24 replies to this topic

[chelseychels]

I have taken cymbalta going on 2 1/2 yrs. Started it for post partum depression and then the doctor kept me on it for my headache problems. So I read up on some things for coming off of cymbalta and learned that there is only 30mg as the lowest I can get, and the doctor wanted me to take it every other day. It didn't work, so reasearching I thought I would give the prozac idea a try. So I get my prescription for 10mg of prozac for 2 weeks. Take its with my 30mg of cymbalta for 1 week and then cut the cymbalta out comepletely and take the 10mg of prozac for week 2. I felt not to bad the first three days, little headache here and there but nothing major, and now here I am on day 4! In HELL! I went to bed last night and woke up with the worst headache I could imagine so I go to physio to try and sort it out and it didn't work. I now am stuck in bed with sweats, dizzyness, extreme nausea, pounding headache and just want to cry to relieve the pressure! Will this last long? I won't be able to take this for long and I refuse to go back on cymbalta, let it win, and then come across this problem down the road again! Any advice or help would be wonderful! My doctors only solution is to go back on my meds and take them every other day which is worse

[Jones]

The only thing I can tell you is that I did well by the bead counting. I would take five out one or two days then ten and hang a few days. I also had some Prozac I think ten mgs that I would take part of at night to sleep. The headaches were unbearable when I tried cold turkey. I ended up in er twice. I learned the bead counting from this website. I think there are 195 beads inside that evil pill. So i did have to go back on them to get off them.
I hve been off totally a few weeks now and am only doing a few grams of Prozac and getting off of that. God knows how I did not blow out my brains during this withdrawal, but I am on the upswing now, I think. Still have crying jags but can talk my way thru most of them.
I have asked questions on here with no answer but there are people on here that can recommend omega drugs and other drugs to help you.
Dont give up. Never. It can and Will happen. Maybe someone on here has a good cold type turkey story for you.

[chelseychels]

Thank you for the advice . I don't know if I could bear the thought of going back on. But if this continues and/or gets worse I will definitely try the beading. Who would of ever thought this drug could have such an effect trying to get off of it? Seemed like such a great idea a few years ago to get rid of my nightmares

[lady2882Nancy]

There is 20mg cymbalta although most don't seem to be aware of it which would be easier but really the bead counting way is the easiest.

 

You are in for about another week and a half of rough going and then it will start to get better. Drink lots of water and I mean lots enough so that you need to use the bathroom about every hour, take Omega 3 2000mg twice a day, a good high potency vitamin/mineral supplement and if you have access to a health supplement/food store get some L-theanine (make sure it is suntheanine).

That's the best advice I can give you

Take care and let us know how you are doing

 

[chelseychels]

Thank you I will definetely look into that.. I can say with just the night going on its getting worse and worse... Its honestly feeling like I'm dying... I might have to get rid of my pride and do the bead counting. But I will be calling my doctor in the am. Just a question for you though nancy since I'm extremely new to this...can/should I be taking that stuff you have mentioned if I do the bead counting? And while I do it? I just know that being a mom (and a very proud one ) I cannot go any longer feeling like this! And I thought my nightmares I had before I started this pill were bad I was wrong!

[chelseychels]

Also nancy where do you get 20mg of the drug? I'm in ontario canada and my doctor keeps telling me there is no smaller dose I can get other then 30mg

[chelseychels]

Also nancy where do you get 20mg of the drug? I'm in ontario canada and my doctor keeps telling me there is no smaller dose I can get other then 30mg

[lady2882Nancy]

You would have to check with your pharmacists and see if they can get them. My pharmacist here in Saskatchewan said that they could if I needed to. I did the bead counting way instead and my pharmacist showed me how to open the capsules. I recommend doing it over a large bowl or plate to start with and maybe a coloured one as the beads are tiny and white.

[lady2882Nancy]

Yes take the supplements now. It is actually best to start them before trying to stop the Crapalta but most of us don't know about them until afterwards. Drink lots and lots of water and avoid having too much caffeine. You need to stay well hydrated. Take care

[Jones]

O the nightmares. I had forgotten. Also wondering if anyone got mouth sores.

