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Finally Off The Poison, But Suffering And Terrified.


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#1 kathyms3150

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    Trying to cope with withdrawal/discontinuation. Have depression and anxiety since my teens.

Posted 27 July 2014 - 05:43 PM

Don't know if anyone remembers me, haven't posted in awhile. I tried to get off of it earlier in the year but went back on it because withdrawal was so bad. After a month or so my doctor and I decided to try again more slowly and it wasn't as bad. I've been off of it for close to three weeks and the withdrawal is back with a vengeance which I wasn't expecting. Anxiety is the worst thing, but I have terrible GI issues, the headache from hell, sore muscles, dizziness etc. I take Klonopin and it helps a little, but not enough. I'm on a new med called Brintellix for over three weeks but don't notice it helping yet. I don't want to be on any meds but depression runs in my family and therapy never helped me. I've been reading here how long it takes for the withdrawal to go away and I don't know how to get through it. I've never been so scared or felt so hopeless in my life. Please help...Thanks.  Kathy


#2 fishinghat

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Posted 27 July 2014 - 06:15 PM

Well Kathy you are right in the middle of the worse part. In a couple weeks you will start noticing small improvements here and there. By the end of the 3rd month you will be having a few good days every now and them. The only thing you can do is take it one day at a time and wait. Don't try to force yourself to do things. That just makes it worse. This is the time you need to be easy on yourself.


#3 TryinginFL

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Posted 27 July 2014 - 06:17 PM

Hello again, Kathy!  So good to hear from you and happy that you have come back for help.

 

Yes, I remember you - we have much in common as I remember...

 

Please ask your doc for a different benzo - you will find it invaluable in dealing with the anxiety.  I take Alprazolam (Xanax) which I know is addictive but at this point that is not the important thing.  I feel I may be on it forever and if so, ok.  I can't imagine getting through the withdrawal without it.  I also have and do take Hydrocodone since I have fibro and arthritis - ask your doc for something for the pain.  I am not familiar with Brintillex, so will defer to FH here...

 

I understand your wanting to be free of meds, but you must take one thing at a time - the crapalta is more than enough to deal with to start.  The most important thing is to keep yourself as comfortable as possible at this time - is this cold turkey withdrawal or did your Dr. give you some crazy instructions like skipping days or dropping mega doses?  Please check out the forum 'counting beads' here - it will give you a much gentler withdrawal and you need to be kind to yourself - there is no rush here.

 

If you are in this cold turkey and it has been 3 weeks, you probably just want to continue with this approach.  Strap yourself in - it's quite a ride!  After 6-8 weeks you should begin to see small improvements and some good days here and there.  The good days will come more often as time goes by, but when they do, don't push yourself!  If you do too much, you will pay for it the next day (or even 2!). 

 

Just remember that this isn't forever and things will improve - it may not seem so now, but they will!  I remember at about 3 weeks I thought I was dyng, but I slowly improved.

 

Please post often to let us know how you are doing - another forum you might like to check out is one dealing with supplements that many feel have been helpful.  I only took/take magnesium but feel that it was and is helpful for the muscle and joint pain.

 

Hang in there and feel free to ask as many questions as you need to and if you need to vent, please do it!  This place is safe and there are so many here that want to help :)

 

Please take good care of yourself - others will post here soon.

 

Liz 


#4 FiveNotions

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Posted 27 July 2014 - 06:21 PM

Hi Kathy, of course we remember you! I'm glad you came back to let us know how you're doing and to ask for info and encouragement... we've got plenty of both!
 
Congratulations on your 3 weeks of being off the drug!

Did these symptoms start recently, or have you had them since you started getting off the drug this second time? Also, what weaning method did you end up using? Bead counting, or alternating days, or dropping dose levels?
 
We definitely need Fishinghat and ThisMoment to weigh in here ...

I don't know much about Brintellix, but I just looked it up, and it seems to be quite a powerful, and relatively new to the market drug. Apparently it takes several weeks to ramp up in your system, so you may not have been on it long enuf for it to help with the Cymbalta withdrawal.

