11 replies to this topic

[majnon]

I have to put it this way, I truly hate my doctor, or in fact my x-doctor. When I came to her clinic two years ago, she didnt even bother to talk. She just pointed with her hand that I can start talking. After an hour of monologue she said one sentence "You are clinically depressed". I said OK, so what should we do about it. Then she ASKED ME if I want to go on medication. I said yes if it will help. And there I go... I was put on Cymbalta 30 mg.

Cymbalta fixed my depression NOT. It only made me lazy, careless, and less social. I am no more same person. So I decided two years ahead to quit this substance. Reading the cleiche advice everywhere that one should first consult his doctor, I went to visit my x-doctor and told her I want to quit Cymbalta because I beleive it has no good effect on me. She said fine, go ahead quit it. I said : just like that? but they say online it is going to be horrible. She said : it will be only temprarily horrible!! Then I asked if there is anything like a weaning off plan or anything like a gradual quit. She said "Yeah ok you can skip a day if you want". That was the day she became my x-doctor by the way.

Then I started my journey alone. By the way, this is the first time I ever tell anybody I am on anti-depressants. Well I am anonymous here, so probably it doesnt count. And my doctor didn't count, so I guess I am sort of still alone.

First I started to skip a day, and oh boy what is this!!! immediately I returned back to normal dose. Severe headaches were grapping my head in the second day. Then I decided there is no way this is going anywhere without a real gradual plan to quit this **** (sorry).


Now for a month I am trying to wean off gradually. First I went on 30mg every 36 hours. The drop was not easy but later doses were ok. Then after a week I decided to do 30 mg every 48 hours. Again the drop was severe, but later in a week time I kinda got used to it. Then after two weeks of 30mg/48h I decided to open the capsule and split the dosage. I didnt need to count beads or anything. I just opened the capsule, took half of the quantity, and closed the capsule for another dose. Again the drop was horrible, but later symbtoms improved. Now I have reached 10mg/48 hours. The symbtoms are manageable. I think at this stage it looks to me that I need to get some proper gelatin capsules form the pharmacy to properly slit the 30 mg capsules I have.

I am also wondering, is it a better idea to take cymbalta everyday rather than decrease the frequency to every two days? Would this help alleviate the symbtoms even more.



Thanks for reading ... Will be back

[Cat]

I have to put it this way, I truly hate my doctor, or in fact my x-doctor. When I came to her clinic two years ago, she didnt even bother to talk. She just pointed with her hand that I can start talking. After an hour of monologue she said one sentence "You are clinically depressed". I said OK, so what should we do about it. Then she ASKED ME if I want to go on medication. I said yes if it will help. And there I go... I was put on Cymbalta 30 mg.

Cymbalta fixed my depression NOT. It only made me lazy, careless, and less social. I am no more same person. So I decided two years ahead to quit this substance. Reading the cleiche advice everywhere that one should first consult his doctor, I went to visit my x-doctor and told her I want to quit Cymbalta because I beleive it has no good effect on me. She said fine, go ahead quit it. I said : just like that? but they say online it is going to be horrible. She said : it will be only temprarily horrible!! Then I asked if there is anything like a weaning off plan or anything like a gradual quit. She said "Yeah ok you can skip a day if you want". That was the day she became my x-doctor by the way.

Then I started my journey alone. By the way, this is the first time I ever tell anybody I am on anti-depressants. Well I am anonymous here, so probably it doesnt count. And my doctor didn't count, so I guess I am sort of still alone.

First I started to skip a day, and oh boy what is this!!! immediately I returned back to normal dose. Severe headaches were grapping my head in the second day. Then I decided there is no way this is going anywhere without a real gradual plan to quit this **** (sorry).


Now for a month I am trying to wean off gradually. First I went on 30mg every 36 hours. The drop was not easy but later doses were ok. Then after a week I decided to do 30 mg every 48 hours. Again the drop was severe, but later in a week time I kinda got used to it. Then after two weeks of 30mg/48h I decided to open the capsule and split the dosage. I didnt need to count beads or anything. I just opened the capsule, took half of the quantity, and closed the capsule for another dose. Again the drop was horrible, but later symbtoms improved. Now I have reached 10mg/48 hours. The symbtoms are manageable. I think at this stage it looks to me that I need to get some proper gelatin capsules form the pharmacy to properly slit the 30 mg capsules I have.

I am also wondering, is it a better idea to take cymbalta everyday rather than decrease the frequency to every two days? Would this help alleviate the symbtoms even more.



