25 replies to this topic

[FreeSoon]

Wow!  This forum has really helped me to decide to stop taking Cymbalta and to do it slowly, rather than cold turkey (which is what I would have done left to my own devices).

 

I am 48 and have had Fibromyalgia for 18 years.  I have been on Cymbalta for so many years I can't remember when I started it (2008?).  I am also on a number of other drugs for my symptoms:  Gabbapentin, Valium, Amitryptaline and Ultram (only as needed).  I honestly have no idea how I will feel without all of these meds, but I think I would like to ultimately taper down to just Valium and Ultram.  First things first - get rid of Cymbalta!

 

I recently switched to the generic version of Cymbalta, which only has 12 beads in a 60mg capsule (my daily dosage is 60mg).  So my plan is to remove 1 bead per week.  This will fully wean me off by the end of May.  So each little bead is 5mg.  Does this sound reasonable??

 

I know that nutrition will be a key to success.  I don't really drink anymore, so giving up alcohol is a cinch.  I don't drink soda, and have only 1 cup of coffee each day.  Water is my best friend!!  I also take a multi-vitamin, Vitamin D, and Fish Oil.  I do eat grapefruits daily (I eat them whole, like an orange), and I am a little concerned about their interaction with Cymbalta.

 

Any thoughts from ya'll?  When do you think symptoms will start showing?  

 

Thanks for being here for me!  This is a marvelous forum.  I just wish doctors would stop prescribing meds, and take a holistic and nutritional approach to illness.  

 

[fishinghat]

FreeSoon, welcome. Considering you only have 12 beads to work with you have little choice. It will be easier than cold turkey but you may need more than 1 week to settle down. Don't get discouraged if it takes as long as 3 weeks. I and praying that it goes easy for you.

 

Best wishes.

[xman]

Freesoon:  I like your thinking! Good luck, we are here with and for you.    XMan

[xman]

Freesoon: I also wanted to say:

I opened up a capsule and I don't know how you guys ct. them out! There appears to be a lot more than noted by others-could be brand. My advice as someone who is right there w/you at this juncture is I think you will start the symptoms (sx) in the next day or so. As the brain tries to figure out what and the heck is happening to it you will likely become emotional, to put mildly. Don't think it's YOU-it is chemistry. This too shall pass...

 

I have to watch impulsivity

 

If you do not have to be around anyone (i.e. family friends work) that will be a bonus! Don't watch the news. My humble advice. there are many wise ppl. in this community

[FreeSoon]

Thanks XMAN!  I don't have to be around anyone other than my husband!  Poor guy.  He is very supportive and hopefully will help me through this.  I am grateful that the sun is coming out more in the middle of a miserable Chicago winter.  It can only help my mood!

[xman]

FreeSoon YIKES! You live I the Windy city?! This already implies you are tough and have what it takes!! I am so very glad your husband is there for you. HUGS!

[Carleeta]

Freesoon...Welcome. .As you have seen Fishinghat and Xman have already replied to your post..FishingHat with plenty of knowledge in the area of Cymbalta has given you a somewhat of a time line with you working with only 12 beads to bead count and taper from Cymbalta...I would trust his calculations on this due to his research and extraordinary mindful knowledge.

Xman has offered support which is genuine.

What I can offer here is my support and the welcoming of other members who will be chiming in shortly to offer their experiences, support, dedication, understanding, and guidance..

Best of luck to you...

[equuswoman]

Wow!  This forum has really helped me to decide to stop taking Cymbalta and to do it slowly, rather than cold turkey (which is what I would have done left to my own devices).

 

I am 48 and have had Fibromyalgia for 18 years.  I have been on Cymbalta for so many years I can't remember when I started it (2008?).  I am also on a number of other drugs for my symptoms:  Gabbapentin, Valium, Amitryptaline and Ultram (only as needed).  I honestly have no idea how I will feel without all of these meds, but I think I would like to ultimately taper down to just Valium and Ultram.  First things first - get rid of Cymbalta!

 

I recently switched to the generic version of Cymbalta, which only has 12 beads in a 60mg capsule (my daily dosage is 60mg).  So my plan is to remove 1 bead per week.  This will fully wean me off by the end of May.  So each little bead is 5mg.  Does this sound reasonable??

 

I know that nutrition will be a key to success.  I don't really drink anymore, so giving up alcohol is a cinch.  I don't drink soda, and have only 1 cup of coffee each day.  Water is my best friend!!  I also take a multi-vitamin, Vitamin D, and Fish Oil.  I do eat grapefruits daily (I eat them whole, like an orange), and I am a little concerned about their interaction with Cymbalta.

 

Any thoughts from ya'll?  When do you think symptoms will start showing?  

 

Thanks for being here for me!  This is a marvelous forum.  I just wish doctors would stop prescribing meds, and take a holistic and nutritional approach to illness.  

Welcome to the support forum. I began bead counting on Thurs Nov 7th and will finish on Tues March 18th. That's the only way that I will ever be free of this Cymbalta poison. TheEquusWoman

[FreeSoon]

Thank you all for your words of encouragement!  I am trying not to get anxious about the next couple of months.  Whatever it takes, I am going to get through this.  I need to know what my body feels like when it isn't on drugs.  

 

I did wake up with tightness between my shoulder blades, but it may be from a new exercise at the gym.  Not going to stress about it.  

