197 replies to this topic

[jeff3298]

I am seeing a new doctor on Wednesday 4/2/08. I have to stop taking this medication Cymbalta. I have tried a slow taper but I could not handle it under my previous doctors suggestions. I am hoping this new doctor is more enlightened and knowledgeable of the withdrawl effects and symptons of this drug. Please be praying for me as I see this new Doctor.

I feel like I have hit that point where my brain is asking for more of this to keep me going and I cannot do that. I have more and more bad thoughts, severe thoughts that I never had before. I also am noticing that when I am under alot of stress I will get to a point and then I will pop with rage and anger. A split second and I change from controlled and calm to rage and anger almost uncontrolable. That is the cymbalta, I have never had this type of reaction before, I could always tell when it was coming but not while on this drug.

Currently I am taking 2-30mg in the morning and 1-30mg at night for a total of 90mg a day.

I have to stop this roller coaster

Thanks
Jeff

[schmb01]

I am seeing a new doctor on Wednesday 4/2/08. I have to stop taking this medication Cymbalta. I have tried a slow taper but I could not handle it under my previous doctors suggestions. I am hoping this new doctor is more enlightened and knowledgeable of the withdrawl effects and symptons of this drug. Please be praying for me as I see this new Doctor.

I feel like I have hit that point where my brain is asking for more of this to keep me going and I cannot do that. I have more and more bad thoughts, severe thoughts that I never had before. I also am noticing that when I am under alot of stress I will get to a point and then I will pop with rage and anger. A split second and I change from controlled and calm to rage and anger almost uncontrolable. That is the cymbalta, I have never had this type of reaction before, I could always tell when it was coming but not while on this drug.

Currently I am taking 2-30mg in the morning and 1-30mg at night for a total of 90mg a day.

I have to stop this roller coaster

Thanks
Jeff

Oh Jeff, I feel for you, it is so rough to get off of this stuff. I know you have read some ideas here to help you wean, and I'm glad you are seeing a different doc to get some help too. I was on 90mg as well, and it was torture for awhile. I'm on day 30, and for the most part, am feeling better. I still have moments, but overall, I feel hopeful. I tell you this to offer some encouragement, because I was where you are, and I didn't think I would make it on a few occasions.

Good luck with the appt, and please keep coming back here to vent or ask for whatever support that you need.

[jeff3298]

Thank you for the encouragement, I need it! Thank you also for reminding me that it is not me that is causing this rage and anger and wanting to hurt others. I am not sure what the doctor will say tomorrow but whatever it is the final word will be I am getting off this Cymbalta. I will keep logging onto this board and venting. I feel this is the only place I have to go that people understand what I am going through. My wife is supportive but does not understand, she has had medical training and even worked in a psych unit at San Francisco General, she tries to understand but doesn't. Here I know others have actually walked the walk and understand how this drug is controlling our thoughts and our actions. This could make a good sci fy movie of aliens invading us through prescription drugs, taking over the world through Cymbalta. Cymbalta spelled backwards is actually the name of an Alien planet far far away called "Atlabmyc". At least I have some sense of humor now and then.
J

[riri]

hey jeff!
i went off 60mg/day cymbalta (2years, 3 mo) cold turkey feb 26. brother, i am more than still here, and you will be too.
i'd been reading about the cymbalta freak show on many sites for a few months, enough to feel thoroughly trapped and often, hopeless. not good, since suicidal ideation camps out w/ cymbalta...

i'd tried to interest friends and family in my findings,( no takers) but soon realized it's my body and life to steward, etc. for me, it seemed best to go cold turkey. i know, i know, cautions abound against the sudden cut-off. who knows how many succeed, though, without posting? personally, i couldn't abide a long, slow, torture-taper.

no suicidal grapplings since day 1 of going off. some undeniably immature, disproportionate temper tantrums, and a host of other symptoms, a few humorous.
jeff, my prayer for you is that the same perfect love that casts out fear abounds also in you more & more, in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you discern what's best. for you. do not give up!
riri

