34 replies to this topic

[nu2this]

Okay, so the withdrawal symptoms aren't just "all in my head." I've been teetering back and forth between 60mg and 30 mg for the past 4 months, and today I have decided to go ahead and take the plunge. It sounds do-able, but certainly not pleasant. I'll be honest I'm very nervous and use sarcasm to mask my worry. Has anyone else tried to go off more than one medication at a time?

[NODAK]

I can understand how you feel about Cymbalta, I too, was on 60 mg. then decided to reduce the doseage, as being on it was not helping much. I reduced to 30 mg. for 1month and now down to 15mg. I feel so good, I did not have the horrible withdrawals I have read about here, I feel I am coming out of a fog, more energy, better emotional state. During the 30 mg month, I did experience mood swings, but then I could FEEL the emotion and deal with it and not be so fearful. It has been worth the time and effort. I wish you the very best, find support to help with the mood swings-just to talk helps so much. Take care!

[missratac]

I'm down to 15mg Cymbalta, but slowly adding the clomipramine, leaving the low-dose amitriptyline as it is for the time being.

[nu2this]

I'm actually trying to come off of Cymbalta, Clonazepam, Seroquel, Vistaril, Doxepin and Xanex. I'm not really sure the best way to go about it. I've heard so much about how bad Cymbalta was, so I figured I would try to work on that one the hardest. I'm doing this all without the help of my doctor, due to an unpaid balance of $163.00. Once I can pay the balance, then he will help me with this, I can't even afford the medication, let alone the $163.00. I was just told to call my regular doctor, 911, or the local mental institution if I had any problems coming off the medicine before the $163.00 was paid. Talk about anger! I have ZERO idea how to safely do this, I'm not a doctor!

[Houdi]

nu2this:

Be very careful withdrawing from these medications. A few of them are very powerful. You may have a tough time with the Xanex and a couple of the others. Wow, no help because of a small balance on your account! Serious?!? I'd be mad too.

If I were you, I'd go really slowly weaning off one at a time. Let us know what you are doing and how you are doing. We're here for you.

Bless you...Houdi

[poisoned]

nu2this: Oh, gosh! That's horribly dangerous and you really should be monitored. What an awful doctor, and how unconscionable to do that to a patient just over money. It might behoove you to stay on the sedatives and muscle relaxants like Xanax, Seroquel and Klonazepam as long as you're able to, as they'll suppress the symptoms caused by the withdrawals of the other medication, but I'm not a doctor and can't give official medical advice, so please just try to use the intelligence that you obviously have in order to make your choice.

As others have said, Benadryl and Dramamine are viable OTC options to help with Cymbalta withdrawal. I'm so sorry about your doctor. What a jerk.

There may be some help disguised in the doctor's callousness, though: why not call 911 or talk to your general practitioner? You would at least have someone to help you through this, or at least work on a baseline to get you stabilized so you can safely taper down. Your regular doctor can help you with the physical symptoms, if nothing else. You need SOME kind of medical care to help you through this, as that's a lot of heavy-duty medicine.

If it's not too personal, might I ask why you're coming off all of this at once? Most doctors would have to pick their jaws up off the floor at the very idea.

I wish you the best of luck, and please stay safe and keep updating! You definitely have every right to be angry. Hell, I'm angry FOR you. Guhh.

[nu2this]

I've actually wanted to start coming off some of the medicine for a while, but was just always too scared to try, or I would try for a few days and found myself sick, at the doctors getting a shot of who knows what to keep me from throwing up. Recently however it has become increasingly harder to get in to see my doctor. As it is now he only works in the office 1 day a week, I missed an appointment and now must pay for the missed appointment, which I can't afford. I was also told that my insurance would not cover my visits to him and that I needed to find another psychiatrist. The thought of having to go to someone new, and unleash all that I have worked on for so long to forget is unbareable. I am also at the age that if I want to have children it is going to happen soon, I couldn't sustain a pregnancy being on all of these class c drugs, and the time felt right, I felt strong. My doctor will no longer prescribe medicine since I am unable to repay the $163.00 immediately. So whether I like it or not some medicines for which I have no refills left will soon be a cold turkey attempt. Starting tomorrow there will be no more seroquel. I started tapering off my medication last Friday, yesterday was by far the worst, I threw up on and off very pretty much most of the day. My dizziness is going away, but I am still left with one heck of a headache! I really do appreciate all the support that I have already received here, everyone has helped me to better understand what it is that my body and brain are doing. Today I start round number 2, I'm going from 60mg of Cymbalta to 30mg, and I can only imagine how much fun the next few days are going to be. Thanks again for the support, I don't feel half as crazy now, and to know me, that means a lot.

