Jump to content



Photo

Restarted Cymbalta But Feeling Weirder Than When I First Started


  • Please log in to reply
9 replies to this topic

#1 kimmybc

kimmybc

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 20 posts

Posted 07 March 2018 - 02:43 AM

I almost weaned off 60 mg Cymbalta (1 pebble down) last year in September but had to restart the Cymbalta due to some situational triggers. When I restarted Cymbalta, I felt a SURGE of anxiety that I have never felt before. I couldn't sleep well at all which never happened before. I had to add on Trazodone for sleep. I finally tapered off completely from Trazodone last month early February 2018. 

 

When I started Trazodone and Cymbalta together, I thought my dizziness, heart palpitations and twitching were caused by Trazodone because these 3 symptoms never happened when I first started Cymbalta almost 10 years ago. I am now on 40 mg. 

 

Can restarting cymbalta cause more "side effects" and I am afraid that I might have to wean off and take a new drug... I'm 32 years old and would like to have children before 35 but given the circumstances that the drugs are not consistent in my life, it is making me feel more horrible. 


#2 fishinghat

fishinghat

    Site Partners

  • Active Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 13,868 posts
  • LocationMissouri

Posted 07 March 2018 - 10:15 AM

Usually when you reinstate Cymbalta or any other AD there is a sort of rush that occurs as it begins to take back control of your neurotransmitters but this usually only lasts a few days. I assume that you went back up on dosage in increments over a 4 or 5 week period like when you started the Cymbalta in the first place. Going directly to 60 mg is not recommended as it can be quite a shock to the nervous system.


#3 kimmybc

kimmybc

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 20 posts

Posted 08 March 2018 - 01:53 AM

Usually when you reinstate Cymbalta or any other AD there is a sort of rush that occurs as it begins to take back control of your neurotransmitters but this usually only lasts a few days. I assume that you went back up on dosage in increments over a 4 or 5 week period like when you started the Cymbalta in the first place. Going directly to 60 mg is not recommended as it can be quite a shock to the nervous system.

 

Thanks for replying. I notice you are the most active one here. When have you stopped Cymbalta? I am now on 40 mg but plan to go back on the 60 mg. However I'm scared thtat going back on 60 mg will not reinstate my original state on how I was last year. The weird thing is that when I was tapering down, I did not have these physical symptoms except for the weird brain fog but that didn't last long each time I tapered. Now it is the twitching, lightheadness, and heart palpitations. I am really scared that I scarred my brain and body for good and if I switch to another medicine it will be a longer time for me to adjust for pregnancy : (


#4 fishinghat

fishinghat

    Site Partners

  • Active Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 13,868 posts
  • LocationMissouri

Posted 08 March 2018 - 09:43 AM

I came off this curse in the spring of 2013. Soooo many people helped me that I decided I would stick around and help as many as I can.

 

Instead of going back up to 60 try going back to 40 mg. That may be enough to stabilize you or at least give you some relief. Once stabile you can go back to counting beads and drop a little slower. The worst part is around 10 mg on down. You can not go too slow. This can not be viewed as a race. Slow is the key.

 

These changes are not permanent. It has taken some people as long as 2 or 3 years to get rid of every little symptom but that is unusual. The reason the time span is so long is because the Cymbalta molecule does not fit perfectly in the synapse. That is why it takes 4 to 6 weeks for an AD to kick in when you first start. The synapse will alter its shape in order for the Cymbalta to attach. Once off the medicine these synapses must recover and return to normal. Mean while the serotonin and norepinephrine have a hard time returning to normal function as they do not properly fit the synapse anymore. The body in the meantime is trying to use its other mechanisms to compensate but they have not been used in a long time as the medicine was doing the control work. Nerves take a long time to repair. This is a game of patience. But it does get better.


#5 kimmybc

kimmybc

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 20 posts

Posted 13 March 2018 - 12:17 AM

I came off this curse in the spring of 2013. Soooo many people helped me that I decided I would stick around and help as many as I can.

 

Instead of going back up to 60 try going back to 40 mg. That may be enough to stabilize you or at least give you some relief. Once stabile you can go back to counting beads and drop a little slower. The worst part is around 10 mg on down. You can not go too slow. This can not be viewed as a race. Slow is the key.

 

These changes are not permanent. It has taken some people as long as 2 or 3 years to get rid of every little symptom but that is unusual. The reason the time span is so long is because the Cymbalta molecule does not fit perfectly in the synapse. That is why it takes 4 to 6 weeks for an AD to kick in when you first start. The synapse will alter its shape in order for the Cymbalta to attach. Once off the medicine these synapses must recover and return to normal. Mean while the serotonin and norepinephrine have a hard time returning to normal function as they do not properly fit the synapse anymore. The body in the meantime is trying to use its other mechanisms to compensate but they have not been used in a long time as the medicine was doing the control work. Nerves take a long time to repair. This is a game of patience. But it does get better.

