19 replies to this topic

[thismoment]

We begin our withdrawal in earnest, enthusiastically! (Two weeks- I can handle that!) But soon we feel like something's wrong: "I should be over this by now! These symptoms must mean I've contracted some disease!" 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 2 months, 3 months, 4 months- Nausea, vertigo, muscle pain, joint pain, headaches, tinnitus, sex life ended, cognitive impairment, loss of sense of smell, anxiety and panic, more depression, memory gaps and so on. It's deep deep water!

 

It takes months, not weeks; you have to be patient. It slowly gets better.

[gail]

TM, always love that reminder!

[Amybc7]

So important!  

 

I'm still on half-days at work (took two weeks completely off and one week of part days).  My boss told me last week "You seem fine.  Aren't we done with this yet?"

 

Thankfully I have a supportive HR Director and almost 400 hours of leave - and I happily informed him no.  It's my body, it's my health, and it's my timeline.  Sure - I didn't plan to spend most of my summer doing this - but I can spend the rest of my life feeling better once I make it through this.  I can give it some time.  

[FiveNotions]

I'm out of "likes" Amy...but I LIKE what you just said!

[AnotherMind]

Thankyou!

[FiveNotions]

Hey, AM! How are you feeling?

[AnotherMind]

Im doing ok thanks FN - really frustrated by physical symptoms though  - at which point I'll ask...

 

has anyone else experienced epigastric pain coming off cymbalta? It was the first withdrawal symptom to present for me - and now it's hanging around. I feel like I've swallowed staples - it's painful to eat, chest pain and epigastric discomfort driving me crazy! Tried taking antacids and reacted really badly.

 

My poor body feels sooo over- reactive to everything - and pyhsical sensation seems really heightened and strange

[FiveNotions]

AM... yet again, it's likely the serotonin monster.... low serotonin levels have been found to be associated with epigastric pain and dyspepsia... While on Cymbalta, it elevates our brain serotonin levels... once we get off of it, our brains have to go back to regulating the serotonin levels naturally ....

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/23591288

http://www.researchg...ional_dyspepsia

http://europepmc.org...ct/MED/17679362

I wonder if using the amino supplement 5-HTP would help this? 5-HTP is a precursor to serotonin, and does cross the blood brain barrier ...

http://en.wikipedia....droxytryptophan

[fishinghat]

Definitely a possibility FN but nothing in the literature on it.

[thismoment]

AM

 

Yup! GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and similar especially upon laying down.

 

Reflux from stomach acids irritating the lining of the esophagus. I was prescribed Pantoprazole 40MG for this and it helped. Also Pepto-Bismal liquid or similar used as an additional faster-acting esophageal soother.

 

Avoid eating after the evening meal, and definitely don't eat anything immediately before laying down as gravity works against you.

 

I had it for a couple of months but it finally went away. 

[FiveNotions]

Nope, I couldn't find anything either, FH...

Also, weird, but while on Cymbalta I had GERD ... perfect acronym...sounds like it felt... I was on Prilosec/opemprazole..... haven't needed it since I quit the poison...

Never a dull moment with this stuff....

[AnotherMind]

Thanks for the info peoples

Getting worse and worse - quiet desperation tonight. I can scarcely eat at present - swallowing is painful, sleeping painful - a slow constant boiling in my chest, throat and neck. Over it!

[fishinghat]

AnotherMind

 

I am sorry you are going through such hell. The only solution I can think of is just being patient and holding in there till it passes.

[TryinginFL]

AM...

 

So sorry for your pain - am keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

 

Hugs,

Liz

[FiveNotions]

AnotherMind.... Prilosec is available OTC in the US.... it worked perfectly to stop my GERD when I had it .... took about a day for it to kick in, and they say to take it for 10-14 days ....by which time the episode should clear up .... and then don't take it daily, just when the gerd comes back... OTC Prilosec is expensive... about $15 US for 14 days worth.... but by rx it's dirt cheap....

 

It wouldn't hurt to give it a try ... if you have it in Australia...

 

and, I just saw in the news that Melbourne is having it's coldest day or so in over 100 years ... are you freezing "down under"?

[thismoment]

AM

 

Get something from the pharmacist or doctor to knock down the GERD. It's just another stress factor that doesn't help the discontinuation.

[AnotherMind]

Morning all

 

I've tried two perscription drugs for GERD but I was furiously allergic to both - but I'll see what other options are available.

FN - I'll ask about Prilosec - and yes - it's freezing here!

 

I took slippery elm powder before bed last night and it helped! So I'll work with that today.

 

So it really is another symptom of discconinutation? - nasty! It really ramps up the anxiety doesnt it!

 

I even dread drinking a glass of water at the moment...ridiculous!

[FiveNotions]

yep ... for some, it's a side effect while on the crap, for others, a withdrawal/discontinuation effect ... and GERD/ epigastric pain can be just awful ... I had the acid stuff coming up into my mouth, a foul taste in my mouth, and a constant burning pain in the stomach ... thought I had an ulcer ... nope ... Prilosec fixed it fine for me...

FYI, another OTC item sold here in the US, which used to be rx only, is Zantac...

I also read somewhere that the much-discussed here Bragg's apple cider vinegar fixes it ... which, now that I think about it, might be why I don't have GERD anymore ... maybe it wasn't just getting off the Cymbalta ...

[AnotherMind]

wow - that's totally what's occurring for me too. I dont even feel I can swallow normally at the moment without food bouncing back up to bite me. Ive been doing the apple cider thing for two weeks, yesterday it made me feel worse....so it's slippery elm and micro meals for the next couple of days.

 

I did start to develop odd stomach problems while on Cymbalta - but this is diabolical and unfamiliar and very much within the discontinuation time frame.

 

Its such a complicated process - I had nooo idea Cymbalta would be so hard to kick (I guess none of us did).

I even had the morbid little thought that perhaps things were better when I was on it (They werent) -its just easy to feel seduced when you are carrying around a boiling cauldron of acid in your throat and feel permanently fatigued!

[thismoment]

AM

I did the BRATT diet for a couple of weeks during discontinuation GERD- Bananas, Rice, Apple sauce, Toast, Tea (clear).

FN

". . . perfect acronym...sounds like it felt . . ." gastro-onomatopoeia!