[sstanley77]

Hello I am new to this I was on 60mg of cymbalta for 1 year and I came of this I think in the wrong way my pychiatrist told me just to stay on the 60 mg for one more week and then go on to 30 mg every 2nd day and then stop. I wanted to come off this as I was having dreadful nightmares where I felt like I could not sleep.

Now I have vertigo where I am feeling dizzy all the time.

Does anyone have any symptons like this and what did they do?

Cheers

[MaureenV]

Hi Sstanley77,

You'll find if you read through the posts that your doctor is wrong.

Have a look through some of the threads and you'll find that the only way to safely get off Cymbalta is by tapering slowly. You can open and divide the contents of the capsule to do this - the beads are slow release so it's important to take them inside some sort of capsule if you can.

Do you have sufficient Cymbalta to do a slow (daily)wean?


Maureen.

[nursedeborah]

sstanley77 said:

Hello I am new to this I was on 60mg of cymbalta for 1 year and I came of this I think in the wrong way my pychiatrist told me just to stay on the 60 mg for one more week and then go on to 30 mg every 2nd day and then stop. I wanted to come off this as I was having dreadful nightmares where I felt like I could not sleep.

Now I have vertigo where I am feeling dizzy all the time.

Does anyone have any symptons like this and what did they do?

Cheers

stanley77,
Maureen gave you the right info!!! Doctor's do not know anything about this
drug, side effects, or how to titrate a person off of it. They have no idea that
the brain is addicted to this drug, just like a junkie to their drugs.

He is having you do what it say not to do on the bottle, and that's stop it
cold turkey! That's why your having the symptoms your having.

Here is a site with the withdrawls symptoms http:www.prozactruth.com/cymbalta.htn
Get a copy of this, and the other FDA report that's here, also there is a great new post
and I went to it, and it really has some starling information about this crap.
Take all of these to your doctor. We are all teaching out doc's about this drug.

Take a 30 mg, and see what happens, the symptoms will stop right away, or a day or
two.

Also I had the sleep problem, and nightmares too, and so much more.

I also would have your blood pressure checked as your's maybe up, and that's why your
dizzy. When coming off this drug people do tend to get a much higher blood pressure.
It also is a withdrawl symptom, dizziness, vertigo.

You also may want to look up vertigo, as most people don't reallt know what that is.

Debbie

[ladesco]

i've gone down from 60mg daily to 30mg every other day; i had about 5 good days, and the vertigo set it. so, now i'm doing 15mg today. i will see if i can do every other day... just trying to get past the "dizzies" and brainshakes. i bought a bag of empty gel capsules, must have been 1000 for about $5 on ebay, but can also be found at herb shops. i have a mo of 30mg/daily that should stretch over two months, maybe more. good luck everyone. i'll be back to the site to let you all know if i can get off the 15mg easily.

this is the worst experience of my life! good luck everyone.

[nursedeborah]

ladesco said:

i've gone down from 60mg daily to 30mg every other day; i had about 5 good days, and the vertigo set it. so, now i'm doing 15mg today. i will see if i can do every other day... just trying to get past the "dizzies" and brainshakes. i bought a bag of empty gel capsules, must have been 1000 for about $5 on ebay, but can also be found at herb shops. i have a mo of 30mg/daily that should stretch over two months, maybe more. good luck everyone. i'll be back to the site to let you all know if i can get off the 15mg easily.

this is the worst experience of my life! good luck everyone.

Ladesco,
Welcome
I'll let someone else explain all the stuff about the brain to you, but I will tell you
what you doing is NOT THE WAY TO COME OFF THIS DRUG!!!!!

Onething is your brain is addicted to this drug!!!!

You have decreased way to fast too! Going down to fast, alternating is all just
making your brain more confused, and wanting the drug even more to try to get
back into a normal balance.

The best thing to do is just to go back on the 60 mg, and start decreasing the
dose by 10% every 2 weeks is what has been taught to us, but someone new has
posted a every week method if your interested, I can give you that?

Please read several posts about what we all have been going throug, and doing
so you will get an idea of what this is all about.

Some of the others will give you more detailed info on the brain, and stuff,
I just woke up.

Here is the site with all the withdrawls http://prozactruth.com/cymbalta.htm

Debbie

[MaureenV]

ladesco said:

i've gone down from 60mg daily to 30mg every other day; i had about 5 good days, and the vertigo set it. so, now i'm doing 15mg today. i will see if i can do every other day... just trying to get past the "dizzies" and brainshakes. i bought a bag of empty gel capsules, must have been 1000 for about $5 on ebay, but can also be found at herb shops. i have a mo of 30mg/daily that should stretch over two months, maybe more. good luck everyone. i'll be back to the site to let you all know if i can get off the 15mg easily.

this is the worst experience of my life! good luck everyone.

