16 replies to this topic

[MenaLeigh]

today I start my 18bead drop...
I'm currently on 60mg... been there for 5 yrs. yea wow...

I just dropped Lamectal and am on my second week cold
no huge issues..regular foggy.. easy stuff..
very manageable

So as long as I'm already kinda unfreaked about this
which I think that is the first major hurdle..
and thanks to this forum for that..
I've been reading for awhile
and weighing this against that...

oh did you hear.........
now they are coming out with a new one..
now that this little experiment is over
why else would Lilly who was reporting a loss buy back
the same thing they unloaded? They can't divert what's about to hit them
but they can try to make it as containable as possible.

sorry that's my cynical -Lamic talking ~laffin~
not to worry I have a hubby who was as astounded about this drug
as I was

the thing i'm most worried about is the freaking headaches I get
and the "crickets"
I hear when i miss a dose.. but I usually handle them with
putting on an environmental relaxation mp3 and do my
biofeedback
the headache I have to sleep through
I am in a strict habit now of writing down meds and times
in case I get too foggy to remember plus my hub is a backup.

I think between that and doing daily updates..
I'll bump a little but be ok...

and now that you are reading this
you can maybe poke me once in a while to see if I'm done or not...
heh..

seriously appreciate any support on this
I realize that this is a huge thing

and I want to make it through the other side
just as jaded and yet happy as always...LOL

nice to meet you
I'm Leigh

[MenaLeigh]

Is there anything specific that some of you have experienced
that I might really need to watch for..
shoot, I'd even appreciate an opinion


Day 1---58mg Cymbalta
{that's 60mg -18 beads}

couldn't wake up until noon
that's normal..
slight headache..not eye popping, that's good
no cricket's so that's fantastic....

going to try to lower it two more mg.s tonight...
so that will be a 32 bead drop...

I want to go as fast as my body will allow...
but I sure don't want to over tax myself

Leigh

[MaureenV]

Is there anything specific that some of you have experienced
that I might really need to watch for..
shoot, I'd even appreciate an opinion


Day 1---58mg Cymbalta
{that's 60mg -18 beads}

couldn't wake up until noon
that's normal..
slight headache..not eye popping, that's good
no cricket's so that's fantastic....

going to try to lower it two more mg.s tonight...
so that will be a 32 bead drop...

I want to go as fast as my body will allow...
but I sure don't want to over tax myself

Leigh

Hi Leigh, just be aware that for SOME people, the side effects don't kick in, in full, for up to a week.

I know you want to be off this quickly. Believe me, we were all like that. Point is, you can spend three months doing this and feel pretty good along the way, or you can spend three weeks and feel like crap both during and for a while after that time.

PLEASE consider waiting until all the current withdrawal symptoms have disappeared before you attempt another drop. If nothing else, this will tell you how long it normally takes for YOUR body to adjust to the dosage drop.

If you continue as you are, and feel ghastly in a week, you won't know if it was the first drop, or the sixth drop that caused the problems.

regards, Maureen.

[MenaLeigh]

Thanks Maureen
I appreciate that.
I'm waiting for a contact back from my doc.

just took my second dose
and am going to hit the rack.
before midnight again...

I have this "quiet before the storm feeling"
good thing is I like storms

night

Leigh

[Solitude]

O.K. So I finally found out what the Brain Zaps are. Last night was terrible!!! The majority of the withdrawl symptoms seem to get worse in the evening. I decided to take half a dose tonight (10mg) just to see if I can sleep without my brain feeling like it is going to bust out of my head. Did as "Maureen" suggested. Take a full casule, break it in half and stuff with bread. (very clever)

I am also having horrible nightmares. Started today okay, however, by mid morning began feeling sick to my stomach and have been tripping and running into everything and completely unfocused and forgetful. I have to admit that although the withdrawls are awful, all in all, today was not quite as bad as yesterday. Yesterday, not as bad as the day before. Still, going off this drug cold turkey is not a good idea. I guess if I have a few weeks to stay home in bed, maybe. But, as many others, I have to work.

Also, I noticed that the more I exercise, drink lots more water and keep myself busy, the withdrawls aren't near as bad. Hoping to be free of this drug by mid May or sooner.

I pray for anyone who is taking this drug. I know that my withdrawls aren't quite as bad as some that I have read about.

