57 replies to this topic

[I am who I am]

I have to say that other than going down to 15mgs... my last post is exactly how I still feel. I actually am taking my 15mgs very consistently (just about same time every night), so the dizziness has actually gone down a little bit which feels AMAZING!

I can't - CANNOT- WAIT to finally be done with this dang drug!! Only 15mgs to go!! I'm going to 15 to 10mg, then going to ease down a few beads per few days at a time. I'm running out of pills though and like I first wrote- I don't have a doctor in this state, nor any health insurance, so getting a few extra pills at this point could be really difficult. Maybe I can get some on a street corner or something... craigslist?! ebay? ...just kidding guys!!

So yeah... will keep you posted as the days and weeks go by!




Also- has anyone heard from KrisAnn??

[I am who I am]

What the hell Cymbalta?! I wrote on here earlier tonight expecting that tonight I would go to sleep at a normal time.. but I'm still awake. And it's 5am.

This wouldn't be so bad except that last night...24 hours ago.. I DID NOT GO TO SLEEP. So.. right now.. I have technically been awake since 11am on Sunday. With not a wink of sleep. In a few hours.. it will be 48 hours that I have been awake. And I don't feel tired!



How is this possible?!? And why? I just can't shut down.. but I don't feel antsy or bad.. just a little wound up, like I had half a cup of coffee... just a little so I feel too awake.

Anyone else had this problem? I'm so frustrated and I know later today, Tuesday, I'm just going to burn out completely.. I hope so.

HELP! grumble.

[cookie]

Dear friend:
Yes I am also experiencing insomnia.
But then I am sleepy during the day
cookie

[I am who I am]

Hello all!

Well, I have been gone for almost a month visiting friends/family around the country, so I haven't written. Overall I've been feeling pretty good. I'm down to '16 beads'. At this point.. I have no idea how many mgs that is.. I think it's 4mg. I go down 1 bead every 2 days.

The biggest side effect is still that I get dizzy spells. They used to only last about an hour, but now- if I get one- they can last at least a few hours. Another bad side effect was my last period was almost unbearable with cramping and bloating. I could barely stand up straight for a few days. It was really awful. : ( Nothing else in my life had changed or would give reason for it to be so awful.. I normally never even get cramps, and these were really terrible.

I'm sleeping better now though than I was a few weeks ago.

My biggest thing since weaning has been that I cry. I CRY! It's both a good and bizarre thing. I'm constantly surprised by it, but overall I feel good about it. It's like I couldn't cry for the past 4 years! And I rarely did. Even during my divorce, I don't feel emotion.. it was almost too easy. This also means that now- I suddenly feel emotions from the past 4 years that I guess must have been buried. I didn't even know that I still had certain emotions about things. It's hard to deal with.. but in a way- it also feels good to do it.. to grieve for those 2 big losses in my life, and afterwards I feel a lot better. I also ironically feel like right now might be the best time to do it... I feel good about where my life is, my relationship, and the people who are in my life... we'll see I suppose as things keep coming up, but for now- I feel ok with it all.

That's all for now... other than that this weekend will be the 4 year anniversary of my mom passing away.

I hope everyone else has been doing great!!

[I am who I am]

One more thing.. I was just looking online for what one of my other withdrawal symptoms is and I guess it would be under the "SSRI discontinuation syndrome".

If you read through this.. it is absolutely disgusting to see what the medical field DOESN'T TELL YOU when you start this drug!!!

For example:

"In a 1997 survey, a "sizable minority" of medical professionals were not confidently aware of the existence of antidepressant withdrawal symptoms."

And in regards to sexual side effects: "It should be duly noted that this condition has not been well-established or proven in the field of medicine, thus patients are not warned of the potential condition by their physicians and it is not listed in consumer information leaflets."

Then there is this whole paragraph which really pisses me off:
Arguments against the use of the term 'withdrawal' are primarily predicated on not frightening patients or alienating potential customers who may or may not need the medication.[17] According to the consensus definition by the American Academy of Pain Medicine, withdrawal is a symptom of "Physical Dependence", not of "Addiction" and thus arguments against SSRIs being "addictive" do not clearly make the use of the term "withdrawal" inappropriate to the symptoms caused by ceasing an SSRI.


