[cookie]

Dear Karen:

I have been lucky that all my capsules have the same number of beads.

Even thought you mention that the capsules you counted have different number of beads in each they must have the same miligrams and weight. So if you add beads from one capsule to the other you are increasing the mg of your capsule.
I wouldn´t "pretend like they all have an even 200 and take out 5% from there" either.
What I would do is count all the beads in each capsule and then reduce 5% of that total number of beads.

cookie

[Lundeliz]

Yikes. I just got two weeks worth of 60mg samples from my doctor. The bottles look just the same

as I had before. But when I poured the beads out they were bigger. I counted one capsule and there were

197 beads. So I tried to figure out what I needed to take and assumed they all had the same amount.

Wrong. I counted one today and it was quite a few beads different. So I guess I have been taking random

amts. the last few days. What a mess!

[cookie]

Hey Karen:
I think I read that you are on 120mg. If this is right, you don´t have to count two 60mg capsules you just need to count one.

You said that you “have no choice but to count both capsules and take out 5% of each”.
I think I didn´t explain myself well in my last post. You just have to take one complete 60mg capsule, and then the other capsule is the one that you are going to count and then take 10% out. This way you will only have to count just one capsule and it will be easier.

What I did try to say was not to add number of beads to the complete capsule, because they already have 60mg and by adding beads you will increase the miligrams in the capsule.

Hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Keep me posted on how you feel!
Hugs
Cookie

[JustJulz]

Oh wow, that is really a pain that all the caps seem to have a varying number of balls. I thought they were all the same too.

I guess I better count a few more of mine to see if I got "lucky", though being on Cymbalta in general would not be terribly lucky.

Makes you wonder if EliLilly is on to our methods and is changing the way it is manufactured... why they would do that, I don't know.

Thank you for the heads up on variable bead counts!

[cookie]

karen, on 20 July 2010 - 09:04 PM, said:

Cookie

Just checking in. Today was day 7, and I'm feeling great. Tomorrow I'm going to go down another 5%, so that will make me down 20% total and at 96mg starting out my 2nd week. I plan on holding at that til after the weekend, since I've got some things going on that I need to go to and feel ok. I woke up yesterday morning with it being day 6 and this morning too waiting for the axe to fall, and it didn't. I've dropped 5% at a time, and maybe it's been too fast accordiing to all the messages I've read, and I might have to go back up. I'll just have to wait and see. I only had a headache the first few mornings, and it went away with ibuprofen, so it was probably just regular old headaches. I don't get them much, but I only took half the amount of ibu I usually take, since I bleed more being on Cymbalta.

Karen

Dear Karen:
From what I´ve learned on this site, the weaning process can be different from person to person although there are common symptoms. Some people can go faster, some can go slower. Some people have to stay 4 weeks on each dose before dropping further others just one week or a few days.

What I do have seen in common is that when one is at large doses the drops are easier than in lower doses. For example for me the drops between 60mg and 30mg where easier than from 30mg to 20mg.

The times that I felt great for a week, meant that I was ready to do my next drop.

So you have to find out what is best for you concerning size of drops and time that you are going to stay on each dose. The other thing you´ve got to take into account is the time in which you plan to get down to zero. Calculate, how much time is it going to take you at this rate (5% drops) to be off med.

I used to have terrible headaches when I was on 60mg cymbalta. During weaning I´ve also had headaches but they are not as bad as when I was on full dose.

From what you wrote I deduced that you are dropping daily????
Hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Hey Karen:
I hope you get better sleep.
hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Karen:
I am glad to hear that you are feeling fine and that you are sleeping better each night.
Having insomnia is the worst.
In relation to exercising, since you say it is difficult because of excessive sweating and wanting to get a bike to stay off your feet, maybe you can try swimming???

Hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

karen, on 23 July 2010 - 04:59 PM, said:

Hi, Cookie

My husband suggested the same thing. I might if I had my own pool. I'm not wild about putting on a swimsuit in public at my age even though I'm not overweight.
This is day 10. I woke up with a pretty bad headache, but it went away after a couple of hourss. I took 4 ibu. I think I've seen people say if it goes away taking something for it, it's probably not a withdrawal headache. I've never woke up this many mornings with headaches. I'm lucky that's all I've had though!

I've got a wedding to head out to in a few minutes, and I decided not to go out of town this weekend, so I'm thinking of dropping another 10% in the morning if I'm still feeling good.

Karen

Dear Karen:
I hope you are better about your headache.
When I was on 60mg cymbalta, I used to have blinding headaches. Now that I am weaning off, I´ve had headaches, but not as strong as those.
I also have a wedding this weekend, but I am not going ;(
Keep me updated on your next drop symptoms
hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

karen, on 24 July 2010 - 01:31 PM, said:

Hi, Cookie

Sorry you had to miss a wedding. I wasn't at all sure how this process would go for me and if I'd be going.

