Jump to content



Photo

Wean system my Dr. perscribed me..Please help!!


  • Please log in to reply
280 replies to this topic

#271 Junior

Junior

    Like a Family Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 807 posts
  • LocationMelbourne, Australia
  • why_joining:
    I am a sufferer of depression and GAD.

Posted 22 November 2009 - 04:24 PM

Debbie

From what you've told us, you've been through a lot in your life, especially the past few years. And yes, it seems Cymbalta has done a lot of damage, not just physiologically but also psychologically. It makes me angry when I hear of psychiatrists just doling out medication without taking the time to consider how it is really affecting people. Sometimes, as you and I well know, it is the medication CAUSING the problem and you just can't go switching from one to another. That is something I have certainly learned in the past few months. The psychiatrist I went to a few months back, the one that put me on C was like that. It's not surprising that people don't trust the psychiatric profession. It's not that they don't know how to treat mental illness, it's the WAY they do it.

I think you seeing a therapist is a great idea. You've already got some good support systems in place (AA, etc) but I think the 1:1 will be really good for you. After all that you've been through, you now need to rebuild. That is NOT easy. You have a lot of courage and strength but you need guidance. Having something to work towards should help your quest to get off this horrible horrible drug. It will put it in perspective.

Keep up the good work!!
((((((((((((((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))))))))))
Junior

#272 Cecile

Cecile

    Good Friend

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 160 posts
  • LocationCalifornia, USA
  • why_joining:
    I have been on Zoloft for 6mon. and Cymbalta for almost 1 year. I want to get off Cymbalta the Dr. put me on it for my panic attacks wouldn't stop happening, so the Dr. put me on Zoloft I had bad!!! Side effects on Zoloft, so the Dr. switched me to Cymbalta I haven't had any bad panic attacks since I have been on the drug just maybe 2 or 3 since it's going on 1 year already, to make the long story short! I want off of this meds I have noooo feeling or emotion...only usually during my menestrual cycle and that's usually when my panic and anxiety erupts. Anyway, I want off this med's and back to the life that i use to have a fun life not having to worry when to take a pill, or if i'm gong to have a next panic attack. I only hope and pray to God. once off this drug I wont go back to myself when I had bad panic attacks! what do you think?? do you think once off this drug i will have them again?? Anyway, I want my life back basicly....... Cecile

Posted 23 November 2009 - 03:34 AM

Maureen read your inbox

Thanks, Cecile

#273 patsymac

patsymac

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 12 posts
  • why_joining:
    Because one month ago I started taking cymbalta and feel angry,anxious, and more. I want to share and learn more.

Posted 24 November 2009 - 11:05 AM

Hi cecil It has been a few months since you posted the weaning regimen. How are you doing now? I am where you were then. I am in a bad way. Can you tell me if the regimine worked for you?

#274 nursedeborah

nursedeborah

    God-like

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,015 posts
  • why_joining:
    I am reallly trying to get off Cymbalta, and not having, well I am having nightmares even with the decreased does, and clanging in my head.

    I just found this site, and I really need help, I can't do this, I fear I willl never get off this brutal medication.

    Deboreah Wesson

Posted 24 November 2009 - 12:37 PM

Patsy,
That is not a good weaning system that she was on at all.
Her doc had her alternating days, and that it not good at
all. It only give the brain it's drug, then removes it for a
few days, then you give it to it again.

The brain is addicted to this drug, and one has to do a very
slow taper.

Are you still on the Cymbalta? What dose?

Let us know, and we can give you the weaning process
that has been done around here, and worked so well
for people.

Take Care,
Debbie

#275 Cecile

Cecile

    Good Friend

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 160 posts
  • LocationCalifornia, USA
  • why_joining:
    I have been on Zoloft for 6mon. and Cymbalta for almost 1 year. I want to get off Cymbalta the Dr. put me on it for my panic attacks wouldn't stop happening, so the Dr. put me on Zoloft I had bad!!! Side effects on Zoloft, so the Dr. switched me to Cymbalta I haven't had any bad panic attacks since I have been on the drug just maybe 2 or 3 since it's going on 1 year already, to make the long story short! I want off of this meds I have noooo feeling or emotion...only usually during my menestrual cycle and that's usually when my panic and anxiety erupts. Anyway, I want off this med's and back to the life that i use to have a fun life not having to worry when to take a pill, or if i'm gong to have a next panic attack. I only hope and pray to God. once off this drug I wont go back to myself when I had bad panic attacks! what do you think?? do you think once off this drug i will have them again?? Anyway, I want my life back basicly....... Cecile

