10 replies to this topic

[Drybananna]

Started cold turkey December 9th, so not exactly 3 weeks yet. First off, I do not recommend this method.. I only did it because I had too many factors forcing me to. There are far better methods floating around in this forum that I'd definitely do before trying this last resort. If you do happen to go down this path though, I hope by the end of my withdrawal I can give you good news and hope. Until then, don't take my dread and fear to heart. I had been on anti-depressants for about a year and a half for my anxiety problem, not for depression. Now, for the first time in my life, Im depressed and scared. Make this drug illegal already, jesus.

And just for background:
Had weaned from Paxil to Cymbalta not too long ago, so luckily I was on a low dose of 20mg of Cymbalta and after a month decided (with my psych) to quit anti-depressants before they could up me more. Went cold turkey from there.

The first week was hell, or so I thought. Then the second week comes along and it ACTUALLY hit me and the hell I felt during the first week was nothing compared to this. Luckily, after the second week it does start to get better.. So keep that in mind for any who are experiencing cold turkey too! Obviously the amount of weeks aren't the same for everybody, but at least you know it will get better. I am having close to zero brain zaps and the most withdrawal I've felt is annoying non-stop carsick feeling and non-stop headache. The worst is far gone though, yay! As far as mentally goes, I definitely don't feel normal or like myself still.. And Im kinda feeling like I'll never feel like myself again, which sucks, but whatever. Got to keep positive. I feel like I can't even think straight or say what I want to say.. It's so frustrating. My mind feels fogged or something. . I feel like an idiot in social settings not being able to get out what I want to say and instead just tripping over myself struggling to keep my train of thought. Is this normal? My friends are saying that they slowly are noticing me going back to normal, so that makes me feel a little better. But I honestly don't feel myself getting normal. My confidence sucks right now, my self-esteem sucks, Im unhappy and I don't know why. Im REALLY hoping this is all side effects from the withdrawal, and I'd love for someone to assure me that it is.

My psych seems to think after 6 weeks that I'll be fine. My mom is trying to get me to believe this too. Is it bad if I don't believe it? The mind is a powerful thing, so Im afraid if I don't believe it then it really won't happen. So should I start making myself believe it, or? Ugh I don't know what to do or think.

[MaureenV]

Wow. All I can say is just hang in there. Cymbalta is poision and should be banned from the market. As a person just getting through day 8, I know what you are going through. But after reading so many blogs and forums of people who have gone through this, the mental games are just part of the battle. What you are experiencing is no different from the other hell stories I've read till now. I did read that people who do go cold turkey have the symptoms much stronger and longer than those who slowly lower their dosages. So far, I've just been drinking alot of fluid which contains electolytes. I also took imodium for the first time last night and it has greatly helped my nausea. Out of all the advice out there and all the supplements people take to stay sane during this time, keeping myself hydrated seems to alleviate the symptoms just a bit. Again, just hang in there and keep in mind that these symptoms are normal. They should go away. I just wish I knew how soon.

You're right, the withdrawal from this drug is atrocious, however it's not terribly different than many other anti-depressants on the market, effexor for example. Cymbalta does seem to take the cake though.


Not sure I'd agree that those who go cold turkey have symptoms for longer - those who wean slowly do so sometimes over months, and all we're doing is taking huge symptoms for a shorter time and turning them into milder symptoms for a longer time. I came off 20mg (I was doing 30mg alternate days, unsuccessfully, and found relief at 20mg) over 10 weeks, and even after dropping the last 1mg, had symptoms for nearly a month afterwards. At each drop though, the symptoms were comparitively mild - enough of a reminder that I wouldn't be able to drop any faster without feeling worse.

The way I see it is, you can jump from the second story, which is going to hurt, but at least you're there quickly, or you can go down the steps on your knees. Frustrating and slow, but at least it doesn't hurt as much.


regards, Maureen.

[Dixiedoo]

Well I guess I am a jumper then. I would rather hurt hard for less time than drag on. Keep fighting and know that in time things will get better, whatever method you choose.Don't give up on the freeing of your mind.

[Drybananna]

Alright, thought I'd update. It's been a month now since I've been clean off of this stuff. Excuse my language ahead of time.

I thought I was doing better until last night.. I was just so agitated and scared, I don't even know if I knew why I was so mad and scared. I seriously was uncontrollably crying for a good 3 hours. Most I've ever cried in my life, I don't feel normal at all.. A month clean and still being this emotionally messed up? This medicine really fucks with you and Im legit pissed. Nothing I do makes me happy, Im just always in a bad mood. It's like this medicine took away the thing in your brain that allows you to be happy (serotonin?).

I was never like this before, I want my old self back and I want to stop feeling psycho. Im so fucking scared Im actually having times where I feel like drowning myself in my pool. I've never felt that before, and now Im feeling nonstop darkness and like Im trapped. Luckily, most times I don't want to die, I just don't want to live like this. Does that make sense? I know people are saying this isn't permanent, but Im starting to feel like these meds have permanently affected me into this.

Maybe this should go in "What are you Feeling?", but oh well. Saving making a new thread and putting it in this one. : (


Thanks for the words, and good luck Baclaker and Dixiedoo. MaureenV too! Seriously supporting you with all my heart.

[Junior]

Awwwwwwwwwww Drybananna

The trouble with coming off a/ds is that it's not how long it takes to get the drug out of your system, it's how long it takes your system to return to its pre-med way of functioning. It's easy to believe that we will never get better but we do. How long it takes is anyone's guess as it is individual for everyone. But we DO heal.

Hope that helps
Junior

[MaureenV]

Alright, thought I'd update. It's been a month now since I've been clean off of this stuff. Excuse my language ahead of time.