[MenaLeigh]

Ok so I just got called back by my Dr
she wants me to skip a DAY for 3 weeks and then skip 3 DAYS for 3 weeks...
AHHHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA
"if you have any problems call back"
"IF" now that's funny

I did cut the beads to -32 =4mg off the top of 60mg for 56mg
I'm seriously thinking about trying the
dropping straight to 30mg (half beaded capped bread)
leveling and then rebeading again to 15mg>10mg>5mg>2mg>off

I'm sleepy, a smite foggy but no loud "hissing of the summer lawns" & no pain
the no pain part I LOVE
I'm a tad bit anxious ...okayyy so I'm bouncing like a rubber ball..lol
but that's cool... as long as I am aware I can channel it
exercise.. gonna sweat this crap out of my body
and going to find a good detox, liver support and supps.

things may be different tomorrow but today I'm good
I'm pissed at the Dr, bouncing good...
or is that good? IDK... <-cheeky

I'm honestly thinking about just going cold...
I don't work so might as well
but 60mg to cold is SCARY STEEP for me
dunno gonna be thinking hard...
I toss this around a lot..

so I'm still bead counting at this moment...

why does the response I got from my Dr even surprise me

[MaureenV]

Ok so I just got called back by my Dr
she wants me to skip a DAY for 3 weeks and then skip 3 DAYS for 3 weeks...
AHHHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA
"if you have any problems call back"
"IF" now that's funny

I did cut the beads to -32 =4mg off the top of 60mg for 56mg
I'm seriously thinking about trying the
dropping straight to 30mg (half beaded capped bread)
leveling and then rebeading again to 15mg>10mg>5mg>2mg>off

I'm sleepy, a smite foggy but no loud "hissing of the summer lawns" & no pain
the no pain part I LOVE
I'm a tad bit anxious ...okayyy so I'm bouncing like a rubber ball..lol
but that's cool... as long as I am aware I can channel it
exercise.. gonna sweat this crap out of my body
and going to find a good detox, liver support and supps.

things may be different tomorrow but today I'm good
I'm pissed at the Dr, bouncing good...
or is that good? IDK... <-cheeky

I'm honestly thinking about just going cold...
I don't work so might as well
but 60mg to cold is SCARY STEEP for me
dunno gonna be thinking hard...
I toss this around a lot..

so I'm still bead counting at this moment...

why does the response I got from my Dr even surprise me

I was lucky, my GP was prepared to learn from me, rather than assuming she had 'perfect' knowledge.

Completely understand about feeling impatient to be off - we've all had that.

The good thing about cymbalta is if you find you can't do it, you can get fairly quick relief going back on.

Just be aware that those who go cold turkey are MORE LIKELY to have a recurrence of symptoms a month or two down the track. I haven't seen this happen to anyone who's done a very slow taper.

regards, Maureen.

[MenaLeigh]

I was lucky, my GP was prepared to learn from me, rather than assuming she had 'perfect' knowledge.

Completely understand about feeling impatient to be off - we've all had that.

The good thing about cymbalta is if you find you can't do it, you can get fairly quick relief going back on.

Just be aware that those who go cold turkey are MORE LIKELY to have a recurrence of symptoms a month or two down the track. I haven't seen this happen to anyone who's done a very slow taper.

regards, Maureen.

thanks Maureen for the reply!

updating me<.>
ok so mother's day was the last I took of any of my meds...
been almost 2 weeks, 10 day mark...
and my LEGS are KILLING ME!!!
swollen, angry, pissed off legs...
I take 2000mcg of b12Sublingual and it really helps me with that
it like ~snaps~ works.. magic I swear!

been having the withdrawal flu...
joints aching, loose bowels, stomach cramps...
water retention, chills
on top of the cut to the left/right eye zaps etc.. which aren't that bad anymore...
but still UGH!!

the anxiety has been ...eh...tolerable
as well as my good overall general mood
I do find myself standing gazing out the kitchen window a LOT
so much in fact I had my son put up a heavier curtain
just in case...

been so ready just to have this over and done with

[Doob]

thanks Maureen for the reply!

updating me<.>
ok so mother's day was the last I took of any of my meds...
been almost 2 weeks, 10 day mark...
and my LEGS are KILLING ME!!!
swollen, angry, pissed off legs...
I take 2000mcg of b12Sublingual and it really helps me with that
it like ~snaps~ works.. magic I swear!

