[watchdog]

Hi guys/gals-
Just chiming in here..... great website. What's going on here, is my wife has been on cymbalta for two years now, and is showing most of the previously mentioned side effects associated with use. Most recently, she literally thought she was on fire (happened while driving her vehicle). She has run the the course of suicide ideation (some more serious than others), to the most recent an anxiety attack that was bad enough she checked herself into a hospital, and was promptly placed in a behavioral unit for 5 days. Fortunately, I was able to speak with the resident doctor (this is not as easy as one would think), and convince him that the episode was isolated, and more than likely caused by the cymbalta. By the way, she has been on doses from 30, to 60, and finally 90mg over the two years she has been on it. We have dropped to 80mg with no ill effects yet. As I understand it, the withdrawl effect will be more intense as the dosage drops. A word to the wise here (hence my moniker watchdog) the intake doctor at the psych unit prescribed Xanax, Geodon, and Risperdal on top of the cymbalta she was already on. My wife was diagnosed with PTSD, and has no history whatsoever of mental disorders with herself, or immediate family. The fact that a Medical doctor in combination with a Psychiatric doctor could prescribe such an insane number of anti psychotic meds is beyond comprehension. I was a Psych major in college (no, I am not a doctor), so I do know what questions to ask, and where to look for answers. I checked drug interaction and found several problems, not to mention the horrific side effects associated with them. How anyone could expect to "get well" after ingesting a drug cocktail like that, God only knows. The aforementioned websites I used are... cchrint.org and drugs.com. Very useful information. I will be assisting my wife with her weaning process, and will try to keep you informed as to her progress. We will be trying as many non medical remedies as necessary to ease the withdrawl symptoms. Will let you know how she does. Again, great website be grateful for it, because the medical profession is turning a blind eye to this prpoblem.

One day at a time...
Watchdog

[cookie]

Dear Watchdog:
It is so nice that you are taking care of your wife. I wished all family members took the time to research and help their loved ones.

It will be helpful to know which symptoms your wife had when Depression hit. How severe the Depression was. Did she had anxiety attacks or suicide ideation BEFORE cymbalta??

I will tell you a part of my story to see if it is helpful. I have taken cymbalta 60mg for 5 years. There was a period in which cymbalta was increased to 90mg. The first night I took the 90mg pill I experienced mania. (I woke up at 3 at night wanting to take my car, drive in the middle of the night and buy a pack of cigarrettes). I realized I was being manic for the first time in my life. (I have severe depression, not bipolar so my mood was always low). It is very important to take into account that the therapeutic dose of cymbalta is 60mg. In my case 90mg didn´t bring any additional benefits to my depression, it only gave me additional side effects. Could it be that the dose your wife is taking is too high?? Maybe she will do fine going back to 60 or 30mg? Just a thought.....

I wouldn´t like to take that number of meds either. I also checked in www.drugs.com the interactions between cymbalta, Xanax, Geodon and Risperdal. They all have “moderate” interactions with the others. What worried me is that Risperdal and Geodon showed to have major interactions and it is contraindicated to take them together.

I am not a doctor, just talk based on my own experience. But it seems that they are giving her all this meds to treat the side effects of the pill she is taking now. It will be useful to have another doctor´s opinion on the diagnosis and treatment of your wife.

Based on what you mentioned of her having depression and the plan to wean off, I would like to know what alternative therapy are you planning to take when she is off the med???? As a depression sufferer I know depression is a real and serious illness caused by chemical and hormonal imbalances so I do think we need some support, it is just hard not to take anything and live.

Wish you the best, and keep me updated
Hugs
Cookie

[watchdog]

