12 replies to this topic

[dawson63]

I have been on cymbalta for 6 years and have tried three times unsuccessfully to get off of it. I was on 60 mg for 4 yrs, then got myself down to 30mg, I can't stress enough how horrible this drug is for your body. The fact that it causes such severe withdrawal in almost all users should be enough for the FDA to ban this "so called" wonder drug, or at the very least take a look at the ingredients and try to come up with an alternative for those of us who are struggling with this. I decided last week to try, once again, to go cold turkey...It's been a week and the withdrawal symptoms are so bad, I feel like I can't even function. The list of woes coming off this drug is staggering, nausea, vomiting, diarreha, irritability, inability to focus, or concentrate, joint pain, shakes, anxiety, head zaps..and that's just a few...

Please someone show me the light, is there anyone here who has managed to work through the horrible withdrawal and gotten off of this medicine? How long can I expect to feel like this?

[Red3000]

I am currently trying to get off this medicine as well. From reading the posts it is highly recommended to wean yourself off instead of going cold turkey. I tried going cold turkey once and couldn't handle it. I am currently on 30mg down from 60mg. This is my 3rd day on 30mg. Searching through the many posts has helped me realize that I need to wean off this medicine so it does not throw your cns into shock. From this forum I have learned that i can open the pill and half my dose. SInce I have not actually come off this medicine before I realize that I am not much help but someone with more experience should reply soon. Don't give up.

[dawson63]

I am currently trying to get off this medicine as well. From reading the posts it is highly recommended to wean yourself off instead of going cold turkey. I tried going cold turkey once and couldn't handle it. I am currently on 30mg down from 60mg. This is my 3rd day on 30mg. Searching through the many posts has helped me realize that I need to wean off this medicine so it does not throw your cns into shock. From this forum I have learned that i can open the pill and half my dose. SInce I have not actually come off this medicine before I realize that I am not much help but someone with more experience should reply soon. Don't give up.

Thanks for the advice, and yes I tried weaning myself off...at one point, my dad who is a retired chemist was breaking the capsule apart and counting out the beeds for me, we had me down to 5mg, which was a feat let me tell ya..but here's the thing with this drug..it dosn't matter if you stop at 5mg or 30mg, the withdrawal was exactly the same..so yes in theory you are 100% correct that weaning seems more logical, but if the withdrawals will be the same, why even bother? I don't know, all I know is that i'm frustrated and want to get off this stuff so badly, i'll try anything!

[MaureenV]

Thanks for the advice, and yes I tried weaning myself off...at one point, my dad who is a retired chemist was breaking the capsule apart and counting out the beeds for me, we had me down to 5mg, which was a feat let me tell ya..but here's the thing with this drug..it dosn't matter if you stop at 5mg or 30mg, the withdrawal was exactly the same..so yes in theory you are 100% correct that weaning seems more logical, but if the withdrawals will be the same, why even bother? I don't know, all I know is that i'm frustrated and want to get off this stuff so badly, i'll try anything!

If the withdrawal symptoms were the same, you were going too fast.

Yes, there will still be withdrawal symptoms for some, regardless of the drop, but some who've suffered badly with withdrawals find they have to drop one BEAD at a time. Time passes anyway, as you've noticed, you might as well be eventually off Cymbalta not having suffered so much.

With Cymbalta, it seems to be more a matter of percentages, so depends how you dropped doses before. Someone who can drop 6mg at 60mg, can't drop 6mg once they're at 12mg without consequences, usually. From 10mg I dropped 1mg at a time, after trying to stop altogether at 10mg, unsuccessfully.

Almost everyone can get off Cymbalta with minimal withdrawal symptoms, it just takes TIME.


regards, Maureen.

[dawson63]

Thanks, i'm taking your advice. After a weeks worth of feeling absolutely miserable, i broke down and took my reg dose. I'm calling my Dr tomorrow and am going to have him write me a new script for 20mg, and then i will begin dividing down from there. As desparate as I am to get off of this drug, there is no sense in suffering like this. I'm going to take it one day at a time.

