6 replies to this topic

[livingdeadgirl]

Hi-

I had a seizure after being off xanax and paxil for 3 days (accidental) in 2006. I was at UCLA med center for 2 days as they first thought I had a stroke and they put me right back on the medications. I had a CT scan and MRI while there. They asked me multiple times if I used illicit drugs or alcohol (I don't and didn't then either). When I was released, it said paxil withdrawal on my paperwork. I was then switched to Cymbalta and klonopin and have been on both for over 3 yrs. I got laid off and couldn't afford cobra, so due to economic reasons, I decided to try cold turkey withdrawal from just the Cymbalta as the clonazepam is very cheap generic and after the seizure, the neurologist told me it was the best one for me. It's been 3 wks. since I had Cymbalta and still having bad withdrawal symptoms. I'm scared because of what happened before, but I can tell you over the last 4 yrs. of being on multiple medications and doctors, I don't want to be on cymbalta or any other ssri/ssni ever again. My doctors disagreed over whether it was the paxil or the xanax that caused the seizure. I don't know honestly, but it was one or both! So yes, it can happen! If you read the paperwork with the medications, it is a risk with all of them, although it says very minimal. I hope you are able to find a way to get off the medication very very slowly. If I could go back, I would've done the super slow withdrawal taper. Having now had a seizure you may now find that it will cause you problems getting health insurance and other medications. Good luck to you!

[Junior]

Hi, I am new here and recently discovered this forum after reevaluating my life and seeing what I changed to cause what happened last night.

Last night around 7pm I woke up in the ER b/c apparently while moving out of my apartment I had fallen completely down and had a seizure and was spasming and unconscience.

I have never had a seizure in my life so I had to go back and reevaluate what I changed.

The only thing I could come up with is that I was working more and I decreased my Cymbalta from 90mg to 60mg in attempts of weening down.

Has anyone ever heard of Cymbalta being a cause of seizures??

I have never had one in my life and now i am 29 having my first one and I scared the hell out of everyone b/c they thought I was dying, a neighbor even attempted to give me CPR b/c I turned blue and was not breathing while waiting for the medics..

Take care!

Hi Mike

I was looking for the website that lists all the possible wdls from all the modern a/ds but I couldn't find it! Sorry. NurseDeborah will know it. The thing is that wld can bring on a multitude of effects and I'm pretty sure that seizures is one of them. It's not common but it's there. Also, the drop from 90-60mg is a big one so it could well be that that brought it on. A slow wean is better than a quick one. The brain needs time to adjust as these drugs chemically change the way it functions. Smaller adjustments are far far easier to live with than big ones.

Hope that helps
Junior

[nursedeborah]

Hi Mike

I was looking for the website that lists all the possible wdls from all the modern a/ds but I couldn't find it! Sorry. NurseDeborah will know it. The thing is that wld can bring on a multitude of effects and I'm pretty sure that seizures is one of them. It's not common but it's there. Also, the drop from 90-60mg is a big one so it could well be that that brought it on. A slow wean is better than a quick one. The brain needs time to adjust as these drugs chemically change the way it functions. Smaller adjustments are far far easier to live with than big ones.

Hope that helps
Junior

Mike,
How frightening just remembering alll I had to go through, but the great new's is that is
a symptom of withdrawls. Go to http://www,proxactru...om/cymbalta.htm

This will just show you all that it does do one which I firmly believe are withdrawls, and
also the same as side effects for so many thousands of us.

I was just dx with "Central Sleep Apnea", and this is where the brain does not send a singanl
during slepp for a person to take a breath. I never had this until after I started the noxious substance.

A very slow wean was the way I was taught here, and that was to just remove 10 beads every 2 weeks, well
also make sure your dome with any of the other withdrawls from the first decrease. Just do this until you
done with what dose your on. You also get to control it, and add some if it's to big of a decrease. This
was good for me as I felt like it no longer had control of me all the way.

I also was just given a new site ssristories, read that one! It tells us to take a year to get off these
meds, so someone is finally getting some good info out to the public.

If you need any help, let me know.

Debbie

[Junior]

Cymbalta withdrawal Grand Mal Seizures (or Convulsions) - A recurring sudden violent and involuntary attack of muscle spasms with a loss of consciousness.

Knew it was there! Thanks Deb.

[nursedeborah]

Cymbalta withdrawal Grand Mal Seizures (or Convulsions) - A recurring sudden violent and involuntary attack of muscle spasms with a loss of consciousness.

Knew it was there! Thanks Deb.

Junior,
Just out of curisoty where did you find the info. I knew it was true, but can't remember
where I had seen it.

This is why I have no doubt at all that I got the "Central Apnea" from the Cymbalta. As
this kind is where the brain no longer sends a signal for a person to breathe during sleep.
Alos like I said this was not happpening until I was on the Cymbalta for a few months.

Deb

[Junior]

Hi Deb

Just had to scroll down. I think it was in the last section. Just checked now and I didn't find sleep apnoea but that doesn't mean it's not a result of having been on C. There are a few ppl at http://www.paxilprog...display.php?f=7 who now have sleep apnoea. Theirs is from Paxil or other a/ds. You know, I had no idea these drugs could mess people up so badly. And they are handing them out like lollies! *shivers*

Cheers
Junior

[darren44]

First, I am new to this website and so thankful that I came across this. My experience was after taking Cymbalta for approximately 3 days, I developed uncontrolled jerking movements with my head and left leg. My head constantly jerked up and down and from side to side. Every few seconds my left leg would stomp the ground; this was while I was fully conscious.
In short, I still have head tremors and jerking if I am over-tired or as I lie down to go to bed at night. My neurologist claims it is a type of seizure activity with no obvious cause.
I have never had seizure or tremor activities in my life prior to Cymbalta. I am sorry that anybody is having to put up with seizures. I know this has to be due to Cymbalta.
Do you or anyone else have these same symptoms?

my stomach muscle convultions make me look like a fish out of water at night time.