4 replies to this topic

[nursedeborah]

Hey everyone!

First off, I just wanted to say it's so refreshing to have found this website. It's so good to know that I am not the only one who suffers through these withdrawal symptoms. And they suck! About 3 or 4 years ago, I came off of Lexapro and weaned onto Cymbalta, which was pretty much brand new at the time. I was going through a lot of emotional stress, including disabling panic attacks and severe depression. My therapist and psychologist worked with me to safely get me on the drug. I had some typical symptoms going on it, dry mouth, some gastrointestinal issues, etc.

In the past few months or so, I decided it was time to come off finally. First, it is expensive. Second, it has side effects that I hate. Including intestinal problems ( I think it may have made me sensitive to beer and some malt drinks), possible liver complications, higher blood sugar and pressure....etc. It is a rather unhealthy drug to be on, let alone come off of. And after being on pyschiatric drugs for years, I personally would like to be off of them and be "free" in a sense. So I'm coming down from 60mg/day. I started about 2 months ago. From 1 60mg tablet a day, to 2 20mg tablets a day (spaced 12 hours apart). I felt the effects right away, within a day or two. I begin to feel an altered state of conciousness, sort of as though I am in a dream state. It's always a very brief moment, then snaps back to reality. I also feel sort of lighthead or out of it...it's very hard to describe. I bet there are a couple people out there that know of what I'm speaking, but it's super difficult to put into words. I didn't feel too many "brain buzzes" unless what I just described is it. I feel the depression and anxiety taking over, for sure. Perhaps not as bad as if I went cold turkey, but life seems to suck in every way.

My biggest issue so far is the cardiac ones. I feel heart palpitations several times an hour. It's as if my heart skips a beat, jumps...etc. In addition, I definately have shortness of breath and some tightness in my chest, as well. And to be quite frank, it's pretty scary. I have just decreased my dose again to 20mg tablet, once a day, 1/3 of where I started. I've only been down for a day and a half, but I can feel the palpitations already. Last decrease they eventually went away, and I know they will again. But...it's scary! Has anyone else had bad heart issues? I see so many topics about brain buzzing and other stuff, but anyone else having palpitations as their major symptom? Any tips as to how to relieve it? I've done breathing and exercising...etc, but anything else??

Good luck everyone. We're gonna make it through, we really are. Stupid Cymbalta

~Mishka

Mishka,
First off you made a huge decrease to start with! What we all have been taught to do here is a
very slow wean. The brain is addicted to this drug, and by going down in such lage amount's it
causes the withdrawl symptoms. Yes I have head of Heart Palpitations, and if you look at the
withdrawl symptoms you will see this is on there. This can cause high/low blood pressure, there
are other heart related issues as well.

First of all are you having any anxiety at all? This can cause those too. Anxiety can cause many
of the same symptoms of one having a heart attack, but you need to have this checked out, and just
call your doc to be on the safe side. This is a dangerous drug. http://prozactruth.com/cymbalta.htm
that's the site with all the withdrawl symptoms!!!

What we do here is only decrease 1 mg per every 2 weeeks, so that = 9 beads out of your 60 mg caps.
I think I would just start back over as 40 it not working for you at this time.

Also be aware that doc's do not know how to take people of this, or know of all the withdrawl symptoms!!
I had them diagnosis me with so many different things, until I finally figured it out that it was just
the Cymbalta causing everything.

If you need anything at all just ask!!! Keep posting, and read lot's of the other post's too!

Good Luck, you can do this much easier!

Debbie

[Junior]

Hi Mishka

What Debbie said is right. Dropping from 60mg to 40mg is actually quite a big drop. Some people can do it but many can't. One thing I've learned in the past few months is that Drs tend not to know about /understand the withdrawal problems many people have. The bottom line is that anti-depressants like Cymbalta alter the way our brain functions and it takes time for the brain to return to its natural state. Since the brain governs our bodily functions, it is not surprising that withdrawal affects other things too. Heart palpitations can be a symptom of anxiety and it may be that your system is currently more sensitive than "normal".

You didn't say what dose you are currently on but if you are still on 40mg I would recommed staying at that dose until the symptoms subside. A smaller drop - say 5mg - could then be attempted. The way to do that is to open the capsules and count the beads but I will leave that to someone else to explain since I didn't do it that way.

Good luck
Junior

[nursedeborah]

Mishka,
I thought I already told you about what Junior just said, but if not
she is right on the money.

What I have found is that I a really super sensitive to med's period,
and so I now just drop a very small amount. You can try the 5 mg, but
I finally had to even go lower than that once I got to 20 mg.

It had been so bad for over 4 months I just could take anymore bad days
of feeling fear, anxiety, panic, and many more withdrawls, but since I
had this major break through about 8 days ago I am just not going to let
myself ever get back to the place again!!!!

So if your having a really hard time just go down 1 mg at a time = 9 beads.
As 5 mg = 45 beads, and that's a big drop now looking back for me. If you
can do it, that's great, but if not just add some beads back until you feel
like you can function.

This is not a race, but a goal!

Here is the bead count

60 mg = 540 beads
30 mg = 270 beads
20 mg = 180 beads
10 mg = 90 beads
5 mg = 45 beads
1 mg = 9 beads

If you need any help let us know! Here to support you.

Debbie

[Mishka]

Awesome, thank you guys. I have actually just decreased a couple days ago, so I was really feeling it again. The 60-40 drop seemed to subside after about 2-3 weeks and I stabilized somewhat. I am really stressed lately, but that is mostly due to environmental things...you know, life in general.
Right now I am at 20mg. And it's hard, but I know that I can pull through. I think once I feel stable on 20, I will probably start counting the beads, doing 20-15, 15-10...and then from there. I love this site for the bead numbers...I never would have thought of that without y'all!!! It is a big drop, I know that. But I think in the long run, my health will be overall much better off the Cymbalta.
Thank you

[MaureenV]

Awesome, thank you guys. I have actually just decreased a couple days ago, so I was really feeling it again. The 60-40 drop seemed to subside after about 2-3 weeks and I stabilized somewhat. I am really stressed lately, but that is mostly due to environmental things...you know, life in general.
Right now I am at 20mg. And it's hard, but I know that I can pull through. I think once I feel stable on 20, I will probably start counting the beads, doing 20-15, 15-10...and then from there. I love this site for the bead numbers...I never would have thought of that without y'all!!! It is a big drop, I know that. But I think in the long run, my health will be overall much better off the Cymbalta.
Thank you

Hi Mischka,


I had shortness of breath, too, which I found really scary. I'm fairly fit, and it didn't happen as much when I was exercising (bike riding) but just stuff like running up stairs, and some days just talking, would leave me breathless. Weird.


Maureen.