20 replies to this topic

[schmb01]

So, has anyone else moved into a "mean zone" during withdrawal? I have this huge urge to just tell someone off. No one in particular, and that is what is scary, I'm afraid I may just go off on someone at the drop of a hat.

I'm typically a very sympathetic person, caring and have the desire to nurture. Not so much right now. I know it is part of this whole thing, but wow, I pity the person who finally hits the right (or wrong) button. :shock: :twisted:

[Sarah J]

Mean, yes, but with me, it did come and go. Hit a pillow, throw it down the stairs. When you begin to feel ALL of your emotions again, in full force, it is a bit overwhelming. You can always vent here.

Breathe in, breathe out. Count to 5 or ten before saying anything to anybody. Who cares if you have a deranged look on your face for a few seconds? If it helps you center yourself before exploding, do what you have to do.

Hang in there. Hope you swing to laughter quickly!

[Carlyn]

I relate to your feeling. One night I got so frustrated with my laptop I wanted to throw it across the room. It wasn't anything to get upset about but for some reason I just became so angry. I also find wanting to just lose it with someone. My husband is good to let me vent. So I can rant and rave about someone or something and he will listen. He is good to make some funny remark and than I start to laugh because I see how ridiculous I have been. Hope this goes away like other withdrawal symptoms have. I have also found that I can go on some of the MSN news sights and leave comments about politics or some subject they are writing about and just let it all out. It seems to help. The last thing I want to do is say or do something to hurt those close to me. They are dealing with enough of this withdrawal of mine. I don't need to be mean to them. :!:

[schmb01]

I know what you mean! I don't feel quite so crabby right now, but I am heading out to WalMart with my daughter in a few minutes, so if I can do that and not seriously injure someone, I'll know that I am indeed much stronger than I thought!

I'm glad you have your husband to vent too, that has to help. I live with my dog, and she just doesn't get it. LOL I like the idea of posting on some of the other sites to get it out, I'll have to think about that one.

I hope this passes for you too, it sure isn't fun!

Babby

[schmb01]

Well, Walmart almost did me in. I was looking for cranberry juice, and there was one bottle on the shelf; I wanted 2. I asked a woman, and she said she couldn't help me, she was a vendor. Okay, makes sense. I approached a man stocking in the meat department and asked him the same question. He said he would have no idea who to ask. :shock: I asked him, "do you work here?" he says "yes, but I don't know who I would ask". I just looked at him and said, "are you kidding me?" He just looks back at me. Okay, on a normal day, for a "normal" brain, it would have irritated me, but I seriously wanted to make a huge scene! (I didn't) I must be more in control than I thought.

[Sarah J]

Wal Mart - you are the second forum poster who said Wal Mart did them in. Food Lion is another culprit (grocery store on the East Coast).

Glad you held it together when you wanted to go ballistic. You are more in control now. Progress!!!

[That1TyGuy]

Hey though ive never really Felt really mean i know what your going throw and i understand, sometimes when i come home and i feel like kicking a wall its not a really good feeling. But i guess its good to let it all out though so heres some tips on how to let it all out.

-(old one but a good one) Write a letter but don't send it (e-mail or real letter)
-scream into a pillow or just scream
-have a nap
-hit your pillow
-have a pillow fight with friend or anyone(does seem childish but works)
-talk to someone about it (pet,mom,dad,boyfriend,girlfriend...etc)

thanks for the post hope this helps

[cstrommer]

Wow. Glad to know I'm not the only one. After the dust settled from our family emergency Thursday, I found myself becoming quite irritated with things. Last night I made my boys clean up their room - and I was yelling a bit (not screaming, just enough to get them moving). And they knew mom meant business. I also was digging into my husband. He wasn't too happy. He agreed that going off of cymbalta would be a good idea, but he doesn't get the withdrawal symptoms. My daughter screams at me (she's 6), so yesterday I let her know who was boss (right, ha!).

Wal-Mart does me in whenever I go there. They never have enough lines open. So I will stay away from there right now.

I like all of the suggestions I've read. I think also taking a walk might help. Spring is almost here.

