Making Notes 4 Bead Counting & Needed Supplements....

getting ready to start the process of getting off this drug. Had flare up of diverticulitis and forgot to take pm meds (included Cymbalta) had horrid symptoms of hyperactive bowel sounds, diarrhea, electric shock in bottom of my feet, restlessness, irritability  etc. Realized what was going on and swallowed the Cymbalta. Thus S/S stopped.

Talked w/nurse practitioner at my pain physician's office about wanting off this drug...first question is "why"...anyhow was told to decrease to 30mgs for 2 weeks then take 30mg every other day...was on 60mg. Well all was well until day #10. Awakend that early AM around 5 w/SEVERE nausea, hyperactive bowel sounds and diarrhea!! After 4 hrs of this decided 2 take 30mg of Cymbalta as had a trip planned 2 go out of state w/my sister to a barrel race. S/S again stopped.

Oh and was told by NP to see my GP to be sure that something else isn't going on w/me that could be causing these S/S. Contacted general practitioner was asked "why" do U want 2 come off UR Cymbalta???  They don't have a clue?!?!?!

Called my pain physician when arriving home on Monday. Was given the same instructions of how to come off this hellish drug...physicians are NO help many have NO clue as to the HORRID withdrawal S/S ppl go thru.   In the mean time I found this Cymbalta Withdrawal Forum...I pray to be able to get off this drug by following the instructions given here. The bead counting and taking of the supplements. 

Need support, encouragement & prayers for this 2 happen! TIA everyone!

It isn't just he doctors but also the pharm companies. They are the ones that train the drs. They sure don't emphasis the bad aspects of their drug. You m ust also remember that their has been a lot of reseaarch done on cymbalta withdrawal. 80% of people suffer no withdrawal. The other 20% may go through hell. I know three people who have come off cymbalta with little or no symptoms. Lucky people. So most doctors never see that many withdrawal problems. I was lucky, my pdoc had 30 years experience and knew better. She (as well as my new pdoc) said that the pharm companies NEVER trained them on the withdrawal problems with cymbalta. They simply learned about it through their patients.

There was a court case about 5 years ago where patients tried to force Eli Lilley to put warnings on there inserts that come with the medicine. The court ruled that it was NOT a true withdrawal because it did NOT involve the levels of dopamine. The court ruled it must be called "Discontinuation Syndrome"!! Don't you love it?!! Warning statements come with all the manufacturers containers (and they are also on the manufacturers website). Unluckily those statements are not required to be passed along to the consumer.

The 60/30 every other day 30 is the standard withdrawal method recommended by the manufact.

fishinghat: I tried to go from the 60 mg down to the 30mg and then day #10 the withdrawals came at me full force. This was what my pain physician told me to do. I after a few hrs of severe nausea, non stop diarrhea so I swallowed a 30 mg. I am so GLAD that I have found this web site. I am just now sure of how to do the bead counting method. I don't know how many beads to remove and for how long between the reduction again. 

I am on 60 mg/per day.

Do U have any advise please?

I plan to purchase the supplements that I have read about here on this site ASAP.

Thx again!

Equuswoman, welcome to the site. Bead counting is designed to allow for a smooth, even and SLOW withdrawal in order to minimize the withdrawal symptom. Here is what I recommend.

Each day you open your capsule and remove 5 more beads that the day before. So, on the firtst day, you slide the two ends of the capsule apart (over a plate or dish so you don't loose any beads). Remove 5 beads and take th capsule. the next day repeat the process by removing 10 beads, the next day 15 beads, etc. Once you get down to only having 10 beads left then I recommend dropping by 1 bead a day. Two things to remember;

Taking out 5 additional beads is slightly to fast for some so don't hesitate, if you get feeling too bad just go back up 5 beads and stay at that level til you stabilize. Then start dropping again , perhaps a little slow. Second thing. If you drop 5 beads a day and it is no problem you may be able to go up to 7,8 or 10. Increase SLOWLY though! Your body will tell you what you can handle.

fishinghat: Thank U so very much for the above info. I am saving this as an e-mail as I am quite sure I will need to look @ it more than once. My mind (short term) memory is so bad now after being on this drug. 

I started out on 30 mg for 2 weeks then was told to take 60 mg q day. Thus that is the dose that I've been on for 18 months.

I am also going to purchase the recommended supplements here as well. Then begin the weaning process in the very near future. I have a trip planned out of state to visit my nursing school friend the 1st of Nov. I wonder if I should go ahead and begin dropping the beads before or wait until after the trip? 

I don't  think it is the physicians as much as the drug companies and drug reps. My pain physician prescribed this drug in my case for the pain of osteoarthritis in my L/S spine.

Thanks again, U and many others here on the forum have been most helpful!

