My wife has been having major depressive episodes for over 3 years worsened by the suicide of my son(he was diagnosed bi-polar)in 2009. She has been on Lithium and about a year ago she was put on Cymbalta (180mg/day). two weeks ago her psychiatrist decided that she was to come off Lithium and Cymbalta and put on Pristiq. Within a week her Cymbalta had been reduced from 180mg to 0 mg and her Lithium was to be reduced from 1500mg to 0mg. Initially we thought the side effects were the Pristiq but on reading posts in your invaluable forum,it is much more likely to be the Cymbalta.
The withdrawal induced a Serotonin Uptake Syndrome attack, which can be fatal.We telephoned her psychiatrist and got the answer-phone; we then decided to fax the symptoms to her psychiatrist.We had heard nothing by next morning, so I phoned the office again - answerphone! I have had a stutter for 50+ years and I left a message to please phone us ASAP.
Eight hours later the consultant phoned us back, very matter of fact and asked what the problem was. My wife said : "Have you not read the fax?'She replied that she had seen it the previous day. Meanwhile, I had taken my wife to our GP, who prescribed Lorazepam and we agreed to keep her on the same level of Lithium (900mg), which we knew had minimal side effects until my wife saw her consultant.We are seeing her consultant on Monday and I would appreciate any comments from members of the Forum
Many thanks, God Bless
Don M.H.
Psychiatrist's Ineptitude In Weaning A Patient Off Cymbalta
Started by DonMH, Sep 22 2012 03:05 PM
2 replies to this topic
#2
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Posted 02 October 2012 - 10:40 PM
Within a week her Cymbalta had been reduced from 180mg to 0 mg
Don M.H.
180mg sounds like a very high dosage. I was severely depressed and the highest dosage I was on was 60mg. My doctor told me that anything further doesn´t bring any additional benefits, only side effects.
Decreasing from 180mg to 0mg in such a short time, must be a shock to her body and brain. It took me 1 year and a half to taper slowly to lessen withdrawal symptoms
#3
DonMH
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Posted 03 October 2012 - 12:33 AM
Hi
You are so right. 180 mg was only ever used in clinical trials and it was proved that doses greater than 60mg had no significant improvement over the recommended dose of 60mg. My wife was commenced on 30mg which was increased to 90mg within 2 weeks and then later increased to 180mg. I think her consultant was using her as a "guinea pig". She has obviously had major side effects for over 12 months which her psychiatrist has put down to BPD ! It was such a shock she was hallucinating and feeling insects crawling over her body and she had all of the other withdrawal symptoms as well. This is why she has ended up in Psychiatric ICU thanks to an INEPT consultant. She should have been weaned off like you over a very long time but she wasn't. I am preparing a report for the FDA and also a report for a case of medical negligence against her consultant. Money will not compensate for her loss of memory etc. or the agony she has been put through needlessly this past two weeks, but I hope that her consultant will not be able to inflict such suffering on another patient. Having lost my son in 2010 because of an incompetent psychiatrist, i have no intention of losing my wife as well!!
Thanks so much for replying
Don
You are so right. 180 mg was only ever used in clinical trials and it was proved that doses greater than 60mg had no significant improvement over the recommended dose of 60mg. My wife was commenced on 30mg which was increased to 90mg within 2 weeks and then later increased to 180mg. I think her consultant was using her as a "guinea pig". She has obviously had major side effects for over 12 months which her psychiatrist has put down to BPD ! It was such a shock she was hallucinating and feeling insects crawling over her body and she had all of the other withdrawal symptoms as well. This is why she has ended up in Psychiatric ICU thanks to an INEPT consultant. She should have been weaned off like you over a very long time but she wasn't. I am preparing a report for the FDA and also a report for a case of medical negligence against her consultant. Money will not compensate for her loss of memory etc. or the agony she has been put through needlessly this past two weeks, but I hope that her consultant will not be able to inflict such suffering on another patient. Having lost my son in 2010 because of an incompetent psychiatrist, i have no intention of losing my wife as well!!
Thanks so much for replying
Don
180mg sounds like a very high dosage. I was severely depressed and the highest dosage I was on was 60mg. My doctor told me that anything further doesn´t bring any additional benefits, only side effects.
Decreasing from 180mg to 0mg in such a short time, must be a shock to her body and brain. It took me 1 year and a half to taper slowly to lessen withdrawal symptoms
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