35 replies to this topic

[Wagtail]

I tapered from 60 mg which I had been taking for 10 yrs . Over a few weeks of removing beads I got down to 30 mg & didn't feel too bad . Over another two weeks I Reduced to approx 15 mg, then halved that again . On Monday this week , thinking I was coping pretty well I stopped completely . It's 4 days today & every day I'm feeling worse . Can anyone tell me how long it will take for the brain & body zaps to leave me ?..My balance isn't great either & Im house bound .. 😱😱

[thatstheoldme]

hey there!

[fishinghat]

Wagtail, it varies for 4 to 12 weeks. But in general the first two weeks are the worse. During the 3rd week you begin to get some break in the symptoms. Things slowly pickup after that. It is a rough rie but you can do it. Be patient.

[Jazzy]

Hi. It sounds like you're tapering way too fast. I think weaning should go slower. I started by removing 10 beads per day for a week. At that rate I am up to removing 140 beads each day for a week. I also take vitamins. I've had only two brain zaps and one really blue weekend. I think I'm doing good and I hope you can get to feeling better. Hugs.

[thatstheoldme]

today

[thismoment]

Natalie good work! Don't be tempted to rush it. Take 40 days or more to zero. It's the slow countdown to the launch of the rest of your life!

[Jazzy]

I like the way you put that. 😎😎😎

[equuswoman]

Natalie good work! Don't be tempted to rush it. Take 40 days or more to zero. It's the slow countdown to the launch of the rest of your life!

 

that is exactly what it IS! Thx I needed to hear that today! Peace & Love

[Wagtail]

Thanks everyone , you're right I have rushed it !.. My 5th day Cymbalta free but another bad one . I had a shower & washed my hair thinking I could pop down to the local hairdresser & have them blow dry it but couldn't do it . Spent all day on the lounge .. Even though I feel bad I can't stand the thought of putting any Cymbalta into my body again !. when I started this journey over a month ago I thought I would be " the lucky one " & be able to beat the withdrawals .. Going on the above posts I think I'm looking @ another week @ least of being house bound ... Oh by the way , today's new symptom is gastric with cramping ..

[Wagtail]

Wagtail, it varies for 4 to 12 weeks. But in general the first two weeks are the worse. During the 3rd week you begin to get some break in the symptoms. Things slowly pickup after that. It is a rough rie but you can do it. Be patient.

Thank you fishinghat , I think I can handle that .. I will give it my best try !.. What's a few weeks when I have the rest of my life to be Cymbalta free ...

[equuswoman]

The GI symptoms are rough. I took OTC Imodium and sipped G2. Hang in there. Do what you have to do to get thru this. Support and prayers from TheEquusWoman.

[Ape]

Maybe I asked this before can u describe the brain and body zaps? I am taking 30 bids out of 60mg. I am going very slow I Am increasing the bids five a month. I really want to try to but my fears without cymbolta? Beside the medical practice were I used to work there are two more practice were spread the rumor that I am a bad person I feel so ashamed each time ago especially because everything to my mind and at this point I don t know if I have to change the doctors. I am very sad at times and I wish to die. But than there is a part of me that want to live for my family. I am trying to pray and maybe I don t know how to do that either. The fear or anxiety that i get petrify me. I Wish that those people
Who bullied me
And ridiculized
Me would Pay some how but i have no proof Of anything. Why i can t forget? Should i go back to respiradone to forget? I don't really want to I want to live free of meds but I still have no desire to do anything when i don t work. I need to talk tonight thank you for listen and respond If anyone can do it

[Heartfeathers]

Ape , it sounds like you are weaning too fast.  Add some beads back in and don't remove anymore until you feel totally stable.  Things will get better. Don't believe half of the stuff your brain tries to tell you. You have much to live for.    It is the medication withdrawals and not you. You are in my prayers.  

