52 replies to this topic

[Want2bfree2013]

Hi everyone!

 

Day 15 of being on 30mg & finally feeling better nausea wise.....ugh! Now I am wondering if I should start BEAD Counting tomorrow?? Any advice out there.  I spoke with GP yesterday and he  suggested 30 mg every second day and had extended my prescription for another couple of months !  Wow hate this drug ..never will I go back on it.  Have not slept 5 hours straight in a few months so really exguasted mentally & physically.  The whole reason I started weaning off is because I want to quit smoking with the help of chantix which cannot be taken with any other SSRI!  Fibromyalgia pain is the reason I started this  crappy drug to start off with (pain under control with the help of Butrans Patch) as well as long time depression. Bla , Bla Bla  :-) 

 

Want to say thanks so much for being here to everyone ....don't know if I would have continued with this journey of weaning off from 120mg to 90 mg to 60mg  to present 30mg for aprx two weeks now.

 

Would love to receive more feedback from you guys and will continue updating so others who may be going through the withdrawal process, to help others hopefully.

 

Hugs!

[GreenMachine]

I would suggest to start bead counting, and advise against 30mg every other day...I haven't seen that work for anyone lol

Great progress so far!

[lady2882Nancy]

GreenMachine is right. The 30mg every second day does not work very well especially when you know you are going to have withdrawals. That just prolongs the agony.

Bead counting is the way to go. I really haven't noticed any big changes in how I feel since I started the bead counting and this is the third day.

If anything I feel better except for the depression and headache but the headache starts about30 minutes after I take the drug and the depression about 5 or 6 hours after I take it so think it is the drug itself that causes these problems.

 

Physically I'm doing better. Way less nausea and diarrhea not as bad. At least so far

[CymbaltaCrap]

Hi Want2Bfree2013!

Yes like others said, "bead counting"!!! No other way! The doctors won't suggest this to you though! I asked my doctor why they don't suggest this and she said that incase children got the excess beads that you're taking out... I'm not sure if that answer was uuummmm I don't know... Correct may not be the right word.. Maybe she didn't know. But I think it's because we are messing with a drug that comes in a capsule (unlike a tablet which you can break/cut) and capsules just aren't meant to be messed with!...
But do try bead counting. I know it seems a whole lot slower but the difference between taking one capsule every second day and weaning like that is soooo much harder on your body and brain than taking 5 beads out a day!

 

If you start bead counting from 30mg by 5 beads a day you can be off it in about 40 or so days!
Good luck!

[Want2bfree2013]

Thank you for replying :-)

 

I will start bead counting Saturday and stay close to this forum !

 

Hoping all are doing okay!!

[fishinghat]

Want2beFree2013 - Greenmachine and CymbaltaCrap are right about the bead counting. The 30 mg every other day causes your blood levels to spike and drop each day. Makes the withdrawal much worse.

 

Just a note about Butran Patches - Butran is an opium dirivative and is extremely addictive. In the literature it says that patients wanting to come off this medicine with go through classic opium withdrawal. I understand that is a lot worse than cymbalta withdrawal. Just thought you should know.

[Want2bfree2013]

Hi Fishinghat

 

Oh no...been on Butrans patch for 2 weeks....it has been really helping for the pain while going through the Cymbalta withdrawal .....now wth am I goiing to do lol.

 

Do you think i can be addicted already?? Hmmm I will do some more research on this.  Tks so much for your reply.

 

How is you doing these days?

[fishinghat]

Unluckily want2bfree2013, I have had a major set back. A mole which "does not look good" has been discoverd on my back. Of course being in cybalta withdrawal my emotions took over and went crazy. Cried for a half hour and the rest is just debilitating mind-boggling fear and dispair. I lost my brother to melanoma about a year ago in what I would describe as a horrid death so that memory is still fresh and just makes everything worse. All I can do is wait and try to cope. Good luck with the Butrans, I would hate to see you in another cymbalts situation (or worse).

[lady2882Nancy]

Oh man fishinghat that's rough. Hope you can get it removed right away and that they spotted it on time.

Both my mother and father had bad moles but they got mom's early enough and dad had treatments and both were okay.

I'm always getting the doc to check this mole or that spot as I'm very fair skinned and terrified that I will get it too.

I'm here for you if you need me.

[GreenMachine]

Sorry to hear about that fishinghat...keep fightin' it!

[fishinghat]

Thanks everyone. It will take a couple of weeks to get to see the specialist and then probably a couple weeks to schedule the surgery and then I will have to wait to get the lab results. All that will sure make the withdrawal interesting. lol

 

It sounds like you are all hanging in there...that makes me feel better beleive it or not.

