6 replies to this topic

[jealbrecht]

Sooooo, I'm in the weaning process. Readers Digest version...been on 40mg/day Cymbalta for ~3 years. Started weaning off 5 weeks ago with my doc's not so great plan of going from 40mg to 30 mg the first month, 30mg to 20 mg the second month, then off.

As I now know, wayyyyyy too fast. I'm holding at 30 mg, and I see her next week.

I had a blood panel done 4 months ago, and again last week. My cholesterol is climbing, my blood sugar is climbing, my weight is climbing, and one of my liver enzymes is slightly elevated.

I know that can all be from the Cymbalta. I'm concerned about a slow taper with rising numbers. Balancing heart and liver issues with a slow taper is a tough one. I'd rather not wean too fast and be crazy, AND, I'd rather not have a heart attack or liver damage dosing down slowly.

Rehab is looking better and better! Check me in and knock me out for a few months. (Is there a Cymbalta rehab one can go to?!?)

[Carleeta]

Jeatbretch, welcome to the forum. You will find wonderful individuals here. We all care about your journey and will be here every step of the way for you.

I don't know of any Cymbalta rehab, and if I did I'm sure many members here would have gone. This is an area which the medical field is not well informed and has little knowledge of. This is one of the main reasons this forum was started.

you are making a good choice by not going as fast as your doctor has suggested. Stay on 30mg and get stabilized. Members will be popping in later to offer their advice and knowledge on how to approach the best method of getting off cymbalta.

we wish you luck and please keep us informed daily as to your progress and question...

[FiveNotions]

jealbrecht,

As I said in your other thread, Cymbalta ... being on it, and getting off it ... screws with all of the body's systems ... weight gain, bad liver numbers, glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure, heart rate ... everything can go haywire ... talk to your doc about all of this ... and, if it will make you feel less worried, go for all the special tests he/she may want to run on you ... many of us here had tons of tests, made numerous ER visits, etc during this process ... thinking we had developed some new disease/condition that was unrelated to the Cymbalta ... as yet, I don't recall anyone reporting here that any of those tests and/or ER visits confirmed a new condition ...

You came down way too hard and fast with your first phase of weaning ... just give yourself lots of time to stabilize, and then start bead counting ... and go slowly ... one of our members, who is now off the stuff and back to living her life is EquusWoman ... she ended up having to remove just one bead at a time, and over a period of months ...

Just stick with us here, and post regularly so we know how you're doing / feeling ... what you're feeling now is right on track with where you are in the process ... hang in there, better days ... and better lab numbers, are coming!

[jealbrecht]

FN, thank you again for replying to my posts! It is very helpful. I figure all bets are off on ANYTHING but getting off Cymbalta without going nuts. That's enough for the next 6 months!

[FiveNotions]

Well, if you avoid "going nuts" during this process, you're one in a million ... I sure went nuts ... as have most of us here during the first few months of the process ... that's yet another reason why this forum is so wonderful ... you are "free to be nutty," cuz we all have either been there, or are still there! 

[jealbrecht]

FN, I'm getting the feeling it's a toss up for going nuts by weaning down too fast. or having to count the minuscule beads!

 

Seriously, though, I know the bead counting is preferable. By a margin. LOL

[FiveNotions]

Yeah, a lot of the bead counters here have had a heck of a time with those pesky little things ... counting out tiny little beads in the midst of withdrawal really does seem like "cruel and unusual punishment", doesn't it? ...   ....