[JRDN]

I have been taking 60mg of Cymbalta daily, for at least 2 years now.

Enough is enough. For roughly 7 years i've been some sort of Anti-depressant or another, I've probably been on 15 different ones.

Basically my psychatrist refused to take me off my medicine (Isn't there a HIPPA oath to help me if I ask you how to end taking this medicine?)

So naturally I told him to ''fuck off'', and my regular doctor now fills my cymbalta perscriptions, but he too is refusing to help me get off this stuff. He spent 5 minutes telling me how wondering this drug is and how people love it and it makes people feel great. Basically a round-about way of telling ME to ''fuck off''.

So I have to do this my self. This is my plan.

I counted every micro-ball inside a 60mg capsule (I counted 202. It's too hard to double count again, it took me like 45 minutes, im not sure why they would put 202 in the pill and not a round 200... maybe I messed up, but oh well)

For one week I took my 60mg pill, but removed 2 balls from each dose.

from my calculations, 202 beads = 60mg.... 2 balls should barely equal 1 mg

So week #1, 2 balls removed..
Week #2, 5 balls removed..
Based on my calculations, I have effectivly reduced my 60mg dose to around 57-58mg

It is thursday, on week #2. On monday, 1 day after starting to reduce my dose by 2 balls to 5 balls... I started to feel withdrawls.

(I couldn't believe it either, a 2mg dosage decrease will trigger withdrawals.)

For about a day I thought I was legitimately sick, my head felt like I had the flu, and I had a crazy stiff neck and migraine. I even threw up at one point (which made me think it was withdrawls, because I had no stomach pain or diarrhea. It wasn't like when you get sick and throw up 3 or 4 times, even if there's nothing in your stomach. My stomach was empty and I threw up one time, and immediately I wasn't nauseous anymore.)

I know what withdrawals feel like. About 3 years ago I tried to go cold turkey off Effexor and lasted for 4 days before I gave in.

So....Im going to press with my weekly 'plan' and next week will remove 10 balls from each pill. (10 balls should be 5% of the normal 60mg doseage)

If I can go from 5 balls removed this week, to 10 balls removed next week, and not have TOO much of an increase of withdrawls... this process is STILL going to take like 20 weeks to complete.

Can someone out there give me some tips? Should I just go cold turkey and stop tommorow?

It almost seems better to have a 3-4 week withdrawl hell, then to have a 5-6 month withdrawl 'mini-hell'

Please, could someone help me. Is every week reducing the dose too quicky? Should I go 2 weeks and then decrease the dose at a bigger rate?

I feel very betrayed. Nobody told me how evil these chemicals are. Nobody told me I would be a slave to a chemical.

Please someone help me. Even kind words of encouragment would be nice

[cookie]

Dear JRDN:
I have been on cymbalta for 5 ½ years. After taking this medicine I became so afraid to take medicines that I don´t even take cold or headaches medicines anymore. I was never told about the side or withdrawal effects of this med.
Yes, I am also told that this is a wonderful drug and makes people feel great. But I have taken it for 5 years, and my life has been in standby.

Concerning tapering. My 60mg pills had 540mg. So it might be produced somewhere else. I have been weaning slowly for a whole year. I´ve had a long list of emotional, and physical symptoms, most of them new and relapse of original symptoms which are way worse than those I felt before the medication. Everyone is different, you have to find the tapering method that works best for you.

Cymbalta did help me at the beginning but after some time, it stopped working. I was mentally stable for a while, but now I have all this physical problems which I didn´t have before the medication. Like hyperthyroidsm, joing pain, etc. Also knew emotional symptoms like rage, problems understanding language or remembering words, etc.

I hope this helped

[mspat08]

Hi JRDN,I think this is the 3rd time around 4 me...trying 2 wean myself off..I started taking them again last yr June2010..started on 30mg then Dr. wanted me 2 go on 60mg which I tried 4 a couple of days but I just decided 2 keep taking 30mg cause I felt so shaky..so I just threw out more or less 1/2 of granules which (to me ) made it 15mg,did this for 1 wk..2nd wk threw out 1/2 once again making it 7 or 7 1/2 mgs..having neck stiffness as well,muscle aches,upset stomach @ times,sometimes I cant remember something that happened a couple of minutes ago,sometimes I can remember things from 30 yrs ago..Odd?confusion...this Monday(Memorial Day) will be 3rd wk of weaning off,will c how that goes..Good luck 2 u, and just hang in there,its different 4 everyone..

