10 replies to this topic

[pnutmusic]

My doctor told me there are no withdrawal symptoms for cymbalta....

I called them asking for help and they basically said I'm crazy and should feel fine.

I don't know how much more of this I can handle

[mmd]

you have handled enough. the way you feel is real .
find a different doctor who you feel is helping you.
its ok if you go to a walk in!
good luck and keep in touch with other cymbalta users and x-users via this forum.
there is alot of great info here, right out of the horses mouth!

[pnutmusic]

I Can't switch doctors. Neither my PC or My therapist will listen, help or anything. I have read so much in here and it is all so true but if I can't get help from the medical professionals what do I do? Anyone in the Phoenix AZ area That knows someone that would be willing to help? Its coming to a life or death situation anymore.

[cookie]

Dear pnutmusic:

I am not a Doctor, just a cymbalta user and severe depression sufferer. I have been reading this site for a while and have learned through my own experience and other people´s experiences.

One of the things I´ve learned is to listen to my body, I´ve learn to feel and to write down what I feel. I think each person knows her body very well, and can tell if something is unusual. (Even though the doctors tell you, you “should feel” fine)

You mention that you are on 120mg but I still have some questions:
-Why was cymbalta prescribed in the first place? (Fibromyalgia or Depression)
-How did you quit cymbalta? (cold turkey, weaning)
-How long ago did you quit cymbalta?

From what I´ve read on this site, there are other people who have taken 120mg. So it seems it is safe. Each person needs a different dosage. I took 60mg for 5 years. There was a period of time in which my dosage was increased to 90mg. I didn´t get additional benefits from that dosage, all I got was additional side effects. The dosage in which I felt the best was at 20mg. Which made me ask myself why I had been on such unnecessary high dosages for such a long time

You are definitely not alone. diarrhea, body pain, mental disturbances, crying bouts have been withdrawal symptoms I´ve had. I also feel that my brain is not functioning properly and it plays “tricks” on me. When you mention that “I can't even place at times where I am or what I am doing” it reminds me one day I was watching a TV program I watch –everyday- and suddenly I didn´t know where I was, who I was, what program I was watching.

Since you say you quit cymbalta for insurance reasons and from the severity of your symptoms I assume you quit cold turkey or you went too fast on your weaning.

I have weaned slowly for 5 months doing small drops. I came down to 10mg from 60mg. I´ve also had withdrawal symptoms but I have been able to function.
If you quit cold turkey from 120mg it explains the severity of your symptoms.

Again I am not a doctor, but I would go back to a certain dosage of cymbalta in which you feel well and then start weaning slowly from there. The ideal thing would be to have your doctors support and supervision through this process

One of the problems of society nowadays is that one has to put an image of perfection and strenght the whole time. But it is OK to feel weak sometimes. It is important that you find support from a family member or friend that you trust: To be free, to show you your weakness during this period.

Please keep me updated on your progress
Hugs
Cookie

[pnutmusic]

Thank you cookie.

I was on cymbalta for both depression and fibromyalgia

I did wean quickly. 60 mg every five days. Now thirty mg

I know its fast but I had no choice. I'll live I think!

And you are rigtht, it is ok to feel weak.... I do. I really do but it just seems like no one else is willing to accepty weakness

[cookie]

Accepting my "weakness" is something that I learned for the past 5 years. I was always a "super woman", until the day, that my world fell down, at the beginning I tried to keep a perfect image, but then it was just imposible.

[kdeon]

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[kdeon]

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Dear pnutmusic,
This is my first time on this site. I feel your fustratation on your Dr. not believing your symptoms are from the Cymbalta withdrawl. I am currently going thru the same thing. Just finsihed a wean of 120 mg on Oct 8. It took me 20 days to wean off after being on it for 3 years. I was on it due to depression to to chronic pain, I have had a daily chronic migraine for 3 straight years now. My dr. also said there was no such thing as withdrawl symptoms or discontiuation sydrome from Cymbalta as it is medically termed. (B.S.) I had researched on the net the withdrawl symptoms when I reached 30 mgs because of side effects. I could not believe the info and the amount of people I saw that had all kinds of side effects. I know everyone is different, but there is alot of us out there having alot of problems with this drug. The most fustrating part is, is that the Drs. that prescribe us this drug, are the one's that are denying that we are withdrawing from this drug. To be fair not all of them are denying it, but some. It will be 2 weeks friday that I will be off of this poison, can you tell I have become bitter of RX drugs. I am used to having pain in my head with these migraines, but with the other withdrawl effects, headache or on me it feels like pressure, balance disorder, which 2 days after I stopped I was hanging onto the walls to walk for 5 days, brain zaps, confusion, no appetite. I am no longer holding onto the walls, but I am walking like a turtle my head is in so much pain. The cymbalta also has a pain inhibitor in it so it is making my migraines worse now that I am off of it.