[BearJear]

I'm 18 and have been going off Cymbalta for about 2 weeks and its been sheer hell. i dont know who i am anymore. I went off of it because i was loosing who i was, everything was dulled out, everything. I was loosing most of my friends and my boyfriend of 2 years and i had both realized that my romantic and sexual feelings were gone. Nothing.. i lived breathed and felt nothingness. So i decided to go off and tapered for about a month. Now i've been off for two weeks.. and its been scary. I have an old subaru station wagon.. (my family can't afford anything else.. and i've paid for half of what i have) and of course it rattles and little but since coming off of Cymbalta.. the little noises and annoying sounds.. and seemed ten thousand times worse.. they annoy me so much i've had to talk myself out of wrecking my car on purpose.. i've simply wanted to drive it into a building or brick wall. No exaggeration. I've been a monster. My mom threatened to take me to an institution because i think she wanted to put me in check.. and get me back in line.. but boy did that back fire. That only gave me more fuel for my rage. She thought i would straighten up and stop acting like my world was ending.. but she had no idea.. Then she did some research and even read some on this site. Later she told me she was sorry and that she had not really realized how real this was for me. It's been so bad that i just want to scream at everyone.. Its like i get enjoyment and thrill out of being mean and screaming at someone.. The past two weeks i've wanted nothing more than to break up with my boyfriend.. We've been together for two years and are the "perfect high school sweetheart couple" He's in college now,(a freshman) only 15 mins away so i see him daily still but its changed things a little. I'm a senior in high school and thats enough to do someone in.. But now just thinking about him makes me feel angry. I just want to tell him goodbye and never see him again.. (he knows i'm feeling these things and is being nothing but supportive and patient) Its terrible. its like i'm fighting myself. I know i love him deep down.. But right now i feel no love at all.. for anyone or anything. The romantic and sexual feelings have not returned.. but i'm hoping and praying that we will be ok after this is all over. But so far nothing seems to be making it any better. I'm still just angry when i think about him. I have mini panic attacks that give me the impulse to call him and just break it off. I just want to be alone, curl up in a ball and disappear until i am all better. I don't know what to do. I'm just not in love with him anymore. I want to be so desperately but i can't seems to pull those feelings back up.. I know they are in there somewhere.. He's the perfect guy. so understanding an sweet and patient. He's been so good to me and would do anything to make me better.. but he knows it will just take time.. Its so hard.. i hate hurting me.. but he wants to know everything i'm going through.. (he's my best friend and we always tell each other everything) I don't know what to do.. right now i'm simply blaming the withdrawals.. and saying once i'm over this i'll be in love again.. but i'm so scared... I want everything to be ok.. but right now my brain is working against me. Any advice, suggestions.. anyone had these problems??

[schmb01]

Oh Honey, you are having an overload of emotions right now, and it is SOOO hard. I have had to deal with this with a little bit of space, because I needed to. I've told people close to me to please understand, BE THERE when I ask them to, but I think on some level it is easier to wade through the emotions with some space. Maybe you just need to ask him for some time to get through this. It is wonderful that he is supportive, but when you feel that mean streak kicking in, you really just want to lash out at the people that are trying so hard to help, because for some reason, they are just pissing you off! I believe what you are feeling is "normal" for withdrawing from this drug. Don't be hard on yourself. Right now you need to take care of YOU, and focus on getting through this. Don't try to figure out how things should be, or where you want them to be right now. You just have to deal with them as they are, and give yourself a break. Things will get better, even if only a very little bit each day. When you notice something postive, focus on that, and know that it means there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I'm glad your Mom read some of the things on here. I'm sure she didn't have any idea what you were feeling; shoot, WE never imagined anything like this either, did we? Have you talked with a doctor about what you are feeling? Just don't let it go too long if you continue to feel horrid every day. Like I said, there should be improvements, even if they are small.

You may want to look into an Omega 3 supplement, it is known to help calm the brain. Also, try to eat healthy foods when you can. Getting vitamins and minerals is helpful.

Also, know that this is a safe place to vent. Everyone here really gets where you are coming from.

[BearJear]

Thanks so much. Its awesome to get a responce so quickly and from someone who actually gets it. Yesterday i started to feel a little better. I had fewer pannic attacks and actually started to miss my boyfriend (who is on spring break and on a beach trip with friends) We've only been appart like 3 times for this long and i usually miss him so much, but this time i havent missed him at all. (which makes me feel bad, and worry) but finally yesterday i missed him a little bit. It was good to feel that but today seems to be another rough one. I've had about 2 good days over the past two weeks.. not in any order... just two random days i can remember not feeeling totally distrought. Thanks so much for the support. I'm hoping for another good day in the near future!!