[Houdi]

nu2this:

Go easy. Let us know how you are doing. You must be very careful. Can you break any of the medications in half and try to adjust a little at a time? My prayers are with you, I wish you an easy time. I hope you can tell someone physically near you what you are doing. Just for safety sake. Hopefully, you will walk to the other side and be done with these drugs ASAP. You do know we are here if you feel awful or great.

Your friend,
Houdi

[nu2this]

When does this end?? I feel horrible. I've missed work the past day and a half. I'm also pretty sure I have pushed my boyfriend away because he can't take my crying and me being so angry. I'm honestly considering going back on the meds. I don't know how much more of this I can take, or anyone else for that matter.

[saunders917]

md took me off cymbalta,120mg to 60mg (for 3 weeks ) then zero. However she kept me on 3 pills daily, of Wellbutrin. I am having all withdrawall symptoms others are having, wonder if wellbutrin is too high ? rob

[nu2this]

saunders917
How many mgs are you on of Wellbutrin? I didn't have a hard time coming off of Wellbutrin, but Cymbalta is about to throw me over the edge. Good Luck to you!

[saunders917]

I'm not even sure how much Wellbutrin i'm on, I was so focused on Cymbalta, that the Wellbutrin became an after thought. Rite-aid says i'm taking 300mg daily ( 3x100 ) i'm not sure how this is affecting my Cymbalta withdrawal ? Rob

[nu2this]

saunders917
So your dr took you from 60mg Cymbalta, to 30, to none? I don't know if I could do that so quickly. Are you finding it hard to go to sleep? I'm finding myself gardening at 2:00 in the morning, and then I'm just a mess the rest of the day. If doctors had to go through the withdrawal symptoms before they could prescribe medication, I wonder how different things might be.

[nu2this]

Is it possible to come off of this without losing everyone you care about? I don't know how to help other people understand that I am not meaning to act or feel this way, but short of sending someone an electric shock (when they least expect it), and making their life seem hopeless I don't know how to portray it. Losing the one I love makes this process SO much worse. He doesn't get it!

[Houdi]

nu2this:

Will your loved on join this forum? There is a section for supporting loved ones coming off cymbalta. We'll try to help. There is another forum 'loved one' might try too, www.cymbaltasurvivors.com. Maybe if 'loved one' read some of the threads? I'm so sorry.....Houdi

[saunders917]

Family members, friends, nobody really understands unless they are on, or have been on cymbalta. Its like that song "even my friends think i'm crazy". You can't explain it to them. When i found this site i was so excited, called my wife, sent her the site. Her reply, still does't get it. Sent me sites on marriage, depression, & then sent me the one for cymbalta family members. Doesn't understand that this is what's happening to me, no its not about her, not her fault, just back-off & try to understand, which they can't do. This might cost me my marriage, but after, months, years, i'm trying to get off this crap and thats more important right now. If i understand others on this site, it could take months, today i feel pretty good only 1 brain zap, and 2 crying spells( something to do with the weather-who knows) but tonight if my wife wants to leave, all i can say is goodbye, i can't try to explain anymore. Rob

[Houdi]

saunders917:

I just don't get the spouse not supporting you and others to come off Cymbalta. I am so sorry this is an added issues to pain of withdrawal. What happened to better or WORSE? Marriages get stronger when it survives 'worse.' And they are worth fighting for. Someone fight with their spouses to get off this drug. I think you are courageous and strong to keep up the pace of withdrawal. It's REALLY hard sometimes.

OK, my vent is over. My heart hurts for those of you whose spouses don't understand.

Big hugs to all of you.....Houdi

[saunders917]

Houdi, thanks for the kind words. I had a rough weekend, cymbalta withdrawal, arguing with wife, and a rage/anger that i haven't had for 2 years. I feel like a dog in a cage & my wife's the mean kid poking me with a stick. She seems hellbent on belittling everything i do. My doctor was right about onething, hobbies, going places i enjoy, comedy ( tv or movies ), it all helps. But none of it would compare to having someone who really cared or understands. My energy is bound less, even taking the Benadryl, just wish i could channel it into something that would help my withdrawal. I can understand the marriages that have been destroyed, I'll bet 90 percent were due to uncaring spouses. Well time to go home, O boy, i can't wait. Rob

[Junior]