I know what you mean about the old mind not functioning right. I had/have periods where I feel so insecure, sometimes confused, I can remember 2 years ago but not yesterday, and sometimes just feel completely confused.

By the way, I have seen research that cymbalta only works half the time for arthritis. That means that half their patients have to go through this withdrawal for nothing. That would suck.

Whenever you decide on starting the bead counting be sure and let us know how you are doing. Best of luck.

y'

I know what you mean about the old mind not functioning right. I had/have periods where I feel so insecure, sometimes confused, I can remember 2 years ago but not yesterday, and sometimes just feel completely confused.

 

By the way, I have seen research that cymbalta only works half the time for arthritis. That means that half their patients have to go through this withdrawal for nothing. That would suck.

 

Whenever you decide on starting the bead counting be sure and let us know how you are doing. Best of luck.

I have started a journal as well. Began it Thursday Oct 17th when I dropped from 60mg to 30mg and on day #10 the hellish W/drawal s/s began...one of these days I have no doubt that this will be one of those TV commercials that says: "Bad drug if U or a loved one etc"...so sad very sad IMHO...I'm sure that it does work for some ppl and I am glad of that but I just am NOT one of them....

Flatulence ++ slowed metabolism -blocking messages to other organs >Adrenal Gland <   Nite sweats all side effects which will go away after about a week off this med ,its only then a host of well being body function re-appear. I had too a constant runny nose and blamed that on allergies .I suggest documenting all of your ill's while taking this med and have it filed to your medical records . Its 11 days for me off and today I have moderate head and hand shakes which probably is my dopamine receptors begging to normalize  Equuswoman thank you for replying and to all members posting on here. let's all sing 'If we make it through Cymbalta everything going tah be alright I know its the nastiest time of coping but we'll cut it to the core along the way'

SappAlta YES we WILL! Thx for UR encouragement!

Equuswoman, you have been an outstanding addition to this site. I am appreciative of all the encouragement that you have given to the new members on this site. It is people like you that make this site such a great place for support and help. God Bless you and all the others on here. May your withdrawal be smooth and easy.

Equuswoman, you have been an outstanding addition to this site. I am appreciative of all the encouragement that you have given to the new members on this site. It is people like you that make this site such a great place for support and help. God Bless you and all the others on here. May your withdrawal be smooth and easy.

fishinghat: Thank U so very much for your kind words. It was a blessing 2 me when I 'found' this site. It was a prayer answered as I found "no" help from either my  pain physician nor my GP. I will long after my withdrawal from this drug, frequent this site even after the hellish withdrawal that I may have 2 endure. I began the withdrawal process per my pain physician's instructions from 60 Q day down 2 the 30mg Q day. On day # 10 the withdrawal symptoms began...Sooo after finding this wonderful supportive web site and discovering the "bead count" method I am ready again 2 begin the coming off the Cymbalta!

My pharmacist did advise me to take the mega dose vitamin for 7-10 days prior 2 starting the decrease. 

I have to admit when I first saw this site and saw the topic that said 'bead counting'...I was clueless as 2 exactly what that meant, lol, now I know and that is the plan that I have in place on Thurs Nov 7th. Again as I said I am so grateful for this site of ppl who can R/T what I will experience. Ppl like yourself who have come off this drug.

I know there are ppl who benefit from this medication but I am now one of them due to the side effects. My short term memory sucks, my thyroid levels are screwed, there is NO desire for sex anymore. I want 'all' that back or at least as much as I can get kwim?

God bless us all on this site as we continue down this road 2 a new found 'freedom' from Cymbalta hell...

EquusWoman

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Equuswoman. And it's a waiting game while staying within a tolerable envelope. Keep busy if you can and try to look outward. Be distracted: you need to put in the time- it gets better and better. You can do this!

Equuswoman. And it's a waiting game while staying within a tolerable envelope. Keep busy if you can and try to look outward. Be distracted: you need to put in the time- it gets better and better. You can do this!

thismoment: Thank U so much for UR support and encouragement for me. I appreciate this site more than anyone could know! God bless US all ... Luv and prayers from TheEquusWoman

have

,,

no not at all, no one has any idea about these withdrawals.. all of my doctors made out like they were basically non existent. when i missed a dose I felt like I was going insane because my doctor made me feel like I was overreacting when I told him how horrible I felt. 

 

i'm just SO glad i have you guys now because we're all going through this together and we'll all get out of it together too!

YES indeed we WILL. I will forever be grateful that I found this forum of caring supportive ppl. Ppl who have been there done that so to speak. Ppl who know what hell we are going thru, how rough it can be to get OFF this CRAP! Luv Prayers & from TheEquusWoman

Equuswoman- It's day 12!! How is it going?