Whatever you do, the least 'upsetting' for your brain is to take SOME dose every day, whatever that dose may be.

This drug doesn't last in your body for 48 hours, so there's no logic to the 'stretching it out' system.

If you're determined to tough it out, that's up to you, but as Debbie says, you need to take the dose that alleviates the symptoms (although I personally think you may now be able to do just 30mg a day before tapering) then take a consistent dose every day.

I managed to mostly avoid the withdrawal symptoms doing a 10 week wean from 20mg. I was incorrectly trying to take 30mg every second day.


Maureen.

[nursedeborah]

ladesco said:

i've gone down from 60mg daily to 30mg every other day; i had about 5 good days, and the vertigo set it. so, now i'm doing 15mg today. i will see if i can do every other day... just trying to get past the "dizzies" and brainshakes. i bought a bag of empty gel capsules, must have been 1000 for about $5 on ebay, but can also be found at herb shops. i have a mo of 30mg/daily that should stretch over two months, maybe more. good luck everyone. i'll be back to the site to let you all know if i can get off the 15mg easily.

this is the worst experience of my life! good luck everyone.

ladesco,
Just checking in on you, and wondering what you did plan to do, or
what dose to start on, and star a slow wean.

Please get back to us, we do care,and want very much to help you
and support you during this time.

Dbbie

[nursedeborah]

Vickie, on 02 December 2009 - 10:58 PM, said:

I have been off Cymbalta for 2 weeks and still having veritgo, irritability and feel like I drank 8 cups of coffee...hang in there...hope it goes away soon. I had worse side effects while I was on it...wansn't sure what it was at first...high blood pressure, low pulse and shortness of breath...anxiety attact feelings...I was in the hospital for 2 days trying to figure out what was wrong with me...everything came back normal but high cholestoral...I think it was side effects of Cymbalta so I went off.

Vickie,
First off how did you come off Cymbalta, cold turkey? How long, and
what dose were you on? I too had the same crap while I was on the med,
but I never once thought it was the Cymbalta, that took me having my
dose cut in half, and then 6 days latter all hell broke loose. The
nightmares, sweating, abdominal pain, and so much more. Then I really
realized alll this time what had been wrong with me was the Cymbalta!

I called my dos, and he said it was not the med so just go back to my
regular dose, and then the symptoms stopped in a few days, but I was
still not right at all, and I knew it. I was so damaged by this drug.

Here is the site for alll the withdrawl symptoms http://prozactruth.com/cymbalta.htm
When I went there, that's when I realized that the way I had been feeling for 3 years
on this drug matched the withdrawls. I was suffering from PTSD so bad at the time I
was just not trusting my own gut! yet deep inside I knew something was wrong with me!!

All I can say is that if you stopped cold turkey is to get back on this crap ASAP,
and then do what we have learned how to do here a very slow wean.

Let us know how you are. Always here to support.

Debbie

[Junior]

This country? Not all of us here are from the same country.

As far as withdrawal symptoms, I'm afraid doctors (generally, and from all western countries) don't know much, if at all, about it. They all seem to think that once the drug is out of our body that we shouldn't be experiencing any symptoms. What the drug companies don't tell them is that the brain itself can take quite a while (it varies, some have few problems, others can take months, even a couple of years) to return to its normal way of functioning irrespective of how long the drug has been out of our system.

Cheers
Junior

[DuneAlia]

Delete my account.

[Junior]

That's interesting. I didn't have brain zaps but when my nervous system was at its most hypersensitive, alcohol made it worse!!!!

Junior

[Junior]

Hi Rose

Dizziness is definitely a withdrawal symptom. The tiredness could be, although I'm not sure.

What dose were you on and how quickly did you come off?

Junior

[nursedeborah]

rose1, on 15 January 2010 - 07:18 AM, said:

Hi,
Can anyone tell me if they feels really heavy and sleepy around the eyes as well as having dizziness. I have had plenty sleep but feel so,so tired. Don't know whether this is another withdrawal symptom or not but feel awful.

Rose,
Both are sings and symptoms of withsrawls, look up this site it's the greasest
http:/www.prozac.com/cymbalta.htm

I had many of these even while on the drug

The beat way to wean off this drug is to just tke 10 beads out every 2 weeks
and if you fell like you can function prettu good, then just keep doing this
until your off.

