32 replies to this topic

[butterflygt]

Hello,

It am new to this site and hoping to get some help. I quit cold turkey 5 days ago after been taking cymbalta for a year and a half. I am going thru a nasty divorce and getting no financial aid anywhere for my medication. For that reason, I can no longer afford my meds. The withdrawals I am going thru are pure hell. As I am writing this, the tears are just flowing. The worst of my withdrawals are the brain zaps and blurred vision or brain fog.

I am drinking lots of water, taking omega 3's and for nighttime sleep, I get a good night sleep with the help of nighttime Benedryl. On a side note, since I quit cymbalta, my insomnia is gone. I am able to get a solid 6 hours of sleep a night compared to 2 hours with horrible nightmares.

Now, I need help to relieve the withdrawals if there is anything I can do. I have no more cymbalta on hand so I cannot do the bead counting. I am desperate, I have been so strong going thru this but now I feel like I am going to bang my head thru the wall. If I would of known about these withdrawals, I would of never agreed to go on this horrible anti-depressant.

Ginette

[TryinginFL]

Wecome Ginette!

 

We're happy that you have found us.  I completely understand how you are feeling as I went cold turkey off of 60mg after taking for over 4 years.  Is there any way you can borrow the money for some?   If you were to reinstate immediately you could start bead counting as soon as you are stable.

 

What dosage were you on?  Are you taking any other meds?

 

If you must go cold turkey which is by far the worst possible experience, please check our Nutritional Support section - it sounds as if you are already using some helpful options.  Do continue to drink lots of water and the Benadryl will also help with the anxiety which I'm sorry to say will descend on you at some point - not a pretty picture...

 

We are here for you whenever you have questions, need to vent, cry or whatever.  Others will hop on here soon to welcome you and share their experiences.

 

Hang in there - it's difficult but you can do it!  Age also seems to have a lot to do with the intensity of the withdrawal - those of us over 50 seem to have a much harder time.

 

I wish you the best - are you working and if so, can you take some time off?

 

Liz

[gail]

Hello Ginette,

Oh what an ordeal you are going through! The only way to ease this is to go back on.

You say you have no financial aid and I remember one of our members saying, if you have to steal, beg, borrow, credit card, get a few month's supply to withdraw gently.

Many members went off for this reason, lack of finances, but they got through it. But they sure don't recommend it.

If this is what you have to do, which I hope not, others will chime in to guide you. Drinking lots of water is very recommended. I don't know in which age bracket you are, the over fifty have quite a rough time.

By the way, brain zaps lasts for a week or so from what I have read, never had them.

As I said, others will come by and help you in this. To your right upper side, make sure to check the box Follow this topic so you can receive instant replies to your topic.

[fishinghat]

BFGT

 

Welcome to the site. If you look under 'Medical Support' you will find a series of about 7 documents that all start out with 'Controlling Anxiety...'. Each of these articles are summaries of non-addictive non-withdrawal natural and pharmaceutical drugs used to control anxiety. In other words calm you down. Some of the commonly used ones include Benadryl, hydroxyzine, clonidine and many more. please read the information carefully. Obviously not every bit of information is documented there so I strongly suggest that if you find one interesting to do further research. These are just starting points. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask away. Whatever it takes to make you better.

[butterflygt]

Thank you everyone for replying. I am 46 years old and stay at home. I was on 120mg and went down to 60mg and now nothing.
I do have a question, would taking regular benedryl during the day help me?
I will go and check out the nutritional support section and medical support to see if there is anything on there that I can do to help me out.

Ginette

[thismoment]

Hi Butterfly

I know you are hurting and need some help-- psychological and medical. Get another prescription if you can-- 6 weeks of caps would do and you can stretch that out to 14 weeks of weaning.

Or stay cold turkey.

But be cautious about weaning onto Benadryl. Here are some notes on daily use of the drug Benadryl.

Dependence
Benadryl may have addictive effects on some people who engage in long term use of the drug, especially for those taking the medication as a sleep aid. Taking more Benadryl to achieve expected results is a common sign of the body's dependence on the drug. In some cases, insomnia may result.

Circulation
Individuals who take Benadryl for extended periods of time may experience low blood pressure and heart palpitations, as well as occasional periods where it feels the heart is racing. Tightness of the chest, an abnormal heartbeat or restlessness may be an indication to see a physician.

