16 replies to this topic

[amtrak1012]

Hi all. I found this website after Googling Cymbalta withdrawal and you all seem like a very supportive group. So i thought I'd share my experiences so far:

I've been on 60 mg Cymbalta since 2006 for major depression, along with 50 mg lamotrigine as a mood stabilizer. The drug has been good to me for all this time, except for the past few months. I had experienced another bout of depression this past summer because of several stressful events in my life. I had also learned I had general anxiety disorder (I may have had it all along, but just found out recently).

I really felt that I couldn't snap out of this latest episode, so I went to go see my general doctor, psychiatrist, and counselor. After some bloodwork, my liver enzymes were high. I had learned at that point that Cymbalta has been known to have liver toxicity. I was also experiencing episodes of sweating (especially when I sleep), insomnia, a fast pulse rate, and these weird feelings of always being hot (which sometimes triggered the sweating).

My doctors decided the best thing to do was to get me off of the Cymbalta as soon as possible. I started tapering down (using 20 mg caps, which I never knew had existed) from 60 mg to 40 mg for about a week, then 20 mg for another week, then a 20 mg cap every other day for another week which is where I am now. I have also been taking 20 mg tabs of Prozac (worked my way up from 20 mg to 40 mg), which the docs say can help alleviate some of the withdrawal symptoms. I didn't really notice any major symptoms until I started doing the 20 mg Cymbalta every other day. I have the brain zaps whenever I walk or turn my head suddenly, these strange headaches, slight feeling of dizziness, and nausea. It was really bad a couple of days ago, where the nauseousness was so bad that I thought I was going to throw up. I also feel very tired, irritable, and find it hard to concentrate at times.

On the plus side, my the feelings of being hot and sweating have almost disappeared, and my pulse seems to have slowed to a more normal rate. I have been sleeping better also.

I knew the withdrawal symptoms were going to happen. My doctors have been pretty helpful so far, trying to get me off Cymbalta as fast as possible, while trying to minimize the withdrawal. I'm glad I'm coming off of the drug, but I must say the withdrawal really sucks! I'm hanging in there as best as I can, but some days are just plain awful. The brain zaps, dizziness, headaches are here with me every day and don't seem to be lightening up. My sex drive has been on the fritz too. It's been almost non-existent since the depression started...but thankfully my partner has been very understanding and supportive. I do feel it coming back, but it's often crippled by the withdrawal symptoms.

I know this will take some time, but any supportive thoughts or comments would be much appreciated :)

[Junior]

Mad Tabby

Major (clinical) Depression is a definite disorder. Take it from someone who suffered her first episode at the age of just 18 - for no apparent reason :S It can be mild, moderate or severe; it can include psychotic features or not; it can include melancholy or not; it can be part of bipolar disorder or not; it can be co-morbid with anxiety (i.e., anxious-depression). It can be endogenous (generated from within) or it can classed as 'reactive' (triggered by life events). There are several theories as to the causes but the one I favour is the 'stress-diathesis' model. It talks about specific brain structures - for memory, the hypothalamus, pituitary, and the adrenal gland which releases cortisol - and basically points to how stress can trigger a cascade of neurochemical changes which in turn manifest as depressive symptoms. But, that would only apply to 'reactive' depression so I don't know about the endogenous form.

70% of afflicted people respond to anti-depressants; the other 30% are considered to be treatment resistant. 30% also suffer from anxiety. Some people have only one episode in their life; others have recurrent episodes (me) and this is when it is called Major Depressive Disorder. People who suffer from MDD often have their first episode in adolescence.
Sorry.. I did my 4th yr thesis on Parental ID of Adolescent Depression. As you can probably tell, I'm passionate about helping people who suffer from it ....

Having said all of that, I believe Drs are putting people on modern anti-depressants for all the wrong reasons. They should NEVER give antidepressants for grief unless the person has crossed into depression, which can happen. Grief is a natural process and a person needs to go through it in order to come out the other side. If you interfere with that, IMO, you can actually do more psychological damage than the help you are trying to give. In Australia, a lot of this type of thinking has been recognised and we have opened up public access to psychologists (Medicare, partially govt funded) so that people have the choice to acccess therapy rather than just pop pills. Additionally, it saddens me to hear that children as young as 5 are being put on these drugs. Their brains are still forming so any drug is going to interfere with that process, especially psychotropic drugs. How any psychiatrist / MD / GP can justify that is totally beyond me. At the very least it would have to be unethical!

