16 replies to this topic

[angelsolo3]

Hello, everyone. I am so happy I found this board and have been reading through other people's posts.

I have been on Cymbalta for a few months and went from 40mg to 20mg recently. I was on 20mg for two weeks. My doctor then recommended for me to take it every other day for a few days before stopping. I actually have forgotten to take it a few days and now I have not taken it since Thursday (5 days). I feel pretty awful. I have the brain zaps and am dizzy, but that seems like nothing compared to what others are experiencing! It is really affecting my work as I had to call in yesterday and left early today.

My questions is, should I just suck it up and stay off of it? I do really want to stop. Or, should I start taking it every other day and then every 2 days for awhile to wean off slower? Thanks for listening and I appreciate your input. I am considering calling my doctor also but feel bad that i did not follow her initial recommendations.

[barney59]

angelsolo3,

I can't tell you what to do, but in my case, I was weaned off over 3 weeks. I still ended up with horrific withdrawals. My 1st call to my doc, thru his nurse, told me to start back on the Cymbalta. There was NO WAY I was going to do that. By the time I saw him, I was off the drug for 6 days. At that point, I felt starting to take it again, even in a small dose, was taking a step backwards. I just completely toughed it out. I had no idea how bad I was going to get, and for how long it would last. Had I know what I was in store for, I may have changed my mind and taken it again, just in smaller doses to continue to wean more slowly. You have to do what is right for you. I am now a month off Cymbalta. I am finally feeling better. Not great, just better. I went to the grocery yesterday, the 1st time since this all started. I am still foggy, drugged in brain, still ache all over terribly, still have diarreha every day, and still emotional wreck. These issues are just not as severe as the once were. I wish you all the best. I would definitly consult your doctor. There are alot of great, knowledgeable people on this message board, who will give you some helpful advice. All going thru the samething.

B

[barney59]

angelsolo3,

One last thing. If your doctor is having trouble believing you about the withdrawals, find my post titled FDA REPORT. I printed it off for my doc. He was glad to get it. It opened his eyes to how serious this problem is. Most docs are not made aware of this problem. They are also not given any protocol for tapering by Lilly. Not sure where my post is, but you should be able to find it.

B

[barney59]

angel,

Go to How to Find Support and scroll down to Sept. 30th for the FDA report

[angelsolo3]

Thanks for your feedback. My doctor seems to be pretty encouraging for me to continue without taking it. I will try and see how it goes. I just don't want to miss too much more work this week. Have any of you had trouble getting to work? I am so dizzy that I am afraid of driving. I did do it today but left early.

[Junior]

Hi Angel

Welcome to the board.

Unfortunately Drs know very little about the withdrawal problems many people have. Drug companies only run their studies for 4-6 weeks and for some people, the worst of the withdrawals comes later. So Drs tend to think that when you show symptoms, it is an indicator that you the original problem has returned or another one has arisen. So they either UP the dose of your drug or switch you to another one, which for many people, causes a whole NEW set of problems.

Good luck
Junior

[MaureenV]

Hi Angel,


I wouldn't recommend the alternate days routine, and I don't think you'll find any of the other regulars do either.


The half life of the drug is too short for this to be an effective approach.


I was doing 30mg every second day and the symptoms I was getting brought me to this board where I realized I should be taking a dose, some dose, every day in order to avoid the symptoms.

Your choice whether to continue (and dizzyness is definitely a common problem) or whether to (say) take half your 20mg every day to see if that helps, then think about dropping down further once you feel o.k.


If you don't want to buy any more Cymbalta, or don't have too much left, you can buy empty gelatine capsules and divide your capsule contents that way.

cheers, Maureen.

[nursedeborah]

Angel,
Maureen beat me to the punch! i can only go by what I have gone through, and
seen on here that doc's have no idea how to get anyone off this stuff, believe
us about the side effects, or withdrawl symptoms.

Just as a suggestion, if you want to stay functioning, I would try uning the 20 mg
and staying on that amout until you start to feel better, and stablize. I have learned
about 2 weeks or until I feel ready to decrease again. This way you can control the
withdrawls, and stay functioning, yet still get off the crap.

You just sound like it's pretty bad for you right now, but you must decide what is right for
you.

Best of luck, we are always here to support you no matter what!!
Welcome to the form!
Debbie

[Jared]

Hi guys,
Im 18 and I have taken my first dose of Cymbalta about 3 hours ago. I had crazy brain zaps and was asleep within 10 minutes of taking it. Im fine now but their is no way i am taking this drug after reading about it. Is it safe to stop after 1 dose?

[nursedeborah]

Jared,
Yes, it's ok to stop it after one dose. Good for you for checking this out!
Be grateful you did, as this is not a good drug at all, and one that ruins
lives, and takes 6 mo. to 2 years to get through the withdrawls, if not
longer.

You are so lucky!

Debbie

No Effexor either!

