8 replies to this topic

[russmichele]

I had bloodwork done and my Ammonia level was very high, 299 and it should be no more than 100! I believe it was from this drug. My Dr. gave me a script for Lactulose, a liquid medicine that tastes like Malibu, yum! It did help n brought my level down to normal. I also had disturbing sexual side effects from Cymbalta. I could not climax and it's very frustating!
The drug made me gain weight-about 10 pounds. I'm very glad to be weaning off of Cymbalta but it's tough to do so. I've been emotional and in pain. I was taking it for depression and Fibromyalgia too. I was on 60 mg and went down to 30 mg. I did 30 mg for about 1-2 weeks and then stopped. I've been feeling "strange" though. If I move my eyes side to side, I can actually hear them moving in my head, sounds weird I know. I just want to lose the weight and feel "normal" again, whatever normal means!

[MaureenV]

Hi,


Can't help with the 'toxin' sorry, I don't actually know what that is.

You've come off Cymbalta very quickly though, which isn't such a great idea.

I've spent two months going from 30mg to 5mg - tapered at a pace (after a few false starts) that meant I mostly avoided the worst of the withdrawal symptoms.

As you've been of it for a few days now, you can either tough it out, or if you have sufficient capsules, do what I did and split the doses by buying empty gelatine capsules.

Taking 15mg per day my withdrawal symptoms virtually went away, and from then on I dropped very slowly, only dropping again when I hadn't had any symptoms for at least two days (the symptoms were very mild doing it this way, but to me they were an indication that if I dropped faster I would feel worse).

Take care and keep in touch here, you'll get lots of valuable help.

Debbie will no doubt be able to help with the toxins bit.

Maureen.

[nursedeborah]

russmichele,
First off Welcome,

Other than that Maureene gave you the best of the best advice!!! We all are doing it that
way, as to do it anyother way is just toooooo mentally /physically HARD. I lied, some have
gone cold turkey around here!!!

Please read lots of posts, and here's the site with the withdrawl symptoms so you know it's not you
but this drug, and what it is doing to you by stopping it the way you did. That is your choice, but
I am so much better off now that I too had to learn the hard way by accident.

I was on 60 mg for 3 years, and finally down to 22.5 mg as of today.

You will find everything you need here. Also know doctor's know nothing about the side effects, how to
wean people off this stuff, or about the withdrawls, well I should say that most do not believe us when
we tell them what we are going through!

Keep coming back!!!! You will find all the support you need right here, I have, Thank God!

Debbie

[MaureenV]

I had bloodwork done and my Ammonia level was very high, 299 and it should be no more than 100! I believe it was from this drug. My Dr. gave me a script for Lactulose, a liquid medicine that tastes like Malibu, yum! It did help n brought my level down to normal. I also had disturbing sexual side effects from Cymbalta. I could not climax and it's very frustating!
The drug made me gain weight-about 10 pounds. I'm very glad to be weaning off of Cymbalta but it's tough to do so. I've been emotional and in pain. I was taking it for depression and Fibromyalgia too. I was on 60 mg and went down to 30 mg. I did 30 mg for about 1-2 weeks and then stopped. I've been feeling "strange" though. If I move my eyes side to side, I can actually hear them moving in my head, sounds weird I know. I just want to lose the weight and feel "normal" again, whatever normal means!

O.k. you've edited the post so it now reads 'ammonia' - still doesn't enlighten me about the causes/consequences, but at least it makes sense to me now.

I've commented so that Debbie will also see it's been edited and she may be able to help, now.


cheers, Maureen.

[nursedeborah]

Hi,
Soo glad we got that straightened out, also your doc knows what he's doing! Lactulose if the
liquid medication to bring the levels down. Didn't you feel really confused, disoriented like all get
outs?

Then again with the withdrawls who could tell the difference. You were very lucky to have caught
this or yes you could have ended up with liver failure, and so much more, even death. It's due to
the liver, and yes Cymbalta is known to be very hard on our lives.

I am glad you like the tast of the stuff, I have to take it for other reasons, and I just gag!

I am grateful your here, and didn't have to end up severly ill in the hospital because of this.
Do you have hypertension? Gastrointestional problems? What is your urine like, the color?

Keep in touch, stay close it helps!

Debbie

[russmichele]

Thanks for the tip! I edited my post, it was my Ammonia level that was 299 n its b/c of too many toxins in my body. I started tapering off the 60 mg down to 30 mg about 2 weeks ago. I'd take 30 mg for about a week, then I'd wait a few days in between to take another. I hadn't taken 1 in about 5-6 days but was really feelin the effects so I took a 30 mg today. Then, I guess I'll wait a few days n take another n gradually stop that way. Is that good?

[russmichele]

I love the Lactulose, don't take it now. It made me poop a lot! Lol. Guess that's how it got rid of the toxins. My urine is usually light in color but I drink a lot of water too.

[MaureenV]

Thanks for the tip! I edited my post, it was my Ammonia level that was 299 n its b/c of too many toxins in my body. I started tapering off the 60 mg down to 30 mg about 2 weeks ago. I'd take 30 mg for about a week, then I'd wait a few days in between to take another. I hadn't taken 1 in about 5-6 days but was really feelin the effects so I took a 30 mg today. Then, I guess I'll wait a few days n take another n gradually stop that way. Is that good?

This isn't the recommended way for anybody to go. All you're doing is going through some withdrawals, then feeding the beast a bit, so having to go through the same withdrawal again.

You can taper down from 30mg by buying clear gelatine capsules and splitting the doses by opening them.

that's what I've been doing for a few months now - down from 30mg to 5mg. Since I figured what I was doing wrong I've only had very mild symptoms, but enough to let me know that slow and steady is the way to go.

Maureen.

[nursedeborah]

I love the Lactulose, don't take it now. It made me poop a lot! Lol. Guess that's how it got rid of the toxins. My urine is usually light in color but I drink a lot of water too.

michele,
Sorry I havn't been around, but wanted to suggest that you not take as much of the Lactulose, they usually order 60 ml, and yes you will
poop all over the place. That is why it is used. We use this kind of medication for many reasons, but one is for damage to the liver, and
welll what ends up happening is the urea can't be excreated in the urine, and all the toxins get built up. Or call your doc, tell him that you pooped
way too much, and does he want you to decrease the dose, or stop it.

I just would hate to see the A levels climb back up there again. They did so for a reason, and just decreasing the Cymbalta will not totallly correct
the problem right away. Something major happened as a result of the Cymbalta, and I know only too well what this crap can do to a person.

I didn't have this problem, but the things it did do to me, well I have never not been able to take care of myself, and that's what ended up
as part of what it did to me, anmd so much more damage. Very long story.

Just be on the safe side, call your doc, and tell him what happened, and where to go from there.

Just a suggestion, not medical advice:)

Debbie