[equuswoman]

Maybe I asked this before can u describe the brain and body zaps? I am taking 30 bids out of 60mg. I am going very slow I Am increasing the bids five a month. I really want to try to but my fears without cymbolta? Beside the medical practice were I used to work there are two more practice were spread the rumor that I am a bad person I feel so ashamed each time ago especially because everything to my mind and at this point I don t know if I have to change the doctors. I am very sad at times and I wish to die. But than there is a part of me that want to live for my family. I am trying to pray and maybe I don t know how to do that either. The fear or anxiety that i get petrify me. I Wish that those people
Who bullied me
And ridiculized
Me would Pay some how but i have no proof Of anything. Why i can t forget? Should i go back to respiradone to forget? I don't really want to I want to live free of meds but I still have no desire to do anything when i don t work. I need to talk tonight thank you for listen and respond If anyone can do it

 

Ape: Right now I can't recall, imagine that huh? But some one posted some great info about being mindful. I "think" about being able to quite our mind to slow it down a wee bit. Look for it and you will find that it is most helpful. I have a headache now and the monitor light is hurting my eyes. But just know that you are in my prayers tonite. Along w/the others who are fighting their way to get out of this hell of Cymbalta. Patience is key here during this weaning process we are in now too. It has been quite difficult for me but I take it one day, one hour, one minute, one second at a time and it brings peace to me knowing there are newly found friends here on this support forum to help me along my way. God bless us all! Much luv always...

[thismoment]

Ape, buddy, please see if you can talk to someone. When I was down the way you are I talked to a psychologist and that helped. Jesus, just go into Emergency if you feel like you're hitting the wall!! 

 

I am reaching out to you- please find someone to talk to.

[thatstheoldme]

..

[Kindorf]

I am new here this is my first day. I need to get Cymbalta free. I have been on 60mg for one year. After reading post I feel for all who got put on this medicine. Ape hang in there and keep talking to people. I don't know what you are going through but I think I am about to find out. Starting today I will start to wean myself off of Cymbalta. I wish I never started taking it.

[Kindorf]

One other thing is, I read on here about brain zaps. I have experienced something  I refer to as having my bell rung. It is kind of like coming to after being knocked unconscious. It is one of the side affects I get from being on Cymbalta. I was wondering if it is the same thing as brain zaps?

[fishinghat]

Brain zaps vary alot. I have heard them described as if your brain was bubbling on the surface, shots of electric going through your head, and many more. I am sure others will add to this. Mine were like shots of electricity (no pain with it).

 

By the way, welcome to the site!!

[thismoment]

Kindorf welcome. My brain zaps were similar to those experienced by fishinghat. It was an electrical flash with a stabbing sensation that seemed to go from aft right to front left, diagonally through my brain. It's not painful, but is spooky if you haven't been briefed about it. 

 

The brain zaps arrived on day 19 of bead-counting from 30 mg, and lasted for 5 days. I was zapped 5 or 6 times each day. Eli Lilly was reaching out and touching me in the most profound and invasive manner!

 

It's easy to start this drug, but difficult to stop; you'd think Eli Lilly would have researched the withdrawal aspect and developed a safe withdrawal protocol. It's as if General Motors designed a car to go really fast, but neglected to install brakes. The design rationale was simply that drivers want to go down the road really fast.

[equuswoman]

I am new here this is my first day. I need to get Cymbalta free. I have been on 60mg for one year. After reading post I feel for all who got put on this medicine. Ape hang in there and keep talking to people. I don't know what you are going through but I think I am about to find out. Starting today I will start to wean myself off of Cymbalta. I wish I never started taking it.

 

Welcome to the forum: I am glad to meet you. Lots of ppl here to help us get off the Cymbalta. I am doing the bead counting way of coming off slowly. Hope you  hang around and let us know how you're doing.  TheEquusWoman

[thatstheoldme]

..

[equuswoman]

Nattsie fighting with you. We can do this!

[thatstheoldme]

..

