Hi All,
I am new to this forum and was wanting some advice.
I have been on 60mg of Cymbalta for about 4-5 years. I can't remember exactly when I started on it. I was prescribed this drug for ongoing depression but it's never really worked for me, hasn't really helped my depression at all and it's actually made my anxiety A LOT worse than it was before I started. I honestly don't know why I have stayed on it for so long, I guess because the thought of coming off it was always so terrifying and there never seemed like a good time. Even early on I noticed I'd have terrible side effects just from missing a single dose.
My doctor hasn't been much help at all, about six months ago she advised me to wean off it by going down to 30mg and taking a 30mg one day and then a 60mg the next day, etc, etc. But it was awful and I was only able to last a week before going back to the 60mg. I had so much time off work because I was sleeping badly, had terrible muscle aches and pains, nausea, sore throat, fuzzy feelings in my head and the dreaded brain zaps. In a search for a better way to come off this poison I was Googling like mad and came across this forum and the bead counting idea which made a lot more sense to me than what my doctor has advised.
At the moment, I am between jobs with about a month off, so I thought I would take this opportunity to really give the bead counting a go. I am intending to start tonight. My question for you is, starting from 60mg, how many beads should I be reducing by and how often?
I'm a little torn because I don't want to come off it too soon and experience horrific side effects but I also don't want this to take months out of my life. I already feel like it's robbed me of so much. I am pretty much a recluse these days because of the social anxiety that this drugs seems to have triggered in me. I have a supportive husband and family but I am sick of not feeling like myself. Even my depressed self would be better than what I am now.
I've read a little on this forum about supplements to take when coming off Cymbalta (omega-3, B complex, etc) so I have loaded up on them and also will make sure I avoid caffeine and alcohol and eat well (lots of fruit and veg) but I'm looking for any other tips which you think might help make this journey easier?
Thank you in advance for any help you are able to provide.