Cookie-
My wife had a couople of traumatic events in her childhood, and mid teen years that she had repressed for 30+ years. Events began to appear in dreams/nightmares, then a depressed state (especially during the "anniversary" of the traumatic events), and finally to ideation of suicide (which I had no idea of). Her initial contact was to our family MD, who prescribed a med for anxiety (don't recall the med) which worked for the anxiety, but left her feeling extremely "flat" and indifferent to everything. She discontinued it a month or so later, and struggled with her "burden" for a few more months, before being referred to a Psych. The psych I believe was correct in her assessment of PTSD, but was all to happy to prescribe Cymbalta as the "make it all go away-feel good drug" that would allow her to function on an even keel, while she attended therapy. Initially it seemed to work at 60mg, but the anxiety continued to flare up, so after approx 30 days, it was increased to 90mg, where it stayed for about two years. During the intial few months, she had several instances of suicidal ideation, ranging from driving her vehicle off a bridge, to swerving in front of a semi-truck, to actually taking a box blade and dragging it across her wrists (the blade was very dull, and only made some marks). She told me during these "fleeting" thoughts, what she was doing made perfect sense at the time. Thank God, that there was a "voice of reason" that kept telling her not to go through with this in the back of her mind. Through research, I have noticed that most suicide ideations that are caused by cymbalta (as well as other AD's) are most often of a violent variety. It doesn't make sense in the "normal" thought process, but we are talking about the human brain, of which NO ONE really understands how it works. All the MD's and Psych's do is throw meds at you until they get you to a level that is acceptable to (?) and there you go.... There are many reasons we act the way we do. Some are enviromental, some caused by past/current events, and some are chemical. The thing we need to do is ascertain which is the underlying cause, and fix that, not cover the symptoms with a med that is worse than the problem. I have spent a good deal of time speaking with the "Doc" at the behavioral clinic regarding my wife's condition, and thankfully he is willing to be "straight up" regarding her treatment. He is of the "minimalist" treatment process, and discontinued all of the previously prescribed meds, leaving her on the cymbalta, and her blood pressure meds only. He did mention that once she is free of the cymbalta, depending on the outcome, she may need some form of medication. But, and this is a big but.... he is fully aware of the pitfalls of taking cynbalta, and wants her completely free of all the associated effects so as to treat her "problem", not her symptoms, and for that I am grateful. I have been trying to locate an MD that would "supervise" her weaning process from the cymbalt. but have met with considerable resistance to this. They can't understand why anyone would want to be off the "C". As soon as you mention that you have conferred with other doctors', you are shuffled out of the office. This is truly an uncharted area to be in. As I have mentioned, this website is a real help to those going through this. As far as the alternative treatments go, will keep you advised as information becomes available. By the way, she was at 80mg for the last two weeks, dropping to 70mg today, and will let things stabilize before continuing the descent. She was a little shaky this AM, but is the first day out of "rehab", so letting things settle.........

Watchdog

[watchdog]

Well, made it through the day without too much drama. She was shaky this morning, and was starting to approach an "anxious" state, but was able to maintain. Tried to check into some sort of relief for temporary bouts of anxiety, but found all anyone wants to give you is another anti-psychotic! Wonder how one can expect to improve their life under these conditions. My wifes P doc had just taken her off all meds save her BP meds, and the cymbalta. When we asked our MD for advice on her anxiety episodes, he promptly writes her a script for Xanax! This is getting ridiculous. After much deliberation, he relented to allowing her to take Valium, as she had no side effects while taking it previously. I have been doing some searching, and there seems to be some promise in a passion flower combination of natural herbs that has a positive affect on anxiety and insomnia. Will be giving this a go, as the goal is to be drug free. Will keep you informed as to its effectiveness.

Watchdog

[cookie]

Dear Watchdog:
I agree with different things you said. First I totally I agree that we have to find the underlying cause and fix that, not cover the symptoms with meds. Medicines purpose should give an aid, while through therapy the person finds the root of the problem. It is so important that she gets off her chest all her traumatics events in her childhood and teen years. As you said: treat her “problem” not her “symptoms”.

Like you said, we do not really know how human brain works.

It is so difficult knowing what to do. As a previous anxiety sufferer I feel that antipsychotics are very strong meds. On the other hand natural herbs like passion flower, are so light/soft on their effect on anxiety. There should be something in between.

Hope the “rehab” goes well.

Hugs
cookie

[watchdog]

Cookie-
I wholeheartedly agree on the lack of choices of medication to treat anxiety. It's either be over medicated with anti-psycotics, or suffer.... unless you happen to be fortunate enough to control it with natural products. These are uncharted waters for us, so will try everything within reason to make this work. Did a "dry" run with Valerian root that was combined with passion flower and lemon seed. It is supposed to "relax" the body/mind, and allow one to sleep well. I tried it myself as my wife isn't one to take anything on a whim, so guinea pig me gave it a go. I can report I did sleep rather well, last night, and woke up without a "drugged" feeling. I believe the dosage was (3) 450mg capsules. The manufacturer says between 1 and 5 before bed time, so I split the middle and took three. She will give it a go this evening, will report results. Just a fleeting thought... maybe a capsule in the AM would stave off anxious feeling w/o drowsiness?

