23 replies to this topic

[freedomseeker]

I am in my fourth week of weaning off Cymbalta 120mg. For the last 2-3 days I have had none. I feel terrible. I am nauseated, have diarrhea, brain zaps, headaches, neck pain. I am so afraid that I have ruined my body. I have been on Cym for Anxiety and Fibromyalgia for several years. I have also been feeling poorly for several years. I think worse that before I was on Cym. I want to get healthy and get this juck out of my body! I just need some encouragement that this WILL go away. I have read in some places that it takes months or sometimes a year or more to lose all the symptoms. I can't function this way!!

[MaureenV]

Hi,


It;s not the remaining Cymbalta in your body causing the problems, it's the fact that our bodies cannot adapt very quickly to the absence of it.


It may be worthwhile considering tapering down more slowly - i.e. starting back on the dose you were last on, and dropping the dose slowly.


Maureen.

[freedomseeker]

Thanks Maureen! Yeah, I know that it is from the absence of the drug b/c it has a short half life and would not still be in my system. Pardon me if I am not thinking clearly! LOL

I followed my docs instructions. 60mg for a week. 30 mg for a week and then for everyother day. I am just now on the off totally part of it. Not sure if I should be trying to split the remaining 30mg up in empty capsules. I'm just discouraged now!

[MaureenV]

I can understand being discouraged.


Anyone who knows enough about this drug does NOT recommend the intermittent dose method. Anyone who's posted here going that way has not found it much (or any) easier than those going cold turkey.


(Doctors are sadly uninformed about withdrawing from this drug because the manufacturer chooses to not inform them. They're led to believe that taking a bit every few days will 'help' your body get over it - it doesn't. It works for steroids (which are generally weaned this way) but not for Cymbalta.


I can't really suggest what to do, only what worked for me and what's worked for others. Taking a dose at a level at which the withdrawal effects are tolerable worked for me. I didn't need to go back on to the dose I was on. I was only on 30mg; that was more than 10 weeks ago and I'm just today down to 5mg per day - VERY impatient to be off completely, which I tried at 10mg without success, so 120 to nothing in your time frame is a sudden drop.

Don't know where you are, but you can get clear gelatin capsules to split your doses - it's important not to take the little beads on their own - but you probably know that.


keep in touch,

Maureen.

[shaun]

I am sorry that you are going through this terrible time. I too have been through the withdrawal symptoms that you are experiencing. The good news is that it does get better. I am over a week off of Cymbalta and even though I am still experiencing some effects, it does get better every day. Here are a few things that have helped me during this fun time.
Drink lots of water
Get some fresh air. I found that if I sat out in the sun for 15 or so minutes, I actually felt better.
Benadryl at night made me feel better and helped me sleep.
Reading a book. I know, I did not think I could read with the brain zaps. I found that when I was reading the zaps went away.

Good luck and keep us posted on how you are doing.

[freedomseeker]

I was trying to think logically about the 30mg on one day and off the next and could make no since of it but figured the doc knows more than me so I will follow his instructions. Logically, I would think that one day on and one day off would be like torture to your body knowing the short half life of the med. It's like a roller coaster! No different than skipping doses when taking it full time. Speaking of that, I rarely missed doses ever but did not always take it a the exact same time. The "brain zap" feeling woud surface every now and then. I remember even describing it to someone (not thinking at all that it had anything to do with Cymbalta) and they suggested that maybe I needed to get an adjustment. I go to the chiropractor regularly for back pain mostly due to scoleosis and Fibromyalgia pain. Each time I felt a little of the "brain zap" feeling I just assumed "oh, time to go to the Chiropractor." The whole time it was the Cymbalta making me feel bad and there is no telling what other symptoms of mine are really a result of the drug.

Sorry to babble on but I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and trying pay more attention to my body and what I put in it! Another random thought: have there been any lawsuits againt the makers of Cymbalta? I haven't found anything online. I know that this medicine has helped many people that needed desperate help but I think that patients should be made aware of the withdrawl. Maybe I should have done more research before taking it. I think we tend to trust our docs too much these days and not take our health into our own hands!

Thank you Shaun and Maureen for your encouragement! I am very thankful for this forum to share tips and just to know that I am not alone in this.

[MaureenV]

Hi freedomseeker,

You're right about the roller coaster. Don't be too hard on the doc, they only know what the drug company chooses to tell them. Other than that it's up to us to inform them - and a good one will listen to you and learn from your feedback - mine does and I know it makes a massive psychological different feeling as though she believes me.

regards, Maureen.