been having the withdrawal flu...
joints aching, loose bowels, stomach cramps...
water retention, chills
on top of the cut to the left/right eye zaps etc.. which aren't that bad anymore...
but still UGH!!

the anxiety has been ...eh...tolerable
as well as my good overall general mood
I do find myself standing gazing out the kitchen window a LOT
so much in fact I had my son put up a heavier curtain
just in case...

been so ready just to have this over and done with

Hang in there ML.
I went CT about 45 days ago. There is light at the end of this and it is so
worth it.
I felt a lot of pain but some folks get thru it with less.
I was on 60 mg for about a year. I have had almost no symptoms of withdral for a week now.
Share this site with Family and Friends the more they know about what you are going through the
better they may support you. Good Luck

Doob

[MenaLeigh]

Hang in there ML.
I went CT about 45 days ago. There is light at the end of this and it is so
worth it.
I felt a lot of pain but some folks get thru it with less.
I was on 60 mg for about a year. I have had almost no symptoms of withdral for a week now.
Share this site with Family and Friends the more they know about what you are going through the
better they may support you. Good Luck

Doob

Thanks Doob!!! That's always fantastic to know that there is an end to this.. ~whispers~
love the name BTWay... ~hoists!~

>.> Updating me

ok so today I am spotting after 3 wonderful years of nothing
THIS IS THE WORST FREAKING BODY-WISE PMS>>>lol..
seriously this sucks..
my moods are resoundingly light despite everything

equate Arthritis Pain formula works with my pain management...
2000mcg B-12 sublingual..
1GAL of green tea daily to flush....
I am also taking VitaBand bariatric vitamins....
I call it "chum time" the best (sometimes =) the nastiest
heh...
Keep gatorade handy!

I hate the fact that the acetaminophen can be brutal on the liver...
so I don't take them too much...
but they do help me...

I have gone from
60MGs Cymbalta X1d to now of, 11 days of nothing...
I did do two types of drops over a 3 week period range prior to...
(a frequency drop) of every other day and (a volume drop) of down to 1/3 cap. roughly to maybe 20MG..
I did that for 3 weeks exactly...
prior to the actually "EH... F-It" drop
I WAS supposed to go every 3 days with a capsule for 3 weeks..
before the complete stop
but decided that it was going well enough (I.E. not a whole lot of INSANELY bad withdrawals)
that I just up and decided to "jump off" completely...

glad I did

anyway... there's my update

Leigh

**************************************
overheard myself type:

my personal suggestion....
do the health recommendations from here
and go for it
but REMEMBER EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT
so "at your own risk" (and.. your own PACE) does apply


*************************************

[MenaLeigh]

ok so I am still Cym-free ~snoopy dance~

and I feel SO much better

but about a week ago I was having the most excruciating leg pains ever
every nerve in my feet and legs were FREAKING OUT
so I went online and was desperate DESSSPEEEERRRRRAAATTTE I tell ya
so I found this stuff from Walletworld (walmart) of all places called Restful Legs
and ~hold your breath for the drum roll please~ it WORKED! ~now breathe~
I'm still shocked...
I also picked up something called Nerve Tonic which takes the place of my xanax
and my after the fact xanax hateful meanness.

anyway so far so good

ciao
Leigh

***************************************

overheard myself type:

my personal suggestion....
do the health recommendations from here
and go for it
but REMEMBER EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT
so "at your own risk" (and.. your own PACE) does apply


***************************************

[MenaLeigh]

meh meh meh
just when you think it's...
yea gotta headache from hell---o watch out! I think my eye could ballistically kill you
if provoked

yea that bad

[cookie]

meh meh meh
just when you think it's...
yea gotta headache from hell---o watch out! I think my eye could ballistically kill you
if provoked

yea that bad

Dear Mena:
I read your post. But I am trying to figure out in which dosage are you now??? because I started reading and you had diminished to 58mg. But then I read you wanted to go down to 30mg.
I would like to know how has been your weaning plan and how are you feeling??
Regards
Cookie

[MenaLeigh]

Dear Mena:
I read your post. But I am trying to figure out in which dosage are you now??? because I started reading and you had diminished to 58mg. But then I read you wanted to go down to 30mg.
I would like to know how has been your weaning plan and how are you feeling??
Regards
Cookie