[Sarah J]

I don't mean to keep repeating this to everybody, sorry to be annoying, but if you go a couple of weeks of of this and feel "out of control" confused or do not have more good feelings/thoughts than bad ones, it may be necessary for you to take a less invasive anti-depressant at a VERY LOW DOSE to help you balance out.

My new shrink said that you should feel relief after the first week being off of Cymbalta, more relief than despair.
Two weeks of feeling that way = not good. Your brain receptors are having a hard time learning to fire again, if they were starting to fire up again on their own you would not be feeling like pond scum.

Some people say they feel better after a month. I waited 45 long, agonizing days and it was a miracle that I did not drive myself off a bridge. I had my old doctor telling me it was the "depression" coming back and that I was feeling the way I did before Cymbalta. He told me to tough it out and I would feel better soon and that I was an isolated case. This is not true. I was not a spun out maniac that was confused and shaking constantly before Cymbalta, I was sad from family deaths.

Some people do need anti-depressants, I am definately not a doctor. But with the new doctor's support, she does not feel that is the case for me and I am hopeful. I just know my experience. I consider myself strong and it was harmful to my pride to ask for help when I could not pull myself together, but I am so glad that I did. Just don't go on and on "waiting" if there is something that can help you feel calmer and clear the Cymbalta out of you.

Just please, if your doctor wants you to go back on Cymbalta to make yourself feel better, refuse. There are other alternatives. Other people here made it off using Prozac. Print out our stories and make your docotr aware that more Cymbalta will equal more withdrawal pain. Be safe.

[BearJear]

My doctor is on medical leave and I am waiting on a new dr to take me in as a patient (being that i was not pleased with the previous one anyway) So as soon as i reach other dr. i will ask his/her opinion about what would be best for me to go on to ease the pain of these withdrawals. My family (mom and dad and grandparents ...and great grandparents) have all suffered from depression and are sensitive to medication so it may be that i need to see whats worked for my family in the past. I often have the same reactions to drugs as my mom does and she has tried several different anti depressants. I've been on zoloft and then cymbalta but over time felt that they both numbed me out to the world around me. I just started to isolate myself and everyone around me noticed how unhappy i was. So i'm not sure what is best at this point. I do not do well on anti depressants over a long period of time but for the first 6 months or so i'm great. I'd rather not jump into anything until i find solid ground. and figure out where i am. It may take time, but i'm willing to tough it out.. and i have great support who would love to see me drug free and happy. but are not opposed to me trying something else if needed.

[hopeful]

oh wow. the post about Walmart made me laugh soooo hard. thank you. I got so mad yesterday when I bumped my elbow on the corner of bathroom door that I hit it back, yes I hit an inanimate object to tell it it hurt me, and I was the one who ran into it. ugh. I feel crazy for sure! I am way mean and irritable and anyone who takes longer than 5 sec to answer my question gets killed for sure with eyes and usually verbally too. poor hubby really got a lot from me this weekend. I hate feeling this mad, I do want to throw something or hit something all the time. Darn anxious feelings!! I do feel it less than 2 days ago so it better leave soon. 18 year old with sr year and going off this stuff--may God bless ya. Get your dr to write a note for you to school so they will give you support there. I am 36 and couldn't handle HS right now for sure the way I am feeling. Now preschool with time outs, naps, and cookies.. I might be okay. But I bet I would lose my recesss privelege DAILY> :oops:

[wabschall]

I agree wholeheartedly with schmb01 sweetie. I'm 56 years old and have been on Cymbalta 60 mg. for 4 years and went off cold turkey. I sent an email to you directly because you sounded so full of despair and who can blame you! You said it exactly right...you feel "as if you're fighting yourself". What a perfect insight description! That's what you're doing and all of us are doing by trying to get off Cymbalta. It's the side effects! They are such dramactic withdrawals that I will NEVER recommend Cymbalta; in fact, I will be an advocate in discontinuing it's use all together. Take comfort in knowing it IS the withdrawal. I had moments of SEVERE rage to the point that I expected venom to spew out of my veins and my head to spin around a few times! I felt like devil spawn, I kid you not. I hated everyone and everything and nothing made sense! Where was all this rage coming from...I use to be so patient and full of life. Well, it is withdrawals honey and I know it's ridiculously difficult now, but IT WILL GET BETTER AND IT WILL GO AWAY. May I suggest that you don't make ANY life altering decisions right now. They won't be rational honey. Just wait and you will get to go back to who you were in time. Know that it is just that...the Cymbalta. I find that when I get the "warning anxiety symptoms" I know when they're coming now. I listen to my body and I remove myself from everyone and go for a walk;clean house, do whatever is physical. I'm on day 9 of withdrawals and I keep saying to myself, "it's the withdrawal; it's the withdrawal" and then take a breathe. My sister was on the same medication and MY daughter, due to our illness (fibromyalgia and CFS). They're both back to "themselves" and actually feel BETTER and SO WILL WE. Keep the hope and all of us will too. You're not alone and everyone's here to help each other. Keep "venting"; it will help. Love and hope to you and all.