[equuswoman]

how's your day been today equuswoman? 

it's 10am here and i think i'll be in bed all day... as i have been basically everyday all day the last 2 weeks, LOL!

i'm just so tired and i didn't sleep at all last night.

i know i should get moving and try and do something but i'm exhausted and even small cap trips prove to be too much for me.

 

i'm scared all the time too... scared if i do too much or i try and go somewhere and then I start feeling funny again i'll be too far from home and i won't be able to get back.

 

Hi sweet nattsie, I have had a pretty good day this day. It is very cold here today and the cold makes my bones/joints really hurt. I am now down 35 Cymbalta beads and will watch closely for the withdrawal s/s. I hope to be able to drop them every third day as I don't thing I can tolerate the drop every day. I know the bead counting is the "only" way for me to get off this poison....I haven't been hit w/the sheer exhaustion as yet but it helps to know that that is a real possibility tho.Rest when you need to but try and walk a bit even if just around the house. Please keep us updated on your progress. Take baby steps, you will get t here one step one bead at a time. We will do this, I know that we've got it in us to succeed! Caring hugs sweetie...TheEquusWoman

[maxbeta]

Hi everyone. I've been taking Cymbalta for only about six weeks. I started on the 30mg capsules, then was upped to the 60mg ones. Besides the headaches, nausea and dizziness, insomnia, almost as soon as I took the higher dose I began to notice I had lost my sex drive/interest in sex. Couldn't even masturbate. The other night I was with a new female partner and was unable to perform, so to speak. Houston, we have a problem, etc. As a 39-year-old male, this was a bit of a shock. On the 30mg dose I had the usual side-effects, but at least I was still feeling sexual (even by myself). I think I even gained extra drive from feeling less depressed.

 

So I stopped taking the drug three days ago to see if things (hopefully) go back to normal. I probably haven't been on Cymbalta long enough to have any severe withdrawal problems -- although I've had some blurry vision, insomnia, disassociation, mood swings. Maybe I should go back on the 30mg dosage, or just stay off it altogether. I don't know.

 

Thanks for reading. Any suggestions would be most welcome

[fishinghat]

Welcome to the site maxbeta

 

Typically 6 weeks is long enough to have withdrawal BUT that are many who don't suffer withdrawal at all. It is hard to make a call about this but I guess if it was me I would go ahead and stay off the Cymbalta until I see what happens. If things get worse fast you can always go back up til you stabilize and then start weaning slowly. Once off the Cymbalta it typically takes around 2 months for things to return to normal in the sexual department.

[thismoment]

Maxbeta

 

I agree with fishing hat. Stay off and see if it's bearable. If it's not, consider going back on at the last dosage and once stable, wean off. 

 

See the bead-counting method under "Are Doctors Really This Clueless" post #13.

[Kindorf]

So my first day without Cymbalta was Nov. 23 and just to let everyone know I decided to try cold turkey. The withdraws I have started to get are stomach cramps, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, and the feeling like I am in a fog. If this is as bad as it gets for me, I think I will be able to handle it. I've been on 60mg for about one year. I will try to keep everyone updated on my progress. Thanks to all who responded to my earlier post. Good luck to all trying to get away from this horrible drug.

[equuswoman]

So my first day without Cymbalta was Nov. 23 and just to let everyone know I decided to try cold turkey. The withdraws I have started to get are stomach cramps, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, and the feeling like I am in a fog. If this is as bad as it gets for me, I think I will be able to handle it. I've been on 60mg for about one year. I will try to keep everyone updated on my progress. Thanks to all who responded to my earlier post. Good luck to all trying to get away from this horrible drug.

kindorf: Good for you. JMO but determination is what helps to push on thru. To be rid of this poison. I had all that you listed here including the pins/needle shocks in the bottom of my feet...this made it very difficult to sleep. That was the accidental withdrawal but now I am going very slowly with the bead counting method so far so good. Hang in there we will make it! Support encouragement and TheEquusWoman