[JRDN]

So as an update... this is my plan, and what i've been doing...

I did the calculations... in each 60mg pill is roughly 200 balls/beads.

So 3.3 to 3.4 balls = 1 mg

33 balls = 10 mg
67 balls = 20 mg
100 balls = 30 mg
133 balls = 40 mg
167 balls = 50 mg
200 balls = 60 mg

I am doing this on a weekly basis, every sunday I manipulate my pills for the week ahead.

WEEK 1 - 2 balls removed (less than 1 mg reduction)

WEEK 2 - 5 balls removed (slightly under 2mg reduction)

WEEK 3 - 10 balls removed (3 mg reduction)

** This is where im at right now, my effective dose is currently 57mg per day.I haven't really had much withdrawal effects except the first day of week 2. Effects lasted 1 day, SLIGHT effects the following day, but no withdrawal effects since. (Below is what im planning on doing) **

WEEK 4 - 33 balls removed (effective dose of 50mg down from 57mg)

WEEK 5 - 67 balls removed (effective dose of 40mg)

WEEK 6 - 100 balls removed (effective dose of 30mg)

WEEK 7 - 133 balls removed (effective dose of 20mg)

WEEK 8 - 167 balls removed (effective dose of 10mg)

WEEK 9 - I'll probably reduce to 5mg, instead of a hard drop to zero. If things go good, and I don't experience too much withdrawal, I might just end it here.

If I experience any withdrawals during my week-to-week reduction, I guess I'll delay the whole thing a week, and spend an extra 7 days 'stabalizing'

[JRDN]

So far, the only real withdrawl symptoms I've experienced (besides the inital cold/flu like symptoms I experienced after my first tiny reduction in dose, I explained it above...)

I've noticed when I drop doses, I get headaches really easy. Also usually the first day after adjusting the dose I wake up in the morning with a headache (I take my pills at night)

In case anyone cares, im at 40mg per day now.

[JRDN]

Let me add a quick update, to provide some more information...

I have noticed (seems to be the case), when I dropped down a dosage by 10mg, these are the noticable withdrawal effects:

The day after I change dosage (I take my pills at night) I will wake up with a very unusal headache that will last the whole day. Tylenol or asprin doesn't help it (it's technically not a real headache). It feels very weird and annoying (like a migraine). It's not awful to the point where you feel like your sick. You can easily get out of bed and go about your day, it's just a very annoying feeling to have. (It almost feels like an alcohol hangover). Taking naps during the day won't get rid of it, that's how you know it's not some weird migraine. The worst thing about it, is that having this sensation in your head makes it VERY easy to get irritable. You should expect some mood fluctuations when ending any drug like Cymbalta, but this withdrawal sensation/migraine makes it much easier to have mood swings.

The next day, is much better, you still have like 10% 'weirdness' sensation in your head, but it's much more easy to ignore than the day after 'migraine'.

So far (let's hope it stays this easy..) It takes 2 days to get back to 100% normal, and then over the next 3-4 days you stabalize just in time for your next dosage drop. (Friday to Friday, I find it better to go through the dosage transition over the weekend, so it doesn't interfer with work)

Im at 30mg now.

[goonch]

Hello. I am doing almost exactly the same sort of weaning process as you. I have been reducing by about 1mg per day for almost two months. (Yesterday, I took a total of 2.1mg.) I do have minor withdrawal symptoms here and there, but if they are bothersome, I don't reduce for a couple of days. I anticipate being completely off of Cymbalta within one to two weeks. I can't freaking wait!!

Best of luck to you!

P.S. I posted my story on this same board.

[JRDN]

goonch, on 24 June 2011 - 09:59 AM, said:

Hello. I am doing almost exactly the same sort of weaning process as you. I have been reducing by about 1mg per day for almost two months. (Yesterday, I took a total of 2.1mg.) I do have minor withdrawal symptoms here and there, but if they are bothersome, I don't reduce for a couple of days. I anticipate being completely off of Cymbalta within one to two weeks. I can't freaking wait!!