Saunders, I think everyone here cares and understands. I consider myself more fortunate than many of you because I've studied 4 yrs of psychology - with mental illness being my big interest - and so probably know more than most of you. It helps. Believe me. But even with all my knowledge, I cannot get my husband to understand. Last night I spent most of the evening on and off trying to explain the differences between my drug withdrawal (both Cymbalta and Lexapro in recent months), a big issue that has been trying to come to the surface that even I couldn't recognise until just the past couple of days ( I could tell you but that would require another post! LOL), what generalised anxiety disorder is and how that differs from the way he and others experience the world, how my self concept has changed over the years (initially thought I was weak because I couldn't cope with stress, then gradually realised that other people didn't go through the shit / symptoms that I did, to discovering that I have GAD and that how I've dealt with it before I stumbled on medication [long story] actually demonstrates that I'm very strong. He got annoyed because I described all of that in what he called a laborious and long-winded way when I could have told him in just the last 3 sentences! So then I got annoyed with him for being so 'intellectual / cognitive' in his thinking and said that every one else, when I explain, doesn't get like that :-I

I also tried to explain that I have what is called higher 'affect intensity' than him - meaning that I experience emotions to a far greater degree/ intensity. He thinks I'm complicated and that I overanalyse. I said of course I overanalyse. That is part of HAVING GAD! Sheeeesh!!! I said there are BIOLOGICAL, GENETIC REASONS FOR THIS. It's not just me being .. neurotic. Grrrrrrrr.

Funny thing is, he is very UNemotional. Almost robotic like sometimes. I think he needs me for my lively, bubbly, emotional ways. Just as much as I need him for his constancy; his lack of being too emotional. It's just that I really don't think he will ever understand. *sigh*

[Junior]

As for the other issue:

Does anyone else think it is perfectly reasonable to get very emotional at times over -
- the fact that after our autistic son was born (he is now 19) I was unable to conceive again
- the seven failed attempts at IVF that I ( he seemed to sail through treatment almost unaffected O_O) endured
- how this lead to a major life crisis since I'd always wanted children, always wanted to be a mother then grandmother and how I needed therapy to help me work through it all
- how that then led to me going back to school (uni) to study psychology, so I could do counselling - this being a way of rechanneling that mothering energy
- how I had really wanted to become a psychologist (this was my 'new' self concept) but over the past couple of years realised that I was asking a lot of myself given that our autistic son will never leave home (he is also intellectually disabled), that I have GAD, that my parents are getting older and will need more and more of my time as the years go on, and that I am already 46
- and how deciding NOT to go and do a Masters has affected my self-identity again? The very issue that I've only just recognised?

Hubby thought I should be like someone we know who has suffered a brain tumour and at one point thought she might only have 12 months to live and just find a way of coming to grips with it and get on with it? I told him that he doesn't know what she goes through behind closed doors and that she might not have dealt with it as easily as he seems to think :-I
I mean FFS - haven't I already shown how strong I am by the way I've already dealt with these major issues? Many other people would be substance abusers by now. I swear. Yet I get little / no credit for how well I handle these things? Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Then again, at least he sticks by me, even if he doesn't understand. I sometimes think he's a little autistic, like our son :-I and yet, our son has a more caring side and more ability to empathise than my husband! Go figure!

Saunders - I really hope you can sort things out with your wife. Maybe you could get a health professional to explain? It might be more 'legitimate' coming from them, if you know what I mean.

For everyone else - sorry if I seem angry. I have been a bit that way over the past couple of days. Not sure if it's just due to my emotions kinda coming back 'online' or not. Even sent an email to the garage door company who have fucked me around for the past week complaining about their appalling customer service! LOL!!

[Houdi]

You guys carry a lot of heavy sh!T! I'd be a puddle.... You have my unwavering admiration. Houdi

[Junior]

Thanks Houdi. Yeah, it has been very tough but what can you do? Somehow you have to find a way forward... just keep putting one foot in front of the other, even if you don't know where you are actually going! That's my philosophy anyway. The alternative is to collapse in a screaming heap, become a substance abuser, commit suicide..... who knows? I just know that I don't like the alternative!

LOL I was just talking to hubby who rang to find out what my test results were. Turns out my upper abdo pain isn't related to gallstones or anything 'normal' like that. Therefore it must be the good old withdrawal from Cymbalta. I was telling my GP that a couple of people on this forum have had more trouble withdrawing from Cymbalta than Aropax. He was stunned. He knew about the Aropax but he had no idea that people were having this much trouble with Cymbalta. Neither, I suspect, does the psychiatrist who put me on it. The only side effect he told me about was the nausea! Anyway, after all the stuff I hit hubby with last night (I don't know if that is the only reason) he said he is rapidly coming to the conclusion that I do need to be on something. Like, duh!! *rolls eyes*. Mental illness / anxiety is just as real and valid as his need to be on blood pressure medication. I know many members of Joe Public don't get that but I would have thought that after nearly 25 yrs of marriage, my own husband would have realised this by now!

It's Day 8. *I was only ON it for 19 days!*
More lucid than I have been for some time.
Still easily moved to tears.
Abdo pain still present.
Blah....

