15 replies to this topic

[Ms_M]

As I have previously stated, my doctor began weaning me off Cymbalta on May 6th. I went from 60 mg to 30 mg. Within 2 days of the lower dosage I started to feel bad. By the first day of no Cymbalta I was virtually bedridden. My w/d has been very up and down ever since. Every time I think I am feeling better - I get hit with another wave of it. Forget one step forward, two steps back - it has been more like one step forward, half a dozen back.

Here's a question to the vets of this "battle"... Have you had relapses of the symptoms? If so, have you noticed anything bringing them on?

Thanks as always for your thoughts.

[cookie]

Dear Ms:
My doctor also reduced from 60mg to 30mg. I am happy that before he suggested that, I had read this site/forum. How important was to reduce little by little. If you think about it, doctor suggestion is to decrease 50% (huge step). What I did was to come down from 60, to 52 and then to 45mg and even with this small decrease I have been having symptoms. I can´t imagine what would have been if I had dropped 30mg at the same time.
I am also tending to sleep more. It is sad to hear that "every time you feel better -you get hit by another wave".
I do not know about relapses, since I recently started my dosage decrease. However, what I can tell you is that before my mood was stable (always depressed), and now I have downs and ups, mood swings, which worry me. I rather be stable than have mood swings. Give a little time to your brain to adjust. And please, eat healthy and exercise if you can. This has helped me a lot.
Hugs
cookie

[Ms_M]

Dear Ms:
My doctor also reduced from 60mg to 30mg. I am happy that before he suggested that, I had read this site/forum. How important was to reduce little by little. If you think about it, doctor suggestion is to decrease 50% (huge step). What I did was to come down from 60, to 52 and then to 45mg and even with this small decrease I have been having symptoms. I can´t imagine what would have been if I had dropped 30mg at the same time.
I am also tending to sleep more. It is sad to hear that "every time you feel better -you get hit by another wave".
I do not know about relapses, since I recently started my dosage decrease. However, what I can tell you is that before my mood was stable (always depressed), and now I have downs and ups, mood swings, which worry me. I rather be stable than have mood swings. Give a little time to your brain to adjust. And please, eat healthy and exercise if you can. This has helped me a lot.
Hugs
cookie

I would've loved to have been given the option to step down more gradually. If my doctor was more available, I might have been able to get additional assistance. Still riding this thing out. Thanks for your thoughts.

[cookie]

Dear Ms:
Keep me posted on your progress!
cookie

[Junior]

As I have previously stated, my doctor began weaning me off Cymbalta on May 6th. I went from 60 mg to 30 mg. Within 2 days of the lower dosage I started to feel bad. By the first day of no Cymbalta I was virtually bedridden. My w/d has been very up and down ever since. Every time I think I am feeling better - I get hit with another wave of it. Forget one step forward, two steps back - it has been more like one step forward, half a dozen back.

Here's a question to the vets of this "battle"... Have you had relapses of the symptoms? If so, have you noticed anything bringing them on?

Thanks as always for your thoughts.

Hi Ms_M

I'm afraid most doctors are ignorant about the true withdrawal syndrome. Drug companies only fund research into withdrawal for a short time, therefore 'discontinuation syndrome' is thought to only last 2-4 weeks. This also means that what are really withdrawal effects are usually interpreted as a return of the original symptoms. Drs then prescribe higher doses or additional meds when what is really needed is for the person to wean slowly off the ONE drug they are on.

I have been learning all of this since August 09 when I had my own battle with getting off Cymbalta - long story short, I had previously been on Aropax / Paxil and had to reinstate at my original dose AND get naturopathic support just so I could get a decent night's sleep!

What I have learned is that a slow wean is always best. People who go cold turkey may cope ok initially only to suffer major problems several months down the track. By then it is often too late to reinstate as the a/d no longer works. The recommendation is to do drops of no more than 10% of the current dose and wait 3-6 weeks for withdrawal effects to subside before reducing the dose again. Some people can go faster, some have to go slower. I know of someone who is doing drops of 3% and having great success - I think hers is with Paxil though.

