27 replies to this topic

[ThisBetterPass]

I've had a history of UTIs and have flirted with another bout of it these last two weeks. Interestingly, urinalysis is negative this time around.

My current GP is great in that she believes my ride through the taper is accurate and she is on board with the bead counting method I use. What she proposed is that since the bladder is a muscle, it isn't too much of a stretch to theorize that this might be another aspect of the kaleidoscope of w/d symptoms.

Well, my UTI pain became more targeted and I developed more of the urgency and difficulty in voiding, so she gave me a 3-day course of Cipro. That was Friday. Typically I'll be symptom-free within 48 hours. This isn't the case as I'm still feeling uncomfortable. My doctor will get a follow-up call to get the status.

[TryinginFL]

TBP,

 

I'm sorry that I cannot help you with this, as I have never experienced it myself.  I have seen posts on this subject by other members, however, and hope that someone will hop on here soon to help you!

 

The forum is generally pretty slow on the weekend, but it should pick up soon...

[brzghoff]

Hi TBP,

 

constricted bladder/urethra is a very common side effect of cymbalta in general. i would imagine it can come and go during withdrawal as well. that side effect is a major reason i wanted off cymbalta. since that problem was already an issue for me, i didn't notice a difference during withdrawal. in the UK cymbalta is marketed under the name of yentreve to treat stress urinary incontinance because of its propensity to constrict the urethra.

 

 

its not just cymbalta, all SSRI/SSNRI's have had that affect on me - zoloft was actually the worst for me. 

[ThisBetterPass]

Honestly, I don't know why this drug is even on the market.  I can't stand this urinary tract business and I've got work to do!  I've already put off a lot of my work because of this and the usual amount of pain lately.  

[Lundeliz]

I never had a uti in my life until withdrawal. Since wd, I've had three infections, and three times

 

I thought I had infections because I had the exact symptoms, but tests were negative.

 

For me the symptoms lasted a few weeks and went away.  At least I'm glad to know it's

 

not just me, and surely is just another withdrawal symptom.

[Amybc7]

I'm the same way - never had a UTI until I was withdrawing from Cymbalta.  Had them back to back!  

[Laurahokie]

I had similar issues and was diagnosed with IC. I am wondering if it is related now. i describe is as a UTI but on crack as in I can feel every muscle involved in the process burning. Not sure if that makes sense.

[ThisBetterPass]

I totally get what you're saying, LH. Right now the symptoms come and go, but it's not constant this week.

[Laurahokie]

Hang in there. Diet does help me some, I love iced tea which I know caffeine is a no-no and I also like a glass of wine here and there also no-no.

[CCHaskins]

Thank God for this forum! Increasingly I have had difficulty urinating with pain in my right lower abdomen. I feel ver bloated. I am grateful to this blog. This is another withdrawel symptom not mentioned in the literature. Because of this blog I know what I'm feeling is cymbalta withdrawal normal.

[thismoment]

CCH

Sounds like maybe a bladder infection-- consider getting it looked at.

After that, just sit back and watch the 6-month-long movie of The Peculiar Symptoms of Antidepressant Withdrawal. You will be okay.

[CCHaskins]

Funny. Thanks for the humor! Chris

[thismoment]

Chris

I read all of your postings. I know your frustration and I've felt your sense of incredulity. I understand that you seek peace in either "getting out" or "going back", and I will address this.

You are not crazy and your concerns are not uncommon. They are, however, most often not voiced at all-- and when they are, they are generally not as clearly articulated as you have done. I know you know that the sleep issues, the sweats, the heart palpitations, rapid pulse, breathing problems, flu-like symptoms, nausea after eating, and anxiety are all part of reducing and/or stopping the drug (the only solution is extremely slow reduction over a period of a year or more. The appearance of an intolerable symptom indicates that you need to reduce even more slowly).

Don't eat anything after dinner. When you wake up at any hour, remain neutral and accept it; get up and do something that you value until sleep reappears as an option.

A rush to be "drug-free" is counterproductive with these toxic materials. There needs to be a liquid form or a functionally user-friendly physical form of these drugs that would enable accurate ultra-slow reductions over long periods of time-- like a linear reduction from 60 mg to 0 over 365 days. Symptoms would be minimal; but currently this is logistically extremely difficult-- especially for the distressed patient working with zero backup from demoralized spouse, nonchalant psychiatrist, harried counselor, and disbelieving physician.

