87 replies to this topic

[rasrob]

I am new and ready to get off of Cymbalta. I also have fibro and when I started 5 years ago, was dealing with depression. I have made many lifestyle and eating changes. Last summer I started to decrease dosage from 90 down to 20. But, my doctor suggested I wait to completely stop. I want to try this summer. Summers are better for me with the fibro and not been depressed for long time.

 

However, after reading here, I am getting anxious. From what I can tell, best to either cold turkey or decrease the beads. Add some of those vitamins...what is L-theanine for?

 

Good to know I am not alone.

[lady2882Nancy]

Hi rasrob

Best is to decrease the beads. A slow taper is the best way to avoid the side effects from stopping this drug.

L-theanine is a natural occurring amino acid that the brain uses to calm itself and make GABA which is the feel good messenger amino acid. After taking a SSRI or SSNRI like cymbalta there isn't enough of these amino acids in the brain to deal with the activity in the brain which causes headaches, mood swings and irritability. L-theanine (suntheanine) supplement helps reduce the headaches and restore the balance in the brain. A GABA supplement may work as well but at this point I haven't been able to find that supplement to try it.

Best of Luck on whichever method you decide to try to get off.

Take care

[chimera]

welcome Rasrob

yes if the time is right for you to come off, do- as long as it's a gradual taper then you should be fine

[rasrob]

Thanks for responding so quickly.

 

I have for the past 2 years been taking a GABA supplement when I researched more about fibromyalgia. I thought this might help. I wonder now if that is partially why it was easy for me to reduce usage last summer.

 

Are you familiar with Dr. Amen, a neuroscientist that has done major work in the area of brain?

He sells supplements that I use. I trust that as a neuroscientist he knows how to blend.

 

I actualy take a few of his supplements-he has a questionnaire that helps one get started to build up specific brain function areas.

 

I may try this instead of the other supplement.

 

If you look it up, let me know what you think. I know these have made a huge difference for me.

[rasrob]

So, I tried to open my capsule tonight and made a huge mess. Those beads are teeny and hard to round up!

 

I tried to read on this site a better way to do this. It is not easy to remove a certain number is it?  I'll try again.

[lady2882Nancy]

Hi rasrob

Try opening the capsule over a plate or large bowl. It makes it easier to keep all those escaping beads from getting away from you.

Once you have done it a few times it gets easier. After awhile you will be a pro at it.

Take care

[rasrob]

Thanks. I got the plate, terra cotta, so I can see the little beads. I decided to start weaning 10 the first day. See how impatient I am. It sounds like I can do the same number each day and if I notice an increase in those bad symptoms can go back up a bit and stay put a day or two. Is that right?

 

I had forgotten to take it for 2 days in a row and didn't feel great. Sponge brain?

Today, even after the decrease of 10 feel better.

 

However, this morning, I noticed a bead or two in the plate still. So, I am wondering how many I actually left out. My fingers are not so good with their tininess but I think I will get better.

 

Hopeful today!

[lady2882Nancy]

That colored plate is perfect.

 

One or two beads does not make much difference so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

I went down by 10 beads a day as well and Yes you have that right if you notice bad symptoms (cymptoms lol) you can just go back up a bit and stay there until things are okay again.

 

Don't be in too much of a rush to get off or you will have side effects at the end.

 

Take care

[rasrob]

I have a friend that wants to use this site as well. I tried to explain about the tapering method and it wasn't making sense. Can someone direct me to a space that clearly spells it out again as I can't find it and the list of vitamins to use as well?

 

Thanks.

[rbmcaus]

I'm new here, I tapered for a couple of days per my new doctors instructions & am taking Paxil @ night. I am a mess, tired & irritable, headaches, brain zaps, memory fades. I really want off of this s__t & eventually all antidepressants. Do these feelings ever go away.?

[chimera]

Hi again to both

sponge brain is normal lol with this, it will pass but yes it is a kind of 'soggy, waterlogged' heavy feeling. makes concentrating difficult.

rbmcaus, the feelings will go away, by 3 weeks you'll be past the worst of it, possibly sooner, depends on the individual. have you just started 

the Paxil at night to help with withdrawal, or have you been on it a while?

[lady2882Nancy]

I have a friend that wants to use this site as well. I tried to explain about the tapering method and it wasn't making sense. Can someone direct me to a space that clearly spells it out again as I can't find it and the list of vitamins to use as well?

 

Thanks.

 Here's a good explaination of the bead counting or tapering method

https://www.cymbalta...ge-3#entry31450

 

Here is a link to the supplements

https://www.cymbaltawithdrawal.com/topic/7030-new-here-need-help-with-withdrawel-symptoms-please/?hl=%2Bessential+%2Bsupplements#entry31324

 

Hope that helps.

 

Take care

[rasrob]

Thanks for the links. Today, I slept a lot. I had a headache and felt stomach issues happening so I just slept as I had the time today. Sponge brain and a little light-headed, but manageable.

 

I will take out 10 more out. And I am surprised at how many remain....

[rasrob]

Also, has anyone ever taken the leftover beads without trying to put them back into a capsule? That is tedious and I wonder how necessary.

[lady2882Nancy]

Hi Rasrob

There are those who have mixed them with applesauce or peanut butter then eaten it right away.

But DO NOT CHEW the beads no matter what.

The beads are coated and you do NOT want that coating broken in the mouth or you will get some serious burn like sores in your mouth and throat.

To fill the capsules I just pushed on the beads on the plate with my finger and then used the edge of the capsule to loosen them to fall into the capsule. I was afraid to try taking them with out the capsule to make sure they got to my stomach before dissolving. I have heard too many horror stories about people taking meds out of the capsules and taking part of them and having all kinds of mouth and throat problems.