Rant over
Junior =D

[Junior]

Agreed!! These drugs are very powerful and should ONLY be used for people with anxiety disorders and / or depression. I used to think it was ok for people like me to stay on them for life but now I'm not so sure. It may be better for us to take them to treat an episode, then come off them. That is something I want to talk through with my psychiatrist / psychologist (he is both) when I see him next week.

Junior

[NagNancyB]

Hello, Amtrack1012, Consider yourself lucky to have found this forum. You sound like you have some knowledgeable doctors, which is rare with the withdrawl of Cymbalta. It's not surprising at all that you are having such symptoms after getting to 20mg. It would help if you could take a reduced dose every day rather than take a day, miss a day. They say that cymbalta has a short half life, so when you miss a day, bam, side effects. Many of us here open the capsules and separate the white grains to create more gradual dosing for ourselves. Then, we stay on that dose until we feel realy to reduce again, often weeks at one dose.
You are almost there... prozac has been known to reduce the symptoms, that is true.

I also had those killer sweats, started at night and progressed to lasting for days at a time. It was horrible. That was before I tracked the culprit down to cymbalta... this side effect showing itself after 1 1/2yrs on the drug. Cymbalta also gave me the beginnings of an ulcer, among other side effects. I'm not yet off of cymbalta, but I know that I will be someday.

Good luck to you and congratulations for finding this forum. It's been a Godsend to so many.
sincerely,
-Nancy

[amtrak1012]

Thanks for all the encouraging words. It's nice to read and post on here, while I am waiting for my next drs or counselor appointment.

I'll admit, I was happy to start getting off of the drug but scared about the withdrawal. I remember one time a couple of years ago I had hit some financial troubles and couldn't afford to refill the 60 mg Cymbalta. I was off of it for like 3 days, and it was the worst experience I had ever had (worse than my experiences with Zyban to quit smoking...but that's a story for another time...). I felt like I was losing my mind, and the brain zaps and nauseousness was crippling.

Today is a much better day, although the weather is absolutely gloomy here in Columbus OH. I've started taking a multi-vitamin to help, it may be too early to tell, but I do feel "normal" for the first time in a long time. No brain zaps, no headache, no dizziness, no nauseousness so far today. I can only hope everything is starting to get better...

[nursedeborah]

amtrack,
This drug, and the withdrawls are cunning, baffling, and powerful! Just when I think
I am getting over a hump the stupid withdrawls of some form or another come back!

I have been on the same reduced amount for 2 weeks now, but started having the
sweats again 2 nights and days in a row, cramping in my legs, stomach, and severe
constipation!

Your doc is rare in his taking you off this drug, but still it was way to fast.
I am glad that you feel good today, and pray that it will continue for you,
but I have not seen that here. The brain is addicted to this drug, and that's
got our body's all messed up. Every system, organ, everything.

Here's my favorite site to give out it has all the withdrawl symptoms
http://prozactruth.com/cymbalta.htm

Also get the FDA report that's here, and take it to your doctor.

Keep us posted as to how your doing.

Welcome to a safe, and supportive place,
Debbie

[amtrak1012]

Well I was feeling pretty ok last week. This week however, is a completely different story. The dull, dizzy headaches have come back. I don't have any nauseousness at the moment. But wow, I had an emotional meltdown yesterday that almost put me in tears. Today, the dull headache is still here, plus I'm tired and cranky. I don't even bother taking any OTC pain meds, since none of them seemed to alleviate the symptoms.

As for my tapering down, I have hit the week where I am supposed to stop taking the drug completely. Last week was the 20 mg every other day. I've read posts on here about how people divide up the 20 mg caps into new caps. To be quite honest, I don't really feel like investing the effort into doing all of that. I just want this crap out of my system, and I don't want to prolong it. I know it will take time, and I have decided that I will just fight through all of this.

