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"Accidental" Withdrawl


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#1 PayItForward

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Posted 19 February 2008 - 10:29 AM

Hi

Just thought I'd see if anyone has had experiences like mine. This site is great for connecting with people who actually know that Cymbalta withdrawl is very real and very scary. I feel my withdrawl problmes are valid after reading the numerous and recent posts. Many thanks to the admin for starting and monitoring this board!

I have major depression, recurrent. No bipolar, no anything else, just "plain" depression. I've been hospitalized twice, first time to try out meds in a safe place (one being Cymbalta), the second time to receive ECT. Both helped tremendously.

So, I'm not trying to get off Cymbalta, I'm actually trying to stay really compliant with my scheduled dosage (60 mg in the morning). However, with any med there are times when I miss taking a dosage; I think that's normal for anyone. I've gone on "accidental" withdrawl 3 times with about 3 years of usage, and with this post I'd like to warn anyone who's in my situation.

The first time I withdrew was when I had some temporary red-tape probs with my health care plan, and couldn't pay for Cymbalta. The second time was when I went on a long weekend and forgot my meds. The third was this past weekend when a new dr's office didn't respond to my repeated messages left on a recorder for a refill. These things happen, but when it's Cymbalta, it's not like other anti-depressants. And unfortunately once you start withdrawing, the symptoms make it hard for you to maintain objectivity, or make yourself understand that you are suffering from symptoms of withdrawl, not symptoms of "going crazy"!

Within 8 hours (late afternoon), I start feeling physical symptoms -- mostly vertigo (dizziness). The dizziness get worse each day. Within 24 hours (the next morning), I start moving towards an emotional meltdown. Some irritation and anger mixed in with lots of crying over anything the least bit sad (and every thought seems to be about something sad), feeling like no one cares about me, moving on to feeling like everyone thinks I'm crazy -- a nightmare that you don't wake up from. I've never gone past 3 or 4 days before ending the withdrawl by getting back on Cymbalta and I panic at the thought of what would happen after 4 days. By 3 days, I am non-functional; the only people I will talk to are my husband, my pharmacist, and my dr. I am an emotional WRECK (crying almost non-stop), and so dizzy I am afraid of walking around the house. The worst part is that I've played down how bad I'm feeling because I am so scared that I will have to be hospitalized in order to get better.

This last time (I just got back on Cymbalta yesterday), I learned to cope a little by repeating to myself (and my husband, and my pharmacist, and my dr), "This is NOT really me, this is me in Cymbalta withdrawl." Luckily, my husband has learned something too: that I just need my meds (i.e., I'm not reverting back to my darkest days of depression, which I don't think he could go thru with me again). The only other coping advice I have for anyone reading this who is trying to stay on Cymbalta (but going thru accidental withdrawl) is (a) not running out in the first place, ever! and (:P relentlessly doing whatever it takes to get your pharmacist to spot you a couple of pills, or going to your dr (without an appt) and politely but firmly camping out in the waiting room until he/she comes up with samples and/or a prescription with a lot of refills. Do not wait for more than a day or two to get samples or a refill; if you're like me, you'll be so dizzy and so blubbery that you won't be able to drive yourself to your pharmacy/dr's or... make yourself understood if you manage to get there.

Besides signing the Eli LiIly (sp?) petition (a great "global" solution), I'd like to encourage all of us to work "locally" on educating our drs and pharmacists. EVERY visit, tell your dr about your withdrawl symptoms specific to Cymbalta and your fear of them. Ask for a couple of sample bottles (there's usually a week's worth in each) to tide you over "just in case". Don't be shy, the pharma reps supply your doctor with a closetful of Cymbalta -- I've seen both the reps and the closet in my dr's office! Both the pharma reps and your doctor want you to stay on Cymbalta, if not for the exact same reasons. Also, ask your dr to ask the pharma reps about Cymbalta withdrawl. The reps may deny it, but at least they'll go back to the company and pass on the message that drs are starting to ask questions.

Tell your pharmacist about your withdrawl symptoms EVERY time you fill your Rx. (I work hard to be very friendly with one or two of my pharmacists -- I go to a big, busy drug store, but I make sure someone there gets to know me personally.) Ask your pharmacist "friend" if they will spot you a few while you're trying to work things out with your insurance company or dr. Also ask them to fax your dr with the refill request. Call at least twice a day ("just to check") if you're running out, or actually out.

I believe that with enough questions and pressure from "above" (the FDA) and "below" (the doctors), perhaps the pharmaceutical company will pay attention to the Cymbalta withdrawl problem. For me, since I'm staying on Cymbalta, I actually feel more at risk than someone who is trying to get off it, because chances are, I'll be going through hell again, every time there's a problem with running out. So if you have any more ideas about educating the health care industry, write back, because I will take action!

God bless all of us who suffer both with depression, and the treatments for depression!

#2 jerseygrrl4life

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Posted 27 February 2008 - 03:33 PM

hello. i was just reading your post and wanted to reply. i have had the same experiences before when i was on cymbalta 60mg every day. i would "run out" of my meds and i went to the pharmacy and i told them, look i need this medication, i can't go without it, please help me. it always took forever to get my prescription refilled or whatever so they would give me 3 pills right away, then just fill my bottle 27 pills instead of 30. definitely talk to ur pharmacist about it. im trying to get off cymbalta now and just wish i could get over this crap already. i cant stand much more of it before i stay on cymbalta forever just to avoid the side effects of withdrawal!!

#3 chuckiesd

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Posted 04 March 2008 - 07:53 PM

My suggestion is do not total withdraw cymbalta from your life. Please taking off step by step. Maybe you will start from 50mg then 40mg and reduce more as much you can. Make it cold turkey step by step. When your body has suitable with kind of routine you do, you can withdraw the cymbalta from you self. Believe me.



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