5 replies to this topic

[ittybittysmitty]

I am taking my last dose in four days and am scared...

Thanks in advance fishing hat and five notions!

[Carleeta]

Ibs. Don't be scared, you most likely will feel the same effects as you are feeling now. Some individuals feel about the same and others might feel a bit more uncomfortable. Just remember this will not last and begin to subside.

I believe you were asking the difference between withdrawl and discontinuation syndrome. Withdraw can occur with any medication, drug, or alchol (symptoms which arise from discontinution of these). Discontinuation syndrome occurs when someone stops an ssri (antidepressent), these symptoms will be somewhat different from the withdrawl from others meds, alcohol, or drugs. Any symptoms you have experienced so far from stopping cymbalta are/should be discontinution syndrome. Hope this helps.

yipeeeeee you will be done in a few days....best of luck to you....

[BelaLugosisDad]

I'l get straight to the point:

 

Withdrawal means you probably had fun with the drug before you stopped. (Read Cocaine)

Discontinuation means you probably didn't, but you are going to suffer withdrawal symptoms (read Cymbalta)

 

Nothing more nothing less.

 

Shortly before the marketing of SSRIs, and somewhat conveniently, withdrawal was renamed discontinuation syndrom in DSM- III

.

 

Ax

[FiveNotions]

And I'll add a bit to what BLD said ... based on what FishingHat told me "way back when" ....

 

As BLD noted, "withdrawal" is the term doctors use for the process of getting off the "fun drugs" .... cocaine, heroin, alcohol, opioids, etc. It's "supposed" to be the period of time while there is still any of the drug in your system.

 

(For example, Cymbalta, which has about a 12 hr. half-life, takes 4-5 days to be eliminated from the body. But, this can take longer depending on how much is stored in the liver and body-fat, so folks who are over weight typically have some of the "good stuff" stored away for longer periods of time.)

 

"Discontinuation" is essential the newly-minted big pharma marketing "soft description" for withdrawal from their lovely little assortment of anti-d's, like crapalta ... they didn't want the term "withdrawal" which conjures up negative images to be associated with their magic pills.

 

And, in recent years, as thousands of us have had run-ins with protracted withdrawal issues involving crapalta and other psych meds, big pharma has coined the phrase "discontinuation syndrome" ....

[Carleeta]

FiveNotions, this goes out to you......

[FiveNotions]

Here's an item I posted yesterday in a different thread ... Carleeta thinks it would be helpful here also ...
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This article is from Turin University, Italy. The University has a neat web application that's designed to be "a discussion tool between teachers and students at Medicine and Chirurgy department at the Turin University. . ." I was sifting through new research, and this popped up ... thankfully, in English

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A bit technical, but worth at least skimming ... good info, seems to be more "up to speed" on what we're really dealing with here ..

SEROTONIN AND SSRI DISCONTINUATION SYNDROME
http://flipper.diff....tags/items/6637