9 replies to this topic

[Jennyphresh]

Thank God I found this forum. I really thought I was losing my mind! I needed to be reassured that what I'm experiencing is "normal"—if you can call these terrible withdrawal symptoms normal in any way! 

 

My doctor put me on 30 mg of the generic form of Cymbalta this past February, to manage anxiety and Fibromyalgia. After about 2 months we upped it to 60 mg. in the past month, I felt the stuff was giving me some nasty side effects, plus it was doing very little to alleviate my Fibro symptoms. Then I started having severe panic attacks, out of the blue. I hadn't had those in years. I called my doctor and she recommended I drop to 30 mg for a week, then take 30 mg every other day, and then stop. I took my last pill 8 days ago.

 

(Recently, my doctor had also put me on an innovative new treatment for Fibro, low-dose Naltrexone. It has helped significantly with the pain, so there's a success story! If you have Fibro, I urge you to check it out. I can't imagine suffering from Cymbalta withdrawal while also experiencing debilitating Fibro pain.)

 

I am feeling so positive about the low-dose Naltrexone and I feel convinced if I can just rid my system of the evil Cymbalta, I will be a changed person. I think the only reason I haven't lost my sanity is because of the LDN, in fact. I also have .25 mg of Xanax that I can take when the worst hits me, and that helps calm me down, at least.

 

At first, I felt OK. Then a few days ago I got slammed with nightmarish side effects. I cry at the drop of a hat. I feel like I'm falling sideways, get brain zaps, my hand spasms, I have trouble swallowing, I stumble over words when reading to my kids, and I have foggy spatial orientation. That said, I have times of clarity and calm during the day when the side effects go away, even for hours at a time, and I feel pretty normal. In fact, I'm feeling that way right now. So my initial impulse is to tough this out and assume it will continue to subside and finally go away. I had no idea, however, that side effects could carry on for months and weeks!

 

I have a bunch of 60 mg capsules left so I can pursue the bead-counting method with those if I need to. I'm on the fence. If I do take the beads out of the 60 mg capsules, how many would be recommended to take per day? The thought of putting this poison back into my body is revolting, but if these side effects carry on (even sporadically during the day), I'm going to go nuts.

 

I saw on a post that sometimes just taking a 20 mg now and again can help alleviate the worst of this. Is this a method that others have had success with, and what is the "dosing schedule" for that? I guess I'd need to count out a third of the beads in a 60 mg capsule....

 

Thank you so much for any advice and for this supportive forum!

 

Jenny

 

 

[fishinghat]

Welcome JP. First thank you for sharing the story about the use of Naltrexone. Many here will be glad to here about that. The 20 mg or so of Cymbalta as needed is based on a report in the medical journals from a dr who has had success with that technique. Unluckily we, as far as I remember, have not had any members try that technique. Many have went back to 30 mg and slowly bead count their way down with success. I believe in keeping the use of meds to a minimum and have often thought that a person could take say 3 or 4 mg, if no relief in 24 hours then try 5 or 6 mg, etc. Once they het relief they could then use this dose to help as necessary with the withdrawal. This would also assure of the minimum amount of Cymbalta usage.

 

By the way, your dr is an idiot. Even the manufacturer does not recommend the every other day technique as it suddenly raises and then lowers your blood levels of the drug causing you to repeat the same withdrawal over and over.

[gail]

Hello Jenny,

Welcome to the forum. As for taking 20 mg here and there, I have not heard about anyone here trying this, I can't answer.

Two choices here, you tough it out or you may reinstate at 30mg. 30 should be enough, no need to go to 60 mg.

Should you decide to reinstate, you should be stable quite soon. Then, after a short time, you bead count. You are on the generic, 6 or 12 beads or many hundreds of them depending on the manufacturer.

Either way, though I would suggest reinstating, we are here to help you through this. Not an easy choice, is it? As your symptoms now may last for a few days or a few weeks. Nobody knows!

Keep posting, we care!

[MattP]

JP, you are not alone. I'm dealing with the same symptoms. I bead counted my way down and am now on day 8 without any C. I'm struggling mightily. One minute I'm fine and the next I'm completely spaced out. It comes and goes throughout the day. I just want to feel right again but it doesn't work that way. I need reassurances as well that this in line with what to expect.

Thank God for this site and the people that are here to help.

[fishinghat]

The good news it is what is expected but the bad news is that it fades slowly, and the other good news is that it DOES fade.

 

Time and Patience.

[Jennyphresh]

Thank you so much, everyone. MattP, it sounds like we are at about the same day C-free, although I didn't bead count. I will be curious to see how you are doing and wish the best for you!

 

Fishinghat, I agree with you about my doctor. I really feel like she threw me to the wolves. That said, she's a rheumatologist and I don't think is as familiar with Cymbalta as, for example, a psychiatrist might be. So I don't feel angry with her, I just feel it's shocking how misinformed physicians are when it comes to this drug. It sounds like a common problem from what I have seen on this forum. When I next see her I will speak to her about this. 

 

For now I have decided to stick this out without going back on the drug, and do what my husband dubbed "ride the white horse" until it's over. Somehow that seemed like a great phrase for this hell! It's got to get better sometime! I really do have good moments (I went for a 5-mile run earlier today!) and then feel incredibly awful at other times. Tonight I started getting nasty brain zaps and felt like I was "falling backwards" and like I had to catch myself.

 

Does anyone else get bad stomach problems--cramps, nausea? That hit me today as well. Really awful.

 

Thanks again for the support; much appreciated. Rooting for all of you as well! This will all eventually end.

 

JP

[fishinghat]

Stomach issues are one of the most common complaints in the early stages of withdrawal. Serotonin is most common in the digestive tract, It can be a rough ride cold turkey but we are here if you need us.

 

"Ride the white horse". Well that dates your husband. Hadn't thought of that song in many years, but appropriate.

[Jennyphresh]

Update:

 

My symptoms of withdrawal were not getting better. In fact, yesterday I had a terrible "spell" at breakfast during which I was certain I was going to faint, fall to the floor, lose all sense of space and time, etc.

 

So I consulted a family friend who is an MD (but very holistic and usually recommends natural approaches over pharma). Even he said I should go back on the Cymbalta and stabilize! I saw my doctor today and she concurred. So I'm back on 20 mg prescription for now. (Took a 30 mg yesterday.) I'm already feeling more normal. Sigh. This is scary stuff.

 

Question: My doctor noted today that my blood pressure was unusually high. I've never had high blood pressure in my life! Anyone experience this with taking or discontinuing  Cymbalta? Of course, feeling these awful side effects probably had my heart racing a bit, plus I had a cup of coffee, but still... I'll search the forum to see if I find anything related.

 

Hope you all are doing well!

Jenny

[fishinghat]

Hello jenny.  Yes, stress in general whether from withdrawal or something else causes the blood pressure to rise due to the release of adrenaline.  Reinstatement was a good mood. Once you stabilize and feel you can handle it you can then start bead counting and come down much slower with less grief.

[gail]

Hello Jenny,

I am sure glad that you have reinstated. Stabilise then bead count your way down, slowly.

Smart move! And thanks for the update!