 

EquusWoman, I am going to read your profile.  I am interested in your journey.  You have come such a long way and are almost free of this drug!!

[fishinghat]

^{Just listen to your body FS. If it says to slow down then do so. If it says you can handle more, fine also. Live one day at a time.}

[FreeSoon]

So, I woke up with a cold (sore throat and stuffiness).  This is the first time in a year that I have been sick.  I am hoping that this is just a coincidence.  I am eating everything that isn't nailed down.  Eating makes my throat feel better!  

 

Anyway, I am down to 40mg as of today.  Very excited.  Thanks for the encouragement.  

 

Once I am off of Cymbalta, I am going to tackle Nutella...

[fishinghat]

You are off to a good start Freesoon. Much patience to you.

 

God Bless

[FreeSoon]

A slight miscalculation on my part - chalk it up to the cold.  I have been at 50 mg now for 2 days!  Slow and steady.  

[FiveNotions]

Hehe...better not balance your checkbook just now. :-)

[GinnyKim61]

Hi FreeSoon, I'm so glad that you found this site. I just found it too and it has given me so much peace knowing that there is support out there. And such great support. I have Fibro too and don't take many meds anymore at all. If you would ever like to chat about it let me know and we can message each other. Take care and God Bless you, Ginny

[Clara]

FreeSoon, Glad you found the site, welcome! We're all rooting for you! Slow and easy is the right way to do it!! Hugs and prayers for you! clara

[FreeSoon]

Just a quick update...I am down to 35mg per day.  Last week I stopped using Gabbapentin completely.  My rheumatologist put me on it for my Fibromyalgia.  I didn't feel like it was helping, and since I just had started taking it a couple of months ago, decided to just stop it.  Okay, maybe not the smartest decision, but other than a day of being a little dizzy (physically, NOT mentally!), I haven't had a problem.  I actually had some very good sleep nights last week.

 

I do notice one thing, however.  My tolerance level is pretty low for most things, especially noise.  I was in a dressing room trying on clothes and a woman in the next fitting room had a SCREAMING baby.  She was doing very little to quiet the little one down, and I just got so annoyed by the noise and the woman doing nothing!  I also noticed that the music at the department store was loud and annoying...LOL.  I asked my husband if I was being overly sensitive, and he said YES!  So, I guess I can count this as my first official unpleasant withdrawal syndrome.  

 

I know that it may get worse...but so far, so good.  Thanks for all of your posts and inspirational stories.  

[xman]

FreeSoon thanks for the update. I'm a "one day at a time" person as well. That's all we have, yet we plan for the future, which is one reason many of us look to ridding our bodies of the poison "crapalta".

[FreeSoon]

So, I have been experiencing what I would describe as "a buzzing" in my left leg.  Almost like electrical current going on and off.  Strange that it is in my left leg only.  May be completely coincidental, but an odd sensation nevertheless.  Completely painless, more annoying!!

[fishinghat]

Many others have noticed something like this during withdrawal. But it too shall pass.

[xman]

Freesoon I remember the buzzing but it was a minor annoyance and did indeed pass...

[FiveNotions]

I think I had that "buzzing" you describe, and it might be a very low volume version of the electric body shocks that BelaLugosisDad and others here have described..... It passed/faded for me as well.....but was really annoying as I was trying to fall asleep at night....

It might be due to low serotonin levels....while the body is relearning how to produce/regulate it without the crapalta....

[FreeSoon]

Wanted to update you all.  So, I have been carefully parsing out my beads each week.  I am down to 15mg per day.  I have had no noticeable side effects other than a wee bit of impatience when I first started this process as I indicated in one of my posts above.  I feel very fortunate.

 

So, the interesting thing is that I went to a new rheumatologist today as I lost my old rheumy due to change in insurance.  I told this doctor that I was weaning off the Cymbalta.  I told her about the bead counting.  She had not heard of this method.  She said go from 60 to 30, then take a 30 every other day for a week, and then every third day, then every fourth day, etc.  At any rate, since I was already down to 15mg, she said I could just stop taking it.  

 

Sooooo, I think I am going to stop as of today.  If I have problems I can easily go back to 15mg.  I will let you know how it goes!  Thanks for your support so far!

[thismoment]

Freesoon

 

Your doctor's guess is incorrect, and all that have been through this (and including Eli Lilly) say it's incorrect . Clearly your own plan has been working thus far, and that's real science- no guessing! 

 

Here's my anecdotal-based guess: if you stop now at 15 mg you will have to re-instate within several days and stay there for some weeks. You will end up delaying your recovery. This is just my opinion.

[xman]

The doctors have been blind-sided like their patients! Your doc seems to want to wean you like steroids--Bless his/ her heart.

[Xanazul]

FreeSoon:
Listen to TM and xman.
The rules for a safe withdrawal from most neuroleptics DO NOT APPLY for duloxetine and venlafaxine (both of them ssnri). Somehow getting depleted of both serotonine and norepinephrine simultaneously makes things a lot worse. Therefore even if your doctor honestly and to the best of his/her knowledge says you are done, you might not.
I did withdraw the way that would have been slow and smooth for any other drug and it turned out to be cold turkey for duloxetine.
For what you are saying yours may be a relatively mild withdraw, possibly because you are doing it the way that suits you better. Don't be in a hurry and stick to it.
That's what I would do.
Take care