I don't know how to got off of this drug, what dose you were on, and how fast
it took you, but this is the best way known to do the slow weaning process.

One can also add Prozac 20 mg if the withdrawls are to intense, and also reduce
the numbe of beads to only 5 per 2 weeks.

If you need help just let me know.

Goor Luck,
Debbie

I have 35 beads to go after being on 60 mg for 3 1/2 years, and sarted my weaning
process on Aug 31, 09

[nursedeborah]

Maureen, on 23 January 2010 - 02:55 PM, said:

Hi,
I was up to 60 mg. of Cymbalta and then terrible dizziness started when I got up one day. I couldn't walk from room to room.
We weren't sure if it was the Cymbalta but my doctor told me to decrease it to 40 for five days and then to 20 and
add 5 mg of Lexapro. This is the second day I've been on the 20 but the dizziness is the same as when it first
happened. I'm hoping this is some sort of a virus. I will be going off of it for good and switching to Lexapro.
I really hope this dizziness stops.
Maureen

Maurene,
I hate to be the one to tell you, but doctor's don't know anything about this drug!
You can't decrease it that fast! They are not at fault, but have not been informed
of all the side effects/withdrawls by the pharm rep's, and they know all about them.

We have all ended up here because of the way your describing, and even worse, and it
will get worse, as it still has not been that many days, it is usually around the
6 th day that it really gets horrible for the majority of people that have come here.


Here is the site with the withdrawls, but for me I had many of these things while on
the drug. Please read it, it will lso help you very much as your getting off this stuff
to know it's the drug, and what it's doing, that you should have certain things checked
out by your doctor just to make sure.

http://www.prozac.com/cymbalta.htm

Also look back and find the FDA reprot too, and print these for your doctor. He will still
not know how to detox you off this drug, but we are teaching our doctor's all about this, and
they, mine knows what I am doing, so keeps me supplied with the Cymbalta so I can do the very
slow wean.

Prozac 20 mg daily is the drug of choice to help with the withdrawls, not lexapro, it's just
another one that's hard to get off of, as is Effexor, it's #2.

What we all learned here was to just take what ever dose your on, and start taking 10 beads
out evey 2 weeks, until your done. Some buy the clear gelatin caps at health food stores, or
online. I just got my doctor to give me 30 mg, and 20 mg for awhile, and when I got down to
20 mg just kept getting those.

Here is the bead count:

60 mg = 540
30 mg = 370
20 mg = 180
10 mg = 90
5 mg = 45
1 mg = 9

Wow it's been awhile since I have done that. Funny it will be in my head for the rest of my
life I guess.

I can't tell you what to do, you have to make you own decision. Read several posts, and hear
what it's like for so many that have been through this already. My story starts backs in Aug
around the 31 of 2009, there are lot's of us on there at that time really suffering.

It is the best way to get off of this drug, and your in control of it too! You can always add
a few beads if it's still to hard.

I wish you felt better, I so remember the day I was right where you are, and never thought I
would make it. You will do it by using this method the easiest way, and be able to function.
The way your doc has you doing it, well I would make him do it that way. I still have withdrawl
symptoms, and I AM DOWN TO 35 beads, and was told I have sleep apnea as of last Friday, both
kinds, No I don't doubt for one minute it was from CYMBALTA!


Debbie

[Junior]

Maureen, on 23 January 2010 - 02:55 PM, said:

Hi,
I was up to 60 mg. of Cymbalta and then terrible dizziness started when I got up one day. I couldn't walk from room to room.
We weren't sure if it was the Cymbalta but my doctor told me to decrease it to 40 for five days and then to 20 and
add 5 mg of Lexapro. This is the second day I've been on the 20 but the dizziness is the same as when it first
happened. I'm hoping this is some sort of a virus. I will be going off of it for good and switching to Lexapro.
I really hope this dizziness stops.
Maureen

Hi Maureen

Just wondering, why are you looking at going on to another drug? Do you really feel that you need something? I'm asking because it seems that almost ALL modern a/ds are hard to come off.

How long have you been on Cymbalta and, if you dont mind me asking, why were you put on it?

Just some thoughts
Junior

[Junior]

Hi Angela

Your DR is wrong. The 'every other day' thing doesnt' work - as you've found out. You are asking your body to withdraw then reintroduce the same medication. That is why you've been having these problems. The way to get off Cymbalta (all a/ds actually) is to wean slowly. By that I mean reducing in 10% increments and waiting 3-6 weeks for any wdl effects to settle before reducing again.