[Junior]

Blah.. it's Day 9

[saunders917]

Junior, It looks like we have a lot in common. I have 2 children with mental disabilities, and my wife's ADD-the lazy kind. Being half crazy myself, i understand how difficult things will be for them, the kids, living in a world were people don't care about others. I think thats what drives me to get better, i know they need me. I have a lot to say, but all i'm doing is staring at this screen. My wife started arguing again last night, I don't understand why she keeps doing this. Maybe day 20 will be better. Rob

[renee]

Junior,
Hang in there.
How many days have you been off of the stuff?
Being an emotionally driven person, I can understand how isolated you must feel.
I'm sure that in spite of their lack of full understanding, there are many people who love you and rely on you.
Renee

[Junior]

Junior, It looks like we have a lot in common. I have 2 children with mental disabilities, and my wife's ADD-the lazy kind. Being half crazy myself, i understand how difficult things will be for them, the kids, living in a world were people don't care about others. I think thats what drives me to get better, i know they need me. I have a lot to say, but all i'm doing is staring at this screen. My wife started arguing again last night, I don't understand why she keeps doing this. Maybe day 20 will be better. Rob

It does indeed. LOL loopiness is kinda 'normal' for me. Mum says she can see bipolar further back in her side of the family. I dont know how far back it goes but there is certainly something genetic there. Mum has bipolar 2 (hypomanic episodes rather than full blown mania), her brother has bipolar 1, my younger sister has bipolar 1 - and there is a thread of anxiety, that I believe is GAD, in all. My older brother has escaped all of this (I envy him) but is more emotional than many males I know, even though we grew up in the 70s when the mantra was that 'men don't show emotion'. I suffer major depressive disorder and GAD. My poor son seems to have followed in my footsteps. What is interesting though, is that (I believe) in the 25% of autistics where it appears to be genetic, many have family histories of depression and / or bipolar.

May I ask what your kids have? If you don't feel comfy sharing it here, please feel free to email me :)
And if you can't manage to find the words to say what you want to say, don't worry. I might sound 'normal' on here but in real life I keep finding myself struggling to find the right word, which is not me. And I'm still in a bit of a fog. I have to work harder than normal to concentrate and to stay on task. Then again, this is the longest I've been off medication in 11 years so it might not just be Cymbalta withdrawal. It might be body kind of ' resetting' itself, if that makes sense. I've been a bit manic over the past couple of days. Hope THAT passes quickly :S

[Junior]

Junior,
Hang in there.
How many days have you been off of the stuff?
Being an emotionally driven person, I can understand how isolated you must feel.
I'm sure that in spite of their lack of full understanding, there are many people who love you and rely on you.
Renee

Thanks Renee

It's ok. I don't really feel isolated. I was just empathising with Saunders in the sense that our spouses don't really understand. My family of origin do though, as you will understand when you read my post above.
It's Day 11.
Hope all is going well for you :)

[renee]

Thanks Junior.
I often feel alone in this crazy world and I project that a little upon others. It's so good to have the support. Yesterday a dear friend came by and we walked to town and back. It felt great! I feel so much more up today.
In regard to multiple meds...
I ams till taking my Concerta.
Is anyone else on concerta?

[nu2this]

Not Concerta, but Ritalin. Over the past 2 weeks, I just decided I couldn't take the overwhelming emotions, missing almost 7 days of work, my relationship slipping away in front of my eyes... Instead of tapering off the 8 meds I was on, I just stopped them all. The thought of going thru all these emotions each time I taper back, just wasn't going to be in my future. It's been a rough 2 weeks, I think that was probably the last time I've been on here. But I sit by the computer tonight, working on lesson plans, and being so excited to go back to work. I felt like HELL! I'm all broken out in hives, I mean everywhere! I haven't thrown up in 4 days, brain zaps are gone, still a little dizzy, not half as emotional. I was probably one of the most pessimistic person on this website when I started, but...I made it. I am also a self-proclaimed "weenie," but...I made it. Just keep the faith, rely on those who will alllow you to vent, and not judge.
Know that it is possible.

On a side note, I have to say that, while I didn't always post something everyday, I always used this website as a guide. Houdi, you are one amazing person! Thank you for the kind words, and the optomistic view point that I am just now able to see. I appreciate you, and everyone else who has battled these demons and find it in your heart to help the rest of us.

[renee]

nu2this
Thank you.
I needed that.
You must be a teacher? Me to, but out of work.
Were you on all of those meds while at work? I think that the Cymbalta my have had something to do with not getting another contract this year. Don't know for sure.
Congrats for taking on the challenge of a total withdrawal.
Are you feeling ok?
Renee