40 replies to this topic

[Xenia]

Hey everyone,
I was on 30mg of this drug for about 6 months and I have to quit. Im my country a smaller dose isn't available so doc recommended to stop by skipping a pil one day and taking one the other.
So yesterday I didn't take it and I had these so called brain zaps. Only they were a living nightmare. Not zaps. SHOCKS that had me SCREAMING every other minute!!!!!!!!!!!! I was screaming all the time with the feeling, it was SO STRONG. Can't describe it...
I called the doctor she said she HADNT HEARD ABOUT IT! Do you believe this woman? Se said it was in my mind and to take some xanax. Ok... I did. These shocks didnt get away. They actually got worse.After every "zap" I wasn't able to talk clearly. Every single moment I had them.
So I did it. After 6 hole hours of unbelievable suffering I took my "beloved" cymbalta and went to sleep.
This morning, I feel like im in hangover from the worst drinking night of my life.
Does anyone relate??? Did anyone experience such STRONG zaps?
edit: english isn't my first language, I hope you understand what Im trying to describe

[Xenia]

Also doc said that she hadn't heard anyone having withdrawal symptoms so soon after quiting. Do you believe me guys? :cry:

[Xenia]

Thank you guys
So the only way I see is switching with another antidepressant :cry:
.......
Those brain zaps can't be the the tip of the iceberg, can they?
I'd change the feeling with every other symptom, really it was so scary...

AND if she refuses to give me another medicine what is the option? Cold turkey?

[nicki]

my brain zaps are overwhelming me, sick, nauseous, crying, zapzapzapzap everytime I move, or smell some horrid perfume, or startled.... can't anything help? I'll be damned if I take the same poison that is causing this .... Ha! great quote from one of my favorite books. "Lesson 1. Don't drink the poison."

[jean]

Just a quick note about Prozac and withdrawal symptoms. I started tapering down from 120 mg of Cymbalta and am now taking 10 mg. I am opening the capsules and cutting the dose in half. I didn't go to the store to get empty capsules as I had some of the Cymbalta 60 mg caps left. I opened them up and discarded the Cymbalta and used the empty caps. ( In case you are wondering we live in the country and have our own water well and septic system so when I put the old Cymbalta in the toilet it does not harm anyone). Anyway, I am taking 20 mg of Prozac with this. The Prozac really helps lessen the symptoms. Still get chills, shakes, headaches but not as often or as severe. I find also that lying down in the afternoon helps. Also, I increased my dose of Benadryl from 25 mg to 50 mg and it seemed to help. I use the Benadry just before I lie down in the afternoon. Good luck to all of you. It does help to know that we are not alone in this thing. Jean

[Xenia]

Thank you all so much for your help.
The only thing doctor will let me take to help is xanax - because, she says, Im causing this to myself and it's not Cymbalta's fault. But she KNOWS. Im sure she does. And she made me an addict out of nowhere. I can't describe how angry Im with her. I never hated a person in my hole life, but her... I'm scared about these feelings of hate, I was someone who could understand and forgive before this!!!!
What do you think about xanax anyway?

[Xenia]

All I have to say is that I trust you guys now a lot more than any doctor. Im not new to xanax. In fact you 'll laugh terribly if I tell you that my doctor initially gave me Cymbalta to help me quit the xanax, which I hadn't have any problems doing so. Isn't that just a bit ironic? :mrgreen: Tried to point it out to the doctor but there was no reason becoming cynical if she could help. Excuse me for not being clear on that and made you research Greybeard, all I needed to know was if xanax is helping with withdrawals. It 'd go back to it anytime if it's helping with the Cymbalta. But, as I said the first day it made things worse, or at least that's how I felt. I'll try to find a doctor to prescribe me the prozac.
THANK YOU!

[jean]

Oh those Cymbalta commercials! I have to change the channel because it makes me so mad to see them. Can't believe those drug company officials can sleep at night, but then again for them it is all about profit, not health! By the way do any of you have problems with tingling in your teeth? It is my 2 front teeth that tingle when I have problems. Jean

[Xenia]

It IS funny! And my doctor is considered a top one in my country who is propossed a job in med university in another country! WOW!