Thanks for reading ... Will be back

I fired my dr and learned you have to manage your own health. And lets get serious, these drs get something back from the pharmaceutical co. They are all in bed together. Find my posts and read my story and please contact Erin Brocovich and the FDA...I have spoken with both but more people need to step up. You can also contact me on my pers email which is on my profile page.
Cat

[majnon]

Thanks for the info Cat. I will seriously consider contacting FDA and making a complaint about Cymbalta.
Last week I reached zero dose of Cymbalta after 3 months of weaning off. I cannot stress enough the importance of slow and gradual weaning off this medicine. Openning the capsules and counting the beads is just crucial to manage the withdrawal symbtoms.
Now a week a head, I have to say I feel weird. Even though my last dose was just 3 beads per day (about 0.3 mg), going off Cymbalta completely has caused some annoying symbtoms. I feel unusually slow and lazy, socially withdrawn, and my implusiveness is above normal. Luckily no headaches or brain zaps any more. I have some flu symbtoms which I doubt are related to Cymbalta withdrawal.

Not yet, but so sooon , I am hopeful, I will be Cymbalta withdrawal free!

[cookie]

Dear majnon:
I am very interested in knowing how you feel from now on. I read your last dose was 3 beads per day.
I am down to 5mg, and reducing very slowly. I am glad to hear you haven´t had brain zaps any more. I am also socially withdrawn and very impulsive.

[majnon]

It's been 4 days since last post. I am still on zero cymbalta, with some sybmtoms still left. 3 days ago I had some weird feeling, I felt like my brain is so lazy, like it it would like to go idle. I felt lazy and slow. Even my colleagues noticed that they were sometimes repeating things to me. But there was no headache. However, today I felt quite ok. I was normal. The fluish symbtoms are gone, and I am feeling like probably my body started to forget Cymbalta.

[cookie]

Dear Majnon:
I haven´t had the slow feeling on my brain, what I do have is that my brain suddenly shuts down for seconds. I am glad you felt normal today with no headache. Keep me posted on your progress.

[majnon]

Hi,
It´s been a month now on zero Cymbalta. I feel no abnormal symbtoms. No headaches, brain zaps, low energy, etc. My implusiveness is as normal as I can remeber before Cymbalta. I have been on vacation for two weeks and travelling abroad. I felt energetic. Lets see how things go after I return to work starting from tomorrow.
Cheers

[cookie]

Hi,
It´s been a month now on zero Cymbalta. I feel no abnormal symbtoms. No headaches, brain zaps, low energy, etc. My implusiveness is as normal as I can remeber before Cymbalta. I have been on vacation for two weeks and travelling abroad. I felt energetic. Lets see how things go after I return to work starting from tomorrow.
Cheers

Hello Majnon:
I am so glad to hear that you are doing so well. You are so lucky not to have abnormal symptoms, after 1 month of being off of the medication. Now that you are fine, and starting work, please take care of yourself concerning nutrition and exercise.
I am down to 4mg and it´s been a very bumpy road. I look forward to the day, I can say I have no more symptoms.
Cheers

[majnon]

Thanks cookie. I hope that you'r doing all well weaning off Cymbalta. How are you doing now?

I would like to update on my progress without Cymbalta. It's been about 3 months since I stopped taking Cymbalta completely, and about 5.5 months since I started to wean off. I have no symptoms such as headaches, brain zaps, or any other sick feeling. What I see different from the times before Cymbalta is that I generally have lower energy than I used to. I am forcing myself to go to exercise or to go out to socialize. But I am not sure if this is because of Cymbalta withdrawal or due to the harsh winter. All in all, I believe that I managed to quit Cymbalta and feeling Ok, and find no reason to get back to it at all.

[ShoppeGirl]

I went to my doctor on Friday, Feb. 11 as I was determined to get off Cymbalta 60mg. Dr. told me to throw out Cymbalta pills and follow these guidelines (my dr got this method from a psychiatrist).

1) Stop Cymbalta
2) Start Prozac 20 mg (actually I got the generic $4 Prozac from Target pharmacy) -- take two 20mg pills on Saturday (take pills together = 40mg)
3) Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - take one 20mg Prozac a day
4) Nothing on Thursday (which is today)!

I can't tell you how easy this was. The hardest part was throwing the Cymbalta pills away! I do/did not have any brain zaps, dizziness, nausea, and the like.

Trust me, this method really works!

[pamela]

I have been off Cymbalta for 5 weeks now.
I was on 60 to 90 mg for 4.5 years.

I weaned VERY slowly.........took about 3 months.

I did add Prozac in once I got to 20mg of Cymbalta. It helped me tremendously. I still had some slight withdrawal symtoms but nothing like I had experienced when I had tried cold turkey in the past.

I think that Prozac is what helped ME but I don't think that I could have done such a quick weaning as your Dr. suggested.

I am glad to see that it helped you though.
Hope that you continue to feel well... we all deserve it.

All my best!

Pam

[bschenen]

Hi Pam! was wondering as I am at 20 mg. now for ten days (had been up to 90 and on the Cymbalta for two years) exactly how much Prozac you took and how often and whether you just stopped the Cymbalta and went to Prozac... I skipped yesterday's dose of Cymbalta thinking I was done: whoa! Dizziness, nausea, disorientation, severe hip pain... not doing that again!!