This morning, I did go ahead and drop another 10%, so I'm down 30% now on day 11 and at 84mg. I'll be so glad when I'm down to 60mg and only counting and taking one pill. I realize that at some point more than likely I'll have to slow down, but I've been very pleased so far with my drop from 120mg to 84mg and feel very lucky. I'm sure only being on Cymbalta for 7 wks when I started weaning has a lot to do with that too.

Karen

Dear Karen:
I am glad that you were able to drop from 120mg to 84mg.
Usually it is easier to make drops at higher doses than lower doses. I found that I had to slow down at some point (the drops have to be smaller and less frequent). Keep up as you are doing, your own body will tell you when to slow down.

Hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Hey Karen:
hahahahaha LOL, don´t worry!!!! I do not mind being called connie or cookie!
The important thing is that you are doing fine!!! only little headache. It is important that you keep on listening carefully to your body, your symptoms or in case you need to slow down.
hugs!
Cookie or Connie (whatever!)

[cookie]

Dear Karen:
It´s good that you are 72mg already and feel fine.
Exercise is a very good way of releasing endorphins. I am exercising everyday I can.
I do not want to take any antidepressant either. I want to be off meds.
hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Hi Karen:
I am sorry you had that terrible headache.
I´ve also had hot flashes at night and extreme sweating while exercising. But since I stayed at a same dose (19mg) they have dissapeared.
Yes, I planned ahead, but found I could not go as fast as planned. And I had to do smaller drops at a lower dosage.
Hope it all goes well in 60mg.
hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Dear Karen:
I also had the "forgetting words while I was in the middle of a sentence". At the beginning it was horrible. I just couldn´t talk. I felt that the part of my brain that is in charge of language wasn´t working!
It has gotten so much better!!!!! That should go away. Be patient!

Hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Dear Karen:
Stay on a particular dose as long as it takes for the symptoms to dissapear
Hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Dear Karen:
Great that you are able to sleep.
I always had sleeping problems even before cymbalta. However doing weaning I am more sleepy than ever.
Hope you do great on 54mg
hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

karen, on 02 August 2010 - 07:32 PM, said:

Hi, Cookie

I wasn't sure if I'd start the 54mg today, but I felt fine when I got up so I did. Having trouble sleeping can be the worst. I have never had wide awake nights like that before and hope to never have them again. At least the days I've had headaches, it's been waking up with them. I guess that's because I take my Cymbalta in the morning instead of at night like most people do, and my body is wanting it's morning dose. Then I'm fine for the rest of the day. I feel very fortunate to have had it so easy this far. My next drop will be to 48mg, I think. I might do that Thursday, if I'm doing ok. I wrote down tentative drops but don't have a real plan as to when. I just kind of play it by ear.

Karen

Dear Karen:
At the beginning of weaning I found that the time that I had to stay on each dose was 1 week. This because symptoms tend to appear after a few days (not the first day of reducing).
I think reducing in less than a week, tends to be tricky, because if you feel bad you won´t know which dose caused the symptoms. (If the actual dose or the previous dose).
Hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Dear Karen:
It doesn´t matter that you mis-calculated your drops at the beginning making equal big drops. Actually it is better to do the big drops at the beginning than at lower doses. And it seems you are tolerating the drops well so far. Each person is different, for me things got harder at 20mg, but it could be different for you.

The last 4 weeks I have taken (20mg-19mg). I thought during the last weeks of taking 19mg my brain will get used to that new dose, but on the contrary I have felt worse the last weeks. That makes me think that there must be an "accumulative effect". I mean, that not only matters the dose you took for a day or a week, but the body/brain "knows" the average dose you have taken the last month!?!?...I do not know. Just a thought..........

My initial weaning plan has changed. I thought at this point I would be down to 10mg and I am not. I thought I would be done in 3 months and now I think that I will finish by december 2010. It all depends on how you feel, your responsibilities, commitments etc. However I like to set goals to have a "north" to look for. In the meantime I can adjust.

Hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Hi Karen:
I guess everyone is different. I´m so glad that you brain doesn´t care you were taking 120mg and now you are taking only 48mg. Makes me think you didn´t need that high dose in the first place.

I will try to take one bead out when I am at a very small dose. For now I am staying on same dose. And rather having to count the same number of beads everyday.

It is good that your mg is just 3 beads, that means that you have to count less beads than me

I will be going on a trip, in case I do not answer your messages. Thank you so much on your support

hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Hello Karen!
I am back from my trip.....How are you feeling????? Are you down to 15mg already???!!!
hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Karen:
Wow!!! you are going super fast! and I am SO GLAD that your body is responding well to the decreases. It is amazing that you are already down to 11mg. You are very lucky. However it makes me think that when you were taking 120mg you were "overdosed", because if you feel well at low doses, that could mean you didn´t need such a high dose in the first place.

