6 replies to this topic

[CrazyinBama]

I just found this website and had to register because I need all the help I can get right now. I returned from Iraq in OCT 2003. Got out of the service in January 2004. My father, 43, died in Febuary 2004. My son was born a little early in June 2004. I completely flipped my wig in July 2004. Doctor says it was due to all the stresses of the past 18 months, and I have no doubts that it was. So the doctor tells me I need a shrink and prescribes me lexapro. 5 days of lexapro and I can not even sit up in the bed. I quit it and go to the doctor and am prescribed Effexor XR (don't remember the dosage). It works good for about 2 years, then it doesn't work anymore. Anxiety attacks and extreme pissed-off-ness occurs regularly. Go back to doctor and get switched to Cymbalta ***THE NEW MIRACLE DRUG***. Works absolutley wonderful for eliminating Panic attacks completely. Doesn't do so good on spells of anger, but I attribute this, at first" to my always being somewhat of a hothead.

almost 5 years (that's over 1800 pills, or 108,000 mgs) and I realize finally that most of my problems now are actually being cause by the miracle drug that is supposed to be helping me. I decide to ween myself off, DID NOT WORK! went back to taking the prescription crack. Time rolls around for a refill and I say to hell with it, I'm going cold turkey, it worked for drinking and smoking so why not do it for cymbalta. That was 8 days ago. Out of the 8 days so far I have not had a single day without the Zaps, sweating, Nausea, Headaches, EXTREME pissed-off-ness, riging in the ears, and my personal favorite symptom, AIWS! I have not had a spell of AIWS since i was 10 or 11 years old. The past 8 days have been quite the experience though.
AIWS, just in case you havent heard of it, is short for Alice in Wonderland Syndrome. And yes it is real and not some wierd name for a symptom like BrainZaps. It is described as a loss of depth perception in all 3 dimensions. It's kinda like an out of body experince where you are touching the remote but you have no idea how since it seems to be miles away from you. You look at your 19" TV and wonder why it is 6 feet tall. Or your wife says something to you and you hear it but have no clue how you did since according to your perception she is about 50 miles across the 12 foot room from you. (LMAO this a fun symptom to describe).
I made this account because I am completely aware that I am going to need help through this time, however long it may last, and all the apathy in the world is no replacement for first hand knowledge.

I will try to keep this topic updated with my progress. I will NOT under any circumstances start back taking this prescription crack, even if it kills me. I refuse to let a dependance rule my life any longer than it already has. I am going to let you know what cold turkey is like without any supplements, vitamins, or any change in diet at all, and it should be quite a fun ride for tose who choose to read my seemingly endless rambling. Any encouraging words you may offer will be GREATLY appriciated, and I apologize in advance if I am having a badder (yes I mean Badder) than normal day. I also hope that my story will help someone else as I don't wish this on anyone. After I am 100% back to just being 100% natural crazy and not this Cymbalta crazy I fully intend to look into a lawsuit due to the lack of study done on this drug and its side effects before it was released. Don't care about the money I can just hope that it will raise awareness as to how evil this drug is.

[Timber]

I don't see how anyone can go cold turkey from this drug. I lowered my doses and still had side effects that if were worse, I would have been afraid I would hurt someone. I couldn't trust myself with the grandchildren alone because I really had strong upset feelings throughout. Finally back on Prozac and it has taken effect again. The Cymbalta I will NEVER go on again. Did Prozac, Effexor XR then Cymbalta because I kept getting immune to the drugs as time went on the same with Cymbalta but the withdrawal was hell.

[AngelCoronado]

I had to cold turkey it because i ran out and i can't afford this medicine on my own, i am going through exactly what u r. I was driving the other day and my depth perception was off i got so scared because the stop light looked s mile away when in actuality it was five feet away thank god no one was behind me or in front I've been in my house the last three days feeling like death these brain zaps are terrible, they have escalated into arm zaps as well im not sure y either, i only get five hours of sleep at a time i feel like my whole body is tense at work the other day i was making the squeezing motion as if i had stress balls in my hands I HAD NOTHING IN MY HANDS this is a terrible pill and doctors should loose their licenses for prescribing it, the creators should b in jail, or made to take these and b forced off them i will never recommend this pill to anyone its awful, im 19 i shouldn't feel like killing myself to just get rid of this pain its causing