Mental
Long-term use of Benadryl often affects mental cognition, especially in the elderly. Confusion, periods of inability to focus or concentrate, and anxiety are some symptoms experienced, as are agitation, moodiness and impatience. Depression and fatigue may also be evident. Some individuals have complained of hallucinations, nightmares and coordination problems.

Physical Manifestations
Trembling, dizziness and vision complaints, including blurred or double vision are additional symptoms of the effects of long-term Benadryl use. Some people complain of a difficulty urinating as well as skin rash and headaches following long-term use.

Wiki

[gail]

Ginette,

Taking the Benadryl extra strength will help but not taken regularly.

Keep it for emergencies, like once in a while. After two weeks, if taken regularly, it loses its effect. And as TM said, you have to upper the dosage and then starts a vicious circle.

I used it two or three times a week for a while. One dose a day.

Check out the info that Fishinghat posted on anxiety, very interesting! Keep us posted Ginette. I wish that you could find a way to reinstate. One way or the other, we are here for you.

[butterflygt]

I definitely do not want to add another problem that's for sure. So the benedryl will be used in case of emergencies only. Thank you for the info on that medication.

OMG, this is so hard! I hate cymbalta, it is ruining my life

[fishinghat]

TM

 

Thanks for the post on benadryl. I have incorporated some of it in my documents. Good info.

[thismoment]

FH

 

That's good. Your posting on anxiety is excellent! I've always believed that anxiety is the catalyst, the de-stabilizer within these debilitating mind states. And as a solo act, anxiety is a force; I'll take depression over anxiety any day. 

[equuswoman]

butterflygt...

Hi and nice to meet you. This is a wonderful forum filled with wonderful ppl who are here to help us get thru this journey coming off the poison. I hope you can get enough Cymbalta to be able to gradually wean off this poison. That's what I had to do. It took me longer than most to wean off of it. A total of 4 months and it was a trip thru hell and back but I made it with the help of the ppl here.You are in my thoughts and prayers as you continue on this journey. 
LoveTheEquusWoman

[Cessie60]

I was out of my Cymbalta bc of a Pharmacy mix up, so I since I had been wanting to get off the meds decided that this would be a good time......WRONG!!!!!!!!

I had horrible withdrawals; I was angry, mean and didn't want to associate with anyone even close friends.

I have been since looking for ways to get off of this junk. I am glad I found this sight bc when I first started taking Cymbalta it really made a difference but the longer I take it the weirder I feel. It was a relief to see that I am not imagining the issues I have been having and that others are experiencing the same effects.

I have some personal issues that have to be dealt with before I try to get off this stuff but want to get off it soon. 

I applaud the people in this forum and thank them for being on here so that I'm not dealing with this alone.

[fishinghat]

Cessie

 

We all remember what it was like. very scarey!! I am sorry you are alone BUT we are here. We are always with you in our hearts. You will make it through this. Take it easy on yourself. It is like riding a wild horse...just relax and hang on. Spoil yourself as much as you can. Anything to bring a little joy in your life.

 

God Bless

[butterflygt]

I am on day 7 of being off this poison. I've been thru hell and back. Everyday is a struggle. I feel myself blessed to have this forum to come too when I find myself all alone and nowhere to go. I keep telling myself that it can only get better with time. I added meditation to my daily routine to help with the withdrawals. It helps a bit and I will take it.

I stopped taking the Benedryl 2 days ago because I got scared of the dependency it can cause. If I start crying for no reason, I just let it come out and I use breathing techniques to calm myself. My withdrawals are getting worse. I am still getting the brain zaps, blurred vision and brain fog. Now, I added the flu like symptoms (body aches). I am getting sharp pain in my rib cage and vertigo!

I want to take this time to thank everyone that has replied with advice and gave me encouragement, it helps more than you know. I go to bed every night on a positive note thinking that tomorrow will be a better day.

Ginette

[thismoment]

Ginette

You are in the thick of it now-- the zaps, vertigo, blurred vision, flu-like symptoms, brain fog, and crying. What you describe is familiar, and please know this: you are NOT going crazy and you WILL get through this!

