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[Hazel]

I'm 18 and in my last year of school. I have fibromyalgia, and my treatment has included a prescription for duloxetine 60mg (Cymbalta) in October 2010. Along with very high doses of Lyrica (anti-epilepsy, also for fibromyalgia) - 450mg daily. I've also been on low-dose amitriptyline (a tricyclic antidepressant for chronic pain) - 40mg nightly.

But I'm wondering if Cymbalta is licensed (here in the UK) for this use?

This drug or combination of drugs has stopped me feeling all emotion. I felt apathy towards everyone and everything in my life. I was supposed to be going to university, but for some reason I decided to drop 2 A Levels. If I remember correctly, my reasoning was: "I'm not bothered". I've been pushing away everyone who cares about me. I felt completely disconnected from the world. My pupils were massive, apparently I looked stoned every morning. Then 3 weeks ago, I finally "woke up" and was able to think clearly enough to pinpoint these problems to drugs.

So I've been tapering ALL of these drugs off, as per my doctor's advice. At the moment I'm only taking 15mg of duloxetine every other night (I'm pouring out half the pellets from 30mg capsules), and I'm taking the 10mg amitriptyline every other night. With the Lyrica I'm on 25mg morning, 50mg at night. Those last two drugs are fine. No side-effects.

But every night I take the Cymbalta I get terrifying nightmares, muscle cramps on my left side, I'm shivering but sweating, nominal aphasia, insomnia, my sense of time is off, tastes/smells/music is alien to me. I'm barely able to talk coherently or finish a sentence... I have huge holes in my memory, I feel as if lost my logical mind. But I'm trying to write my personal statement for UCAS - which will get me to university! Will the withdrawal/ side effects eventually go away???
Thanks