Sometimes, I feel resentment at my previous psychiatrist for putting me on this drug in the first place. I shouldn't hold it against him, since he probably did not know much about the drug at the time. But still, the feelings of bitterness and resentment are still there.

I must be crazy for stopping the drug at this point. But I just don't want all of this anymore...I just need to stay strong until it goes away, hopefully.

[nursedeborah]

Amtrack,
This has nothing to do with being strong at all. It's the withdrawls, and the drug itself.

Doctor's do not know how to wean people off this crap, and doing the everyother day
is one of the really awful ways to get off Cymbalta.

Your brain is addicted to this stuff, it also has a very short half life. So your giving it
to your brain oneday, and it's starting to feel better,and then you yank it away.

The reason we do open the caps, and take it daily is so that our withdrawls are ones
we can tolerate, still be able to function, and to keep as many withdrawl symptoms
down to a bare mininum. Openign the caps may sound like a pain to do, but it is so
worth not haing to go through what you are.

We all want off this stuff, that's why we are here, but also we lucky enough to have
found people that had gone before us, and knew the "do's and don'ts" of coming off
this stuff.

I got on the Proxac too, but I still have some withdrawl symptoms, so had to add a
few beads to my new decrease, and what a difference 22 beads makes.

Well how ever you decide to do it, we are here for you, keep coming back, and
sharing your progress with us,ok?


check out this site http://prozactruth.com/cymbalta.htm All the withdrawl symptoms!!

Debbie

[amtrak1012]

I figured I'd give an update a week after my previous post.

Well last week was definitely not fun. Every day, I experienced the headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and brain zaps every since I stopped taking Cymbalta after tapering down. Each day got a little easier, but they withdrawal symptoms were still there. I would take a nap to help cope, and would feel better for half and hour after waking up, but everything would come back. The symptoms weren't excruciating, but they were so annoying and I felt like it took so much energy out of me.

However, I'm happy to say that I've been symptom-free for 4 days now. My sleep has been uninterrupted and much better after stopping the drug. No dizziness, headache, or nausea. I do get the occasional brain zap if I turn my head too quickly, but it's rare.

I have a feeling the withdrawal symptoms may come back at some point, since I've been on Cymbalta for a long period of time. But for now, I will just enjoy what I have :)

[nursedeborah]

amtrack,
That really is awesome, and gives me HOPE! I am so banged up in the head
right now that it's hard to believe it will ever be any different than this.

I know it's just the frigging drug, so I will just hold on, and not give up.
What else can I do?

So happy for you!

Debbie

[amtrak1012]

So it's been a week and a half since my last post and I've got to say I'm feeling much better now. The month of October was absolute hell for me. Now, I do get an occasional brain zap here and there, but they aren't as bad as they used to be. It still happens when I turn my head too abruptly, but it's more of a random occurrence now. Dizziness and nausea are gone.

Now that I've been Cymbalta-free for a couple of weeks, I am still on 20 mg (I think?...they are the blue capsules) of Prozac, and 50 mg of Lamictal. I am still kind of irritable, but I think that is more related to stress and anxiety (from grad school).

I'm glad that my experience gives some of you hope. Hang in there! :)

[MaureenV]

HI amatrack 1012,


Great to hear you're on the road to recovery!

Don't be in too much of a rush to drop the other drugs - much as well all want OFF as soon as possible, for many it causes a resurgence of the symptoms.


keep us posted!


Maureen.

[nursedeborah]

So it's been a week and a half since my last post and I've got to say I'm feeling much better now. The month of October was absolute hell for me. Now, I do get an occasional brain zap here and there, but they aren't as bad as they used to be. It still happens when I turn my head too abruptly, but it's more of a random occurrence now. Dizziness and nausea are gone.

Now that I've been Cymbalta-free for a couple of weeks, I am still on 20 mg (I think?...they are the blue capsules) of Prozac, and 50 mg of Lamictal. I am still kind of irritable, but I think that is more related to stress and anxiety (from grad school).