When withdrawal symptoms are reported to the physician, they are rarely viewed as withdrawal, but rather as a return of an old symptom or the onset of something new-- like fibromyalgia, which just may be a creation of BigPharma.

"It is unconscionable to me that this can happen in a civilized society!" I get it. But until we can create a government that is not controlled by industry and profits, the best we can do is teach the children that this is how it works.

Chris- I know you are not exaggerating in the least; in fact I know it's really worse than you say.

Eli Lilly and the other big pharmaceutical companies are motivated solely by profits-- they are responsible to the shareholders; they are not compassionate charities. Yes they make antibiotics too, but antibiotics are the cheapest drugs there are; there's no money in curing infections-- what the drug companies need are lifetime customers-- same as the fellas Breaking Bad in the garage lab down the alley; why would we think the operative morality should be different? That's not cynical thinking, it's naiive.

Your question about vets, SSRIs, PTSD, and suicide is a good one. See SSRIstories.com.

"Something is very very wrong here!" Indeed. Can we "get out" and/or can we "go back" to the way we were? Neither-- we can't go back 20 years or 20 minutes. But we can help one another get through this to a place where we can function and find value in our moment-to-moment living-- it just may be pointless to try to convince your spouse, your psychiatrist, your counselor, and your physician of anything!! Slow down, keep the symptoms at bay, be pro-active by walking and eating properly-- direct whatever compassion you have inward: "put on your own mask before assisting others." Get mad! Grab what's left and covet it; foster it and make it flourish beyond the threshold of those who have never suffered! Get mad! Talk here, talk to me.

I'm out 28 months and I'm okay. Am I the way I was? The question is absurd, but I'm okay and you will be too.

[CCHaskins]

Dear "Thismoment". How grateful I am for a sane voice in this insanity. I realize now that I am responsible for putting myself as a target, being naive to believe that my doctor cared. I was naive in thinking I could trust the hierarchy of money driven medical services. I understand our society and culture grows because of profit driven commerce. I feel equally shocked about medicine as I was when I was told as social worker "are you with the State or not-do you want to stay working ?", and later when I changed professions, "Chris this is a business like anything else", when I was an educator. I was shocked because I believed we worked in our professions because of a calling. I don't believe I'm jaded, I feel I'm finally getting a grasp on what truly makes our world go round. Just like Hitler changing his approach to medicine and by getting rid of the Jewish doctors because they charged money the brainwashing could now achieve the next level, that of "trust". That was my mistake, to trust. To continue letting doctors medicate me even as they said they didn't know what was wrong. In my research I came across a patent issued to a YS scientist for a mycoplasma that could cause a disease called fibromyalgia and or chronic fatigue. I was shocked once again. I'm not sure how I was transformed into an individual who stopped protecting herself to a person who took a pill that actually made her sicker than she ever was and now I learne the changes in the limbic system may be permanent. I thank you for the cold water in the face and to use a voice of reason to me. Thanks I needed that👍. Throughout my life I have been so independent minded. In 2005 my undoing started. I, with good sense and support from people like you, I will take back my heAlth as much as I can and continue to spread the word of the pyrrhic victory of the pharmacological industry. I think back to a good movie "The Constant Gardnrr", and what was being done to the people of Africa. I hope I can get through this. I did take your advice and took 12 small white balls yesterday. I could actually paint a bit today. Thanks again. Chris

[thismoment]

Dear Chris

Here's what I mean about being compassionate towards yourself:

"I am responsible for putting myself as a target."
But you're not: You aren't guilty of putting yourself as a target-- it just happened; you didn't plan it. Accept that.

"That was my mistake to trust."
It wasn't a mistake because you had no prior knowledge; you were innocent. Trust is the foundation of our most important and sacred mind states, like love. Trust is a tough emotion to rebuild, and sometimes it just doesn't work out for some relations. We can try and fail at trust-- it's okay, it's not an all-or-nothing proposition. Don't worry!

[Laurahokie]

Im having horrible uti pains after an infection. Down to 25 mg of. Cymbalta from 50. It helped to go back and read this post to remember i am not crazy. This is awful. I took cipro bc the test was positive and another test is now negative. Have bloating, urgency, some burning and frequency.
Anxiety is through the roof. I am so mad right now!!!!

[thismoment]

Hi Laura

Sorry you're having urinary issues.

As you know, Duloxetine constricts the urethra and could surely contribute additional discomfort to an infection. Perhaps you need another round of antibiotics, or a different one.

