5 replies to this topic

[downtongirl]

I have tapered off of three medicines since April 9th....

 

April 9th finished my klonopin (of 16 years use) taper

 

May 31st...finished my risperidone (8 weeks use) taper

 

June 13th....finished my gabapentin (6 weeks use) taper

 

I have basically been in tolerance withdrawals from klonopin since last summer.  I am still experiencing side effects from discontinuing the klonopin.  I desperately want off of my Cymbalta.  I also take 50 mg trazadone.  I cut my Cymbalta from 60 to 30 mg yesterday and I have a horrible tension headache and the base of my skull hurts, brain zaps, pressure and pain in ears, extremely fatigued....jaws feel tight...should I stay at 30 or go back to 60 and wait for a while to taper off of Cymbalta?

[TryinginFL]

Welcome downtongirl!

 

Congratulations on all the meds you have managed to discontinue!  Believe me, getting off the Cymbalta poison is like nothing else...

Dropping from 60 (which I was on for 4 1/2 yrs)  to 30 is like cold turkey.  I am a cold turkey survivor of over 5 1/2 months now and do not recommend that approach to anyone!

 

I started with the headache from hell - it lasted 2 solid weeks and was so painful that I would wake up crying in the mornings.  I went through the crying, rage, shear exhaustion and lack of motivation - I was a mess!  Also had horribly vivid dreams.  If you read through the forums here, you will find the accounts of many, many side effects of this horrible withdrawal.

 

Others will chime in here to welcome you and can help with "bead counting" which is a much more gentle way to get off this crap.  I did not find this forum until I was 2 weeks into the cold turkey, so just continued on, but am so happy I found these wonderful, caring and helpful people here!  I would recommend that you go back on the 60 and do the gentler bead counting...

 

BTW, I tapered off the same 50 mg of Trazodone and that was a walk in the park!  You might want to start with that!

 

Again, welcome and please keep us posted!
 

[downtongirl]

Thanks for your reply.  Did you get jaw pain and ear pain/tinnitus?

[TryinginFL]

No, I did not, but many here have...

 

I also have fibromyalgia and arthritis and had a good deal of pain - some days were so bad that I could barely walk.  I was fortunate to have both Alprazolam and Hydrocodone without which I don't know how I could have dealt.  I am still on both of these, but the Hydrocodone I don't need but maybe 2-3 times a week - a good thing!  I have very little pain now.

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I still suffer from extreme anxiety at times and this seems to have gotten worse since I quit the Crapalta (as it is referred to here!).  Things are slowly improving and it is hard to believe that I have spent this entire year so far in the depths of this withdrawal.  And I am fortunate - some have had it much worse.  A common complaint is a return to depression, but I think this is just another part of the withdrawal process.

 

Fishinghat, Thismoment and FiveNotions will be here to help you soon - they are very knowledgeable and I admit to not being extremely so regarding medications. 

 

Hang in there!

[thismoment]

dtg

 

I agree with TFL, perhaps start with the Trazodone. Go back to 60 Cymbalta and get stable; there's no rush. Then taper off slowly over a couple of months, perhaps 90 days by counting beads.

 

You have taken on a lot recently and have done extremely well! Great attitude! You can do this.

 

Yes on the jaw pain- clinching due to tension. Yes on the Tinnitus and yes on the tension-type headache.

[fishinghat]

DTG, welcome     Thismoment is dead on. Don't be impatient when coming off the Cymbalta. Do the bead counting and take your time.