27 replies to this topic

[Pittbullmomma]

Hello all. Been on cymbalta 60 once dailyfor 2 years. Cold turkey due to Insc and I can't afford the $260 a month for the med. Iam at day 6. Itching for the past 4 days. Benadryl does Not help nor does showers. I have dug my skin to bruising all over. Please help me.

[Pittbullmomma]

I should add iam taking brintellex to control my aggression.

[Runni]

HI,

I am still on cymbalta having had to come off so many other drugs first. But I have had itching as a result of other drug withdrawal First thing cold turkey is to be avoided if at all possible. Fishinghat contributes on this forum has really good advice on safe withdrawal. Anyway, back to itching I found that Calamine Lotion was helpful, Pure Aloe Vera gel was very cooling and also cream that can be bought for diaper rash in babies is especially good. Try to stay dry as you can and use non perfumed creams, deodorants, shampoos, gels etc. Use baby oil etc for a bit. It is kinder to the skin. Avoid caffeine and alcohol and soda, if possible try a detox. If you can please contact your primary care physician and ask for a stronger antihistamine than Benedryl and also get advice on withdrawal. Cymbalta is by all accounts the hardest to get off and I have been getting off some bad ones. My doctor is putting the cymbalta last. If you cannot get to the doctor, go to the pharmacy and ask their advice on a topical cream to help treat your skin without drying it. Good luck..am thinking of you..take care. Keep posting I find the forum members so helpful...you are not alone...

[fishinghat]

Good job Runni. Great advice.

[Pittbullmomma]

I went to my doc today. And we are going to taper off. It scares me cause I have already come this far and do not want to feel as though iam going back. If that makes any sense. I just want it over. I did get a stronger antihistamine, Xanax and zanaflex to help at night so I can sleep.

[Pittbullmomma]

I know ct was not the correct way to come off the med. or any med, just can't afford it anymore. Iam so happy to have found this site. My doc thinks I have allergies instead of withdrawing. The bad part, I worked aside him for 3 years as his ma. I had never heard of this either. Iam a believer now. Thank you for your advice.

[fishinghat]

What was the strong antihistamine the dr gave you PBM?

[Pittbullmomma]

I think it's just Benadryl but a higher dose

[Pittbullmomma]

OMGOSH Runni! The diaper rash cream actually helped soothe the itch some. This is the only relief I have had!! It's 10:19pm here and am exhausted from the battle within. Hopefully, I can sleep. The Itching is by far the worse at night.
Thank You

[Pittbullmomma]

Up and at it this am!Had severe sharp shooting pains in my abdomen last night. Nothing this am, but I just got up an hour ago. Xanax and diaper rash cream did the trick for sleeping! Covered my legs and feet in the cream and layed down. I slept so well. And feel pretty good this am, tho the Itching started right away, a little abdomen tenderness but nothing like last night. Question tho, should I continue or take the 20mg cymbalta that my doc prescribed? Like I said, I don't want to feel as tho Iam going back and have to start over. Suggestions??

[Pittbullmomma]

Iam on Brintellex for the anxiety and aggressive mood swings. This really helps. It also took most of the vertigo and the feeling iam in a slide show Everytime I move my head away. So, continue what Iam doing or stop the brintellex and start to 20mg cymbalta even tho I was on the 60mg? I honestly Have so much Love for everyone and pray for your recovery as I pray for mine!! Thank You!!!

[fishinghat]

I am concerned here PBM. First of all brintellex is an ssri with a bad reputation for terrible withdrawal. It is effective and if you plan on staying on something I guess it is OK. Going back on the Cymbalta at the same time as the brintellex is unwise as it can cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome. If you want to come off these type of medicines then your best bet would be to stay off the Brintellix, go on the 20 mg Cymbalta. and wean off of that.

"My doc thinks I have allergies instead of withdrawing. The bad part, I worked aside him for 3 years as his ma. I had never heard of this either."

A little surprised. The condition is officially called Cymbalta Discontinuation Symdrome and there is an FDA warning on it and an extended section in the drug insert considering the dangers of the syndrome including suicide and severe withdrawal symptoms. If you would like some further information on this let me know.

[Pittbullmomma]

I would not continue taking both medications at the same time. And if the brintellex is as bad or worse then I will do the cymbalta as u suggested. U have been at this and seen more than me. I do appreciate all the info and I will forward your reply to my doc as he is a friend as well. TY!!!

[Pittbullmomma]

I didn't word that correctly... Iam not taking nor would I take both. If you think Cymbalta is the best route I will start that again. I get free samples of the Brintellex. I do have anxiety and panic attacks ever since my x husband (15+ years) he was very abusive. So I do have to continue something.

[fishinghat]

It is not a matter of what I think is best. Drs have been trying to fiqure out a pattern to ssri/snri for decades. A drug may work for five patients and then not work for the next five. It like flip a coin and try something but if insurance will not cover it then you may have to try something else. Zoloft, Lexapro and Prozac are the easiest to deal with on side effects in general but like other meds may or may not work. Some people actually go on 3 or 4 antidepressants before they find an effective one for themselves.

[Pittbullmomma]

I was on prozac. After 5 years I started having uncontrollable leg/arm jerks. I may try one of the others u listed. Ty for ur help!