[cookie]

Thanks, i'm taking your advice. After a weeks worth of feeling absolutely miserable, i broke down and took my reg dose. I'm calling my Dr tomorrow and am going to have him write me a new script for 20mg, and then i will begin dividing down from there. As desparate as I am to get off of this drug, there is no sense in suffering like this. I'm going to take it one day at a time.

Dear Dawson:
You mentioned that one suffers the same withdrawals quitting from 60mg to zero, or 5mg to zero. So it´s your decision to stop cold turkey or wean slowly. I am not a doctor, but I do think the body/brain gets used to the new dosage after a while. (I had a experience quitting another medicine, and my body got used to be without that med).
I took 60mg for 5 years, and decided to wean slowly (52mg, 45mg, 37mg). The first drops were so easy. But this friday I dropped to 30mg and I feel terrible. I can´t imagine what would be like to have dropped 60mg straight to 30mg.
I read that after taking 60mg for many years you plan to get a new script for 20mg and go down from there. If you feel bad at 20mg you can always go back to 30mg and start weaning from there

Keep us posted
Cookie

[MaureenV]

Thanks, i'm taking your advice. After a weeks worth of feeling absolutely miserable, i broke down and took my reg dose. I'm calling my Dr tomorrow and am going to have him write me a new script for 20mg, and then i will begin dividing down from there. As desparate as I am to get off of this drug, there is no sense in suffering like this. I'm going to take it one day at a time.

Good Idea. Stay in touch.

Give it time at 20mg, though, until you feel perfectly well. No point in starting to taper down until you do.

regards, Maureen.

[dawson63]

Dear Dawson:
You mentioned that one suffers the same withdrawals quitting from 60mg to zero, or 5mg to zero. So it´s your decision to stop cold turkey or wean slowly. I am not a doctor, but I do think the body/brain gets used to the new dosage after a while. (I had a experience quitting another medicine, and my body got used to be without that med).
I took 60mg for 5 years, and decided to wean slowly (52mg, 45mg, 37mg). The first drops were so easy. But this friday I dropped to 30mg and I feel terrible. I can´t imagine what would be like to have dropped 60mg straight to 30mg.
I read that after taking 60mg for many years you plan to get a new script for 20mg and go down from there. If you feel bad at 20mg you can always go back to 30mg and start weaning from there

Keep us posted
Cookie

Hi Cookie,

Actually, I have been on 30mg for over a year now. I was at 60mg for 4 yrs, then 40mg for a yr and now the 30mg. I apologize for the mistake. I understand that the drop in mg in the beginning stages is easier than towards the end. It seems the closer we get to the end goal, the harder it becomes..shouldn't the exact opposite be true? I honestly thought I was doing the right thing by quitting cold turkey, but now realize that the symptoms are just to harsh for me to handle, so I'm just going to take my time and wean off. I'm actually glad that you posted a reply to me, its nice to find someone else out there who has been on this as long as I have. I'll keep you posted and you do the same.

Christine

[Red3000]

Dawson could you tell me how many beads you counted in your capsule of 60mg or 30mg which ever one you know. I counted mine this morning and I had approx 200 beads in my 60mg capsule. This is different from what this forum says it should be. I know I may have lost a few beads but not 340. These are a nightmare to count. Anyone have suggestions on a good way to count these?

This is what is posted
60mg=540beads
30mg=270beads
15mg=135beads
10mg=90beads
5mg=45beads
1mg=9beads

[cookie]

Dawson could you tell me how many beads you counted in your capsule of 60mg or 30mg which ever one you know. I counted mine this morning and I had approx 200 beads in my 60mg capsule. This is different from what this forum says it should be. I know I may have lost a few beads but not 340. These are a nightmare to count. Anyone have suggestions on a good way to count these?