If you could put them in something that you could just swallow whole that would be best.

Take care
 

[rasrob]

Ok. I will keep putting them back into capsule. Not worth the risk.

 

Day 4

Today when I woke up I felt that achy joint and body pain like the flu. I haven't felt that way for years from the fibro. I wanted to just curl up and stay in bed. But, since I had house guests, I couldn't. My daughter encouraged me to go on an outing with them when she saw I was trying to back out. So, I went. And is was a sunny warm beautiful day out there and the pain subsided with the slow walking I did with frequent rests.

I am glad I went, but know without her nudging, I would have stayed home and started that emotional sinking....

 

I want to give this time and not be afraid of the pain and rush to get rid of it with the Cymbalta again.

 

I wonder if week 3 is the roughest one to get over.

 

Help me to focus on 1 day at a time.

[fishinghat]

Usually week two and 3 are the worst rasrob so hang in there. Usually you start to feel a little improvement in the 3rd week and quite a bit in the fourth so you just hang in there it will get better.

[rasrob]

Thanks fishinghat!

I have been away for a few days. Not as spongy in the brain. Increasing my GABA supplement. My legs are definitely stiffer and knees are definitely feeling the pain.

Today is Day 7 and I am counting out 70 beads. That part is starting to get a bit easier, too.

 

I just want to find a way to manage the fibro without the Cymbalta. So long sugar (again).

[lady2882Nancy]

Hi Rasrob

 

Good to hear from you.

 

How is the GABA working for you? Do you think it is helping? I still haven't found any locally but may order some online.

 

The pain can get pretty bad when getting off the Crapalta due to the rebound pain it seems to cause so keep up the gentle walking as much as possible. I love my hot baths to ease my joints.

 

Take care

[rasrob]

Day 10

 

So, I haven't been on for a few days because I somehow signed out and couldn't understand why when I came back to read comments I couldn't respond. Missed a grooming appointment for my dog because I had the wrong day. Almost showed up 4 hours early for a workshop except a friend caught me on that one. All within the past 2 days. This is not my usual M.O.

 

When I wake up, I can barely get out of bed because I am so brain tired. Joint and muscle pain especially in legs but this goes away when I move, especially walk outside. Want to cry at dumb commercials.

 

On the other hand. I feel like I am more clearly connecting with people. Sort of like something that has been lulled into fake calmness is waking up again. This is what I have longed for...to feel like myself again. So, these withdrawal symptoms are worth it.

 

Challenge...I am a teacher and starting at a new school this August. I wonder if I will be in better shape by then.

 

I am now counting out 100 beads from 20 mg. I am 1/2 way there.

 

Does anyone else find the beads just lying around? What are they sticking to that they seem to appear in random places?

 

The GABA is helping a lot. I am starting a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program tomorrow also. It is a 6 week class and hope this will get me through the worst part and give me another tool to deal with stress and fibro pain.

 

I have a question. After one has finished weaning and been off of this med. can one still go through withdrawal symptoms? I was thinking that symptoms occur mostly during the weaning process, but read more and that might not be true.

[fishinghat]

My withdrawal symptoms didn't start until about 2 days before I was off the Cymbalta. I sort of notice on the posts it depends on how slow you wean yourself. Those who drop from say 60 to 30 start getting symptoms right away, those like me who weaned 5 beads a day don't seem to get much symptoms until the end and they are less severe. Having said that there certainly were exceptions to that.

[rasrob]

Thanks fishinghat. So, if I start to get overwhelmed, I can slow down the number I decrease and hold steady for a bit.

[fishinghat]

Absolutely. It makes the ride a little longer but a lot easier!!  Good luck and keep us posted.

[rasrob]

Last night I began an 8 week course: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

I slept better than I had in weeks. It meets weekly and we have to practice our exercises for meditation at home 6 days a week,

 

Hope to make this part of my routine to bring stress levels down.

 

Minus 120 beads today. For the first time the other pile is looking smaller.

[lady2882Nancy]

Hi rasrob

 

That sounds like a very good course. It obviously has already helped you since you slept better.

 

This is the one thing that I don't like about living in such a rural area, there aren't enough people around to offer group self-help courses for anything.

 

Sounds like you are doing well with the bead counting. It seems to take forever but it is so much easier than going cold turkey.

 

Take care

[rasrob]

Tonight I put 20 beads in. The end is in sight. I occasionally realize my head feels like it is swirling around somewhere, but I am not fighting that feeling, just letting it pass through me. Helps me not to feel anxious.

 

I hope that after the next couple of days, I feel this brain thing diminishing and staying diminished.

 

Occasional fibro pain flare-up, but not so bad.

[lady2882Nancy]

Hi Rasrob

 

Sounds like things are going well for you and that is good.

 

Fibro flare-ups seem to be happening alot this summer so hopefully won't get too bad for you.

 

Take care

[rasrob]

Getting ready for the last capsule with 10 beads tonight.

 

Really tired today and light headed. I talked to a friend that went off Cymbalta-cold turkey as she hadn't heard of any other way. She had really bad symptoms, but attributed to major life stressors at the time. After a few weeks, she leveled out and is doing well.

 

She said she had some discomfort with the Cymbalta and has some discomfort now. The consuming pain flare up that we fear didn't happen to her. I am hopeful it won't happen to me either.

 

Here I go...the last pill. I hope.

[chimera]

good luck Rasrob, don't be scared. you're at the final hurdle now, hang in there

[sk8mom]

Good Luck Rob, I know it's probably scary, I am hoping all goes well for you !