8 replies to this topic

[shelley2977]

hello all, i am so happy to have found you all. my story in a nut shell is i got addicted to pain pills and was put on cymbalta 30 mg 5 years ago while going through breast cancer treatment . 2 years ago i was put on a nightmare drug called suboxone to help with withdrawal symptoms of getting off the pain pills. last month went into a rehab and the doctor took me off cold trukey the suboxone and the cymbalta. i am having the worst side effects known to man. it has been off for 30 days but i can hardly function. i am on neurontin and other non addicting drugs for the suboxone withdrawal but i just figured out 3 days ago i think i am having severe cymbalta withdrawal too. i am wondering if i should take 20 mg every other day and ween myself off . or maybe open 20mg pill and empty half out and take 10mg for a few weeks? i am not able to function that well. i gained 30 pounds while on the drug and now all i have this incredible hunger and i have gainned another 15 pounds since getting off 30 days ago.
these doctors are sooo full of it when they say that there are no side effects or withdrawal symptoms form antidepressants. i do not want to go back to a doctor who negates what i am saying and tries to act like this is all in my head.sorry for going on and on, i am just so happy to see that there are others who have gone before me. i hope peole will not think that since i have gone 30 days it is almost over for me. i feel lik ethe symptoms are getting worse for me. God Bless each and every person who is in a struggle, trying to just get better and live a decent life. shelley

[Houdi]

Shelley:

Oh my, you have had a tough time. I'm glad you are here. You are correct, for some of us, 30 days off Cymbalta isn't a sufficient amount of time. And yes, the withdrawal symptoms can be just as bad as day 7 or 14 or 21....

I would NOT do the every other day thing. And, personally, I'd be really afraid of taking a full dose of 20mg. Most likely, you are through the worst of the withdrawal and have done it without any support. Wow, you are a 'Warrior!' Each battle you win gets you closer to winning the full out WAR.

Not knowing what you can take with the addition issues and the other medication you are taking, I don't know what to suggest for otc medication and supplements that will help some of your specific withdrawal issues/symptoms. I'll give you a list of things that have helped others, but you are going to have to figure out whether they are appropriate for you. As you know, none of us are doctors and can't give medical advice, we just share our personal experience.

Here is what helped me:
Benadryl helped me sleep, helped my sinus headache/pressure, and did help with the ringing in my ears and whooshing;
Pepcid helped my nausea and so did real ginger seeped in hot water for tea (others have used peppermints..yum);
Ginger also is really healthy as are blueberries;
Immodium helped my diarrhea;
Yogurt helps tummy and bowel issues too;
I also upped my Omega 3's, high potency vitamin B's, took evening primrose am and pm, melatonin at night, potassium and magnesium supplement at night for aches and pains;
At least 10 minutes a day of unprotected sunlight on arms, face, legs for vitamin D (helps your mood too so do in the am) unless you are taking medication that you can't be in sunlight or have had skin cancer or Doc says no for some other reason;
Exercise EVERY day...even a 10 minute walk... It's a just DO IT thing even if you feel like you can't...5 minutes...anything. Then try to increase that as you can. This is where you will feel better about yourself and will help your mood and your brain/body, honest!

I promise you will start being able to lose the weight soon. And now that you know you aren't the ONLY one, and this isn't uncommon, and we're here and there is help....you will feel sooo much better. Give us some of your symptoms and we'll try to help.

Bless you Shelley....((((Hugs))) Houdi

[shelley2977]

oh my, thanks so much for responding. my symptoms are the restless legs, incredible anger,depression, not sleeping good, sweating, deep cough, wheezing and hunger, hunger, hunger. what if get the 20mg dose and empty half of it and just take more like 10mg? it has been 30 days and i am very depressed and hungry. i have taken the l-tyrosine, 5htp and b-6 to help me. i am on 1800mg neurontin for the withdrawal of the suboxone. i feel like i can not take these symptoms any longer. like i should get some cymbalta and ween myself down on a low doese. i cannot believe a doctor who is a professor at USC collcge in los angeles would take me off cold turkey. i think all of my symptoms are from the cymbalta. thanks for taking the time to leave info for me. regards, shelley

[Houdi]

shelley2977:

I don't know what neurontin is and how it affects you. Is 1800 mg a BIG dose? I tell you what, if you feel like you want to try to take a small dose of of Cymbalta after being off for about 30 days, I'd make it maybe a really little dose to see if there is any relief. Really though, can you ask for Prozac or a anti depressant with a longer half life? This MD needs to help you, you are coming off some powerful stuff.

