[Arcelus]

I started Cymbalta 30mg on June 1 and stopped taking it 6 days later, because I was a little scared of the side effects that were happening to my body. I had never taken an anti-depressent before and really had no idea what to expect. I have had a really horrible year and was experiencing nerve pain for about 8 weeks which caused me some bad depression and anxiety. I thought that Cymbalta could be the answer. Boy, was I wrong! Ironically, my nerve pain suddenly went away after about 1 week later, but it wasn't because of the Cymbalta.

I stopped cold turkey after the 6 days thinking that it shouldn't be a problem since I wasn't on it that long. On day 4 of taking Cymbalta I began to notice a muscle twitching in my right inner elbow (lasted for about 2 1/2 weeks) and my left shoulder and abdomen will jerk occassionally when I'm at rest. However, the most unnerving side effect that I experienced were the sleep jerks that wake me up everytime I go to sleep and this has persisted since June 4th (27 days and going). This has really effected my sleep. I used to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night and now I'm lucky to get 3-5 hours of sleep. I went to the doctor a week after I discontinuued the medication and I also had high blood pressure for the first time in my life. One psychiatrist told me that antidepressents can sometimes take weeks or a few months before you stop experiencing symptoms and another psychiatrist told me that it wasn't caused by the Cymbalta and that it was caused by my anxiety.

I just recently went to my family doctor to try to find a way to get some sleep and he prescribed me a beta blocker and knoplin which seems to have helped in the past two days (8 hours of sleep the other night and 5 hours last night).

I'm really worried about this and it has really affected me and my wife. I should have never taken this to begin with, but I wanted the easy answer. My biggest anxiety right now is the possibility that this will be permanent. Can anyone share any knowledge about SNRI's causing permanent damage? I only took it for 6 days! My antidepressent has made me more depressed than I've ever been in my life.

Thank you to anyone that can respond.

Sincerely,
David

[goonch]

My husband was having myoclonic jerks while he was briefly on Prozac. They kept me up something terrible and we ended up sleeping apart because of them. Once he was off of the medication, it took a few weeks for them to dissipate. They were less and less prevalent until they completely stopped, about three weeks. I'm not sure how this would compare with getting off of Cymbalta, but I wish that it gives you some hope.

Good luck!

[Arcelus]

It's been awhile since I've updated everyone, but I am now about a month and a half post-Cymbalta now.

I did have the following symptoms before:
High blood pressure
Cloudy head & pressure
Muscle jerk in left shoulder when at rest
Muscle twitch in right inner elbow
Muscle twitch/jerking in abdomen
Myoclonic (Sleep) Jerks
Insomnia (3-4 hours of sleep a night)

My family doctor put me on Attenenol (Beta Blocker) at 25mg and Klonopin at .5mg which I'm tapering off of right now (1/4 of pill drop each week).

My symptoms that still remain:
- Muscle jerk in left shoulder when at rest
- Myoclonic (Sleep) Jerks (however i'm able to get 7-8 hours of sleep during the evening now, but when I take a nap on the weekends it still bothers me... hopefully this weekend will be different!) I think they may be lessoning, but I'll know for sure when I'm off the klonopin.

I'm beginning to get a much more positive view of my recovery as I've read more and more posts about recovery from Cymbalta. I've spoken with people that have had the sleep jerks from anywhere from 2-5 months. I haven't met anyone yet that has told me that they've gotten this permanently. I would also think with my usage only being 6 days that it would be unlikely that I would have them really long term. As far as my left shoulder jerk it is a little annoying, but I'm sure given time that it will go away and I need to keep in that frame of mind.

I hope that everyone else is doing well. I am going to have a big ol' celebration when my body fully heals! But, who knows when that will be. ;-)

[MoniqueKim]

I get the muscle jerking in my legs when I'm sleeping. They are strong enough to wake me up from a deep sleep: COMPLETELY ANNOYING!

[Arcelus]

I know, right? If I could have any side effect/symptom go away it would be that one! It just wants to linger on with me for awhile. I've heard of some people in which it has lasted for a few months. Ugh. At least these things aren't permanent. You've got to stay in the positive and realize that you're healing every day. =) Hard to do though sometimes!

[Imdone]

I had severe myoclonic jerks after accidentally taking too much zoloft (misunderstanding of dr directions). It became what I thought was a permanent condition. I went to a neurologist recommended by my shrink. The neurologist told me the myoclonic jerks were from "aging" but I think he was just trying to cover the shrink's ass. The shrink saw a lawyer about the m.j. and had me sign something that I wouldn't sue him etc. Considering that I made the mistake of taking too much, I wasn't going to sue him. But anyway, for 3 years the neurologist had me take neurontin, which covered up the jerks and I no longer had them. I took about 600 mg per day. Then, last year I went off a bunch of meds (Risperdal, lamictal and neurontin) and the jerks did not come back for 98% of the time. Every once in awhile when real tired I will get one. So don't think they're permanent. I am now trying to get off the last med (Cymbalta) I am SO DONE with psych meds.

[Arcelus]

Thanks for your response, Imdone. That does help me feel a little better. From what I've read on the different websites it seems like many people will have this symptom for anywhere around 2-5 months and sometimes longer once they are off their meds. Did you seriously have this for 3 years? OMG! I'm down to taking a 1/4 of a klonopin pill for the next week to help with the sleep jerks and then I'm going to rough it on no meds. I guess if it continues for too long then maybe I'll see a neurologist as well and ask about neurontin. But, I'm in for a rough ride I'm sure. Right now I'm also taking 300mg of chelated magnesium and I might take calms forte for sleep as well. Ohhh, these psych medications have me infuriated.

[Imdone]

Arcelus

I'm furious too Arcelus. That's why my name is "Im Done." I'm done with psych meds, and also anti-cholesterol meds which gave me SEVERE leg pain that went away when I got off them. You must read "Anatomy of an Epidemic." According to Whitaker the data when researched shows these meds don't work and are harmful. http://robertwhitake...20Epidemic.html

The reason I had the jerks for 3 years was neurontin covered them up and I forgot about them. Then when I went off the neurontin and other meds they were gone. I guess they either healed from being off meds or healed during those 3 yrs without my knowing it. They were quite severe until neurontin covered them up.

[Imdone]

Also, my shrink reported the myoclonic jerks as an "adverse reaction" to the manufacturer of Zoloft and the FDA.