3 replies to this topic

[adri]

I'm On day 2 of quitting cymbalta 60mg cold turkey and adding wellbutrin. The cymbalta had suddenly been causing horrific nightmares and the worst panic attacks of my life. I'm not sure if everything I'm experiencing is withdrawal since I also have come down with allergies or a bad cold the past few days.
Here's what I'm feeling: light headed, dizzy, tired, ache in all my joints, overly emotional, confusion, hard time concentrating,easily angered, shortness of breath, and occasionally feeling like my brain is jumping up and down.

[FiveNotions]

Hi Adri, welcome! I'm happy you found us, and we'll do everything we can to help you....you can get off the cymbalta, and you'll be glad you did!

What you're feeling sounds like cymbalta withdrawal...possibly the allergies and head cold feelings as well.... we call the brain thing "zaps".... Awful, huh?!

Quitting cold turkey is the hardest way to get off the poison....For example, was on 60 mg for 7-8 years, quit cold turkey early last December....it took me about 3-4 months to get through most of the withdrawal.... I wouldn't recommend cold turkey to anyone....

The best way to go is to bead count....remove just a few beads every day or every other day over a longer period of time....others here used this method and can give you the best explanation....

Do you have to go CT, or could you reinstate at your usual dose, stabilize and then use the bead counting method? (I had to go CT because I lost my insurance and cldnt afford the stuff.)

Also, bear in mind that the cymbalta is an SDNRI....it acts primarily on serotonin, and also a bit on norepinephrine .....the wellbutrin works only on dopamine.....so the wellbutrin isn't going to give you any help with serotonin lost by quitting cymbalta....

Do you have a good psych doc who's working through this with you?

Several questions to give us more info on what you're dealing with.....what dose were you on? For how long? And for what condition (depression, fibro, etc etc)?

Hang in there! And stay here with us, keep posting!

[adri]

Thanks for the quick reply! I'm working with my DO as they are also doing blood work to see if I have lupus or hypothyroidism. The reason they said to go CT is because of the drastic switch in it going from helping me to being a zombie and having the horrible nightmares, sleep paralysis, and panic attacks. Plus weight gain and I'm already considered obese and pre hypertension. I've only been on it for 5 months so hoping it won't be as bad. The DO advice 0lus what I learned in my counseling sessions helped me decide that dopamine may be my issue since I struggle with the addiction side of depression. I'm going to up my fish oil (I rake one a day) since I've seen that can help with the brain zaps. Does that seem ok?

[FiveNotions]

I'm taking wellbutrin for the dopamine as well....that was the key to my depression...been on it for almost 15 years, with excellent results....although once I'm sure I'm stable after the crapalta I want to try coming off the wellbutrin...not sure I still need it....

I see why your doc had you do cold turkey....the cold turkey can't be any worse than what the crapalta was doing to you!

A lot of us here use fish oil....also a basic vitamin and a b-complex....check out the "nutritional supplements" and "what's helping me" forums for lots of info....

You'll get through this Adri, you've got a good plan!