[schmb01]

Thank you for the encouragement, I need it! Thank you also for reminding me that it is not me that is causing this rage and anger and wanting to hurt others. I am not sure what the doctor will say tomorrow but whatever it is the final word will be I am getting off this Cymbalta. I will keep logging onto this board and venting. I feel this is the only place I have to go that people understand what I am going through. My wife is supportive but does not understand, she has had medical training and even worked in a psych unit at San Francisco General, she tries to understand but doesn't. Here I know others have actually walked the walk and understand how this drug is controlling our thoughts and our actions. This could make a good sci fy movie of aliens invading us through prescription drugs, taking over the world through Cymbalta. Cymbalta spelled backwards is actually the name of an Alien planet far far away called "Atlabmyc". At least I have some sense of humor now and then.
J

Jeff, you made me laugh out loud, because I can actually SEE such a movie in my head! Seriously, if someone or thing wanted to take over the world, all they would have to do is infect the water supply with varying levels of Cymbalta!

It sounds simple, but it really does help to keep telling yourself that it is the drug, or lack thereof that is making you feel the way you do. My family had/has a hard time getting what I'm describing too, and honestly, the only way they would understand it fully, is to go through it, and I pray that it never happens to anyone that I love.

Hang in there, everyone, we can do this, and we need to hold each other up.

[Melissa41]

Jeff,

I just started coming off 30mg Cymbalta and tried the every other day crap....don't do it and then splitting the pill in half and still had side effects. I went to the doctor again because I gave up and started taking the full amount because I could not get off this drug. We came up with this I am to take the 30 mg capsule and split in half and taking a 10mg Lexapro pill (breaking in half) at the same time. I am to do this and each week take less and less of the cymbalta and take the 5mg of Lexapro with it till finished. Then I am to follow up with my doctor on the last day. I can honestly say it is helping...No side effects yet but still a zombie. I can relate to the anger when I was taking every other day I wanted to run over people with my car while I was driving and even screamed at a dear friend. That is so no me.....I want off this too and will never get back on it.

I found this site the other day and it is helping me to vent.

Hang in there!

[Sarah J]

jeff- your movie alien cracked me up too. Best of luck with your new doctor.

riri- congratulations - I too stayed on Cymbalta longer than necessary because of the crappy stories I read on the internet. I told myself, when I knew it was time, that I was not going to be "one of those" people. I went off cold turkey because that is what my old doctor told me to do after taking it 3.5 years.

And I went 45 days feeling like my brains were scrambled eggs. Found a new doctor who put me on a low dose of Celexa (before Cymbalta I had never been on any antidepressant).

Been on the Celexa for the past 5 weeks, 5 days at 20mg, 2 weeks at 10mg and now on 7.5. Each drop in dosage of Celexa has been pretty uneventful, no zaps, dizziness, no feeling awful, no nausea, no nothing. I feel like a functioning human again, and am hopeful that the next dosage drops down to zero will be painless as well. It is nothing like Cymbalta (or cym-barf-a!) withdrawal.

I know that we don't want to have to take anything, but for me, it was essential for recovery.

[CarolinaGuy29401]

Jeff: As I am no MD can only offer words of encouragement. It is no easy transition and I was not the smartest and did mine on the quicker side as it seemed regardless of how large or how small I reduced it sucked period! So I have been totally off of Cymbalta now for 5 weeks and have no withdrawal symptons now. It took nearly 4 weeks after totally stopping for them to fully go away! Best of luck!

[jeff3298]

Update: I went to a new Doctor yesterday (4/2/08) and she was a willing to take me off Cymbalta after much pushing on my part. She wants me to drop to 60mg, 1 in the morning and 1 at night and also take a Lexipro 10mg in the morning. Do this for 5 days. I started this yesterday with 1 in the am and 1 in the pm and 1 lexapro.

Then drop Cymbalta to 30 mg and up Lexapro to 20mg and do this for 5 days.

