[Cricket]

I'm glad I found these forums - lots of good advice!

I've been on Cymbalta (60mg) for about a year and a half. I had minimal side effects going on the drug or while taking it -- I was on Paxil years ago it was horrid, and Effexor more recently which was the worst drug I've ever taken in my life (side effects were out of this world awful). So, I've actually been relatively pleased with Cymbalta and my depression and anxiety are controllable.

I am having surgery in 3 weeks and will be hospitalized for a couple of days; afterwards, I will be on some heavy pain killers. Since I will be on a heavy pain-killers while hospitalized (self-controlled drip) and I'll generally feel like crud for a week or so anyway (hah!) - I was wondering if this might be a good time to cold-turkey from Cymbalta? Any opinions on this?

I am actually having surgery to remove a large fibroid and unblock both my fallopian tubes in hopes of getting pregnant (my main reason for wanting to get off this drug). I am 39 years old, a bit overweight, but overall pretty healthy. Basically, once I am healed from surgery, we will be trying for pregnancy, so I want to be free from Cymbalta within a few months.

Should I try and wean myself down and then go cold-turkey during my surgery/hospitalization? Or just quit all at once?

My only real side effect with Cymbalta has been dizziness (that I can tell) and that is normally when I am late with my dosage. I've missed a dose here and there and then I feel quite woozy and a little nauseated. I went cold turkey with Effexor because I had every side effect listed and it was just horrible. Withdrawal was bad, but no worse than being on it.

Any opinions/experiences?

Thanks!

[barebones]

Hi im just new here, just thought would tell u how i was on this drug.

I only had one side effect when i first went on it, and that was travel sickness, other than that, i thought it was great, it wasnt until last year i started expeincing some problems when reducing i think. I started getting i thought just the zaps when i missed a doze after a day, but now i know i had more symptoms than i thought, due to i became very ill last year and had some health probs, which i think maybe reducing my anti d at taht time prob contributed in some probs. Now im facing very bad withdrawel coming off cold turkey even though i didnt experience i thought any side effect during being on this drug for 4yrs i think.

I also take another drug which is an anti psychotic which i thought it may of helped coming off this drug past 3 days, it didnt help a bean!

I guess, maybe u could try the cold turkey? see how u go after couple of days, or u wean urself off it, which i started today doing because of having a very bad time, regardless of how bad i feel in health wise, this didnt compare to that and i do have alot of pain.

Guess u should see how it effects u, everyone is diffrent, so u maybe the lucky one.

Good luck with ur operation and that.

xx

[cookie]

Dear Cricket:
Stopping cold turkey might bring horrible withdrawal effects. The ideal thing would be to wean off slowly. You say your operation is in 3 weeks, that is a short time to wean off. (it has taken me 12 weeks to reduce from 60mg to 19mg, and I still have more weeks of weaning to come).
Sounds better to wean than cold turkey.

hugs
Cookie

[Debbie M.]

[quote name='Cricket' date='03 August 2010 - 09:36 AM' timestamp='1280849769' post='14649']
I'm glad I found these forums - lots of good advice!

I've been on Cymbalta (60mg) for about a year and a half. I had minimal side effects going on the drug or while taking it -- I was on Paxil years ago it was horrid, and Effexor more recently which was the worst drug I've ever taken in my life (side effects were out of this world awful). So, I've actually been relatively pleased with Cymbalta and my depression and anxiety are controllable.

I am having surgery in 3 weeks and will be hospitalized for a couple of days; afterwards, I will be on some heavy pain killers. Since I will be on a heavy pain-killers while hospitalized (self-controlled drip) and I'll generally feel like crud for a week or so anyway (hah!) - I was wondering if this might be a good time to cold-turkey from Cymbalta? Any opinions on this?

I am actually having surgery to remove a large fibroid and unblock both my fallopian tubes in hopes of getting pregnant (my main reason for wanting to get off this drug). I am 39 years old, a bit overweight, but overall pretty healthy. Basically, once I am healed from surgery, we will be trying for pregnancy, so I want to be free from Cymbalta within a few months.

Should I try and wean myself down and then go cold-turkey during my surgery/hospitalization? Or just quit all at once?

My only real side effect with Cymbalta has been dizziness (that I can tell) and that is normally when I am late with my dosage. I've missed a dose here and there and then I feel quite woozy and a little nauseated. I went cold turkey with Effexor because I had every side effect listed and it was just horrible. Withdrawal was bad, but no worse than being on it.

Any opinions/experiences?

Thanks!
[quote]

Cricket,


The withdrawal is more than just a physical reaction. It is hard on you psychologically. The ups and downs are the pits and the sudden RAGE is the worst. Some even have suicidal thoughts. While these things disappear over time they can be unbelievable powerful at the time. The crying and rage was the worse for me. But the body aches, pains and heavy menstrual bleeding were of great concern too. Having all that and recovering from surgery just to throw yourself into a hormonal upheaval of pregnancy seem insurmountable.

That being said I understand at your age you want to get things moving along ASAP in the baby department. Now I am not a DOC so take my advise with a grain of salt. Go slow, keep your head sane and wean slowly if you wanted to avoid all withdrawal.

If you were aggressive before surgery with the weaning you could try to time it to be the worst during your moonlighting with your pain meds. But I'm afraid your withdrawal would take at least 3 weeks and you would feel like you were put through the wringer. All that on top of recovering from surgery. Wow, I really can't recommend that. If it got so bad your anesthesiologist may refuse to put you under with your current condition being so fragile. That would be a shame. You must be honest with this doc as it could be the difference between life and death. Even smoking determines the way in which they put you under.

Debbie