6 replies to this topic

[anna4043]

Newbie here - I am 2 weeks into this withdrawal and my symptoms are getting worse.  Is this normal?  I am reading on here that many people take several months to withdraw from cymbalta and that really scares me.  If it will take me several more weeks to several months to get through this I would rather die than do that.  Also, I read on here from many people that they are certain they will get through the withdrawal, but offer no evidence of why they think that.  I am not a person of faith and I am really struggling with believing that this will ever end.  Can anyone give me examples of their experiences, or experiences they have heard of, where people have actually gone all the way through the withdrawal and are fine now??  Also, PLEASE can anyone give me an example of a successful withdrawal that didn't last several months????  Thank you.

[fishinghat]

We all felt like it would never end when we were withdrawing. It also caused us to have terrible confidence issues.

 

The first 3 or 4 weeks of withdrawal are the worse with some slow, and I mean slow improvements. By the 8th to 12th week we usually see signs of good days followed by bad days but at least there is light at the end of the tunnel. Now that is the average. I have known people who actually quit cold turkey without a symptom. And others where the withdrawal last 6 months to over a year but these are rare. Research says between 30 to 80% of people do not experience withdrawal while other research shows that around 7% experience withdrawal of 6 months or more.

 

There are many who have had very successful withdrawal in a relatively short time (4 to 6 weeks). Many have returned to a normal life and some haven't reach normal in 1 to 2 years. It varies a lot.

[thismoment]

Hi Anna

 

Fishinghat is right on.

 

If you are one of those people who experience rough withdrawal, the first 4 weeks will likely be the worst. Toward 8 weeks there is some easing, and these waves of relief will generate hope-- you will see that improvement is possible. And when it happens again, the body of evidence grows, and when you combine that evidence with first-hand accounts from others (those on this forum who have gone through this)-- an ember of faith is ignited in your struggling brain.

 

You DO have faith; perhaps not of a metaphysical nature-- but you do have faith: You have faith that the sun will rise tomorrow; and you have faith that when a ball is dropped it will fall to the earth. This faith was created from experience, from hard data, from evidence. When you see that first light at the end of the tunnel of withdrawal you will feel hope, and faith is born.

 

"Also, PLEASE can anyone give me an example of a successful withdrawal that didn't last several months???? "

 

I'm sorry I can't; mine lasted much longer. But now I'm fine.

 

Anna, can you tell me why restoring one's life isn't worth several months of effort?

[gail]

We all felt like it would never end when we were withdrawing. It also caused us to have terrible confidence issues.

 

Hello Anna,

 

Please keep that phrase in mind. And the rest has proven to be true for me. Week 13 was the beginning of feeling much better.

 

Did you cold turkey? what dose? since when? for what? bead counting? benzos?

 

More info is needed here to help you through this ordeal.

 

The people who do withdraw with minimum side effects exist, but they usually do not come to this forum. A few have.

 

Talk to us, we are here for you the best way we can Anna.

[thismoment]

Anna

 

Often we view withdrawal as simply flushing out the radiator. Once the chemicals are flushed out of the pipes in the radiator of the brain and replaced with fresh water-- we're back to normal.

 

It's not that-- it's more like a bruise, a contusion of sorts- not unlike a concussion (even some of the symptoms are similar). The physical structure of the brain has been altered by the drug; it's been altered to function in the presence of the drug, and you can't just flush it out. It has to heal, and sort of re-wire itself to function without those chemicals. 

 

Rushing it will elevate stress which could alter the outcome. Go slow.

 

For notes on stress and withdrawal see Weaning off Cymbalta, "Weaning VS Cold Turkey" elsewhere on the forum.

 

Best wishes!!

[Carleeta]

Anna4043..Explaining a suicidal thought does vary from person to person...The dreadful thought of not going on one more day, or the thought of suicide with a comfort feeling (thinking of suicide and feeling relief or happiness)..Then there is the feeling of fear of suicide, where an individual feels fear they may just snap and comite suicide These are very common feelings, of what is felt as a suicidal thought....The feeling of calm or happiness with suicidal thought; would be the most concern of the actual thought...Just giving examples of what people feel and the thoughts of suicide...Hope this helps differentiate the meaning or feelings of suicidal thoughts...

[Limbo]

Anna4043, 

 

Hi Anna, I wanted to say that I've been weaning since June 2nd. The first weekend was the hardest for me thus far. This is because I started to wean too fast in attempts to lessen existing side effects. Once I got advice from this forum I followed it. Since then I wean around 2mg/week (that's just my number, some suggest more, some suggest less than that) and I am actually feeling better each time I lower it. The first day after lowering my dose I usually have a headache and maybe feel a littly tingly and not-so-hungry, but so far, honestly, it's been ok and a little bit better than when I was on 60mg. I suspect I'll have hard times to come when I get lower (people say that once you dip below 30mg the withdrawl symptoms increase) but so far, I have hope and faith because, as thismoment says, I have had good days that have proven to me that I am going to be ok.  Going off fast is what made me want to commit suicide, going slow is what's teaching me that it will be ok.

Starting to talk on this forum at least once a day makes me feel less alone.