7 replies to this topic

[suzieq11]

Hi, I'm new here. Glad I found this forum because I am struggling with Cymbalta and want to stop taking it.

I suffered a ruptured cerebral aneurysm in November of 2007. Prior to that I was taking 10mg Prozac on a daily basis for several years. After my brain surgery I continued with the Prozac and I was taking Vicodin on a daily basis for severe headache pain, which was the result of bleeding in my brain. After 2 years of taking Vicodin, I finally went to see a headache Doctor because at this point the headaches were daily. This was in the beginning of December 2009. He stopped the Vicodin immediately, took me off of my Prozac cold turkey and started me on Cymbalta. He also prescribed Trazodone and a NSAID. Well, needless to say, December was a terrible month for me. I was in severe withdrawal from both the Vicodin and Prozac. The Cymbalta finally started kicking in and I began to feel relief.
The relief was short lived because soon after that I developed severe nausea, vomiting and constipation. I developed severe pain in my right side, chest and shoulder too. Turns out, gallbladder was bad, needed to be removed. So that came out and pain was resolved, but the other symptoms still remained. I suspected the Cymbalta and so recently I ran out of my prescription and decided to not take it for a few days to see what would happen. Well, the constipation resolved and now I have loose stools. Nausea remains. Agitation started and dizziness is a problem.

So, I am thinking if this is only like 3 days without it...what the heck do I have to look forward to in coming off of it completely? I am not ready for another month of withdrawal from a drug.

I have an appointment with my Psychiatrist to discuss things on Monday, but in the mean time I would love to start my Prozac again. Is it immediate relief and or would it take time to start working?

[MaureenV]

Hi, I'm new here. Glad I found this forum because I am struggling with Cymbalta and want to stop taking it.

I suffered a ruptured cerebral aneurysm in November of 2007. Prior to that I was taking 10mg Prozac on a daily basis for several years. After my brain surgery I continued with the Prozac and I was taking Vicodin on a daily basis for severe headache pain, which was the result of bleeding in my brain. After 2 years of taking Vicodin, I finally went to see a headache Doctor because at this point the headaches were daily. This was in the beginning of December 2009. He stopped the Vicodin immediately, took me off of my Prozac cold turkey and started me on Cymbalta. He also prescribed Trazodone and a NSAID. Well, needless to say, December was a terrible month for me. I was in severe withdrawal from both the Vicodin and Prozac. The Cymbalta finally started kicking in and I began to feel relief.
The relief was short lived because soon after that I developed severe nausea, vomiting and constipation. I developed severe pain in my right side, chest and shoulder too. Turns out, gallbladder was bad, needed to be removed. So that came out and pain was resolved, but the other symptoms still remained. I suspected the Cymbalta and so recently I ran out of my prescription and decided to not take it for a few days to see what would happen. Well, the constipation resolved and now I have loose stools. Nausea remains. Agitation started and dizziness is a problem.

So, I am thinking if this is only like 3 days without it...what the heck do I have to look forward to in coming off of it completely? I am not ready for another month of withdrawal from a drug.

I have an appointment with my Psychiatrist to discuss things on Monday, but in the mean time I would love to start my Prozac again. Is it immediate relief and or would it take time to start working?

The potential list of side effects from Cymbalta withdrawal are as long as your arm, and the differences between how people respond are huge. Some can come off large doses without too much difficulty, others have a nightmare getting off 20mg.

For some the withdrawal starts quickly and ends quickly, for others starts later and ends later etc etc.

So the answer is, nobody can really tell you how long it will take, but a month is not unrealistic.

Prozac has certainly had lots of favourable comments from people who've tried it, and they do seem to find relief fairly quickly.

The search function should guide you to some of their experiences.

Sorry to hear about your run of difficulties!


regards, Maureen.


p.s. you mentioned on your other post about weight being around the stomach. Can I rudely ask how old you are? Reason being, at 57, I find that my weight distribution has changed. I'm now a fairly slim 54kg (BMI 22) but at this weight 10 years ago, I would have had a rigidly flat stomach (having a pear shape body), but not now, not even cycling 100k and running 20 k a week. It's not bad, but it's definitely different.

[suzieq11]

Hi Maureen, I am 40 years old...shhhhh, don't tell anyone

[MaureenV]

Hi Maureen, I am 40 years old...shhhhh, don't tell anyone

o.k. your secret's safe with me.


Maureen.

[suzieq11]

My Doctor put me on 40mg Cymbalta for 2 weeks, then 20mg for 2 weeks, then start on 10mg of Prozac. I will be so glad to be off of Cymbalta!

[MaureenV]

My Doctor put me on 40mg Cymbalta for 2 weeks, then 20mg for 2 weeks, then start on 10mg of Prozac. I will be so glad to be off of Cymbalta!

Hi Suzieq, just be aware that those who've successfully worked with Prozac have started to take it at the same time as any reduction.


Keep that in mind if you're suffering during the 20mg period.


regards, Maureen.

[suzieq11]

Hi Suzieq, just be aware that those who've successfully worked with Prozac have started to take it at the same time as any reduction.


Keep that in mind if you're suffering during the 20mg period.


regards, Maureen.

Hey Maureen, good point... assuming it is ok to take both at the same time?

[QueenTimely]

The only thing I want to say immediately is that there is something called seratonin syndrome. I don't know how it works, but my instinct is that you shouldn't start Prozac until you're pretty sure Cymbalta is out of your system.

Hi, I'm new here. Glad I found this forum because I am struggling with Cymbalta and want to stop taking it.

I suffered a ruptured cerebral aneurysm in November of 2007. Prior to that I was taking 10mg Prozac on a daily basis for several years. After my brain surgery I continued with the Prozac and I was taking Vicodin on a daily basis for severe headache pain, which was the result of bleeding in my brain. After 2 years of taking Vicodin, I finally went to see a headache Doctor because at this point the headaches were daily. This was in the beginning of December 2009. He stopped the Vicodin immediately, took me off of my Prozac cold turkey and started me on Cymbalta. He also prescribed Trazodone and a NSAID. Well, needless to say, December was a terrible month for me. I was in severe withdrawal from both the Vicodin and Prozac. The Cymbalta finally started kicking in and I began to feel relief.
The relief was short lived because soon after that I developed severe nausea, vomiting and constipation. I developed severe pain in my right side, chest and shoulder too. Turns out, gallbladder was bad, needed to be removed. So that came out and pain was resolved, but the other symptoms still remained. I suspected the Cymbalta and so recently I ran out of my prescription and decided to not take it for a few days to see what would happen. Well, the constipation resolved and now I have loose stools. Nausea remains. Agitation started and dizziness is a problem.

So, I am thinking if this is only like 3 days without it...what the heck do I have to look forward to in coming off of it completely? I am not ready for another month of withdrawal from a drug.

I have an appointment with my Psychiatrist to discuss things on Monday, but in the mean time I would love to start my Prozac again. Is it immediate relief and or would it take time to start working?