[cmonk]

I think you and I are in the same boat at this time. I gave in and took a pill tonight after being off for 4 days. I also had to take a Xanax earlier due to uncontrollable crying.(my kids were not home)When the crying started again I flat out refused to scare my kids. I took 30mg. I think I will go through see about just lowering the dose again. I hope all goes well with you and remember you are not alone.


Candy Monk

[redhead]

Hi everyone,

Havent been on here for a while as I usually visit the cymbaltasurvivors website-I used to visit this regularly till all the spam posts!!!!

Anyway I'm down to 3.5 mgs now and doing well enough thank God. Trouble getting to sleep but eventually dose off-but of course its hard getting up in the morning for work as you could sleep then- ha ha. I've tapered from 120mgs which I started in Sept 07 and have been tapering over the last year very slowly- its been kinda wierd at times-lots of shoulder pains and weight gain but have been able to tolerate it so far. Taking Fish oil, Vit B complex and multi vitamin every day-oh and evening primrose too last few months for PMT. Someone on the other website suggested Bach's sleep remedy so going to give that a go to help sleep issues. I work 3 days a week so I try to catch up on sleep etc on days off.

Good luck to everyone withdrawing and keep positive. Know it will be hard but from all the advice on these boards, hopefully we will know what to expect and win through in the end.

Peace & Love

Redhead

[freedomseeker]

Yep, looks like we are about on the same timeline cmonk. I have not really had the crying spells though except when I get upset about feeling so bad. I have been rather snappy with my husband though. I am trying to get him to understand what I am going through. I work for my dad and I'm not quite sure he understands either. I was feeling really nauseated yesterday at work and felt like I was going to throw up and really wished that I would so that my father and husband would believe how bad I feel. Crazy, huh?

cmonk, Maybe you should see about "cutting" the 30mg dose up and weaning off more. I have seen where others have taken geletin caplets and divided the 30mg.

Thanks so much for the tips redhead. I will investigate!! It's funny, I work 3 days as well and am blessed to work for my dad so that I don't really have to be in tip top form! I have found that Benedryl or Tylenol PM (has benedryl in it too) really help me sleep well. I do find that it is REALLY hard to get up though! Better than not sleeping well though!

Please both of you keep in touch! It helps alot to communicate with others that understand! :^) We WILL all get through this!!

[nursedeborah]

freedomseeker,
Boy I am really not up to speed on seeing the new ones coming in!
Not like me at all. I am just hoping you have found a way to decrease
yourself off this noxiuos drug so that you can function, and handle the
withdrawl symptoms!

This really can be done. Like Maurene has already filled you in, trust
what she is telling you as she is right on.

If it were not for the ones that were here when I first got here I really
don't know what I would have done. These people have saved my lifeand been so supportive.

We can all get off this stuuf, and just stay in the now. There is no hurry to get off it, it's
just a goal.

Debbie

[nursedeborah]

Hi,
Well it has finally hit me my last decrease. It always takes about 6-7 days before
I start to get the bad creepy withdrawls.

I am feeling so defeated, I still have yet to feel any emotions like all of you keep
talking about, and that really worries me. I don't have crying spells, and would
killl to feel something.

The past two day I have not been able to do anything or go anywhere either, I am
so tired. I almost did another decrease this am just to get it over with, but I am
scared now to go down from the 25 mg, so will wait until this all passes.

I am feeling like I used to feel when I was on the full dose, and just wanting to isolate
not go to my AA meetings, or talk to anyone.

I am feeling confused, and not able to keep up with all the new people here, and that's
something I was so good at up until now. Do I add some more beads or wait it out?
What would I telll someone else to do, or suggest?

This really is awful, and just makes me think it all just a nightmare I have been having
all this time, and that all the time I was doing so great was just a dream.

Just wanting out of my skin right now. This is really messed up!!! Help!!!!

[freedomseeker]

nursedeborah, I am so sorry you are feeling so poorly again. Did you just go to the 25mg? I am starting to wonder if I should ween from the 30mg. I have Wednesdays off generally and was excited to go goofing off with my mom today. Went to lunch and one other place. I couldn't really enjoy myself with the brain zaps getting worse as the day progresses. So now I am home. My stomach is all bloated and uneasy feeling. I keep busting out into nasty sweats. My clothes are getting tight!! I feel pretty out of it and emotioness right now. I will probably go lay down. Can't enjoy anything else!

