7 replies to this topic

[Sharkyjb1]

Hi Everyone,

I have been reading many of the posts since I first began with the withdrawal symptoms last week. Hearing everyone else' stories and suggestions has been very helpful for me in this process. For me the withdrawal actually came on quite suddenly. I tapered off the drug from 60mg to 40mg for two weeks, then I took 20mg for a little over a week and a half. One had I read this and other forums prior to the weaning process, and two if my doctor had given me enough meds I would have done a much slower wean. While I was tapering off, I don't feel like I had much in the way of withdrawal symptoms, but looking back I do know I was having a lot of nausea and GI discomfort, which I now see is one of the symptoms. Then I took my last dose of 20mg on Sunday night. On Monday I felt OK but just a little tired and out of it. On Tuesday the withdrawal symptoms struck out of nowhere and with vengeance. Every day after that got worse and worse and worse. I was nauseous, I had to go the the bathroom literally every hour, I couldn't move my head, or even breath without feeling like I was going to pass out. The dizziness and vertigo and brain zaps were completely insane. I found my self struggling through even the simplest tasks at work and honestly I don't think I got much of anything done at all. Fortunately, my bosses didn't notice and I am normally a very hard worker. I wasn't able to drive, I could barely walk and I am surprised I was even able to accomplish taking the train and bus to work. And on top of it all I had extreme fatigue and felt like I had the flu. As Sunday came along I had the absolute worst of the symptoms, fortunately I was able to just lay down a lot of the day. Not only was I a physical wreck on Sunday but an emotional one too (yea I almost left my husband because of a stupid fight caused no doubt by my lovely mood.) But there is light at the end of this tunnel.

On Saturday I went to my chiropractor and she recommended I try something to help ease my symptoms. In addition to the 5-HTP and Omega's I started taking, my doc recommended that I try castor oil packs. If you are not familiar with this basically you soak a cloth in castor oil, stick it on your abdomen over your liver, put some plastic wrap over the cloth and lay for about 2 hours with a heating pad over the top. The process is messy but I think it worked! On Monday after my first castor pack I woke up feeling almost human (about 65% which is huge considering I wanted to die on Sunday). I did another pack on Monday and Tuesday night and each day I have felt better and better. I did not do a castor pack last nigh so my brain is buzzing a bit and I'm a little on the dizzy side but nothing like last week. It may just be complete coincidence or my body could have just recovered from the withdrawals more quickly than normal. Either way I am convinced that the castor packs have really helped me speed this horrid process up. I highly recommend that the rest of you out there try this method out. Yes, it's messy and it takes a good two hours of your day away. But if it can make even some of you go from the hell I was in Sunday to an almost normal day the next day then its worth it. I really hope it will help some one. Best of luck!

[vickif]

i had castor oil packs for by foot pain & it helped a bit (unfortunaley I had to have surgery) but I will say I noticed the clothes turn darker & the chiro that told me to do it said it pulls out the impurities from your body...never heard of it on the liver, but hey worth a try!!!

[Sharkyjb1]

i had castor oil packs for by foot pain & it helped a bit (unfortunaley I had to have surgery) but I will say I noticed the clothes turn darker & the chiro that told me to do it said it pulls out the impurities from your body...never heard of it on the liver, but hey worth a try!!!

From what I have read the castor oil soaks into your body and helps the liver push out the toxins. It is also said to increase lymphocyte production and boost immunity overall. Like I said I don't know if it is indeed the castor oil that is doing the trick or something else. But my week last week was absolutely horrible and my week this week is actually quite tolerable. The only thing I changed was the addition of the castor oil packs. (I did it four times this week). I plan to continue to do it 3-4 times a week for the next few months in hopes I can rid myself of all the toxins I've build up over the years. (Prior to the cymbalta I was also on some other antidepressants, anti seizures and super strong birth control) BTW, withdrawals from Zoloft and the two anti-seizure medications were a cake walk compared to this.

[ShannaB]

I went off Zoloft a few years ago too. I thought it was hellish at the time, but I agree, it was a walk in the park compared to this stuff. I've never heard of castor oil packs and I'm through the withdrawal now but I DEFINITELY would have given it a go if I'd seen it six weeks ago! Good luck, I hope you feel better soon.

[waddy]

I went off Zoloft a few years ago too. I thought it was hellish at the time, but I agree, it was a walk in the park compared to this stuff. I've never heard of castor oil packs and I'm through the withdrawal now but I DEFINITELY would have given it a go if I'd seen it six weeks ago! Good luck, I hope you feel better soon.

I too withdrew from Zoloft a few years ago. It made me feel exhausted and like I was half way out of my body. But I made it. Then my grandbaby was diagnosed with SCIDS and died 5 years later. My doctor put me on Cymbalta. Now if I even miss one dose I fall apart and sob uncontrolably. The castor oil idea is a good one. I think I'll switch back to Zoloft then begin to reduce the dose and use the castor oil idea. I hope to be free of Cymbalta by November.

[Irisheyes]

I used lamb's wool soaked in castor oil to get rid of a heel spur years ago. After reading this I bought new castor oil and have been using the lamb's wool soaked in cast or oil over my liver for the past 4 days and have noticed a marked improvements in the buzzing. And I have much more energy. I believe this is a remedy that really works well. I haven't spent two hours soaking yet but one hour is helping. Thanks for the advice.

[Sharkyjb1]

I used lamb's wool soaked in castor oil to get rid of a heel spur years ago. After reading this I bought new castor oil and have been using the lamb's wool soaked in cast or oil over my liver for the past 4 days and have noticed a marked improvements in the buzzing. And I have much more energy. I believe this is a remedy that really works well. I haven't spent two hours soaking yet but one hour is helping. Thanks for the advice.

Irisheyes,

I am so glad you are trying this and really hope it works out for you. I did the castor therapy for about a month. 2-3 times per week for an hour and a half to two hours a day. It was a pain for sure but I honestly think it really helped. From reading all the forums it took most people over a month to stop feeling side effects, for me it was one really intense week and the side effects went away pretty quickly. As of now I feel fine although I still am taking trazodone for sleep. Life is a bit stressful right now so I'm not quite ready to wean from that one. When I do, I will be back on the castor oil!

-Sharky

[Irisheyes]

I'm still hearing the noise. But I feel better. It's been 7 weeks today. I do get so tired some days.