Having tried to get off this medication- I DEFINITELY was addicted to this drug.. and I am going through EVERY single withdrawal symptom they discuss about SSRIs. And I also think that having read from a lot of people on this withdrawal site- they also are going through withdrawal and were/are addicted. HOW CAN COMPANIES NOT KNOW THIS and how can doctors still give us these drugs??!!? Some of the withdrawal effects are PERMANENT.





http://en.wikipedia....k_sensations.22

[I am who I am]

Kathyl-

Thank you so much! What a great and informative post! THANK YOU!! I definitely need to work on the vitamin regiment more. I'm only down to a few mgs now of Cymbalta, but if I do miss even half a dose (I ran out my last day of a vacation and only had enough beads for about a 1/2 of my weaned dose) and the next day and a half was really sucky with dizziness and nausea.

I've heard that apple cider and apple cider vinegar (organic) are a great detox and just overall good for you- I had bought some of each, the apple juice went fast- but I haven't cracked the vinegar yet. Maybe I just need to make a big batch of a juice/tea-like drink to keep in my fridge and drink at least a little each morning.

I just started a GREAT yoga/meditation combo DVD which I really like.. except it's about a 45 minute commitment to do it which makes it hard to do every day. I like it though and it's bizarre how every day it has helped me at some point to remember to balance my mind and body. It's wonderful and I hope to keep making progress with it.

Oh- the name of the DVD is:

"MEDITATION for beginners." It's by GAIAM, and it hosted by a lady named 'Maritza'. I didn't have to get any fancy props- I just put a blanket down in my living room, and use a sofa pillow if I need one. The stretches are VERY easy and she also has easier stretches you can do in replacement of all of them for people of all ages/sizes. I got it from the local library but am going to order it on Amazon so I can keep a copy. It's also nice because she will speak each thing you need to do, so especially for the meditation, you don't have to keep looking at the TV. Side note though: remember to put your cat in the other room, otherwise she will come and rub her face on yours or try to walk on you and be pet in the middle of it- several times! I love my cat though, so I like to think it just enhances my connection to self and the world around me.

K- thank you again for writing. I'm going to copy down what you wrote and take that with me the next time I head to the grocery store.

[I am who I am]

Hey All-

Just wanted to drop in an update. I've been doing pretty good lately, but definitely feeling dizzy EVERY day for at least an hour. I hate that feeling. I also have been easily irritated. I hate that feeling as well. The other day at Sprint- I went off on the manager as one of his employees told me that I could come back 2 days later to get my updated phone- and thereby I would finally get internet for my apartment. When I came back- he said it wasn't for another 2 weeks. I was pissed. Our plan was up on the 1st- yet because of something in the system, a corporate rule, I couldn't renew until the 14th. It was just so frustrating as that's how I look for jobs and so need the internet. I also had made this special trip back to the store because that was the day I could renew- not when I was there 2 days before. So- now I have to wait another 2 weeks and go back AGAIN. After all this- I got back in the car, and went from being upset, to feeling bad for over reacting when there was nothing that could be done about it. Then I got all teary eyed and felt bad for being a spaz. I still don't know what I think bout this situation- in a way, I think it just shows how complacent we have become in our society to let any corporation walk all over us and not actually offer us good service.. "I'm mad as hell, and not going to take it anymore"... comes to mind.

Anyway- I hate Cymbalta. I hate that I'm still struggling to get off of it- and I hate that I feel like I was a better person when I was on it, like I was more calm and better able to control my mood.

I guess this leads to my question to those who have been off of it longer than I have.. does it get better? Do the side effects go away? Will I feel less moody in a couple weeks??

I'm down to 9 beads a day.. and almost down to 8 beads. YPPEE!! Almost done. I only have about a week left of it all.



Thanks for all of the encouragement.. keep it coming! These past few weeks have definitely been the hardest!

[cookie]

Dear Friend;
Nice to hear from you again.
Hearing your story on why you got irritated and mad, I would have gotten angry too. However I know by my own experience that during weaning one tends to get irritated easily.

