Long term use at 60 mg, reduced to 30 two months ago, decreased that dose until I went off entirely about three weeks ago. The following two weeks were pure hell.
I endured the sudden onset of a devastating unrelenting depression with intense suicidal ideation. If I had the means to kill myself, I believe I would have. The emotional/psychological suffering was absolutely unbearable and of course, when we are in the grips of depression, it seems hopeless and forever.
Added to that have been the muscle aches, persistent nausea, itchiness/skin crawls, headaches, brain zaps, irritability, all symptoms that I was not aware of but are posted on these forums. Many of those symptoms continue with less intensity, but they are more manageable without the horrible depression. (And the itchy/crawly skin problem isn't helped by living on a tick-infested farm and finding three ticks on me over the past week.)
Finally about four days ago, I began to feel some relief from the depression for up to five hours at a time. Just knowing that I was capable of feeling better meant everything to me and I can cope better when the hard hours hit again. I remember that I have recently felt better and that I am making progress. Altogether, I am feeling much better than I did four days ago.
I found this website only a few days ago. I wish I had known the importance of very slow titration before I made the decision to go off Cymbalta. I can see from the information here that I went off much too quickly. I can't imagine what it must be like for people who go CT!
I realistically expect some more miserable serotonin-deprived hours or days ahead, but I now believe I am going to get through this and come out in a good place. Any encouraging words are most welcome as I have cut off much of my personal emotional support in my desire to socially isolate and I want nothing more to do with the mental health system after 25 years of psychotropic drugs not helping me much at all. Especially not Cymbalta. Thank you.
