13 replies to this topic

[kimspa]

Hi - my name is Kim

It was 8 days ago that I switched from 150mg Cymbalta to 50mg of Pristiq. There was no instructions about tapering off, so for 8 days I have endured an electrical storm in my brain. I am sad and miserable and visualized the handgun in mouth thing for the first time ever! Cymbalta is scary stuff!! I do believe I was much better off without it! Today I called thinking I was having seizures and instead of being asked to go to urgent care clinic, they want to put me BACK ON Cymbalta! Whoa - hold up a second?!? Back on? Yes, 60 mgs per day for 14 days then 30 mgs for 7 days then stop? Can this be right?


The best way I can explain my brain zaps is the following. I equate it to having an electrical storm in my brain. I feel an electical zap where my brain feels like it is scrambled for a split second, then comes back on line. My problem is that I have been timing the zaps and they are occuring every 5-6 seconds!! I drove off the side of the road today because my brain "shut down" (zapped me) and I lost control of my vehicle in rush hour traffic. The zap in my brain is followed by dizziness. It is better if I am laying down with my eyes closed and not moving, the reality is that as a single woman, I have to work to make my mortgage payment.


looking for any advice...
Kim

[Sapphires13]

Your doctor was very irresponsible to take you off of Cymbalta all at once. Getting back on Cymbalta and tapering off slowly is probably best for you right now, and what your doctor should have done in the first place. What's scary is that Pristiq has presumably just as bad withdrawal symptoms as Cymbalta, so there are chances you could go through the entire thing all over again, should you ever choose to discontinue Pristiq.

I'm currently to the point where my Cymbalta dosage is so low (6mg) that I can go a few days without taking one before the brain zaps start... and when they do, they subside within an hour of taking my pill.

Good luck.

[kimspa]

Your doctor was very irresponsible to take you off of Cymbalta all at once. Getting back on Cymbalta and tapering off slowly is probably best for you right now, and what your doctor should have done in the first place. What's scary is that Pristiq has presumably just as bad withdrawal symptoms as Cymbalta, so there are chances you could go through the entire thing all over again, should you ever choose to discontinue Pristiq.

I'm currently to the point where my Cymbalta dosage is so low (6mg) that I can go a few days without taking one before the brain zaps start... and when they do, they subside within an hour of taking my pill.

Good luck.

[kimspa]

Oh Geez! I was afraid someone would tell me that. If this is suppose to be an answer to depression, it certainly doesn't feel too good.

Thank you for replying, it does help to know that others are out there!

Kim

[CymbaltaHaterChick]

I hear ya. I have been on Cymbalta 60mg for about a year or so but I don't have insurance anymore and can't afford $180 a month for it. Plus I am so sick of the side effects. I want this poison out of me. So I have been dumping out the little beads and lowering my dose each day for the last month. Wed will be my last dose. I think I'll be ok this time since I have been slowly tapering off. I am going to buy Dramamine, Zyrtec, flaxseed oil, and cranberry tea to help with the withdrawal symptoms. I read online that these can help. I hate the FDA for approving this poison.

[kimspa]

I hear ya. I have been on Cymbalta 60mg for about a year or so but I don't have insurance anymore and can't afford $180 a month for it. Plus I am so sick of the side effects. I want this poison out of me. So I have been dumping out the little beads and lowering my dose each day for the last month. Wed will be my last dose. I think I'll be ok this time since I have been slowly tapering off. I am going to buy Dramamine, Zyrtec, flaxseed oil, and cranberry tea to help with the withdrawal symptoms. I read online that these can help. I hate the FDA for approving this poison.

[kimspa]

I went and picked up the Omega 3-6-9 complex and started that today as well to help with the side effects. I am just so unsure if I can actually put myself back on Cymbalta even if it is for a three week titration, especially since it seems Pistiq has the same nasty withdrawal effects. How does that saying go....Hell hath no furry like a woman scorned?!? Shame of the FDA for making Men and Women go through hell just to feel the happiness we each are so deserving of.

Thanks for the idea of cranberry tea - never crossed my mind but I like tea so will that add to the "feel good" food and nutrition.

Kim

[cookie]

Hello Kim:
It is shocking to hear that you were on such a high dose of cymbalta: 150mg!!!!???
I was prescribed cymbalta for Major Depression, and I took 60mg for 5 years. My Depression was really horrible, I couldn´t function at all. And still 60mg was enough to help me regain my mental stability for some period.
Check what is says on the package of cymbalta about the dosage. But I think I´ve read that the highest dose is 120mg. For how long were you on 150mg???