This may sound counterintuitive, but please consider it: When the crying starts, find a safe place and just let it come. Let it wring out. Resistance creates a lot of stress, and builds anxiety. Accept your symptoms-- you can't stop them.

Regarding the Benedryl-- take some as-needed-- two or three days a week perhaps-- just not every day.

Take care.

[butterflygt]

This moment,

Last night was the worst sleep ever. I felt like I couldn't breathe and the body aches were so bad. Today, I am having a hard time to stay positive. I am so discouraged. As much as I try to stay positive, it seems the harder it is. Everyday, I tell myself that tomorrow will be a better day and it is not happening, it's worse. When will I start to feel better or get a bit of relief from the withdrawals? This is pure hell, I have to cancel some plans that I have because I cannot cope with overwhelming emotions and symptoms. I feel like I am in prison right now. I am locked in my own body.

Ginette

[thismoment]

Ginette

I understand how nasty the symptoms are-- it is as you say, 'pure hell'. But I can only imagine how much more difficult it must be when that hell is combined with the divorce you are going through. I'm so sorry.

The timeline of recovery is impossible to precisely predict as there are so many variables. You're on day 8 of cold turkey following a year-and-a-half of exposure, which might be considered short-term-- so this is my guess (hopefully others will add comments too)-- perhaps 4 weeks of the intensity you have now with the brain zaps going away this week. The following 4 weeks should show improvements that will give you positive reinforcement. Thereafter you will steadily emerge from the fog.

Counting on a timeline can be disappointing because the recovery process varies a lot among patients-- you just have to go day to day and welcome the small mercies as they emerge. Do you have a close friend in whom you may confide? Certainly coming here helps, but a compassionate friend is wonderful.

These drugs physically alter the body and it takes time for it to self-repair and establish equilibrium in the absence of the drug. It's a long and slow repair. I know it's really difficult to stay positive, and certainly we all went through long periods when we simply could not feel positive. But it does get better, and once signs of progress appear you will feel a boost in your mood-- it will come!

I wish I could reach through and take your pain away, but I can't. But I will be here to talk to you, as will many kind and compassionate souls that come here.

Take care.

[butterflygt]

Thank you Thismoment. Yes, I do have a friend that is really compassionate and understands. She is actually a court reporter and has heard horror stories about this awful drug. I also have my mom and my sister that have been very supportive and say that they are so proud of me for kicking this poison out of my body.

I do not understand how my psychiatrist did not know about these side effects. I am seeing on Thursday and I am trying to figure out how I will tell him that I am off the cymbalta and explain to him what hell I have been going thru without getting angry at him. He has been my doctor for over 10 years and he has helped me a lot. But, I do not consider putting me on this medication help. I always had a trust issue with people and felt that I could trust him with my life and now I feel like he broke that trust.

I seem to be feeling a bit better at the moment. I did what you said and just let myself cry. I did take a tylenol for my body aches as they were getting unbearable and had a nice cup of green tea with lemon which soothed me. I am so happy I can come on this forum and vent and talk to people that understand what I am going thru, it is keeping me sane.

Thank you

[thismoment]

Ginette

 

I too asked the same question of the physician who had prescribed this medication once I began withdrawing. But after withdrawing I did much research on my own as well as digging into issues with my involvement on the forum. It turns out your psychiatrist most likely got his or her knowledge of withdrawal symptoms and timelines from representatives of the pharmaceutical company. Those sales reps keep the withdrawal story short and sweet for obvious reasons.

 

Having said that, if physicians took the time to read the box notes they'd see that Eli Lilly (the manufacturer of Duloxetine), advises NOT to go cold turkey, but rather says to wean off slowly, with no dosing gaps or abrupt steps in dosage.

 

I'm glad you're feeling a little better! Moods will come and go. Keep the anxiety down and keep busy.

 

Don't be surprised if your psychiatrist seems incredulous when you explain the symptoms. You may be offered to go back on Duloxetine or on to a related serotonin drug like the SSRI Fluoxetine (Prozac). You will have to decide.

 

Crying has a cleansing effect; it's exhausting and it promotes deep sleep. It's going to be okay.

 

Take care.

[equuswoman]

I was out of my Cymbalta bc of a Pharmacy mix up, so I since I had been wanting to get off the meds decided that this would be a good time......WRONG!!!!!!!!

