HELP? ANYONE?

#1 MaureenV

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LocationMelbourne, Australia
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Am trying to get off Cymbalta 30mg and wondering about brain zaps.

Posted 12 February 2010 - 04:59 PM

julie, on 12 February 2010 - 03:18 PM, said:

SO IVE BEEN TAKING CYMBALTA FOR ABOUT 3YEARS NOW AND I JUST QUIT TAKING THEM BECAUSE I DONT THINK I NEED THEM ANYMORE. I WENT ON THEM BECAUSE OF A STUPID EX-BOYFRIEND AND IM NOT WITH HIM ANYMORE. BUT ANOTHER REASON IS BECAUSE IM SOOOOO TIRED ALL THEM TIME SINCE IVE BEEN ON THEM. IM 21YRS OLD SHOULD BE GOING OUT BUT INSTEAD I RATHER JUST SLEEP I NEVER USE TO BE LIKE THIS UNTIL I GOT ON THIS CRAP. NOW IM TRYING TO GET OFF THEM AND I JUST QUIT TAKING THEM ABOUT 4 DAYS AGO AND NOW IM JUST FEELING REALLY LIGHT HEADED AND I CANT FOCUS ON ANYTHING.... HERES MY ? WHEN IS THIS FEELING GOING TO STOP. AND HOW LONG WILL THIS TAKE TO GO AWAY?

Hi Julie,

Cymbalta is a drug which shouldn't be cut out suddenly - which is made clear in the information you get with the prescription. Your body has adapted to the drug in your system and it needs to be removed slowly.

regards, Maureen.

You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.

#2 Junior

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LocationMelbourne, Australia
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I am a sufferer of depression and GAD. After 20 years of suffering with undiagnosed GAD (to be fair to the medical profession, it wasn't in the DSM back then) I stumbled upon Aropax following a bout of depression. Having had the therapy I badly needed at the time, I came good and did well on Aropax for 11 years. Last year I started having difficulty with sleeping and thought I was suffering the poop out effect, so I switched to Lexapro. A few months later I realised it was causing me more problems than it was solving so my GP agreed to give me a referral to a psychiatrist - so we could work out the best medicine for me. Nearly 3 weeks on Cymbalta and I've stopped already. I've had restlessness, increased insomnia (I now recognise that there is more to that), an inability to concentrate (the opposite of the real me) and nausea. I want to converse with others who are going through the same issues with medication.

Posted 12 February 2010 - 06:41 PM

Hi Julie

Maureen is right. You can't (or shouldn't) just stop taking a drug like Cymbalta. It has altered the way your brain works and by going cold turkey, you are throwing your brain into chaos. It is far better to taper slowly.

Also, this really should be done under a dr's supervision.

Cheers
Junior

#3 nursedeborah

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I am reallly trying to get off Cymbalta, and not having, well I am having nightmares even with the decreased does, and clanging in my head.

I just found this site, and I really need help, I can't do this, I fear I willl never get off this brutal medication.

Deboreah Wesson

Posted 13 February 2010 - 03:29 PM

julie, on 12 February 2010 - 03:18 PM, said:

Julie,
No one is to ever just stop these meds, even other meds cold turkey!
It has only been 4 day's, but I can only tell you what I have had
happen to me, what I have read, seen here, and elsewhere.

Number one your brain is addicted to this drug, yes it's just as bad
as coming off of Oxycotin or Heroin, but they have not yet come up
a detox protocol, and one needs to be made. I am in recovery from
heavy duty drugs, street, and other wise, and this made getting off
them easy! It was about 7-10 days, and then I was done, not so with
this drug. There are a few other's, but at this time they are saying
this is the hardest one to get off of.

It can take from 6 mo to 2 years or longer for the symptoms to stop,
and we are seeing permanate damage for some who have taken it. I have
recently been diagnoised with a form of "Sleep Apnea" where my brain
no longer sends the message for me to take a breath!!! This alone can
cause many of the same symptoms as the withdrawls!!!! I also have RSD,
which is so very painful, some get it in their arms, legs, hips, backs.

All I am saying is to be open to getting off this drug in a way that will
stopp all the madness, allow you to keep functioning, and be in control
of you withdrawl symptoms.

My bead count is already out there, but if you need it just ask.

Debbie

Four Dont's

Don't hurry. Your going to live for ever---somewhere. IN fact, you are in eternity now;so why rush!
Don't Worry. You belong to God, and God id Love; so why fret?
Don't Condemn. As you cannot get under the other fellow's skin, you cannot possibly know what difficulities he has had to meet-Your are not perfect yourself and might be much worse in his shoes.
Don't Resent. If wrong has been done, the Great Law will surley take care of it. Rise up in consciousness and set both yourself and the delinquent free. Forgiveness is the strongest medicine.

#4 nursedeborah

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Group: Members
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Joined: 18-August 09
why_joining:
I am reallly trying to get off Cymbalta, and not having, well I am having nightmares even with the decreased does, and clanging in my head.

I just found this site, and I really need help, I can't do this, I fear I willl never get off this brutal medication.

Deboreah Wesson

Posted 13 February 2010 - 03:36 PM

Kaitlyn, on 12 February 2010 - 04:52 PM, said:

Hi Julie. I'm sorry about what you're experiencing. While I cannot answer either of your questions, if it's financially possible for you and if you have the patience, I would suggest slowing tapering your dosage. 60 mg has 540 beads.

In another thread a very helpful nursedeborah posted the bead count:

60 mg = 540 beads
30 mg = 270 beads
20 mg = 180 beads
10 mg = 90 beads
5 mg = 45 beads
1 mg = 9 beads

I take out an additional 5 each night (5 the first night, 10 the second, and so on), but I know there are some people here who decrease 1 mg per every 2 weeks (so we're talking 1 or 2 beads a night).

Take care of yourself.

Katlin,
Hope I spelled that right. I just have a question?
How is it going with your added removal at night?
How long have you been doing this?

The reason I ask is that by what you saying, or so it sounds to this very confused brain
is that your going down 35 in 7 days, that's just really fast, but if you have been doing
this for months, and your ok, that's great!

Debbie