Then no Cymbalta and 30mg of Lexapro.

She also added a new drug(yipee) called Seroquel, and I am too take 25mg - 50mg every night. I took 25mg last night and feel asleep within a hal an hour and never once woke until my alarm went off this morning. I have had a real foggy head all day today.

So a five day taper at each level sound pretty agressive to me but I am also upping Lexapro at the same time. My thought is once I get this Cymbalta out of my brain I will taper off Lexapro too and this other drug. Actually I am not sure I even want to take this other Seroquel drug.

Today I am foggy, ears are ringing a bit and a slight headache.

[Sarah J]

Jeff -
Lexapro is a newer version of Celexa. I just posted elsewhere that while I haven't taken Cymbalta for 81 days, five weeks ago I started Celexa.

I have already dropped down (yes, with the doctor's approval) a couple of dosage amounts. Each dosage drop has pretty uneventful for me, nothing scary. So I hope that Lexapro helps you to make a smooth transition and goes well for you.

[jeff3298]

DAY 3
So far so good. I have a on and off headache and ringing in the ears today. I slept like a rock last night and was very grogy when I woke up and could not shake that until around noon. I don't think that was the Cymbalta or Lexapro.

But the good thing is not bad withdrawl symptoms yet.

Monday 4/7/08 I drop to 30mg of Cymbalta. Last time I went cold turkey, Day 4 was a nightmare and day 5 was very ugly, very very ugly.


Todays doses: 30mg of Cymbalta, 10mg of Lexapro in the morning and 30mg of Cymbalta at night. Total of 60mg of Cymbalta and 10mg of Lexapro

Jeff

[jeff3298]

DAY 3
I was just on another post and read about body aches. Hello, I can hardly move today, all my joints ache. I just figured I did something or because I am not taking any Alieve. But my knees are killing me, my arms, my hands, my fingers. Every joint is screaming, so I guess I am not doing that great but at least my brain is not zapping like last time. I can work through the body ache so far, it is the braion freak shows that I hated and I am not looking forward too.

Blessings
Jeff
PS: I have been thinking more about writting a moive script where the makers an of anti depressant drug get millions and millions hooked on it and then they blackmail the goverment because they threaten to stop making it and everyone would go crazy if they didn't pay a bazillion dollars. Have you ever watched the movie "The Net"? At least I still can laugh, that is today I can still laugh.

[schmb01]

DAY 3
I was just on another post and read about body aches. Hello, I can hardly move today, all my joints ache. I just figured I did something or because I am not taking any Alieve. But my knees are killing me, my arms, my hands, my fingers. Every joint is screaming, so I guess I am not doing that great but at least my brain is not zapping like last time. I can work through the body ache so far, it is the braion freak shows that I hated and I am not looking forward too.

Blessings
Jeff
PS: I have been thinking more about writting a moive script where the makers an of anti depressant drug get millions and millions hooked on it and then they blackmail the goverment because they threaten to stop making it and everyone would go crazy if they didn't pay a bazillion dollars. Have you ever watched the movie "The Net"? At least I still can laugh, that is today I can still laugh.

Jeff, I have horrible body aches too, I don't know if I posted that elsewhere, but I hurt in places where I never hurt before! I take oxycodone for other pain issues, and add tylenol to it, but wow, I feel like I am 100 years old!

I'm glad you are doing better, it makes me happy to read your posts, and see your humor! I will gladly help you with that script, because I really think it would sell! Shoot, just the people that have come off of Cymbalta seeing it would make a lot of money! Oooh, maybe we should contact that one guy that does the controversial political movies! Crap, what is his name? He just did the move on health care.

[Sarah J]

jeff - have you ever tried taking Glucosamine Sulfate with MSM to help with your joints? You might want to research it. Tore my miniscus in my knee 6 years ago snowboarding, the orthapedic doctor recommended it for healing. My husband started taking it for a pulled muscle in his back a few months ago and when he ran out, said he noticed a difference without it and asked for more.

