3 replies to this topic

[janz]

Here is my story....I have been on Cymbalta since the fall of 2005 and in January 2012 I had Thyroid Cancer resulting in the complete removal of my thyroid. After the surgery the Cymbalta was not working as I was very depressed, the doctor increased my dose to 90MG daily. The increase caused me to be more depressed and suicidal, so he increased it to the maximum dose of 120MG daily. At the max dose I was sleeping 19 hours a day an hardly able to move, but I was still depressed. I decide to go 'cold turkey' off Cymbalta and did so inpatient with medical supervision. That was a horrible ride with the emotional and physical symptoms being extreme. I have a very rare ability to metabolize medications very rapidly so the withdrawals only took 4 days, and at four days there was no sign of the residual medication in my system.

I have had to learn how to 'feel' again. My sense of smell, touch, and emotionally I am able to feel things I have had suppressed for years; which includes pain, and I am having to address some medical conditions that were covered up by Cymbalta and should have been addressed much sooner.


I have now been off all anti-depressants for a month and am happy to report that I feel much better.

[happyzapynot]

Here is my story....I have been on Cymbalta since the fall of 2005 and in January 2012 I had Thyroid Cancer resulting in the complete removal of my thyroid. After the surgery the Cymbalta was not working as I was very depressed, the doctor increased my dose to 90MG daily. The increase caused me to be more depressed and suicidal, so he increased it to the maximum dose of 120MG daily. At the max dose I was sleeping 19 hours a day an hardly able to move, but I was still depressed. I decide to go 'cold turkey' off Cymbalta and did so inpatient with medical supervision. That was a horrible ride with the emotional and physical symptoms being extreme. I have a very rare ability to metabolize medications very rapidly so the withdrawals only took 4 days, and at four days there was no sign of the residual medication in my system.

I have had to learn how to 'feel' again. My sense of smell, touch, and emotionally I am able to feel things I have had suppressed for years; which includes pain, and I am having to address some medical conditions that were covered up by Cymbalta and should have been addressed much sooner.


I have now been off all anti-depressants for a month and am happy to report that I feel much better.

Thanks for sharing your success story. What a disgrace that your doctor increased the dosage on a drug that was not working! A second opinion for any condition is so important.
It's interesting that you metabolize drugs quickly. I'm the opposite. Yet doctors don't seem to listen when I tell them that medication has a stronger effect on me that it does on most people. If we don't look our for ourselves we have no to blame but ourselves.
Wishing you steady improvement, a full recovery and a full LIFE!

[janz]

One interesting thing is that I may have had thyroid related depression for all those years, and never have needed the Cymbalta. Once the thyroid was out and I was placed on synthetic thyroid hormone replacement my depression was resolved. One issue that I have is that I have a fibroid tumor that I was able to handle the pain from on Cymbalta, that is killing me now. We do not know yet if it is cancer but with Cymbalta I would have never known it was there because the pain was masked.

The bad thing about quick metallization is that the withdrawal was EXTREME, the good thing is that it only lasted 4 days. I had convulsions, horrible shakes, a near migraine headache, bone crushing pain throughout my body, anger, panic attacks (never even knew what a panic attack was), dizziness. The shakes were so bad that I could not even hold a pencil, or a fork. I cried for two days non-stop (only slept 2 hours during that period) and the depression reached a severity that requires medical supervision.

[happyzapynot]

One interesting thing is that I may have had thyroid related depression for all those years, and never have needed the Cymbalta. Once the thyroid was out and I was placed on synthetic thyroid hormone replacement my depression was resolved. One issue that I have is that I have a fibroid tumor that I was able to handle the pain from on Cymbalta, that is killing me now. We do not know yet if it is cancer but with Cymbalta I would have never known it was there because the pain was masked.

The bad thing about quick metallization is that the withdrawal was EXTREME, the good thing is that it only lasted 4 days. I had convulsions, horrible shakes, a near migraine headache, bone crushing pain throughout my body, anger, panic attacks (never even knew what a panic attack was), dizziness. The shakes were so bad that I could not even hold a pencil, or a fork. I cried for two days non-stop (only slept 2 hours during that period) and the depression reached a severity that requires medical supervision.

You poor thing! Four days of THAT is unimaginable. You must be tough!
I hope you get a good report on the fibroid tumor and find something that will control the pain.
The link between thyroid problems and depression is intresting. Think I'll do some online research to take my mind off the fatigue. Thank God, my withdrawal symptoms are down to fatigue and a low fever in the evening.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Glad you recovered from your 'crash course' withdrawal!