I tried cold turkey 2 weeks ago, horrible mistake. Brain zaps and a horrible stutter that I have never had. So, I am down to 30mg from 60mg coming off of Ambien CR and starting this Brintellix which I think is a horrible idea.
I have the patience and attention span of a gnat so bead counting is going to be a very trying time.
Just here for support. Thanks.
Cymbalta Withdrawl/starting Brintellix
Started by Want2bHappy, Mar 03 2014 07:28 PM
10 replies to this topic
#2
Leprechaun
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Posted 03 March 2014 - 08:13 PM
Welcome Want2beHappy, You've come to the right place for information, support and a helping hand in getting off Cymbalta. Most of us are in the same boat as you. Some cold turkey some bead counters and some that have defeated this medication and have stuck around to help the rest of us. The knowledge and compassion of the people in this forum is amazing. Best of luck to whichever method you choose and good thoughts and prayers your way.
#4
Clara
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Posted 04 March 2014 - 07:37 AM
Want2bhappy, welcome to the forum! We're here for you with all the loving support and knowledge and wisdom we have! You're in the right place for that! Post, ask questions, rant, vent, whatever! We get it and will be here for you! Hugs and prayers!! clara 
#5
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Posted 04 March 2014 - 05:21 PM
Want2bHappy...Welcome to the forum...Coming off cymbalta may be quite the challenge to some..Read you tried cold turkey and it became to intolerable for you...I read you are down to 30mgs from 60mgs...Are you staying at 30mg at the present time and stablized?
Also you are coming off of ambien CR and presently taking Brintellix... I can see how the doctor would incorporate Brintellix to help with the taper of cymbalta..Does you physician know you are coming off Ambien CR?
I myself am coming of Ambien, although not Ambien CR..I did this after I was done with coming off Cymbalta and other antidepressents and doing a very very very small taper weekly..
I tend to feel coming off one medication at a time is probably a much better route than doing them at the same time..All individuals are different and very due to the length of time taking the medication and how sensitive one is to each medication during the taper...
You stated you feel you are unable to do the bead counting..This is an option along with another method of incorporating another antidepressent to help with withdrawls...
whichever route you choose there are wonderful members here which are determined, dedicated, loving, understanding, and knowledgeable with help during your discontinuation of cymbalta...
Other members will be popping in to offer all they can give to help you through your decision...
Please keep us posted...Best of luck to you.
Also you are coming off of ambien CR and presently taking Brintellix... I can see how the doctor would incorporate Brintellix to help with the taper of cymbalta..Does you physician know you are coming off Ambien CR?
I myself am coming of Ambien, although not Ambien CR..I did this after I was done with coming off Cymbalta and other antidepressents and doing a very very very small taper weekly..
I tend to feel coming off one medication at a time is probably a much better route than doing them at the same time..All individuals are different and very due to the length of time taking the medication and how sensitive one is to each medication during the taper...
You stated you feel you are unable to do the bead counting..This is an option along with another method of incorporating another antidepressent to help with withdrawls...
whichever route you choose there are wonderful members here which are determined, dedicated, loving, understanding, and knowledgeable with help during your discontinuation of cymbalta...
Other members will be popping in to offer all they can give to help you through your decision...
Please keep us posted...Best of luck to you.
#6
Want2bHappy
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Posted 10 March 2014 - 02:17 AM
Stopped the Brintellix, too nauseous. I get weened off Cymbalta and I am done with all this junk. I am wide awake and refuse to take Ambien. Then I will have to deal with getting off Xanax. I am beyond frustrated at this point. Thanks for the prayers and support.
- Leprechaun likes this
#7
FiveNotions
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Posted 10 March 2014 - 11:31 AM
Hi W2bH,
My thinking is that you made a good decision to quit the brintellix...but you cld have withdrawal from it, as well as the cymbalta....here's some info....
Brintellix (vortioxetine) http://en.wikipedia....ki/Vortioxetine was approved for use very recently...Sept. 30, 2013.....so not much is known about it's effect...good or bad....on humans....also, in a number of the clinical trials it failed to beat the placebos....some have questioned it's being brought to market at all....
It has a half life in the blood stream of about 66 hrs....compared with cymbala's approx. 12 hr half life (the time it takes for half the drug to be eliminated from the blood)....half life for any med can be increased if an individual is overweight, as the drug can be stored in fatty tissue.....
So, if there are brintellix withdrawal effects, they'll show up later than those for cymbalta....
From what I've read, like cymbalta, it enhances serotonin .... If taken along with anything else...supplements or meds, that also enhance serotonin, it can cause serotonin syndrome....
however, unlike cymbalta, it inhibits norepinephrine levels in the brain....
Norepinephrine helps with cognition...esp. Concentration....so it can affect the ability to concentrate....
It has some strong side effects, one of which is nausea...another is memory problems ...see this wiki article....http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Brintellix
ALSO, just be aware that stopping ambien cold turkey may also bring on some pretty strong withdrawal of its own....depending on what dose you were at and for how long....please consider tapering it, rather than CT....one member here is reducing so slowly that she's using a nail file to file scrape a bit more off each day....
Have you told your doctor what you've decided to do? Is he/she supportive?
My thinking is that you made a good decision to quit the brintellix...but you cld have withdrawal from it, as well as the cymbalta....here's some info....
