4 replies to this topic

[june43]

After seriously considering it for a few weeks now, I have decided to begin the process to stop taking Cymbalta. I have been on several different anti-depressants for the last ten years and I am worried about what will happen if I ever get pregnant...I have not been medication free for a long time and I feel like I am at the point in my life where I may be able to live without it. I also have experienced many side effects from Cymbalta (which I switched to about 3 years ago from Effexor) and feel that the benefits may no longer outweigh the side effects. I have read a lot about the withdrawal symptoms and hope that I am able to do this without experiencing anything too horrific. I currently only take 30mg daily but when I miss a day I feel the nausea, etc. intensely. I plan to pour out about 1/3 of the beads from each capsule and take the cymbalta that way for about a week, then pour out about half and do that for a week and then pour out 2/3 and do that for a week. Does anyone have any advice? I do not want to do this too quickly but also would like to rid myself of the side effects asap. Also, I have heard people mention 'brain zaps' as a withdrawal symptom - can someone please explain what these are?

Thanks,
June

[MaureenV]

After seriously considering it for a few weeks now, I have decided to begin the process to stop taking Cymbalta. I have been on several different anti-depressants for the last ten years and I am worried about what will happen if I ever get pregnant...I have not been medication free for a long time and I feel like I am at the point in my life where I may be able to live without it. I also have experienced many side effects from Cymbalta (which I switched to about 3 years ago from Effexor) and feel that the benefits may no longer outweigh the side effects. I have read a lot about the withdrawal symptoms and hope that I am able to do this without experiencing anything too horrific. I currently only take 30mg daily but when I miss a day I feel the nausea, etc. intensely. I plan to pour out about 1/3 of the beads from each capsule and take the cymbalta that way for about a week, then pour out about half and do that for a week and then pour out 2/3 and do that for a week. Does anyone have any advice? I do not want to do this too quickly but also would like to rid myself of the side effects asap. Also, I have heard people mention 'brain zaps' as a withdrawal symptom - can someone please explain what these are?

Thanks,
June

You know when you touch something metal and get a zap? it's a bit like that but feels like it's inside your brain. Seems for most of us to be accompanied by severe tinnitus, so whether it's the brain or the ears I don't know.

Your wean is extremely fast for someone who suffers side effects with just missing one dose.

If you take longer, you have mild side effects.

If you go fast (like you're planning) you'll have much more severe effects.

Generally, it's a good idea to not reduce more than 10% at a time, which means right now you could try dropping 3mg.

See how you go though, you might be one of the lucky ones, but given you get symtoms just missing one day, I'm not hopeful for you.

cheers, Maureen.

[Debbie M.]

I agree with Maureen. That is fast. You can't go that fast and avoid the side effects.
If I missed my morning dose my head would remind me about 5 o'clock.

Trust me and give Cymbalta a lot of respect. If you don't it will kick your a@@ !!!!

[cookie]

Dear June:
I can so relate to your story.
It took me a few weeks to decide to begin the process to stop taking cymbalta. (have been taking it for 5 years). And haven´t been med free for a long time.

Each one of us is different. There are people who quit cymbalta with no effects, and other who experience withdrawal effects. I was very lucky to find this site before starting, because if not I wouldn´t have know what was happening to me. For example one of withdrawals is flu-like symptoms. If I hadn´t read I would totally think it was the flu. Now I just know it is withdrawal. The other example is that I´ve had extreme mood swings, if I hadn´t read this site I would have thought I was becoming bipolar, now I just now it is withdrawal.

You are lucky you are starting already at 30mg (I started at 60mg).

From what I read, your plan would be drop from 30mg to 20mg (stay there for a week) and then drop to 10mg. About your weaning plan I think it is too fast and the drops are too big.
For example it has taken me 4 weeks to drop from 30mg to 20mg by doing just 2,5mg drops weekly.
It will be helpful if you read other posts on weaning.

Hugs
Cookie

[june43]

Well I am now down to 15 mg at this point and doing ok. I think that the drop in mg has not affected me too much but the hardest part for me will be when I completely stop taking cymbalta. I missed a dose the other day and noticed that the withdrawal effects hit me much faster with only 15 mg in my system at a time. Anyway, when I missed the dose I was EXTREMELY moody and had just about one of the worst days I can remember. I think when I finally get to the point where I stop taking it completely I had better just lock myself in my room for a couple days. :/