I'm also wondering if you could be having a reaction to this drug, rather than, or in addition to, the symptoms associated with getting off Cymbalta.

Have you contacted your doctor about this?

I just found the FDA's medication guide for it .... http://www.fda.gov/d...y/UCM370633.pdf

It says that the possible side effects include "new or worse anxiety," "new or worse depression," "trouble sleeping," and "feeling agitated, restless, angry or irritable."

The Wikipedia article on it says that the "most common side effects reported with vortioxetine [the generic name] are nausea, diarrhea, xerostomia, constipation, vomiting, flatulence, dizziness, and sexual dysfunction. http://en.wikipedia....ki/Vortioxetine

#5 fishinghat

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Posted 27 July 2014 - 07:02 PM

Brintellix has only been on the market here in the US since Sep 2013, There was a lot of discussions by the FDA whether to approve it or not. Seems like there were just as many studies saying it was not effective on depression or anxiety as there were studies that it worked.

 

The blogs/forums I found seem to indicate that the withdrawal from this new drug is pretty severe but only lasts a couple months.


#6 ZappAlta

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Posted 28 July 2014 - 02:38 AM

Yes Kathy I recall you and agree with FN that it maybe a combo of withdrawal /and the start (side effects) of the new med---Looking back on my notes at week 7 in small increments my symptoms decreased and had i not kept a daily calender record I could probably not have been able convince myself that I was making progress.  I really think it is still fresh withdrawal symptoms you are having from the Cymb.    Keep us posted


#7 kathyms3150

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Posted 28 July 2014 - 10:58 AM

Fishing Hat, I hope I start noticing some improvement soon. I can't imagine feeling this way for months. Thanks, I'm trying not to be hard on myself, but I hate just laying or sitting around.


#8 kathyms3150

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Posted 28 July 2014 - 11:10 AM

Hi Family Member, I remember you too. I've tried Xanax, but Klonopin seems to work a little better for me. I hate to be on benzos too, but I wouldn't make it without them now. Mainly the Klonopin helps me to sleep and we know how important that is. Last time I tried to get off the poison my doctor said she couldn't give me anything for the pain. I'm taking lots of Advil.

I didn't go off it cold turkey, I did it much slower that I did the first time and it wasn't that bad. But now that I'm totally off of it the withdrawal has gotten bad and I really didn't expect that to happen. FM, just like you, I feel like I'm dying, but of course I know I'm not. I really am afraid that this will last for the rest of my life. I'm scared it's permanent damage to my brain.


#9 kathyms3150

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Posted 28 July 2014 - 11:23 AM

Five Notions,   Glad that you remember me. This time I dropped the dose slowly. For the first week or so the withdrawal didn't seem like it was going to get bad, but over the past several days it's getting worse.

Yes, I've read that Brintellix can take at least 6 weeks to start working, if it does. I'm not really on it to help with withdrawal, I need something for depression and anxiety. I don't want to be on anything but as I said depression runs in my family. It's possible I could be having a reaction to it, but with all the symptoms of the withdrawal it's hard to tell. Plus, the first time I tried to get off Cymbalta I wasn't on Brintellix and I felt the same way I do now. It's so hard to tell. I called my doctor this morning but she hasn't called back yet. Thanks for posting those links!


#10 kathyms3150

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Posted 28 July 2014 - 11:33 AM

Hi ZA. It could be a combination of the withdrawal and the side effects of the Brintellix, but I agree, I tend to think that it's mostly withdrawal. I don't know how I'm going to make it. I'm honestly afraid the symptoms will never go away. I'm waiting to hear from my doctor, but don't expect her to do anything to help me. I'll keep everyone here posted. Thanks.


#11 kathyms3150

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Posted 28 July 2014 - 09:30 PM

I spoke to my doctor earlier. When I told her how bad I feel she said it can't be withdrawal. She said since I've been off Cymbalta close to 3 weeks the symptoms would be subsidising by now. She also said the longest withdrawal lasts is only about a month. Why don't doctor's understand how bad it is and that it can last for awhile? I've been going to her for about 15 years and really like her. I've always felt she was a very good doctor but now I don't know what to think. I'm really upset about what she said.





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