Best of luck to you!

P.S. I posted my story on this same board.

thanks, for the comment.

Right now my dose is 10mg.

No real withdrawal effects except for headaches when I drop down. I think my model should work for alot of people. Drop down on Friday so any headache effects are done with when the new week starts.

(also it's nice to make your 7 pills for the week all at once, instead of every day doing it)

[Imdone]

Dear Newbie

I like your method. I'm going to go count balls! I like the cautious approach. I tried it a year ago, not quite so cautiously and got nausea, brain fog and terrible itching.

I wonder how you are doing? Please provide an update?

[JRDN]

im doing just fine.

Im taking 5mg, and before I completely stop, im going to do an extra week or two of 5mg. (for the most stablization before I stop)

good luck

[Imdone]

JDRN,

Thanks for your reply. I have seen several cymbalta tapering plans online, but I really like yours and am using it. I want you to know that all Cymbalta pills are not alike. I counted the number of balls in my 30mg pill and it came to @300! So I think each person needs to count the number of granules in their own rx.

I am reducing by 1mg per day, which is 10 balls removed each day from a 30 mg pill. I was on 90 mg, so this should take me about 90 days or more. I will slow it down if I get symptoms that are intolerable. So far after 5 days I have gotten some fatigue, irritabililty lethargy and some itching. All of these are manageable at this point. I do believe they are from the tapering and not just normal life symptoms as I got them before when I tried to taper another time. But this time they are manageable. We'll see how it goes.

[Mstar]

JDRN,
Thanks for your information on how you are getting off Cymbalta...I'm using your plan as well! I hope you are doing well. I'm down to 30mg from 60mg! I'm hoping that getting off Cymbalta will change a few things...I guess we'll see.
Mel

[Imdone]

I am up to minus 12 mg from the 90 mg I take. On day 9, I got fatigue and brain fog. Now I'm on day 12 and feeling great. It helps to make sure I get lots of sleep to help my body through the change.

[Mstar]

What kind of side effects are everbody having? I am getting quite teary over small things and quickly irritable. I'm not sure about the brain fog...what is that exactly?
Mel

[Imdone]

Yes, I had the irritability one day too, but I was tired. So far my only symptoms are short bouts of fatigue which are relieved by making an effort to sleep more. I consider this process of going off very slowly genius, as having hardly any side effects. Being teary and irritable I would consider minor, very livable side effects (unless the irritability is getting you into trouble!) I am on Day 19 of a 90 day plan so far and it is going very well. I'm very pleased. Brain fog is not being able to think.

[stephanie1]

Hello,

This website has been a life saver for me !! I have been on medication for panic and anxiety for ~5yrs now and have battled many side effects and changed drugs several times but never been in a place where I felt I could get off the medicine. For me it took reducing some external stresses in my life and building my own confidence before I felt determined enough to do it. I started weaning off about 2 months ago and it totally did not work the way the doc recommended. (And it's so frustrating that the docs just don't get it and treat you like your crazy and totally misdiagnosing yourself for the side effects you know you are having from the withdrawl!!) Anyway, that's where this website was such a lifesaver because it made me realize that I AM NOT CRAZY!!

Anyway, I tried the every other day weaning method that the doc recommended and got all the side effects that are mentioned on this forum - dizzy, irritable, headaches, foggy thinking, muscle pain especially in neck and back, weight gain, etc etc...

Then after a lot of research (and a lot of help from this site), I tried reducing by 10 beads every 5 days or so (I am on 30mg to start with so my understanding is the pills are smaller than in the 60mg capsule because there are about 300beads in the 30mg capsule). Anyway, the side effects were still pretty bad and I was really suffering and not sure I could make it through the full wean the way things were going. I tried taking some natural anxiety remedies like L-theanine and kava (which really didn't help much) and also started doing yoga as much as I could. But then I decided, I really couldn't take it anymore (people were encouraging me to stop weaning, but I was just too determined to beat this thing) so I started reducing by only 3 beads... it went so well that I just kept reducing 3 beads every day instead of doing it every 5 days. Somehow I think the brain can tolerate the small decrease better and for me it is really working quite well! I still can't seem to address my weight gain, but the other major symptoms are quite better. I do feel more anxiety than before and I'm not sure if it is withdrawl or the impact of having less of the drug, but I'm trying to do yoga and meditation as much as I can to help with that. I'm also trying to eat well (fruits, veggies, oatmeal-good for stress, more protein) and taking some additional supplements (Catecholacalm and couple others for anxiety) - I'm not sure if the supplements are helping much but I figure I'll keep going with it for now.

