sherryann, on 16 October 2011 - 11:45 AM, said:
My advice for those wanting off cmybalta....DO IT SLOW. Very slow.
I'm sure most of you are familiar with the dizziness, headache, nausea, bad dreams,etc.
I got on this medicine because of a abusive co-worker. I thought I was helping myself manage
stress. Then I was having headaches all the time. I should have suspected something
then. Blood pressure went up and all the other symptoms of withdrawal..when I decided to go another
route. I wish I had never taken this medicine. I am suffering still. Please let your doctors
know about this medicine. I DO NOT recommend this medicine in any dose. I am going to report this
to the FDA. It's about time someone do something.
I would not recommend this drug to anyone else either. I've been on antidepressants (Prozac, Zoloft, Cymbalta) since the early 1990's. I wish I had stopped with Prozac, but hindsight is 20/20. I have been taking 90mgs of Cymbalta (1 60mg and 1 30mg per day) for about a year. Due to hitting the "dough-nut" hole with Medicare Part D and discovering the three Rx's I take per day would cost me over $800.00, I decided to quit cold-turkey. Guess I was angry and looking at the $800.00! (that would pay for one botox treatment!LOL) The amazing part of NOT taking Cymbalta is I am NOT depressed nor anxious and I have energy. Acutally, my outlook on life in general has improved inspite of the w/d symptoms This surprised me as I would get depressed and/or anxious while taking it and did not have much energy. Weired, huh? My withdrawal symptoms include brain zaps, weired dreams, flushing, some nauesa and headaches. I have joined a gym and work out two to four times per week (pretty good I think for my age) and have begun volunteering at my church as a tutor and with the home-bound ministry. I think the exercise, increased energy level (like actually wanting to clean my house), helping others and not dwelling on myself so much is a big factor in handling the awful side-effects of withdrawing from Cymbalta. Almost every time I have a brain zap, I ask God to heal my brain, to keep me sweet and to keep my thoughts and motives pure. It is freeing not to be at the mercy of pharmaceutical companies (and be their guinea-pigs). I pray my positive attitude will continue and will help in my recovery from Cymbalta. I used to say as a joke that "they" should put antidepressants in the water and everyone should take them.....not anymore though.
But don't let anyone fool you or try to tell you otherwise, the brain zaps ARE real and discomforting, the nausea and headaches ARE real as are the dreams. I hope these will subside in time. I look at my life with Cymbalta and look at how I can be without it.....even with the w/d symtoms, I feel I have chosen the better path. Best wishes to all of those who are
traveling this same road to be Cymbalta free.
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