Cookie yea my writings are a little ambiguous sometimes...
I'd just blame it on the drugs...~LAFFIN HARD~

I started out taking 60mg at night, did it for 5 years..
at the very first I was doing the actual bead counting...
-18 for Xmgs... but the thing is the beads were bigger and there
weren't as many as some of our "fore-drawls fathers and mothers" had in their own reports

so I followed the suggestion of taking half a pill for 1 weeks
and then half that for a week... so on and so forth...nope, too long for me..
which would have been a little too fast for me
I had a 3 month supply to work with..

so since I was at that time feeling like death anyway
I called the dr and asked what they would have me do...
which was 1 60mg every other day for 3 weeks and
then at the same dosage skip 3 days for 3 weeks and then cold...

well I was already at 30mg... so I took that dosage every other day
for 1 weeks
then I halved the dosage again approx 15mg for 1 week
and then I had an absolute BLAST doing 1/3 capsules for a week...
hands shaking... beads rolling EVERYWHERE...lol.. it was insane...
and then on Mother's Day I took my final dose

the optimum goal is to get to 2mg before stop so there are fewer side effects
the slower you go the less you have to deal with and for a shorter time afterward
like maybe a month or so verses several months of harder times

I felt that I could deal with the side effects and FOR ME it was worth skipping a lot of steps..
lot of factors fed this... I am a housewife... so sleeping my withdrawal agony away wasn't
an issue..
plus my son moved back home and it was comforting just to know that someone was there
because my memory was shot and I mean riddled... so cooking was an issue...
until I learned to stand in the kitchen .. that worked until I started to zone and stand there for
who knows how long at times...
so yea having my son home is a God-send... literally

so now I am cymbalta free...
it for the most part has been detoxed and flushed from my system
now I just have to help my body and brain with what it needs to repair

guided relaxation mp3s helped me a lot...
as well as allowing myself to take a xanax if I need it...

I still have twinges of zaps but they are more like a residual thing
if you can understand that....
I don't stand around and zone out anymore..
but i still do have my heavy kitchen curtain up..lol...

this hasn't been a bed of roses by any means but...
finally getting the thorn of cymbalta pulled out..
is so worth it

now my brain and liver can start to heal

I hope that was what you were asking to know...
if not I'll roll it again

Leigh

[cookie]

Cookie yea my writings are a little ambiguous sometimes...
I'd just blame it on the drugs...~LAFFIN HARD~

I started out taking 60mg at night, did it for 5 years..
at the very first I was doing the actual bead counting...
-18 for Xmgs... but the thing is the beads were bigger and there
weren't as many as some of our "fore-drawls fathers and mothers" had in their own reports

so I followed the suggestion of taking half a pill for 1 weeks
and then half that for a week... so on and so forth...nope, too long for me..
which would have been a little too fast for me
I had a 3 month supply to work with..

so since I was at that time feeling like death anyway
I called the dr and asked what they would have me do...
which was 1 60mg every other day for 3 weeks and
then at the same dosage skip 3 days for 3 weeks and then cold...

well I was already at 30mg... so I took that dosage every other day
for 1 weeks
then I halved the dosage again approx 15mg for 1 week
and then I had an absolute BLAST doing 1/3 capsules for a week...
hands shaking... beads rolling EVERYWHERE...lol.. it was insane...
and then on Mother's Day I took my final dose

the optimum goal is to get to 2mg before stop so there are fewer side effects
the slower you go the less you have to deal with and for a shorter time afterward
like maybe a month or so verses several months of harder times

I felt that I could deal with the side effects and FOR ME it was worth skipping a lot of steps..
lot of factors fed this... I am a housewife... so sleeping my withdrawal agony away wasn't
an issue..
plus my son moved back home and it was comforting just to know that someone was there
because my memory was shot and I mean riddled... so cooking was an issue...
until I learned to stand in the kitchen .. that worked until I started to zone and stand there for
who knows how long at times...
so yea having my son home is a God-send... literally

so now I am cymbalta free...
it for the most part has been detoxed and flushed from my system
now I just have to help my body and brain with what it needs to repair

guided relaxation mp3s helped me a lot...
as well as allowing myself to take a xanax if I need it...

