7 replies to this topic

[autimom4ever]

I'll try to make this long story short...

I took Cymbalta 60 mg/day for over 5 years. Missed a pill in Oct, 2011 and started withdrawing immediately. Mad, i decided to wean down (probably too fast) over a month.

This is when my life changed, for the worse....

I tried hard. Through the terrible symptoms of dizziness, rage, nausea, panic feeling, crying bursts, inability to get words out, dissociation moments....
During the withdraw, a terrible lower back pain started...I had NEVER had any pain before or during cymbalta.

I went to so many specialists, had so many tests, went to PT and Chiro... Nothing...
One of the Da#* doctors prescibed me Tramadol, A SISTER OF CYMBALTA... KNOWING I WAS TRYING TO STAY OFF!!!

All this was occurring while I am trying to work (as my husband is disabled...I have 3 kids - one out of the home and married, one has autism and one is a typical teen boy) and handling the family.

At one of my last specialist appts (in Feb - by now I probably spent 1000.00 plus in copays... still paying on them), who is a neurologist, I was crying my eyes out... This is 3 plus months on being on 0 cymbalta but 20 mg of Prozac. He stated this was NOT the time for me to be a superhero and try to stop the cymbalta that seems like WAS helping (and now that I have pain... should help that). I agreed... Went back on cymbalta in the end of February...

Here it is, almost the end of March.... I feel terrible... It feels like my sympathetic nervous system is broken... My pulse never goes below 90 and is mostly over 110.... and I feel it.... The anxiety is still there.... The pain is still there....

I'm trying so hard..... I went to a pdoc and she put me on propanolol (a beta blocker that slows the heart rate). Was also told to continue the gabapentin prescribed for the pain and take the Loratab ONLY if needed (I avoid both of those, knowing it's addictive and has withdraw).

I don't look at life like I used to.... I'm scared all the time cause of how I feel. My doctors won't look into the possibility that MAYBE cymbalta has ruined my nervous system completely. They just want to say that I have anxiety. I feel like crying all the time cause noone wants to listen (not even my husband...)
I have no real drive in everyday life anymore.... I have dread....

I make myself go for walks everyday, cause in that 30 minutes or so, I feel free from all this crap....

Is my life ruined forever?

[TXcounselor]

No. It seems like a lot of doctors don't listen because they just don't understand and they're mislead by the drug companies who tell the docs there are no withdrawals. I'm glad you found a group of people who know the withdrawal is very real, as are the longterm effects of this horrible drug. I went through such terrible withdrawal after going every other day for a week with 30 mg then stopping. I thought at one point I was going to die and needed to go to the hospital (this was 2 nights ago). I'm not a dramatic person so this was a big deal. I have tried to find supportive people, which for me have been pharmacists (why do they know this about Cymbalta and doctors don't?!), friends, my family, and these forums. I have refused to accept any doctors saying I'm not going through what I'm going through. My neurologist can go suck an egg. I live in a medium sized city (about 200,000) but haven't found a doctor who seems to really know what the hell is going on, so I'm headed to a bigger city next month for help. I know not everyone has the resources to do this, but my point is don't lose hope but do keep looking for someone who knows how to help.

I too am back on, but I started back on the lowest dose - 20 mg a day. I'm going to take those for 10 days, then split my 30mg in half (open the capsule and dump out roughly half then close it back) to take 15 for 10 days, then make 10 mg out of my 20 mg capsules for 10 days, then stop. I don't know what will happen with this, but this is the advice that makes the most sense to me after talking to a few pharmacists and a doctor friend. Someone asked on here why people weren't doing this kind of stuff under a doctor's care (and I do recommend that in general), but when your doctor thinks you're full of s**t and doesn't believe what you're going through is real, he/she's not very helpful.

Good luck, autimom4ever. Don't give up!

[Shelly]

I'm so sorry autimom4ever. Do you have any friends or family nearby that can help out at all? Even if it's just to listen! So glad this board exists so we can be supportive of each other. I am blessed that my hub is very empathetic and helpful, but I'm sure he gets tired of me talking about this!
Really good on the walking! I know what you mean about the nervous system, not with the cymbalta, but another med affected my breathing. Doc can't figure it out so it's anxiety. Really awful about the tramadol! I'm just learning about that here! I was on it thru a pain clinic twice. Didn't help my pain. No withdrawal at all. Bummer about the back pain as well. Damn! I know it's hard but try to stay positive as much as possible. I believe that will help :)This too shall pass...
Can you change doctors? Also, always get a copy of your medical records. I always check for mistakes and subjective comments. Almost always there are mistakes.
Does the gabapentin help? (It gave me RLS and didn't work either) Lortab is vicodin right? I take it, have off and on for years. Never had wd, works great most of the time. If you use it for pain, not an addiction problem, that happens if it's used after pain is gone and you get high. You may become dependent on it, cause it helps your pain. May get tolerant too after time. I alternate vicodin with percocet. That helps with the tolerance. anyway, just sharing so much in hopes it helps you or someone else, lol. You also don't want to wait until your pain is really bad, it won't work as well. K, that's my hopefully helpful tips for today! So tired, gotta got to bed. Keep us posted, message me if you like. Take care and know you're not alone

Shellbell

[autimom4ever]

I have yet another neuro appt today.

I'll let you all know what happens.

Somethings gotta give.

Becky

[autimom4ever]

Went to Neuro....

He said my hormones (catacholamines and cortisol) is way off... Will probably be on cymbalta for life

On Neurontin for now and added Atenolol (changed from propanalol prescribed by pdoc)...

I feel so weird (I guess that's the word) being on so many pills

[TXcounselor]

Maybe you can file a report with the FDA on adverse drug reaction. I think the more they hear about the adverse effects of Cymbalta, the quicker they'll put a warning on this. Keep the bottle if you still have it - the report will ask for info from your bottle like lot # and stuff. I'm also looking into alternative therapies. I tried hypnosis for pain control (to be honest, it didn't do much for the pain, but did help with anxiety) and I'm looking into biofeedback and acupuncture. I'm also going to an occupational therapist for myofascial release. None of this is free, but I'm determined to live without these medications...I want to have a baby soon and need to find ways to live med-free.

[melly]

Maybe you can file a report with the FDA on adverse drug reaction. I think the more they hear about the adverse effects of Cymbalta, the quicker they'll put a warning on this. Keep the bottle if you still have it - the report will ask for info from your bottle like lot # and stuff. I'm also looking into alternative therapies. I tried hypnosis for pain control (to be honest, it didn't do much for the pain, but did help with anxiety) and I'm looking into biofeedback and acupuncture. I'm also going to an occupational therapist for myofascial release. None of this is free, but I'm determined to live without these medications...I want to have a baby soon and need to find ways to live med-free.

Have you ever tried guided meditation. I shut myself in my dark bedroom and use guided meditation. It seems to help some.

[TXcounselor]

I do guided meditation. It does help, especially since I feel the need to be still and am having sensory sensitivity problems. I usually do some yoga, but I don't have any balance at all right now so I haven't tried it lately. I guess I could do some floor-based stretches so I don't fall over!