[coco12]

I hope the anger that I have inside will go away soon. It has been 42 days since I last had Cymbalta and I swear I am just like a smoker without a cigarette. I am a BEAR. I try so hard not to be this way but I cannot control it. Is it because I am not used to having emotions? I know that I cannot stay this way. I am so tired of feeling angry and upset. Everything and everyone irritate me. Any suggestions at all ? How much longer do I wait to see if this subsides?

[schmb01]

If you are still feeling like this after 42 days, maybe you should talk with your doctor about it. Sarah J has posted some good information about her story, and she was placed on Celexa, low dose, after over 30 days off because she was still feeling bad. I'm just on day 13, and while I still feel more irritable than usual, it is getting a little better each day, and I mean a LITTLE. If I still feel this way by Tuesday, I may talk to my doctor about trying 1 low dose of prozac, which is another idea that Sarah posted.

I do think that having been on Cymbalta or other antis over a period of time tends to make us get used to feeling nothing, or very dull, and when the emotions come back it is hard to know if it is normal or if they are just heightened for awhile. I can see it now, therapists all over the country are going to see a surge in anger management classes! :evil: :mrgreen:

[suzanne]

So, has anyone else moved into a "mean zone" during withdrawal? I have this huge urge to just tell someone off. No one in particular, and that is what is scary, I'm afraid I may just go off on someone at the drop of a hat.

I'm typically a very sympathetic person, caring and have the desire to nurture. Not so much right now. I know it is part of this whole thing, but wow, I pity the person who finally hits the right (or wrong) button. :shock: :twisted:

Hi, You are not alone with the feeling mean zone . Two days ago I scared myself, I went into a complete rage. I am glad that I was outside and by myself. This overwheleming feeling came over me and it lasted about ten minutes. I have been off of the med. for 5 days. I just hope today is better. Yesterday was horrible, I actually thought I was going to die, then I found this site on the web and then I knew what I was feeling was normal.I hope you get better as well as my self.

[schmb01]

Thanks Suzanne, and I hope this passes for you as well. My rage moments are getting further and further apart, and I can say that I am now just feeling more irritable than full blown angry, and this is day 14 for me. I'm sure you've read other posts here, but I think the Omega 3 is helping quite a bit with that too, as I'm not on day 13 or 14 with those as well.

Hang in there!!!

[whatanightmare]

Yes!! The rage! The anger at ... everyone! The impatience! I'm 3 months out now and am feeling much better. Not back to normal but I no longer feel that RAGE. I'm still jittery and have occasional bouts of liquid diarrhea. So give it time.

[cornczech]

Hey ya'll!!
I have only been on Cymbalta for 2 weeks. I looked up side-effects because
of the horrible nausea, headaches, dilated pupils, ( why my vision was so blurry),
no bowel movement for almost 2 weeks, insomnia....shall I go on?? During my searches,
I began to read about the terrible withdrawals....great.....I've been off only one day and
I am ashamed to say that I almost flipped out at work, (I am an eye/ophthalmic technition).
I could not reach the A-hole who rxed this to me when I ended up in the hospital after an
alcohol induced suicide attempt....so I called my PCP and SHE told me I was obviously still
in need of hospitalization despite my telling her I KNEW it was this poison Cymbalta.... she
gave me the run around and I got SO angry I called her a c@nt, ( oh yes, I was VERY angry!!)
Only 2 weeks and I feel WORSE than before I went to the hospital!! I am TERRIFIED of the
next ???? days/weeks....I am going to try the omega 3 and try not to get fired... The only
"advice" I've been given is to " go to the ER"......AAAAHHH!!!

DeAnna