Anyway, I'm down to almost 2/3 of the original dose, so approx 20mg so far which I'm quite happy with. I hope this information can help someone else as this forum has been such a help to me! Again, I do recommend that in addition to a very slow reduction, try to amp up other activities to address your core issues. This should really help keep up the motivation to stick with the weaning and give you confidence that you will be ok without the meds. I believe exercise and yoga is a great tool for most any physical or mental issue - I specifically recommend Kundalini yoga (you can find some examples on youtube - search for Ana Brett). Anyway, all the best to everyone with your journey!! Stick with it!!

[Imdone]

I agree Stephanie! I have been tapering by 10 granules (beads) every day and it is working well for me so far. I'll take into my wavelength that for you 3 beads works in case as I get lower, 10 beads is too fast. Really glad to hear that it is working for you and I agree that amping up living healthy is a good adjunct. Like you, I am SO determined. My eyes are on the Prize! (of being off meds finally). To me, positive attitude is everything. I SEE it happening, I believe in this "bead" method, and I am going there...nothing will stop me from at least giving this a try. Remember that all people have to learn to deal with anxiety....it is part of life. There is no life without anxiety. In fact anxiety serves an important purpose in teaching us about ourselves. But we must not let it take over our lives. I think it is important to be engaged in living and getting out there and living our lives and it keeps our minds off all this depression/anxiety crap and living life rewards us with improving our self esteem. I know people who have allowed things like depression and anxiety to pull them away from living, but that is a big mistake. Withdrawing from living only makes the psych symptoms explode because they have more room to be noticed. So keep engaged people!

[cookie]

Every night I wake up with severe itching in my arms, hands. Do you get this??????? What is this, an allergic reaction????

[JRDN]

for you guys reducing your dose every day (probably not the best way, it takes like 3-4 days for your brain to stabalize to a new dosage... I don't see how a giant 90-120 a day 'blur' of a reduction with no breaks for your brain getting used to it can be good at reducing mood swings, and other mental withdrawal effects)

You're risking more negative effects doing it that way, that's my point...

are you guys at least making your doses in advanced?

look into buying one of these:


try to make a whole weeks worth of pills every weekend.

Just saying.. when you're going to be taking 130+ beads out everyday, that's going to be a pain in the ass. Easier to just to a weeks worth all at once.

[Imdone]

Hi JDRN....great to hear from you. How far are you in your journey off Cymbalta and how is it going? Do you have any symptoms?

Cookie, I had that severe itching the FIRST time I went off Cymbalta in which I did it at a faster rate suggested by my shrink. This time I have no itching (yet)...maybe I will when I get to the lower doses. I think your body is saying you are going too fast, and yet I know you are going very slowly. Maybe like JDRN says, you need to just pause and let your body catch up for awhile.

JDRN, I took out 190 granules yesterday....I do it every morning, and I actually prefer doing it each day as a kind of meditation and also thrilled to see the number of granules going up. I keep track of where I am on the # of granules on a calendar. What I do is if I get symptoms, I slow down the tapering, but so far I have very little symptoms. Maybe it is harder at the end? Right now I have very easily went from 90 mg to 71 mg at 1 mg per day with only occasional tiredness. I hear what you are saying about "be careful." In my book I am already being careful at -1mg per day and my body seems to be fine so far.

[Mstar]

Thanks for everyone's input! I am down to 10 mg and will go to 5 in a day or so. I do keep it slow just because I don't want a lot of side affects.

What's this about weight gain? I thought I'd finally be able to lose some of the weight I put on with this drug once I was off of it! I guess I have been craving some things (sweets) that I haven't normally craved. I'm trying to eat more fruits and better meals to counter that!
Mel

[Imdone]

Congratulations Mstar on your tapering. I think you might lose weight later on after you re-adjust to life without meds.

[JRDN]

Ok so im done finally. August 5 (last friday) was my first Cymbalta free day.

