Hello, I am 23 years old and I was put on Cymbalta in (roughly) 2014 for Chronic fatigue syndrome/Fibromyaglgia. The specialist's plan was to put me on it for a little while and then slowly wean me off, but shortly after I started it he got cancer and had to retire. My old GP had no idea on how to take me off of it, so I've been on it for much longer than I was meant to be. I now have a new GP and she has agreed that I can try weaning off some of my medications, one at a time. I am currently taking Lyrica, Endep and Cymbalta.
I recall that she suggested weaning off Cymbalta first, but I wanted to go off Lyrica to start because I have been on that the longest, since 2012 when I was 17, and I thought it would be the hardest. I am now on 50mg of Lyrica instead of 70mg and wish I had started weaning off Cymbalta instead, as I have been told that Lyrica and Cymbalta have some of the same ingredients and thought it might make it a little easier. My plan now is to keep taking 50mg of Lyrica and start to wean off of Cymbalta in August.
I have read a lot of the forums here and am a little overwhelmed at the prospect of withdrawal symptoms, as I am already bedridden and alsp already emotional/angsty as my family is falling apart. I don't think I will cope but I know I have to do it.
My question...
I currently take 60mg of Cymbalta. I was wondering if I should start bead counting from 60mg, or drop from 60mg to 30mg and start bead counting after a while on 30mg, or if that drop would be too much.
I also wondered wether it would be a little gentler to remove one bead a week instead of a bead a day, as when I started to wean off Lyrica I dropped from 70mg to 50mg, and stayed there for a month, and didn't notice any harsh withdrawal symptoms.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.