle in regard to sleep (I get 9 hours) and diet. (I do not eat fried foods, soy, peanuts or dairy.) However, I do feel adding the melatonin to my other meds/vitamins has helped keep my Fibro flare ups down to a minimum, and helped with the Cymbalta side effects of vivid dreams.
Melatonin with Cymbalta?  Absolutely!

[mammo]

I DO WISH YOU WOULD QUIT BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR DRINKING WHILE ON THESE TYPES OF DRUGS!  YOU'RE NOT HELPING ANYONE, IT IS POOR ADVICE, AND I THOUGHT YOU WOULD KNOW BETTER.  SOME THINGS ARE BEST KEPT TO YOURSELF!

[M4Y0U]

Oh i did search google but i found no serious studies and only one study tested on animals and it didn't include Duloxetine or any SNRI and basicly they said it could reduce the effectiveness of the anti-depressant treatment.

I just think it's like alcohol, i drink on Cymbalta on week-ends and it affected me in no way.

Here's something funny i found on wikipedia

''Even low light levels inhibit melatonin production to some extent, but over-illumination can create significant reduction in melatonin production. Since it is principally blue light that suppresses melatonin, wearing glasses that block blue light in the hours before bedtime may avoid melatonin loss. Use of blue-blocking goggles the last hours before bedtime has also been advised for people who need to adjust to an earlier bedtime, as melatonin promotes sleepiness.''

I guess they dont warn you about blue-blocking glasses on the antidepressants bottle hehe!

I do really think more studies are needed and i will give it a shot. I am certain we can rule out serotonin toxicity since melatonin production needs serotonin but then again lack of serotonin can be induced by sleep bad sleep but i guess it's only a grain of salt in the ocean if i take melantonin to have better sleep therefore can't cause serotonin syndrome. I guess the warnings about the reduced effectiveness of the antidepressant treatment are all based about that fact.

I will take a half dose tonight 1.5mg since i need to do more research on the subject but i would still like to know if someone is using Melatonin combined with antidepressants.

[aturerN]

I used it and I don't feel good today at all. cymbalta 60 mg + melatonin 10 mg. I am not sure because I slept 3 hours last night or there were any interactions. I bit worse than sleepy; my screen looks tilted to the left and some disorientation. Hope it goes away soon.

[Hensley258]

You may be correct, but I do know that once when I went toGNC to buy some Melotonin, it clearly stated on the bottle not to take with antidepressants.

Not MAOI but any antidepressant. So I didn't purchase it because the warning freaked me out.

Do a Google search on the topic and you may be able to find some medical studies about the two and their interaction together.

Then again you could always just give it a shot and cross your fingers. I doub't it will hurt anything, but you never know. They also say not to drink on antidepressants, but I do and I am fine.

[M4Y0U]

Hehe i don't want to be rude but have decent knowledge in drugs, chemistry and biology. Here's the real story.

Melatonin is the end product in the metabolism of L-tryptophan and is converted from serotonin by the enzyme S-adenosyl-L-methionine. After it is formed, it is metabolized hepatically by 2 cytochrome P450 enzymes, CYP1A2 and 2C19.

''converted FROM serotonin'' which clearly indicate no risk of serotonin toxicity.

The problem is with the enzyme CYP1A2 and i know Duloxetine ( Cymbalta ) is metabolized by the same enzyme. There is no clear evidence it could be a bad or good interaction other than maybe an increase in endogenous blood levels of melatonin and increased daytime drowsiness.

This is why i want to know if people used Melatonin with Cymbalta.

[Hensley258]

I would do more research on that first. Melotonin acts as kind of a natural sleep aid. It does this in part by effecting Serotonin.

I know what your thinking...."but Cymbalta is an SNRI not SSRI."
Unfortunatly SNRI drugs like Cymbalta and Effexor also effect Serotonin Reuptake Inhibition just the same as an SSRI.

Only difference being that they also effect Norepheneperine too.

I think it's too risky. To take Melotonin with Cymbalta could result is Serotonin syndrome. The odds are very low, but still not worth risking.

There are other sleep agents that are safer with Cymbalta.

[allisanna]

I have taken a low dose of melatonin with antidepressants for years. I take Wellbutrin SR 150 ml twice during the day and about an hour before bed I take 2.5MG of a sublingual Melatonin. Over the last 20 years since we experienced the lose of our children I have taken almost every anti-depressant on the market and have always used Melatonin supplements with no bad side effects. I do have a lot of vivid dreams in color that I have come to enjoy as they are usually of good times. I am not saying this is a good idea for others but I was afraid of becoming addicted to sleep aids.  melatonin isn't a strong sleep aid but does help me fall asleep slowly.