Posted 24 November 2009 - 10:13 PM

Patsy,

Debra knows what she's talking about. Don't weang off like i did i regret it..you should taper i heard it's a better way to go..I wish i would have...I'm completly off now and i have SOO many problems now but it could be from the problems i preiviously had and the Cymbalat withdraws too..I never fixed my problem i had before i went on Cymb..and I feel like since i'm off Cymb.. it's all coming back to me..Not being able to eat like i use to..
I feel like crap now..
Cecile

#276 MaureenV

MaureenV

    God-like

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,001 posts
  • LocationMelbourne, Australia
  • why_joining:
    Am trying to get off Cymbalta 30mg and wondering about brain zaps.

Posted 24 November 2009 - 11:59 PM

Maureen read your inbox

Thanks, Cecile




Hi Cecile,


sorry, i didn't see it until I saw this post; working my butt off at this time of the year - I have a Christmas related business and work 10 - 12 hours days seven days a week, then am totally slack and only work about 20 - 30 hours a week for the first six months of the year.

Also, it's my daughter's 18th birthday today, so celebrating tonight.

I'll answer your email as soon as I can, regards, Maureen.

#277 MaureenV

MaureenV

    God-like

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,001 posts
  • LocationMelbourne, Australia
  • why_joining:
    Am trying to get off Cymbalta 30mg and wondering about brain zaps.

Posted 29 November 2009 - 09:14 PM

Hi Cecile, sorry, for some reason messages get stuck in my outbox on this blog. I've no idea how to fix that so I've copied & pasted the reply to here.


I'm sorry to take so long to reply - my work at this time of the year is exhausting. (Then I get to be lazy for several months.)

To be honest, all that's happened to you is that the symptoms you took the Cymbalta for have returned, along with some horrible stuff that happens to some of us when we try to get off it.


You have SEVERE anxiety related problems, and who knows how many of your physical problems are related to that. Stress can do so much to us physically.

I'm not sure what Cymbalta was supposed to do for you: drugs like this only work as a 'reliever' in order to try to keep the symptoms under control while you work on how to deal with them with a psychologist (better than a psychiatrist for this sort of thing, if you ask me).

Junior explained the difference to you recently.

There's absolutely no point whatsoever taking something for anxiety WITHOUT working on the issues and dealing with what's causing it. You know well enough now that it's all coming from inside you, and that panic attacks can be dealt with and treated, but it's not simple or easy, is going to take time with a good therapist.

Forget the neurologist, I don't think there's anything wrong with you that isn't being caused by your panic attacks, to be honest. Your symptoms are classic symptoms of what you're suffering. You'd be wasting your time and money with a neurologist. I think you're still hoping that there's some 'physical' cause for your mental state, and that someone will magically diagnose something wrong with you that can be treated - you mentioned that you 'hoped' the panic attacks would go away.

You've got to meet them head on, and to be perfectly honest I think you need to take medication to help you do this. I don't have any idea which one/s would be best.

Don't get carried away with the side effects - I put the link on the blog for you of a drug I'm taking - the list of possible side effects is horrendous, but I don't get any of them.

If you like, let me know the names of the drugs the doctor/s have suggested and I'll look them up, and ask Junior for you.

How are you doing with your 10 week program on that site I told you about.

regards, Maureen.

#278 Madcityguy

Madcityguy

    Newbie

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 1 posts
  • LocationMadison, WI
  • why_joining:
    Currently weaning off Cymbalta

Posted 05 December 2009 - 03:46 PM

My psychiatrist also was going to have me skip a day when I was on 30 mg trying to wean. Needless to say, that didn't work!

Due to the short half-life of Cymbalta, by 36-40 hours I was experiencing a terribly buzzy brain, followed quickly by nausea and dry heaving. I tried this skip-a-day approach three times, but ended up taking another 30 mg. capsule. A primary care doctor was surprised that my psychiatrist suggested this approach. He told me that Cymbalta comes in 20 mg dosage now, which I had my psychiatrist write me a prescription for (which she didn't seem to be aware of - huh?) I stepped down to 20 mg without a problem. Was on 20 mg for about 4 mos. and then went off completely with minimal withdrawal symptoms.

I truly believe that you need to step down gradually, continuing lower dosage levels for several weeks to be successful. I also did my "cold turkey" over a 4 day weekend that I spent fairly secluded to minimize external stresses.

