32 replies to this topic

[freddiekatt]

Hi Freddiekatt

 

I cut and pasted these three items from your post.

 

1. "This has been 3 weeks of this and I think I'm at the point that I have to just go cold turkey if you will..  enough is enough!  I've tapered.  I'm at a very low dose...a quarter of the 30 mg....so whats that....like 8 mg a day?  I've given my poor brain time to get off...3 weeks.  So can I just stop at this point?"

 

 2. "I have a small amount in my system...less than 10 mg"

 

 3. "So can't I just stop at this point and heal?"

 

1. You have been pretty much cold turkey up to this point because of the erratic nature of your tapering. Cutting the dosage in half or putting in steps is cool turkey. Maybe not cold turkey, but close enough to bring on the symptoms of withdrawal. The most effective tapering I know of is a slow taper on a constant slope (example: day one take out 2 beads; day two take out 4; day three take out 6, and so on).  Even so, you will still have withdrawal symptoms, but milder.

 

2. Even if you had the full 30 mg in your system and you quit today, it would be 99.9% out of your system in 5 days. But you would be in full-blown cold-turkey withdrawal for a number of weeks. (What's up- the drug is gone?) The drug changes your brain, and how it functions. The drug maintains the altered condition (it slows the re-absorption of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine back into the brain), so when the drug is gone,  your brain has to scramble to physically alter itself and re-learn how to do this work again on its own. It's scrambling to stabilize itself and simultaneously it screams out to you, "A little help here! For God's sake pop a capsule. . . I don't know if I can re-set!!"  

 

And the equilibrium it arrives at cannot possibly be exactly as it was before you started the drug, but it will close enough- after all, it's an emergency repair.

 

3. Yes, you can stop at any point and heal. The question is how can you tolerate the discontinuation symptoms? The symptoms are easier to bear when you taper off slowly. Is there any difference to how your brain ends up- cold turkey or tapering? I don't think so, but fishinghat would know the answer to that.

 

You can do this! Stay strong and make a plan and do it. It helps you- and all of us here- if you continue to post your progress.

 

Best wishes.

Hi there,

Thanks for the info.  I did think I was tapering slowly...  I went from 30 mg to about 10mg or just under in 3 weeks to a month.  Regardless, I did start removing 5 beads a day:)  

I went through 6 months of withdrawal with effexor as well...the SNRI's are just intolerable to me:)  Out of desperation I went to my doctor and I've gone back on ciprolex.  Within 2 days I'm completely withdrawal free....as you said....I just couldn't take it anymore.  Should have decreased slower....you're right.  But I did very bad on cymbalta before coming off...namely insomnia and increased anxiety.  I guess I couldn't take it in my sleep deprived anxious state:)  

Ciprolex is a good fit and I've missed doses, had no glimpse of withdrawal.  I even weaned down at one point to come off.  And again no issues.  So maybe it's an easy way out....but I have my life back.  I have slept 7 hours a night....fallen asleep in 5 minutes!  Compared to 1-3 hours a night and restless and anxious and hours to try and sleep....I'm in heaven.

 

It'd be nice if someone knowledgeable such as yourself could perhaps post a weaning schedule?  Like over the course of a month or two....how many beads to take for how many days (as an example).  Just a thought:)

Thanks

[fishinghat]

My recommendation for a weaniing method is to open the cymbalta capsule each day and remove a few beads, usually 2 or 3. So the first day you remove 3 beads, the next day 6 beads, the next 9 beads etc. This provides for a slow steady withdrawal. If symptoms get to bad you just hold at that dosage for a while until you stabilize. Then start dropping again. Be aware that for most the last few beads give the worse withdrawal. Be prepared to slow down when you get to the very end. Now this is just an example. Some can only remove 1 bead a day and others 7 or 8 beads a day. You will have to play with it a little bit to find what works for you. This doesn't mean you won't have withdrawal but it will be lighter and you will have some control over it.

[thismoment]

Hi freddykatt

I reviewed you earlier posts, and they indicate that your tapering regimen has steps and time gaps in it. Cutting your dosage from 30 mg to 10 mg in three weeks is WAY too fast - that drop should be over about 60 days.

The drop should be smooth and steady with no dosage steps or time gaps. Take the meds every day at the same time, with the dosage reduced by about 1% per day.

Here's what I recommend based on my own experience: taper over 90 days minimum, although 100 days would perhaps be easier to manage because the math is straightforward- 1% per day over 100 days. If your capsule has 100 beads, on day one take out 1 bead, day two take out 2 beads, day three take out 3 beads and so on to day one hundred.

If the symptoms become rough, stay at your current dosage until you stabilize, then start tapering again. Expect withdrawal symptoms throughout, and they may get stronger right near the last few beads.

Have a benzo or similar handy for anxiety.

Is it reasonable to have only been on the drug for 2 months, but require 3 months + to get off it? Yes.

I'm happy to hear that things are getting better and better for you!!