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Down To 100 Beads, And Somehow In A Good Mood.


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#1 Papin

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Posted 12 March 2014 - 02:34 PM

Finally.

I'm seeing a distant, faint glimmer at the end of a very, very long and dark tunnel.

 

Thanks in huge part to many of the suggestions posted on these forums, I think I've figured out some kind of convoluted system that works for me. After fighting headaches, nausea, flu-like symptoms, rage, and vertigo for weeks, I've reached a point where I am removing two additional beads each day. That pace seems to agree with my poor, confused brain.

 

So, for those of you who might want to try something different (who knows? it might work for you), here's my daily routine:

 

Every morning:

After methodically counting, mis-counting, re-counting (and inevitably re-re-counting) those damn miniscule, poisonous, diabolical white specks of evil incarnate, and then carefully (and with much cursing) shoving them into a gelatin capsule, I gulp it down along with

- 3 x 300mg of choline

- 1/2 tsp of butter oil / fermented cod liver oil -- cinnamon-flavored, praise the lord! 

   (or 5x 1,250mg fish oil soft gels, depending on my mood and my desire to swallow 1/2 tsp of fermented fish goop)

- 3 x 150mg of L-Theanine (Suntheanine)

- 1 multivitamin.

 

Diet: I've basically cut sugar and caffeine out completely and am trying to eat as many veggies as I can, especially leafy greens.

No soft drinks. I only drink water, the occasional fresh-squeezed OJ, and herbal tea: lemon balm and/or liver detox.

 

Also, like some sort of resilient partial-sun perennial, I make sure to get a minimum of 15 mins of direct sunlight every day. Helps with my seasonal affective disorder. If I'm struck by incapacitating laziness, or it happens to be a dreary, overcast day, I use a blue-light therapy lamp for 30 mins.

 

Most importantly, my exercise regimen: 30 mins of aerobic exercise (65% of maximum heart rate) every day. Let me repeat: I get tragically sweaty for thirty minutes at a time, arms and legs flailing while my heart beats 130 times a minute and my brain second-guesses my every move. And I subject myself to this all-too public humiliation at my gym, in front of disgustingly beautiful, fit, spandex-clad humanoids, seven days a week!

 

Honestly, after reading about it and finally getting my butt to the gym and experiencing the benefits of vigorously moving my limbs, I think exercise is the single most important thing you can do to get through this. Even better if you can fit in some anaerobic exercise a couple times a week as well. This will really push your body into repair mode like nothing else.

 

The biology of it all is absolutely fascinating, and I highly recommend Younger Next Year by Chris Crowley and Henry Lodge. If you're not prone to random fits of physical activity of any sort, this book will make you feel like crap... initially... and then it'll make you rush out and buy a heart rate monitor and proceed to do things you never thought you'd want to do as a self-respecting adult. If you're the type who has always been one to engage in physically challenging stuff on a regular basis, well, then, congrats! (and I secretly despise you for your discipline and athletic prowess ;),

 

Now, mind you, all of this may come crashing down on me at any moment and I may return to post a retraction and a sheepish apology, but for now... HURRAY!

 


#2 Papin

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Posted 12 March 2014 - 02:51 PM

In my haste to post, I failed to acknowledge that not everyone is physically able to exercise. I apologize for not including this in my earlier post. 


#3 GinnyKim61

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Posted 12 March 2014 - 06:00 PM

Hi Papin, It was good to read your daily plan. I am working on that too right now. Exercise is one of my goals. Ha! I walked a half a mile yesterday. It's a walking video that I do at home. Really good and gets you going. I'm starting out slowly and I know that it will help me feel better, energized and I'll get into shape again.

 

Can I ask why you count your pills everyday. I am just popping them out each day. I'm up to 5 beads being tossed now. I'm just wondering why is all. I tried to count my beads today and there are about 250 in each 60 mg capsule. I just quit counting and plan on going really slow and evenly.

 

I'm so happy that you are feeling better and I'm going to send a prayer for you right now that this will continue for you. God Bless You, Ginny


#4 Carleeta

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Posted 12 March 2014 - 08:41 PM

Papin...Sound like you may have definitely found what works for you..It's very kind of you to share everything you do and the supplements you take with explaining them to perfection..

I'm so happy you have found you way through that darkness and into the light..

Others will definitely find your post as a sign of encouragement and helpful as they make their choices with cymbalta withdrawl. .

Papin I too am wondering the same as GinnyKim61. ..why are you counting each bead every night?

Awaiting future posts on your progress....

Keep up the great job...

#5 FiveNotions

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Posted 12 March 2014 - 09:42 PM

Your descriptions of this process, and yourself engaged in it, are absolutely hilarious, Papin! I'm laughing out loud!

Thanks much also for sharing your "regimen" ...... I'm still getting mine sorted out....the first few weeks were all over the lot...trial and error, mostly error,at first....I'm gonna try the lemon balm tea you mentioned....