The symptoms you listed are classic symptoms listed by forum members. You are not crazy or imagining anything.

BIG hugs to you....Houdi

[shelley2977]

hi houdi, i decided to get some cymbalta and take out all of the inside and empty 1/2 out. it is 20mg pill. bit i think you are right about prozac. i will try and get some from the shrink. neurontin is for the withdrawal symptoms of the suboxone i was on. it is not really a high does. it is an anti-seizure medication but they found it is good for nerve damage in the body and it dopes you up. i appreciate you leaving notes here. i took 10mg of cymbalta yesterday and then today. i felt better and even worked out. i did not feel like a million bucks just a little better. i don
t want to get hooked on the cymbalta since i was getting it is out of my system. thanks again for your help. God Bless, shelley

[Houdi]

Shelley:

Any Cymbalta in your system is most likely going to cause your brain to be affected. So, you may have 'delayed' your full withdrawal by taking it, but you have to do what you have to do. Working out is a good thing for your body and brain and will be helpful to your feeling of well being and health. Take this all slowly and be extra special to yourself. Only the best!

Bless you too Shelley...Houdi

[nursedeborah]

Shelley,
I am in recovery too! Have been for over 11 years this time around. We are Warriors!!!!
My God girl you came off Subxone(SP), and Cymbalta!!!! Now that was some frigging withdrawl. I don't know how you did that one.

Well I do, that's another story, had to do with what they did to me when I had my back surgery 4 years ago.

Anyway, we want relief, so of course anyting we think that will give us that, as addicts, we want to take it, and take it now. Just from my own experience as an addict!!

Going back on the Cymbalta is going back wards, we think it will give us relief, and then just like using, we end up sorry that we did it later as our lives get so out of control.

Like my sponsor always says remember your last detox, do you want to do that again!!!

I wish you luck, but pray that you get to meetings, as that really is helping me going throught the withdrawls!!!

Also all the things that Houdini said to.

Helpful To Some Harmful To None,
Debbie

[kario]

I have spoken with my naturopath about how to support myself while withdrawing from Cymbalta. I started weaning off of 60mg/day with a doctor's supervision in April and had no problems until I stopped taking the last 20mg pill last week. I am having increasing brain buzz and zaps in my fingertips and toes as well as a general feeling of dizziness and unreality.

The naturopath advised the following:

1000mg/day of B vitamins
1000mg/day of C and D vitamins
fish oil
GABA supplement
tons of water to flush the toxins out and
some sort of strenuous daily exercise that will cause me to sweat a ton or, alternately, sitting in a sauna to sweat a lot.

I'm hoping it works since things seem to be getting worse (although not as bad as many of the folks on here).

I'll keep you all posted!

[nursedeborah]

Thanks you for your post,
From what I have been reading, and from what I have learned here, it sounds like your still going to have major withdrawls symptoms.

That is why so many of us do a slow wean even to go as far as to open the caps of a 20 mg and dump half out, and take that for a few weeks or what ever we are comfortable.

One person here even did 5 mg, then 2.5 mg, and still had withdrawls, but not as bad.
I am going to continue to keep dumping out a few beads every two weeks until I am off this crap 100%.

It's still brutal for me this way, so I can reallly understand and my heart goes out to you.
If you can't do it talk to you doctor, and try one of the many different ways here. Then again see how long your symptoms last, and how bad they are, you are off, andit's been a week.

Just don't beat up on your self no matter what.

Debbie