Take care
Watchdog

[watchdog]

Day 2 @ 70mg...... a good day today. Follow up with P doc later, should be interesting. Current meds/naturals are;
70mg Cymbalta, diovan and minipress for BP (the minipress has an additive for anxiety and possibly helps w/ nightmares), an as needed script for valium.... naturals are b-12, fish oil, flaxseed oil, and valerian root w/passion flower & lemon seed. Don't know if this is a help for anyone, but will keep you advised.

Watchdog

[cookie]

Dear Watchdog:
So you were the guinea pig for valerian root? LOL.
Yes, it sounds like a good idea to take it in the morning to reduce anxiety.
Please check if valium and valerian root have interactions.
I´ve taken B-complex vitamins. I´ve read they are good for the brain. However I can´t tell you if they have made any difference. I get omega 3 from natural flaxseed and the fish oil from eating salmon and fish.
Watchdog I´ll be out on a trip for a few days, in case I don´t answer your posts. I hope everything goes fine
Hugs
Cookie

[watchdog]

Day 3 @ 70mg. Yesterday was a good one. Last night, she elected to take the minipress before bedtime, as this was the ritual "inside". Not a good night..... body tremors most of the night, so she is exhausted after 10 hrs of "sleep". Saw the P doc yesterday. We layed out our plan to eventually be off the cymbalta.... surprisingly, she agreed that most of the symptoms/complaints my wife has on the cymbalta are side effects caused by same. She wants to keep her medicated.... suggested lexapro to sub for the cymbalta as she comes off of it. My question to her was, what are we treating here... symptoms, or??? SO, she reluctantly agreed to let my wife detox under the condition that we closely monitor her for any depressive state. That's the plan at this time. Did speak with my wife regarding the episode prior to checking herself in to the hospital last week.... started off as an anxiety attack, then progressed into a suicide scenario. She added that had a gun been accessible she would have used it... no doubt. The "little voice of reason" did not matter this time. Very scary . Fortunately, she was some how able to drive herself to the hospital and check in. Because of this, I am certain the damn drugs are to blame for this. Have been married to her for over 24 years, and prior to cymbalta use, this has never happened. This "bad day" was prefaced by little or no sleep the night before because of "twitching". The P docs don't think she presents any risk, but sometimes I feel like I am living with a ticking bomb. We'll see how the day goes.....

One day at a time...
Watchdog

[watchdog]

Hi all-

Sometimes this withdrawl process is overwhelming..... my wife had a pretty rough night. Really seems to be a direct correlation between sleep deprivation and depressive/anxiety episodes. The last two nights have been hard as she has periods of "twitching" spasmodic muscle tremors that will not allow for any sort of quality sleep. She is currently getting up 3-6 times a night because of the twitching/insomnia. Last night, she had the early signs of an anxiety attack (detached feelings, anxious for no reason, and hearing perception that made sound/conversation seem very distant). We were able to maintain relative calm, and she was able to go back to sleep. Seems that the mornings are the worst, followed by late night interrupted sleep (for whatever reason). She has been reluctant to try the Valerian root/passion flower combo prior to bed as she wants to establish a solid baseline as to know cause and effect of whatever pills she is taking. I don't blame her a bit. It gets frustrating for me (and any others who are doing this) to have to sit on the sidelines, unable to "fix" this problem, while our friends & loved ones endure this hell. The Omega three fish oil/flaxseed oil/B-12 seems to be having an affect on her days.... I have not mentioned this to her, but she has been able to function in a more or less "normal" fashion with more energy than I have seen for a while.... encouraging! Looks like the cymbalta dose will stay at 70mg for maybe another week to let things stabilize enough to where she is comfortable making the next drop. I will mention, that my wife is very "chemical intolerant", and has a rough time with any med, hence the slow drops we are doing at this time. This is most definately a "self paced" process, as we all are different, and react differently to meds. Hang in there, I know it will be worth the effort in the end!

Another day
Watchdog

[watchdog]

Had a pretty decent night...... she finally got into a "deep sleep" and was able to rest for quite some time. The body twitching seems to be most prevelant when she is in a "lite" or "twilight" type of sleep. If she drops off into a deep slumber, the twitching seems to go away, or a least minimalize. Hopefully we are reaching another plateau so we can make another drop.......

