6 replies to this topic

[EKM5]

I started taking Cymbalta around 6 months ago after going through some tough times. I began on 30, went up to 60, then up to 90. I have been taking less and less for about a month (down to 30mg every 36-48hrs). To get here seemed easy enough but in the last week I have started getting headaches, hand shakes, super vivid dreams, brain zaps, dizziness and insomnia... I don't know if I should continue taking less or go back to taking 30mgs daily and hopefully get back to normal. Any advise people? I really want to get off this stuff if possible..

[GreenMachine]

Go back to 30mg daily to stabilize, and read this post:

https://www.cymbalta...aps/#entry29551

[fishinghat]

EKM5, You came to the right place. We have all been there or are going through the withdrawal right now. We know how overwhelming it can be. Most of us use what is called the bead counting method. First you need to get yourself stable that may mean that you may have to go back to say 30 mg every day. You know your own body the best. Once you get stable then you take a 30 mg tablet every day with 5 less beads. This is done by opening the capsule, take out 5 beads, close the capsule and take it. The next day take 10 beads out of the capsule forst, the next day 15 beads,....until you are down to zero!!! This is a very slow and even way to reduce blood concentrations of cymbalta without large swings . The half life of cymbalta is 12 hours. By taking a 30 mg every say 48 hours you are getting a large dose and then by the time for the next dose you are about down to zero in your system. These up and down swings are only going to make your withdrawal worse. The bead count method provides a slower steadier lowering of the cymalta levels. Withdrawal symptoms are usually minimal until you get down to the very end then you will be in for a few tough weeks til things settle down.

[fishinghat]

Sorry to step on your entry GreenMachine. I must have been typing mine up while you posted yours. Good Job!!.

[EKM5]

Thank you for the info greenmachine and fishinghat. I figured the next logical step was to move the dose to every other day... I didn't know it had a half-life of 12hrs and that I was putting my system through a roller coaster ride. Hopefully this gets easier, I hate taking this stuff and I really want to be off of it. Thank you again for the info and support, I truly appreciate it

[GreenMachine]

Sorry to step on your entry GreenMachine. I must have been typing mine up while you posted yours. Good Job!!.

No problemo...he deserved a better answer than I provided anyway; I was just short on time but wanted to at least give some feedback as quickly as I could...

[lady2882Nancy]

Hello all and welcome EKM5

 

Well I'm on day 5 of bead counting and things are going well. I have actually been taking out 10 beads so took 50 beads out today (there are 280 beads in my 30 mg capsules) and other than the headache am doing quite well.

The nausea hasn't hardly bothered me at all today, at least compared to before lol

I was actually able to eat a proper lunch today so that made me happy.

 

I got some empty capsules from the drugstore yesterday and counted some beads into them that I saved when I took beads out of the 30mg ones.

(Did that make any sense at all    )

Have to do that early in the morning   before I take the crap cause brain too dopey once it kicks in  .

 

EKM5 you may not need to go to the full 30mg but it is much easier if you are at a stable dose level before you start removing the beads. I had horrid withdrawals when I went from 60mg to 30mg but it didn't take long to settle down and haven't had any problems since started removing beads.

 

Everyone here is so helpful and understanding. It is a great website.

Hope to hear from you lots.

Take care of you