#279 MaureenV

MaureenV

    God-like

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,001 posts
  • LocationMelbourne, Australia
  • why_joining:
    Am trying to get off Cymbalta 30mg and wondering about brain zaps.

Posted 05 December 2009 - 04:59 PM

Congratulations! Great to hear your primary doctor knew about the difficulty of getting off this drug.


One by one, as more doctors encounter patients who have major difficulty with the withdrawal the message will get through. I know mine, for one, won't be prescribing it in a hurry again.


regards, Maureen.

#280 nursedeborah

nursedeborah

    God-like

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,015 posts
  • why_joining:
    I am reallly trying to get off Cymbalta, and not having, well I am having nightmares even with the decreased does, and clanging in my head.

    I just found this site, and I really need help, I can't do this, I fear I willl never get off this brutal medication.

    Deboreah Wesson

Posted 05 December 2009 - 07:55 PM

My psychiatrist also was going to have me skip a day when I was on 30 mg trying to wean. Needless to say, that didn't work!

Due to the short half-life of Cymbalta, by 36-40 hours I was experiencing a terribly buzzy brain, followed quickly by nausea and dry heaving. I tried this skip-a-day approach three times, but ended up taking another 30 mg. capsule. A primary care doctor was surprised that my psychiatrist suggested this approach. He told me that Cymbalta comes in 20 mg dosage now, which I had my psychiatrist write me a prescription for (which she didn't seem to be aware of - huh?) I stepped down to 20 mg without a problem. Was on 20 mg for about 4 mos. and then went off completely with minimal withdrawal symptoms.

I truly believe that you need to step down gradually, continuing lower dosage levels for several weeks to be successful. I also did my "cold turkey" over a 4 day weekend that I spent fairly secluded to minimize external stresses.

Madcity guy,
Glad that worked for you. So how long have you been off of the 20 mg?
I know it's amazing what the doc's don't know, even about the doses it
comes in, it's like "Here is the pharmacy on the phone, ask them!"

I am still at 20 mg, minus 5 beads, now for over 2 weeks. I am doing so great for the
first time since I strated this weaning process in Aug 31,09 from being on 60 mg for
3 years! I truly thought I was done for life, ruined for ever, mentally, but just about
6-7 days ago had a breakthough, I am calling it a full blown miracle, serious!!!! I had
been having the brain clannging again, and then woke up several days ago, and I have never felt
like this in over 4 years!!!!!!!

Guess I just got carried away with all my excitement, you have to have been where some of us have been
to fully get this.

Anyway let me know about how long you have been off the 20 mg, and what it's like now.

Debbie

#281 nursedeborah

nursedeborah

    God-like

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,015 posts
  • why_joining:
    I am reallly trying to get off Cymbalta, and not having, well I am having nightmares even with the decreased does, and clanging in my head.

    I just found this site, and I really need help, I can't do this, I fear I willl never get off this brutal medication.

    Deboreah Wesson

Posted 30 December 2009 - 02:18 PM

I just got off cymbalta 60 mg/day for migraines. I did it slowly and have fewer ill effects. I came up with my own system as my doctor had no clue as to how severe the withdrawal effects can be. I got her to prescribe (or you can get samples) me some 30 mgs, and 20 mgs. I started off taking 50 mg(30+20) a day this caused me to have a mild yet uncontrollable headache for two days. I did this for about two weeks and reduced my dosage 10 mg every week or two until I got down to 20mg. From there I started taking the 20 mgs every other day for a week.

I'm still getting mild yet briefly annoying brain zaps, and whenever I went down 10 mg I was a little emotionally fragile and grouchy, but it passed after a few days. Just expect the blues to come, but they will go. I also made sure to work out a few times a week, I had to force myself, but it absolutely helped me feel better. From reading other posts slow is the way to go and don't let your doctor tell you different. I sometimes used empty gel caps and measured my own doses from existing pills if I didn't have enough pills in certain doses.

Good luck to all, just be patient.



Ac,
Great story, but the only part that we don't do here is the everyother day
method. It all has to do with the brain being addicted to this drug, and when you
skip a does then it only requires more to get to the level it needs to stop the
withdrawls. That's why we take it daily, and do the slow wean like you did.

So happy to hear you off. Remember the withdrawls can last 6 mo. to 2 years or
longer. So if you get into trouble there is always a resource here for you.

Debbie :unsure:



0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users