To a good day...
Watchdog

[watchdog]

Hi all-
My wifes first day back at work following her "vacation" at the behavioral unit. She started feeling pretty anxious early on (she works 3-11 at a hospital) and had to take a Valium to "chill out".... this did little to quell her feelings, and I could see the fear and stress in her eyes. This is a very real feeling for her. It seems to be a non-event for me, but I am not in her shoes, and must conduct myself with the utmost sincerity regarding her feelings wether they are real or imagined, as they are very real to her. I had my daughter run her by work to prepare for her shift a few hours early so she could ease back into the work enviroment. She came home and rested for a few hours, then went in to work..... so far, so good. She is tense, but able to function at this time. I spent several hours looking up websites, and all forms of cymbalta information.... amazed at how much has been removed! I am really starting to think we are swimming with sharks dealing with this situation. The common denominator in the withdrawl process is there is NO SET PROTOCOL WHATSOEVER! No one can agree on anything! There is no magic pill to take, no cast in stone process, and few, if any MD's or (?) that are willing to assist a patient in getting off these meds. What makes this so frustrating on top of everything else, is that this is a chemical/psychological situation, and as such, what works for you, or my wife, may or may not work for someone else. I would like to see a post with the results of treatments, both pharmaceautical, and natural, that work... or had a positive effect on one's rehab. The more information that can be pooled in one location the better (I would think). Just some random thoughts..... the screen is getting blurry, so will be in touch later.

Another good one
Watchdog

[watchdog]

Hi again-
Well , made it through work last night..... she slept good until about 4AM, then started itching pretty bad. Finally elected to try some Benedryl. So far, so good. The itching subsided, and made her sleepy enough to fall back asleep. Small victory, but I'll take it. Just a thought....... but since cymbalta has a 1/2 life of less than 24hrs, has anyone split up the daily dosage to allow for 24hr coverage, instead of the roller coaster ride of a once a day dosage? Just wondering if that would lessen the w/d effects any........

Watchdog

[watchdog]

Hi guys-
Had to take care of some family business, so I was out of town for a couple of days. My wife seems to have stabilized at the 70mg dose for now. The benedryl is still working, so will probably give it a few more days, then try to drop to 60mg. She reports having "flu-like" symptoms now..... mainly in the morning hours. A little nausea is presenting itself as well. Will look into possibly some Dramamine to counteract this. Oh, by the way.... I spoke with our pharmacist about splitting up the dosage of cymbalta. He said as long as the prescribed dosage is taken over the course of the day, it shouldn't matter. It would stand to reason that if the dose is spread out for more consistent coverage, it may lessen the roller coaster effect of the drug. Will try it this weekend and let you know how it turns out. Nothing else worth mentioning at this time......

Another good day....
Watchdog

[watchdog]

Hi guys....
Been a long weekend, but things are relatively stable. Have been having a bad time with itching again. The benadryl seems to have been a temporary fix, at least for now. Has been bad enough at times, she is developing a rash of sorts. State of mind wise, things seem to be looking up. She has also been experiencing the "flu-like" symptoms as of late. Will keep you posted.

Watchdog

[Elaine]

My psychiatrist did suggest splitting the dosage so as to lessen the symptoms of withdrawal. He said to take some at the regular breakfast time and then the remainder about 6 hours later but not later than 1 pm or sleep might be impaired by it.
Some websites that contain information I have found useful are www.pointofreturn.com, www.theroadback.com and www.truehope.com and www.nativeremedies.com. You can look at these sites and see if any of them look like a good fit for your wife. I pondered and researched for some time then picked what I felt best about and am about to begin a program.
Thank you for posting your wife's experience. You are a gem to take such good care of her.

Elaine

[watchdog]

Back again-
Things seem to be stable for the time being, with the exception of the rash from the incessant itching. She is going to the M/doc today to see if some relief is available for the itching. The Benadryl is very temporary, and the topical stuff like cortizone basically has little if any effect. Was talking with a friend ER Doc who suggested steroids, but recanted at the mention of cymbalta...... he said one must be very careful when taking virtually any meds, as one could quite literally "go crazy"..... great. Anyway, will let you know what the doc says this AM (can hardly wait).... will be attempting another 10mg drop this weekend.

