12 replies to this topic

[missmojo]

Hi...just an update to let you all know that i have been off cymbalta 6 weeks now. Finally experiencing life without brain

zaps and hot sweats. What a relief! I don't know if I mentioned in my other posts my dosage; but towards the end of my



cymbalta days I was on 120mg a day, then I alternated to 60mg every other day, (brain zap hell). I did that for 2 weeks. Then I started alternating between 60mg one day and nothing the next, ( brain zap hell again). I did that for 2 weeks as well. Then I quit COLD TURKEY! I figured i was going to experience withdrawls whether i weaned myself off or just stopped altogether. So i figured i would just grin and bare it and quit cold turkey. I couldn't take these meds any longer, the side effects were way too much! Sweating, brain zaps, severe insomnia, overeating, memory loss, lethargy, diarreah, the list goes on! I was diagnosed with major depression and anxiety 15 yrs ago, and have been on every drug I can think of; but none of them made me feel NORMAL! Like I mentioned in another post I changed my lifestyle, better eating habits, with healthier foods, getting out and walking everyday,(still have to force myself sometimes) it's not easy; but its working! People have been mentioning that they notice a change in me already. I've lost 14 pounds in 6 weeks, not by dieting; but just by not eating any processed foods, the walking everyday probably helped too. I feel more in control of my life now. I still have days where I get anxiety that is almost paralyzing; but i fight it by distracting myself, cleaning the house or just getting outside to walk around my house, checking out the sceneary. I find that when things start bothering me and i start getting stressed i try and figure out what i can do to eliminate it, whats the root cause of my anxiety. Before i would just curl up in a ball, barely able to breathe, and lay there not able to function at all. I feel so much stronger now and in control, its still a struggle everyday; but i now can say that i see the light at the end of that long dark cymbalta tunnel!

[nursedeborah]

missmojo,
Thank you so very much for this awesome post! Oh what hope you have given to me.
If you can do this thing cold turkey, then I know I can make it.

This has been longer for me, and I am still weaning off the stuff, had to even take
the Prozac, and it really didn't help all that much to be honest. Well I should say
that some have noticed a change in me, a reallly big one since I first got here as
I was such a mental mess from just being on this drug for 3 years. I had no life,
and had all the things you said on the drug, as well as during the withdrawls.

So anyway also that you have been on something for 15 years, and all the great
things you have done to help yourself, you just show me more of what I do need
to be doing.

Again thank you so very much. Please keeep coming back, and letting us know
how your doing, ok?

Love,
Debbie

[missmojo]

No Problem Debbie, I truly wish you all the best in getting off that evil drug. I want to thank-you for your support and encouragement, it really means alot to me. I am here for you as well, take care...Hugs Laura.

[nursedeborah]

Laura,
Just read all of what you wrote, and wow you really did a hard detox off this sruff,
but you did it, and your off!! You so lucky, and so blessed.

Like I said just don't forget about us here,lol.

Love,
Debbie

[lms0507]

missmojo,

This is my first posting, I have been off cymbalta for one week now. I was on 120mg, then went to 60mg for a week and then quit cold turkey. I have been going through hell!! The brain zaps and mood swings and times I feel like I want to cry so badly and yet can't cry. My poor kids have been yelled at and snapped at so many times in the past few days I feel like such a terrible mother, yet I know I will be a better mother off this drug. I feel like I have no tolerance for anything right now, everthing irritates me. I have had moments of absolute hoplessness, where I don't feel suicidal, but I feel like I don't want to be alive. Not sure if that makes sense?? I have been so scared that these feelings will not end. I DO NOT want to start taking any mg of this drug or any other to help ease the withdrawals, I just want to get done with it. I have been searching for someone who quit cold tukey like me and has gotten through it. Thank you for your information, it is really helping ease my anxiety over this. If there is anyone else out there that can reassure me that this will end soon, all the support is needed!!

[redhead]

Hi IMS,

Wishing you the best of luck in your withdrawals-its going to be hard-as you might have seen from my earlier posts-I tapered from 30mgs for nearly a year and it was still hard enough for the first 2/3 weeks after finishing the cymbalta. I know you dont want to go back on C again but if things get really difficult, I would start tapering really slowly from the 60mgs or maybe 30mgs- otherwise the withdrawals will be hard to bear. Have a think about it and see what way you are feeling but do not suffer any more than necessary.

