I'd been on Cymbalta for several years, 60mg. I decided to stop taking it cold turkey three weeks ago and I started feeling a lot better - no more depression or suicidal thoughts. At first I was having severe brain zaps, but they have calmed down considerably in the recent days. I have, however, been finding myself becoming extremely irritable over the past week. I googled this and found that this is a normal withdrawal symptom. I had my first appointment with a "nurse counselor" today and she was 100% clueless about these withdrawal symptoms! She looked at me like I was from outer space when I mentioned brain zaps and when I mentioned my irritability, she said that she thinks I should go to anger management courses and suggested that I have a mood disorder. I KNOW that this is a withdrawal symptom. Why doesn't she? She is a professional.
Withdrawal Symptoms - Irritability
Started by HRSA5591, Oct 19 2011 04:39 PM
6 replies to this topic
#3
TinyTimmyTom
-
- Members
-
- 12 posts
Member
Posted 01 November 2011 - 12:10 AM
Irritability is a withdrawal symptom. I'm feeling it at this moment. I'm one week cold turkey off of 60mg.
I would consider switching nurses or showing her some of your findings. She's obviously wrong. As a counselor you're supposed to listen and support, not judge...
I would consider switching nurses or showing her some of your findings. She's obviously wrong. As a counselor you're supposed to listen and support, not judge...
#4
madbookworm
-
- Members
-
- 10 posts
Member
Posted 08 November 2011 - 05:23 PM
This scares me. Irritability was the main reason I decided to go on Cymbalta. I'm normally a pretty laid-back person, but I found myself having these moments when I was ready to deck somebody over some trivial thing. Cymbalta took care of the irritability, all right, and it also took care of numerous aches and pains (I'm in my 60's) but I have become so sluggish that if my husband doesn't keep bugging me to get up and move around, I would probably just sleep around the clock. I don't care about eating, drinking, going anywhere - and I am likely to fall asleep - sitting up - while watching TV or a movie. And my balance has become a lot klutzier than it was, and when I first wake up, I can't think of the right words and my speech is very hard to understand. And I ITCH!!! I have been taking Benadryl like crazy because although there is no rash, I have this constant itching everywhere - inner ears, eyeballs, EVERYWHERE!
I'm more than ready to get off the stuff, but it seems like a good idea to do it slowly.
I'm more than ready to get off the stuff, but it seems like a good idea to do it slowly.
#5
madbookworm
-
- Members
-
- 10 posts
Member
Posted 09 November 2011 - 03:35 AM
Can somebody tell me more about the "brain zaps?" Do they feel like an electric jolt? Are they just a moment when you can't remember who or where you are? Do they make it dangerous to drive? I know absolutely NOTHING about them and would appreciate any info. Thanks, y'all.
#6
Melanie2
-
- Members
-
- 4 posts
Newbie
Posted 09 November 2011 - 04:53 PM
Can somebody tell me more about the "brain zaps?" Do they feel like an electric jolt? Are they just a moment when you can't remember who or where you are? Do they make it dangerous to drive? I know absolutely NOTHING about them and would appreciate any info. Thanks, y'all.
The best way I can describe them is it feels like your brain is chewing on tin foil. Very unpleasant sensation but not painful. There was no loss of consciousness or awareness. I had them frequently for about two weeks after I went cold turkey off of 60mg but I was still able to drive. I also had head-rushes, like a burst of adrenaline for no reason. All my withdrawal effects are gone now (been off for a month) but I know everyone is different and I wasn't on it too long. Good luck to you; hope your withdrawal is swift and with little incident.
#7
purplemusic
-
- Members
-
- 5 posts
Newbie
Posted 16 November 2011 - 12:12 PM
This scares me. Irritability was the main reason I decided to go on Cymbalta. I'm normally a pretty laid-back person, but I found myself having these moments when I was ready to deck somebody over some trivial thing. Cymbalta took care of the irritability, all right, and it also took care of numerous aches and pains (I'm in my 60's) but I have become so sluggish that if my husband doesn't keep bugging me to get up and move around, I would probably just sleep around the clock. I don't care about eating, drinking, going anywhere - and I am likely to fall asleep - sitting up - while watching TV or a movie. And my balance has become a lot klutzier than it was, and when I first wake up, I can't think of the right words and my speech is very hard to understand. And I ITCH!!! I have been taking Benadryl like crazy because although there is no rash, I have this constant itching everywhere - inner ears, eyeballs, EVERYWHERE!
I'm more than ready to get off the stuff, but it seems like a good idea to do it slowly.
Irritability was one of the reasons my doc put me on Cymbalta, too. I felt the same as you, ready to beat the living crap out of anything or anyone. I'm also very sluggish, could sleep all day and have no motivation. This scares me, too. One of the other reasons I got on Cymbalta was to help the feeling of worthlessness I was experiencing. My depression got to the point where I felt there was no light at the end of the tunnel. Even though I am SO BLESSED, I still felt like I had nothing to be happy about and that everyone else would be better off without me. I have contemplated suicide, but I honestly don't think I could bring myself to do it. Cymbalta wired me and I was so "up." I felt positive and motivated. It did make me feel better, but I just don't want to be on this for the rest of my life. I feel I'm in a good place in my life and that now is the time to get off of it. Since I've started weaning myself, I have not had the motivation to go anywhere, I'm much more tired than I should be, and I'm very irritible! I'm scared, but I also don't want to be dependant on this drug for life. So I'm taking vitamins and supplements, eating better and trying to exercise. The exercise is the tough one for me! I KNOW it's best, but I just can't get motivated to do it. Speaking of the itching, I have itched for several years while on the Cymbalta and always thought that it was the lack of humidity. I live in Arkansas and in the summers it is very humid. I do just fine and don't itch as much. But in the winter, when the humidity is lower, I itch like crazy all over my body. My highest dose was 60mg/day. My doc suggested I alternate days; 60mg one day and 40mg the next. I did this for a month just fine with no symptoms. The next month I alternated 40mg one day and 20mg the next. Again, just fine. For the next phase, she wanted me to alternate 20mg one day and zero the next. I couldn't take it! So I started reading here and decided to count beads. I take a 20mg capsule, which has 185 beads in it, and I have stared taking 18 beads out. I am going to do this for a week. Next week, I will take 36 beads out. It has not been too bad so far. I hope all goes well with you as you get off of it. Shelly
1 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users