I'm glad that my experience gives some of you hope. Hang in there! :)

amtrack,
So happy for you. I know it's still hard for me being on the Prozac, and still weaning.
I go alongg, and then will just hit a brick wall of terrible withdrawl symptoms, out
of the blue.

Now we have a new person that says to just take 20 mg of Proxxac, and stop your
Cymbalta, and you will be cured. GRRRRR!!!!! makes me angry, and scared for the
new ones that come here, and see something like that, oh, and now we just got
another one too! I just think it's bull pucky. I can't believe that all of us had to go
to hell, and then all of a sudden someone shows up here, and nothing happened
when they went cold turkey!

You will make it through school, hang in there, keep us posted, sorry I rambled
about the other thing, just gets my goat.

Debbie

[Junior]

uhhh... bull pucky??????????????????

[nursedeborah]

uhhh... bull pucky??????????????????

junior,
That's a phrase we use here instead of saying "Bull Shit"

I have reallly been thinking of what is going on with me, and the two
new people, or why it bothers me so very much in what they are saying,
and doing around here.

When I couldn't stop using drugs/booze, back in 1988 I finally ended up
in AA, after trying all these stupid other peoples methods, and it saved
my life. I remember when I had said to my therapist that I thought this
or that should be changed, and then he asked me if I would have wanted
it any different when I had gotten there? I said of course not, and felt
very emotional,as it had saved my life, also my daughter's.

Then I go along, and I have another life threating thing, and find this
place, and it too has been saving my life. Then to have the person
say what she said, how she said it, and all the other crap, and not
back it up, or answers some questions. Well bottom line it scared me
as I thought the same thing about this place, and AA.

What if someone new comes, and see that crap, and buys it? I also am
wondering why more is not being said in the negative as to it even
possibly working at all. Give me a break!!!! Take 20 mg of Prozac, and
just stop the Cymbalta, and no withdrawls!! I really question that this was
even told to her by anyone. You know that doc do not know anything about
getting people off this crap, and if that was the case, it would be all over
these boards.

I know what your going to say we are all different! Think of all the people
that you know of that have come off this crap. don't you think that this
method would have been put out there if it did work? Also 20 mg of any
a/d will not start working that fast, and no way in hell can it just stop all
the withdrawl symptoms!!!

Even the ones of us who have started taking the Prozac, it has not stopped
us from still suffering from this drug, and the withdrawls!! I would be telling
everyone how wonderful life is, and so would thousands of others.

I also find it odd for a Pharmacy to tell anyone to stop taking their a/d apruptly
and just take one dose of another, and stop everything! In fact I have now asked
3, and none have said that you should do such a thing.

Onething I will telll you about doc's, and pharmistist is that we nurses alway go
by them as far as med's go, and even doc's when they are at the hospitals will
go, and ask the pharm what dose, or whatever they don't know. They are the
ones who are the experts, not the doc's!

So anyway, i basically just did my am journaling with you. I also know that
just like AA, and the ones that come in, and try to change a good thing have
never change anything about AA in over 50 years, so I have to trust that this
crap will just keep being negated, and that what does work will keep being
the solution here.


Debbie

[Junior]

Debbie

Nice psychology you are using on yourself. You don't need me at all!!

LOL@ the bull pucky. I've trained myself to just say 'crap'. It's safer....

Just one thing: as you well know, the people we see on these forums are usually the ones badly affected. There ARE people who can get off these drugs without suffering major traumas. Naturally, they don't feel a need to seek out forums or even online info. It's actually quite likely that the ones that are upsetting you, are of that group but have known others who have had a hard time getting off Cymbalta - hence coming here and trying to spread the 'good news'. Does that make sense?????

Love ya
Junior

[nursedeborah]

To me it's like walking onto a cancer ward, and saying "Oh they got alll mine, they just had to..."
It just I do not get why anyone would come here that is like them, or didn't , isn't going through
what we are, they can't relate, and as far as them having others who have had hard times, why
then all the questions, and semming to not know anything about what we are even talking about.

I still don't think they are the real deal, and just came over to this form to mess with people who
are having such a horrible time

Withdrawl paranoia!!

Debbie