Newbie
Posted 30 August 2015 - 02:14 AM
So I've been on Cymbalta 60mg for 18 months, and I want to get off it and use 5-htp.
My question is has anyone else managed to wean themselves off Cymbalta successfully by taking it every second day, and after 2 weeks increasing the gap by one day every 2 weeks.
I can't do the bean counting thing discussed here due to eye sight problems.
Site Partners
Posted 30 August 2015 - 08:39 AM
Welcome LGH
The every other day routine has been shown to NOT work and actually makes your withdrawal worse. The reason is that Cymbalta has a 12 hour half life so by the time (48 hours) that you take the next pill it is 94% out of the system and what happens? You take another pill and jack the dose back up in your body. You are doomed to repeat the withdrawal over and over again. Bead counting is the best method and gives you the most control. Count the number of little beads in one of your capsules and remove around 2 or 3 beads more each day. If things get bad just stay at that dose until you stabilize then go back to dropping at a slower rate. The name of the game is time and patience.
God Bless and good luck
God-like
Posted 30 August 2015 - 05:23 PM
Newbie
Posted 12 November 2015 - 06:18 AM
So glad I found this forum! I just started weaning off Cymbalta and I itch all over. Thankfully no other side effects (yet). Doctor told me to use the every other day method, but I think I'm going to change to the counting beads method. I do have some swelling in my abdomen -- don't know if that's related to the cybalta withdrawal or not. Having a CT tomorrow. I hope this drug hasn't ruined my liver!
Site Partners
Posted 12 November 2015 - 08:49 AM
The manufacturer recommends a liver function test at least annually. (My dr does it every 6 months) This would catch any liver damage very early. Any jaundice? (yellow eyes, skin, etc.)
AND for goodness sake do not do the every other day thing. The half life of Cymbalta is 12 hours this will jack up your blood levels one day and drop like a rock the next day making your withdrawal much worse. Bead counting is the way to go.
Good Friend
Posted 13 November 2015 - 03:24 AM
The manufacturer recommends a liver function test at least annually. (My dr does it every 6 months) This would catch any liver damage very early. Any jaundice? (yellow eyes, skin, etc.)
AND for goodness sake do not do the every other day thing. The half life of Cymbalta is 12 hours this will jack up your blood levels one day and drop like a rock the next day making your withdrawal much worse. Bead counting is the way to go.
Yikes! I didn't know that they recommend a liver test. I've never had one and have been on it for nearly a decade. Is age a factor or is the liver test recommended for anyone on Cymbalta?
Newbie
Posted 13 November 2015 - 09:35 AM
I've been taking Cymbalta 60 mg every other day for the last week. Dr . just gave me a prescription for 30 mg tabs. I'm to take one every day for a week, and then every other day. I tried to take the capsule apart and count beads -- wow! I've never seen anything so tiny. I really can't do that. Not sure how I'll proceed. So far my only symptom is itching.
Like a Family Member
Posted 13 November 2015 - 10:50 AM
dr hat,
i know there has been research connecting cymbalta to liver damage in rare cases but in all my years on it - 2004 to early 2014, there were never any suggestions about annual liver tests in the accompanying literature from eli lilly that i got every month from my pharmacist, only a warning about the rare possibility of a problem. i was required to take blood tests every 6 months while on depakote, for testing for the appropriate blood levels of the drug in my system and also for liver function. but never cymbalta. is it on eli lilly's web site somewhere? i did see some recommendations by medical groups and even on the NIH web site.
Site Partners
Posted 13 November 2015 - 01:38 PM
Well I guess I have to eat crow. Thanks Brz for setting things straight. I even found the original insert on the FDA site and there was a lot of mentioning of possible liver issues but no recommendation of a liver function test.
Current insert tells patients...
http://dailymed.nlm....f2-c185fbad64ba
"Hepatotoxicity — Inform patients that severe liver problems, sometimes fatal, have been reported in patients treated with CYMBALTA. Instruct patients to talk to their healthcare provider if they develop itching, right upper belly pain, dark urine, or yellow skin/eyes while taking CYMBALTA, which may be signs of liver problems. Instruct patients to talk to their healthcare provider about their alcohol consumption. Use of CYMBALTA with heavy alcohol intake may be associated with severe liver injury [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)]. "
http://biopsychiatry...tine-liver.htm"
Initial product labeling contained a precaution regarding the risk for increases in liver function test results."
I must just be remembering what all my drs have told me since starting on ssri/snri. Sorry to be misleading but I would think any good dr would require the patient to have a liver function test at least annually, although rare, liver damage does occur and can be quite serious.
Like a Family Member
Posted 13 November 2015 - 07:20 PM
dr hat,
i was just concerned that my doctor had't been recommending something that he should have been. i agree with you anytime there are warnings about possible liver problems that an annual liver test be warranted.
question: is what they are looking for reflected in the comprehensive metabolic panel? that's the one i get every year as part of my physical.
Member
Posted 14 November 2015 - 02:56 PM
Life is Good, perhaps you can get your doc to Rx you increasingly small doses of the 20, and the pharmacy "compound" (ie weigh or count) your doses? Most towns in the US have a compounding pharmacy--likely to be the mom n pop places.
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