I know what you mean about hating the feeling that "you were a better person when you were on the medication and you were able to control your mood". However what you have to compare is how you feel now, with how you felt before the medication. When my initial illness hit I was very depressed, now during weaning I am depressed plus a long list of symptoms:(mood swings, difficulty finding words to talk, body electrical sensations, itchiness, breathlessness, flu like symptoms or extreme hair loss).

Wow, you are already down to 8 beads a day. That is almost nothing

hugs
Cookie

[I am who I am]

Dear Friend;
Nice to hear from you again.
Hearing your story on why you got irritated and mad, I would have gotten angry too. However I know by my own experience that during weaning one tends to get irritated easily.

I know what you mean about hating the feeling that "you were a better person when you were on the medication and you were able to control your mood". However what you have to compare is how you feel now, with how you felt before the medication. When my initial illness hit I was very depressed, now during weaning I am depressed plus a long list of symptoms:(mood swings, difficulty finding words to talk, body electrical sensations, itchiness, breathlessness, flu like symptoms or extreme hair loss).

Wow, you are already down to 8 beads a day. That is almost nothing

hugs
Cookie

Hey Cookie-

Thank you SO very much for the reply! I do forget to compare the before times to now, I just can't wait to be over all of this... ALMOST THERE!!!

Also- I accidently replied as a 'guest' somehow too- don't know what happened to what I wrote though.. ??


Yesterday I worked out at a GYM for the first time in a loooong time. I ran and biked and then swam... and slept so wonderfully! I didn't even take my sleep meds- just passed right out. I also didn't have an bad dreams.. which I have had every night for a few weeks now. It leaves me feeling so sad and exhausted the next day. I don't know if it was the work out which made me sleep so hard and therefore not have bad dreams, or if it was the lack of meds. ?? Either way- I'm feeling pretty good today!

Can't wait to be done with SINbalta... only about a week left!

[cookie]

Dear friend:
Great that you are exercising it helps with depression and anxiety. It is so nice to hear you are feeling good.
How many beads are you taking now??
I am still at 10mg, I haven´t had specific withdrawal symptoms this week, I am feeling bad overall, I mean very depressed, tired, worthless. PMS has gotten worse since I started weaning

[I am who I am]

Crappy, crappy, crappy, stupidness.

Well. I could have been DONE with Cymbalta a month ago... but I just kept drawing out lowering my beads. I'm now down to 4 beads a day. I know I could go down and be done completely within the next few days, but with how I'm felt lately- I'm so scared to go off completely. The last two weeks have been AWFUL.

To start- I physically feel like hell. I'm tired, and exhausted, and I feel like one of those people in those damn depression drug commercials. I just want to lay in bed and sleep.
-I used to NEVER get cramps, but now- the week before and of having my period, my cramps sear through my body. I've never had a child (but have had kidney stones) and this is as bad as kidney stones, and what I imagine labor pains to be like. The pain goes into my lower back and up my spine, and into my chest. Even before Cymbalta, I never had cramps. Also- my chest during all this swells to more than one full cup size bigger. It's awful and makes my chest muscles and pecs hurt. I have to wear a bra when I sleep.
-My appetite has gone down a little bit I think though which is very good. I have always been thin, but as soon as I started weaning- I actually put ON weight, now since being on this tiny dose, I'm going down. Maybe I've jut gotten more conscious of what I'm eating and going back to being a bit more organic, but it's just one more thing to add to the good list.
-I'm nauseous almost constantly. I feel dizzy and woozy, and even start to salivate sometimes which makes me feel like I'm going to puke. I try to drink more water, and am keeping up on my vitamins, but my head still feels so awful. I think this might be one of my TOP MOST CRAPPY SYMPTOMS. It's like I just got off a roller-coaster and my head hasn't quite stopped spinning inside, but the ground and everything else has and is fine. I just want to shake it off, but I can't.. it WON'T go away.
-I cry a LOT. Almost once a day. I used to cry maybe once a year. It's awkward and weird, and while I like that I am feeling this emotion- I don't need to feel it this much. Every day things or public places can suddenly become a mess because I saw a mom and her child in the grocery store that moved me to tears, or a movie scene, etc.
-Panic attacks!!!!! I don't know if this goes under physical or mental- it's both, but at least once a week, I have a panic attack. My heart speeds up and it feels like there is a huge rock on it squishing it down and pushing my ribs and lungs and all my muscles to the breaking point. It is physically painful. And my mind starts to race and feel strange and moody. And even after I have talked myself out of it mentally.. the physically symptoms remain for at least a half an hour to an hour. So- an hour later I'm still in pain and gasping for breath over something that made my uptight- an HOUR before hand.

