I have been on Cymbalta for about a year. I was up to 90 mg. Over the past 6 months have weened down to 20mgs. I suffer from constipation constantly and have been hospitalized twice in the last year for diverticulitis and just recently have had another attack. I have wanted to stop the drug but my Dr insists that I stay on it. I can no longer stand the constipation and the fear of having surgery due to the diverticulitis. Surgery has been suggested but I really don't want to go there. I started weening myself off of the 20mg by taking it everyother day over about 3 weeks. 10 days ago I stopped taking it altogether. I have had lots of nausea and a low grade fever and lots of sweats on a regular basis also I feel very weepy. Not sleeping well either. How long does this take to feel better, and is there anything I can do to help myself through this? I should have started this by saying I am so greatful for this site and all the topics from other people that are withdrawing from this awful drug.
Any suggestions or support will be welcome. I think I'm going crazy trying to figure out what is wrong with me and will I ever be normal again. Thanks everyone for being there.
Just Stopped Cymbalta 10 Days Ago
Started by Lucienne, Dec 10 2011 11:46 AM
7 replies to this topic
#3
Gracie2012
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Posted 09 February 2012 - 05:23 PM
Dear Lucienne,
I am new here, but when I read you had been hospitalized twice for Diverticulitis from the Cymbalta/constipation, I just wanted to write to you and tell you my heart goes out to you. I've been there too w/that from constipation. Very painful when it turns from Diverticulosis to 'itis' (where there is an infection involved).
Hoping the rest of your withdrawal gets easier for you. I have not yet started mine, but will soon.
Why do doctors put us on this stuff? Do they NOT know what we are in for coming off of it?! I think NOT?!
Take good care, Gracie
I am new here, but when I read you had been hospitalized twice for Diverticulitis from the Cymbalta/constipation, I just wanted to write to you and tell you my heart goes out to you. I've been there too w/that from constipation. Very painful when it turns from Diverticulosis to 'itis' (where there is an infection involved).
Hoping the rest of your withdrawal gets easier for you. I have not yet started mine, but will soon.
Why do doctors put us on this stuff? Do they NOT know what we are in for coming off of it?! I think NOT?!
Take good care, Gracie
#4
jlb
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Posted 10 February 2012 - 08:40 PM
I just cried so hard when I found this website. I stopped my Cymbalta 8 days ago, after weaning from 90 mg to 60 mg to 30 mg in what was my opinion too fast of a wean. Now I feel horrible! It started 2 days after my last dose, and I thought it was just a sinus infection, because I get those often, and possibly the flu bug, as I had been around my nieces and nephews, who were sick. Yesterday, when I still wasn't better, I started wondering if it might be the Cymbalta. I was on Paxil a long time ago, and was taken off that without weaning, and felt horrible until they put me back on it. But that was nothing compared to this! I have the sinus pain, dizziness, weakness, hot and cold flashes, nausea, diarrhea, low energy, muscle fatigue, bad dreams, rage, and "brain zaps", as people are describing them (I was having a funny feeling in my head and didn't know how to describe it, but I think that does a perfect job!). And each day doesn't seem to get any better. I am lucky enough to have 5 days off of work due to the way the schedule was made, but I'm worried that this will still persist when I go back to work? I can hardly function now around my house! After an hour or two I have to lay back down, and even then I don't really feel any better. My psych told me that the biggest thing with this would be nausea, and to drink tea to help it, but I did that and it's not working, and there are a whole lot more side effects than just nausea. I also have been very emotional, and have felt almost violent at times. I have gotten into several arguments with my husband, and I think he thinks I'm crazy! But I knew that wasn't it...I work in medicine and know my body pretty well, and this just doesn't feel right. I'm just praying that this ends soon, because I don't know how much more I can handle. I want so bad to get out of the house and live a normal life, but how can I do that when I can hardly stand in the shower without feeling like crap? Like I said, I cried and cried when I found this website...to know that this wasn't all in my head and that there are thousands of other people who are going through the same thing. I will never ever recommend this drug to anyone...for the reason that both its side effects and withdrawal symptoms suck! I'm so grateful to have people to share this with...people that are not on or have not been on Cymbalta do not understand! I will be praying that people on here will find improvement in their symptoms, and that we will find a way to make the general public aware of this horrible medicine!
#5
GoziTheGreat
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Posted 11 February 2012 - 01:32 AM
Please, please be careful & take care of yourself. I have been struggling with depression for over half my life. Please see a doctor even if you have to fire the one you had before. If you were taking Cymbalta for depression, please get on another medication. It is possible for one to get off meds for medication. I know people who did. But we are this depressed where we have difficulty functioning, we are not ready. Please stay very close to your support network. If you are in a relationship or have a family please let them know what is going on. Please get back on some kind of meds & seek counseling to help you vent whatever it is to a neutral party & to work through whatever you need to. I stumbled upon this site because I stopped Cymbalta 2 days ago, but I am still on another medication. Take good care.