I thought I was doing better until last night.. I was just so agitated and scared, I don't even know if I knew why I was so mad and scared. I seriously was uncontrollably crying for a good 3 hours. Most I've ever cried in my life, I don't feel normal at all.. A month clean and still being this emotionally messed up? This medicine really fucks with you and Im legit pissed. Nothing I do makes me happy, Im just always in a bad mood. It's like this medicine took away the thing in your brain that allows you to be happy (serotonin?).

I was never like this before, I want my old self back and I want to stop feeling psycho. Im so fucking scared Im actually having times where I feel like drowning myself in my pool. I've never felt that before, and now Im feeling nonstop darkness and like Im trapped. Luckily, most times I don't want to die, I just don't want to live like this. Does that make sense? I know people are saying this isn't permanent, but Im starting to feel like these meds have permanently affected me into this.

Maybe this should go in "What are you Feeling?", but oh well. Saving making a new thread and putting it in this one. : (


Thanks for the words, and good luck Baclaker and Dixiedoo. MaureenV too! Seriously supporting you with all my heart.

sorry, I can't remember the specifics of your story, but are you sure you want to do it this way? You don't have to suffer like this. You can let your brain slowly adjust, or you can let it find its own way, which means suffering a lot for some people.

I remember one particular day-into-night when I felt like you did. I actually felt so anxious (and I wasn't on this for anxiety - not a major problem for me) that I felt I was going to shatter into pieces. I thought a glass of alcohol might calm me but even after a few mouthfuls I could tell it was making me worse. That happened when I was still actually taking Cymbalta, but doing every second day - once I changed to half that dose EVERY day, the symptoms pretty much disappeared.

keep in touch! Maureen.

[MaureenV]

I'm was taking Cymbalta for anxiety & stress. Cymbalta withdrawl is alot like Effexor. Brain zaps on both. I am now on day five of my cold turkey quit of Cymbalta (30mg). It's hell.

It took about two weeks to lose the zaps when I came off effexor years ago and that was one thing I was worried about when my dr suggested this drug. He said it was the one with the least side effects.

Never again will I go on this stuff.

Good luck to all those out these going through this.

I'll check back in next week and let you know how I am making out

Cheers

Sorry to hear you're having to go through this. You can always go more slowly, you know, if it gets too much for you.

regards, Maureen.

[Junior]

I'm was taking Cymbalta for anxiety & stress. Cymbalta withdrawl is alot like Effexor. Brain zaps on both. I am now on day five of my cold turkey quit of Cymbalta (30mg). It's hell.

It took about two weeks to lose the zaps when I came off effexor years ago and that was one thing I was worried about when my dr suggested this drug. He said it was the one with the least side effects.

Never again will I go on this stuff.

Good luck to all those out these going through this.

I'll check back in next week and let you know how I am making out

Cheers

This is the one with least side effects???????????????????????
Grrrr... I HATE hearing how ignorant drs are about modern anti-depressants.

Cymbalta is in the same class of drugs as Effexor. They both alter serotonin and norepinephrine, which tends to make them harder to come off (generally speaking) than SSRIs like Prozac.

Also, as Maureen has said, you don't have to go cold turkey from 30mg. Many people find it easier to drop down in small doses. This reduces the intensity of the withdrawal effects and gives the brain a more gentle method of healing.

Take care
Junior

[MaureenV]

Could you please tell me how long you took Cymbalta? I am going nuts. I only took this garbage for 2 weeks 30mgs a day couldn't stand it and stopped. On day 5 now and my head, ears and throat are killing me anybody else? How long will it take to stop. I didn't think it could be this bad after only being on it for that amount of time. thanks

Generally speaking, if you've only been taking it for a few weeks, hopefully your body hasn't FULLY adjusted to the chemicals, which means that your body will get back to normal a bit faster.

it's no longer the drug causing the problems, it's the withdrawal of it from your brain, which has started to become used to it.

I was on 30/60 for about two months in total, and it took me another two months to get off. Junior was only on for a few weeks and it took a few weeks for the symptoms to disappear.

Hopefully you'll be right in another week.

Glad to hear you didn't continue with it!


regards, Maureen.

[Junior]

Could you please tell me how long you took Cymbalta? I am going nuts. I only took this garbage for 2 weeks 30mgs a day couldn't stand it and stopped. On day 5 now and my head, ears and throat are killing me anybody else? How long will it take to stop. I didn't think it could be this bad after only being on it for that amount of time. thanks

Hi Linda

As Maureen alluded to, I was only on Cymbalta for 19 days..but I was put straight on to 60mg. It caused GI problems and disrupted my sleep pattern and, like you, figured I hadn't been on it for long so therefore I shouldn't have too many probs coming off it. WRONG!
On Day 4 i got severe upper abdo pain which sent me scurrying to my GP. An abdo scan showed nothing and gradually the pain reduced and went away, but I found I couldn't eat much, only very bland foods. I'd say it took two weeks to get through this. Not pleasant at all.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Hope your experience is better than mine.
Junior

[Junior]

Hi Sue

Move here to Australia! Our health system is affordable. We rarely pay more than @$35 for a prescription drug. For drugs on the PBS that is (pharmaceutical benefits scheme - a govt subsidy). It has nothing to do with whether we have private insurance or not.

Advertising of prescription drugs is illegal. I still can't believe you guys actually ALLOW this advertising! I also can't believe drs just cut your off from your meds when your insurance won't cover them. How do they justify this ethically, I wonder?

Re: Clonazepam - the occasional dose should be ok. Just be aware that it is a benzodiazepine and even more addictive, and apparently harder to get off, than modern anti-depressants.

Does your insurance cover Prozac? Some people find this alleviates some of the withdrawal symptoms. Generally speaking it is easier to get off since it has a longer half-life too. Just a thought.

Good luck
Junior