[chelseychels]

Well today I'm pretty upset with myself.. I feel like nothing but a drug addict going through withdrawl.. And its my sons 3rd birthday, I feek even worse then yesterday but forced myself to go out while I grav those thing you mentioned nancy and wait for the doctor to call.. I feel like a useless waste of space

[lady2882Nancy]

Hang in there you can do this. You are not a useless waste of space - that is the crapalta making you feel that way. Whenever you get those negative feelings you have to remember that it is the drug that is making you feel like that. You will feel much better once you have been off of it for awhile. This is one of the many bad feelings that you can get when stopping this drug. Keep reminding yourself that it is the drug that is causing all of this. Fight it and keep telling yourself "I can beat Crapalta, it will not control me. I will win"

[chelseychels]

I am wordering if maybe doing the bead counting would be a better way? Still have not heard from doc

[chelseychels]

i can't afford feeling like this and missing out on work I am the bread winner and bills payer in my home :s

[lady2882Nancy]

If you have any crapalta left open the capsule carefully and remove about 10 or 20 beads and take that dose. It will make you feel much better and then you can do the bead counting way to get off.

 

Much easier on your and you will be able to keep working.

 

Drink lots of water.

 

I hope this helps you, let me know how it goes.

[chelseychels]

Just waiting on the doctor to see if she will give me more

[lady2882Nancy]

I sure hope you don't have to suffer through and will keep my fingers and toes crossed  that your doctor helps you out. I wish more of them would read the prescribing information and realize it is not as easy as they were originally told.

 

Take care of you

[chelseychels]

So prescription it is! I do not know how people can go cold turkey! They are some very strong people! I was left on these pills longer because of my neck and headache problem so dealing with cold turkey is seriously making me feel like in dying! I know this is going to sound bad but I don't think ill be able to get my 30mg into me fast enough! Lol on and up for the bead counting process! I pray I never have to feel like this again!

[maudelady07]

Hi Chelseachels,

 

I've been doing the bead counting thing and Nancy and this site have helped me out big time. Jones, thanks for telling me how many beads are int he pill OMG I've been trying to count how many are in there for like 3 days now and all I do is get  really angry and stop counting because I can't focus enough to count. Def. put the beads on a plate as Nancy has mentioned. The beads will stick to your finger when you press on them. Open the capsule carefully and dump it on a dark colored plate, the beads are white (at least in the 30mg cap). Take half of one cap and with a finger press down on the beads on the plate, then slide the beads off your finger and into the one end of the cap. Take the other end of the cap, close it up, and you have half a dose. I'm going down from 60mg to 30mg so I am at taking one and a half pills a day. This is how I got my half a pill.

 

If not for everyone explaining how this is done on here, I would have gone completely bonkers by now! You may have to go back on this vile drug to get off of it again...the beading technique has helped to quite down many of my WC symptoms alot...I just keep thinking "babysteps...babysteps" so I don't get so frustrated I am still on this horrible drug. I want nothing to do with it...but the symptoms of the WC are just too much. Im doing much better now dosing down.

[lady2882Nancy]

If you can set up your pills when in a level stable state it is much easier than when in full blown withdrawals.

 

Just remember it can take awhile this way and it you start having side effects then just stay at the same dose for a few days.

 

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress

 

Take care

[chelseychels]

I will admit that I have only been on this site since last night, and already I have learnt sooo much then I have about this drug in the last 2 years! I am defineately going to do the bead counting but I'm probably going to wait a week for my 30mg regular dose to kick in and a special thank you to you nancy, you must keep a lot of people sane on here lol

[lady2882Nancy]

That is a very good idea chelseychels.

 

It is much easy to start tapering when you are stablized. Plus that will give the omega 3 and vitamin/minerals to boost your system. I have read that taking the omega 3 ahead of time really helps.

 

This will give you a chance to set up some pills ahead of time while you are calm. Those tiny little beads in the 30mg can be quite frustrating. I bought empty capsules for the beads that I took out so that I didn't need to buy extra pills. It was very satisfying to see my little supply of pills slowly go down. I also hated the thought of giving Eli Lilly any more of my money than it already had.

 

Keep us posted on your progress.

 

Take care of you

[bichonhugs]

I too, used the bead counting method, but as Nancy said, use a bowl or plate with sides.  Those little suckers bounce around.  I used tweezers to pick them up and count.  I have been "clean" for about 45 days and still struggling with insomnia and shakes.  My doctor does not believe these stories about the side effects so I am on my own.  Acupuncture helps a lot with the side effects, but I it's expensive and I can't afford it any longer.  Who ever invented this drug should be shot!

[Jones]

Just waiting on the doctor to see if she will give me more

I can mail you my leftovers

[Jones]

My favorite psychologist told me you can split a pill by opening, leveling and then sealing the ends with a little peanut butter. I sure miss her.