Ok- mentally:
-I feel miserable in my head and in my heart. I feel lost. I feel forsaken and that I have given up so much of my life to now suddenly be somewhere where I am alone and scared. I feel lonely. And sometimes.. I feel really hopeless. I haven't felt or had suicidal thoughts since a few times back in high school... and now.. it's just.. more often. The fact that those thoughts are even present is awful and scary. Is this from the Cymbalta not being there to 'block' the thoughts? That doesn't make sense.. but not enough has changed in the last 4 months of my life to suddenly warrant this new and SCARY feeling.
-Nightmares. SCARY, awful, nightmares. And most of them are about the things that made me get ON Cymbalta. So, let me get this straight- I go through all this work and pain to get off Cymbalta- and now I feel even more awful than all of that awfulness?!!!?!
-Mood swings. My middle name, NO- my FIRST name, right now is Teeter Totter. Happy, sad, lonely, giddy, tired, HYPER, agreeable, angry, hurt, satisfied, frustrated, sorry.



I'm trying. My guy is patient and loving, and 96% supportive. Sometimes it's too much and we bump heads, but we had a really awful week last week (to the point of a break up)- and since then, talked it out and are being nicer to our relationship. I mean that.. our relationship needs nurturing and patience and support and respect- and we talked about that, and it's working. I feel at least good about that. There is still an inner part of me that is scared to death that I will lose him.. and this instability also makes me feel like a crazy person. Once I get health insurance again- I'm definitely going to go see a therapist/counselor to keep working on things in my life. It can't hurt and I feel like the extra support would be good.

Actually- maybe that is a good question to ask here- is anyone here on their OWN insurance (not through a work provided ins.)?? Any recommendations?

And any help on getting rid of the dizzy/nausea/vertigo type feeling? I don't want to take another drug to get off Cymbalta- so, any vitamins or teas or ANYTHING that could help?

I also don't understand the physical pain of my panic attacks and why that pain lasts for so long.



Honestly- right at this very moment is the best, most sound, that I have felt in a while. Maybe just writing and knowing that hopefully someone will write me with support and answers to my questions is therapeutic.

That's all for now, I guess. I think my final thought is.. I don't know if this current state is worth it. How long do I wait before I decide I'll never be normal without Cymbalta and then just get back on it (at $6 per pill/day!!) for the rest of my life?? I don't like this person I am right now, and I don't want to lose what I have slowly been able to build over the past few years of my life. I will definitely go see someone (a psychiatrist or whomever) before going back on it.


Please help.

[cookie]

Hello Friend:
Maybe if you had stopped completely a month ago, the symptoms would have been more intense??
4 beads a day is aproximately half a miligram. That is almost like taking nothing.

How was your last month weaning?? How many miligrams did you reduce each time??? Could it be that you reduced too fast or your drops were too big?????

Exhaustion, changes in appetite,nausea, crying at a movie scene, extreme mood swings have been symptoms I´ve felt since reducing dosage. I haven´t gotten panic attacks but my anxiety increased

I wish I had the answers to your questions. But I am also interested in knowing if I am going to have full withdrawal symptoms once I get to 0mg, in spite of having weaned slowly. I am not a doctor, but from what I´ve read on this site, it seems that people who stop cold turkey suffer the greatest intensity of symptoms.

All I can say is that I had a experience quitting another psychotropic medicine. I suffered withdrawal symptoms for 3 months. At the beginning I felt desperate, thought I was goint to feel that way forever. One day the bad symptoms went away. Patience......

[I am who I am]

I'll have to check my notes.. I wrote them all down, every day, for the past 4 months.. but I basically did 60 to 45 to 30mg.. all just fine. After that, I went down about 5mgs a time to 15mgs. Then went down 1mg a day, every few days. At about 8mgs.. I started going down 1mg about once a week.