Love your movie script idea. You know, maybe I am totally nuts, but when I was on Cymbalta, and would forget to take it, I would wonder, what would happen if suddenly they took this junk of the market and it was not available anymore? Where would that leave everybody?

If you like to read, my favorite author, Christopher Moore, wrote a book called The Lust Lizzard of Melancholy Cove. The town shrink and pharmacist replace everybody's antidepressants with sugar pills and the town goes batty. Very funny, in the Tim Robbins, Carl Hiassen vein. Good escape reading if you enjoy full belly laughing out loud.

Blessings to you too - be easy on yourself.

[schmb01]

OMG, that sounds like a good book, I think we could all use a good laugh!

[jeff3298]

DAY 4
I had a rough night sleeping, my body ached all night. I woke up after 9 hours of sleep which is not normal for me. I have extreme body aches and a killer headache, ringing in the ears and very hard time focusing my thoughts. I cannot think a clear thought, nor remember from one minute to the next. I will have to write things down the rest of the day to remember what it is I am supposed to do. I feel a need to DO, to do something active but I feel like being still. I want to run yet I am in so much pain. I want to go or do or something yet I feel powerless and in a fog kind of way. This is hard to describe. I am being pulled in multiple directions at the same moment in time; my mind is racing faster and faster as time goes by. I want to go and lay down and sleep but I also want to go in the yard and work hard. Confused? YES. Blurred? YES.

Once I get through this withdrawal of Cymbalta I need to battle my other vices like Caffeine, Sugar, Processed foods, additives etc. But first I just need to get through the next few hours.

Tonight we are having dinner and a social at a friend’s house and I am concerned how I will feel and react, I feel like a freak right now. Luckily everyone knows what I am doing with my meds right now and they know I am having troubles so that will be a good thing tonight.

After I updated yesterday post I went downhill pretty fast. The aches and pain skyrocketed and by the time I got home I was hurting. I quickly made dinner for my wife and daughter and then went to bed. So day 3.5 it started to hit, day 4 sucks, gee I can't wait until tomorrow yippee.

TODAY: 60mg of Cymbalta and 10mg of Lexapro and 3 tablets of Alieve and a partridge in a pear tree. (gotta laugh)


Blessings,
Jeff

[Sarah J]

jeff - Being around your friends tonight I am sure will uplift you and help you keep your mind off of your mind! You will get through the next few hours. Hope you can find the energy to get outdoors and enjoy the beginning of Spring. How far do you live from Mount Shasta, CA?

Three days ago, I did another drop down on the Celexa to 5mg. Feel a little wonky, but nothing like I did with Cymbalta. I walked the dogs, talked to people I didn't know on the trail (dogs can bring anybody together) and even managed to clean somewhat. But, I wanted to report, that even though I am a bit wonky, I feel really good and happy and I even cracked up laughing, like where you can't stop and need to be glad you didn't just drink water, with a friend of mine, who mentioned how good it was to hear me laughing again.

I even met with my new client (yes, I actually managed to post here three million times and get some work done, so my multi-tasking skills are coming back). I know it is Saturday, but he does lives in two different states and will be traveling, so I had to see him today, I was nervous, and all was pretty excellent when it was over.

Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that we did not get "hooked" on the antidepressants overnight, so it will not be over in an instant. It will take some time, how long who knows? But as I was reminded by schmb01 the other day, feeling good and being healthy in the moment you are in is the goal.