#6
GoziTheGreat
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Posted 11 February 2012 - 01:39 AM
I feel like crap too, but for me too, it is the physical crap, nausea vomiting etc. I tried getting off Cymbalta a few years ago & I had the depression & irritability side affects. Now that I'm a little older I have these flu symptoms. I am glad I found this site. I was wondering why I was so ill beyond the dizziness, brain weirdness and I thought maybe it wasn't simply food poisoning. I realized that it could be the Cymbalta! I haven't taken it for 3 days. I decided to look it up and here are all these other folks suffering through this along with me. Thanks for sharing your stories.
#7
jlb
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Posted 12 February 2012 - 05:42 PM
Thanks. 
I am doing okay depression-wise, but am only depressed because of the way I feel and the fact that I can't physically do anything. I want to exercise, to go out with my husband and friends, and to eat without throwing up, but it just hasn't happened yet. This is Day #10 for me, and I don't know how much more of this I can handle. My sinuses are bothering me, and an antibiotic isn't doing anything for them (I think I saw people on here write that they also are having sinus pain). Sometimes I can eat without throwing up, other times I get so nauseous that it doesn't stay down. And I have completely lost my taste for most foods. I have very little strength and just need to get through this rough patch. I do have to say, some things are getting better. The hot/cold thing is starting to improve, as is the "brain zaps". It's just the overall feeling of not feeling well. I feel like the world is going on without me, and I just am anxious to get back on track. How long did it take you to get rid of symptoms before? Cause this is crazy! I have a note from the ER that I don't have to return to work until Thursday, but I'm afraid I'll get fired if I keep missing days. I just can't go to work though, not to take care of critically ill patients when I myself am not feeling right. I go see my psychiatrist on Tuesday, and we will be having a "chat". I can't continue to keep feeling this lousy.
I am doing okay depression-wise, but am only depressed because of the way I feel and the fact that I can't physically do anything. I want to exercise, to go out with my husband and friends, and to eat without throwing up, but it just hasn't happened yet. This is Day #10 for me, and I don't know how much more of this I can handle. My sinuses are bothering me, and an antibiotic isn't doing anything for them (I think I saw people on here write that they also are having sinus pain). Sometimes I can eat without throwing up, other times I get so nauseous that it doesn't stay down. And I have completely lost my taste for most foods. I have very little strength and just need to get through this rough patch. I do have to say, some things are getting better. The hot/cold thing is starting to improve, as is the "brain zaps". It's just the overall feeling of not feeling well. I feel like the world is going on without me, and I just am anxious to get back on track. How long did it take you to get rid of symptoms before? Cause this is crazy! I have a note from the ER that I don't have to return to work until Thursday, but I'm afraid I'll get fired if I keep missing days. I just can't go to work though, not to take care of critically ill patients when I myself am not feeling right. I go see my psychiatrist on Tuesday, and we will be having a "chat". I can't continue to keep feeling this lousy.
#8
GoziTheGreat
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Posted 12 February 2012 - 08:20 PM
I feel nauseous & dissinteric , I have chills, I've had hot flashes & vivid dreams, I have brain zaps.
I feel like crap. I stopped taking Cymbalta because I ran out. I'm uninsured & I should have better planned getting another perscription. I don't get refills from the urgent care place. Maybe after the side effects subside it wil have been a good thing for me to stop taking Cymbalta.
The weightloss is a plus, however :-)
Your husband & your friends need to be comforting & supportive. Be good to yourself, Jib. They need to be well informed of what you're doing & that you will be sick for a few weeks. Someone said dramamine helps.
What do you do at your job?
We are detoxing. Not everyone is going to respond to the said effects exactly the same way.
Why were you taking Cymbalta & why are you terminating it?
Jib if someone working at your job left or dropped dead tomorrow. There would be some mourning, but life would go on without them & there will be more workers & more critically ill to come.
Take care of yourself. You are the only you, you've got. And your family only has one of you.
I feel like crap. I stopped taking Cymbalta because I ran out. I'm uninsured & I should have better planned getting another perscription. I don't get refills from the urgent care place. Maybe after the side effects subside it wil have been a good thing for me to stop taking Cymbalta.
The weightloss is a plus, however :-)
Your husband & your friends need to be comforting & supportive. Be good to yourself, Jib. They need to be well informed of what you're doing & that you will be sick for a few weeks. Someone said dramamine helps.
What do you do at your job?
We are detoxing. Not everyone is going to respond to the said effects exactly the same way.
Why were you taking Cymbalta & why are you terminating it?
Jib if someone working at your job left or dropped dead tomorrow. There would be some mourning, but life would go on without them & there will be more workers & more critically ill to come.
Take care of yourself. You are the only you, you've got. And your family only has one of you.
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