[Jared]

Thanks again Deb, I posted you a longer reply on my other blog. Thankyou so much for you kindness.

Jared

[nursedeborah]

Jared,
I am so happy to help, but also to make sure no one has to go on this
stuff and have their live ruined. They calle it "The Slug Drug" and for
great reason's. It does take the real you away, and replace it with a
person you don't know anymore, and think you will never find again.

So many have lost jobs, families, friend, can't leave their home all
due to the noxious crap. I am really doing all I can to just get this to
court, and make them responsible for what they have done to so many
people, and still no one knows for sure the permanate damage. I think
I told you that teh side effects, adn withdrawls an last 6 mo. to 2 years,
and then some!!

The reps; for this company didn't tell any of the doctor's that they gave this
to the truth about this drug, or that during the trials on their property a
woman went into the bathroom, and hung herself in their showers, and
a couple other also committed suicuide, many just left the study. Oh of
course none of this was ever told to the FDA either. This is why the doc's
have no clue about this drug at all.

Please go to ipetions.com, and look for this petition are making Eli Lilly having to tell the truth,
and the rep'a, but also to having it on the label of the bottles. The reps even tell the doc's to
remove the insert from the sample that they give us, or they are to remove them theirselves,
but don't do it all the time, my doc always leaves it in, he just hasn't really ever reallly believed
the severity and how much truth. Why they all same the same , but with this co. too they have
left out so much, and lied so much about this drug.

Well I guess you can tell i am a wee bit angry at what's going on. I just have been a nurse for so
long, and my patients have always come first for me. I would have told them all about this and also
not to take it if they had been on it!!!

Debbie

[Jared]

I will be visiting ipetitions right after im done here. I agree with you im lucky i got out after 1 dose.

jared

[MaureenV]

I am in my second week of not taking Cymbalta. Other than the horrid nightmares if I go to sleep, no sleep, headaches, constant shivering for no reason and other withdrawal symptoms. Can cymbalta mess with a females menstrual cycle? I know that I cannot pregnant again as I have had my tubes tied and burned. But I am about 2 weeks late, so my question is, any other females have the same problem, is it just a withdrawal problem with my body trying to come off this medicine? I appreciate your help.

Hi Michelle,


there's nothing much Cymbalta withdrawal can't mess with.




Quite a few people have had 'issues' in that area.


regards, Maureen.

[nursedeborah]

I am in my second week of not taking Cymbalta. Other than the horrid nightmares if I go to sleep, no sleep, headaches, constant shivering for no reason and other withdrawal symptoms. Can cymbalta mess with a females menstrual cycle? I know that I cannot pregnant again as I have had my tubes tied and burned. But I am about 2 weeks late, so my question is, any other females have the same problem, is it just a withdrawal problem with my body trying to come off this medicine? I appreciate your help.

Michellle,
Maureene is right on. I don't think there isn't anything it doesn't affect in some
way or another.
Here is the site for withdraw symptoms so you don't think your going crazy or dying,
but some stuff should be checked. Can I just ask how old or the range your in? Also
stress will make our hormones do that too. I know so many women that used to be freaked
out that they were pregnant, and thus wouldn't start their periods either, and then all
of a sudden it was there the next day.

Just BREATHE!

Debbie

[nursedeborah]

Angel,
I hate to be the one to tell you, but doctor's have no clue how to take
anyone off this stuff, what the withdrawls are like, how long they do
last.

The rep's don't tell them about this or it would never be given out.
To do what you doing, and try to work, well most can't even function
and thus have found their way here, or about the slow weaning process.

It allows us to get off this crap, but also to keep the withdrawls
to where they don't disrupt your life. If they are still bothering
us we can at least adjust our meds.

Just keep in touch, sorry this took me so long to get back to you.
Read lots of posts here, many have lost their jobs, couldn't even
balance their checkbooks! So if you have second thoughts we are here
to help.

Debbie

[Doob]

Going Cold Turkey is a tough go.
I am on day 20 of the "cold turkey" method and the first couple of weeks were hell. Most of the physical pain is gone.
But the Brain zaps, dizzyness and headaches are daily and can be anywhere from mild to intense. Not to mention the occasional bout of diarreha.
It is all worth it to get off this drug. Put me in the hole.
I feel great and have been getting better every day. I am healing relationships with my family and just trying to be involved with "my life" again. My mom told me last week that " I am so glad you got off that awful drug. I really missed talking to you". Man I have waited about a year to hear that. And I didn't cry uncontrollably. I felt great love for my mother, welled up a little and was in control of my emotions.
My fall from middle class has been swift and steep. Unemployed, Forclosed and abused by a drug company. But there is hope. I feel better than I have for years. Walked the dog this morning and picked up trash from our unpaved lane and up the road for awhile. (Baby steps) I am feeling good about me again. Seems like a long, long time.

"Play music"
Peace
Doob