I'll have to take a look at my notes and write them all down on here.. that would probably be good for other people to see too.

Thanks so much for the note. Yes, I need patience.. but it's not that I can't wait for it to be done.. it's that I can't be this person who I am right now, and be around others, while I'm like this. It's just... sad and awful and I don't like it. And I don't know if I can do it- so then, would just have to flush all my progress and go back on Cymbalta. Fricken Cymbalta.

I'm watching this show right now that someone from this forum recommended:

http://video.google....04572198377643#

It's so scary hearing about all the money these companies make- and they don't even know or care about the side effects on the population. I need to research more about the makers of the video.. but if it's all true- how can we NOT BE OUTRAGED by what they are doing?!?!?!?!?!??!?!

[cookie]

It sounds like your weaning was pretty slow with small drops.
When (at what dosage) did you start to feel bad?????

[NotWaving]

Crappy, crappy, crappy, stupidness.

And any help on getting rid of the dizzy/nausea/vertigo type feeling? I don't want to take another drug to get off Cymbalta- so, any vitamins or teas or ANYTHING that could help?

Hello!

If you ever find anything that helps with the vertigo, PlEASE let me know!
I've been off cymbalta for 4 days now, and I definitely haven't had the worst withdrawals I've heard of, but the vertigo is really awful.
Your description of getting off a rollercoaster and your head is still spinning is exactly how I feel.
I've heard of a few meds that help, but I agree 100% with you when you say you'd rather go the natural route.

Anyway, hope you're doing ok :-)

[I am who I am]

Thanks friends for writing... the dose where I started to feel crappy was at '7 beads', which was over a month ago.

I think I'll stop at my pharmacy today and ask about the vertigo.. it's the most awful part I think. When I feel like I can't get out of bed physically- it doesn't matter if my mind wants to or not.

Off to run some errands- I'll get you posted.

[cookie]

So you started to feel bad at aproximately 1mg.
I hope you feel better and the vertigo goes away.

[I am who I am]

Hey all-

I have been looking things up online all day as I have such a bad migraine that I can barely stand up. I even took some ibuprofen, which I hate having to take. I just feel so awful and my head is pounding- I can't open my right eye all the way as the pain is so bad.

Anyway- it is leading me to some good finds online- the first is this-

https://www.accessda...atch-online.htm

This is the FDA's website where you can report problems associated with a medication!!!!! YES!!! I started to fill it out, but I'm going to contact my doctor for some info about when I was diagnosed with the tumor in my liver and cysts on my ovaries. I also found this on the FDAs website:

Cymbalta (duloxetine hydrochloride) Oct 2005
Audience: Neuropsychiatric and other healthcare professionals
[Posted 10/17/2005] Eli Lilly and FDA notified healthcare professionals of revision to the PRECAUTIONS/Hepatotoxicity section of the prescribing information for Cymbalta (duloxetine hydrochloride), indicated for treatment of major depressive disorder and diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain. Postmarketing reports of hepatic injury (including hepatitis and cholestatic jaundice) suggest that patients with preexisting liver disease who take duloxetine may have an increased risk for further liver damage. The new labeling extends the Precaution against using Cymbalta in patients with substantial alcohol use to include those patients with chronic liver disease. It is recommended that Cymbalta not be administered to patients with any hepatic insufficiency.
[October 05, 2005 - Letter - Eli Lilly]

SOOOOOO- Cymbalta GAVE ME A TUMOR IN MY LIVER AND THEN THE SAME DOCTOR THAT PUT ME ON CYMBALTA DIAGNOSED THE TUMOR IN MY LIVER- AND KEPT ME ON CYMBALTA!!!!!?!??!?!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?!?!? I'll keep updating as I find things.

