26 replies to this topic

[pennylane88]

Hey all. I'm 29 years old. I've been on 60 mg of Cymbalta for about 4 years now for anxiety and light depression- nothing crazy. I have crappy insurance, so even the generic is expensive. Plus I'm sick of being dependent on a medication (feeling sick after literally missing one dose). I one time went into a panic when I ran out and the doctor couldn't fill it unless he saw me, it was a mess. I don't want to feel trapped from a certain medication. So very carefully with my doctor, we started weaning in early November. Decrease 10 mg every 2 weeks. I was fine until I got down to 20 mg, even then my body started feeling weird. But low and behold, it adjusted in a week. After about 3 weeks on 20 mg, then I did a week of 20 mg every OTHER day. Right off the bat, starting feeling awful. Now i'm on day 4 of NO CYMBALTA...and i feel SO SO SO AWFUL.

 

Dizziness, nausea, brain zaps, legit flu like symptoms (aches, bad cold sweats and shivers). Please can anyone tell me how long this is going to last for? I have a full time job that requires a lot of hours, and I had to leave early today because I just couldn't take it. I cannot live my life this. I'm young, I'm healthy, I have no major mood/psych disorders, no chronic pain. these stories of people taking a year to get back to normal is FREAKING ME OUT. I'm hoping my symptoms are peaking and in a week or two I'll be feeling better. Any input? I so don't want to have to start taking it again. And i HAVE TO GET THROUGH WORK. So upset. :-(

 

-Amelia

[fishinghat]

Welcome PennyLane (Amelia)

 

That was too fast a weaning. It often takes people months to wean off. I will say that it was better than most dr recommend. You can wean faster at the beginning but when you get down to around 30 mg you need to start bead counting. Here is what you need to do. Reinstate at 20 mg until you are stable. Open a capsule and count the little beads inside. Remove about 1 or 2% more of the beads each day before taking the capsule.

 

Eg. If you have 300 beads inside then remove 3 beads (1%) and take the capsule with the remaining 297 beads. The next day remove 6 beads, and then 9 beads the next, etc. This is a slower more controlled withdrawal. Now this rate is not written in stone. Some find this still too fast and others can go faster but it is a good starting point. Anytime you get feeling to bad then stay at that current dose until you feel better. Once stable then you can start weaning again. This process can take from 2 to 12 months. Some are lot more sensitive than others. I would love to tell you it would be quick but I can not lie to you. It has happened that people have recovered in a month but that is very rare. When you start weaning (called bead counting) your body will tell you how fast you can go without suffering too much. That is the speed you will have to go at. You can't push through it, over power it or you will just add stress and burden on yourself and the withdrawal will get worse. This is all about time and patience.

[GettingGimpy]

About two weeks ago I had been on 60mg for a year. Out of the blue I essentially had a suicidal-psychotic break and knew I had to quit. So my first reduction was from 60 to 40; only felt better after that one. No side effects besides some tingling around my body. More weird stuff occurred when I got to 30, but nothing serious. Then, 5 days ago, I went from 30 to 0--bam! What's nice is "the jerks" are over and have manifested as a shuddering sound every time I move my eyes (nothing I can't handle). Albeit I quit clonazepam a few months ago and it was bad, Cymbalta withdrawal is far more complicated which makes it worse. I very much dislike how random the symptoms vary. Today it's mostly confusion, depression, and extreme stress due to missing school (but the stress is not new, having GAD). As long as I don't roll my eyes around, the "zaps" don't happen.

 

For example, this morning I felt great; this afternoon was very, very depressing; now, I'm feeling great again. I keep trying to look for a solution to get better, e.g. supplements, but don't want to make anything worse than it already is. I've promised myself that I will never take an antidepressant again. Every time things start to get bad I pretend I'm in the MMA octagon with Eli Lilly--when a depressive episode is over, I tell myself that I won the round. 

 

Some people simply don't have enough time for the bead-counting. For some it makes the stress (and thus, the withdrawals) worse in my opinion.

[fishinghat]

If you don't have time for the bead counting I understand. Many can't handle the withdrawal because of their job or friends and have to bead count. Each person has his own priorities and we respect that here. We just want to be sure each person knows what they are up against.

 

If you decide not to bead count then if the withdrawal is too much try clonidine and/or hydroxyzine to help with the symptoms. Neither have a withdrawal and for most people they can give excellent results. Even an occasional Benadryl will help with the anxiety. You have to forgive me but I remember what it was like. It can be overwhelming and I just don't like seeing people suffer. What ever either of you decide we are here for you. You are not alone.