[jeff3298]

DAY 5
Well I am not doing to bad today. I did not take the Seroquel last night because we got home really late and I need to be fresh for Church since I am in the band. I didn’t want to be groggy and try and play, not a good combo. I had a real rough sleep, kept waking up with bizarre dreams and major aches in the joints. This morning was fairly ok, took my doses as prescribed plus 3 alieve for the joint pain and it seemed to help. But by 1:30pm I started feeling jittery and like I was getting very edgy and my thoughts started racing again and confused. My wife even noticed I was getting confused and said something to me.
I was at my in-laws and too much going on and I had to leave and come home and be still for a few minutes and settle down. I feel like I want to crawl out of my skin, run away, do something yet I ache so much to move even just a little. I don't want to lay down and take a nap, not sure why but one side of me say sleep, yet I don't want to. I want to do, strange feeling, much like yesterday. My ears are ringing still but the headache seems to be gone. Having lots of trouble writting this post, getting very hard to concentrate. I have writen it several times and then try and read it and it does not make sense, sorry if I am rambling or it does nto make sense in parts. I am also getting the chills this afternoon, feeling very cold when everyone else is hot.

I live in the Bay Area, East of San Francisco/Oakland. I wish I was near Mt. Shasta or in the Mountains anywhere but here!!!

Tomorrow I drop to 30mg of Cymbalta and up my Lexapro.

Today: 30mg of Cymbalta and 10mg of Lexapro this morning, 30mg of Cymbalta tonight and Seroquel.

[schmb01]

Jeff, good luck with your drop to 30. Please if that seems too much, remember that you can get the pills in 20 mg, or you can empty part of the contents out. I pray that this works for you and I'm pulling for you!

Babby

[jeff3298]

DAY 7
Today I am not doing to good but not as bad as I expected at this point. Joint ache is about an 7 in pain. I also have a headache; my thoughts are all over the place, very easily distracted. My brain hurts, like it is sore. I feel like I am about to cry or breakdown but not. I have been cold all day, and yet my skin feels hot and I want to crawl out of it. My ears are ringing and now my eyes are hurting when I look to the left or right, my brain has to catch up with my eyes.

These drugs, Cymbalta and the others are terrible, this is a disgrace to have these things on the market, there has to be a better way. I am going to be doing a cleansing/detox program once I am not ingesting these drugs anymore and going to be eating a vegetarian diet, organic, healthy and use herbs and vitamins and minerals to repair my brain and body.

It has to STOP, we are killing ourselves trying to fix our depression. I have to make it through this. I need support and help to get through this.

Jeff

[schmb01]

Jeff, I hope today finds you feeling better than yesterday. It is so hard, I know. You have a solid plan in your mind, and just keep thinking ahead to what you want to do to get and stay healthy in mind and body.

I wish I understood more about why the body aches are so intense. Like I've said before, I'm hurting all over, and I never had this type of pain before taking this drug. One symptom at a time is hard enough, but when they all hit at once, it is very overwhelming.

I pray that you take each day, or hour if you need to, at a time, and know that you CAN do this. You have been here supporting all of us, and know that we are pulling for you too.

[jeff3298]

DAY 8
Almost the same as yesterday but a little more intense and edgy. I had to leave work at 2pm today and went home and laid down. I didn’t want to sleep but had to be still, I did fall asleep after about an hour and a half then slept for 2 hours. I woke up feeling a little better.
I will be starting in the morning with Nordic Ultra Omega3, Green Magma, NOW Vit E (400), Standard Process brand Cataplex B (B Complex) and Catalyn (Multiple). Standard Process Brands is a whole food supplement of really high quality. I get it from my Chiropractor. You cannot get it at a store, check online for resources. I also purchased a calming Tea to bring to work with me.
I did some research about "Back on the Road" book/website and the supplements he recommends. His wife owns the supplement company and I cannot find any business location other than a residential address for the business and corporation. I sent several emails but have not had a reply yet. I have a problem with a website that endorses a product and give the impression they have nothing to do with it. I have read his book and it is very complicated, way to much to try and do if you are having a problem already. Some of the data is good though, I have crossed checked allot of the claims and yes the supplements he recommends are good but I am not sure about his company being the only one to use. Any top Omega 3, Green Barley, etc would probably work, although I am not a doctor nor is he. This is all my opinion. I will be doing the supplements and hope they help, I will keep posted on here.