Take your fish oil and vitamins as these all help the withdrawals

Take it nice and slowly and one day at a time....

Redhead

[nursedeborah]

missyjo,
I wish I could be the one to tell you this will end soon, but
it's just does not work that way.

The one's that have gone cold turkey, that had been on this for
any great length of time, well I don't even hear from them anymore.

The ones of us who have done a slow taper, that's been hard at times
too due to the withdrawls. The brain is addicted to this drug, just like
a junkie to it's drug, and that's what your going through, but this can
take 6 mo. to 2 years or longer to get over the withdrawls.

We are all different so of course it will be different for each of us, but
over all I just see that it's not an easy thing to do.

No one should ever go cold turkey off certain meds, these especially!
I did in the past for lack of knowing !!!! Now I do know, and I was a
nurse. I worked in Psych, and saw the doc's doing it all the time so
did it to myself, well I should say my doc's did too!!1

It is your choice, I just am trying to be able to function, and it's so
hard even with the slow wean, I got really screwed up by this drug!

Take care, and if you can't do it, at least you know where to come:)

Debbie

[patsymac]

I am not the one 6wks clean. I am only 4 days. I guess I am not posting in the right place. Sorry

Hey guys I am one of those people who is going to go cold turkey( ironic) I was on this awful drug for 1 month and am having an bad time. I feel dizzy, tired all the the time, very very irritable and feel like I am going to hurt my children verbally so I go lock myself in my room. I am worrying every one and I just hate that. I normally suffer from migraines and my head aches are unbearable. I can't even move. I am having a hard time breathing and very anxious and sometimes feel like my heart is going to jump up out of my chest. Oh my God the crying is out of control! I normally do not cry when someone calls me, and now just saying hello is killing me. I am a very strong person and my family is totally freaking out with me. I am telling everyone i do want to talk and not to call me. I am telling them I am coming off the drug and some do not understand. I am the one there when in a hard place, and they just do not know how to handle my situation. Thanks redhead and everyone else for your posts. I think having you all will help me get through this. I ABSOLUTELY HATE WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW.
Patsy

[Junior]

Hi Patsy

I really would NOT recommend coming off Cymbalta cold turkey. I am saying that because I was only on it for 19 days yet suffered horrific withdrawal - for 2 weeks.

What dose were you on? I was on 60mg.

Junior

[cruser28]

Another winner! You are brave and your news encourages me too. Congtats include a pat on my own back. I have been one week clean of Cymbalta. It took a broken leg to do it. I had been hovering at 20 mg for several weeks coming down from 120 mg slowly since Sept. I slid on some wet moss and thought I just turned my ankle. Turns out I shattered the long skinny bone in my leg, did a number on the base of the big bone and broke one of my ankle bones. After 9 screws and a plate, I ended my connection to Cymbalta.

Since I was going to be laid up and feel like crap anyway, I thought I might as well go all the way with Cymbalta withdrawal. I am on percocet, but over the last two weeks have gone from 2 pills every four hours to one pill every four-6 hours. I still have brain zaps. Wonder if some people have them forever. I am crying more, but that is healthy for me. I haven't cried for three years, even during the times I should have.

I hope my balance improves now that I am off the *&^% pill. I do not want another broken leg.

Hang in there all.

Be gentle with you,

Cruzer

[nursedeborah]

Hi...just an update to let you all know that i have been off cymbalta 6 weeks now. Finally experiencing life without brain

zaps and hot sweats. What a relief! I don't know if I mentioned in my other posts my dosage; but towards the end of my



