3 replies to this topic

[sf_survivor]

Hello everyone,

I'm brand new to the board, this is my first post here. I will contribute a little more of a "background" piece later (I hope tonight!), but until then I have a question for all of the regulars here.

I was taking 60mg/day of Cymbalta for almost two years before finally weaning off of it. I started the weaning process in late March of this year. I wish now that I had kept better records, because I don't know the exact dates, but I went down to 30mg/day for about two weeks, then 15mg/day for two weeks, then 10mg/day for just over a week. Then, around the first week of May, I was completely off of it. I haven't had any Cymbalta since then. I am not on any other prescriptions.

I've had my fair share of horrible withdrawal symptoms. This has not been at all easy. But one of the most alarming to me only started recently. About two weeks ago, I started getting frequent heart palpitations. They occur randomly throughout the day, always isolated as one or two skipped beats before things go back to a normal rhythm. I'd say that, on average, I'm experiencing between 10 (on a "good" day) and 30 (on a "bad" day) during a 24-hour period!

Obviously this is freaking me out, especially since it started a whole month after stopping the Cymbalta. But I've heard from so many others that palpitations are a withdrawal symptom.

If you're having any kind of heart rhythm problems or heart palpitations, please comment here. Have you tried anything that helps? I'd like to know that I'm not alone, AND I'd like to see if there's a bigger trend!

[Houdi]

Hello sf_survivor:

I had the same issue of heart palpitations and sometimes a 'jumping' feeling, like my heart was repositioning. I thought my thyroid hormone level was all messed up, as I have Graves disease. But no, this was from Cymbalta. And yes, mine got better over time. And yes, I was totally wigged out. Got my thyroid level checked multiple times and readjusted my medication levels each time. The withdrawal did mess with my thyroid hormone level for almost a year.

The jumping/repositioning issue seemed to happened to me at night, when I laid down to go to sleep. Or at night if I laid on the couch to watch a little TV. The palpitations happened more during the day or when I'd wake up.

I honestly think the Cymbalta withdrawal messed with all my hormonal levels, and I had to wait it out until everything settled down. Hormones take a while to adjust. I did take CoQ10, a baby aspirin, fish oil, and anything that might help the old heart health. Also had to watch the 'female' hormone levels. Took Evening primrose to help the attitude.

Best to you...Houdi

[millwright]

Heart palpitations go along with the withdrawal process, don't concentrate on them, don't count them, don't give in to them, they will not kill you. You will face all sorts of obstacles on this journey, ignore them, they will not kill you. Only look forward, don't keep a diary, don't think about yesterday, this will all be over soon enough, trust me, I have been there through all of it too. Think positive and only look forward. Good luck, I will be around for help.

[lillymerritt]

I'm totally with you on the heart palpitations. My heart would race several times a day to the point that it would really scare me. Houdi brought up a good point about the hormone levels. I was one of those people that thought I would lose the weight soon after getting off Cymbalta. So not true. I now understand that this will be a process. I am planning on going next week and getting a liver test. I just pray everyday that I didn't permanently damage my body. I was only on Cymbalta for 9 months but, 8 months of that time I was on 120mg.