12 replies to this topic

[oncetwice2]

I'm 28 y/o female, and I was on it only a few months, 2, maybe 3 tops. I started with 20 or 30mg and went to 60 after a month or so. My GP gave this to me to try to treat depression and "an added benefit" treat chronic back pain (which I see a pain management Dr for and get oxy for). I've been taking the generic, duloxwhateevr. 

 

I didn't notice any change in my depression or my pain and I was having very vivid and upsetting nightmares and was yelling in my sleep, which I have never done before. Me and my dad decided that the cymbalta is the cause and that I should stop taking it.

 

I read all the warnings about withdrawal, but I've had doctors and websites tell me how hard it is to stop taking or skip other things, like oxy, cigs, other anti-depressants, and I have never experienced any withdrawal for anything so I just pooh-pooh'd it and decided to stop cold turkey.

 

I stopped taking it the 1st of the year, 2015. The first day was fine but ever since the second day i have overwhelming dizziness and excessive exhaustion. I'm also very hungry and after eating I get so tired that I need to sleep. Last thursday was a really bad day emotionally and I wound up having a screaming crying fit like I havent had in years. I wanted to kill myself to make the unhappiness stop.

 

I'm avoiding going to my GP because she will probably just tell me to start taking it again and taper off and I don't want to be back to zero and have wasted 19 days of dizziness. That and the fact that I have a really hard time leaving the house, emotionally. 

 

I really resent her even putting me on this. I hate hearing every doctor's speech about how terrible oxy is. I take about 10mg per day in a single dose, on really bad days i take a second dose, and on days that I cannot even move i'd take a 30, but 120 5mgs lasts me a month with TONS of leftover to spare. I dont get any withdrawal symptoms when i skip a few days and I like that I can take it as i need it without feeling like crap when I don't take it. 

 

Anyway, how much longer can I expect this dizziness to last? I'm starting to worry that something else is causing it. Im also getting worried that I'm getting used to this as just part of my life now, similar to how I just got used to being in pain all the time.

[fishinghat]

Welcome OT2

 

Bead counting where you slowly come off is the recommended way. Cold turkey can last for months even over a year. Bead counting takes around 3 month. And the residual withdrawal symptoms after bead counting can still last several months to a year. The difference is the symptoms are a lot less with bead counting. Having said that, you are young and only on it a short time. Those are big factors. This should make things easier for you. Most people by day 15 are terribly sick so this indicates you may not have too hard a time. The dizziness is definitely part of the withdrawal. Nearly all of us has had it. For most the dizziness is worse when we more our eyes left or right. Strange symptom.

[TryinginFL]

Welcome OT2!

 

So happy you found us!

 

FH is right on, giving you the way for the easiest and least withdrawal.  I understand that you do not want to reinstate at any level, so being 3 weeks into the cold turkey you may as well continue.  Be prepared for unpleasant symptoms!  What you are experiencing now is part of it, but given the length of time you were on the drug and your age, perhaps this will be easier than for us older peeps.

 

There is no given time line here - everyone is different.  Some, at your age, have been able to get through this rather quickly and with fewer symptoms.  I hope that you are one of them!

 

Please come back with any questions that you have and tell us how you're doing - we care and want to help you! 

[oncetwice2]

The dizziness is worse when moving my eyes! Thanks for saying that because I've been having a hard time describing it.

 

And yea, going back on and bead counting is kind of out of the question at this point since I already told the pharmacy to stop filling it and i threw away all the cymbalta I had in my possession.

[thismoment]

OT2

You can get through the cold turkey. Yes it will take some weeks --perhaps a few months-- of struggle, but with your short period of exposure, things should start to improve before too long.

Right now the best you can do is find distractions-- activities that capture your attention.

Take care.

[oncetwice2]

Ok Update:

 

It's 27 days Cold Turkey now and the dizziness seems to have lessened in frequency tremendously. I could be jumping the gun though, but today it wasn't so bad and I only noticed it twice, rather than being constantly aware of it like I have been.

 

A few days ago I had a huge anger explosion. I am still ravenously starving and exhausted after eating anything.

 

Will update more if I remember to.

[gail]

Oncetwice2,

Thanks for your update. Seems as though the worst is over.
Lucky that you were on it for only a few months.

Keep us posted, have you thought of going on another med for depression?

Feel free to post anytime, great advice on this site.

[oncetwice2]

Update #2: Feb 5th. 36 days cold turkey and I am free of dizziness. Hunger has stabilized, though I am still feeling the overwhelming need to sleep after I eat. This may have been something the cymbalta treated though, as it did suppress appetite for me quite a bit. I'd say that I'm symptom-free now.

 

As for going on something else: I'm not sure. I've tried welbutrin before and it seemed to help for a week then I was back to normal. No withdrawal with that though. I don't want to try anything like cymbalta ever again though. Do you have any recommendations? Is it appropriate to ask your doctor for a specific med?

[TryinginFL]

OT2,

 

Congratulations!  You are one of the lucky ones!!

 

If you feel the need for an anti-d the best choices would probably be Prozac or Zoloft - neither of these has the terrible withdrawal as that of the poison drug.

 

Keep us updated - so good to hear from you!!

[cocopah40]

Hi Oncetwice 2

I know how you feel with the screaming crying fits.  I had them all the time when i stopped since November.  It has finally passed, for the most part.  The rage has seemed to calm down.  

I didn't get the dizziness, but lots of other crazy emotional symptons.  Little by little they are getting easier.  Today so far has been a good day.  I take each moment as a victory. 

I will NEVER do any kind of medication again.  I will find another way to deal with any sadness I may have in the future. 

I found great comfort from everyone who has written to me about what I was feeling.  I believe that made the turning point for me, I was not alone and someone understood my crazymaking.  I just found this forum less than a month ago.  I am glad I did or else I would of been so miserable thinking I was losing my mind. 

Just wanted to share my thoughts with you

God Bless you, 

Coco

[thismoment]

OT2

 

Hi.

 

Glad to hear most of your symptoms have abated. It's clear you are shopping for something to alter your current mind-state-- one might argue that the self-talk of getting on another antidepressant right away is a symptom of on-going discontinuation. 

 

As you know, the doctor will give you whatever drug you ask for.

 

Knowing what I know, here's what I would do: I would begin a serious fitness program for 3 months and stick to it like my life depended on it. After 3 months, after becoming fit--  I would assess whether I want another antidepressant.

 

Take care.

[Justdavehere]

Spot on. If more people realized just how unbelievably critical a good diet and exercise is to overall emotional wellness a whole lot less people would be on SRIs. I put in just 20 minutes on my mini trampoline in the morning and down my fruits and greens and my days go a WAY better than when I didn't. Now that I'm off Cymbalta I can see just how nasty that stuff really is.

[oncetwice2]

Maybe I'm being hypersensitive but I'm really offended by the assumption the two posters above me have made, specifically that I don't exercise or eat right, and that depression can be cured by exercise and diet. I am not depressed because I lack exercise or good food. I am depressed because I was beaten and sexually assaulted and now live with chronic pain and a fear of leaving the house. I am depressed because someone ruined my life and broke my body. But hey, just take a walk and grab an apple and I'll be fine, right? Wrong. 

 

Second: I was answering gail's question re: me going on a new med, not "shopping for something to alter [my] current mind-state." Personally I'd prefer not to be on anything at all, but every doctor I've ever seen has deemed otherwise. 

 

Anyway, to answer Trying and Coco: My doc put me back on bupropion, 150mg. This hasn't helped me in the past but it hasn't hurt either. 

 

I don't know if I'll be returning here again. Thanks for the support and advice and good luck.