[bigskymom]

I can't believe I am at this place once again. You'd think I would have learned by now. I am in my early 50s and have been plagued by anxiety for as long as I can remember. It was always manageable until about 10 yrs ago when I had a minor meltdown and my doc put me on Effexor. I hated the idea of being on a med but needed to cope with life. After about a yr on the drug I felt like I could handle life and wanted off meds. So I weaned off effexor and had horrible sensations of my brain jiggling inside my head. I didn't realize until I started googling that it was a withdrawal symptom. Back then there wasn't alot of information about the withdrawals. My doc had never heard of them. I resorted to counting beads as my dose was lowered, but still couldn't shake the jiggles and disorientation. Went on and off it for a few years, going through horrible withdrawals. Finally resigned myself to being on meds for the rest of my life but then started having reallly vivid dreams and nightmares that kept me awake at night. Figured out the culprit was the Effexor and went off it for the last time. Another bout of anxiety down the road and my doc offered Cymbalta as I also suffr from chronic neck pain. She had never heard of withdrawal issues with Cymbalta! I did some research and should have heeded what I read, but was desperate so tried it. Have weaned off it twice, the last time took several MONTHS before I felt normal again. But each bout of anxiety leaves me desperate for the relief and feeling of normal that I have on meds. Now I am starting to have sleep issues with the Cymbalta. Raging sleep-deprived me is just as ugly as panicked me. I know what I need to do. I was just sitting here bawling as I read the posts. I don't want to go thru the withdrawls but know I must. I am so thankful for this forum and am looking forward to some support this time. I will definitely be working with my compounding pharmacist. She was wonderful helping me get off of benzos. So thankful for that tidbit. The every other day solution wasn't very helpful in the past. So, here I am. My name is Amy. Looking forward to sleeping again someday!

[tulip11]

Hi Amy, I'm in early fifties too with CFS Fibromyalgia. Started Cymbalta as it had been approved for this debilitating syndrome/disease. Sleep is a problem too and I'm just finding out the evils of Cymbalta. Brain zaps even on it. Going to start granule reduction and a friend took it for six days, only six days and it was a three month nightmare weaning off. She said low dose Valium helped and Nurofen with Codeine. Also log on to Mercola.com (Dr Joseph Mercola) and type in anti depressants,very enlightening, very frightening, no one actually knows what they do to your brain, also connection between carbohydrate intake and depression. Diet so important. I'm taking the plunge tonight starting with a reduction of three granules. My name is Stephi.

[bigskymom]

Hi Stephi! Did a 10% reduction for 10 days and did fine. starting another 10% reduction today. i know at some point my body will catch on to what i'm doing and resist, but sofar so good! I want to get going on adding the omegas to my diet. have a list going of supplements i want to try. Blessings to you!