[Xenia]

You are going to laugh even harder with this, so take a deep breath!
I went to see my doctor for one last time, and she managed to analyze why I felt this way by missing just one dose of cymbalta.
She said something along the lines of:
- You see, you are mad with your mother right? But you love her at the same time. These months with xanax and cymbalta you replaced the meds with your mother in your mind. Cymbalta became a chemical mother of yours, which you love and hate at the same time. You are not ready to attack your mother, so your brain and mind attacked the medicine. You made an enemy out of it! That's why you felt like that when missing a dose. Because your deepest self needs it, just like he needs your mother.
- Ooook... then why didn't I make an enemy out of xanax?
- Because you took xanax for your anxiety symptoms and you have it as a heal for your body. You took Cymbalta as a heal of your soul but ended hating it and loving it at the same time. This chemical mother of yours need to get out of the way. Then, you can built again your relationship with your human mother.

She didn't give me any prozak or anything. She insisted on the day after day method. Well Im in search for a new doctor, I think I found someone who seems good. But enough is enough, Im going to try quiting again today...

[Attorney_Victim]

Wow, that doctor sounds CRAZY! It is scary that there are so many quack doctors out there treating patients!! I hope you have good luck with your new doctor!

[Xenia]

Im actually afraid to go to another doctor
Yesterday I took no pill. So I considered this my first day off Cymbalta. Let''s see. Maybe it is possible.
I was bad last night, feeling dizzy, very dizzy, so I took an omega 3 pill and was better in minutes! Is this possible?
The product name is "seven seas". Have you heard of it?

Greybeard crazy doctor said, that now that Im quiting I must make myself believe that Im taking a drug, only this drug comes from inside me, from my... soul?!?!!?? Go figure...

[Xenia]

here's the link
http://www.codliveroil.co.uk/

[Xenia]

thanks for the info

[Xenia]

Feeling so cold... I took a hot bath, started calling the doctor names in there, alone. Im freaking out with my reactions.
no brain zaps till now. Just very dizzy, very nauseus, very cold...
My muscles feel so weak, my head so heavy...
Is this the worst day? Is it geting worse from now on?
Im typing this and my fingers seem hard, my skin feels hard. Just not fair.
Scared...
Everyone who did this Im jealus, you are heroes SO strong.
No zaps, thats an omega-3 's job I hope and it's good. It seems Im forgeting how to write right in english. Family is inside there planing to take me out to eat spaggetti which I love and I dont want to dissapoint them but I want to sleep and stay asleep until this is over.
NO JAPS till now. This is a win

[Attorney_Victim]

You trust us more because we haven't hurt you like your dr did!! Plus, the advice you have followed was for "natural" products, not a bunch of artificial chemicals cooked up in a Big Pharma kitchen!!

[Xenia]

Today zaps are back, very very strong...
second day of cold turkey. Afternoon

[Xenia]

Third day, morning
Brain zaps are were worst than I could imagine last night. This morning I had to go to work of course. Zaps are here, again very strong. I yelled at boss for moving my office near the door. Nauseus, very dizzy, skin feels hard.
I found that keeping my eyes closed is better for the zaps. And I have to remember not to turn my head rapidly.
This is what I take to help me:

- omega 3
- vitamin C
- neurobion (?itamin b1, b6, b12)
- I make a hot drink with camomile, tisane, liquorise. It's good, try it.

[Xenia]

Day 4. Morning
Yesterday's afternoon was a nightmare. The brain zaps feelings started to get down to my body to the shoulders and hands and even my chest - which was very scary.
Couldn't find Omega Brite, so I changed my omega-3 brand to MaxEpa which seems to work the best - it was the most expensive I found and I know that this fact doesn't say anything about the product but had to try:
http://www.nutrasanu...ga-product.html

Has anyone tried it?

Anyway this morning is better than yesterday's. I mean the zaps don't feel as strong as yesterday, or it's me getting used to them.
I have a question: This is the fourth day from Cold Turkey. Im I supposed to get better from now on or should I expect worse?
Read many posts in the forum but Im still confused about this...

[LillyDefoliant]

Re: "Soft lights, quiet meditative music, some calming tea...... sit back and relax. "

Maybe that works for some people. But I've found that that is surrender. It's an accommodation. You have to attack this thing. Mentally, emotionally.

Go work out. Hard. Your mind wants you to take ownership. You have to swing an ax at this condition.

I mentioned music too in my first post on this site which has been mostly ignored. I'm pumping The Smith's How Soon Is Now into my mind right. The "Zaps" are quivering in a corner.

And then when this song is over, I'm gonna work out and give the Zap-Bastards another beat down. Soft lights and tea? Hah!