Even though I've been stabalized on 5mg since July 8.. I still noticed some final withdrawal effects. Mood swings and emotional shifts. Today was the only day I had a bad headache reminesent of when dropping in the middle of my campaign.

The mood swings aren't terrible, but it's noticable. It's easy to get irritable, i'll get tearied eyed as if I could cry for the dumbest reasons.

But this whole experience was well worth it. Im betting by this friday i'll have no effects, usually that's how this works.

Sometimes withdrawal effects lag. So you might drop down (or stop completely) on Monday, and not have any withdrawal effects until thursday. It's wierd like that.

By the way, if you don't like the idea of "Brain Zaps" do what I did. I never came close to any of the horrible experiences i've read about on the internet. Im glad i've never had a brain zap and hopefully never will.

[Imdone]

JRDN, You are my personal hero! You are the one who explained your plan so well and encouraged us to try it. I've made it from 90mg to 70 mg in 20 days with your plan and with only weekly bouts of fatigue that last about 6 hrs. I haven't had a single brain zap or anything else to speak of. In my case I have found that getting extra sleep during this process helps. I also am coasting this week at 70mg until my big board meeting is over tomorrow. Can't take the chance of being real fatigued during the meeting. Then, I get back to tapering.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU!! I think you are a genius to do it in this simple way. I would say give yourself 6 mos. to learn how to handle moodswing and get your emotions to be "normal" after depending on Cymbalta.

Thanks again for explaining this great plan....I think it is the least painful way off Cymbalta.

[Imdone]

JRDN, Do you notice any GOOD things about getting off Cymbalta? I'm thinking my body is getting less stiff. Are you feeling more in a good way? Etc?

[cookie]

JRDN, on 10 August 2011 - 02:34 PM, said:

Ok so im done finally. August 5 (last friday) was my first Cymbalta free day.

Even though I've been stabalized on 5mg since July 8.. I still noticed some final withdrawal effects. Mood swings and emotional shifts. Today was the only day I had a bad headache reminesent of when dropping in the middle of my campaign.

The mood swings aren't terrible, but it's noticable. It's easy to get irritable, i'll get tearied eyed as if I could cry for the dumbest reasons.

But this whole experience was well worth it. Im betting by this friday i'll have no effects, usually that's how this works.

Sometimes withdrawal effects lag. So you might drop down (or stop completely) on Monday, and not have any withdrawal effects until thursday. It's wierd like that.

By the way, if you don't like the idea of "Brain Zaps" do what I did. I never came close to any of the horrible experiences i've read about on the internet. Im glad i've never had a brain zap and hopefully never will.

Did you drop from 5mg all the way down to 0mg or you did it in steps???? Could you describe your mood swings. Mine are being fine one day and very depressed the other. Is this what you are experiencing???? I have also had the irritability and crying. I do not really cry, but feel about to cry at any moment for no reason. I call them crying attacks, because I am not thinking anything at that moment. How are yours???

[JRDN]

cookie, on 10 August 2011 - 07:34 PM, said:

Did you drop from 5mg all the way down to 0mg or you did it in steps???? Could you describe your mood swings. Mine are being fine one day and very depressed the other. Is this what you are experiencing???? I have also had the irritability and crying. I do not really cry, but feel about to cry at any moment for no reason. I call them crying attacks, because I am not thinking anything at that moment. How are yours???

I stayed at 5mg since July 8th, and dropped right down to 0mg on Aug 5th.

I would't even exactly call them mood 'swings'. It's more like being in a very emotional mood for a day or two.

For instance, this last drop down I did to 0mg, I did it on Friday, I didn't really notice any effects until Tuesday (mild headache and irritability) and the yesterday (wensday) was a more annoying longer lasting headache, with the same ammount of irritability.

My mood never really 'swung around' weaning off this drug, it more so 'swung' into being emotional and irritable, and then 'swung' back 2 MAYBE 3 days later.

Another question from above, have I noticed feeling better since not taking my original 60mg dose? I really can't even remember late May, when I was taking 60mg, but no question about it, there were points (40 mg) (30mg) that I dropped down and felt really good.

This is important actually for people not even looking to get off Cymbalta. See if you doctor wants to experiment with a lower dose for a while. When I hit 40mg, I felt really good. More friendly, more energetic.

