Well, had to go back up on my lorazepam. For any new people, I quit Cymbalta in Feb. The withdrawal lasted about 4 or 5 weeks with my stomach problems, dizziness, emotional swings all other symptoms nearly gone by the end of that time. Unluckily I was left with deep fear and crying 24/7. I tried to deal with it but it was just too much. The drs put me on 4 mg lorazepam, 200 mg hydroxyazine and 10 mg Lexapro to get it under control. I was told to stay on these 30 days and give my brain a chance to settle down. I felt great. The dr. said to slowly start weaning off the lorazepam first. I cut 1/2 a mg about every 3 weeks. There were some withdrawal effects each time but nothing I couldn't handle. Once I settled down I would cut out more lorazepam.
I am down to 2 mg lorazepam a day and have hit a wall. I have been at this level one month and nearly constant low level fear (no crying yet, thank God). No sign of improvement I went back up a 1/2 mg last night so we will see if this is enough to set me straight. This reminds me of a posting someone had a few days ago. Someone said they were put on supplemental medicine because they couldn't handle the Cymbalta withdrawal. Once they stabilized they started a slow cut back in medicine. It took them 2 years to cut back completely. I have a feeling it will be the same with me. It sure does wear a person down.
Hi fishinghat, I realize that this is an old post but it applies to how I'm somewhat feeling now .. Is it your experience that once the physical withdrawal becomes somewhere near bearable , that the emotional side effects set in ?.
My emotions are my main problem now & Im wondering if this is the Cymbalta playing with my brain . The irrational fear that hits with no warning & sets off a chain reaction of anxiety & crippling fear.
I'm finding it a lot more difficult to deal with than the early debilitating physical s/e's .
After almost 7 months of battling the physical , I feel worn out & the doubt about surviving this & regaining any type of normal life again is weighing me down .
How amazing is it ! , that we can endure the pain of the physical but one the emotional doubts move in, it becomes so difficult .
Hope you're feeling good my dear friend , you are in my thoughts constantly . :-)