Get Up! Get Out!

LD

P.S. What I hate about these forums (of all types) is that they become islands of learned helplessness.

P.P.S. I ain't going there.

[Xenia]

I thank you both very much.
Lilly you are right. I tried to do what you say. I worked harder these days. But now it's afternoon, Im home and I decided to go get chigarettes. That was a difficult thing to do because zaps follow every movement of my head now.

maintaining your normal lifestyle is next to impossible if you don't go with the replacement drug method

That's not possible since I have to go to work. Im not even sure about replacing the Cymbalta, since I'll have to go to another doctor to do that. And honestly right now I hate doctors and all their miracle methods.

[MDNotDRKat]

I went off of the Cymbalta on Friday last week. I had some REALLY bad side effects that I just couldn't handle anymore.

1. The worse migraines that I have EVER had in my life. Like bad enough that I was laying in bed whimpering like a baby. Hubby had to take me to ER.
2. The strangest life-like dreams. I woke up several times in a dead sweat from them.

I am on another anti-depressent which is getting in my system. This one has worked in the past and dr wanted to try me on cymbalta since it worked so well.

Hmprh...

I told her about the brain zaps. She looked at me like I lost my mind.

[iliao93]

Re: "Soft lights, quiet meditative music, some calming tea...... sit back and relax. "



LD

P.S. What I hate about these forums (of all types) is that they become islands of learned helplessness.

P.P.S. I ain't going there.

Well spoken DC, and LillyDefoliant, I'm a bit confused as to why your posting or even here after that declaration. If it makes you feel better or superior by belittling people having difficulties & those trying to help each other, well then I for one am glad to be of service.
Swing away!

[LillyDefoliant]

GB,

Exactly.

BTW, I have not yet found my way through this. What? You think I would be visiting these web sites looking for psychic relief if I did?

I'm looking for fellow travelers who want to kill it. Not people who want to sit back and plead with it not to kill them. Soft music and tea? That's feeding the beast. F it.

We need collective, synergistic energy. Not soft music and tea parties to assuage the perverse brain-zap beast. It ain't going nowhere with that routine. It'll slap you aside like it did me for weeks.

So who's with me? Who wants to take ownership?

Who wants to step up and say, "OK you sum-bitch. Come get some!" I personally can't kill Lilly. But if I maintain enough energy and focus, I know the lawyer good-guy bastards on our side who can at least bloody it's nose. Hopefully I can get some of the aborted saints at FDA to assist. And I was hoping that some people here would join me.

Tell me how I have it wrong GB. When push comes to shove, you gotta get off the sofa of Yanni, chamomile and rumination sometime. Why not now? You think a retreat to your divan of ineffectual woe-is-me'ism omphaloskepsis is going to fix it because you are a warm and sensitive guy? Ain't gonna happen. It don't care. This ain't no picnic. You gonna step up or what?

Shit-can learned helplessness. Who's with me?

LD

[Jenofhearts]

LD,
It seems as though maybe your method of getting through the withdrawals of Cymbalta may not be helping you, as you seem to be very over stimulated and a tad belligerent. The soothing "yanni" and tea method has worked very well for many of us on here, yet I am sure there are a few that have chosen a more aggressive approach. Grey Beard has been a great source of comfort for so many of and I am here to come to his defense, although I am sure he will be able to handle himself just fine. Have you even tried a calmer approach to this? From my personal experience being over stimulated has only exacerbated the withdrawal symptoms, so I have gone the route of calmness, low stimulation, (I don't like Yanni), but I do listen to music that I enjoy, and watch more "happy" movies than ever before, and I am normally a sci-fi, horror type movie person.
Why not join us??
I hope you find your way through this however you choose to do it,
All the best,
Jenny

[LillyDefoliant]

Jen,

Thanks for the note. I understand exactly what you are getting at. Let me see if I can parse this out.

On the contrary, my "method" is helping me a lot more that isolated rumination. In the sense that it kicks the can farther down the road than sofa sitting. If the soothing Yanni and tea approach has worked so well, how come the practitioners are still messed up with Cymbalta withdrawal. (That's a raw, baited question I know. But yeah, how come?)

I am not belligerent towards anybody but Lilly. But not even Lilly. Anger is base and stupid. My feelings? What's the better term? "Righteous Indignation"? Whatever it is, unless a tangible affront is created in your mind impelling the need to seek redress, you are stuck on the couch sipping chamomile waiting for the White Knight of curative consolation who's never gonna show up.