[mrsmoe95]

I had been on it for 4 years and during that 4 years I didn't have ONE DAY that I felt normal. I went to the doctor again and again and was told that all my symptoms were due to my fibromyalgia. When I went into a severe depression last month (worst one yet) and suddenly developed suicidal thoughts, I got terrified and did some research and discovered they were from the Cymbalta. I stopped THAT DAY. Within 24 hours my depression started to lift, bu the other side effects settled in. It has been 3 1/2 weeks of pure and utter hell, but I am not depressed nor am I thinking this world would be better off without me. One added benefit is that I have my emotions back! It has been so long since I have felt anything at all so yes, these symptoms seem unbearable but I see a big light at the end of the tunnel. Hang in there! It will get better And in my humble opinion, going cold turkey is the only way to do it. From all accounts I've read, weaning off it only draws out the torture.

[Imasurvivor]

I've been cold turkey for 15 days and you're right it has been pure HELL! I've been on antidepressants for 9 years. Effexor XR first and then Cymbalta for the past 4. At first it worked but then after moving up to 120mg I just wasnt feeling right. So I came down to 90mg gradually n felt better once my body adjusted. Finally I decided I wanted OFF totally but my dr leaned towards keeping me on until my divorce was done n I was in a calmer place. So i stayed at 90. Divorce final a yr n a half ago so I came down to 60 n stayed there for 6 months. With each decrease there were always the same symptoms, buzzing in ears, brain zaps, weird or disturbing dreams, fogginess, headaches n flu like symptoms. Next I gradually moved to 30mg and then from 30 to 20. With that I added new symptoms of anxiety n quick "temperedness". My kids were very worried about my jumpiness but I assured them it was just one of the w/d symptoms. They lasted for 2 months. I stayed at 20 mg for the last 4 months and then planned to gradually ween off over the next two months before I had to return to work. Oops went in vacation n lost perscription bottle, newly renewed prescription bottle... Figured ok no biggie it's only 20 mg n my dr had even said I could stop at any time... Holy $#¡+ nothing could have prepared me for this!!!!!! Add to symptoms fits of uncontrollable sobbing, vivid nightmares, exhaustion, restless leg syndrome, joint pain, neck stiffness AND all previous symptoms. I feel like I'm 102 which is double my age... I know I'm forgetting things here coz I'm so tired n it's hard to focus but I wanted to start getting my story out there. Although I feel horrible I'm a little better each day. This site gave me hope and reminded me I wasn't crazy! I hope I can help someone else. I have a feeling I'll be preaching this message for year to come, warning others... What's really scary is that my 19 yr old daughter is still on 120mg n I have that to deal with once I'm stronger.

[Imasurvivor]

Oh and someone posted in a different spot about WEIGHT GAIN and that's happened to me too and was a complete shock! I was losing weight because I had given up dt soda, sugar and started exercising... Now I'm gaining! I give up!!!

[Jennib69]

I've been on 60mg for over a year. The symptoms I was originally prescribed the drug for recently came back. I tried the 30mg for a week a while back- horrible!! This time I decided I'm done even if it kills me. I cannot live devoid of human emotion a day longer!!
I'm currently at day 4 of "getting clean" and am trying so hard to just get through each day. Thank God I do not work as this would be impossible!! I have every symptom described and probably a few more. I actually have feelings again although crying and laughing hysterically to the point of bawling isn't exactly what I was after lol. I think the brain zaps are probably the worst although the AIWL run a pretty close second. I have not set foot outside my house in 4 days and personal hygiene like showers and hair washing take all I can muster.
Seriously this drug is worse than anything I have every taken in my life!!! I've had bouts of depression and been on the gamut of every drug out there starting with Prozac 20 years ago and have never experienced anything even remotely close. The Cymbalta was prescribed for Fibromyalgia and the accompanying depression that comes with it. I gained 35 pounds on the stuff- side effect?? And no form of dieting or exercise would rid me of the extra weight. I feel like I have lost all quality of life on this drug and am beginning to wonder if I'll ever get it back!!!
Please tell me has anyone out there become normal again after the Cymbalta fiasco??? I just really need to know...