[TryinginFL]

Hi PBM!

 

I will share a bit of what FH just mentioned about trying different A-D until finding one that works.  Thankfully, I didn't have to try several, but after 1 1/2 yrs off the crapalta, I was still not quite keeping it together.  My Dr. prescribed Prozac (a mild dose) but I developed a face rash within a week.

 

Next, we tried Bupropion (generic Wellbutrin) and I was on 200mg/day.  After a few months, I didn't feel that this was working that well, so she increased my dosage to 300mg/day.  This was almost a year ago and it is helping me tremendously.  Unfortunately, I feel that I will be on this for the rest of my life.  I have now been off the poison drug for 2 yrs and 8 months. 

 

Don't mean to be a downer, just trying to be helpful!  Remember, we are here for you!

 

Liz

[fishinghat]

Well said TFL. In my humble opinion many on psych meds through CBT, mindfulness, yoga etc can find relieve and maybe not heal but have a life again without medicine. But it would be foolish to believe that applies to all. Many of us have seen and experienced terrible things that go beyond human understanding or acceptance. Things that we did our best to handle and afterward we could hold our head up, not because we won or corrected an uncorrectable situation but because we did out best and tried our hardest. That is all anyone can do. After that there should be no regrets. Some things you would do different...sure. Hindsight gives us perspective. But memories can be deep and conditioning. Those experiences can not be forgot, nor should they be forget, yes, put them om perspective and us them to help others understand and be strong. That is how we must be if we are to be human, humane and honorable. When life goes on if we must lean on a medication than it must be so. Try to be medicine free, work hard at it BUT no shame in surviving a a horror and having to take a med to cope. It is the mental equivalent to a physical scar or limitation due to a wound during war or other trauma. We learn about it, deal with it and live with the limitations of it.  What counts?  Easy, we are loved.

Let love be our strength.

God bless all of you.

[Pittbullmomma]

Wow FH!! Iam in aw right now. Thank you for sharing your mssg of hope and inspiration. Love and b loved, and I am. My husband has been very supportive thru this as well as my mother and sister. Iam blessed!

[Pittbullmomma]

TFL thank you for your support. Wellbutrin made me feel as tho I was "out of body". Very scary feeling. Effexor was the same way. Prozac helped, but after years as I said, I developed the twitching. Yes, I will most likely be dependent on a med due to my past, but at this point the most important things to me are my boys, my supportive husband and family.

[Pittbullmomma]

Checking in. Abdominal tenderness and pain for the past couple days, Itching is minimal compared to what is was, but vertigo and mood swings are back sadly. :-(

[fishinghat]

They will come and go for awhile. Hang in there.

[Pittbullmomma]

Ty FH! Support is very important right now. Flu like symptoms started last night, body ache, stuffy but runny nose, and the abdominal pain seems to be hanging around. Is that a symptom? Despite my knowing better, iam not taking the cymbalta. Yes yes I should wean, but today is day 10!!! Go me! Even tho I fight hourly with new or old symptoms, Iam convinced that support, prayer and faith will pull me out of the muck. Yesterday I only took a small dose of the Brintellex(half a 10mg) and it kept me pretty stable thru the day, night was a diff animal. Ty all for your support and God Speed to u all.

[Raven72]

Hello PBM,

 

I understand where you are coming from going CT on the Cymbalta.  I ended up doing the same thing and have been off of it since April 1, 2016. So, that makes today 5 1/2 months (178 days) clean from it. It has been a horrible journey and continues to be a struggle. But I have made it this far and I am going to keep pushing forward. We all should keep pushing forward.  If it were me I wouldn't go back on it if you feel it would make matters worse, but I am not a psychologist or a physician.  What I do know though is that the doctor that put me on it was a quack. The doctor I went to after her was absolutely no help. I started feeling like it wasn't doing me any good and she kept wanting to raise the dose. I wanted to be on something else and all she wanted to was max me out on it, which she did. I was on 120mg when I ended up in the hospital ER twice in March, almost in the psych ward. Once for being so groggy I didn't know what was wrong with me. I almost fell asleep driving to work the first time I ended up in there. The second time I went it was for wanting to hurt myself after an argument I had with my husband on the phone. I felt like if I punished myself it would make all the stupid stuff we argued about go away. By the second time I ended up in the ER I was already tapering off the Sinbalta as my doctor was directing.  My husband found this site and we tried bead counting. But this was hard for us because I was on the generic and the number of beads differed from one capsule to the next, so I finally just quit taking it on April 1st.  Things are still not great, but by the grace of God we will make it through. I say all that to say this: Never give up. we are always here for you. If you ever have something you want to say that you don't want everyone to know about then feel free to PM one of us. We love helping one another.

 

Blessed Be,

Raven

[fishinghat]

Well said Raven.

[Raven72]

Thanks, FH.

[Pittbullmomma]

Much Love Raven!!! TY for words of encouragement!! 😘

[Pittbullmomma]

Update... 3 days with No meds. I fell off the adrenaline rush wagon today. Felt like I hit a brick wall of fatigue and exhaustion. Took 2 naps today and am in bed at 9:30pm. Hoping this will pass soon.
Hugs to All!!