4 replies to this topic

[Tommy]

I couldn't do it. I tried to go the Dr. route and just go the 30mg dose every other day. But one week into it and I went into a mental state that I've never been to before. I zoned out, had tunnel vision, blank thoughts and flu like symptoms. I wasn't sure if I was getting a double whammy of a cold and withdrawals or what. So I just went back to my regular dosage. I feel a bit better, but you know that one week of trying to wean has done something to me. Things smell weird. Its like that small aftertaste smell you get when you are taking Tylenol, anyone know what I'm talking about here? I feel like I'm thinking clearer now that I'm back on the regular daily doses, but something still isn't right. I'm not sure if my body is just in shock from me changing so much, but I've got to do something. The Dr. said they could prescribe the 20mg, but she also wanted me to do the ever other day thing with the low dose. No way. I'm not going back to Space City again.

[Kristen]

Tommy, I am glad that you are here. I am NOT a doctor, but the every other day thing is no good. Cymbalta is only in your system for 24 hours, so if you take it one day and then not the next, you will start withdrawl symptoms that day. Then if you take a dose and don't again the followng day, you are going to have symptoms again. Please do not do this. It is very hard on the body and you are NOT weaning, you are just making yourself sick.

There are several areas in this site that will explain how to wean by taking beads out of the capsule so that you are taking a smaller dose. 10% is the average, I did 5%. I would go down 5% and stay there until I had no symptoms, then I would go down another 5% and so on. This is a SLOW process, if you do not wish to be miserable.

YOu will also find many, many withdrawl symptoms that people have had here at this site. Look around and educate yourself from different postings.

Keep posting here, you will find lots of support.

[phtech]

Kristen,

where did you get your information? Where did you find the information about not doing what a doctor told a person to do? I am a little confused!

PhTech

quote name='Kristen' date='14 August 2010 - 08:06 PM' timestamp='1281837995' post='14867']
Tommy, I am glad that you are here. I am NOT a doctor, but the every other day thing is no good. Cymbalta is only in your system for 24 hours, so if you take it one day and then not the next, you will start withdrawl symptoms that day. Then if you take a dose and don't again the followng day, you are going to have symptoms again. Please do not do this. It is very hard on the body and you are NOT weaning, you are just making yourself sick.

There are several areas in this site that will explain how to wean by taking beads out of the capsule so that you are taking a smaller dose. 10% is the average, I did 5%. I would go down 5% and stay there until I had no symptoms, then I would go down another 5% and so on. This is a SLOW process, if you do not wish to be miserable.

YOu will also find many, many withdrawl symptoms that people have had here at this site. Look around and educate yourself from different postings.

Keep posting here, you will find lots of support.
[/quote]

[Kristen]

I have gotten my information by reading what ther people are going through in this withdrawl process. If you read through this website and others thouroughly you will find that that there are people here who have had symptoms as severe as seziures while withdrawing from Cymbalta. Most of the people who have posted here have commented on their doctors not even mentioning that there would be withdrawl symptoms while getting off cymbalta. If you read the packaging, it also states that you should not skip doses. That is because the stuff stays in your system for about 24 hours. I have noticed this myself when I have forgotten a dose and by a couple of hours after I would have taken that dose, I was already feeling some of these symptoms.

You do what you feel comfortable doing, I am not telling you what you have to do I am just sharing what a lot of people have discovered when going through this withdrawl process. Have you asked your doctor about withdrawl symptoms? What about the his/her personal experience with the med? These are just things that I have questioned and found that my doctors through all these years really knew nothing about the drug except it was suppose to be great. I even had one of my doctrs read the info packet and they were amazed because they had no idea it said some of this stuff.

Educate yourself to make the best decision for you. That is really all I am suggesting. There is a lot of expereince on this site to learn from also.

[sarah]

I am amazed how many doctors prescribe the 'every other day' approach for getting off of this drug. I'm guessing this comes from the fact that with some antidepressants (with very long half-lives) this is a good way to get to a lower dose. With Cymbalta the half life is only 12 hours, though. If you take a dose every 48 hours you will almost definitely feel the varying levels of the drug in your system which can make things pretty rocky- Your body will go through mini-withdrawals every other day as it metabolizes the medication and leaves a very low level in your body for the extra day before your next dose.