I had horrible withdrawals; I was angry, mean and didn't want to associate with anyone even close friends.

I have been since looking for ways to get off of this junk. I am glad I found this sight bc when I first started taking Cymbalta it really made a difference but the longer I take it the weirder I feel. It was a relief to see that I am not imagining the issues I have been having and that others are experiencing the same effects.

I have some personal issues that have to be dealt with before I try to get off this stuff but want to get off it soon. 

I applaud the people in this forum and thank them for being on here so that I'm not dealing with this alone.

Cessie60

Eventho it's been a bit over a year, just a tiny bit of being off this crap drug I can remember so vividly the hell I had to go through. With the help of the ppl here I however  make it. I had been on the poison for 18 months for chronic pain of my lower back due to severe arthritis. All this crap chemical did was destroy my short term memory. I required me 4 months to slowly wean off this stuff. The w/d were hellish to say the least. It was here that I learned how to 'bead count'....It was here that I was given encouragement along the way when at times I felt as if I just couldn't take it anymore. But with their help and my God's help I did make it....yes it was extremely difficult but after having all this poison out of my system I began to feel much better again.

You can do it. It's hard but we are here to help!

Love, support & prayers,

TheEquusWoman

[butterflygt]

Thank you EquusWoman, yours words of kindness mean a lot to me. The support I am receiving is incredible and this is what is going to get me thru this difficult time.

[butterflygt]

  I am on day 16 of quitting cold turkey.  Yesterday, was the first day that I felt normal except for slight headache and nausea. I was able to get my house chores done.  Well, today is totally different.  I am so nauseated and actually threw up. Also, last night, I had such nightmares that it woke me up with severe anxiety, I was shaking so much it was uncontrollable. I am also having crying episodes today. 

 

The brain zaps are almost non existent and so is the vertigo.  I just can't move to fast and I use a lot of breathing techniques.  I drink a lot of water. I also enjoy green tea with ginseng and lemon, it is very soothing. The only medication I take is gravol to get some relief of nausea, but today the gravol is not helping at all.  Any suggestions what else I could do to get some relief, throwing up is not pleasant at all.

 

I am so grateful to be able to come on this forum and get the support I need to get thru this.  

[gail]

Hi Ginette,

The only thing that helped a bit was ginger ale and crackers. Some chew on ginger roots.

There is not much you can do but be patient, it will end.

Gravol is also good for anxiety but like the benadryl, if taken on a regular basis, it stops working.

You had a good day yesterday, and not today. Progress is not linear.
Crying episodes are part of withdrawal. Nightmares also. Have you anything besides benadryl for the anxiety?

Bon courage in this unnameable trip.

[thismoment]

butterfly

 

Sometimes the nausea is related to eating, but usually not-- you just go through a period of nausea in withdrawal that may last days, weeks, or months. If the nausea is associated with eating, in some ways that's easier to manage: you can reduce the amount you eat; avoid foods that seem to trigger events; and never lay down soon after eating.

 

I found I had to wait about 4 hours before I could lay down after eating anything. Otherwise, nausea and reflux was the result.

[butterflygt]

God-like,

 

I have no other meds for anxiety.  I am relying solely on over the counter meds. I want to rid my body of all prescription meds. I am not a soda lover at all, but willing to try the ginger ale.

[thismoment]

butterflygt

To be prescription drug-free is a worthy goal, and hopefully that will give you peace. Quality of life, however, is all that matters-- with or without drugs from any source.

 

[TryinginFL]

I agree with TM.

 

I don't feel that I will ever be totally RX free, but it doesn't bother me since I am finally off the poison drug.  I am sure that it left me with changes that I am not happy about, but there is nothing to be done - I certainly won't take another anti-d to save my life!

 

I will probably always take a benzo since the anxiety is something that was created by my cold turkey withdrawal - much more so than if I had known about bead counting.  This is only my opinion and don't expect anyone to take it for the gospel truth.  This is what is true for me at this point.  If things should change, wonderful...

 

Perhaps my brain is still re-wiring as the short term memory continues - I have a friend who is coming off of Remeron and complains of the same ailments as myself.   Misery loves company, I suppose.  She is then going to try to come off of Effexor and I have offered my support.  She is doing this with the help of a Dr., but I question the methods he uses.