Hang in there.....
Watchdog

[watchdog]

Hi again.....
Sorry, have been extremely busy. Anyway, made the drop to 60mg a couple of days ago. So far so good. The last time my wife was at 60mg, she thought she had literally caught on fire. At that time, she had run out of the 30mg capsules, so she thought she could just drop to 60mg overnight (from 90mg). Not so! Too much, too soon. The tapering process seems to be the ticket with cymbalta (most cases). Still no word on the itching.... the M/docs are of little use. Stopped the B12 supplement to see if it is causing the rash. Her eyes look better now.... seem clearer and more "alive" looking. Sounds kind of silly, but it is noticeable. She still has a rough time in the morning, muscle pain, and shakiness. After she gets up, things improve throughout the day... it helps to be fully engaged in work (or) to keep ones mind focused. Flu symptoms have abated for now. Will check in later for any updates as they occur, but for now, things are relatively stable (thank God).

Watchdog

[watchdog]

PS;

Just a side note....... my wife has been drinking Gatorade (the original), and whether it is chemical, or psychological, it seems to be making a difference in the way she feels. I would say it gives her a lift emotionally, and a little more energy. Nothing scientific, but hey, anything that helps you get through this ordeal.........

Watchdog

[watchdog]

Update....
Still at 60mg. Will probably stay there for one more week (total of two) to let things settle down. The two week regimen seems to be working for her so far, with a minimal (tolerable) level of symptoms. The energy level is picking up.... not sleeping for hours and hours, only to be exhausted. I have to get her going in the mornings, as she is shaky and sore from the muscle tremors during the night. Once she is up and running, things tend to "normalize". Daily intake is currently cymbalta 60mg., 1000mg fish oil, 1000mg flaxseed oil, as much Gatorade and water as she can stand. Again, this seems to be working for her (at this time).

Watchdog

[watchdog]

Check in time-
Everything has been somewhat stable over the past 10 days or so. My wife wanted to postpone another drop in the dosage as we have a relative that will be passing away soon. She was fearing that she may become "depressed" over the upcoming event. She has since decided that she still wants off this drug as soon as possible, so we will be staying with what is currently working.... 2 weeks between 10mg drops. Will be going to 50mg this weekend. Will let you know how this goes.

Take care
Watchdog

[watchdog]

Jeannette Cain, on 02 September 2010 - 01:48 PM, said:

I was on Cymbalta for about 8 months and had gotten up to 90 mg for 3 or 4 months. I just found that it's not helping me at all and it would make me have bad thoughts, like wanting to end my life and always depressed. So I started to get off it slowly. It took me about 3 weeks to decide to just stop it.... Well, for the past 8 days I have been so dizzy and nausea, just like having the flu. I really thought I had the flu but reading all the side effects I figured out that it must be from stopping the Cymbalta. I don't know how long this will last, like I said I have been like this for 8 days. Does anyone know how long you have these symptoms? Thanks for all the informations you put out there for everyone that has questions.

Thanks.
Jeannette

Jeanette-

My wife went thought the same thing as she started to detox from the cymbalta. Lots of fluids, she drinks the green Gatorade with lots of water in between. She also takes omega3 fish oil, as well as flaxseed oil. this seems to help keep her head clear. I know several people have used Dramamine to help with the nausea. The problem with the cymbalta issue, is that not everyone reacts the same to the drug, or the weaning process. It does seem that the best way to get off the cymbalta is a slow controlled withdrawl, rather than quickly getting off of it. Your brain needs time to deal with the reduced dosage of the drug. The symptoms you described are very common, and will subside with time.

Hope this is of some help
Watchdog

[watchdog]

Jeannette Cain, on 02 September 2010 - 05:04 PM, said:

That was encouraging to hear, Thanks so much. I really thought I had the flu, but this has been going on for 8 days and I thought about the Cymbalta and it hit me, this may be the reason I am feeling like this. I ran across all you conversations to other people and it made me realized that it's the Symbalta affect of getting off it. I will go and get me some Gatorade and my husband already has omega3 fish oil and flaxseed oil. I will give that a try and hope to feel better soon. Thanks for people like you that help others....

Hope your wife gets to feel back to normal soon.

Thanks for the help.
Jeannette

Jeanette-

No problem. Anytime I can be of service, let me know. If I had not experienced all this first hand, I would never have believed what is going on here. Your symptoms will subside over time, but be aware, as you detox (lower dosage), they will re-occur in varying intensity. The trick we have learned thus far, is to get to a level that is relatively stable, then make a reduction. After that levels out, start over again. The bad part is, you know it will not be pleasant, but eventually you can get away from this terrible drug. Depending on what you needed an anti-depressant for, you may or may not need something to take the place of cymbalta. After this ordeal, I am sure you will be much better educated, and will be able to make in informed decision with a health care professional on which course of action to take.