[I am who I am]

Doing some searching online as tonight was the worst vertigo/dizziness that I've ever felt.. came across these tips online: (it's copy/pasted from a few different websites)

______________________________________________________________________________________
Some of the effective home remedies for vertigo or dizziness are listed below:
To a cup of boiling milk add 3 leaves of basil and drink it before going to bed. Basil leaves serve as good tonic and is considered to be effective vertigo home remedy.
To a glass of water add lemon juice, a pinch of salt and black pepper, drink this solution. This home remedy for dizziness is the best for immediate relief. Lemon contains properties which effectively relaxes veins.
To one cup of water add cayenne, vinegar, salt and pepper, and drink it. Cayenne herb effectively treats dizziness as it enhances blood circulation.
Boil a small amount of garlic root with a cup of water, strain it and drink once it is cool. This is an effective dizziness home remedy but its effects slowly.
Mix lemon, orange and tangerine peels to yogurt. Eat this yogurt, this is considered to be effective in treating dizziness.
To relieve dizziness or vertigo symptoms you can even opt for aromatic essential oils like lavender, peppermint, etc. Gentle forehead massage with the essential oils will be helpful in restoring normalcy and improves blood circulation.
Prepare a mixture of apple cider vinegar and honey. Consume this mixture; this home remedy is highly effective in relieving vertigo.
Take small amount of ginger juice, ginger juice is effective in relieving pressure. Alternately you can take ginger juice along with honey.
Poppy seeds, dates and citrus fruits are recommended as good remedies for vertigo.
Studies have been completed that have shown gingko biloba to beneficial in the treatment of chronic vertigo. It reduced the symptoms of dizziness, vomiting and nausea significantly in clinical trials. Forty milligrams of the herb was given three times daily to the patients.
To reduce the symptoms of vomiting that accompany chronic vertigo there are many remedies that we can make at home. One of these remedies includes; mixing a teaspoon of honey with a half teaspoon of ginger juice and a teaspoon of mint juice and drinking the mixture. It has been shown to soothe the stomach from nausea and vomiting that accompany vertigo
An effective eye exercise can also really help your sense of balance as you focus on a specific object. While either sitting or standing, focus on an object that is directly in front of you. Now tilt your head to the right as you continue to focus on that object, go back to the middle, and tilt to the left. This is a very simply exercise that you can easily find time to do throughout the day.

____________________________________________________________

I'm not sure if I've written this one on here before, but it's one that I use that actually was passed down for many generations in my family:

-2 Tlbspoons of ORGANIC Apple cider vinegar (the organic costs about the same, but the non-organic uses a process that takes the good stuff out)
-1 Cup/glass of water (you can use more, it just dilutes the taste)
-a few drops of lemon juice, the more the better
-and a spoonful of honey.. I also use organic honey.

This tonic, if you look it up- is good for so many things- vertigo, dizziness, circulation, it makes your skin softer, etc. My biggest problem with it- is the prep it takes. It only takes 2 minutes, but when my vertigo or moodiness is super bad- I'm not up for making anything. And I don't know if I made a big batch if the vinegar would go stale.

Also- the earlier that I take this 'Gma's tonic'... it seems to last all day in making me feel pretty good!

I know ginger root is really good for you too and usually when I make a cup of tea, I will cut a few thin slices of ginger to float in my tea.. ginger seems to make everything better.



ok- off to bed. Getting too much sleep can actually cause vertigo.. so, I gotta go to bed!

[NotWaving]

Doing some searching online as tonight was the worst vertigo/dizziness that I've ever felt.. came across these tips online: (it's copy/pasted from a few different websites)

______________________________________________________________________________________
Some of the effective home remedies for vertigo or dizziness are listed below:

Thanks so much! I'm definitely going to try some of those! Hope you feel better when you wake up :-)

[I am who I am]

Thanks so much! I'm definitely going to try some of those! Hope you feel better when you wake up :-)

I have to say.. today I was outside painting and wasn't near where I could get any of the supplies above to help with my dizziness... so I went to the store and got some Claritan, ginger ale, and peppermint gum.. and it helped!! It got me through the day and even now I still feel pretty good! I mean.. I don't want to switch to any type of drug to get off of this- but it helped for today!!

Me- 1 Cymbalta - 0 MUUUWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[I am who I am]

I feel like crap today. I've felt this way for a couple days now. I have no taste in my mouth and a fever. I got up to a 101 fever for a few hours, but then came back down. Now- my body just feels- like it's under water. I can't hear right- like there is cottonballs in my ears, my nose feels stuffed and congested- but isn't, and my chest feels so heavy. I'm exhausted, wiped out. I'm guessing it's a cold since I also have a sore throat, but overall I just feel so tired and awful. I can't motivate myself to do ANYTHING. I took a shower today and took my dog out- that was a pretty big deal. Then I sat down to do some work and I just can't.

