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[River Gal]

I originally posted this on January 7 2010 - 06:21 PM

I'm re-posting, and adding another update. Thanks in advance to everyone who gives feedback. I hope my experience can help others out there.


HERE'S MY "BATTLE WITH CYMBALTA" STORY:

After 29 years as a normal, healthy mentally-stable person, I had a very ugly couple weeks of sadness, guilt, nervousness, and panic attacks when my son was a newborn. I was told I was depressed... I was put on Zoloft, tried to wean after a year, relapsed, then was put on Cymbalta. I have since been on Cymbalta for over two years. With my Psychiatrist's guidance, I attempted to wean off again a year and a half ago - I was at 60 mg and he prescribed me to go to 30 mg for two weeks, then STOP.

The withdrawl was horrible. Evil. After surviving the withdrawls, then feeling "normal" for about a month, I relapsed (feelings of extreme nervousness, panic attacks, loss of appetite), or "failed" as my doctor says. I was put back on cymbalta and told by my Psychiatrist that I need to be on medication for the REST OF MY LIFE. I tried to talk to him many times since about weaning, but he says he doesn't suggest it.

Today I went and saw a new doctor. He is happy to work with me to try again to wean, slowly. Our plan is to go to 50 mg for a month (30 capsule plus 20 capsule) 40 for a month (20 capsule plus 20 capsule) 30 for a month, 20 for a month, and then I think I'll look into splitting my own and putting them into my own capsules.

Anyway. This is scary for me, after my former withdrawl experience, so I'm hoping taking it step by step, sloooooowly, will help.

On top of this, I'm going to plan on quit drinking alcohol until I know I'm out of the woods, taking 2,000 I.U. of vitamin D daily (per new doc's advise), eating depression fighting, healthy foods, and exercising daily.

I honestly don't think I'm a lifetime-depressive person. I think the panicky feeling and nervousness I felt after weaning *might* be my body's way of adjusting back to being on it's own after being dependant on medication.

I also want to mention that throughout my life I've always had random migraine headaches, every few months or so. Mysteriously, while on antidepressants, my migraine headaches have dissapeared... but both times after weaning, just before my "relapses" I've gotten a migraine.

So that's my story. Wish me luck.

UPDATE - 2/1/10

First two weeks at 50 mg went great. First couple days I felt foggy in the evenings. Few violent and anxiety dreams, but mostly feeling fine. Felt ready to move down to 40 mg.

Two weeks have gone by at 40 mg. Yesterday I began feeling very foggy headed and began feeling very, very tense in the back of my neck. So much so, I couldn't ignore it. Also feel like things aren't registering, and driving is a bit dangerous. It's like I'm not thinking correctly. So, I ate healthy, good food, went for a jog, took vitamin D. Still felt the same. Work up this morning and felt terrible. Panicky, not thinking clearly. I decided I can't be like this due to my work and as a mother. I've got things to do. I immediately took my daily 40 mg plus another 20 mg pill, to go back up to 60 mg (where I was when i started) to see if that helps today. After a couple of hours, I am feeling "normal" again. Thinking I should go back to 50 mg for a while. I'm a bit surprised I felt like this already after being at 40 mg for only two weeks. Bummer.


UPDATE - 2/9/10

After talking to a few more people on this forum, doing more reading here, and discussing this with and my doctor, I have put together a calendar/schedule to continue to taper by removing approximately 10 BEADS from a capsule every three days or so. At this rate, I'll be tapering VERY VERY slowly - a rate of about 10 mg a month. The difference here to my original approach is that I'm tapering those 10 mg SLOWLY over one month, rather than one day waking up and going down 10 mg and freaking my brain out. I've been at this for a week and feel great, no withdrawls like earlier. So, I'm now at 50 mg (a 30 capsule plus a 20 mg capsule) but then every day I open one of the capsules and remove about three more beads from the amount that I was taking the day before, so I'm actually taking [30 mg capsule and a 20mg capsule -30 beads] as of today. A bit tedious, but I've charted it out and and done the math and think it's possibly and hopefully worth it. I'll update as I continue. Cool thing is, I actually get to feel like I'm making progress every day. Crossing my fingers.

UPDATE - 4/16/10

Still moving right along! ZERO side effects. Feel great. I am currently almost down to 20 mg. I've still been removing a couple beads every day (my schedule is 10 beads every three days.) On top of this process, my doctor has recommended taking 2,000 ICU's of vitamin D, so I'm not sure if that is helping. I've also found out that I'm anemic, so I've been taking a prescription level Iron pill. I've been eating right, and getting as much vigorous exercise as possible. One thing I have learned about myself is alcohol (the next day) is no good for me, which is hard, because my girlfriends and I like to drink wine! I really need to limit drinking. I say I'm going to quit drinking, but then find myself drinking again. The day after drinks, I feel anxious and icky, and this does not help the situation. Anyway, overall, the slow taper is amazing. Knock on wood.