I still have twinges of zaps but they are more like a residual thing
if you can understand that....
I don't stand around and zone out anymore..
but i still do have my heavy kitchen curtain up..lol...

this hasn't been a bed of roses by any means but...
finally getting the thorn of cymbalta pulled out..
is so worth it

now my brain and liver can start to heal

I hope that was what you were asking to know...
if not I'll roll it again

Leigh

Dear MenaLeigh

I also took cymbalta 60mg for 5 years!!!
Yes beads size change depending on manufacturer.

Wow so you took your final dose on mother´s day!!!

Good to hear that you could go faster in quitting than the average cymbalta user and you had your son support.

Yes it is so important that you give your brain what it needs to repair. Yoga helps a lot, meditation, nutrition (veggies and fruits), flaxseed, soy milk, vitamins and minerals.

Glad that the zaps you have are just residual symptoms.

I took cymbalta 60mg for 5 years. Then i reduced to 52mg for a week, 45mg for another week, 37 for another week. Those first weeks were fine to me. Until I reduced to 30mg, since the first day of taking 30mg I felt bad, nausea “cramps”, my brain is like empty.

Keep me posted on your progress
Hugs
Cookie

[MenaLeigh]

Hey Cookie sorry I didn't reply sooner...
and it feels GOOD being off Cymbalta

update:

ok so every once in awhile I catch myself still staring into space.. but I'm thinking...
and I might cut my eyes too fast to the left or right and "zap" not bad, just there
I didn't realize that I gained 10lbs in process of dropping this drug...
yea it was that hard...
I mean when I feel too bad to cook.. it's bad

so now I am "back"
or at least I feel like I can say I'm back...
which compared to just pulling the covers over my head and sleeping
from the headaches, the nausea, the fibro-counterfeit leg pains (minerals fixed that for me), the crazy blood sugar cravings, the zaps and everything else that I went through horrid...
ok so yea I still have to leave the room every now and again when things get to loud or extremely busy
and sometimes I get these headaches in my eyes... that are like good grief!
I did/do indulge myself a xanax every now and again when it gets too crazy "in here"
but I feel quasi-sane again...

~deep sigh~
it was rough... very rough
but now it's good very good..
I don't feel like I have several silver-back gorillas sitting on me...

((I read more too heehee))
and I think Doob said it best
There are brighter day's ahead.

so everyone know that there is an end to this horror...
it does take time and you do have to listen to your body and take care of YOU like never before
vitamins, minerals, enzymes.. GOOD food.. me and my Dairy Queen ice cream BIG OLD NO NO
and exercise... sweating and peeing this stuff out is nothing but help...

anyway... that's my lil update...
Woot! I so deserve a gold star for updating.. ~laffin hard~
Leigh

[cookie]

Hey Cookie sorry I didn't reply sooner...
and it feels GOOD being off Cymbalta

update:

ok so every once in awhile I catch myself still staring into space.. but I'm thinking...
and I might cut my eyes too fast to the left or right and "zap" not bad, just there
I didn't realize that I gained 10lbs in process of dropping this drug...
yea it was that hard...
I mean when I feel too bad to cook.. it's bad

so now I am "back"
or at least I feel like I can say I'm back...
which compared to just pulling the covers over my head and sleeping
from the headaches, the nausea, the fibro-counterfeit leg pains (minerals fixed that for me), the crazy blood sugar cravings, the zaps and everything else that I went through horrid...
ok so yea I still have to leave the room every now and again when things get to loud or extremely busy
and sometimes I get these headaches in my eyes... that are like good grief!
I did/do indulge myself a xanax every now and again when it gets too crazy "in here"
but I feel quasi-sane again...

~deep sigh~
it was rough... very rough
but now it's good very good..
I don't feel like I have several silver-back gorillas sitting on me...

((I read more too heehee))
and I think Doob said it best
There are brighter day's ahead.

so everyone know that there is an end to this horror...
it does take time and you do have to listen to your body and take care of YOU like never before
vitamins, minerals, enzymes.. GOOD food.. me and my Dairy Queen ice cream BIG OLD NO NO
and exercise... sweating and peeing this stuff out is nothing but help...

anyway... that's my lil update...
Woot! I so deserve a gold star for updating.. ~laffin hard~
Leigh

Keep us posted!!!!!
hugs
cookie