8 replies to this topic

[pearlcat]

Hi all,

I have been reading on this forum about cymbalta and the horrible side effects, etc.I really thought I was losing it! I have been taking this med since about a week before Thanksgiving. I have gained over 20 lbs in the last month and always feel bloated, nauseous, stomach aches, diarrhea, no motivation whatsoever. I asked my doc to help me get off but he said he thought I should stay on due to experiencing more pain from my recovering rotator cuff surgery. I think he is full of it now. So, I am going to take myself off of it. I would like to quit cold turkey but realize I may not be able to handle that. But since I have only been on it for roughly 2-3 months would I haven withdrawal? Any suggestions would much appreciated! Please help I hate this stuff! I feel like a zombie when I am on it!

[equuswoman]

Hi all,

I have been reading on this forum about cymbalta and the horrible side effects, etc.I really thought I was losing it! I have been taking this med since about a week before Thanksgiving. I have gained over 20 lbs in the last month and always feel bloated, nauseous, stomach aches, diarrhea, no motivation whatsoever. I asked my doc to help me get off but he said he thought I should stay on due to experiencing more pain from my recovering rotator cuff surgery. I think he is full of it now. So, I am going to take myself off of it. I would like to quit cold turkey but realize I may not be able to handle that. But since I have only been on it for roughly 2-3 months would I haven withdrawal? Any suggestions would much appreciated! Please help I hate this stuff! I feel like a zombie when I am on it!

Hi pearicat  and welcome to the Cymbalta support forum. I was prescribed Cymbalta for pain of my lower back due to osteoarthritis. The SE are more than I want to deal with in my life anymore. I am coming off this nasty drug by doing the 'bead count' method.

fishinghat and thismoment can tell you all about that way to go! You can look at the index here and find it as I did. It is sad that the physicians put us on this drug not knowing what hell it is to come off of it. Well hell for some, not so much for others. However it IS a drug to be reckoned with....

Again welcome, glad that you found us and let us know how you do!

 TheEquusWoman

[thismoment]

Hi all,

I have been reading on this forum about cymbalta and the horrible side effects, etc.I really thought I was losing it! I have been taking this med since about a week before Thanksgiving. I have gained over 20 lbs in the last month and always feel bloated, nauseous, stomach aches, diarrhea, no motivation whatsoever. I asked my doc to help me get off but he said he thought I should stay on due to experiencing more pain from my recovering rotator cuff surgery. I think he is full of it now. So, I am going to take myself off of it. I would like to quit cold turkey but realize I may not be able to handle that. But since I have only been on it for roughly 2-3 months would I haven withdrawal? Any suggestions would much appreciated! Please help I hate this stuff! I feel like a zombie when I am on it!

Hi Pearlcat.

 

Welcome. It's been called Zombalta for reasons you've discovered. Let's see if I can answer some of your questions, and perhaps suggest other sources of information.

 

Certainly the effects of discontinuation would be less if you've been on the drug a short time- but I don't what that graph looks like. Probably nobody does, including Eli Lilly. Perhaps fishinghat can offer more insight on this. But I think after 2 months you'd have an easier time coming off than if you'd been on for 2 years.

 

These antidepressants physically change the brain, so there is real healing and changing that has to take place when you stop the medication; it takes time. The "withdrawal" segment of the discontinuation process is when you still have the drug in your system (after 5 days of cold turkey 99.9% of the drug is gone). Thereafter, the side-effects aren't withdrawal per se, but are broadly termed "discontinuation symptoms", and they come from your brain adapting to its new chemical reality.

 

Apparently though, some drug remains in fat cells and is released over time, but I don't know to what extent that affects recovery. 

 

Regarding your surgery, there are other pain medications (like opioids) that are far better for pain, aren't as broad-acting, and don't modify the brain.