I am working with a pain clinic trying to decrease the amount of RX meds I was put on, thank god none of them were narcotics. I really understand your fustration. We expect our Drs to be there for us when we are going thru physical and emotional issues, especially a Psychiatrist. And when they Deny what we know is true, (we know our own bodies), it is infuriating. It only compounds the situation. It stresses us out more. It makes our physical and emotional health worse than it should be. When I saw my Dr. last Weds. and I had to literally hang onto the Walls because of the balance issue and could barely keep my eyes open, he knew what kind of trouble I was in. Because of the side effects being in my head and my existing med, cond with my Migraines, I was in trouble. He asked me to call him the next day and if not better by friday to go to the hosp. I called on Thurs. he never returned my call. I went to the ER, called him on Fri. he never returned my Call. I had an appt. with him at the end of the month. I decided that I pay him, he works for me. I think he was trying to cover his butt, that is why he did not call me back. Needless to say, HE will no longer be my Dr. I would never trust him again.

I hope that your symptoms do not last to long, I know what your going thru, it is hell...... When these Drug companies make these drugs, They test the side effect, but Im sure they do NOT do studies on the withdrawl symptoms , they dont have time to keep people on these drugs and follow them for a couple of years and then watch what happens when they go off of them. If they did, the FDA would NEVER have approved this drug. You are going to have to find a new Psychiatrist like I am going to have to. I am still on Wellbutrin, I had severe depression because of these daily migraines. I have been out of work for the past 3 years, Im 51, going thru menopause. The Er diagnosed me with Cymbalta withdrawl, advised me that the Average withdrawl time after completely stopping is 1 - 2 weeks, and said it was more complex because of my chronic migraine history. I pray that I am going to be one of the average withdrawl users if I may call myself. And as sadly as it my sound " I cant wait to get back to my Old Migraine Self, I can deal with that " LOL. We are Strong, we will make it thru this. Hang in there !

[cookie]

Dear pnutmusic,
This is my first time on this site. I feel your fustratation on your Dr. not believing your symptoms are from the Cymbalta withdrawl. I am currently going thru the same thing. Just finsihed a wean of 120 mg on Oct 8. It took me 20 days to wean off after being on it for 3 years. I was on it due to depression to to chronic pain, I have had a daily chronic migraine for 3 straight years now. My dr. also said there was no such thing as withdrawl symptoms or discontiuation sydrome from Cymbalta as it is medically termed. (B.S.) I had researched on the net the withdrawl symptoms when I reached 30 mgs because of side effects. I could not believe the info and the amount of people I saw that had all kinds of side effects. I know everyone is different, but there is alot of us out there having alot of problems with this drug. The most fustrating part is, is that the Drs. that prescribe us this drug, are the one's that are denying that we are withdrawing from this drug. To be fair not all of them are denying it, but some. It will be 2 weeks friday that I will be off of this poison, can you tell I have become bitter of RX drugs. I am used to having pain in my head with these migraines, but with the other withdrawl effects, headache or on me it feels like pressure, balance disorder, which 2 days after I stopped I was hanging onto the walls to walk for 5 days, brain zaps, confusion, no appetite. I am no longer holding onto the walls, but I am walking like a turtle my head is in so much pain. The cymbalta also has a pain inhibitor in it so it is making my migraines worse now that I am off of it.

I am working with a pain clinic trying to decrease the amount of RX meds I was put on, thank god none of them were narcotics. I really understand your fustration. We expect our Drs to be there for us when we are going thru physical and emotional issues, especially a Psychiatrist. And when they Deny what we know is true, (we know our own bodies), it is infuriating. It only compounds the situation. It stresses us out more. It makes our physical and emotional health worse than it should be. When I saw my Dr. last Weds. and I had to literally hang onto the Walls because of the balance issue and could barely keep my eyes open, he knew what kind of trouble I was in. Because of the side effects being in my head and my existing med, cond with my Migraines, I was in trouble. He asked me to call him the next day and if not better by friday to go to the hosp. I called on Thurs. he never returned my call. I went to the ER, called him on Fri. he never returned my Call. I had an appt. with him at the end of the month. I decided that I pay him, he works for me. I think he was trying to cover his butt, that is why he did not call me back. Needless to say, HE will no longer be my Dr. I would never trust him again.