Brintellix (vortioxetine) http://en.wikipedia....ki/Vortioxetine was approved for use very recently...Sept. 30, 2013.....so not much is known about it's effect...good or bad....on humans....also, in a number of the clinical trials it failed to beat the placebos....some have questioned it's being brought to market at all....
It has a half life in the blood stream of about 66 hrs....compared with cymbala's approx. 12 hr half life (the time it takes for half the drug to be eliminated from the blood)....half life for any med can be increased if an individual is overweight, as the drug can be stored in fatty tissue.....
So, if there are brintellix withdrawal effects, they'll show up later than those for cymbalta....
From what I've read, like cymbalta, it enhances serotonin .... If taken along with anything else...supplements or meds, that also enhance serotonin, it can cause serotonin syndrome....
however, unlike cymbalta, it inhibits norepinephrine levels in the brain....
Norepinephrine helps with cognition...esp. Concentration....so it can affect the ability to concentrate....
It has some strong side effects, one of which is nausea...another is memory problems ...see this wiki article....http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Brintellix
ALSO, just be aware that stopping ambien cold turkey may also bring on some pretty strong withdrawal of its own....depending on what dose you were at and for how long....please consider tapering it, rather than CT....one member here is reducing so slowly that she's using a nail file to file scrape a bit more off each day....
Have you told your doctor what you've decided to do? Is he/she supportive?
#8
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Posted 10 March 2014 - 12:50 PM
Stopped the Brintellix, too nauseous. I get weened off Cymbalta and I am done with all this junk. I am wide awake and refuse to take Ambien. Then I will have to deal with getting off Xanax. I am beyond frustrated at this point. Thanks for the prayers and support.
W2BH, let me know when you are ready to come off the xanax. I know a good method for that.
#9
Want2bHappy
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Posted 11 April 2014 - 08:24 PM
Alright,
Here is what ended up happening for me. Doctor researched bead counting and was her first idea to deal with this. Next visit she decided to do it this way. 20mg two weeks, 20mg every other day for two weeks then stop. So I went that route, last week was my last dose took the week off of work and ,boy, it was hell brain zaps out the wazoo, dizzy, nausea you name it. This week no zaps slightly dizzy and feel better than I ever have on it. So did not bead count after all. A week of misery and a small bit of discomfort this week but other than that I kicked Cymbaltas' azz.
I am sure what I did is not for everyone but it's like yanking the band aid short and sweet. Oh and I am not taking any other Antidepressants either. I am done with the pharmaceutical roulette wheel. Prayers to all dealing with this mess. God Bless!
Here is what ended up happening for me. Doctor researched bead counting and was her first idea to deal with this. Next visit she decided to do it this way. 20mg two weeks, 20mg every other day for two weeks then stop. So I went that route, last week was my last dose took the week off of work and ,boy, it was hell brain zaps out the wazoo, dizzy, nausea you name it. This week no zaps slightly dizzy and feel better than I ever have on it. So did not bead count after all. A week of misery and a small bit of discomfort this week but other than that I kicked Cymbaltas' azz.
I am sure what I did is not for everyone but it's like yanking the band aid short and sweet. Oh and I am not taking any other Antidepressants either. I am done with the pharmaceutical roulette wheel. Prayers to all dealing with this mess. God Bless!
#10
Wagtail
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Posted 11 April 2014 - 08:34 PM
Want2bHappy...Welcome to the forum...Coming off cymbalta may be quite the challenge to some..Read you tried cold turkey and it became to intolerable for you...I read you are down to 30mgs from 60mgs...Are you staying at 30mg at the present time and stablized?
Also you are coming off of ambien CR and presently taking Brintellix... I can see how the doctor would incorporate Brintellix to help with the taper of cymbalta..Does you physician know you are coming off Ambien CR?
I myself am coming of Ambien, although not Ambien CR..I did this after I was done with coming off Cymbalta and other antidepressents and doing a very very very small taper weekly..
I tend to feel coming off one medication at a time is probably a much better route than doing them at the same time..All individuals are different and very due to the length of time taking the medication and how sensitive one is to each medication during the taper...
You stated you feel you are unable to do the bead counting..This is an option along with another method of incorporating another antidepressent to help with withdrawls...
whichever route you choose there are wonderful members here which are determined, dedicated, loving, understanding, and knowledgeable with help during your discontinuation of cymbalta...
Other members will be popping in to offer all they can give to help you through your decision...
Please keep us posted...Best of luck to you.
Well said Carleeta , ditto to everything you said ...:-)
#11
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Posted 11 April 2014 - 08:37 PM
WTBH ...WOW WOW & WOW ...GOOD FOR YOU .Alright,
Here is what ended up happening for me. Doctor researched bead counting and was her first idea to deal with this. Next visit she decided to do it this way. 20mg two weeks, 20mg every other day for two weeks then stop. So I went that route, last week was my last dose took the week off of work and ,boy, it was hell brain zaps out the wazoo, dizzy, nausea you name it. This week no zaps slightly dizzy and feel better than I ever have on it. So did not bead count after all. A week of misery and a small bit of discomfort this week but other than that I kicked Cymbaltas' azz.
I am sure what I did is not for everyone but it's like yanking the band aid short and sweet. Oh and I am not taking any other Antidepressants either. I am done with the pharmaceutical roulette wheel. Prayers to all dealing with this mess. God Bless!
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