Dear friends,
I am so glad everyone has added their voices to this forum. Ever since going through a traumatic experience over a year and a half ago, I have been on SSRIs and tried several until I made it to Cymbalta. I first went off this drug when transitioning to Prozac to which I developed an allergy. Go figure. So the first time I went off Cymbalta I couldn't really tell my withdrawal symptoms because they were masked by pregnancy symptoms and morning sickness, as well as the Prozac. After I lost the baby I went back on the meds and have been taking Cymbalta for about 5 months now. I decided that I didn't want any meds in my body when we started trying again and have been reducing (with doctor's direction) the dose from 60MG to 30MG for over a month. This week I stopped taking the 30s. It was only today that I decided to explore if there was any evidence that what I have been feeling is documented anywhere as withdrawal symptoms. I have much of what others are describing: dizziness, headaches, anger (boy, have I been angry!). I thought that these symptoms were due to stress (I just started an MBA program) or maybe I was regressing in some ways with the thoughts of anger and obsession. It is somewhat of a relief to know that the SSRI withdrawal is attributable. But my feelings have concerned me enough that I just took a 30MG dose. I don' think I am emotionally prepared to go through this withdrawal on top of everything else I am dealing with right now. Perhaps if I schedule this better I can develop some kind of strategy with my doctor about how to best manage this transition. Problem is, we have started trying to get pregnant again and I am so torn between not delaying our efforts and not wanting a drug in my system when and if I conceive. Has anyone been through a similar struggle? Thanks so much.
Mia,
Doctor's have no idea how to get people off this drug, and going
from 60 mg to 30 mg is not the way to go. Nor the take one skip
take one either which we hear all the time.
Your brain is addicted to this drug, and must be taken off of it very slowly.
If you at 30 mg stay there, and then just start reducing my 10 beads every
2 weeks until your done.
Also getting pregnant at this time what with being so stressed out, and being
on this medication just does not sound like such a good idea. I would worry
about the damage it would do to the baby.
You can get off this, and still function, just do the very slow wean. I am
finally down to 30 beads, and that's takes me 6 month's, I was on 60 mg for
3 1/2 years.
Good Luck,
Debbie