Take care, and good luck on your quest!

Watchdog

[mojo]

Hi Watchdog,
It is so interesting to read your story and hear about how you take care of your wife. She is lucky to have you looking for her. I have been on Cymbalta for six to seven years and the last time I tried to withdraw it was a disaster. My story is posted under the heading of Almost died from Cymbalta. I ended up in the mental hospital three times when I was trying to withdraw from Cymbalta. The first time I checked myself in and the other two were from suicide attempts. I totally empathize with your wife and the suicidal thoughts because this is something I have never felt before until my brain became so muddled from withdrawals and then doctors adding in other drugs. I did notice in the behavioral health center that they seem to want to put you on more and more drugs. The drugs I took during that time were Lexapro, Ativan, Synthroid, Klonopin, Neurontin, Ambien, Lunesta, Serroquel(another anti-psychotic drug from hell), Trazadone, Torodol, and Ritalin. The very first thing they did was to put me right back onto the Cymbalta. None of the doctors in the psychiatric hospital believed I could have had that bad of withdrawals from the Cymbalta. I get so angry when I think about that whole time. It was two years ago, and now I am suffering from a lot of gastrointestinal issues, and so am wanting to get off of the Cymbalta. I have tapered down to 40 mgs. and am going to go very slowly. For me the worst part in the past was when I went off the 20 mgs. of Cymbalta in one day and the next day took Lexapro instead. For me this obviously didn't work as I pretty much went totally crazy. I has taken Lexapro in the past and it was fine so I thought it would work. Anyway, I will keep checking on your wife's progress and wish you both the best.

[watchdog]

mojo, on 04 September 2010 - 02:24 PM, said:

Hi Watchdog,
It is so interesting to read your story and hear about how you take care of your wife. She is lucky to have you looking for her. I have been on Cymbalta for six to seven years and the last time I tried to withdraw it was a disaster. My story is posted under the heading of Almost died from Cymbalta. I ended up in the mental hospital three times when I was trying to withdraw from Cymbalta. The first time I checked myself in and the other two were from suicide attempts. I totally empathize with your wife and the suicidal thoughts because this is something I have never felt before until my brain became so muddled from withdrawals and then doctors adding in other drugs. I did notice in the behavioral health center that they seem to want to put you on more and more drugs. The drugs I took during that time were Lexapro, Ativan, Synthroid, Klonopin, Neurontin, Ambien, Lunesta, Serroquel(another anti-psychotic drug from hell), Trazadone, Torodol, and Ritalin. The very first thing they did was to put me right back onto the Cymbalta. None of the doctors in the psychiatric hospital believed I could have had that bad of withdrawals from the Cymbalta. I get so angry when I think about that whole time. It was two years ago, and now I am suffering from a lot of gastrointestinal issues, and so am wanting to get off of the Cymbalta. I have tapered down to 40 mgs. and am going to go very slowly. For me the worst part in the past was when I went off the 20 mgs. of Cymbalta in one day and the next day took Lexapro instead. For me this obviously didn't work as I pretty much went totally crazy. I has taken Lexapro in the past and it was fine so I thought it would work. Anyway, I will keep checking on your wife's progress and wish you both the best.

Mojo-

Wow! Sounds like you went through the same thing my wife did at the behavioral unit. They had her prescribed on 8 different meds.... 3 of which were anti-psychotics. I did some research and found major conflicts with several of them. I called the psych doc out on this, and his response was "oops, I'm glad you caught that"! Incredible. In the world of psychiatry, apparently anything goes. There is no accountability for any mis-diagnosis, or prescribing the wrong meds. Good luck on your detox from cymbalta.... I really wish everyone well doing this.

Watchdog

[mojo]

Hey, how is your wife doing now? It is nice to have found this forum. My mom keeps telling me I should have a doctor helping me withdraw from this, but to me, the doctors did alot more harm than good. It is amazing how they hand these drugs out like candy. I just looked up drug interactions between Trazadone and Cymbalta, which I take now, and it said there is a major interaction. I need the Trazadone right now to deal with the insomnia from withdrawing from Cymbalta. A year ago I was on Ritalin for three months to help wake me up in the morning after taking the Trazadone! Uppers, downers, anything goes with these doctors. Also when I had a major bad reaction to Serroquel, which is an anti psychotic drug used to help with sleep, the doctor told me to just keep taking it! He said it had minimal side effects and couldn't be causing my problems. It's pretty sad when you go into the psych hospital to get help and then end up worse off afterward.