I am more determined each moment to get past this and clean up my brain and insides, eat right and drink water and no more caffeine, but all in due time. I have a couple of more days on Cymbalta per my schedule from the doctor. I will be tapering off Lexapro after Cymbalta, I am only on 10mg of Lexapro. Friday will be my last dose of Cymbalta and then 5 more days of Lexapro. If all goes according to plan.

I am pretty jittery right now, ears are ringing, and my joints are so intense in pain BUT no brain Zaps. I did have some really bizarre dreams last night, very intense realistic dreams. Dreams of things from my childhood, very vivid and real. Kinda scary each time I woke up and had to do a reality check as to where I was. Haunting dreams were flashing throughout the day today, I am sure my brains is doing a major chemical swish and doing a couple of belly flops and back flips looking for the Cymbals and Lex.

Thanks for being there to listen/read my blah blah blah :-)
Keep the faith and keep going, never give it up, just find a better way to do

Jeff

[Sarah J]

DAY 8
I did some research about "Back on the Road" book/website and the supplements he recommends. His wife owns the supplement company and I cannot find any business location other than a residential address for the business and corporation. I sent several emails but have not had a reply yet. I have a problem with a website that endorses a product and give the impression they have nothing to do with it. I have read his book and it is very complicated, way to much to try and do if you are having a problem already.

Jeff - did you mean theroadback.org? The site that has the "free" book? I found theroadback.org in week one of Cymbalta withdrawal, it is very complicated, but now that I feel much better and read some of the info again, it does make sense.

That e-book makes a point about adding supplements slowly, so that you know if you might react badly to one and which one it is.

I saw on another post that you will be on the Lexapro alone for only a week, and then nothing? I hope this works well for you and that you don't have to take anything much longer than your doctor said, but the goal is to feel stable, healthy and in control, so if the drop is too traumatizing to you, don't feel bad if you need a few more days of medical support to take you further down the road to health.

All the best - I am on day 3 off of the Celexa (which is an older version of Lexapro). Feel pretty good, some minimal withdrawal stuff, but nothing near as scary or bad as Cymbalta withdrawal. I had some freaky vivid dreams as well and I do think it has something to do with the brains readjusting.

I watched a really sad program about the Democratic Republic of Congo's civil wars and the horrid treatment of the women (rape). It was a really well done and informative program, I could not stop watching it and it reminded me that my problem(s) are nothing compared to that. But some elements of my dreams came from that program, even though I watched "how do I look" after to try to lighten me up afterwards.

Try to watch and read light and happy things that uplift you and bring a smile to your face right now.

[jeff3298]

DAY 9
Well I did not get much sleep last night, about 2 hours worth. I had really bad thoughts while laying in bed and trying to sleep, it was ugly. My joints hurt, my head was ready to explode, I had leg pain and it was really bad. I went to work and lasted a couple of hours and had to go home. Once home I laid down and took a 1 hour nap. Once I woke I felt a whole lot better, just a real bad headache and a little ear ringing, some minor joint pain.

Tonight I feel the same as earlier and I am much clearer in my head.

Today is day four at 30mg of Cymbalta and 10mg of Lexapro. I did take my supplements at 7:00a.m. and at noon and then 3 Alieve at 3pm and that helped the headache some.

I hope I can sleep tonight, it was hell last night.

Funny thing, I just did a spell check and I spelled everything correct, wow that is a first in a long time! Maybe my brain is starting to work again???
I will update tomorrow,

Bye for now,

Jeff

[jeff3298]

DAY 12
Hi Everyone,
I am off Cymbalta; Friday I took my last 30mg. dose in the morning. I took 10mg of Lexapro as well as my supplements. I felt pretty good on Friday and Saturday. Today (Sunday) I have the headache back and the ear ringing and a little light headed. BUT not jolts or zaps. This is really really mild and very manageable.

