3 replies to this topic

[cookie]

Dear Rosie:
Women tend to suffer from depression because of hormones changes during the monthly period and having children.

I´m not a doctor, just a cymbalta user. In my opinion these might have been the mistakes:
-The weaning off cymbalta you are doing has been too fast. A 2 week period is an extremely short time.
-The drops have been huge (example: dropping from 60mg straight to 30mg is a 50% drop)
-Alternating days of 30mg and other days of nothing doesn´t work. This is due to the life of cymbalta in the system/brain. The 30mg you take in one day, just last that specific day in your system, then the next day you don´t provide any cymbalta to your brain at all.

All that you mention: nausea, dizziness, numb brain, brain zaps, panic attacks, sweating, crying uncontrollably are withdrawal symptoms.

I read that Pristiq is made my the same molecule as Effexor. The lab launched it as a new product, but it is not really a new product. Before taking Pristiq, ask your doctor about side effects and withdrawal effects, so you won´t have to go what you are going through now with cymbalta. Talk to your doctor, if Pristiq would really work fast and neutralize cymbalta withdrawal symptoms.

If it doesn´t work maybe you can go back to a certain dosage of cymbalta and start weaning slowly. There are lots of posts on this site explaining how to wean slowly. The best way is making your weaning plan and counting the beads in the capsule to adjust them to the dosage you plan to take. In my case it has taken me 6 weeks to reduce from 60mg to 25mg doing 7mg decreases at the beginning, and now making 2,5mg decreases. I still have felt some withdrawal symptoms, but I have been able to have a “normal” life. Weaning slowly make the withdrawal symptoms lighter.

You are really lucky you have your hubby´s support.

Keep us posted on your decision and progress

Hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Dear Rosie:
It is important that you ask for your doctor´s opinion. At the end he´s the one who knows about your case in detail, and has the expertise. I just give you my point of view from what you wrote.
I guess that 2 solutions for you could be:
-Going back to certain dosage of cymbalta and start weaning from there.
-Take Pristiq (after asking your doctor side and withdrawal effects) expecting it to neutralize cymbalta withdrawal symptoms. The thing about taking another medicine right now is that you won´t know if the symptoms you are having are from cymbalta withdrawal or side effects of the new med.

I found out about weaning through this website/forum. I have been reading lots about stories of real users of cymbalta. Most of them say it is better to do slow wean than going cold turkey or doing the every other day approach. I tried it myself, and it hasn´t been that bad. (I´ve had several symptoms, but all of them manageable so far). Last night I went down to 22,5mg.

Most doctors, have told me that due to my severe depression condition I have to take antidepressants for the rest of my life.

Cymbalta was a solution for my depression for a period of time, but then it stopped working. Due to the huge weight I had gained by taking cymbalta, I had to start a diet and exercise (yoga). It was incredible, because I not only lost weight but my depression and anxiety got so much better. Then is when I started questioning myself about relying only on antidepressants to do the job. I believe there must be other natural ways to improve mood and anxiety.

To tell you the truth I wouldn´t like to switch from cymbalta to another antidepressant. If I replace it with something it will be with something natural like homeopathy, acupuncture. The thing about natural therapies is that they are not fast acting, and they do light improvements.

If I am not able to withdraw from cymbalta, I would stay on it on the lowest dosage I can.

Keep me posted.
Hugs
Cookie

[cookie]

Dear Cookie and Deb-

Here's an update for you both. I am a totally different person today. After one day on Pristiq, my mind is clear, my mood is great and the nausea, dizziness and those annoying brain zaps have gone. I will never forget that feeling and the sound when I moved my head too quickly ("ch, ch, ch" sound). I hope this lasts as I have to say, I am excited and optimistic about my future.

Cookie, I called my doctor yesterday and she strongly recommended that I start Pristiq that day as planned. She said she is hopeful that it will kick in quickly and make the Cymbalta withdrawals subside. I know from all this reading that everyone responds so differently to new meds and withdrawing from them but we all have different problems and DNA etc and nothing is ever a certainty. She didn't admit that the way we wean was too fast but she said she could have prescribed me anti-nausea tabs if I called. I was in such a state, I didn't even think it call.

I have been reading up and asked my doctor about the side effects of withdrawing from Pristiq. What I'm reading isn't sounds pretty but not uncommon from withdrawing from other meds. This site has equipped me with so much knowledge and I will definitely take more control over the weaning process if I ever have to go through it again. I won't just blindly follow the advice of doctors.

It is 6am here on Tues 29 June. I am posting you from Sydney, Australia. I gather you 2 live in the US as this is a US site right?

I hope you are both well and Cookie, I really hope things continue the way they are going for you and that you can go down the natural path. They say exercise is a wonderful thing for suffers of depression- the endorphins and other happy hormones are released. I have to say that I also put on a lot of weight with Cymbalta and want to get into some sort of exercise regime. That will be my next challenge.

Please both keep me posted on how you are doing,

Best wishes

Rosie

Dear Rosie:
I am so glad to hear that you feel so much better today!!!!! I am glad that Pristiq was able to make cymbalta withdrawal symptoms subside. It is important that you follow your symptoms closely from now on. You could keep a diary on your symptoms.

I think this is a US site (not sure though). But there are many people from Australia on this site. I imagined Australia as being a happy country. But now I realize there are also people who suffer from depression there.

I am down to 22,5mg this week. My main wish during this weaning process is that my symptoms allow me to exercise and do yoga. Like you mentioned exercise releases endorphins.

Take one step at a time. For now, just focus on how you feel the first weeks of Pristiq. Then when you feel much better, take your next challenge of doing exercise.

Keep me updated,
Hugs
Cookie

[Debbie M.]

Thanks for the well wishes. I'm glad you are feeling better. Is Pristiq an SSRI? If so I wonder what the half life is? I also wonder if switching to P is just going from one frying pan to another? Prozac is an SSRI but it has a longer half life than Cymbalta so it comes out of your system easier. Maybe P will be the same.

I need to count my weeks worth of pills tomorrow. I'm at be at 30 grains on Wed. That is about 3.5 mg.

Hang in there and let us know how you progress.

Deb