7 replies to this topic

[kathy1974]

Thanks in advance for any advice...

I was on Lexapro for about two years. My doc switched me to Cymbala after my fiance died (thought the Lexapro wasn't working well enough). I started with 30 mg for two weeks, then went to 60 and have been on 60 mg for about eight months. My doc is now trying to get me off of the Cymbala (I have severe nausea as a side effect). I went from 60 to 30 and have been on the 30 for about a week and a half. I swear I feel like the devil! I have been in such foul moods--even getting mad if someone just looks at me! Is this from the reduction in dose?! I cannot take being like this--I know everyone can be in a foul mood occasionally but mine is bad enough that everyone has notice that something isn't quite right. Help?!

[MaureenV]

Hi Kathy,


Yep, we all turn into the devil coming off this drug. May not be much consolation, but at least it's an explanation.

The most common feature of almost all of us is just exploding at the slightest thing.


Just do one thing - do NOT taper off any further until you've read what others here have had to say about coming off Cymbalta too fast. Jumping from 60 straight to 30 is a big drop for you body to adjust to. You can either go back up by opening and dividing the contents of the capsules - you can buy empty gelatine capsules to do this. So you can take whatever extra dose you want. You may not need to go back to 60 as you've already been off that dose for quite a few days, but you could (eg) go back to 45 and see if that helps, then once you're sure you're completely o.k. on that dose, then drop down a bit further.

Doctors are not familiar with the degree of problems because the drug companies don't inform them properly.

keep in touch here and you'll be o.k.

So sorry to hear about your fiance, that sure must have been difficult.


kind regards, Maureen.

[nursedeborah]

Kathy,
Welcome, and so very sorry what has transpired in your life. How
very devestating, and then to have been puton this drug, and told to
cut it in half.

Like Maureene said doc's have no clue about the side effects, or the
withdrawl symptoms, and that's just what your having!!! I too would
just go back to the 60 mg, and then go down to 50 mg or 45 mg. It
is really hard to get off this stuff, but if you do a very slow taper you
can prevent the withdrawls almost to nothing.

Read lots of posts, here is the site for withdrawl symptoms http://prozactruth.com/cymbalta.htm

Also look for the FDA report that's here back in Sept 18 th or so.


You never alone, and will have all the support that you need.

Debbie

[kathy1974]

Thanks guys. So if I modify the dose, does each little 'bead' in the capsule mean something? I know they must have something to do with the doseage..is it safe to think that each little 'bead' is 1 mg?

[debbiet]

This is the first time I have ever done this, but I really need some help. I've been taking Cymbalta 60 mg for about a year and a half for migraines, and my insurance has decided they will not pay for this med any more. I only had a weeks worth of pills left when I tried getting a doctors appointment. My doctor couldn't see me for about a week and a half. I took it upon myself to start taking the Cymbalta every other day, since I knew he would have to put me another type of med. I ran out of pills the day before I went to dr. My doc gave me a script for Pristiq. Now my insurance is requiring a pre-authirization on this med, which can take up to a week to approve. It has been 4 days since I have taken anything, and I'm going crazy. I fly off the handle at any little thing. My daughter says all I have done this weekend is fuss at her for no reason. I'm feeling nausea all the time, dizzy, and now starting to have diarrhea, and I will cry at a drop of the hat, not to mention a headache and I'm supposed to start at any moment. Any help would greatly be appreciated. Thanks. Debbie

[MaureenV]

Thanks guys. So if I modify the dose, does each little 'bead' in the capsule mean something? I know they must have something to do with the doseage..is it safe to think that each little 'bead' is 1 mg?

Madtabby's given you the figure.

a 60mg capsule contains abut 540 little beads.

If you're using 60mg capsules, it's not really necessary to count every single one. What I did was get the gelatine capsules, which are completely transparent and split the dose into two of those to make 2 x 30mg doses. It's not difficult and it's faster than counting. The few times I did count I was pretty accurate.

Once I had two even 30mg, I could then also use those to divide and get 2 x 15, or 3 x 10 etc, so it's easy to make up whatever dose you need to taper from and to.

When you do a drop, even if you discover from the side effects that you've gone too far, you just increase it a bit again and proceed that way.

I've done an extremely slow taper from 30mg; after discovering what I was doing wrong trying to take 30mg every second day, all I needed on a daily basis was 20; I've dropped from 20mg down to 3mg in about 10 stages, almost completely avoiding withdrawal symptoms.


Once you get down to lower doses you do then need to do a bit of counting.

good luck, Maureen.

[MaureenV]

This is the first time I have ever done this, but I really need some help. I've been taking Cymbalta 60 mg for about a year and a half for migraines, and my insurance has decided they will not pay for this med any more. I only had a weeks worth of pills left when I tried getting a doctors appointment. My doctor couldn't see me for about a week and a half. I took it upon myself to start taking the Cymbalta every other day, since I knew he would have to put me another type of med. I ran out of pills the day before I went to dr. My doc gave me a script for Pristiq. Now my insurance is requiring a pre-authirization on this med, which can take up to a week to approve. It has been 4 days since I have taken anything, and I'm going crazy. I fly off the handle at any little thing. My daughter says all I have done this weekend is fuss at her for no reason. I'm feeling nausea all the time, dizzy, and now starting to have diarrhea, and I will cry at a drop of the hat, not to mention a headache and I'm supposed to start at any moment. Any help would greatly be appreciated. Thanks. Debbie

Hi Debbie,

don't have much that's helpful to say sorry, because I don't really understand your medical system.

It's certainly not a good thing to stop Cymbalta suddenly, and all of the things you're experiencing tie in with the withdrawal symptoms.

Are you likely to be able to get any help if you go to an emergency department??


sorry I can't be of more help, just wanted to let you know that so many here understand and identify with what you're going through.


Maureen.

[nursedeborah]

Debbie,
Call your doc, and see if he has samples of Cymbalta to give you.
Tell him what's going on, and also get a copy of the FDA report
from here, look in Sept 18 posts. That way he will know that you
can't just come off this abruptly.

Or he can call the insurance company, and also talk to them, and
get it authorized for this reason.

if you have the samples then you can decrease off this stuff in
a way that is so much easier!!! Even your doc should know you
can't stop this "Cold Turkey" .

You can always get it free from the idiots that make it too!
I know that sounds crazy but I would do anything so I could
slowly wean myself off this crap. It is hard enough doing it
this way at times for some of us.

Please keep us posted as to what happens.

Debbie