I don't really know much about AA but I am sure that it is very important for you to try to continue to go so that you don't have another problem to deal with on top of this junk! I know exactly how you feel when you say like you want to isolate and not talk to anyone. I feel like that now and then. It gets really bad sometimes. I'm not sure if it is from the Cymbalta in my case or not. I've been on the stuff for years!! Can't remember what it was like before then.

You mentioned about being in no hurry to get off this stuff but I am! My husband and I want to start and family and I am already 34. I feel like I have already wasted so much time!!! I don't know. I need to think some more about the weaning off.

Please let me know how you are feeling....

[MaureenV]

sorry, Freedomseeker, I've lost track of your original post, but please, please, don't rush the tapering - you can end up going backwards. If you rush things and can't tolerate the symptoms you can lose a week or so over doing it slowly.


Debbie - I don't know how you get to the new posts, but I just go to 'read new posts' a few times a day and seem to generally 'catch' them all. I did actually read Meanna's, but because it was long thought I'd come back to it later, and failed to do so.

It seems to be a good way of finding the recent posts. Can anyone suggest another way?

And Debbie, believe me, you don't want the crying spells. The emotional lability that accompanies them makes the day just as intolerable as you're finding with the brain fog.

Hope you start feeling better soon. I've just dropped to 5mg as of yesterday.


take care, Maureen.

[nursedeborah]

Thanks you guys,
Just really feeling like the bottom is falling out on me, and I don't know if I went
down too much the last drop. I know I want so badly to get off this stuff, and then
I realize I have actually gone down very fast from 60 mg to 25 mg.

I only started my first decrease Aug 31, and this is only Oct 8 th!!!!! That really
was fast when I think of it.

I also was on this a very long time, and it did so much mental damage to me, and
that's what I fear the most.

I am just feeling like I have no energy at all again just like when I was on the full
dose. Guess I could bump it up some, and see what that does? I just was doing so
great there for so long??

This is nothing to mess around with in trying to get off it fast. I know from being
here and reading all the many posts just what that does. Even at the way I did it,
and even added the Prozac on top of it all, I am back to having withdrawls at 9 day
after my decrease. I went down 10 mg, what a nut!!!!

It will get better, and I will pull through this.

Debbie

[nursedeborah]

Hi,
I just realized I have it alll messed up as far as how long I have been at this. I was that confused,
and I am really having a hard time right now.

I though I had started decreasing my Cymbalta on the 31 st of Aug, but now I am not even sure of that.
I joined here like on the 18 of Aug, and thought I had joined on the 31 st, and started to decrease then

I am wondering what I have really been doing now, but I guess since I am here, and know that I can add
some if I am totally misserable that that's ok to do. Just really amazed to see who confused I really was
when I got her, and how this stuff really had been affecting me.

Guess I am doing better I saw it!

Debbie

[freedomseeker]

Yeah Debbie! This stuff, whether you are on it, weaning off, or totally off with withdrawl can cause some major confusion! I have been having a hard time typing, and getting out of my mouth what I want to say. Lately, the last few days, I have had a hard time with getting VERY frustated with things. It doesn't help either that I have been off of birth control for a while and my periods are terrible both physically and mentally! The frustation is definately a new thing though! The good news is right now I feel pretty good. No brain zaps yet, but I just got up! The thing is that I notice it chages from day to day. Yesterday I was very dizzy and exhausted. I had taken one tylenol pm the night before. Not sure if that was part of it?

[nursedeborah]

freedom,
Thanks, I forgot to answer your question about the 25 mg I am on now. No I have been on this does for several days, and
I am not going to change it for awhile either. I am still just having a real hard go of it, and feel like I am back on the full
dose, and have never decreased at all.

I had been told about this at the start, but it seems to just be lasting so many days now, and I can't pull out of it for some
reason or another. I am just so praying for better days, or moments to come, and relief too!

How are you doing? Remember there is no hurry to get off this crap, it's only a goal!

Great day to you,
Debbie

[freedomseeker]

For a little while I feel like I am doing better but most of the time not! I am dizzy today, stomach feels like it has a ton of gas when I eat just a little. Still have diarrhea. My arms and legs don't feel like they are a part of me. Makes it hard to work, type, etc. I am having a hard time finding the right words and get frustrated so easily! My mind feels so far away!! I am content just starring into space and thinking about nothing. Sinus headaches. Feel so weak. I am so tired of feeling like my life is being wasted right now. I have been off totally for a week. I don't want to go back on it to wean off more. Feel like I would be backtracking. I guess all these symptoms are normail right? Oh I forgot the hot flashes! Those are FUN! Didn't think I'd get to experience that at 34! What makes it worse is that it is still hot outside down south where I am. I can't even take a little walk with out sweating out of every pore and feeling miserable. I know that I need to exercise though.