I am down to 17mg. It´s been 2 days taking that dose, and I am ok so far, I still have the good energies I got on vacations. Although being back from the beach to the city has stressed me a little.



hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Dear Karen:
Wow!!!! you are already on 9mg!!! and plan to be on 3mg next thurday!....
I came back from the beach and I still have the good energies. This has been the happiest week in a long time. It´s amazing that I am only taking 17mg and I am feeling better than when I was taking 60mg. I know I still have a difficult journey ahead, but this kind of feeling gives me hope.
This week I went to yoga 4 times, which helps so much.
Hope you keep on doing well!
hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

karen, on 22 August 2010 - 08:36 AM, said:

This is Day 40. I dropped to 5mg this morning. I'm still feeling good.

Karen

Wow sounds ggggreat!!!!!!
I am decreasing to 15mg on monday
hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

karen, on 24 August 2010 - 08:07 AM, said:

This is Day 42 for me. I went ahead and dropped to 1 mg this morning. I'm not sure what I'll do after this.

Karen

Wow Karen!!! I am still impressed by your decrease rate!!! What you can do from now on is to take just 1 bead out each time.

[cookie]

karen, on 24 August 2010 - 02:28 PM, said:

Hi, Cookie

I feel kind of guilty even posting here, but I didn't know I'd have such an easy time of it when I started. I remember I was so scared and only went down 5% the frst couple of drops instead of 10%. Then when nothing happened with my drops, I just kept going down. I've been a little bit worried that it will hit me sooner or later.

This morning I thought the next step would be to take a bead out each time, but remember that my strange capsules only have 3 and a fraction beads to a milligram, so I've only got 3 beads to work with. I guess I'll do that though.

Karen

Dear Karen:
Do not feel guilty. On the contrary, reading your posts, give me hope and makes me think not all bodies/brain are the same. Keep on posting here!

[cookie]

Yes Karen:
Like you describe, reminding yourself of why you are almost off medication despite you hurting after the walk....is something I´ll have to remind myself once I quit cymbalta and depression symptoms reappear. We are so used to stop the pain by taking medicines, that we do not allow our bodies to talk and express what they are feeling. I am scared of my depression coming back, but at least, I know IT WILL BE ME, MY FEELINGS, not a pill causing side effects.

I was put on cymbalta, because my depression didn´t allow me to work. But during these 5 years that I´ve taken cymbalta, I haven´t been able to work anyways, so I rather be off med.

A 4 mile walk is a very good exercise . I just walk 2 miles a day, and it seems a lot of exercise to me

[cookie]

Hi Karen:
Wow! 2 beads!....I read you took them out of the capsule. Make sure you take them with the capsule.
Good that you slept!....My dreams have not been much different than always.
Yes, it is ironic, that instead of helping you walk for a longer time, it doesn´t.
I agree, if there was a pill that really helped me, I wouldn´t mind taking it everyday of my life and paying for it.
I guess the only good thing about medicines stopping to work, is that I am doing other efforts to improve my depression, not only relying on a pill.
Hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Dear Karen:
I just read your post, in which you mentioned you are completely off cymbalta. During your weaning things went smooth but it seems your brain is noticing you do not have the med anymore. Your description on how spacey you are, and that you didn´t remember when you went to paris or where Target was.
When I started weaning, it was hard for me to find words to talk. Now I do not remember the names of people and places.

I didn´t cry for 5 years (the years I´ve been taking cymbalta)

Concerning Lyrica and the doctors appointment, it is a tough decision. I know how important it is for you being able to do your walks.

Maybe it is the moment to try to evaluate another alternative?? Maybe a natural one....acupuncture? or homeopathy??? there must be something natural to alleviate pain.

Please keep me posted....
Hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Dear Karen:
I´ve read on this site, that people who are withdrawing from cymbalta can have crying spells.
Today, I have also felt lightheaded. Can you try to explain the weird feeling you felt on in your head???
It also happens to me that I have symptoms that are hard to explain.

It would be helpful to have other opinions. Keep me updated on the tests and the appointment with neurologist, once you go there.

The thing with acupuncture is that one has to find a GOOD one.

hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Hi Karen
I haven´t had brain zaps as people describe them here. I´ve had electricity in my brain. I have also felt the noise you mention, sometimes is like fluorescent lights and sometimes like a celular phone ringtone.
I think definitely lack of nutrients play a role on depression and neuropathy.
My blood sugar tests always came back good, until I did the 2 hour test in which they get 3 blood samples (at cero minutes, 1 hour and after 2 hours). The test showed I had problems with insulin resistance and glucose.