9 replies to this topic

[Sarah J]

Well - today is my first day with the accupuncture guy. My new psychiatrist did not have a problem with this.

I was on 20 mg Celexa for one week and "balanced out" now down to 10 mg. No Cymbalta for 57 days. Going to the new shrink and getting the Celexa in a low dose was a godsend.

Was wondering this morning if I would be better now from the Cymbalta withdrawal on my own, but I could not take the despair and crying 70% of the time and the other 30% feeling better, but waiting for the withdrawal "shoe" to drop on me again. I am so glad that I found a new doctor who did not want me to stay on Cymbalta.

And another nugget of wisdom that the new psychiatrist gave me that can help when your doctor tells you to "just take the Cymbalta" to avoid the withdrawal symptoms. She told me that going back on Cymbalta would result in the same, if not worse withdrawal, so why put me back on it??

Seems logical, but we have to inform our doctors of so many things.

I am concerned so much for those of you whose doctors are telling you to drop from 30 to nothing - that is what the prescribing information is, but it does not work for everybody.

Will post how the accupuncture goes today!

[schmb01]

Well, how did it go? :mrgreen:

[Sarah J]

I thought it was a great experience. Nice accupuncturist who previously was a psychotherapist. The needles were not scary at all. I was there 2.5 hours. We talked extensively about my past history, I filled out a form that had about 300 questions on it (not exaggerating). Then he decided what sort of meridians in my body that needed to be addressed first.

7 needles total and it did not hurt. I am not sure how long I was laying there, but I could "feel" good energy running through my entire body. He and his assistant came in several times to make sure that I was comfortable, warm enough, feeling well, etc.

I didn't tell my husband that I went to get this done, he wouldn't be mad, but I just did not want to tell him, especially since he has been relatively decent about my losing my mind, I just did not want him to worry.

So my husband looked at me last night and said that I looked "really peaceful". I do feel peaceful, did not take any Klonopin yesterday at all and slept really well. In fact, I think I could have slept all this morning, but I have to work.

The accupuncturist said to keep track of how I feel throughout the week and let him know when I go back in two weeks. So, from my end, a big 2 thumbs up.

[BearJear]

My therapist mentioned accupuncture.. Maybe i should really look into it.
she's an alternative EMDR therapist and thinks it would do wonders for me.

[Sarah J]

I read your posts about the "numbed out" feeling you got. Cymbalta worked for me for about a year and then I just started to be complacent and not caring about much. The "whatever" feeling. So I understand that you do not want to take it anymore.

Be safe with your withdrawal and I am pulling for you to feel better soon. Going on the low dose of Celexa saved my sanity but I am looking forward to being off of everything and feel like I have a bunch of good "healers" working with me in both the Eastern and Western style of medicine.

My best to you.

[hopeful]

Yes I agree-- my doc said do 30, then 20 every other day. When I had trouble on that he suggested opening capsule but pharmacist had a tissy fit so I didn't do it. Wish I had now that I read this website. It sounds very doable and much better than 20 to zero or higher. Accupuncture sounds GREAT!! I have really enjoyed walking extra--decided to train for 1/2 marathon, good vibes from walking are getting me going along with Bsupplements.

[SaraB]

After Prozac and Zoloft didn't work for me, My Dr started me on 30mg, then increased it to 60mg....then to 90mg. I was on this for 6 months. When I told him about the side effects I was having he took me off it cold turkey.
From 90mg to 0mg in 24 hours.
I am miserable.
None of my friends understand. They listened to me complain when I was depressed, then listened to me complain when I got on cymbalta and now they have no more sympathy left for me. I feel like a hypocondriac...but I know that what I'm going through is very real and very serious.
Mr Dr. says there are no withdrawal symptoms...
I'm just trying to deal with each days as it comes hoping that I'll feel better tomorrow.

What if tomorrow never comes?

[Sarah J]

SaraB
Oh my goodness - please tell me you have some Cymbalta to take NOW. Oh my goodness, no. Your doctor is very misinformed. Please, this will probably be the only time I would recommend anybody to take a Cymbalta. If it has only been 24 hours, and you have some, please don't put yourself through this suffering and take one, unless there is another reason your doc does not want you to have Cymbalta.

Going from 90 to nothing is not safe. This is not safe for you to drop this medication so abruptly. Unless there is another reason that you are not stating that your doctor told you to stop for, take one now and get with somebody who can help you come off of this in a safe manner. Tomorrow will come, you are not a hypochondriac, this is very real.

If you go through what your doctor just told you to do, oh boy, it is likely that you will feel pretty crappy and out of your mind tomorrow.

90 to nothing - NOT SAFE. Please don't listen to this doctor about there not being side effects and inform him that while many other people come off of this drug with no problems, there are many of us who do have severe problems. My doctor told me there were no side effects either. You have to be feeling so horrid right now. Get help from another doctor, or print out some of our posts and let your current doc know this is not a safe thing for you to do, quickly.

[SaraB]

I've actually been off it for 9 days now...and today is by far the absolute worst.

I'm afraid I'm going to get fired from work because I can't concentrate to get anything done.
I'm also afraid to drive....anyone have that? I'm just so dizzy, shakey and distracted...what if I crash and hurt someone! I feel drunk all the time.

I also find my self forgetting to breathe. I don't know how that even can happen, but it does. I just suddenly gasp for air.

However, I do have to say that one thing that is better is the fact that I can feel happiness and sadness again. I didn't realize how drugged up I was! On the drug I was incredibly even, but didn't appreciate anything. And so...I just keep plugging along thinking that it has to end at some point.

I'm afraid if I take a cymbalta to help the withdrawal that I'll just have to start this all over again...I honestly don't know what I should do. I would hope that I'm almost over the worst.

[Sarah J]

Ok, your original post read that you had been off for 24 hours. You are probably right, no more Cymbalta, but if you are feeling really badly, you unfortunately might have to take something else to get you through this. Your brain has been traumatized. It does have to end at some point, but you are the one who knows yourself and body well enough to know what is "feeling better" and what is "oh my goodness, what the *bleep* is going on in my brain?".

You might find this link helpful:
http://depression.ab... ... drawal.htm

I have a post in the weaning section about what did not work for me and what did.

I am self employed and thought if I continued in the withdrawal state I was in, I would lose all of my clients along with what my mushy mind was. I was afraid to drive, confused, shaking constantly and each day I prayed for night to come so I could sleep and have some peace and pray that the next day would be "the day" the magic day that my brain chemistry would reactivate.

Really, on day 45 of cold turkey, my husband called to check on me and wanted to know if he needed to come and take me to the hospital. My brains would not readjust on their own. Not saying that yours won't, but oh dear, you dropped down so quick, I can only imagine what the past 9 days have been for you. I shook for 40 days straight and my old doctor kept telling me to tough it out, I would be ok, well I assure you, I was not ok.

So, my new doctor says when you withdrawal from an anti-depressant correctly, you should feel relief in a week and much better the second week. I felt like such a loser going 45 days cold turkey having to take another mediciation to balance me out to a somewhat normal state, but it was necessary and I would hate to see you suffer so badly if there is some sort of non-Cymbalta help for you out there. I know you mentioned other anti's that did not work for you, but if you are feeling really unstable, don't be afraid to reach out for help to stabilize yourself, and be safe.

I will be thinkng of you, like I said, when I read your original post above, I thought it was only 24 hours since you dropped down. I hope that you do feel better soon on your own. Quickly.