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Nice Method To Withdraw Gradually


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#1 pepe64

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Posted 16 October 2013 - 03:21 PM

Hi all,

 

I've been on Cymbalta (60mg) for many years now (for depression). My current psychiatrist just took over the Cymbalta prescription habit from his predecessor.

 

Recently, I decided to withdraw from Cymbalta. I'm feeling much stronger and healthier than I felt 5 years ago, so I decided to try and go 'drug-free'. I had terrible experiences with quitting Cymbalta, and had many symptoms that are being described on this forum. The brain-zaps were the most horrible symptoms.

 

Together with my psychiatrist, I worked out a practical method to quit gradually. This is not obvious, because where I live (Belgium) you can only get the 60mg capsules for a reasonable price. The only other dose available is 30mg, which is much more expensive (!!)

 

If you want to get a capsule of ,say, 55 mg, the pharmacist will charge you a lot for opening the capsules and making new ones (stomach resistent) with the desired dose. Pharmacists do not reuse the original capsules.

 

Ordinary people (like me) don't have access to precision/laboratorium scales to measure quantities in milligrams. However, there is a work-around. Use a plastic tab divider like they have in all offices, or a sheet of strong 'glossy' paper, and fold it firmly to create a crease.

 

Open the cymbalta capsule and spread the tiny cymbalta pellets along the crease of the folded tab divider. Now you can calculate and 'measure' your desired dose in inches/centimeters, and pour the desired quantity back in the capsule.

My psychiatrist has recommended me the following scheme : -5%/week (=minus 3mg /week).

Last week I have been taking 57mg, and now I'm having 54mg. So far so good.

If you'd like me to report on my progress, just leave a reply.

Success to all.

P.

 


#2 Heartfeathers

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Posted 16 October 2013 - 03:25 PM

Make sure you do not go down in dose again until ALL symptoms are gone and you are stable.  If you drop down in dose while your body is still struggling with the last cut, you can end up in permanent damage.  Slow and steady.  Good luck!  :)


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#3 pepe64

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Posted 18 October 2013 - 10:27 AM

Ok, I can be more precise now.

 

I opened a 60mg Cymbalta capsule and counted the little pellets. Twice. As precisely as I could, armed with a magnifying glass and a thin knife to separate and manipulate the pellets on a plactic divider tab.

 

Results: 570 and 571 pellets.

 

That gives me about 9.5 pellets /mg.

 

Going from 60mg to 54mg means throwing out 57 pellets. This ritual takes about two minutes.

 

This is more precise than measuring/counting pellets  per centimeter or inches.


#4 sk8mom

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Posted 18 October 2013 - 11:10 AM

Hi pepe

I have the same capsules, I counted I think about 577 beads in mine, I am now taking 70 beads out, I figure 10 beads = 1mg, so I am taking around 53mg right now :)


#5 pepe64

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Posted 18 October 2013 - 11:53 AM

Hello sk8mom,

 

Nice to get confirmation on the number of beads :)

 

It seems that we are on the same track. But I'm planning to go slowly. I've read too many horror stories about quitting too fast and I had a very bad withdrawal experience myself.

 

Succes!


#6 fishinghat

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Posted 18 October 2013 - 01:23 PM

Wild...In my 60 mg capsules there were only 180 to 200 beads!!


#7 pepe64

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Posted 18 October 2013 - 05:05 PM

Wild...In my 60 mg capsules there were only 180 to 200 beads!!

Wild indeed.

Are we sure we are talking about the same thing?

Cymbalta 60mg duloxetin, 28 capsules in 1 pack.

The 'body' part of the capsule is green, the 'lid' is blue.

(distributed in Belgium/Europe, where I live.)


#8 fishinghat

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Posted 18 October 2013 - 05:34 PM

Nope, mine were in the manufactures bottle and produced by Eli Lilley here in the USA.  The color code, by international law must have the same color code so that law enforcement can recognize them. There are many companies around the world that produce cymbalta. Matter of fact one of the biggest is in Isreal!!


#9 sk8mom

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Posted 18 October 2013 - 09:37 PM

Mine were also in a box and produced by Ellie Lilly Canada, green and blue capsule.


#10 pepe64

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Posted 08 November 2013 - 10:19 AM

Update: counting and removing beads

 

The scheme that I'm using is very simple: every day I remove 2 beads extra

 

Today I removed 88 beads, tomorrow I'll remove 90.

 

As there are 570 beads in a 60mg blue/green Cymbalta capsule, I'll be clean on 7 July 2014 :-)

 

I'm currently feeling no withdrawal effects.


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#11 equuswoman

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Posted 08 November 2013 - 10:36 AM

Update: counting and removing beads

 

The scheme that I'm using is very simple: every day I remove 2 beads extra

 

Today I removed 88 beads, tomorrow I'll remove 90.

 

As there are 570 beads in a 60mg blue/green Cymbalta capsule, I'll be clean on 7 July 2014 :-)

 

I'm currently feeling no withdrawal effects.

I began last night. Please keep us updated on how you are doing if you would! Wishing much success for you as we go down this road together! :hug:


#12 sk8mom

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Posted 08 November 2013 - 07:55 PM

He pepe64

 We are on the same track, I have about 570 beads in my capsules too (a lot of people have only around 200), I am about -75 beads now, I have been taking mostly only one out lately but had to take about 4 mg of remeron to help me sleep better, I think I will stick with the remeron and then be able to get rid of the Cymbalta easier, then I can stop the remeron as I already stopped it before without any problems.  Tonight, I will be taking about 77 beads out :-)





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