I happen to think that comfort is great. When it's done on the front end to enable shared understanding and validation. But then it has to be set aside except as occasional positive reinforcement. Because sooner or later you have to roll up your sleeves, mix it up and make it happen. Do you see what I mean?

Thanks for the invitation to join you. You sound like a great person. But Cymbalta withdrawal is something that I just want to get over and forget.

LD

P.S. Solitude and meditation. Thomas Merton's "New Seeds of Contemplation" is my spiritual primer. I know all about that. I'm just picking my spots...

[Jenofhearts]

Jen,

Thanks for the note. I understand exactly what you are getting at. Let me see if I can parse this out.

On the contrary, my "method" is helping me a lot more that isolated rumination. In the sense that it kicks the can farther down the road than sofa sitting. If the soothing Yanni and tea approach has worked so well, how come the practitioners are still messed up with Cymbalta withdrawal. (That's a raw, baited question I know. But yeah, how come?)

I am not belligerent towards anybody but Lilly. But not even Lilly. Anger is base and stupid. My feelings? What's the better term? "Righteous Indignation"? Whatever it is, unless a tangible affront is created in your mind impelling the need to seek redress, you are stuck on the couch sipping chamomile waiting for the White Knight of curative consolation who's never gonna show up.

I happen to think that comfort is great. When it's done on the front end to enable shared understanding and validation. But then it has to be set aside except as occasional positive reinforcement. Because sooner or later you have to roll up your sleeves, mix it up and make it happen. Do you see what I mean?

Thanks for the invitation to join you. You sound like a great person. But Cymbalta withdrawal is something that I just want to get over and forget.

LD

P.S. Solitude and meditation. Thomas Merton's "New Seeds of Contemplation" is my spiritual primer. I know all about that. I'm just picking my spots...

LD,
First off I know the withdrawal is something you want to get over and forget, me too! A shared understanding and validation is exactly what I needed and I found it here, I thought I was going crazy, it just helped yo know there were others in my position. As for a tangible affront, I have taken it, I and ONLY I am the one to make the effort to see the doctors, and believe me it took all of my guts to make those moves. I looked for my "white knight" and he didn't come riding up on his white horse, he came in the form of an educated doctor, which leads into the education of these doctors about the withdrawal of this drug. I figure a drug rep has about 15 minutes tops to educate a doctor on ANY drug. My primary care doc is useless in this, so I went to a doc that knows what it is all about, I have also educated myself thanks to this forum, so I went in with armed with that knowledge and it worked! I got what I needed to get through this, which happened to be a small dose of Prozac, seems to be working.
You are right about anger.. it is base emotion, as I think jealousy is a waste of time, both are a raw hard emotion to overcome. I also have issues with Eli Lilly, they are money mongers only looking out for the fat corporates (probably all men..sorry grey..lol) The FDA has an awful lot to answer for as well, they have recently approved Cymbalta for the treatment of fibromyalgia , very sad to me that there will be countless lambs led to slaughter for the relief of their pain without the knowledge one could gain on here.
Believe me I have taken on this fight in my own way to get through this, and you have picked your personal fight, I admire that. I wish I could get out and just scream and rant and show the rage but it is just not me...never has been.
My goal is to be free from the angst of all of this, and it WILL happen, I have too much to do yet!!!
All the best as usual and keep up the fight!
Jenny

[Xenia]

LillyDefolian,
You know... you gave me HOPE!
Greybeard did that too.
Everyone has his/hers approach. Maybe some people need to work out hard and then back home for tea and soft music.
Maybe this is my case.

Day 5, morning to noon. THIS WILL END!

[Xenia]

Today is really bad.
Even talking causes brain zaps that go all the way to my chest and hands. They live behind awful dizziness which doen't go away.
But... it's day five - so more than half a week is already behind.

[LillyDefoliant]

Xenia,

I'm sorry about your distress. Getting out for some exercise would be great.

But if doesn't work, Try some tunes first. I'm serious. It can't be soft stuff, it has to have a beat intense enough to suppress the Zap circuit. Because they both are competing for auditory CPU time.

I listen to Trance. Here are couple of listenable youtube tunes by Paul Van Dyk:





Or grab some upbeat stuff from your own library. You have to use headphones.

I'm curious to see if this works with other people. So if you try it, RSVP results.

Have a good one.

LD