52 replies to this topic

[PtldFrank]

Checking in,

 

Today I start 25mg/day of Cymbalta.  So far, so-so.  No big changes that I've noticed.  Here's hoping it'll stay that way.

 

Only six more months (oy).

 

Frank

[FiveNotions]

Hi Frank, good to hear from you ! Congrats on hitting 25 mg !

 

"So-so" and "no big changes" means you're doing this the right way ... and even though it seems / feels like slow going, you're going to have far fewer (if any) continuing after-effects than those of us who got off the stuff cold turkey (me) or dosed down way too fast ...

 

10 years on it is a long time ... your brain deserves a rest, and a slow weaning process ... and you deserve a life without the drug, a life that's your own, cymbalta-free !  

[PtldFrank]

Thanks,

 

I do realize that boring is a good thing in this situation.  One additional milestone - I filled my last Cymbalta refill this last week.  Because my Rx is for 60 mg (two 30mg capsules), and I'm re-using all the pellets that I take out, there should be enough for the remainder of my weaning.  That's a monetary win, too. 

[fishinghat]

Very Good Frank. Realize that at the very end of weaning you need to go a little slower so lengthen the time between drops some at that point.

[PtldFrank]

Yes FH,

 

Here's my plan, right now I've been dropping 2.5 mg every two weeks.  I think I'll keep this until I get to 10 mg.  Then:

 

    10 mg for 3 weeks.

    7.5 mg for 3 weeks.

    5 mg for 4 weeks.

    2.5 mg for 4 weeks.

 

Since I'm working with 5 mg pellets I can't (literally) cut it any finer, although if I get out my x-acto knife and magnifiers, I might do 1.25 mg.    

 

For all of us, at some point we have to be off the medicine and hope for the best.  I hope this will give my body plenty of time to adjust.

 

Frank

[fishinghat]

Sounds great!!

[PtldFrank]

Today I step down to 20 mg / day of Cymbalta.  Woohoo!

[TryinginFL]

Hi Frank!

 

Still doing OK?  Good for you

[PtldFrank]

Another month behind me!

 

Today I start 15mg of Cymbalta.  The plan still is:

 

4 weeks to 10 mg

 

6 additional weeks to 5mg

 

8 additional weeks to 0mg

 

That's still quite a few weeks left (I started in February at 60mg), but I think it will keep my side effects to a minimum.

 

Frank

[Vinpin]

Hi Frank,

 

Thanks for your updates. They are very useful and encouraging to me.....

 

-Vinpin

[PtldFrank]

Hi all,

 

I'm starting 10mg today.  I'll be down to 5mg in six weeks and off in eight more weeks.  Verrrrrrry slow..

 

Frank

[fishinghat]

Way to go Frank. You got the secret.

[PtldFrank]

I started 5mg today.  The plan is for 5mg for 4 weeks, 2.5mg for 4 weeks and then OFF.

 

So far the only symptoms have been depression, anxiety and diarrhea, all tolerable.

[Howtostoppropperly]

Gail, if you mention comfort food, what do you mean, by that? :-)

[gail]

Goodness, what are you doing in this topic? I thought that you were lost or is it me?

Anyway, by comfort food, I mean food that you don't eat often because it's not really good for your health or is too expensive, but real good for your taste buds.

For myself, when depressed or anxious, it's hot dogs and fries mostly. I love them!

[fishinghat]

Your lucky Gail. Comfort food for me is any food that can't out run me.

[gail]

"can't out run me"
What does that mean?

[fishinghat]

That means anything slower than me. I will catch, and cookit, and EAT it.  Yes!!!!   Sorry about the excitement but that is what the thought of food does to me.

[gail]

You must love snails with garlic butter or not.

Well you can't eat fish nor meat, do vegetables and fruits out run you?Lol I sure hope not!

[fishinghat]

Well you tease but at my age the vegetables can barely out run my 'snails' pace.  lol

[KathyInFL]

I started 5mg today.  The plan is for 5mg for 4 weeks, 2.5mg for 4 weeks and then OFF.

 

So far the only symptoms have been depression, anxiety and diarrhea, all tolerable.

I am so encouraged by your progress! I'm new here and starting a taper. How are you doing?

[PtldFrank]

Since that post, I spent 4 weeks at 5mg and 4 weeks at 2.5 mg, ending last Saturday.  I don't want to try cutting the pellets into quarters (1.25 mg), so I stopped altogether at that point.  It's only been two days, so I haven't felt any side effects, but I'm hoping that there won't be any after this very slow taper (eleven months to go from 60 mg to zero).

 

I'll post here about anything I notice being completely off of Cymbalta.  But here's a summary:

 

Getting off of Cymbalta.  I was taking 60mg of generic, 30mg cap AM and 30mg cap PM.  This brand of generic packages 6 little pills (I call them pellets) in a 30mg capsule, 5mg per pellet.  The plan was to remove one pellet every 4 weeks, for 40 weeks total.  However, it seemed that stepping down by 5 mg made me really depressed, so I tried my pill cutter.  I was able to cut the pellet in half, 2.5mg.  So I reduced by 2.5mg every 2 weeks.

 

Elsewhere in this forum it's been suggested to slow down even further as you get to the smallest amounts.  In line with that, when I got to 10mg I slowed the taper:

 

    10mg   - 3 weeks.

     7.5mg - 3 weeks

     5mg    - 4 weeks

     2.5mg - 4 weeks

 

This all adds up to 50 weeks, give or take.

[fishinghat]

You are a wise man Frank and should be proud of yourself. Hang in there. If I had it to do over again I think I would plan on a 1 year withdrawal.