12 replies to this topic

[catastrophe]

First of all, I can't tell you how glad I am to have found this forum. I've been on Cymbalta for a few years and, after reading so many of your posts, things that I've chalked up to side effects of depression I can now attribute to the Cymbalta itself. I recently missed a prescription refill and, as I have had happen in the past, I was immediately met with arm and leg tingling and the dreaded brain zaps. It's like clockwork.

Anyway, in the last few months, I had been considering getting pregnant so I want to get off the drug completely but the vicious brain zaps drive me to take it again. I can live with every other withdrawl symptom but I have a creative job and I really need my mind to work. Can anyone share any remedies or supplements that you would recommend that specifically helped lessen the brain zaps? I've been reading the forum for hours now and found that some people suggested Omega 3 fish oil so that'll be first on my list for tomorrow. I plan to pick up folic acid as well. Did benadryl or motion sickness address the zaps enough that it's worth a try? I'm open to any other natural or non-addictive options.

The more and more I read, the more it confirmed what I already knew. I want off of this. I don't think I can get a fair assessment of my true psychological health until it's out of my system and I'm actually me again.

Thanks for any advice and I'm so glad that I'm not alone in all this.

[catastrophe]

Well, since no one else has posted, I thought I'd share what I'm taking now and how it's going in hopes that it may help someone else.

I've been taking 60mg for at least 5 years. I skipped 3 days of doses and had awful brain zaps and tingling in my arms, hands and right leg. I got my prescription and took my regular dose. The next day, I broke open the pill and split the granules equally into two doses so I'm getting around 30mg. Using some of the advice from this forum, I picked up a good prenatal multivitamin with a lot of folic acid (it was easier than buying two separate pills), omega 3 fish oil capsules, B vitamin complex, and vitamin D3.

Today is the third day of my dosage drop and I have no symptoms of withdrawal. I'm even sleeping better. Right now, my plan is to go a week on 30 mg, then a week of 15 to nothing. If it doesn't work, I'll try 7mg for a week before I go off completely.

We shall see...

[brainzaphell]

I got down to 10mg per day for 1 month. Within 1 day of stopping I started getting the headache. I have had the brain zaps for 8 days now. For some reason, they are barely there in the morning and get worse as the day goes on. Let me know if you find anything to help with them.

THanks

[MoniqueKim]

... I want to get off the drug completely but the vicious brain zaps drive me to take it again ...

Yes, this is me too!

Any luck with the supplements?

[heathermcfeather]

First of all, I can't tell you how glad I am to have found this forum. I've been on Cymbalta for a few years and, after reading so many of your posts, things that I've chalked up to side effects of depression I can now attribute to the Cymbalta itself. I recently missed a prescription refill and, as I have had happen in the past, I was immediately met with arm and leg tingling and the dreaded brain zaps. It's like clockwork.

Anyway, in the last few months, I had been considering getting pregnant so I want to get off the drug completely but the vicious brain zaps drive me to take it again. I can live with every other withdrawl symptom but I have a creative job and I really need my mind to work. Can anyone share any remedies or supplements that you would recommend that specifically helped lessen the brain zaps? I've been reading the forum for hours now and found that some people suggested Omega 3 fish oil so that'll be first on my list for tomorrow. I plan to pick up folic acid as well. Did benadryl or motion sickness address the zaps enough that it's worth a try? I'm open to any other natural or non-addictive options.

The more and more I read, the more it confirmed what I already knew. I want off of this. I don't think I can get a fair assessment of my true psychological health until it's out of my system and I'm actually me again.

Thanks for any advice and I'm so glad that I'm not alone in all this.

I also take a prenatal vitamin as I had a folic acid deficiency. Maybe that's why my first step down hasn't been so bad. I don't know. I was on 60mgs a day for the last 1 1/2 years. I just went down to 30 mgs a day 3 days ago. So far, it hasn't been that bad, but maybe it's the folic acid? IDK, I read Catastrophe's post and thought it sounded about right.

[MoniqueKim]

I also take a prenatal vitamin as I had a folic acid deficiency. Maybe that's why my first step down hasn't been so bad. I don't know. I was on 60mgs a day for the last 1 1/2 years. I just went down to 30 mgs a day 3 days ago. So far, it hasn't been that bad, but maybe it's the folic acid? IDK, I read Catastrophe's post and thought it sounded about right.

I too am taking a prenatal vitamin with EPA and DHA in it along with extra vitamin B-complex and DHA. They seem to be helping.

[chalky02]

How are you doing? Did you successfully wean off? I am down to 30 mg and may try the splitting granules idea to 15 mg per day , then 7 mg per day then
3 or 4 mg per day. I'm taking it slow as I 've been on other antidepressants since 1992 and I feel like a slave to it. If I don't try now I never will.