 

Yes I am on 40. Yesterday I tried going to 60 from 40, and I literally felt like I could FEEL my brain going crazy. I started getting really emotional in the evening and I felt sleepy. I did some meditation and kind of "fell asleep" for about 5 minutes around 10pm. Then I started getting soo stressed, and my husband helped calm me down by saying he could take one day off work this week to accompany me with doctor's visits and helping me with separating the beads - so we can go down from 60 to 50mg. I ended up sleeping at 6 am, had to take a Unisom to sleep :(. So today I went to 50 mg today and I feel A LOT better.

 

I really hope that Cymbalta will work again..I know that I tried weaning off before and I realize that I need some kind of antidepressant inside. But your words are very encouraging when you say that it does get better. I don't know how long to stay on Cymbalta to "know if it's working or not." My psychiatrist is new and most psychiatrists don't seem to know what's really going on with antidepressants. How long do you think I should stay on Cymbalta 50/60 mg to see if it is working for me before switching?


#6 fishinghat

fishinghat

    Site Partners

  • Active Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 13,868 posts
  • LocationMissouri

Posted 13 March 2018 - 08:43 AM

Any effect for an antidepressant generally takes no more than 4 to 6 weeks to stabilize. Normally going back up in dose is much quicker because there is already some in our body and typically takes 2 or 3 days to settle down and stabilize. My guess...I would give it around a week at most. You will be able to tell if there is no more changes in your emotions are occurring.


#7 kimmybc

kimmybc

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 20 posts

Posted 14 March 2018 - 01:47 AM

Any effect for an antidepressant generally takes no more than 4 to 6 weeks to stabilize. Normally going back up in dose is much quicker because there is already some in our body and typically takes 2 or 3 days to settle down and stabilize. My guess...I would give it around a week at most. You will be able to tell if there is no more changes in your emotions are occurring.

 

Thanks for not judging as I understand that this is a forum for Cymbalta withdrawal. 


#8 fishinghat

fishinghat

    Site Partners

  • Active Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 13,868 posts
  • LocationMissouri

Posted 14 March 2018 - 10:04 AM

No judgement here. Only help and compassion. These can be very serious situations that we face. We just want to make it easier for people. You are not alone.


#9 kimmybc

kimmybc

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 20 posts

Posted 04 May 2018 - 03:44 AM

Update. I'm still twitching and I'm leaning towards of switching medication, possibly to a SSRI. I feel my brain has been so accustomed to the cymbalta that I'm really dreading the following that I've experienced before:

Lingering dizziness - I was advised that taking Dramamine long term was not good. However does this dizziness go away? Head pressure too.

Sometimes I feel dumb. I remember when I was tapering the first timei didn't feel like a fast thinker and was wearing a dunce cap. Why does my brain do that and any supplements to combat that?

Please note I was tapering really slowly, opening the capsule and counting the beads for about 8 months.

I am not employed, just quit my job and it's been a decade of being employed that it feels weird. Also haven't really learned any coping skills the past 6 months since my doctor only does talk therapy (where I vent and he just encourages me to do things but no challenge in my thoughts like CBT). Without coping skills I think that it is much harder to transition from cymbalta to an SSRI. It is just that I definitely want something in the meantime while my body adjust not having cymbalta and then I can slowly think of weaning off the SSRI.

Any supplements that can help with the loss of adrenaline, combating dizziness and head pressure?

#10 fishinghat

fishinghat

    Site Partners

  • Active Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 13,868 posts
  • LocationMissouri

Posted 04 May 2018 - 08:58 AM

"I was advised that taking Dramamine long term was not good. However does this dizziness go away? Head pressure too."

Yes, most members find that they tend to fade within a few months.

"Why does my brain do that and any supplements to combat that?"

That is your body's response to excessive stress. The stress causes the release of excess adrenaline. The adrenaline (part of the fight or flight mechanism) causes blood flow to decrease to the brain, gut and other non essential organs to make more blood, and therefore oxygen, to the muscles. This lack of of blood flow to the brain results in fuzzy thinking. Any supplement that is aimed at controlling anxiety may help. Unluckily it is a little m ore complicated than that. Cymbalta controls norepinephrine (which your body converts to adrenaline). Without the Cymbalta the adrenaline tend to run out of control until your body recovers. Medicines like Clonidine help reduce adrealine prodiction and can be very effective on controlling anxiety. BUT Cymbalta also controls serotonin. Even with the adrenaline under control thje serotonin running crazy may cause just as bad of an affect. There are supplements for helping control serotonin. These supplements usually have significant side effects and drug interactions so be careful. The thread "an the answer to your queation ..." in the Medical Support section gas details on these supplements. This thread also details nearly all the things members have tried to control their withdrawal. It is lengthy but by browsing through it you will find many good suggestions.

One of hte ways to handle the severe effects of withdrawal is to take a few beads (in a capsule) to help bring some releif. When that wears off then and get real bad again then you can consider taking a few more beads. With time you should need fewer beads and less often until the withdrawal fades.





0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users