5 replies to this topic

[livingdeadgirl]

Hello-

I am going thru the same withdrawal hell as many of the people on this site. I took cymbalta, 60mg. for 3 yrs and now I've been off of cymbalta, 60mg. for a bit over a week (about 8 days) and still having horrible symptoms. My Dr. wants to put me on Effexor XR right away and says this will get rid of the withdrawal symptoms. I told him I want off of the SSRI/SSNIs completely and don't want to get hooked on yet another one! I have no health insurance since I got laid off and cannot afford either medication anyway. My question is, if you've already started the withdrawal cold-turkey process for Cymbalta, in order to do the slower taper, do you have to go back to the original dosage and then taper, or can I start now with a lower dosage like 40mg. and go from there? Anyone else done this? I appreciate any good and positive advice. Thanks.

[MaureenV]

Hello-

I am going thru the same withdrawal hell as many of the people on this site. I took cymbalta, 60mg. for 3 yrs and now I've been off of cymbalta, 60mg. for a bit over a week (about 8 days) and still having horrible symptoms. My Dr. wants to put me on Effexor XR right away and says this will get rid of the withdrawal symptoms. I told him I want off of the SSRI/SSNIs completely and don't want to get hooked on yet another one! I have no health insurance since I got laid off and cannot afford either medication anyway. My question is, if you've already started the withdrawal cold-turkey process for Cymbalta, in order to do the slower taper, do you have to go back to the original dosage and then taper, or can I start now with a lower dosage like 40mg. and go from there? Anyone else done this? I appreciate any good and positive advice. Thanks.

HI There,

It's impossible to know what sort of dose you're going to need to be o.k. You're correct though, in assuming it's almost certainly not going to be 60mg. All the symptoms you're experiencing are your body adjusting to the lack of Cymbalta.

You mention 40mg, but I'm not sure whether you're talking about dividing up the contents of a 60mg capsule or two x 20mg or what ??? Although it can take a week for the worst of the symptoms to appear, one good thing about Cymbalta (one only!!!) is that taking it again works very quickly. So take whatever dose you want - it's unlikely to be 60mg that you need to fix your symptoms, and the lower you start, the less you have to taper off.

My experience was that taking 30mg on alternate days for a few weeks (with lots of symptoms which brought me here) taking 15mg per day alleviated the symptoms but I was quite depressed, which disappeared over about four days after I increased the dose to 20mg. I then tapered from 20mg to zero over about 10 weeks.

regards, Maureen.

[QueenTimely]

Like Maureen said, no one knows what will work for you, but I would not go back to 60mg. Probably just take 15 or 20 (don't know what dose your capsules are) and taper from there. Some homeopathic remedies are helping a lot with my withdrawal.

[livingdeadgirl]

Like Maureen said, no one knows what will work for you, but I would not go back to 60mg. Probably just take 15 or 20 (don't know what dose your capsules are) and taper from there. Some homeopathic remedies are helping a lot with my withdrawal.

Thank you for answering-I really feel lost as my doctor doesn't believe in the ssri withdrawal syndrome at all and thinks it's "all in my head". I'm trying to find a new doctor, but it's hard while on withdrawal. I do have a good therapist, but she doesn't know anything about this ssri withdrawal either. If it wasn't for these forums, I would seriously have checked myself into a mental hospital by now. I'm blessed my boyfriend hasn't left me yet as I've been a nightmare.

I'm now nearing 3 wks. I think of cold turkey withdrawal. I've been hanging on by the skin of my teeth. I'm still having withdrawal symptoms-in fact they seem worse now. I bought some omega 3 supplements, probiotics and something called 5-HTP which is supposed to be a natural serotonin regulator. Also some soluble/insoluble fiber stuff I read about on the road back. I've only been on for 2 days, but so far it just seems to give me an upset stomach.

Did anyone make it through the cold turkey withdrawal without going back? I feel like if I go back, I will feel good again, but that I will be on it for the rest of my life. I've been on antidepressants for over 10 yrs.-seems like I've been on all of them at one time or another, but this is the first time I've ever gone through withdrawal. Before, they just switched me from one to another, and of course that's what my psych dr. wants to do now.

I'd appreciate any positive feedback or encouragement. I've been fighting suicidal feelings but I love my 2 dogs too much and they are rescues. I worry what would happen to them. I'm an orphan so I don't have family support which would be really great. Thank you to any who help.

[MaureenV]

I was successful in getting off of 60 mg of Cymbalta after being on it for almost two years. I lowered my dosage to 30 mgs a day for approximately 6 months and then stopped taking it altogether. I have been off of it for about a month and am still feeling side effects such as general malaise and overall body aches. I am pleased that I managed to get off of the poison but I must admit that my depression bloomed as the poison wore off.

Don't be too disheartened by the depression - it's a common withdrawal effect. Not to say you DON;T still have underlying depression, just to keep in mind that as the other symptoms disappear you MAY also feel less depressed.

regards, Maureen.

[River Gal]

I would personally go back to 60 and start a SLOOOOOOW TAPER.

I'm almost done with a six month long taper. I feel great. No withdrawls or side effects at all. I've been removing approx 10 beads from my dosage every three days, for six months.

Why put yourself through the ugliness of withdrawl?