[Thegoodfight]

I can't tell you all how reassuring it can be at 1am when my body feels like it is self-imploding to find these posts. I was until the last few months, a long-time cymbalta user. After about five years on 60mg/day I decided to start the arduous task of counting out the beads in the capsules to taper off this medication (I'd heard sudden tapering/cessation could be pretty awful). My husband and I were wanting to start a family and I wanted to give the whole natural thing a try.

I felt little to no symptoms during the first 4 months of tapering (I was taking out one bead of 200 everyday). When month 5 rolled around and I was near 25mg/day everything changed. Possibly the much lowered dose wasn't sufficient for my anxious tendancies, but regardless I began having intermittent suicidal ideation and the first (of many to come) brain zaps. I knew that this wasn't the person I was, and so I abruptly discontinued cymbalta althougher.

My doctor suggested that I try Zoloft to help stabilize me, and also noted that if in the future we were still wanting a family, that this medication might be acceptable during pregnancy. The next few weeks went by far better than the ones before, with all my suicidal thoughts gone and my anxiety level restabilizing. I thought I might be out of the woods.

Well think again. It's been three months since I stopped the cymbalta, and I feel like the discontinuation symptoms are just kicking into full gear. While my anxiety has mostly stayed at bay, my occasional brain zaps have morphed into a regular staple before and during my sleep and they have brought their friends, electric body shocks (I've never had a seizure but these things must be close cousins).

Upon relaying these alarming and sometimes frightening occurrences, she suggested getting back onto cymbalta to combat the withdrawal symptoms. Call me crazy, but putting this drug that has been capable of wreaking so much havoc on my body seemed...well CRAZY. Not to mention, this solution just seemed to delay the inevitable withdrawal symptoms I would at some point in the future have to revisit, if I ever wanted completely off of it again.

Present day, I am still battling debilitating symptoms but am hopeful that maybe with more time and some natural remedies that I have yet to try (magnesium, malic acid, omega3s...just to name a few) that I can get through this withdrawal. Again I really do appreciate everyone who put their experiences out there. I hope and pray for everyone that they find their inner peace. Lots of love,

Meredith

[olikunvrhav]

hey girlfriend thanks for sharing. i too noticed that there are different vitamins minerals and herbs that are helpful. i have taken spirilina on and off for over 30 yrs, fiscal difficulties make me sacrifice them in the truly hard times, but i watch enough DrOz to know that they are one of the most crucial building blocks {amino-acids} that we can have in our arsenal.
surely most of us have played with lego = well i beleive that our bodies are constantly rebuilding and reconfiguring, so we learn that the steady breakfast of cinnabons and cigarettes were NOt such a healthy choice when we were younger and invincible; and we learn that we need to rework/rewire/remind ourselves how important WE are...and need to get back to tweaking/pampering/understanding ourselves first = and doing what is GOOD FOR US.
i know MOST medications are stored in fat cells = hence its gonna be fkn "interesting" when we bring that garbage to the fire...or our furnace to burn!!

[plezhelp]

hey...me too - i love the perfect green food! its a good source of B vitamins too...well its All good = google it people. i went back on it 1500/2000 mg first thing when i get up in AM w/ big drink of water; i take it during the day only if i am starting to drag = for me it gives energy so i do not want to disturb my night-time sleeping pattern, so no coffee/caffiene after 12PM, since i allow spirulina only till 4PM i've have noticed my 'napping' has lessened on the spirulina too.
quality sleep is my goal = precious to me, so i am diligent to cultivate habits that help me achieve that. brain zaps are practically nonexistant now...but i have had a good couple of days.
Life is improving, I am improving = i am experiencing more good days than bad right now!
Don't stop fighting people and do NOT give up = Retreat when you need to, and reorganize yrself to best utilize your resources = battles are rarely won in one day.
Que sera sera!

[DonMH]

Try Huperzine-A for the brain zaps. You can get it from Health Food shops. Doctors are beginning to use it in the treatment of Altzheimers.
Hope it helps.
Don

[lovemymocha]

After reading on this site about some of the supplements that people are taking, I went to our local grocery store that has regular and organic/health foods and looked for any kind of product with at least Malic Acid and Manganese in it. I found a product that a woman had ordered specifically for Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms, although she was actually still on it and having the symptoms.  The product not only had those two ingredients, but also B vitamins and other herbal supplements.  It's called Fibro Response and on Amazon had 44 reviews with 34 of them being 5 stars.  The reviews were from people that had fibromyalgia, but I am hoping it will help with the crazy brain zaps.  I will post again after I've taken them for a few days and report any results.  To me, the brain zaps feel like the sound on Law and Order when they show where the next scene is taking place. 

[lovemymocha]

P.S. I was on 60MG for almost 5 years.  I tapered off in a few weeks by reducing the amount of beads by about 10-15 a day.  I had a couple of minor withdrawal symptoms and thought once off of it completely that I would have no more withdrawal symptoms.  Boy was I wrong.