81 replies to this topic

[fishinghat]

I must be having flashbacks to the 60s. Man my typing sucks. lol

[Crazychic]

You are approaching hte end line girl!! You should start having some better and better days soon. Hang in there.

[Crazychic]

I'm hanging! By a thread! The days are getting better just not fast enough lol

[jlowe01]

HI all,

Having a really rough time these last few days.. I am day 4 of completely off.. I tapered for 41 DAMN days! I am so sick of this SHIT!. I had to go home from work ealry Friday.. Nausea. Finally figured out what brain zaps are except mine were in my legs.. thought I was being bitten. Crying  at the slightest things. Actually had to excuse myself from a patient because of it. Paranoia is setting in.. I keep asking everyone at work if theyre mad at me! I hate this.. they all think Ive gone mad.. which I guess I have. I'll have periods of what feels like I'm high,, since I have  no other reference point.. Then it feels like I crash.. Then I feel imense guilt for acting so strange.. Severe nausea.. diarrhea and headaches.. This morning I woke up feeling strange..but thought I was ok. Tried to clean my house and just snapped on  my family. Began to yell that no one loved me or cared about me. Then started to cry. Wanted to run and hide.. Tried and they found me.. Felt so bad and guilty and cried for an hour about it.. Lasted all day then seemed to get better. I appologized.. but it doesnt matter. They dont deserve this.. Its not their fault. Sometimes I wonder.. will I ever  be normal again?? This week has really been rough.. I think I would rather die..

[jlowe01]

HI all,

Im day 4 off Crapalta from 4years. Started my wean April 1.. seems to be getting worse instead of better. What is this is the "real me"? What if I am gonna be crazy?!

[lady2882Nancy]

So sorry to hear that things aren't going well for you jlowe.

 

I thought that your long taper would have minimized your side effects but I guess it wasn't slow enough when coming from 60mg.

 

How much Crapalta did you take on your last day?

 

How much omega 3 are you taking?

 

Drink lots of water and lots of veggies and some fruit to help your liver detox.

 

Did you get some L-theanine (suntheanine) for those mood swings?

 

Take care

[ladyq14]

When I tried cold turkey from 60mgs I ended up at er, twice. Too brutal. I cut from 60 to 30 cold then found this website and started the bead counting. I am off totally now 7 days. Not a picnic but doable . Good luck to you.

What exactly is bead counting and how does it work?  I have never heard of this. Please explain.

[JustWannaBeHappy]

hello everyone..

 

sorry i haven't been on for a while. i've been busy with work and school as well as trying to adjust to life post-cymbalta. tomorrow will be 3 weeks since going cold turkey! well done to everyone who is surviving post-hell as well!! i am finally starting to feel like a normal person again despite the mood swings and the bit of rage that i have been experiencing for no reason.  i feel like i am crazy and irrational sometimes lol. 

 

 

 

HI all,

Im day 4 off Crapalta from 4years. Started my wean April 1.. seems to be getting worse instead of better. What is this is the "real me"? What if I am gonna be crazy?!

 

hi jlowe01! sorry that you feel that your symptoms aren't getting better yet. be patient. by weaning you have only let your body know that you are slowly decreasing your dosage but the real challenge is going to be depriving your body of the drug completely. it will seem that you are going downhill at first instead of uphill but you really need to keep focused on 1 thing a day that is positive or that keeps you happy/that you are grateful for (e.g. a sunny day! or a good cup of tea!). while i was in my first week i realized that i needed to stay extremely hydrated. was drinking between 1-2L every 3 hours. as Nancy suggested, take those supplements. they will help decrease the brain zaps and headaches. 

 

you are not going crazy. the feeling will go away soon! one day you will wake up feeling like there is one thing better than yesterday. 

 

take care everyone!! 

[lady2882Nancy]

What exactly is bead counting and how does it work?  I have never heard of this. Please explain.

 

This can be done by removing some of the beads in the capsules. My pharmacist showed me how to do this but I recommend doing it slowly and over a large colored bowl as the beads are quite small and white.

There are about 200 beads in a 60 mg capsule.