[watchdog]

mojo, on 08 September 2010 - 03:43 PM, said:

Hey, how is your wife doing now? It is nice to have found this forum. My mom keeps telling me I should have a doctor helping me withdraw from this, but to me, the doctors did alot more harm than good. It is amazing how they hand these drugs out like candy. I just looked up drug interactions between Trazadone and Cymbalta, which I take now, and it said there is a major interaction. I need the Trazadone right now to deal with the insomnia from withdrawing from Cymbalta. A year ago I was on Ritalin for three months to help wake me up in the morning after taking the Trazadone! Uppers, downers, anything goes with these doctors. Also when I had a major bad reaction to Serroquel, which is an anti psychotic drug used to help with sleep, the doctor told me to just keep taking it! He said it had minimal side effects and couldn't be causing my problems. It's pretty sad when you go into the psych hospital to get help and then end up worse off afterward.

Thanks for asking! She is relatively stable for the time being, having dropped from 90mg to 60mg. She is ready to drop to 50mg, but has been postponing it due to the imminent death of her mother. She doesn't want to chance an anxiety attack or (?) during this time. Both of us agree she needs to get off this drug asap, but she needs to do it at a pace she is comfortable with. So far, a 10mg drop every two weeks seems to be working without an intolerable amount of W/D symptoms. They are all present, but livable. The fluids (Gatorade and lots of water) are very important, and the omega3 fish oil/flaxseed oil seems to help with the brain fog. Rest is a biggie. Anyway, we are kind of in a holding pattern until this family event passes. Will keep you posted.

Thanks again,
Watchdog

[watchdog]

Sorry.... have been tied up with m/in/law's illness and imminent passing. Still holding at 60mg because of the current circumstances. My wife had an anxiety attack the day before yesterday, but was able to control it with a Valium and breathing/calming exercise. The episode lasted about 10-15 minutes, but all is well. She was able to detect the attack coming on, and was able to mentally brace herself for it. This was far and away better than open panic without direction. Other than the previous, things are as stable as one could expect given the current events.
Will stay in touch......

Watchdog

[mojo]

Hi Watchdog,
It sounds like your wife is in about the same place that I am. I have been on 40 mg. for two weeks and am holding there for a bit since I am having surgery tomorrow and don't want to stress my body too much. I have been having bad stomach pain and nausea and they are removing a cystic ovary and doing a search for anything else, but I do wonder if it could be the Cymbalta. I know that nausea is one of the most common side effects. I really worry about what it is doing to my liver also since they have had alot of liver problems that are from this. Are you counting the little balls in the capsules to do the 10 % drops? I don't think I want to do such big drops next time, so please let me know what you are doing.

[watchdog]

mojo, on 12 September 2010 - 01:23 PM, said:

Hi Watchdog,
It sounds like your wife is in about the same place that I am. I have been on 40 mg. for two weeks and am holding there for a bit since I am having surgery tomorrow and don't want to stress my body too much. I have been having bad stomach pain and nausea and they are removing a cystic ovary and doing a search for anything else, but I do wonder if it could be the Cymbalta. I know that nausea is one of the most common side effects. I really worry about what it is doing to my liver also since they have had alot of liver problems that are from this. Are you counting the little balls in the capsules to do the 10 % drops? I don't think I want to do such big drops next time, so please let me know what you are doing.

Mojo-
Have not been counting balls at this time..... we have been dropping 10mg every two weeks (until now) with good results. The most common problem/symptom she is having to deal with is itching. Some days are better than others, some days she will actually develop a "rash" because the itching is so bad. The flu-like symptoms come and go. there does not seem to be any reason or cause that makes them better, or worse. I have read that the lower the dosage gets, the more w/d effects show. We have not had a problem with this yet, but are still at 60mg. Will more than likely drop to 50mg next week (after m-in-law passing). My wife is unaware of the symptoms being more prevalent as the dosage drops (she doesn't want to know), so I can report her progress without any preconceived notions. Will report back as things progress. As far as the nausea goes, several over the counter meds are available for nausea and or motion sickness. I have heard good reports from their use. My wife refuses to take anything, as she does not want to add any meds whatsoever. It is difficult to chart this for others, as everyone seems to respond to the detoxing differently. All we can do is try what has worked for others, and give it a go.

Take care
Watchdog