12 replies to this topic

[butterfly854]

Hi all,

I've been on 60 mg of Cymbalta for about 7 years. At the end of July I started counting beads and am now down to 25 mg a day. Mostly I have not had major side effects. Some pins and needles and headaches but nothing I can't handle. I tend to get depressed in the fall and want to be somewhat 'over' my withdrawal so I can tackle that without dealing with withdrawal as well.

I've heard the last few beads are the hardest. From what dose do most people just stop? 10mg? 5mg?

Thanks in advance.

[fishinghat]

Welcome to the site B854.

 

A typical person might remove 3 or 4 additional beads each day until they get down to 20 or 30 beads left. Then they may drop 1 bead a day down to zero. Now I can assure you that this varies a lot!! Just a ballpark example.

[gail]

Butterfly, from 60 to 25mg in one month and no major side effects, wow, amazing!

 

You seem to be bead counting in a fast way, and it seems to go well.

 

Most bead count till the zero mark,  some like me cold turkey at 15, had no choice.

 

I would continue to bead count, you are doing so well.

 

Last beads the hardest? I hear that also, but, hey, you could be the exception here.

 

I think that you are the exception right now , from all I have read here, never seen it go so smoothly.

 

And you know if it gets to rough, get stable at the previous dosage you were comfortable with for a few days.

 

Happy flying Butterfly854!

[butterfly854]

Thanks! I'm also on Lamictal which is a mood stabilizer so maybe that is helping?

I know, I was super nervous starting to wean off after doing research on the symptoms. I'm still nervous because yesterday I had my first fit of crying, but again, it's starting to be the time of year I get down because of the weather.

I will probably stay at 20 mg for a couple of weeks and see how that goes.

[brzghoff]

Thanks! I'm also on Lamictal which is a mood stabilizer so maybe that is helping?

I know, I was super nervous starting to wean off after doing research on the symptoms. I'm still nervous because yesterday I had my first fit of crying, but again, it's

 

starting to be the time of year I get down because of the weather.

I will probably stay at 20 mg for a couple of weeks and see how that goes.

 

 

i am on lamictal. it may very well play a role in taking the edge off some of the withdrawal. i went from 90 to 60 all at once and felt nothing. about a year later i went from 60 to 30 and felt nothing. in about another year i went from 30 - to splitting caps in half, so 15 mgs, and felt nothing. then i stopped after a few weeks of that (may 15 of this year) and all hell broke loose. however, that is cold turkey, you are counting beads. while no one can guarantee your results, i suspect that if you continue to bead count you will have more favorable results than i.

[butterfly854]

Thanks brgzhoff,

since you've been off since May are you feeling better? After you stopped how long did the bad symptoms last? What did you experience?

[brzghoff]

Thanks brgzhoff,

since you've been off since May are you feeling better? After you stopped how long did the bad symptoms last? What did you experience?

 

its a cyclic recovery. overall better, but up and down. the symptoms are still with me... physical pain, muscle and joints. anxiety and sleeplessness are also problems. comes and goes. i choose not to use benzos and rely on cognitive strategies mostly. 

[brzghoff]

butterly854: i re-read what you asked and my response and thought that i'd add some more clarity

 

i do have many good days. however, there are still tough days also. i have managed to have 5-6 good days in a row. the bad days are not near as bad as they were at one time - when anxiety dictated my day (or as my therpaist would say "when i let anxiety dictate my day"

 

"bad symptoms" are kind of relative. obviously my worst was anxiety, which has definitely improved since i quit may 15 and lasted off and on into july. that is why i seriously advise bead counting. i realize now i took a serious drop at the end. by the time i learned about bead counting it was too late. i was running out of drugs and could not afford to refill due to insurance changes. while i still have anxious moments, i can cope and not let it wreck my day. i have a great therapist. i highly recommend a therapist who teaches cognitive behavioral therapy of one kind or another to help with the anxiety.

 

i also struggle with insomnia. poor sleep can trigger anxiety. before i ever took anti-d's and all the while on them, incuding cymbalta, i never had problems sleeping. my husband called me a pro! ;-) now i have problems falling asleep. i use benadryl - which is not a bad choice because i also have bad allergies, but i am starting to build up a tolerance. 

 

it does get better, but at 15 weeks off, i still have a way to go. i left my job and i quit C at that time to take advantage of not having the stress of a job complcate things. at this point, i could go back to work and think its probably the best thing for my continued recovery. 

[butterfly854]

Thanks for the info. I like what you said about not letting your anxiety dictate the day.

good luck in keeping your good days coming.

[thismoment]

brzghoff

 

". . . don't plan to make the big push towards getting a new job until the end of october."

 

Have you considered a big push toward a small job? Something perhaps more threshold, rather than leaping straight under the Fresnels; kinda ease in?

[Tinker]

Hi butterfly. I recommend to keep tapering down also to the very end. I tapered from 30mg and was dropping a lot of beads with minimal side effects but had to slow right down at the 10mg and at my last 10 beads sometimes could only handle 1 bead a week. You have to do what feels right for you, it's okay to go back up when a drop is too much to bare, stabilise then slowly drop down again, what ever is the softest landing.

[brzghoff]

brzghoff

 

". . . don't plan to make the big push towards getting a new job until the end of october."

 

Have you considered a big push toward a small job? Something perhaps more threshold, rather than leaping straight under the Fresnels; kinda ease in?

 

 

big push, not big job ;-)

 

most recently i worked in inside sales - over 10 years. existing client maintenance, B2B environment. while many consider it high pressure, i know the scene. besides, what's the worst that could happen? lose my job? i don't have one now! ;-)

 

 

[FiveNotions]

Good thinking / attitude, Brzghoff!

 

I'm so happy that you're feeling good enuf to do this.... that's a lot of healing and progress since you first arrived here!!!