 

Day 1- you remove 5 beads from the capsule
Day 2- you remove 10 beads from the capsule
Day 3- you remove 15 beads from the capsule

 

If your dose is taken twice a day you can wean this way

Day 1- you remove 5 beads from your two doses
Day 2- you remove 10 beads from your two doses
Day 3- you remove 15 beads from your two doses

 

If at any time you get some bad side effects you just stay to the dose you are on and stay at that dose until you stablize again.

 

I hope that helps

 

Take care

[Crazychic]

Day 20: tomorrow will be 3 weeks! 3 very long weeks. I am beginning to feel more like myself each day. I am by no means completely over this I still have some brain zaps, usually a headache daily, and I get tired so easily. I am positive that the next 3 weeks will bring more happiness! Best wishes to everyone going through this ordeal.

[fishinghat]

Good job Crazychic. The hardest part is over. I am so happy for you.

[Crazychic]

Thanks Fishinghat! Today is day 21, I had a pretty good day. Still have the god awful brain zaps....eww I'm so ready for them to go away! I feel pretty good today no headache, stomach is not upset!! Whoo hoo! Not ready for a girls night out yet but hopefully next weekend! Hope everyone is doing better (:

[lady2882Nancy]

Poor Crazychic

You are really doing well for 3 weeks and you working while still having those nasty brain zaps. Very impressive.

 

But don't worry those nasty brain zaps will go away soon.

 

I remember wondering if they would ever end and I always got them when I was tired. Then one day I realized that I hadn't had any that day or the day before. That was a real Whoo hoo moment lol.

 

Take care of you

[chimera]

Thanks Fishinghat! Today is day 21, I had a pretty good day. Still have the god awful brain zaps....eww I'm so ready for them to go away! I feel pretty good today no headache, stomach is not upset!! Whoo hoo! Not ready for a girls night out yet but hopefully next weekend! Hope everyone is doing better (:

yay, this is good news! the zaps as Nancy said, will gradually go, I too get them more when I am tired now, but improved a lot. keep the girls night out as your goal to focus on, always helps to have something to look forward to

[Crazychic]

Today is day 22 I was so tired today and the brain zaps are still happening. I have worked 48 hours this week and it was my first week back & I feel so tired. I had to go back to work after 2 weeks off but I wish I could have taken 3 weeks. I am getting closer to getting through this. I am so mad that my doc didn't warn me about the WD of this drug! Yes cold turkey is very hard! But I will never put this poison back in my body, I hope that one day Eli Lilly and his company will have to admit that their drug is as addictive as a narcotic and the withdraws are the same too! Shame on him! So that was my rant....hopeing tomorrow is better. Best wishes everyone.

[lady2882Nancy]

Hang in there Crazychic.

 

You have done amazingly well. I know this is starting to seem never ending but you can do it.

 

Maybe try upping the omega 3. I found that I had to take it 3 times a day to get the most benefit.

 

I'm cheering you on dear and I know you can do it.

 

Take care of you

[Crazychic]

Thanks Nancy I was just having a terrible time yesterday accepting how long it takes to get through this. I'm not one for ranting and feel like maybe I need to slow down a little. Although I don't know you personally you have been an inspiration. Have a blessed Sunday(:

[Crazychic]

Day 24 brain zaps are getting better, still there but no as bad or nearly as often. My mind is clear, I feel so much better physically so I think the end is near! Yay!! I can't wait to see what the end of the week brings! Hopefully better and better days. When I was still taking cymbalta I would go to work come home and go to bed... Slept all the time missed out on life ): feels great to have some energy. So glad that I feel better.

[fishinghat]

Crazychic. I am so glad for you. Welcome back!!!

[Crazychic]

Thanks Fishinghat I couldn't have come this far without the kindness and advice of you and others on this site (:

[lady2882Nancy]

Day 24 brain zaps are getting better, still there but no as bad or nearly as often. My mind is clear, I feel so much better physically so I think the end is near! Yay!! I can't wait to see what the end of the week brings! Hopefully better and better days. When I was still taking cymbalta I would go to work come home and go to bed... Slept all the time missed out on life ): feels great to have some energy. So glad that I feel better.

 

WooHoo

I'm so glad you are finally feeling the difference. Now you are on the home stretch and that is so wonderful.

There might still be the odd rough patch but it won't last long for you.

 

Three cheers for you girl!!!!

[Crazychic]

Thanks Nancy!! I'm so excited for day I can finally I'm over this (: