13 replies to this topic

[considering]

I finished my weaning program a week ago, and while the weeks of weaning were not intolerable, I've experienced the worst vertigo since being completely off. During my weaning process, I only had vertigo once a week on the day I reduced my dose by another small increment. Since being totally off, however, I've had some serious vertigo every day, usually starting at noon. It's only getting worse.

 

Any suggestions or commiseration from anyone?

[FiveNotions]

Oh Lordy, the vertigo....and the nausea that went with it...total commiseration here! .....the first month (I went cold turkey like a dummy), in order to be able to stumble from my bed to the bathroom without fainting or puking I had to keep my eyes closed, and hang on to walls and furniture..... :-((

What helped me with the vertigo the most was ice packs...those little squishy pea filled thingys....I kept lots of them in my freezer, and put them on my head (temples), back of my neck and my stomach/solar plexus area....

For the nausea I chewed on ginger root, and drank ginger root tea and ginger ale....

I'm so sorry that you're getting it now that you've weaned off the cymbalta....others here who've weaned should be able to comment ....

[thismoment]

Vertigo was a problem for me for quite a while. While I was weaning off over a period of 6 weeks (which proved to be too fast for me), I would get episodes of vertigo if I turned my head too quickly or bent over to tie my shoe laces. For the first couple of months it was accompanied by nausea- very similar to concussion symptoms. I could not stand on one foot for more than a couple of seconds. 

 

The nausea slowly diminished, and I noticed it was gone after about 6 months. The vertigo hung on longer, but continued to diminish; whenever I tied my shoes I would do the stand-on-one-foot test. After about a year I could stand on one foot again. I was pretty excited! 

[ZappAlta]

I have not posted in a while but felt compelled to reply to this thread .I am off Cymb 6 months (approx) and went through extreme episodes of Vertigo for months hours and days( even yet to be truthful>not quite as intense last 2 weeks or so-.If i have any long term adverse effects this is hanging on.   I dashed once to see my intern and she is of the opinion that I have Benign Paroxomysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)  caused by ear crystals or inflammation in middle ear canals- now she has me referred to ENT.  Their is a Epley manuever exercise performed in a Dr office which help shift the crystals but I am terrified to have it done as it  escalates the vertigo during the quick head moves etc My instinctual >its the CYMB.

[Xiaojie]

Zappalta, my ENT said I had BPPV too - they did the maneuver on me as well. Didn't help all. Made no difference. It's absolutely Cymbalta-related. I had both vertigo AND nystagmus after coming off Cymbalta cold-turkey. However, all that seems to have subsided. Haven't had any episodes for almost a month.

Been off Cymbalta getting close to three months... Still have the nausea though, and INSOMNIA - that's HELL, and continual bone and joints aching. I don't know if I will just have to live with that one, or if it will EVER go away...but brain zapps & shivers seem to be gone for good (or have I become so used to them that I don't notice them anymore?). And haven't had a migraine for quite a while - yay.

In any case, Considering, I want you to know that it does get better and the symptoms of withdrawal from the EVIL drug will disapate eventually... Hang in there!

[FiveNotions]

Xiaojie, so good to hear from you! How's your recovery from the fall going? Are you off the crutches?

[navywife43]

I can relate to this! I am 8 months off cymbalta and I am still dealing with some vertigo off and on. I notice when I lay down at night on my back I get a quick feeling like the room is spinning. It doesn't last but a few seconds, but it sure is scarey!!! I also have had a few episodes while sitting at computer and bending over to pick up something. I am hoping this too shall eventually pass! I do feel better knowing that I am not alone in this horrible side effect!

[thismoment]

ZappAlta

 

There is hope. My vertigo peaked at around 6 months and hung on for a year or so. Right now at 21 months out it's pretty well normal.

 

I will add (and those of you out 6 months or more will understand), along with the fading vertigo there is a just-palpable fat-headedness, or perhaps the feeling of your brain not quite positioned in its seat.

