I haven't posted here in about a year but I read often. It just seemed like too much to type for awhile but I think it will help me. About 4 years ago I took Paxil and had horrible side effects and withdrawal from them. I had never taken anti depressants before that but had moved across country and was very stressed and the doctor threw them at me. I had the zaps and numbness, tingling, etc. It scared the crap out of me. I have health anxiety really bad and this didn't help at all. I was given Cymbalta. I was on it for about two years at 30mg. I had the side effects during the time I took it and if I ever forgot one it was horrible. In 2014 I had strep throat and was taking an antibiotic. I felt awful and forgot my Cymbalta for three days in a row. My hell began there! I went to my doctor crying and telling her I felt all of these symptoms because I forgot my Cymbalta....she had NO clue about Cymbalta and I was telling HER about this forum and what people were going through. She said just start taking it again but why don't you take 60mg instead? I was so stupid that I did for about 5 days. Then I went back to her a mess. Crying like crazy, I was a mess!! I couldn't function and had tingling, numbness, nausea, dizziness, etc. She said, just stop taking it for a week and then start on Prozac. I said, but you aren't supposed to just stop taking it right? She said, yes just stop and give it a week to get out of your system. What an idiot....instead I started the Prozac the next day. In my head I knew it was the meds but I couldn't help it and thought something was really wrong with me. I had multiple MRIs done, all normal of course. I'm summarizing this....it was a nightmare during that time.
Fast forward 8 months later....I was on a cross country move (back to California) and ran out of my Prozac, didn't have a doctor established where I was and didn't plan the refills well. I, stupidly, thought oh well it was a low dosage, I should be fine. WRONG!! Within about 6-8 weeks I started having optical migraines, my foot was tingling again, bad headaches, panic attacks, head pain and pressure, my arm went numb once....I was convinced I had a brain tumor. The pressure was in my forehead and face so for a month I thought I had a sinus infection. For three months I went to doctors, ENTs, the ER like six times, Neurologist, tested for allergies, etc. I was given 16 different medicines and none helped. No pain medicine helped at all. I had a CT Scan with and without contrast, and MRI and an MRA...all from the dr to convince me I wasn't dying. I was in bed almost daily....I was miserable. My poor kids didn't have a good mom during that time. My husband was very patient but it was hard on him too. I began keeping a diary and it helps me now. I began my own research and put things together. I got the Prozac again after thinking it was Cymbalta still in my body but I didn't want to take that again. The Prozac either helps my serotonin or it masks the withdrawals of the Cymbalta, that was the conclusion I came too. In my mind I knew this but was still having anxiety and panic attacks. It took about 2 months on Prozac for the pain in my head to get better and for me to be normal again. Right before Christmastime thankfully. The pain I had mostly was pressure in my head, like a tension headache, a vise on my temples and forehead, a lot more eye floaters and an almost buzzed feeling like when you've had a little to drink.
So....you would've thought I'd learned my lesson and stayed on Prozac but no, I thought that I would eventually be fine without it. I tapered off it but eventually stopped taking it again. Stupid me!! In about the same time frame as last year, I started having the head pressure again!! This time though I knew it wasn't a sinus infection or anything. I not only had the head symptoms but I would get SO mad and upset about things that I couldn't deal. I'd cry and get so mad I wanted to punch something which isn't like me. Instead of last time, I started my B12 again (I'm deficient) and Vit D and my Prozac. Well not right away....I thought for a bit that it was tension headaches and went to get a massage and I go weekly to my chiropractor. This didn't and doesn't help though. My doctor said to try Butterbur for my headaches. That gave me horrible heartburn. I then started the Prozac. This was on September 30th so I'm a little over 2 weeks into it. I still have the head pressure across my forehead and sinus area, sometimes in my temples. My eyes do weird things like if I move my head fast it seems to take half a second to catch up. The light kind of bothers me too.
No doctor gets this and I feel alone in it. I have to constantly remind myself that Cymbalta screwed up my body and my brain is trying to fix itself. Nothing else makes sense. I read these forums and it makes me feel better. I try to stay busy and distracted so that helps. I've come to the conclusion that doctors don't know everything and I have to go with MY personal history, experience and common sense. I just joined a group on Facebook that I've been reading but I mostly read here. On Friday and Saturday it didn't hurt as bad but yesterday and today it does. My eyes are having trouble focusing....could be Cymbalta withdrawal or the Prozac. Either way I'm trying so hard to take it one day at a time and read here to help my anxiety.
Thanks everyone for letting me get that info out. It really helps me.
