3 replies to this topic

[dlc80]

I am 22 years old, and I have been taking 60 mg of Cymbalta every day for two years now. I have felt good for the past year so about three weeks ago I talked with my Dr. about going off of Cymbalta. She suggested that start taking 30 mg of Cymbalta (half of what I used to take) every day for two weeks. Then she said I should start taking 30 mg every other day for two weeks. Then after that I was supposed to stop all together. I am in the second stage, and I feel awful!
I feel dizzy, light-headed, weak, paranoid, sad, and emotional. My heart is racing, and I feel like I could collapse at times. I cry for no reason, and I also feel sick. I have nausea and diarrhea. Are these just withdrawl symptoms that will eventually go away or am I still depressed? Should I be on the medication? I am not sure what to do!

[Houdi]

dlc80:

Welcome to the forum; sorry you have to be here! I'm no medical professional, but if you get a chance to read some posts on this forum, your story is our story. Your symptoms sound like our symptoms when we withdrew from Cymbalta.

Here is what we have learned. Take what you want from our journey and do what is RIGHT for you.

Don't do the every other day thing. I don't know why MD's tell patients to do that, but it is like going through withdrawal every other day, then dosing yourself again. It is very abusive to your system. Stay at your lower dose every day until you feel better. until your brain and body are working together in harmony. Then go to a lower dose and stay there for a while. Go by how you feel, not by anyone else's schedule. We are all different.

I think the lowest prepackaged dose of Cymbalta is 20mg. After you get down to 20mg or the lowest prepackaged dose and adjust to it, how to proceed from there is up to you. There are many different ways to proceed written about from here. Some people go cold turkey. Some people get a 'support' prescription of a longer half life antidepressant to help get through the worst of the withdrawal of no Cymbalta, two weeks to two months. (Prozac seems to be the most written about here, but I have read about others.) Some people actually make their own 'lower' doses of Cymbalta by purchasing empty capsules from a health food store and counting the Cymbalta beads to make the lower dose. Or getting some assistance from a compounding pharmacist. You have to be really careful not to crush or destroy the Cymbalta beads as they are coated so they disintegrate in your stomach very slowly. If you were to crush them or chew them, you'd get too much medicine immediately and may get very sick.

There are some other things you can do to help your brain and body get through this. Make sure you stay hydrated. Some people believe omega 3's, B12's, evening primrose, magnesium and potassium, to help you through. There are also some otc medications that can help with individual withdrawal symptoms. But I'd really step down to the lowest dose possible before I'd stop cold turkey. I went cold turkey and it wasn't how I'd do it today.

Also, please talk with your doctor about what you are experiencing. Get some help and let us know how you are doing.....Houdi

[kittcat]

Hi dlc80 - I think it is so great that you found this forum so early. I wanted to reply to you because we have similar characteristics - I am 26 and was on Cymbalta for 22 months. I tried unsuccessfully going off of Cymbalta and stayed on it for another 10 months because I was so fearful of getting off of it. Here is how I went about everything - Aug 07 - 30 mg for a couple of months, went to Dr complaining of depression and he moved me to 60 mgs in Feb 08. June 08 I find out I have hypothyroidism which also has symptoms of depression. I get mad, thinking my doctor is a quack and went cold turkey. After 8 days I was driving home from work and the brain zaps were so bad that I was temporarily disoriented to the point of not knowing where I was going or what I was doing that I drove straight to an emergency clinic. They prescribed me more Cymbalta. I started seeing a psychiatrist in Aug 08 who put me on Wellbutrin and lowered my dose of Cymbalta to 30mgs. Left me on the Cymbalta until I said that I was ready to go off in March 09. I felt like my mood had stabilized enough and that some of the self-destructive behaviors that were prompted by the depression (a bottle of red wine 6 nights a week) had ceased - by the way this liver thing is news to me tonight. Not real pleased. We started the tapering process similar to your dr's instructions, but I wound up making up my own tapering instructions where I would go every 48 hours for 3-4 pils, then every 60 hours for 3-4 pills, then every 72 hours for 3-4 pills. I was flexible and varied the length of time that I stayed on a certain cycle of hours because about 2 hours into that brand new cycle (for example, the first time I went 72 hours) I could immediately tell - brain zapps, crying, hot flashes, etc. Perhaps since you are feeling bad in phase II a solution would be to alternate 60/30 every day so your body is a little more prepared for the dips. Once I started tapering I became a blubbering mess. Normally a very stable person emotionally I would lash out at people. A sad movie would make me cry which would turn into sobbing for hours in the bathtub (where my roommate couldn't hear me.) Normally a very good sleeper I would lay in bed for 2 hrs before falling asleep. I tried hot baths and everything I could think of. I had diarrhea as well - can't recall on the nausea. But if it helps - everything you are feeling is similar to what others have experienced! I don't want to come in and make some bold statement that you aren't depressed and its the withdrawals, because we never really know for sure, but it REALLY sounds like you are having withdrawal symptoms. I finally took my last dose on May 19th. I haven't had a day that I would define as hampered by my depression since June 29th. Something to research beyond the withdrawal symptoms is how your brain makes up for the changes going on apart from the medicine removal. My psychiatrist defined it as a 'rebound' and I think that's an accurate assessment. June 23rd I slid straight off my rocker. I was on a mean roller coaster until June 29th. I feel lots better now. Now I just need to lose the weight I gained on it and make sure my liver's not shot!!! Hang in there!! Pay close attention to your body. I suggest writing stuff down every single day. I have a tendency to brush things off as circumstantial, and it takes hindsight to see that your brain/emotions were in an altered state. You are certainly doing the right thing by doing lots of research and seeking out others. Best of luck!!!

[Lisalisa112]

Hello Kittcat,

I just started getting weaned off of cymbalta, and I feel the same way. I had talked to my therapist (who is not my drug provider) and she said I should probably just stay on it.. and I thought I must still be depressed even though I had been feeling great and stable for months (I've been on it a year and a half). I even considered upping my dosage because I figured I was still depressed and cymbalta was just masking it... and after feeling so good the idea of being depressed again just terrified me. And then I started reading about people's withdrawl symptoms.. and I have my doubts now. I am going to talk to my dr. and find out what she says. But this has really shaken my confidence terribly.. I had been doing so well and feeling so good.. and then when I started to lower my dosages I started to get really irritable, and downright angry all the time... which is not like me... even before the meds. And then I started getting weepy and I just dont know if its the withdrawl, or if I'm still depressed. And then, of course, being weepy I started thinking about all the things in my life I could still be depressed about (things I'd been feeling hopeful about before).. which .. wonderfully is a delightful recipe for depression. :) I feel like such a failure going off of these things and feeling as bad as I'm feeling. I really was doing so well.. and it started to make me feel like I'll just be on it forever. And now, I'm wondering.. is this maybe withdrawl? I don't know. I'd love to hear more about your experiences with this.. its really helpful.