[Xiaojie]

Hi FiveNotions - Yup, I'm still on crutches. *heaves a sigh* Having all sorts of neuro-issues from the fall. But the pain in my leg has improved a lot, but seems to have 'moved' from there to my hip and lower back & often keeps me awake at night. Still seeing Dr Liu, the TCM practitioner, once a week for all the internal issues related to the Cymbalta cessation. Still drinking my herbs 3 times a day, and continuing to drop weight gained while using Cymbalta - I'm happiest about that. Between the dietary changes I made around 8 months ago and taking the herbs daily, what withdrawal symptoms I still have are lessening or have been eliminated. So, good stuff happening amidst all the recent crappy stuff. Thanks for your concern, FN. How are you holding up these days?

[considering]

Thanks, everyone, for your responses. I'm thankful that I don't have the nausea, too, just the spinning head. I'm so sorry that some of you have been plagued with that as well!

 

These symptoms make me ever more determined to stay off all drugs. I've become quite anti-drug right from this experience with Cymbalta which should not be taken as a judgment of those of you who continue to need pharmaceuticals for your health.

 

Someone just mentioned having the shakes. OMG, I've had that a little bit in the last two weeks. I just assumed that I had low blood sugar, but perhaps it's the drug withdrawal. 

 

I'm going to open a new thread about my blood pressure because I've got issues there, too. 

[ZappAlta]

Zappalta, my ENT said I had BPPV too - they did the maneuver on me as well. Didn't help all. Made no difference. It's absolutely Cymbalta-related. I had both vertigo AND nystagmus after coming off Cymbalta cold-turkey. However, all that seems to have subsided. Haven't had any episodes for almost a month.

Been off Cymbalta getting close to three months... Still have the nausea though, and INSOMNIA - that's HELL, and continual bone and joints aching. I don't know if I will just have to live with that one, or if it will EVER go away...but brain zapps & shivers seem to be gone for good (or have I become so used to them that I don't notice them anymore?). And haven't had a migraine for quite a while - yay.

In any case, Considering, I want you to know that it does get better and the symptoms of withdrawal from the EVIL drug will disapate eventually... Hang in there!

Lol Xia  we must be of the same 'Gene pool'    I too had the migraine aura's as in vision followed by the crushing headaches about 3 months after coiming off the Cym.    Glad you are making Progress in all phases of recovery for you.

[FiveNotions]

Xiaojie, how are you feeling/doing?

We miss you!

[Xiaojie]

Hi FN -

Mostly doing well these days. My energy level has come back, my skin looks fabulous - hasn't looked this good in more than two years because of that poison I was on, no brain zaps, tingly lips, no migraines, haven't been sick in more than a month, so no more absences from work, no mood-swings, and dizziness is gone. Haven't had any of those post-Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms in nearly two months - yay!!! Lower back, hip, and thigh are mostly healed - just some residual aching if I sit too long on a hard chair. Am able to stand and walk normally again, and all of this is such amazing progress from the miserable condition I used to be in.

So what is left to still contend with? Well, for schedule and logistical reasons, I went off my Chinese herbs for two weeks, so the fluid retention returned. I've regained the water-weight I lost, to the tune of around 8 lbs. That has begun to affect my breathing and sleep, and who knows what else? My immune system is much improved however, but still having deep-tissue infections which I have been able to control by washing with chlorhexedine soap twice daily, and applying Manuka honey directly to the site and covering with a gauze bandage for 8-hour increments. By doing this, I've been able to put an end (so far) to the every-other-month cycle of MRSA-related hospital-stays. So at any rate, I'm going back to Dr Liu, the CMT, in the morning to get checked and get back on the herbs. I was doing so well after having been on them 3 times a day for over two months. It may be that I'll have to be on them for the rest of my life, I don't know. No way to know for certain. But if that's the case, so be it. They made me feel normal again.

How are you doing, FN? Thanks for your concern about me. I hope you are doing much better. I hope everyone here is getting better and better. There is hope, Everyone. Due to a combination of permanent, healthy, consistent dietary changes and Chinese herbs, my quality of life is nearly restored to my pre-Cymbalta days, with the exception of the things I mentioned above - and I am certain I can live with that.

[Xiaojie]

Oh, P.S.: Those terrible, agonizing, awful continual bone and joint aches that I had for so many months are gone. Haven't had them for a month, and I guess that's why I forgot to mention it. But yeah - done with those, too. Celebrating, here!!!!!