As to HOW people do such small drops - the recommendations here about counting beads are excellent. For Paxil, I am going to have to look into getting a jewellers scale.. blah. Haven't got that far yet...

Hope that helps
Junior

[Ms_M]

Thanks Junior. It definitely seems like doctors don't know - and some even don't WANT to know. My symptoms seem to be better controlled. However, stress does seem to exacerbate them. Family drama over the last weekend had be back in bed by Sunday afternoon.

I am not sure I want to go back on an a/d at this point. Good luck with weaning off of Paxil!!

[rdoearth]

getting out of bed is extremely difficult. i feel like it's absolutely impossible for me to move some mornings. i can't get out of bed till the afternoon. regulating your sleep-wake cycle is important, though--try using something called a light box in the mornings. you can google it and get more info. it's for SAD but helps with regulating your circadian rhythm, which will hopefully help to give you more energy during the day.

It is very interesting you should mention this, as I have been noticing since weening myself down to 20mg of Cymblata, that I too have been having a very difficult time with my sleep; after 10 or twelve hours of being awake I feel a desperate need to sleep, so I try taking a nap only to find I wake some 4 to 6 hours later. This is nearly impossible for me as I am starting a new job next week, and in an effort to understand what is happening I did some research on the web and learned about circadian rythms and blue light therapy. I recognize that living in a basement and never getting outside much exacerbates the situation and I thought was the main reason. Now I believe it may have more to do with withdrawal.

http://www.bluelight...d.php?p=8361000

[rdoearth]

getting out of bed is extremely difficult. i feel like it's absolutely impossible for me to move some mornings. i can't get out of bed till the afternoon. regulating your sleep-wake cycle is important, though--try using something called a light box in the mornings. you can google it and get more info. it's for SAD but helps with regulating your circadian rhythm, which will hopefully help to give you more energy during the day.

It is very interesting you should mention this, as I have been noticing since weening myself down to 20mg of Cymblata, that I too have been having a very difficult time with my sleep; after 10 or twelve hours of being awake I feel a desperate need to sleep, so I try taking a nap only to find I wake some 4 to 6 hours later. This is nearly impossible for me as I am starting a new job next week, and in an effort to understand what is happening I did some research on the web and learned about circadian rythms and blue light therapy. I recognize that living in a basement and never getting outside much exacerbates the situation and I thought was the main reason. Now I believe it may have more to do with withdrawal.

What is Blue Light (BLUEWAVE) Therapy?
http://www.truesun.c...ght_therapy.php

[sandy63]

As I have previously stated, my doctor began weaning me off Cymbalta on May 6th. I went from 60 mg to 30 mg. Within 2 days of the lower dosage I started to feel bad. By the first day of no Cymbalta I was virtually bedridden. My w/d has been very up and down ever since. Every time I think I am feeling better - I get hit with another wave of it. Forget one step forward, two steps back - it has been more like one step forward, half a dozen back.

Here's a question to the vets of this "battle"... Have you had relapses of the symptoms? If so, have you noticed anything bringing them on?

Thanks as always for your thoughts.

[Ms_M]

UPDATE:

I am now 2 weeks with no Cymbalta - 3 weeks since my doctor had me lower the dose. I can say that I am feeling much better. I don't think I'm 100%, but I can function. As recently as last week, doing a small chore in the house would lay me up the next day. This week I have been able to cook and clean some without absolutely collapsing the next day. Also, my sleep is much improved. I'm up to 6 1/2 hours a night.

There IS hope!!!! Keep Hangin' In!!!!

[cookie]

UPDATE:

I am now 2 weeks with no Cymbalta - 3 weeks since my doctor had me lower the dose. I can say that I am feeling much better. I don't think I'm 100%, but I can function. As recently as last week, doing a small chore in the house would lay me up the next day. This week I have been able to cook and clean some without absolutely collapsing the next day. Also, my sleep is much improved. I'm up to 6 1/2 hours a night.

