Hi there, First, good job on getting off Cymbalta. I just finished tapering off 4 days ago and they have been a little tough with anxiety. It could be a lingering ill effect from the cymbalta but it seems unlikely if this is the only symptom and it has been that long.Hi All! I've posted on here a few times and now I'm back. I have been Cymbalta-free for a few months now and thought I was really starting to feel great. No more side effects, back to my old self, etc. However, about 4 weeks ago I started developing insomnia. At first I thought little of it, but it has progressed to a nightly thing, where I am not getting more than a couple hours of sleep. Feeling desperate, I made an appt. with the Dr. who gave me Lunesta, which worked great in helping me GET to sleep but not stay asleep. I would wake again about 4 hours after taking it and not be able to go back to sleep. So, I made another appt. and the Dr. now has me prescribed Celexa (for anxiety) and Ambien. I have not taken the Celexa because I do NOT want back on the med roller coaster and am scared to death after my wretched withdrawal from Cymbalta. I really don't want to be on meds but I am scared that maybe I need to be...this of course now has me feeling anxious, scared, and obsessive so I feel like I'm caught in a vicious cycle. I am becoming anxious from lack of sleep, worrying that I now have an anxiety problem, etc. and I'm just scared. I never saw myself as an anxious person. I feel pretty good through the day, not like I have debilitating anxiety or anything. It's becoming a problem though because now I THINK about the possibility that I have anxiety which makes me have anxiety... I really would like some relief and am tempted to just start the Celexa. What do I do? I wonder if my brain is still trying to even out after the Cymbalta and that is why I'm feeling this way? Any thoughts are appreciated. My Dr. really seems to have no interest in the matter and just wants to get me in and out of the office as quick as possible.
I would try the following: tart cherry extract-helps the body produce natural melatonin, Omega 3 fish oil or flax oil, a good multiple vitamin, additional vitamin D3, sublingual B12. The other thing I have found helpful is EFT-emotional freedom technique. Search on youtube for EFT and sleep or insomnia and just try out some of the videos there and you can also google it and check out some of the links.
You should also do some research into what vitamins can help insomnia. Look for some Sleep CDs. I would try to avoid the Ambien since some of those things can be as bad or worse than the cymbalta.
Hope you find relief very soon.
Best wishes,
Elaine