When I started hitting 20mg and less, that noticable postive reaction went away with dropping down, but it's still positive to not be slave to a drug.

The main reason I stopped with Cymbalta, was I was feeling very clastrophobic on it. I knew that I could only last 2 days at most without it, and I'd have flu-like withdrawal symptoms that would paralyze me for weeks.

If I want to up my life and drive down to Florida to visit friends for a while, I don't want to worry about taking pills with me, and worrying about hhow many pills I have before I have to drive back.

god forbid I become lose my job and become poor, I wouldn't be able to afford 3-4 months of medicine to start weaning off then. And obviously you can't find a new job when your in flu-like cold turkey withdrawals for 3-4 weeks.

It's a clastrophobic thing for me. I don't want to NEED it, or my life goes on pause for 4 weeks while I suffer painful withdrawals.

[Allison]

Hi everyone. Boy do I wish I wasn't having to be on this site! I have been on 60 mg. of Cymbalta for almost two years. I tried to stop once and didn't wean properly and I got really sick. Brain zaps, nausea, felt like I was going to pass out. So, after a few weeks of being sick, I went back on it. That was about 8 months ago. I want off of this stuff for good! I have seen different websites/blogs saying different counts for # of beads in a 60 mg. capsule. I opened one and it had about 300 if I remember correctly. Some other person said 540 beads. I am not going to sit and count them again. I created a spreadsheet and on 7/29/11 I started taking 10 beads out a day. Didn't feel too bad. On day 8 (instead of waiting full two weeks, I started taking 30 beads out per day. Guess that was too big of a jump because now I feel sick: no brain zaps, but achy and just not feeling good overall. Am I taking too many out? I have it so that I will be doing this on two-week intervals, removing an extra 20 beads each interval. So after these two weeks of removing 30 beads, I will then go to removing 50 beads for two weeks. It will still take me over 3 months to get done. I have towards the end of weaning to go into the 30 mg capsule and removing beads too till I am about down to none. I can't do this anymore. This is the worse feeling! I upped my Omega 3 and am drinking lots of water. Oh yeah, I only have one kidney due to cancer, another reason I was put on this junk and another reason why I want off it, it is not good for my remaining kidney. Has anyone tried 5-HTP when they were almost off to help with serotonin levels? I read about it and it is a natural serotonin increaser.

[Imdone]

Allison,

I think you just need to listen to your body and be patient and do it at the level that works for you.

I decreased by 1 mg/day, which for me was 10 beads less each day, and that worked pretty well, except about every 7 days I would get really tired for about 6 hrs, and then I would be ok again. I managed to decrease 20 mg in 20 days. Now I am coasting at 70mg for 4 days because of an important meeting I had to be together for, which was today. Tomorrow I continue to go back on 1 mg less per day. I will listen carefully to my body's reaction. If I get too tired I will coast awhile. I think patience is key. Don't be in a hurry. Give your body a chance to re-wire those receptors! It's the least painful way. Believe me, no one wants off more than I do, but don't go too fast or take too big of jumps.

I counted 300 beads in a 30 mg pill.

[Allison]

Imdone, on 11 August 2011 - 04:48 PM, said:

Allison,

I think you just need to listen to your body and be patient and do it at the level that works for you.

I decreased by 1 mg/day, which for me was 10 beads less each day, and that worked pretty well, except about every 7 days I would get really tired for about 6 hrs, and then I would be ok again. I managed to decrease 20 mg in 20 days. Now I am coasting at 70mg for 4 days because of an important meeting I had to be together for, which was today. Tomorrow I continue to go back on 1 mg less per day. I will listen carefully to my body's reaction. If I get too tired I will coast awhile. I think patience is key. Don't be in a hurry. Give your body a chance to re-wire those receptors! It's the least painful way. Believe me, no one wants off more than I do, but don't go too fast or take too big of jumps.

I counted 300 beads in a 30 mg pill.

So, did you take 10 beads out per day? Or 10 out per day for like a week, then started taking more out? I am thinking I need to back off taking 30 beads out right now. I took 25 beads out the last 2 - 3 days and I haven't felt as bad. I just don't want it to take me 3 or 4 months to get off of 60 mg. Has anyone tried the 5-HTP?