This is what is posted
60mg=540beads
30mg=270beads
15mg=135beads
10mg=90beads
5mg=45beads
1mg=9beads

Dear Red3000:
The number of beads in the capsules, differ depending on the manufacturer. So your count of aprox 200 beads in a 60mg capsule is right, only that they come from another manufacturer. So what you can do is to count all the beads in your capsule and then do the math. For example if your 60mg capsule has 200 beads that means that 1mg is equivalent to 3 beads. So you can decide how many mg you want to drop each time
Hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Hi Cookie,

Actually, I have been on 30mg for over a year now. I was at 60mg for 4 yrs, then 40mg for a yr and now the 30mg. I apologize for the mistake. I understand that the drop in mg in the beginning stages is easier than towards the end. It seems the closer we get to the end goal, the harder it becomes..shouldn't the exact opposite be true? I honestly thought I was doing the right thing by quitting cold turkey, but now realize that the symptoms are just to harsh for me to handle, so I'm just going to take my time and wean off. I'm actually glad that you posted a reply to me, its nice to find someone else out there who has been on this as long as I have. I'll keep you posted and you do the same.

Christine

Dear Christine:
That´s good that you diminished dosage slowly (60mg for 4 years, 40mg for a year, then 30mg). In my case I have been on 60mg most of my 5 years. Good that you plan to take your time and wean off. I am doing the same. I am thinking about the future and since I took cymbalta for severe depression, once I wean and quit it, I´ve got to have a natural therapy to replace it. I am still thinking what to take, if homeopathy, etc. I am just scared about how am I gonna feel when I am cymb free (I am so used to take it! it´s been 5 years). I do not know who I am anymore, if what I am feeling is my real personality? or side effects? or withdrawal effects? or depression coming back?? it is hard
to differentiate. In the short run I want to make the withdrawal as less painful as I can.
Hugs
Cookie

[dawson63]

Dear Christine:
That´s good that you diminished dosage slowly (60mg for 4 years, 40mg for a year, then 30mg). In my case I have been on 60mg most of my 5 years. Good that you plan to take your time and wean off. I am doing the same. I am thinking about the future and since I took cymbalta for severe depression, once I wean and quit it, I´ve got to have a natural therapy to replace it. I am still thinking what to take, if homeopathy, etc. I am just scared about how am I gonna feel when I am cymb free (I am so used to take it! it´s been 5 years). I do not know who I am anymore, if what I am feeling is my real personality? or side effects? or withdrawal effects? or depression coming back?? it is hard
to differentiate. In the short run I want to make the withdrawal as less painful as I can.
Hugs
Cookie

Hey Cookie,

Wow, do I know how you feel. I was initially put on cymb for severe depression after my abusive ex husband took off. I went thru alot of therapy and turned my life around, but i'm not sure who I am anymore either. I take all natural, whole food supplements that I got from my Doctor. The brand name is Standard Process, and I take several to help restore the balance as well as replenish the minerals that cymbalta has robbed my liver of. I have been on them several months now, and feel really good, however, like I said in my posting, I was off the cymbalta for a week, and was a mess! So who knows what, if anything, is making me feel better? Its so frustrating!! Keep me posted on your progress....

Christine

[cookie]

Hey Cookie,

Wow, do I know how you feel. I was initially put on cymb for severe depression after my abusive ex husband took off. I went thru alot of therapy and turned my life around, but i'm not sure who I am anymore either. I take all natural, whole food supplements that I got from my Doctor. The brand name is Standard Process, and I take several to help restore the balance as well as replenish the minerals that cymbalta has robbed my liver of. I have been on them several months now, and feel really good, however, like I said in my posting, I was off the cymbalta for a week, and was a mess! So who knows what, if anything, is making me feel better? Its so frustrating!! Keep me posted on your progress....

Christine

Hey Christine:
The fact that “we do not know who we are anymore” is a good sign at the end. That means that at least we ask ourselves who we are?....There is people that go through life without making themselves that question.
Yes nutrition, vitamins and minerals have helped me feel better.
To give you an update: A month ago I started weaning from 60mg, down to 52mg, then 45mg, then 37mg. The first week I had several symptoms, all of them manageable. This Friday I reduced 37mg to 30mg. This week symptoms struck. I have been extremely sleepy, sad, and want to cry out of the blue. I have to control myself for not crying in front of people. Yesterday I did 2 hours of yoga and feel much better. So exercise helps too!
Keep in touch
Cookie