Please post more ....your humor is contagious!

#6 Papin

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Posted 12 March 2014 - 10:04 PM

GinnyKim61 and Carleeta, I'm down to fewer than 100 beads, which means I have to remove that many tiny white things from 60mg capsules that each contain approx. 360 beads. Tomorrow, I will need to ingest 98 beads. Friday 96, etc... ad nauseam (literally!). There's no way around counting each one of those little buggers, unfortunately. The bead counting method requires the patience of an angel on Xanax.

 

FiveNotions, thank you for the kind words.  :) I think humor is essential to making this maddening process feel less like Chinese water torture.

 

Best of luck to you all!


#7 equuswoman

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Posted 12 March 2014 - 10:47 PM

In my haste to post, I failed to acknowledge that not everyone is physically able to exercise. I apologize for not including this in my earlier post. 

 

Hi and welcome to the Cymbalta support forum. Bead counting is the only way I could get off this poison.

I tried to drop 5 beads, 3 beads per day and could not do it. I think my brain just wasn't going to give up the poison.

Thus I began dropping only "1" bead per day. This has worked for me even tho I've experienced some w/d symptoms.

But nothing that I couldn't handle. Glad that you found us, Welcome aboard and we shall count down together!

:hug: TheEquusWoman


#8 Papin

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Posted 12 March 2014 - 11:04 PM

Thanks Equuswoman, although I'm not quite new to the site. I just happen to lurk mostly, and I'll post once in a blue moon when my passive aggressive muse rears its frightening head.


#9 equuswoman

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Posted 13 March 2014 - 12:06 AM

Thanks Equuswoman, although I'm not quite new to the site. I just happen to lurk mostly, and I'll post once in a blue moon when my passive aggressive muse rears its frightening head.

 

Ah ha! Now I recall your name "Papin".... I think that I do 'recall' lol

Glad that you have posted. It's good to know how you're doing!

TC TheEquusWoman :hug:


#10 equuswoman

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Posted 13 March 2014 - 12:11 AM

GinnyKim61 and Carleeta, I'm down to fewer than 100 beads, which means I have to remove that many tiny white things from 60mg capsules that each contain approx. 360 beads. Tomorrow, I will need to ingest 98 beads. Friday 96, etc... ad nauseam (literally!). There's no way around counting each one of those little buggers, unfortunately. The bead counting method requires the patience of an angel on Xanax.

 

FiveNotions, thank you for the kind words.  :) I think humor is essential to making this maddening process feel less like Chinese water torture.

 

Best of luck to you all!

 

OMGosh!

my 60 mg capsules contained ONLY 200 beads..

no wonder counting drives you sorta nuts...JK

TC and hang in here with us!


#11 GinnyKim61

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Posted 13 March 2014 - 03:34 PM

Hi again Pipan, I just take a bead out a day. Will this mean I'm done when I'm down to one bead? Or do you do it and put that many beads in something and take them . Is this a way not to have to get a script so soon since they are so expensive? I'm such a newbie and only down to six beads a day and I've just been throwing them in the trash. Oops!


#12 Papin

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Posted 14 March 2014 - 01:14 AM

Hi again Pipan, I just take a bead out a day. Will this mean I'm done when I'm down to one bead? Or do you do it and put that many beads in something and take them . Is this a way not to have to get a script so soon since they are so expensive? I'm such a newbie and only down to six beads a day and I've just been throwing them in the trash. Oops!

Hi again, GinnyKim.

 

When I started tapering, I was removing 5 or 6 beads a day and saving them in empty capsules to use later on.

Now that I'm down to 100 beads, I open up my 60mg capsule and pour out however many beads I am taking that day, put them in an empty capsule, and swallow it with all my other pills. I use the rest of the beads in the capsule on other days.

 

It's worth it to save the extra beads. As you said, this medication ain't cheap. By next week I will be able to make one 60mg capsule (360 beads) last me four days!

 

I never would have taken this damn medication if my psychiatrist had warned me there would be math involved!


#13 GinnyKim61

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Posted 14 March 2014 - 12:10 PM

Thanks for letting me know how you do the bead saving. I just started putting them in a dark jar as I have no extra capsules. I guess I will be counting them sometime soon. Doesn't sound like fun! LOL

 

I know what you mean by wishing you'd never started them. I just look at it like, "well I did start them so this is a one day at a time with going off". They did seem to help at first but I don't need Cymbalta any longer so now I'm on a journey off of them. I refuse to let the negativity of starting them get me down. It's in the past and today is a new day. I'm just so happy that I found all of you on this site. It gives me Peace to know you are out there working through the same thing.

 

Hope you have a great day and thanks for the help, Ginny


#14 Papin

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Posted 14 March 2014 - 02:41 PM

GinnyKim, 

You can buy a bag of empty gelatin capsules for pretty cheap. They definitely come in handy.

 

All the best!





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