There IS hope!!!! Keep Hangin' In!!!!

Dear MS:
Glad to hear that you are doing fine, and that you have more energy and able to sleep.
Sounds great!!! since most people start having horrible symptoms 1 week after quitting cymbalta.
Please keep me posted, on your progress
Thank you for giving us hope!

Hugs
Cookie

[sandy63]

UPDATE:
ld
I am now 2 weeks with no Cymbalta - 3 weeks since my doctor had me lower the dose. I can say that I am feeling much better. I don't think I'm 100%, but I can function. As recently as last week, doing a small chore in the house would lay me up the next day. This week I have been able to cook and clean some without absolutely collapsing the next day. Also, my sleep is much improved. I'm up to 6 1/2 hours a night.

There IS hope!!!! Keep Hangin' In!!!!

== = = Hello-I just wanted to chime in--I quit cold turkey per my Dr's ok to do it like that and started on Pristiq again=which gave me stomach pain for 8 months-I started having very bad physical symptoms-vomiting-hot cold chills-brain zaps=dizzy-very severe depression-it is 3 weeks later and on Prozac for 2 weeks now-with wellbutrin xl-Still not perfect-do not quite feel like myself yet-- have anxiety every evening from about 4-6 pm to bedtime but so much better then I was--Does starting Prozac cause anxiety? never had it before this. Any input welcome-thank you Sandy63 June 3-2010

[Junior]

HI Sandy

Yes starting Prozac CAN bring on anxiety as it is known to be a stimulating a/d. You could also be suffering w/d from Cymbalta. How long have you been off it?

Cheers
Junior

[sandy63]

== = = Hello-I just wanted to chime in--I quit cold turkey per my Dr's ok to do it like that and started on Pristiq again=which gave me stomach pain for 8 months-I started having very bad physical symptoms-vomiting-hot cold chills-brain zaps=dizzy-very severe depression-it is 3 weeks later and on Prozac for 2 weeks now-with wellbutrin xl-Still not perfect-do not quite feel like myself yet-- have anxiety every evening from about 4-6 pm to bedtime but so much better then I was--Does starting Prozac cause anxiety? never had it before this. Any input welcome-thank you Sandy63 June 3-2010

=======HI Again--I have been off now almost 5 weeks of cymbalta=do I need to try a different antideppresant other that Prozac since I have anxiety now from it ?? Took it for 14 years with out any wellbutrin with it and I was fine. I do not know which way to go with this problem now. I do not know if I need to give it more time or stop it and go on something else--HELP??? Thank You-Sandy63

[Ms_M]

Dear MS:
Glad to hear that you are doing fine, and that you have more energy and able to sleep.
Sounds great!!! since most people start having horrible symptoms 1 week after quitting cymbalta.
Please keep me posted, on your progress
Thank you for giving us hope!

Hugs
Cookie

I know this is just my experience, but I started feeling bad within a few days of lowering the dose. It got REALLY bad for the first 5 or so days I was without. It has been a steady climb to "normalcy" since then. Glad I could help, Cookie.

Michelle

[sandy63]

=======HI Again--I have been off now almost 5 weeks of cymbalta=do I need to try a different antideppresant other that Prozac since I have anxiety now from it ?? Took it for 14 years with out any wellbutrin with it and I was fine. I do not know which way to go with this problem now. I do not knowhis nurse called it in if I need to give it more time or stop it and go on something else--HELP??? Thank You-Sandy63

Hey=====I know what my problem is and called my Dr.==I was doing more searching on the web and I saw a pic of prozac and noticed mine was different-I checked and here I have been taking the generic for and thought I had the real thing-generics do not work for me-I crashed before on it with another Dr.--His nurse called it in and did not ask me what I wanted,etc. never gave it a thought that I was taking something that would not work now for almost 4 weeks==here i go again==got the real stuff now=thank you==sandy63