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HOW TO WEAN OFF CYMBALTA SUCCESSFULLY


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#61 carmen1965

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Posted 16 September 2008 - 12:41 PM

Thanks stef will look it up. Nights are still the worst. I realize that without Cymbalta all my Fibriomialgya symtoms are flared up. I got an appointment with an accopunturist (forgive spelling) this Saturday to help me manage he pain. Other than trouble sleeping (sleep one hour, wake up, again and again), and the terrible pain in my shoulders, today I walked 35 minutes and are really feeling much better. No itching, or dizzines, so I think things will definitely improve.

To all of you keep going. You can do it. carmen

#62 MarieMilw

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Posted 22 September 2008 - 11:06 AM

I have been off of Cymbalta for nearly two months now and I have this forum to thank! I was relieved when my doctor agreed to switch me to fluoxetine (Prozac) with a plan to taper off of that. I took the Prozac for about a month and a half, taking 20mg daily the first two weeks and then every-other day until it was gone. I've been off of the Prozac now for three weeks and have noticed no withdrawal symptoms other than irritability lately which is much more bearable than the awful withdrawal symptoms I had when trying to stop the Cymbalta. I would feel dizzy, irritable, and like I had the flu when I tried skipping even a day of the Cymbalta. When I stopped the Cymbalta and switched to Prozac, there was no problem. Although I had a blood spot on my left eye that lasted a few days the week of the switch (any connection, I do not know, but this is the first time in my life I've ever had that happen to my eye). The list of insane withdrawal symptoms included eye problems, and that's the only reason I suspect it may have had to do with stopping the Cymbalta.

So - I highly recommend switching to fluoxetine and tapering off of that in order to be free of the Cymbalta demon!

#63 barbark

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Posted 12 October 2008 - 06:45 PM

This is directed to Allie. I thought I was dying and going to heaven Friday night after a horrible experience with cymbalta after only being on it the start of my 4th week (60mg). I was waiting until Monday to call my doctor to find out how to wean off of it for good. I read your article and it was a fantastic suggestion. If my doctor wont give me 3 weeks of 30mg 20mg and 10mg,samples, my next step is to the pharmacy and see if he'll condense my capsules into a 3 week wean schedule. I had to thank you for this, as my sister and I are going to the horrible episodes right now. Meanwhile sat and sunday i emptied half my capsule to 30mg and started weaning. You've been most helpful. Thank you and God bless. Barbara :D

#64 cleomoon

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Posted 22 October 2008 - 01:02 PM

I had been on Celexa for quite a few years then it pooped out.
Never have been on Prozac. I cant decide whether to ask
my doc for a script of Prozac today or tell him I am
going to be taking 20mg of Celexa instead of the 30 mg
of Cymbalta.
Does Prozac come in tablet form or capsule?

#65 Donna

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Posted 30 October 2008 - 06:50 PM

I posted this in the subject of what to do below 20 mgs, but thought it would be beneficial on this subject too, so here's a copy:

Thanks to Catherine's site, Catherinefightsback.com, I learned that a 20 mg capsule contains 174 little beads; therefore one mg is 8.71 beads. I followed Catherine's chart and began removing 10% per week. So the first week, I removed 17 beads each day, leaving 157 beads in the little green capsule. The second week, I removed 36 beads from the 174. The plan was to remove 33 beads in the second week (17 plus 10% of the 157); but I rounded up to 36 because it was hard to be exact -- so I was taking 138 beads. I felt no brain zaps the first week unless I was about 5 hours late in taking it; but did a little bit in the second week. I am in the third week now and am sticking with the 10% reduction. So anyway, in week three I am removing a total of 46 beads per day (the previous weeks quantity of 138 beads less another 14 beads to make a 28-bead dose). I gently pour from the green capsule into an empty size 00 clear capsule from the healthfood store. Then I close both capsules and with strong reading glasses and bright light, I count the little devils and sometimes need to add a few or subtract a few. As the reduction quantity is greater, I'm putting the capsules in little ziplock snack packs and marking the outside with a Sharpie pen, the quantity that is in the capsules in that bag. Here's my schedule:
Week one: 174 less 17 = 157 beads per day
Week two: 174 less 36 = 138 beads per day
Week three: 174 less 46 - 128 beads per day
Week four: 174 less 59 = 115 beads per day
Week five: 174 less 71 = 103 beads per day
Week six: 174 less 81 = 93 beads per day (42 days will have passed at the end of this week)
Catherine later was reducing 6 beads per day.... so here's my plan after week six:

Day 43: 174 less 87 beads = 87 beads (finally at half)
Day 44: 174 less 93 beads = 81 beads
Day 45: 174 less 99 beads = 75 beads
Here is when I will have used my last green capsule and I need to start
using the clear capsules by putting the correct amount of beads into them:
Day 46: 69 beads
Day 47: 63 beads
Day 48: 57 beads
Day 49: 51 beads
Day 50: 45 beads
Day 51: 39 beads
Day 52: 33 beads
Day 53: 27 beads
Day 54: 21 beads
Day 55: 15 beads
Day 56: 9 beads
Day 57: 6 beads
Day 58: 0

What's also helping is additional vitamins and other supplements and going for brisk walks in the a.m. I admire those of you who can go cold turkey or taper at a faster rate, but I tried periodically for two years and can't do it. I can't stand the brain shivers and have to work everyday. I kept reading that I shouldn't try to divide up the contents of the capsule.... which I find (and hope to continue to find) is a bunch of hooey. I feel lucky that I was only on 20 mgs. I was switched from Prozac to Cymbalta about 2 1/2 years ago - what a mistake.
Anyway... I'm hoping this schedule will work. If it does, I'll be off the stuff completely by December 9! If anyone has any tips on the next few weeks, let me know.

I don't know if Catherine still reads this site, but I want to say THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!

#66 RGB064

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Posted 21 November 2008 - 02:20 PM

Oh my Gosh! have I taken the wrong course of action. This is day 5 off of cymbalta but..... I have been on 90 mg for about 4 years. I thought I was going slow - 2 wks of 60mg - 2 wks of 30mg and couldn't figure out how to cut the capsule so cold turkey. I'm feeling pretty tired. grumpy, and spacey. I didn't ask my doctor because I thought she would talk me out of it. I have fibromyaliga (sp) so the doctors are constantly adding medicines. It's time for a change again med's weren't working. Question is now after 5 days should I go back to the 30 mg or just deal with it?

#67 cyclonered

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Posted 23 November 2008 - 09:57 PM

I have been taking Cymbalta (60 mg) for over one year. I have not had a great time on it. I read the side affects about a month ago and realized I had many of them. So I decided to get off of the cymbalta. My doctor is concerned but he understands. Now that I have weaned myself off of the Cymbalta, I am having so many withdrawals: sweating, nausea, fatigue, no appetite, diarrhea. I knew I was going to probably go through some withdrawals...but what I can't find is an answer to how long can I expect this to go on? Thanks for any comments any of you may have.

#68 Marcia

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Posted 24 December 2011 - 06:26 AM

I am so encourage by everyone's posts. I have been on cymbalta for years... Was increased to 90mg last month. When I realized all it did for me was worsen my dry mouth, constipation and sleep issues, I decided to go back to 60mg. Little did I know why I have been feeling like crap over the past few weeks is because I dropped back down without knowing it would mess me up so badly. I was supposed to see my psychiatrist last week but because I was so discombobulated at work I missed my appointment. Now I will have information to go in prepared to ask for what I need to get off this hellish drug thanks to everyone's hard work and posting of this information. Thanks!



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