The half life of Cymbalta I think is 48 hours, someone correct me if I am wrong, so if that be then I would start feeling the results pretty quick, what fun to look forward to. But I truly believe at this point that the supplements have helped me tremdously.
I want to take it slow from here and stabilize where I am at for a while. I am not sure what a "while" is but I am listening to my body and it will tell me. I have taken many years to get to this point and I am not going to rush getting my self back. It is coming back minute by minute; every minute off Cymbalta is a minute farther away from it!

If you are new to this site and having the zaps and side effects of Cymbalta, please read the other posts, be patience with yourself and this drug. Read the post, get support, hang in there and know that what you are going through is not YOU, It is the DRUG, you are ok, it is the drug causing these side effects!

I will keep you posted, thanks for all your support,

Jeff

[tired08]

Glad to hear you are feeling better today Jeff. I've been on the supplement road too. I think they will work I think it just takes time. It was really interesting to hear that you had all that joint pain. That severe stuff I thought was my Fibromyalgia coming back full blown was probably just withdrawal as well because being so far out now I don't hurt quite as bad as I did initially. Also i've added the glucosamine sulfate and MSM to my supplement regimen as well.

I think someone posted the following site, http://www.antidepre...m/reaction.htm., but I thought it was quite interesting. I had read if before I saw it here and was wondering if it would be possible to do this. It kind of makes sense to maybe just let your system be and heal itself, although I've found that I can't do it just yet, but at some point I would like to get there.

I think everyone here deserves a part in your movie.

My prayers are with you and you are a real trouper cooking dinner for your family.

[jeff3298]

Well the joint pain is back, within the last hour or so my knees and hips and upper body are really starting to ache. My knees are really hurting, it has to be a withdrawal side effect. My thoughts are starting to get jumpy, hard to concentrate a little. I feel I need to keep going and not let it get me in a stop mode. Again I am feeling like I want to lay down and rest yet at the same time I feel I need to go, run almost. I find it amazing how two hours ago I felt pretty good and then it hits out of no where. Minute by Minute I go.

Never give up, it is not you, it is the drug, God didn't make any junk!

Jeff

[schmb01]

Jeff, I don't know how warm it is there, but I still have the aches too, and I find that using BenGay, and crawling under my electric blanket helps me out quite a bit. I purposely keep my house cool so I can tolerate the heat. Plus, it seems to be soothing overall.

[jeff3298]

Day 13
Did anyone get the license plate ofthe truck that ran me over? That is how I feel today.

My body is one big ache, every joint is in extreme pain. I could not work today, came home and laid down and tried sleep for a few hours, it hurt to sleep. My brain not concentrating. My pain in my body joints is about an 7-8. Headache is also there, no ringing of the ears.

I am hoping this will pass in a few hours, I have to work tomorrow. I wish others understood, those that are not or or have been on this drug cymbalta. Each person is different, different reactions and length of reactions etc. My wife asked me when this will be over and I told her I don't know, I have asked her to view this website several times over the last few weeks, even told her there is a section for family support, she still has not done it. If it was not for this site, many of us would think we are crazier that we already are (jokeinly said, everybody is crazy :-)). I have read it so many times, "thank goodness I found this site" Amen and Amen!

Third day of no Cymbalta. I am taking 10mg of Lexapro and my supplements and alieve (which feels like it is doing nothing for pain)

Jeff

[Sarah J]

Jeff - I am hoping that the more distance you have between Cymbalta and the switch to Lexapro the more improvement you will see. Trying to explain how it feels while going through the worst of the worst is like bailing out the ocean with a spoon. Of course we are going into it with positive outlooks. Absolutely nobody wants to get up in the morning and feel like sludge, confused, tired and unable to function.

It is hard on our family and spouses. If I heard my husband tell me to suck it up one more time! One day, he told me it was all in my head, and I had to say "Yes, it IS all in my head, my brains have been scrambled!" He got the point!

I am now going to use your own words against (but really for) you! It is not you, it is this evil drug.

You are on the way to having a past with Cymbalta and you are winning, one step at a time!

Stay strong brother!