I am not a Dr but from what I've read here and at another forum, I would recommend getting back on the 60mg, waiting until the current wdl symptoms subside, then reducing the dose to say, 50mg. You may need to open the capsule and count beads but I'll have to leave it to someone else to explain what bead count = what dose as I didn't do it that way. (I was an idiot and went c/t.)

Good luck
Junior

[MoonDancer]

Hi,

I have been reading your comments and right at this moment I have a ringing in my ears, lightheaded, sick to my stomach, virtigo. I have been on 60 mg of Cymbaltia for over a year. Last week I went to a new Dr. and she took me off Cymbaltia and put me on 300 mg of welbutrium. I feel like I need to be locked up. From what everyone is telling me I need to get my script refilled for the Cymbaltia and start taking it again to make all of this go away and call my Dr. and tell her what this has done to me.

Gwen


Gwen,
If she did not taper you down off the Cymbalta and added Wellbutrin to it you are having severe interactions of the 2 medications. Its making you sick. You need to get this taken care of immediately.

[krisann]

nursedeborah, on 15 November 2009 - 12:04 PM, said:

stanley77,
Maureen gave you the right info!!! Doctor's do not know anything about this
drug, side effects, or how to titrate a person off of it. They have no idea that
the brain is addicted to this drug, just like a junkie to their drugs.

He is having you do what it say not to do on the bottle, and that's stop it
cold turkey! That's why your having the symptoms your having.

Here is a site with the withdrawls symptoms http:www.prozactruth.com/cymbalta.htn
Get a copy of this, and the other FDA report that's here, also there is a great new post
and I went to it, and it really has some starling information about this crap.
Take all of these to your doctor. We are all teaching out doc's about this drug.

Take a 30 mg, and see what happens, the symptoms will stop right away, or a day or
two.

Also I had the sleep problem, and nightmares too, and so much more.

I also would have your blood pressure checked as your's maybe up, and that's why your
dizzy. When coming off this drug people do tend to get a much higher blood pressure.
It also is a withdrawl symptom, dizziness, vertigo.

You also may want to look up vertigo, as most people don't reallt know what that is.

Debbie

Good idea Debbie! I hadn't thought to check my blood pressure! My vertigo comes and goes, and Ive been able to tolerate it with dramamine okay, but Im curious if my blood pressure might be up. I will definately check that out.

KrisAnn

[krisann]

g/wen Thompson, on 15 June 2010 - 07:40 AM, said:

Hi,

I have been reading your comments and right at this moment I have a ringing in my ears, lightheaded, sick to my stomach, virtigo. I have been on 60 mg of Cymbaltia for over a year. Last week I went to a new Dr. and she took me off Cymbaltia and put me on 300 mg of welbutrium. I feel like I need to be locked up. From what everyone is telling me I need to get my script refilled for the Cymbaltia and start taking it again to make all of this go away and call my Dr. and tell her what this has done to me.

Gwen

Gwen,

Wellbutrin has a tendency to "amp" people up sometimes, and it may be increasing anxiety and blood pressure for you. Please see your Doctor for that immediately, if you have not already done so. And let us know how your doing

KrisAnn

[cookie]

Gwen;
Maybe you could go back to cymbalta an wean off slowly

[Adele]

Has nobody ever felt weird going ON Cymbalta rather than off it? I have been on it since February this (60) mg and my doc has just upped me to 90 mg. When going on the drug I got the worst night sweats of my life, and the funny thing is, I've never been a big sweater, but I'd wake up freezing cold from lyin on socking wet sheets...really weird. And the first week I went on it I had such blurry vision and couldn't leave my parnets house for a whole week.
Now that I've decided to come off the drug (I'm convinced it's doing me a whole lot of good, I feel I'd maybe benefit from Psychology sessions to battle deep rooted depression. However, if it is that bad coming off I hate to imagine how it's going to be. But I'm sure it'll be similar to the weird experience I had going on it. I literally looked like I was off my head on drugs, my pupils were huge and my boyfriend had to help me walk around the kitchen as if I were some sort of invalid, lol. It's not a funnt business atall but I have to look at the situation with a little bit of humour because as most of you have mentioned, it really does not tell you anything about the real symptons.

[daisy62]

sstanley77, on 15 November 2009 - 05:20 AM, said:

Hello I am new to this I was on 60mg of cymbalta for 1 year and I came of this I think in the wrong way my pychiatrist told me just to stay on the 60 mg for one more week and then go on to 30 mg every 2nd day and then stop. I wanted to come off this as I was having dreadful nightmares where I felt like I could not sleep.

Now I have vertigo where I am feeling dizzy all the time.

Does anyone have any symptons like this and what did they do?

Cheers