[johanna7272]

fishinghat- I am so sorry to hear of your distress. Get it checked asap for your peace of mind. I know you have a family history of melanoma, but that does not mean it is for you. And it sounds like you are looking at it early. I have a family history (my dad and my aunt), but they both had the melanoma's removed without any other problems at this time. I have a spot on my ankle that I watch cause it is unusual but my doc says it is nothing to worry about.
The best thing to do is have it checked so you can deal with it. The unknown is the worst!
Johanna

[fishinghat]

Thanks TimeToStop. My primary care physician has looked at it and said it 'probably' is not a problem. He checks my moles every November during my annual physical. If it turns out to be an issue it would have to be in the early stages.I have an appointment with my dermatoligist this afternoon. The bad problem is that this has come up during my withdrawal from cymbalta. This has taken my emotional swings to a new level!! lol My fear is really high right now but all I can do is wait. I will keep you all posted. Meanwhile I hope you are all keeping the faith and staying strong.

[johanna7272]

Fishinghat, unfortunately we don't live in a plastic bubble and life around us goes on. I sometimes feel like I wish I take a vacation from life...on a nice island with a beach and warm (not hot) weather, someone there to do everything for me..tell me what exercises to do, make my meals, wait on me. It is discouraging when something happens that throws a wrench in our plans. My personal quote has always been "Life is what happens when you are making other plans."
I make all these great plans of things to do, then don't have the energy to do them. I feel like I am missing out on my kids growing up cause I don't really want to do anything. I was really hoping the supplements would make a difference, but find that I am still very tired. Oh, and I am changing my name to johanna...TimeToStop is too hard to keep writing;) Just gonna use my name.

[GreenMachine]

Johanna, 

I just replied to your other post...I feel the same way about Cymbalta making me "miss" life as it was happening.  But now, 3 weeks clear of it, I just had a great weekend with my family and actually felt *alive* inside again.  So, don't get too down on it yet because it WILL get better!

[fishinghat]

Well, I just got back home. the doctor removed the mole and sent it in for biopsy. He is pretty sure it is OK. I will know in a week. I agree with your statement about "life" johanna! Keep up the 'good life' you two! Cymbalta is gone from our lives!!

[lady2882Nancy]

Good, good, good, that sounds very promising fishinghat. Keeping a positive outlook is the best for you.

 

Take care of you

[johanna7272]

Awesome fishinghat!  So glad you were able to get things moving.  Hate that you have to wait for results, but having it gone should help.

[CymbaltaCrap]

fishinghat thinking of you and sending positive thoughts your way for your results!

 

I hope everyone else is doing ok!?

 

I'm up to 55 beads!! I jumped from 5 per day to 10 and I'll see how I go. Going pretty good so far though!

I had a great weekend away with girlfriends, which was much needed so feeling pretty good and kind of refreshed.. I did have a miagraine yesterday though and it went over night but a headache is hanging around a bit now (I do get headaches quite often so not putting it down to the weaning), could really do without it though..

 

Johanna I love your saying! So true!

[Want2bfree2013]

Hey all :-)

 

Fishinghat - Thanks for being here & sharing your journey & continuing sharing !!

 

Day 4 = 20 beads taken out!   Crying at the drop of hat so to speak ...lol  I haven't cried more then 5 or so times in 3 years being on Cymbalta!  Hmmm... wondering what's up with that??  Anyhow this site is saving me in a big way  & need people like yourself & all others here !!

 

Thank you all

 

Hugs,

 

 

Want2bfree2013 - Shirl 

[lady2882Nancy]

CymbaltaCrap - - -

 

Don't know if you had time to read any of my posts but the headache/migraine has been pretty much a constant for me since starting the tapering. Pretty much have a mild headache  all the time with it getting worse about an hour after taking the crap and my eyes are pretty light sensitive which with all the bright white snow around here is not a good thing.

But if that is the worst of my withdrawals then I'm good

Glad to hear you had such a great weekend. We all need a boost.

 

Want2bfree - - -

 

This drug numbs our feelings so now that you are down to a much lower dose you are starting to actually feel your emotions and since it has probably been awhile since you felt them you will be rather sensitive to them.

 

It is the way our brains are trying to cope with the anxiety of having less drug in our systems.

 

Be aware that you may also have times when you are angry or agitated and can lose your cool pretty fast. I just had a few days where I woke up feeling rather grouchy and even my dogs were being very quiet around me at I got mad fast.

 

Just remember that this is the drug causing all of this and that it is part of the withdrawals and it is easier to calm yourself.

