[MaureenV]

Mary W, on 03 March 2010 - 01:36 PM, said:

I stopped taking Cymbalta two weeks ago. I ran out of the prescription and had to wait for a mail order supply. The new prescription came in last week, but I felt like I was doing OK without it, so I haven't taken another capsule until today. About a week ago I started with the dreams about awful creatures. This lasted only a few nights. I didn't associate this with Cymbalta withdrawal. I also started the weird ringing in my ears thing. I don't really know how to describe it--it's more like an "eeeek-eeeek-eeeek" noise that just happens periodically rather than ringing. Today, however, I feel like my brain is throbbing, and I feel like I'm drunk. I can't concentrate. I don't want to get dressed to go out. I don't even want to watch TV. All I want to do is spend the day on the computer trying to figure out what's wrong with me and how to get right again.

One of the reasons I didn't want to start back on Cymbalta is that after a few days, I started getting my emotions back. I didn't realize what a cold person I have been while on Cymbalta. I take Cymbalta for Fibromyalgia pain, not for depression, and I was told that if I'm not depressed it would have no impact on my emotional status. Why, then, am I so emotional when I'm off of it? I mean, I cried through last week's episode of "Desparate Housewives!" What's with that?

There's a heightened effect on your emotions as part of Cymbatla withdrawal. The good seems fantastic and the bad seems devastating. It will all get back to an even keel eventually.

You can either tough this out (not even recommended by the drug company) for as many more weeks as it takes for your brain to get back to its pre Cymbalta state, or you can allow your brain to adjust slowly, which is the best way of seeing the weaning.

If you've been off 60mg for a week, you won't need that much to alleviate the symptoms. It's different for everybody, but you can buy empty gelatine capsules to divide your remaining 60mg capsules into ever decreasing doses.

regards, Maureen.

[Mary W]

Thanks, Maureen. I have 30 mg capsules, do you actually count out the contents and put half of them back in the capsule?

I took one capsule yesterday and I am already feeling so much better. The brain zaps are gone and I don't feel drugged this morning. I am going to take just a half dose today. Thanks for your response.

[MaureenV]

Mary W, on 04 March 2010 - 07:27 AM, said:

Thanks, Maureen. I have 30 mg capsules, do you actually count out the contents and put half of them back in the capsule?

I took one capsule yesterday and I am already feeling so much better. The brain zaps are gone and I don't feel drugged this morning. I am going to take just a half dose today. Thanks for your response.

If 15mg is enough for you - great. You may find that now you've taken the 30, you need a bit more.

What I did was buy empty gelatine capsules and visually divide the doses. I had both 60mg and 30mg capsules. You CAN do it visually with the Cymbalta capsules, but they're smaller and harder to see through. A suggestion was made recently here: use the two halves of the capsules and close them with a bit of (eg) bread.

regards, Maureen.