 

God Bless

[pennylane88]

Thank you for the support. I honestly do not have the time or patience for bead counting, I think it would drive me nuts. I took dramamine today for the lightheadedness and it helped A LOT, but I was falling asleep at my desk. That's when I decided to go home. I heard omega 3 fish oil is good? Are there any other natural remedies for side effects? My doctor is not a pill pusher, and he really refuses to prescribe me anything!

[fishinghat]

2000 mg omega 3, vit C at 500 mg/day and sty well hydrated all seem to help some. Some say if they exercise it helps and others say it just makes them worse. Mostly important though is just not to put too much pressure on your self. This is a time to spoil yourself and be as comfortable as possible. It would help tremendously if you had a psychologist who could teach you relaxation techniques, controlled breathing and heart rate, etc. These techniques really do work.

[pennylane88]

Is it normal to have a really good day, and then another bad day? Yesterday I was feeling pretty good, and today I felt bad again. Ugh!

[GettingGimpy]

Yes dramamine helped the dizziness a lot. I only took it for the first three days after going 30mg to none though. I've been taking omega 3 as well; around 2000mg (stuff that has both EPA and DHA), but now I don't really seem to need it. I also took vitamin B dots (the 500 strength). MJ also helped with the first few days, although it varies for everyone--recommending it seems unethical but I was really surprised with the results. It's day 8 coming off now and really I'm only facing some drowsiness, confusion and a few depressive spells. It's a blessing that I'm currently unemployed though, because I'm definitely slacking in school. 

 

Be careful not to overdo the supplements though, because you never really know if it's causing additional adverse effects.

[GettingGimpy]

Is it normal to have a really good day, and then another bad day? Yesterday I was feeling pretty good, and today I felt bad again. Ugh!

This has been happening a lot for me so I think it's normal. For some reason I feel a lot happier at night, and somewhat down in the morning. I know, it's like you get your hopes up and then you're confused why it's worsening. 

[pennylane88]

Yeah, my main complaint is dizziness/lightheadedness & brain zaps. Im also kinda nauseous and tired and a bit emotional. I'm better than I was on Monday/Tuesday though. I'm hoping in a few weeks to be better. Wednesday is my birthday, I want to feel ok. :-(

[fishinghat]

Unluckily the swings are all part of it. Matter of fact when you feel good you feel like it will continue and never end but when you feel worse you also get the feeling it will never get better. But it does eventually, slowly subside. time and patience. Hang in there.

[justsayno]

feeling exactly the same pennylane

 

i'm on roughly 15 mg , been counting those stupid beads

[pennylane88]

Today is a full week without cymbalta and it's like im riding a wave. last weekend and the beginning of the week i was so dizzy and off balance and brain zaps. Some sweats too. Now it's turned to almost flu-like, INTENSE nausea and a stomach ache. I have no fever so I don't think i'm really sick. Can bad nausea be a side effect?

[fishinghat]

Serotonin, one of the neurotransmitters that Cymbalta regulates, is found most commonly n the digestive tract. Stomach aches, diarrhea, etc is standard for the course and usually subsides around week 4 to 6. I remember living off of pepto and Imodium during that time.lol

[GettingGimpy]

I got the nausea too during days 2-4. It's day 10 now and I'm starting to feel better--the zaps and numb face is barely evident. But, I am very short tempered and still a little cloudy in mind. I'd have to say the worst part right now is that I'm still not feeling 100%, but people (e.g. family members) think I should've fully recovered by now. My doctor/prescriber, counselor, and everyone else think I'm over-exaggerating, but all of the effects are in my head. Finally driving again and my crazy manic thoughts are dissipating... that's all I ever wanted. For a year I was using drugs to escape from the thoughts Cymbalta was causing. Just now I'm starting to remember 2016, and how big of an *** I was.

[TryinginFL]

Hi GG

 

You are very fortunate doing that well after only 10 days.  I experienced rage and uncontrollable crying after about 3 weeks.  The first 2 weeks I had a headache that never quit.

 

It took me a year of pure hell to feel normal again - that was cold turkey off of 60mg for 4 years

 

Good luck and hang in there!

[Nicoleeo]

Day 7 of going off this evil drug cold turkey. Not because I had made the decision to do so, but because I did not realize I had no refills until the day before I was out and my doc has yet to respond to messages from both myself and my pharmacy. I am, however, making the decision to not re-start once he does get his poop in a group and get to my refill request. I took duloxetine for a year at 30mg.

