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[Laura]

Withdrawing
by Laura on July 30th, 2009, 6:27 pm

I am a 58yr old active White Female. -I have been on 60mgs. 1daily Cym for 10 months for Fibro and maybe a tad depressed but primarily the Fibro.5 months ago I started having a hard time staying awake even started taking NoDOSE to stay awake at work, church ,home, anywhere - Sit down I go to sleep. Now I developed HB started with feet, ankles, lower legs swelling. Have started Maxide 75-50 Just ready to loose this CYMB extra 20lbs plus more, exercise and lower the HP and not on meds to counter act others. I mentioned this to my Dr. He really wanted me to stay on the Cym and go thru the Sleep Lab and wear a c-pap. I just don't think that is the problem. I think the extra weight ( I am 5'3" and weigh 210lbs.) is causing a good bit of the problems. I would at least like to try and see it I am smaller if life would improve.

I have not had any CYM in 2 days I do not want to go to the dropping milliage as my Dr. does not want me to do this. My main concern is I do not want to cause damage to my body just going cold turkey. I am not suidicial and never have been. I have been on other drugs for depression for several months at a time and always just stopped them cold turkey.

I read some of the entries here and some made me smile and say here is what I was praying for but I guess I just want and answer to me for security. I will pray for all of you who are battling this drug and it has helped and I do not think it is is bad for you as some other I have tried. But I am going broke and just plain tired of popping meds every day. Thanks for any support or advice you have. Also thanks to the moderators for creating this Forum. My company nurse told me to come here.Laura

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Joined: July 30th, 2009, 5:59 pm
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[momtoangel]

Hi, there. I am going to re-post a reply I made under another topic and hope it helps. When I did what I did (read post), I had NO problems whatsoever getting off of Cymbalta, but it does take time. Each decrease in dosage should be taken for two weeks, and if you have no symptoms, go to the next decrease. Good luck, here's my post:
I would suggest NOT going cold turkey. This is one nasty med to get off of - I had dizzy spells and nausea, and felt like I was losing my mind when I tried cold turkey. I was on 60mg for 2 years. When I decided to wean off of it, I went on 30 mg 1x/day for two weeks, then 20 mg for two weeks (every decrease was for two weeks), then 10 mg for 2 weeks, then 5 mg, then 2 1/2 mg. Since the lowest dosage Cymbalta comes in is 20 mg, I would break the capsule into a colored bowl and "eyeball" a quarter, half, or 3/4 of the 20 mg, whatever dosage I was on at the time - I wet my finger and just stuck the "spheres" to my finger and took them that way. It's worked very well and I am totally off of this medication now. Looking forward to losing the additional weight gain that Cymbalta causes (the drs don't tell you that!).
Good luck, and let us know how you are doing.
P.S. If you feel the need to go lower than 2 1/2 mg, then just take the appropriate amount of "spheres" at that time for 2 weeks.

[mgbeil16]

Thank you very much for your advice on getting off of Cymbalta. I've been on 60 mgs. for 7 years now and am withdrawing 10mgs. once a month to prevent any unwanted side effects. Your post was the first positive post I've read on withdrawing from this medication. I hope I have success as you did.