I hope that your symptoms do not last to long, I know what your going thru, it is hell...... When these Drug companies make these drugs, They test the side effect, but Im sure they do NOT do studies on the withdrawl symptoms , they dont have time to keep people on these drugs and follow them for a couple of years and then watch what happens when they go off of them. If they did, the FDA would NEVER have approved this drug. You are going to have to find a new Psychiatrist like I am going to have to. I am still on Wellbutrin, I had severe depression because of these daily migraines. I have been out of work for the past 3 years, Im 51, going thru menopause. The Er diagnosed me with Cymbalta withdrawl, advised me that the Average withdrawl time after completely stopping is 1 - 2 weeks, and said it was more complex because of my chronic migraine history. I pray that I am going to be one of the average withdrawl users if I may call myself. And as sadly as it my sound " I cant wait to get back to my Old Migraine Self, I can deal with that " LOL. We are Strong, we will make it thru this. Hang in there !

Dear Kdeon:
Dropping from 120mg to 0mg in 20 days after being on cymbalta for 3 years seems very fast for me. It has taken me 6 months to reduce from 60mg to 8mg, it hasn´t been easy.

I totally agree when you say “we know our own bodies”. That is one of the things I learned in this process. I keep a daily diary with all my physical and emotional symptoms. Like you say: “I cant wait to get back to my Old Migraine Self, I can deal with that " I also want to be side and withdrawal effects free. I just want to feel the real me. Whatever that brings

I am so sorry to hear about your balance disorder. I hope that gets better.

Now that you mention menopause, I´ve noticed a link between hormones and my emotional state. I´ve seen that there is a period on the menstrual cycle in which my emotional symptoms get worse. So maybe menopause has to do with the Depression??’

[kdeon]

Dear Kdeon:
Dropping from 120mg to 0mg in 20 days after being on cymbalta for 3 years seems very fast for me. It has taken me 6 months to reduce from 60mg to 8mg, it hasn´t been easy.

I totally agree when you say “we know our own bodies”. That is one of the things I learned in this process. I keep a daily diary with all my physical and emotional symptoms. Like you say: “I cant wait to get back to my Old Migraine Self, I can deal with that " I also want to be side and withdrawal effects free. I just want to feel the real me. Whatever that brings

I am so sorry to hear about your balance disorder. I hope that gets better.

Now that you mention menopause, I´ve noticed a link between hormones and my emotional state. I´ve seen that there is a period on the menstrual cycle in which my emotional symptoms get worse. So maybe menopause has to do with the Depression??’



I know that sometimes Depression can be a part of menopause because of the erractic hormone levels. These migraines actually started again when I started getting night sweats in peri menopause. I do believe they are related to menopause. I also believe the depression is related to the chronic daily migraines. So either way, I have two things going against me at this time of my life. Good old middle age. It will be two weeks tomm. that I will be off of the Cymbalta. I have an appt. with my Pain mgt Dr. next Tues. I am determined that no matter how long these side effects last, I refuse to go back on this drug. I am so lucky I am not working right now. Actually there is no way I could be. There is so much confusion, I am forgetting so much, it is really scary. I am finding humor in it though. The other day I was making meatballs, I had the bowl on the counter and had not mixed it all together yet. Then I went to feed my dog Chloe. I use dry and wet food. I put the dry food in and then took the can of wet food and thought I was putting it in her food, after I finished, I realized I had put the half of the can in the meatball mix. Its a good thing the consistency of the dog food was compact almost like cranberry sauce, and that I had'nt broken it down much. I was able to just scrape it out. It was chicken and rice. Of course I never told the people who were eating them, and they really came out awesome. LOL> There are so many times in the past 2 weeks that my concentration level is not there, Im so forgetful, I go to let my dog in the house, she is already in, I called my husband yesterday at work, forgot who I was calling, which Ive done b4, no big deal, but when he answered I didnt even recognized his voice until he said hello 3 times. Too many things to mention how scary it is, almost like I have alzheimers or something. Its a good thing that I have a pill box and do it once or week or I would be overdosing. I have to write down things thru out the day or I will forget them. I will make it thru this, but cannot believe how challenging this is. I saw the Cymbalta commercial on TV today Depression hurts, they have a 1-877-Cymbalta no. to call. They will be hearing from me. I am also going to do some research to see if there is support group in the area for Anti depressant withdrawl, I really dont think there is. I live in western Mass. If not, I may be on a mission, I have the time and resources to put something together.

[cookie]

Dear Kdeon:
I am still taking some dosage of cymbalta, it hasn´t been easy, but if I am able to quit this medicine I do not want to get back on it either, in spite of the withdrawals. I am also lucky I am not working right now. I just admire people who quit the med and have to go to work.
It is good that you are finding humor. Your story on the meatballs and the dog food was real funny. I am forgetful too. The other day I had lunch with a co-worker and I couldn´t remember the names of the people who worked with me for so many years. I had the image of their faces in my mind, but I had no idea what their names were. I am not a doctor but I do not think you have alzheimers.
Hugs
Cookie