 

This is a list of what I am experiencing:

 

• Brain Zaps...with every movement of my body
• Whooshing sound when I move my neck and shoulders
• Nausea and vomiting (this just started today)
• Fatigue like I have never experienced, yet...
• I CANNOT EFFING SLEEP
• Anomic aphasia
• Dizziness and vertigo
• Restlessness
• Elevated anxiety
• Skin crawling
• Itchiness
• Off balance and stumbly
• Loss of appetite

I don't know if this list will grow as I continue not to take it...but I hope not. I hope I can make it to work tomorrow,

[fishinghat]

Hi Nicole

 

Typical withdrawal symptoms and I am sorry you are suffering so. Symptoms can last 2 months to 2 years. let us hope you are one of the lucky ones. There are some dangers associated with cold turkey that the manufacturer and the FDA warn about. For safeties sake you may wish to get back on the 30 mg and wean slowly. Either way we are here for you so let us know if there is anything we can do.

 

You are not alone.

[pennylane88]

Nicoleeo,

 

Agh i'm sorry to hear how you've been feeling. I'm not doing much better. I'm on day 10 of no Cymbalta. This past weekend was rough, was bed bound with flu like nausea. Today i'm not as nauseous, I'm just extremely weak and tired, with a headache. Also, my appetite has diminished substantially (which alarms me bc I eat A LOT LOL). In general, I just don't feel like myself and it is scaring me also. And I weaned for over 2 months. I know what you're going through. Every single day I wake up PRAYING I feel like myself again, but it has yet to happen :-( hang in there.

[pennylane88]

I think I have to keep remembering I was on it for over 4 years, and it may take some time for my body to adjust. I will say when I came off of zoloft, I did not feel NEARLY as horrible. Nicoleeo, how long were you on it for?

[Nicoleeo]

Day 17. It feels like longer. I have pretty good news. My brain zaps are gone, I am sleeping again-a normal 7-8 hours like a normal person, rather than the 10-14 hours I slept when I was using Cymbalta. I would not say that I am necessarily having mood swings, but I am feeling feels, so I am a bit emotional. I have lost several people close to me while on anti-depressants. I didn't cry...couldn't really...while on them. All of the emotions that should have happened over the years seem to be kind of rushing out and my anxiety is higher. So I am dealing with that. All said though, for me, the withdrawal was fierce but brief. Still some nausea, but that could possibly be anxiety related. 

 

Wishing you all well!

[fishinghat]

Fantastic Nicole. It sounds like you will be one of the lucky ones. Hang in there and let us know how it turns out.

[Benji]

I'm four days in to cold turkey and this is hell. Quit the day after my 41st birthday after 10 years. My kids don't deserve this me. I'm happy one second and cruel the next. I feel like I have no control over my body. I dropped a drink at the gas station and must have looked drunk. Now I'm crying uncontrollably. I can't continue like this for long, but I don't want that filth back in my body ever again. Perhaps I was too cavalier and should have gone the slow draw down. These short, disjointed sentences is exactly how my brain is functioning right now.

[gail]

Hello Benji

Welcome home! Ah Benji, I understand that you don't want to put that filth back into your body. I really do!

Reinstating is the best thing to do. If you were on 60mg, try the 30mg and see if you can stabilize at that point. If so, take your time and bead count. By the way, reinstating will bring you almost instant relief. Then you can think clearly.

It is not advised by anyone to cold turkey, it's real dangerous. Fishinghat will explain later.

Don't do this to yourself, as you will suffer like hell and everyone around you will too.

Benji, please, do put that filth back into your mouth. Read through the forum.

Others will chime in when they get up.

[fishinghat]

Hi Benji. Gail is exactly right. According to the manufacturer and the FDA stopping abruptly can be dangerous. It can lead to seizures, suicidal thoughts as well as all the symptoms you now face. Please consider reinstating.

 

Either way we are here for you.

[Benji]

Hello Gail and Fishinghat. Thank you for the words of encouragement. This was definitely a poor decision on my part and on Monday I will meet with my doctor to come up with a more rational draw down plan. Unfortunately, I don't have any doses left. The tip about Benadryl has actually been quite helpful. My pharmacist said to head over in the morning and they will provide me with a few doses until I can refill the prescription Monday afternoon after my doctors visit. It's been 7 days of hell now, and as mentioned above, please do not go this route! I will post a more detailed description of the symptoms I've experienced once my thoughts are able to be better coalesced. In the meantime, I just wanted you both to know I really appreciate your graciousness towards a stranger in pain.

[gail]

Hi Benji,

Thank you for your kind words.
I am real happy to hear that you will be reinstating.

And don't worry, when you go back to it, the relief will be rapid.

And yes, Benadryl is quite helpful. Thanks God that I have some when anxiety crises happen.

Keep posting Benji, by the way, I love your name. We are here for you anytime!