Do you have something for anxiety? Most people withdrawing from Cymbalta need something to take as-needed for anxiety-- a benzodiazepine like Ativan or Valium. Also, hydroxyzine is often used as they it easier to withdraw from. Remember, benzos can be as difficult to withdraw from (or worse) than SSRIs-- but taken infrequently as-needed, they are a game-changer!

Stay hydrated. You might check if your infection was not cured. Take care my dear.

[fishinghat]

Another good choice is clonidine. It is not difficult to get off of either.

[CCHaskins]

Colon has stopped working! I had to get treatment yesterday. My abdomen swelled out to nearly full term pregnancy size. I have to cancel everything. Colonoscopy wed. I can't believe I'm still having brain zaps. As if my brain is loose in my skull and when I turn my head a swishing sound. I had to go on a medicine "L". I'm scared.

[Laurahokie]

I have klonopin and i do not seem to experience withdrawal from it. Thanks for the advice. Its still painful but much better today. However, My ear is pulsating off and on today FH- do you know if that could be blood level related?
Cc- keep us posted
Tm- thanks for the advice. I have been very conservative with the klonopin and I m going to rely on it a little more. I've taken it as needed for years.

[brzghoff]

Colon has stopped working! I had to get treatment yesterday. My abdomen swelled out to nearly full term pregnancy size. I have to cancel everything. Colonoscopy wed. I can't believe I'm still having brain zaps. As if my brain is loose in my skull and when I turn my head a swishing sound. I had to go on a medicine "L". I'm scared.

 

CC,

 

that sounds painful - and i can understand if you are scared. has your doctor given you any insight into what may be happening?

 

i am one of the few who never had brain zaps - i can't imagine what that is like, but i seem to remember that you've had to endure many layers of symptoms all at once. from what i understand the zaps can last for several months. i don't recall how many months you've been off the C -or are you still tapering down? i may be a little dense here, what is medicine "L" ?

[brzghoff]

I have klonopin and i do not seem to experience withdrawal from it. Thanks for the advice. Its still painful but much better today. However, My ear is pulsating off and on today FH- do you know if that could be blood level related?
Cc- keep us posted
Tm- thanks for the advice. I have been very conservative with the klonopin and I m going to rely on it a little more. I've taken it as needed for years.

 

did the UTI thing start as you started tapering down? ever a problem before you started tapering? while my big prob was while on zoloft then effexor and finally cymbalta - i did have back to back whammies about one month off cold turkey. for the most part, the UTI issue is gone - but its still hard to pee at times. if i didn't know better, i'd think i had an enlarged prostate ;-/

[fishinghat]

Sorry to take so long to get back to you LH. The pulsating could be due to high blood pressure but there are alot of other conditions as well, ear infections, eustachian tube problems, etc.

[Amysgarden]

Just a thought.... Years ago, I had horrible bladder and urinary issues, pain, cramping, bloody urine, etc. Twice they diagnosed me with a nonspecific UTI with no positive culture. They thought maybe interstitial cystitis. A couple weeks later, I could barely empty my bladder, and then one day I passed a stone the size of a peppercorn.

My stones have never shown up on X-rays or scans or ultrasounds. But it's happened a number of times over the years. More recent stones have been tiny compared to that first one. Sometimes the pain is unbearable. Sometimes it's just a nagging pain that resembles a UTI, especially when the stone is small.

[fishinghat]

That is very interesting AG. My ct scan showed nothing. You may have something there. If that is the case I wouldn't know until I pass the stone. What a bummer.   No urinary issues, cramping or blood in the urine yet. We will see what happens. Thanks for the heads up.

[TryinginFL]

Just sticking in my two cents here...

 

I had a kidney stone only once in my life - woke up in the middle of the night with such pain I thought I was dying.  Didn't bother to go to ER and hours later when I was able to walk I went to a Dr. who diagnosed it as such - said I must have passed it by that time but to never let it go like that again!  Thankfully, it has never happened since.

 

This was over 20 years ago and had forgotten all about it, but it could be a possibility, FH...

[thismoment]

The symptoms Laura described earlier could well be a stone resting in that tiny bend at the bottom of the ureter. 

[fishinghat]

Possible. So far no trouble urinating. That was one of the reasons I had the cat scan done. No problems noted such as stones or even inflammation. When I see the colorectal surgeon on Tues I will run it by him and then on Wed another appointment with my pcp with the kidney issue. My donations to the drs retirement fund will be taken care of this week.  lol