Oh- I should add that I have been completely OFF of cymbalta for 2 days now.


sigh...... I feel awful.

I looked into the "Prosac with withdrawal" cocktail- but it looks like I'm too far past that. I need something to get me through the holidays though because I don't know if I can do this on my own.

[cookie]

Hello Friend:
I have also felt the "cottonballs in my ears" too. I am still on 5mg. How have you been feeling?

[I am who I am]

Hey all,

Just a quick update. Feeling a LOT better since my last post. I've been completely off for 2 weeks now. (Although I was on 1mg for about a month before I finally just stopped taking it at all). Anyway- I've felt pretty good for the past week. I'd sat on average, only about an hour of the 'vertigo' type feeling a day, and usually at night just before sunset. Once it's dark, it goes away and I've noticed that I don't think that I've ever had that feeling at night. When I do get it though- it isn't as strong as before, but it still is awful. There hasn't been anything that I've stuck too (vitamins, tonics, pills, etc.) that truly has cured it.. but those fails are also do to my user error of not keeping at them lately.

Keep the encouragement coming.. I really need it.

Also- my boyfriend is about to leave the state for the next 6 months straight.. and I don't really know anyone here. I have been looking for different social groups so that I can meet people and get involved otherwise I think I will become a total hermit. A lonely, sad, hermit. It's just so hard when you already feel so tired and like you just want to sleep for a whole day sometimes, to want to go out and meet people. And how do I make a new best friend out here? Chat up some girl at Target? ...I'd be a weirdo.

I'm rambling.. anyway, I also wanted to say that I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving and that I am truly thankful for my friends on this site and also for this site for getting my through this withdrawal time period and getting my off Cymbalta.

Happy Holidays everyone!

[I am who I am]

TraceLynn,

Right now I have a bad cold, so can't breathe very well- but normally, I can't say that my breathing was affected during my withdrawal. The only time I had problems was that I have panic attacks more often now that I'm off of it. They feel like mini-heart attacks and at those times the pain in my chest is really bad and and I can't take deep breaths. And even though the thing that makes me have the panic attack only lasts about 5-10 minutes, the effects of it last at least an hour. I can remove myself from the situation or argument or whatever happened, and think positive thoughts and force deep breaths- but I still will have the attack side effects for an hour. Must be the adrenaline or whatever is rushing through my body.

Since I'm writing, I might as well add an udate for my posts... but luckily, not much is new. I've been sleeping ok, and overall feel pretty good most days. Mornings I feel tired and take a while to wake up fully (but I think that's from the Trazedone), but once I get going I feel good throughout the day. The nauseau and vertigo feelings are WAY down, there have been days where I don't have them at all.

I still feel nervous about what things are going to be like once my guy is gone and I don't have many/any I know around me.. but I'm still working on joining some good social groups to stay busy.

HOPE. ...it really helps so much to have it.

[cookie]

Dear Friend:
I read that you are so much better. How long did it take you to overcome withdrawals???

[I am who I am]

Hey C-

I think it took about 2 months for me to stop having withdrawal effects. I really can't believe this.. I didn't even realize that I had stopped having withdrawal symptoms!! It's been at least 2 weeks since I've had one. WOW!! I still have HUGE issues with my sleep, but I think that is partly due to my sleep meds and irregular schedule. Plus I've had some crazy life style changes in the past few weeks, but yeah- other than that, I didn't realize how good I have been feeling! And all without Cymbalta!!!

YIPPEEE! There IS hope. I hope that everyone else is doing well and getting off that terrible drug and feeling better.

Also- I have noticed that my skin is so clear now and also that my hair has been so thick and healthy. !!!

[cookie]

Dear Friend:
I am so glad to hear you are doing so well. Those are great news. Thank you for giving me hope.
Great that your hair is thick!....my hair has been falling like crazy during weaning.
Please, write whenever you can.