By reading your story, in my opinion you can do two things.
-One is to stick with Pristiq, and bear the cymbalta withdrawal.
-Or go back to cymbalta 60mg and start weaning from there.
The plan you mentioned: "60 mgs per day for 14 days then 30 mgs for 7 days then stop", seems to me very fast tapering. I am afraid that doing this plan you´ll have withdrawal anyways. (I am not a doctor though).
It has taken me 6 weeks to go from 60mg to 25mg, and it will take me 12 more weeks to get down to zero. From this site I learned that I could adjust dosage by counting and taking out beads from the pill. If you want more information read posts in here.

Since you mention you are a single woman who needs to work, please make a decision that allows you to work and is less painful.

Please keep us posted on your decision
regards
Cookie

[kimspa]

Good catch Cookie - I made a mistake in typing the dose was 120mgs, not the previously stated 150mgs.

I have decided that my choice of action is to "gut it out" and not put Cymbalta back in my system after 9 days of my body going through this adjustment.

I did talk to the psych nurse and asked why they want me to now taper instead of just stopping cold turkey (9 days ago) and she said that with the addition of Pristiq there should not have been any adverse side effects of stopping the cymbalta! That comment alone was very telling of how much the psych field does NOT know what is going on with this particular medication.

The other thing that I am doing and it is working wonders is when the brain zaps don't stop I take 50mg of Tramadol. That raises the seritonin level just enough to keep the side effects at bay and clears the system in 4 hours versus days/weeks of adding symbalta back to my system. I believe Tramadol is not addictive therefore easily to come by. It helps!

I also started the 3-6-9 Omega 3 complex and either that too is helping or I am just feeling the effects of the Tramadol?

I wish each of you peace knowing the hell you are struggling with, not only due to the medication but also the reason for the medication in the first place.

Namaste
Kim

[cookie]

Dear Kimspa:
Please keep me updated on your progress
Namaste
Cookie

[kimspa]

Good Morning -
my life continues to be a disaster. For whatever reason I seem to keep making errors in my judgement not only with medication but life in general. The cymbalta has finally cleared my system, "I think". I believe this to be true because the brain zaps are far less than even 5 days ago. The trouble I have now is extreme lethargy! I am sleeping 10-12 hours per day and this it is problematic for work! Today I was 2.5 hours late because I could not wake up and get out of bed. My live in boyfriend got fired from his job last week Thursday and now my general life problems are compounded x10. Sorry, this is all just venting. An update from seeing my psych on Friday 7/2 she stated that we should have tapered the cymbalta a little slower. My comment back to her was that we should have tapered it period instead of stopping it altogether all at once. She looked confused (i guess she thought that I was on a taper when her med orders clearly state to stop Cymbalta and start pristiq)

And so it goes....

[MaureenV]

Good Morning -
my life continues to be a disaster. For whatever reason I seem to keep making errors in my judgement not only with medication but life in general. The cymbalta has finally cleared my system, "I think". I believe this to be true because the brain zaps are far less than even 5 days ago. The trouble I have now is extreme lethargy! I am sleeping 10-12 hours per day and this it is problematic for work! Today I was 2.5 hours late because I could not wake up and get out of bed. My live in boyfriend got fired from his job last week Thursday and now my general life problems are compounded x10. Sorry, this is all just venting. An update from seeing my psych on Friday 7/2 she stated that we should have tapered the cymbalta a little slower. My comment back to her was that we should have tapered it period instead of stopping it altogether all at once. She looked confused (i guess she thought that I was on a taper when her med orders clearly state to stop Cymbalta and start pristiq)

And so it goes....

Remember that Cymbalta had well and truly cleared your system soon after you felt the first withdrawal symptoms - that's WHY you get the symptoms - you brain is missing Cymbalta.

So any further things you experience - emotional and physical - MAY also be due to withdrawal.

regards, Maureen.

[cookie]

Dear Kimspa:
Sleepiness has always been my problem.
First it was a symptom of my depression, It was hard to wake up.
Then when I started taking cymbalta, my sleepiness got worse.
And now that I am weaning off of cymbalta, is getting even worse than that.
I am also sleeping 12 hours!!!!
Cookie

[kimspa]

Thanks for your continued support and well-wishes. Life just should not be this hard