Sorry to throw all that out. I am just a little frustrated!!! How are you all doing??

[nursedeborah]

freedom,
Oh the sweating was one of the most awful, and guess what? It's back again! I know you don't want to
as you put it"go backwards" but by doing the slow weaning process is just a kind thind to do to your
body that's all, and your mental health. You think your having a hard time now just wait! It only gets
wosre.

That'a why we found the way of the slow decrease, opening the caps, and taking out some, waiting until
we were used to that decrease, and felt ready for the next one. There is no rush to get off of this crap
to goal is to just get off it, and do so, so that you can still function at the same time. I am feeling
better, but still spooked from the past 6 days I just had as they were mean.

I am just going to give myself a break for awhile, and let everything settle, and then prepare for the
next small decrease.

Everyone here wants off this stuff, we all have fears about certain things it may have done to us
permanently, but I can't live my life like that or I would go nuts.

Let me know what's going on with you.

Hugs,
Debbie

[freedomseeker]

Last week was pretty bad. I was so emotional last Tues. the 13th that my dad (my boss) gave me the rest of the week off. I really needed that but the more I sat at home the more depressed I got. I FORCED myself to go out to lunch with my husband last Thurday and out with my mom on Friday. They asked me to to help me out of my rut and it helped. I started to feel better over the weekend and have been back to work this week. I walked on Sat, Mon and worked out some at the gym yesterday!! I still don't feel great at all. Still have headaches and stomach problems. Not sure is the headaches might just be from my myriad of other problems. Could be scoleosis since my neck and back have been hurting on one side and the pain radiates upward to my head. Anyway, it looks as if I am over the worst of it!!! I just wonder how long the last effects will last. Just want to feel like doing all the things that I want to do!!!!

Sounds like you may be leveling off from your last drop down. I am very glad for you! :^) I guess that I am stubborn and tend to things the hard way!!

[nursedeborah]

Freedom,
Sorry it took me so long to get back to you, I keep losing track of where I have put what.
and to whom.
Sorry that you had such a hard time, I don't doubt at all that all that your experiencing is just
withdrawls symptoms. You know they can last 6 mo. to 2 years!!! How long has it been, or what does
are you on? Or did you go Cold Turkey? I can hardley keep up with my own these days, well I finally
figured it out to be 208 little beads. so that will be real easy for me to decrease from now on.

I am using tweezers now, and just put some beads in my hand, and put them into my 20 mg cap
as each 20 mg has 180 beads. It is so strange to talk to about this with anyone else but you all,
as i feel like some kind of a freak when I say I count the beads, or tell them what we all are doing.
I just get that look like "Oh there is something really wrong with her"

Well let me know how your doing now, ok?

Take care.
Debbie

[icuucme]

try taking some Omega 3. that helped SO MUCH for my brain zaps. I take 1500mg 3 times a day. as well as vitamin b-12. Aleve helped as well.

I really hope this works for ya, and it does get better. Just remember, dont get back on it. I am also looking into a detox as well. you might want to research that too. I heard it really does help as well. helps wipe out all the chemical and metals in your body. =)

[nursedeborah]

try taking some Omega 3. that helped SO MUCH for my brain zaps. I take 1500mg 3 times a day. as well as vitamin b-12. Aleve helped as well.

I really hope this works for ya, and it does get better. Just remember, dont get back on it. I am also looking into a detox as well. you might want to research that too. I heard it really does help as well. helps wipe out all the chemical and metals in your body. =)

icuume,
This alll has to do with our brains being addicted to this medication, and nothing can just
wash it out of our systems. Yes we drinks lots of fluids, but that's also for dehydration, the
headaches, dry skin, and yes to help some to get it out of oursystem. It is gone from our
bodies prettty quickly at the most 10 days, something like that, but then the brain has to
deal with the drug not being there, and also re-wiring it's self.

The brain does not know how to function anymore now that the drug has been removed.
It's so confuses, Yes Omega 3, and Vit B 12 work great for so many, but not all of us.

It is in the decreasing of the doseages that really make the biggest difference. If one is
still having terrible withdrawls, we have been shown how to just add a few beads to our
dose until they stop, and stay they for a couple of weeks, until we feel ready to decrease
again.

Now if this is a cold turkey than it's a different story, and I would never do that to my
worst enemy.

Debbie