Well it has been a long time since I updated. For those who are new, well, when I went through Cymbalta withdrawal I had my hell as well (2013), I fought it for 3 months after being completely off the stuff but I still suffered from over whelming fear. I didn't want to go back on a ssri or snri so the dr jacked me up to 2 1/2 clonidine a day, 200 mg hydroxyzine a day, one atenolol a day and I did fair during the day but the nights were still full of fear with me having to sleep on some blankets on the floor and suffer constant fear. One last effort was to go on 6 mg Ativan (lorazepam) per day. Nothing from the lorazepam at all. Matter of fact one night my fear was so bad that I went to the ER. They gave me 4 mg of lorazepam by injection on top the 6 mg I had taken that day. I settled down a little but still had fear. I had no choice but to start on Zoloft. The good thing is Zoloft is weaker than Cymbalta and has less withdrawal. In the last 2 years I have been doing pretty well. I am totally off the atenolol, down to 1 tablet of clonidine a day and only 75 mg of hydroxyzine per day.
this is my fourth time to come off the lorazepam. The manufacturer warns not to go back on lorazepam within 2 years of coming off. Well I was desperate and went on it anyway during the withdrawal. I can tell you that the manufacturer is correct. If restarted within 2 years it is ineffective and has a much worse withdrawal. when I came off the lorazepam before I could drop around 5% a month with little or no withdrawal. This time I am dropping 0.5% a month. Any more and I get symptoms. That's slow!! I am currently down about 57% so I am getting there. The last few days I have had a very minor but constant layer of anxiety so I will probably have to slow down my drop rate on the lorazepam soon. It will take me about another few years to finish coming off the lorazepam but once that is done I will work on the Zoloft.
Slow but steady. time and patience.
"Dr" Hat,
its hard to tell what a struggle you've been through given all the self-less help you give others on this board. it also sounds like you have come a long way and that is very encouraging to forum members.
lady nancy,
i knew somewhat of the struggle you've fought as well, but didn't know how much trial and error you've had to deal with. i recall that you had anti-depressant induced mania that triggered a full blown bipolar disorder. my heart goes out to you.
not long after my p-doc put me on effexor - i had a manic episode. never happened with previous 'scrips for zoloft and wellbutrin. my p-doc insisted that meant i was bipolar - even though an anti-d can induce mania in anybody. he refused to take me off effexor, instead adding depakote - which is the brand-name for divalproex in the US. i was exhausted all the time, could sleep "on command". without an alarm i would sleep through the night at 12 hours or more. i fell asleep on the phone on hold more than once. at least 20 of the 40 pounds (30 % of my original body weight) that i gained on psychoactive meds were due to the depakote/valproic acid. 2 years later when my doc switched me to lamictal/lamotrigine (and switched me from effexor to cymbalta) i dropped 20 pounds in about 3 months. I lost the rest and even more after quitting the C. cymbalta kept me sleepy, but not near as much as the depakote. there is no weight gain with lamictal and actually some weight loss for some. also no fatigue. since quitting the C, i am rarely tired during the day and sleep 7-8 hours a night without an alarm.
i know you have said that your bipolar is permanent and for that i am truly sorry. i hope that you are able to get approved for disability eventually, is there an appeals process? i suspect my dx of bipolar was wrong. my p-doc just liked to keep his patients on the newest meds, not generic - when one goes to generic he switches to a new brand name (makes the drug reps happy) however, my insurance now requires generic and won't cover any brand name drugs - i must take the closest generic to any recommended brand name.
i plan to wean off the lamictal within this year. i never felt any side effects from lamictal of which i was aware while i was also on cymbalta. however, i recently discovered that anxiety is a side effect of lamictal. i never felt anxiety prior to any anti-d's (depression yes, anxiety no). since coming off cymbalta of course i suffered extreme anxiety for several months straight, as is common for most folks weaning off. since then it ebbs and flows. i am now wondering if its the lamictal that is causing the lingering anxiety and that i didn't feel it before i quit the C is because cymbalta is also an anti anxiety med. i will soon find out when i start to taper off lamictal. my goal is no drugs, but if i have to, i have to. only way to find out is to eventually take the plunge.
do i understand that your current mood stabilizer, epival/divalproex, is causing anxiety hence the addition of risperdal? does the divalproex cause weight gain and fatigue for you? i did have to take blood tests while on it. while the primary intent is to make sure the right level of the drug is in your bloodstream, its also good for making sure your liver function isn't being damaged by the drug - mine was always normal.
I wish you nothing but the best as you continue on your journey.