 

Advise your physician, as you will also need other pain medication. You could try the cold turkey or taper off slowly. If you elect to try cold turkey, symptoms will appear within a few days, and after a week or so you'll know if you can continue or if you should re-instate then wean off. The symptoms could last a few weeks intense, a few weeks less intense and a few months to heal and get feeling back to normal. There is NO fixed pattern: you could have ZERO side-effects, and I wish that for you!

 

Do you take other antipsychotics medications that may complicate the withdrawal?

 

Were you given 'Informed Consent" before you started Cymbalta?

 

Best wishes!

[pearlcat]

The EquusWoman; thank you for responding. It makes it more bearable to know others have/are experiencing this. I noticed the sweet home Alabama, me too! Thanks again! I will keep all posted as there is a bit more to my story that I need to share.

[Carleeta]

Pearlcat..Welcome aboard! You will have wonderful support here as you make your decision whether to discontinue or stay with Cymbalta. Which ever you chose you are supported. As you have noticed, very dedicated members like Equuswoman and Thismoment, among others are more than willing to their suggestions, opinions, and stories. Best luck to you. Give us a shout back on your progress.

[pearlcat]

thismoment; thank you for responding! No, I was not given informed consent and yes there are more meds that could complicate things.
I had sx 5 months ago and have been on opiaites on and off for last two years. I have been on adderall for 7 years. Sometimes I also take klonopin to help me sleep. But with the opiates I usually don't have to take klonopin. My pdoc also prescribed cymbalta a while back but I did not take. However, for some reason I would get filled but take one then forget to take it. Basically I just would not stick with it consistently. So, around Thanksgiving (after I had taken the 30 mg cymbalta for about two weeks)I started the 60 mg on a regular basis in a effort to avoid withdrawing/addiction from the opiates. That's when my problems with my stomach started. I thought it was the opiates but I could not figure out why they would do that all of the sudden. Of course, now I know. In this time I have been taking the 60s I have felt horrible. I do take loretab as needed. I have been on antideppressants on and off for last ten years. My problem was I would never stick with it mostly because either it caused weight gain or I would then have to take something else to fix a side effect caused by antidepressant. Little did I know, I was compounding the problem by the start/stop thing I was doing to my brain. So, here I am with 3 capsules left of cymbalta 60mg and really don't want to pay for the refill but realize I may have to. Yesterday I halved the capsule(very rough estimate) and took it. Day before yesterday I did not take any. I had horrible stomach cramps last night and upset stomach this morning. I have gotten myself in a mess here and really can't blame anyone but myself. Right now I don't feel too bad....just feel like I have a head cold which I don't really have. I guess I will have to get refill and cut back slowly but the counting beads is probably going to be challenging but well worth getting off of this evil junk. Any suggestions on how long to do this for? A couple of week? I hope this makes sense as my mind is all over the place! Thank you!!

[Carleeta]

Pearlcat, ..I can relate..There were times in the past staying on antidepressants and stopping them for same reasons as you..Many times I just forgot to take them daily..Here I am now on 10 days, no cymbalta, after taking them for 3 days..There is no way I'm ever putting another antidepressent in my body again..My mind is made up! You stay strong Pearlcat...We are supporting you..There is much info to be had here with caring, supporting, and dedicated members...Keep us posted as often as you can..God Bless

[pearlcat]

Carleeta,
Thank you for your encouragement! I am almost 40 and looking back I have been on some "chemical" for as long as I remember. I was put on Ritalin as a kid because I was having attention problems. Not hyper just couldn't/wouldn't focus. Probably could have been taken care of if situational circumstances were addressed but my parents did the best that THEY could do. I think that started the ball rolling. I do agree with you in that I am not putting another antidepressant in my body or my child's EVER! I am so glad this forum is out here in cyberspace! Thank you again!!!

[thismoment]

Pearlcat-

 

Get something to soothe your tummy- perhaps Diovol and talk to your physician about that. Because you've been taking the Cymbalta for a short time, and perhaps intermittently, you might give the cold turkey a go. See how that goes. You will know in a week. Should the symptoms be really tough, consider re-instating and then tapering off over a couple of months.