5 replies to this topic

[HeavyDuty]

New to this site! I have been on 60mg every morning for I don't remember how long. I ran out of the house this morning and forgot my meds. Since I work 30 miles from home, I knew I wouldn't get to them until tonight and I don't want to take a dose before bed and then another upon waking [I can't sleep if I take it at night]. I've been having some GI discomfort -- but the diarrhea is actually preferrable to the horrible constipation and GI pain I've had for over a year. I started looking on webmd and other places about cymbalta symptoms because I couldn't help but wonder if the cymbalta might have something to do with the constipation and the 40 pounds I've gained in the last 2 years. I've always been exceedingly skinny (couldn't keep weight on), but now I can't seem to do anything but add weight on. I originally went on the cymbalta to manage NOS neuropathy in my left hand that I later discovered was from an impinged nerve. It helped with the chronic depression, too, so I thought it was a good deal. I'm not so sure anymore. Reading this blog has given me a lot of questions. I have an addictive personality/brain: I've been in recovery from alcoholism and recreational drug addiction for more than 25 years. I have been in recovery from nicotine addiction for nearly 10 years (9 years 352 days to be exact). I'm not afraid of withdrawal symptoms (coming off nicotine was worse than heroin --- sweats, convulsions, vomiting, that stuff keeps me from picking up a puff whenever I think just one won't hurt me). I realize that if I choose to go off of cymbalta, I have the risk of some serious (but non-lethal) side effects that may last for months in varying levels.

So it begs the question --- why quit cymbalta? I realize that some bloggers were only on cymbalta for a brief period of time and had terrible side effects so they are getting off of it. That's a no-brainer. I have terrible side effects from asparagus (like I want to hurl lol) so I don't eat asparagus!
But some people on here were on cymbalta for long periods of time and have chosen to go through terrible withdrawal pain and I'm sure they just aren't in it for the drama. I guess what I'm asking is if I'm missing something --- am I in a fairyland of denial where my personality is changing and my life is going to hell and I am the only one who doesn't see it. I have been actively involved with a therapist on a weekly basis and overall my life is pretty good right now, if you don't look at my housekeeping skills or checkbook balancing techniques. I have a lot of aches and pains -- could that be cymbalta or is it turning 47? I don't have the energy to exercise and I'm out of breath a lot, but is that cymbalta or age and being 40 pounds overweight? Have I lost interest in sex because of the cymbalta or because my 66 year old husband lost his when he went on blood pressure meds? The worst part about being crazy is that I don't know when I am crazy (that's when I think I'm sane), so I'm always on the look out for signs that reality and my perseption don't match.

I don't have a reliable family practioner to talk to about this -- mine moved to another practice out of state without warning and I haven't found a suitable replacement since I live way out in the boonies in the midwest (I live an hour from a mall for godsakes). Don't bother suggesting I look for a psychiatrist -- last one of those I talked to tried to diagnose me with MS and put me on neurontin --- talk about hallucinations! I lost about 18 months of my life just trying to get out of that fiasco {for the record, an MRI later showed there is NO evidence of MS or even pre-MS conditions). My Myelin is just fine, thank you very much :)

Okay, so I get off topic a lot and I like to talk, but this is my first foray into this discussion and I am really curious. Why did YOU choose to quit Cymbalta --- I am interested in your experience, strength, and hope whether you've gotten off cymbalta or just still thinking about it. We all know that Eli Lilly doesn't tell us anything and I am, understandably, distrusting of pharmaceutical companies. I want to hear from the folks in the trenches, not about the HOW, but about the WHY. I can do anything if I understand the WHY --- the HOW actually becomes the easy part once I have the motivation. If I can't remember what it was like "before" === how do I know I'm going to prefer the "after"? Thanks to all of your who have read this far -- your patience is unfortunately it's own reward. Namaste!

[cookie]

Hello Heavy Duty: I have taken cymbalta for 5 & 1/2 years. I started weaning a year ago because I felt it was not doing much for my depression anymore. Cymbalta did work for my depression at the beginning, but then it stopped working. I also gained a lot of weight while on cymbalta (44 lbs). And the weight gain even made me more depressed. I have been weaning very slowly doing small drops. In spite of this, I had a long list of emotional and physical symptoms. Some of them were new symptoms I never had prior to cymbalta. I got very close to being down to zero, but had to updose, because I wasn´t feeling well. I had fatigue, brain fog and difficulty finding words (new symptoms). I don´t know if I will be able to be completely free of this medication. I am still trying.

[JRae]

Here's my story: I came to be prescribed Cymbalta for the pain of Fibromyalgia along with depression in January 2009. It has worked well for me, but I have gained 45lbs and suffered some sexual side effects. Those things didn't both me as much as the anxiety and irritability. I approached my rheumatologist who prescribed Cymbalta and told her that I was having trouble with anxiety so we told me that she wanted to take me off Cymbalta. She had me stop taking my normal 60mg dose immediately and switch to 30mg for two weeks, and then stop completely.

The first two weeks were fine but by day 2 without any medication - I had nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, anxiety and mood swings. My symptoms got worse every day until I had bouts of uncontrollable crying and went to the ER for help. Although I called my rheumatologist and asked for her help, she took two days to return my call and had her receptionist tell me to go back on the Cymbalta. I am back at work today after my visit to the ER, trying desperately to find a psychiatrist to help me. The nurse in the ER gave me a prescription for Ativan, which might last about a week. I took a 30mg capsule of Cymbalta this morning to help me get through the day.

So, to answer your question - why stop? I just needed help and I did what my doctor told me to do. I didn't get any help. I'm still trying. I have been to a health food store and bought 5-HTP and a B-complex with Vitamin C. I don't know if it's helping but I'm going to keep searching for answers.

[cookie]

Have you considered weaning slowly???. Dropping from 30mg to 0mg would have been a huge drop for me. That is why I preferred to do it step by step. Cymbalta also comes in 20mg presentation. So you may consider updosing and then tapering slowly. B complex has helped me.

[CurlyFry92]

Hi Heavy Duty,

I came across this site SOLELY because I have made up my mind to finally quit this thing. Why do I want to quit? Like many others on here, Cymbalta helped me get through an awful time in my life about 5 years ago. Now, however, all it seems to be doing is giving me headaches, insomnia, weight gain, and a general apathetic feeling towards everything- even things that I once loved. The only question is: timing. I'm on the eve of starting a new school year (I'm a Special Education teacher), and noting that most withdrawal symptoms seem to revolve around general irritability and brain fogs, I am definitely hesitant. Now, I need to decide whether it's more vital that I wean myself off this stuff and get my zest for life back, or that I wait until next summer break hits, to ensure that I don't incidently take my withdrawal effects out on my students and coworkers... lol. Good luck!

[cookie]

Hi Heavy Duty,

I came across this site SOLELY because I have made up my mind to finally quit this thing. Why do I want to quit? Like many others on here, Cymbalta helped me get through an awful time in my life about 5 years ago. Now, however, all it seems to be doing is giving me headaches, insomnia, weight gain, and a general apathetic feeling towards everything- even things that I once loved. The only question is: timing. I'm on the eve of starting a new school year (I'm a Special Education teacher), and noting that most withdrawal symptoms seem to revolve around general irritability and brain fogs, I am definitely hesitant. Now, I need to decide whether it's more vital that I wean myself off this stuff and get my zest for life back, or that I wait until next summer break hits, to ensure that I don't incidently take my withdrawal effects out on my students and coworkers... lol. Good luck!

Dear Heavy Duty:

Could you describe your brain fog????. I have also had the irritability during withdrawal and the apathetic feeling during the 6 years I have taken cymbalta