36 replies to this topic

[jessess]

Have never missed an episode of Lost.

I am well researched and have been doing a lot of what you have done. I am only on 25mg/day, supposedly. Started skipping or have forgotten to take each day and now know that caused some zapp symptoms.

The doc, he was against me quitting, due to the 30 years of depression. But the depression lifted, in a huge way last year (may write a book about that secular miracle). Gone, bye bye. And in the end, he'll do what I tell him I'm going to do.

Thank you for the support. I ordered some 5 HTT and l-tyrosine, will get some benedryl; they may help. ALL mileage varies...

[schmb01]

I'm glad your depression has lifted, and you will likely be surprised at how much clearer your thinking will become as the stuff leaves you. I feel much better now than I have in a long time, even with the zaps and other physical issues that go with coming off of this. I actually am FEELING things again, and I'll take the bad along with the good.

I'm of course curious as to what ended your depression, so,if you write that book, be sure to let me know.

Doing the every other day dose is very hard on you, as you are going in and out of withdrawal, so I would try to keep it steady, and maybe wean down to 1/2 a cap and go from there. I read something about L Tyrosine that concerned me, but I can't remember what it was! I think it had something to do with its ability to raise seratonin levels, and I just want mine to find their way back to their own particular settings.

Benedryl worked on a limited basis for me, because sometimes it makes me jittery, and that only made the zaps much worse, so just use some caution in case you are sensitive to it.

It sounds like you have a solid plan, and I wish you luck!

Babby

[LKBBOOKKEEPER]

Finding this web-sight and reading some of the posts is scary, but I am relieved at the same time. I was on the Mayo web-sight looking for information about possible antidepressant withdrawl problems. I saw a Google ad about Cymbalta and here I am. I thought I was hearing noises in my head and feeling a sickening jolt every time I move my head or look up with my eyes. Last fall I started feeling like I was being poisened, so I decided to rethink about taking so many meds. I have spinal stenosis, disc disease and fibromyalgia. My drug bills were getting higher and higher also. I started first with my a.m. Arthrotec, then the Cymbalta. I was up to 120mg of Cymbalta when I started to ween off. My last 60mg was two weeks ago. Like some, I had been on Effexor for years before switching to Cymbalta two years ago. I've had the skipped, jumping or whatever you want to call it heart beat for a very long time. The slight jolts did not start until I began taking the Cymbalta. I too had asked my doctor about the strange heart beats and was told that it was probably just a spasm or heart burn!? The nausea started long before I started the withdrawl of meds, so I finally went to my doctor when the abdominal pain started. Blood test results came in today. I have H-Pylori, so I guess I can't say all of the nausea is from the Cymbalta. Has anyone been successful with getting rid of the jolts? I had been trying to drink more liquids, but the nausea prevents me from holding down much. May God help us all to fully recover from this additional problem in our lives.

[schmb01]

I'm going into day 20, and for 2-3 days, the jolts had subsided a lot. Then, last night and this morning they have returned, but at least still not as bad as they were in the beginning.

I think that our expectations for feeling "good" or "normal" have to be realisitc, at least I know mine do. If this takes a good 6 months to feel that way, then that is what it will take. I am thankful for now having mostly good days, not great for sure, but better.

This is a long journey I think, and I just want us all to know that we CAN do this, and please, be here for each other for support. I know we all post when our days suck, and I appreciate having others to listen to me, yet let's also try to remember to post things that are looking better. It may even be something very small, such as a few hours without zaps, or dizziness or nausea. I know that when one of you shares a success, it gives me hope on some of the darker days.

Hold on tight, we can do it!

[schmb01]

Well, day 21, and life looks better than it did. I'm having moments where I feel sad, or bored or frustrated, and that bothers me, but not for the reason you would think.

It bothers me that it bothers me. I think after 5 years on antis, I'm not used to feeling normal emotions, and it scares me a bit that I may not be as equipped to handle it as I should be. The scary thing for me, is that sometimes psychotropes are prescribed to people with mild to moderate depression. There you go, take a pill, and no problems. The reality is, I may have done better with talk therapy, or better overall health habits, and now I'm scared that I may have done damage to my brain and not be able to function normally.

I wish doctors had better tools to diagnose and treat depression more individually. In many cases it is so subjective. What if, on the day of my initial diagnosis, and subsequent prescription, I was just having a really bad day, or PMS? The cycle was started, and I never took the time to ask questions. I don't know what studies have been done on people who use antis long term. Have I doomed myself to brain damage?

Sorry, don't mean to be such a downer, it helps me some to write this out and get some perspective, and maybe the perspective of anyone else who reads this. I seriously don't know what normal feels like. I know I don't feel numb anymore, I do have more energy and my thinking is more clear than while on the meds, and that is a good thing. I guess I just feel overall in a funk tonight.

Thanks for listening, (or not)

[Sarah J]

Getting to day 21 is a great accomplishment. Let's see, my first few weeks, I could not sit down at a computer and write something as thoughtful and literal as you. So, from reading the helpful information you post here, it is evident that the part of your brain that can communicate thoughts and feelings seems to be working great!

http://www.fi.edu/le...n/exercise.html

and this link from the same page about nourishment as it relates to your brain function:
http://www.fi.edu/le...in/pyramid.html

You will notice in the articles the mention of a acetylcholine, which you can get from eating foods that stimulate it. Putting fuel (food) into your body that supplies acetylcholine will help your neurons learn to work again on their own.

So, it does seem that some scientists say your brain can repair itself.

You have made a major accomplishment getting to 21 days. Be gentle with yourself and thanks for being so strong and telling your story here and for the help you give to others in doing so.

You can't change the fact that you took Cymbalta and are now coming off, you can only change this moment and future moments to come. I hope they will be bright and wonderful moments for you with clarity and peace.

[schmb01]

Thank you so much! That was excellent information, and I'm going to print it off.

You know just the right words for me, and your support has been an anchor during this time. I hope you realize how much good you are doing here. It never ceases to amaze me that with all of the awful things that go on today, there really are kind and caring people in this world, and you my friend are one of them.