cymbalta days I was on 120mg a day, then I alternated to 60mg every other day, (brain zap hell). I did that for 2 weeks. Then I started alternating between 60mg one day and nothing the next, ( brain zap hell again). I did that for 2 weeks as well. Then I quit COLD TURKEY! I figured i was going to experience withdrawls whether i weaned myself off or just stopped altogether. So i figured i would just grin and bare it and quit cold turkey. I couldn't take these meds any longer, the side effects were way too much! Sweating, brain zaps, severe insomnia, overeating, memory loss, lethargy, diarreah, the list goes on! I was diagnosed with major depression and anxiety 15 yrs ago, and have been on every drug I can think of; but none of them made me feel NORMAL! Like I mentioned in another post I changed my lifestyle, better eating habits, with healthier foods, getting out and walking everyday,(still have to force myself sometimes) it's not easy; but its working! People have been mentioning that they notice a change in me already. I've lost 14 pounds in 6 weeks, not by dieting; but just by not eating any processed foods, the walking everyday probably helped too. I feel more in control of my life now. I still have days where I get anxiety that is almost paralyzing; but i fight it by distracting myself, cleaning the house or just getting outside to walk around my house, checking out the sceneary. I find that when things start bothering me and i start getting stressed i try and figure out what i can do to eliminate it, whats the root cause of my anxiety. Before i would just curl up in a ball, barely able to breathe, and lay there not able to function at all. I feel so much stronger now and in control, its still a struggle everyday; but i now can say that i see the light at the end of that long dark cymbalta tunnel!

Missyjo,
What ever works, is all I can say. I finally have no symptoms at all, feel better than I have
since I ever went on any A/d to begin with. It's bee for 6 days now, maybe 7, but not after
going through a nightmare, and what sounds like your still haveing off this drug.

I would never do it that way, but we all all different, and I know the hell I was in even while
weaning almost took my life, or it felt like it was going to.

I still have 175 beads to go, but I am not rusing anthing, and ever so grateful I just am sticking
it out, and remember ing all I did learn from here. Sure we all want to just stop, get it over with
but I wouldn't do that to myself, I have abused me enouugh for 3 life times.

Take care, just hope you start to get rid of all those awful withdrawls that you sill are having.

Peace,
Debbie

[missmojo]

Missyjo,
What ever works, is all I can say. I finally have no symptoms at all, feel better than I have
since I ever went on any A/d to begin with. It's bee for 6 days now, maybe 7, but not after
going through a nightmare, and what sounds like your still haveing off this drug.

I would never do it that way, but we all all different, and I know the hell I was in even while
weaning almost took my life, or it felt like it was going to.

I still have 175 beads to go, but I am not rusing anthing, and ever so grateful I just am sticking
it out, and remember ing all I did learn from here. Sure we all want to just stop, get it over with
but I wouldn't do that to myself, I have abused me enouugh for 3 life times.

Take care, just hope you start to get rid of all those awful withdrawls that you sill are having.

Peace,
Debbie

Hey Debbie... I haven't been on this site in I don't know how long. Just wanted to update you and let you know I feel wonderful, for the first time in years! I have zero withdrawl symptoms! I realize that going cold turkey isn't for everyone; but like I said in my earlier post I tried weaning; but the withdrawls were overwhelming, so I thought 'what the hell', I just wanted it to stop! So cold turkey i went.

I've been reading all the posts on all these 'NEW VICTIMS' of cymbalta and my heart goes out to them. I can truly say that this drug put me in a place I never want to be again! I am so grateful for this site, it made me feel understood. Not even my family or friends could fathom what I was going through; but with the help and encouragement by people like you, I made it! Your time and Committment on this site is a Godsend. Thank-you so much for being there when I thought my life was over.

Peace
missmojo

[nursedeborah]

i'm so glad to hear that it goes away. I think, probably like everyone else who finds their way here, that I'm having some fear that these side effects will never go away. I was on 40mg for 10 months and dropped to 20 for one week, then 10 for one week and just quit today and already the brain zaps and other ickyness is in full swing.

thank you so much for giving me hope that in time this will go away.

Cynthia,
Please know that she was not suggesting that anyone do it the way she did! You think that your
having a hard time now, just wait. I hate to be the one that bring the bad new, but the withdrawls to get worse. You have only just started the cold turkey process, and it takes 6-9 days for them to really come on full force, and that's when we do a slow wean, yet they do go away if you get the amount just right for you.

Just be opened to restarting if it keeps getting worse, that is not the norm at all here. Some do get off lucky, I oray your one of them, but still be open to the weaning process if it gets cad, and don't think you weak. You brain is addicted to this crap, and it just will be screaming for the drug. Withdrawls can last for 6 mo. to 2 years and longer. She, and a few we have seen come by here got off lucky as HELL!!!

JUST BREATHE,
Debbie