[Want2bfree2013]

Hi Lady Nancy :-)

 

Tks so much for your reply!!  Hope your doing well ...  Couldn't believe the past couple of days with tears coming down my cheeks but to be totally honest it is bitter/sweet as I cannot remember the last time I really felt feelings of any kind.

 

Have a good day!

 

Hugs,

Shirl

[fishinghat]

Just got caught up reading your posts everyone. Thanks so much for your encouragement. I need that as I am not famous for being a positive thinker!! lol  (Boy that is an understatement!!)

 

Sounds like you guys are having too much fun!!! lol Hang in there and keep up the good fight!! You will win out in the end.

 

You know I feel like my cymbalta withdrawal symptoms are gone. No more mood swings, brain zaps, diarrhea, etc...BUT I have this constant fear/panic. Not low level either. It is 24/7 and is real paralyzing. Hard to move and do anything.. From what I have read it may be due to my low testosterone (if it has dropped really low.) The low t is one of many reasons I have had to come off the cymbalta. The doctors say that the testosterone typically returns to normal or near normal levels about 6 to 8 weeks after coming off the cymbalta (now at 4 weeks post cymbalta, yeaaa). My breast pain is some worse so that also makes me think that the low t is getting worse. I have an appointment with my primary care doctor (a internist) on Friday so I am sure he will run another testosterone test to see what the level is and get that question answered for me. He was going to put me on Androgel originally but we knew that my natural production of testosterone would be changing know that I am off the cymbalta so he wanted to wait a few weeks for it to stabilize.I can't tell you what it is like to have constant fear 24/7. Horrible!! Maybe it is just a combination of the cymbalta withdrawal, worrying about the mole and my basic anxiety coming back. Hard to say. A simple blood test will at least shed light on if it related to the testosterone. I will keep you guys informed.

 

I thought I should post this. Maybe some guy in the future might have to go through something similar and knowing what is happening to me might help. I sure hope that doesn't happen to anyone ele though.

[johanna7272]

Hi FishingHat,

Try to get your blood drawn asap, then the doc will have the results when you have your appointment.

Johanna

[fishinghat]

Two great minds on the same page!! I just thought of the same thing johanna. I just left him an email making that request. Thanks.

[lady2882Nancy]

fishinghat - is there something that will raise you t-level that is temporary? It seems tio me that you really need something now, especially since we know the crapalta can stay in fatty tissue and get released slowly for as long as 6 months (seems to me we talked about both of us may have to deal with that lol).

I hope that there is something your dr can do for you as you have so much to deal with already. 

Please know that you have helped me alot and I'm sure you have helped lots of others here too.

 

Take care of you

[fishinghat]

Thanks so much L2N. I agree I need something now but there is a catch. Taking supplements and/or Androgel will lift my testosterone but it also inhibits the bodies production of testosterone. People on these items frequently suffer from testicular atrophyand decreased natural production. I am blessed that I have a doctor who is not medicine crazy. He would like to see my body recover from the cymbalta and get back as much natural testosterone production as possible before looking at ingesting more meds/supplements. Right now I am sort of torn...I don't want more crap in my body but I also don't want to feel THIS bad. He has 30 years experience with these things so I am leaning on his guidance right now. Greenmachine, I think you were once involved with body building weren't you? What do you think?

[lady2882Nancy]

Our doctor has recommended that my hubbie eat more nuts, especially peanuts (don't know if you can eat nuts but....) and to take a zinc supplement.

Hubbie just confessed that was for the low t-levels lol. Also to limit alcohol and stop smoking.

 

Maybe GreenMachine has better ideas lol

 

Take care of you

[fishinghat]

Yea lady2882Nancy, there are a lot of things you can do (dietary/supplements) including the nuts and zinc. And luckily I don't smoke or drink. Never have. He just wants me to staff off the supplements until my body recovers from the cymbalta and things stabilze and my body testosterone production returns to as close to normal as it can.

 

All of this just makes me more mad at taking the cymbalta in the first place. I am off it and it is still biting me in the .....

[lady2882Nancy]

I know what you mean fishinghat. I'm not off yet and if it wouldn't have been for this website I'm not sure that I would still be around. Even at 30mg with 80 beads taken out I still get really down late in the afternoon (i have to take it in the morning due to other meds).

 

Its really nice to have somewhere to find help, express how I feel to people who understand, and offer help to others.

 

I have to go see my dr today (he's back from a much needed and deserved vacation) and not sure how to explain going off the crapalta to him.

I'm really nervous about it and the down swing in mood is already happening today which makes the nervousness worse.