 

BTW, are there many of you who suffer the problem of eating and then suffering terrible pain and bloating?  It seems that this is another thing that just continues to happen - started during withdrawal.  Sheesh!

 

Things are what they are and I am thankful that I didn't suffer more - my friend ended up in the Psych ward for 5 days the first time she tried coming off the Remeron.

 

Thanks all for listening to the ramblings of an old woman...

 

Liz 

[thismoment]

Liz

 

The gastrointestinal issues and serotonin drugs go hand-in-hand. It continues to improve, but if you can pinpoint foods or activities that exacerbate the problem you can modify those. Aside from that, it's just time.

[albergo11]

Hello,

It am new to this site and hoping to get some help. I quit cold turkey 5 days ago after been taking cymbalta for a year and a half. I am going thru a nasty divorce and getting no financial aid anywhere for my medication. For that reason, I can no longer afford my meds. The withdrawals I am going thru are pure hell. As I am writing this, the tears are just flowing. The worst of my withdrawals are the brain zaps and blurred vision or brain fog.

I am drinking lots of water, taking omega 3's and for nighttime sleep, I get a good night sleep with the help of nighttime Benedryl. On a side note, since I quit cymbalta, my insomnia is gone. I am able to get a solid 6 hours of sleep a night compared to 2 hours with horrible nightmares.

Now, I need help to relieve the withdrawals if there is anything I can do. I have no more cymbalta on hand so I cannot do the bead counting. I am desperate, I have been so strong going thru this but now I feel like I am going to bang my head thru the wall. If I would of known about these withdrawals, I would of never agreed to go on this horrible anti-depressant.

Ginette

 

 

Hello,

It am new to this site and hoping to get some help. I quit cold turkey 5 days ago after been taking cymbalta for a year and a half. I am going thru a nasty divorce and getting no financial aid anywhere for my medication. For that reason, I can no longer afford my meds. The withdrawals I am going thru are pure hell. As I am writing this, the tears are just flowing. The worst of my withdrawals are the brain zaps and blurred vision or brain fog.

I am drinking lots of water, taking omega 3's and for nighttime sleep, I get a good night sleep with the help of nighttime Benedryl. On a side note, since I quit cymbalta, my insomnia is gone. I am able to get a solid 6 hours of sleep a night compared to 2 hours with horrible nightmares.

Now, I need help to relieve the withdrawals if there is anything I can do. I have no more cymbalta on hand so I cannot do the bead counting. I am desperate, I have been so strong going thru this but now I feel like I am going to bang my head thru the wall. If I would of known about these withdrawals, I would of never agreed to go on this horrible anti-depressant.

Ginette

 

Go back on and taper, don't CT because it could take literally years to fully recover.

 

You're going through a major life transition right now and the very last thing that you need right now is a 30-90 day ACUTE withdrawal period followed by endless months of protracted withdrawal.

 

You might be one of the lucky ones and recover in 2-4 weeks, but you really don't want to find out what it's like to be one of the unlucky ones and go through YEARS of bad withdrawals because of an all-to-fast cessation.

 

If possible, switch to prozac with the help of your doctor, wait 2-4 weeks, and then taper prozac.  That's probably the least harmful way to quit.

[butterflygt]

It's going to be a month on the 29th that I quit cold turkey. I have to say that I am doing pretty good. The withdrawals have subsided a lot. The only thing that I can complain about right now is headaches and nausea and a bit of vertigo and the odd brain zap which I get here and there but manageable. I am concerned about the long lasting effects of withdrawals but at this point not enough to go back on the poison. I cannot afford it even if I wanted too. I saw my doctor this morning and gave him the news that I got off the cymbalta. We had a long hour discussion about everything that I have gone thru and how it was hell the first 2 weeks. He offered to put me on Prozac to help with the withdrawals but I refused and told him that since I am managing right now that I would hold off on taking something. I also found out that in Canada which is where I am, the lowest dose of cymbalta you can get is 30mg...stupid company!

Anyways, I am using all my coping tools to get thru this and it seems to be going okay. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the withdrawals will be over and gone for good sooner rather than later.

I wish and pray for anyone getting off this poison to be strong and positive.