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Trying To Stay Off Of Cymbalta


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#1 Turbolag

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Posted 22 March 2016 - 10:57 AM

Hi everyone, I just joined the forum. This is my first post. 

 

So a little background: I have pretty bad anxiety disorder, and have had it since Sophmore year in highschool. That was 2004. In 2008 I started Cymbalta at 30mg. I increased the dose to 40mg I think around 2009. In mid January of 2016 I completely stopped taking the pills. I started to wean myself off under Dr. supervisions In September of 2015. 

 

So its been about 8 weeks since I took any of the medicine. I did some research and I experienced the early withdrawal symptoms: brain zaps, dizziness, irritation, random nervous feelings. 

 

So the zaps, and irritation went away about about 4 weeks after stopping. Here I am 4 weeks later, and the symptoms are different. Now, my brain is racing, I have intense random panic feelings, its hard to put a sentence together sometimes because I stumble over my words. I was placing an order to go this past weekend and it was kinda difficult to put the words together correctly. Tiredness, fatigue, restlessness, feeling like I can't stand still and need to move around. 

 

But the worst, is just increased overall anxiety and panic feeling. I'm starting to wonder if I need to just stop and start taking Cymbalta again. I really don't want to because of some goals I have set. I can't be on an SSRI's to achieve them.  

 

I work with a therapist, that works with me on mindfulness and meditation, I also use Gert's anxiety CD course. They helped me a lot last year and it motivated me to try and stop the medicine. 

 

What is really frustrating is after going through therapy, and reading, I know I'm in 0 danger. I understand the body can't hurt you, and is only trying to protect you. And that panic attacks can only last about 20 minutes because that's all our bodies are designed for them to last. But, still, right now, randomly for no reason I get this rush of nerves, like I need to run away. But there's nothing to run away from. Even using these rationalizations and affirmations, its like my mind isn't listening. 

 

I am new to the forum and haven't had a chance to browse all the topics yet, but I plan on reading more.

 

I'm kinda lost right now. I have an appointment with my psychiatrist next month because I wanted to get tested for low serotonin levels and just get a general assessment.  I went to the health food store yesterday and talked to one of the people that work there. They suggested a couple natural anxiety remedies. The first one is by Himalaya. Its called Stress Care, and the ingredients are all plant based. Then I bought these drops yesterday, called Five Flower Formula. I was really really uncomfortable yesterday, so I took two drops of that. One on my hand and one by mouth. I noticed a difference after about 20 mins. That may just be a placebo effect, I have no clue. 

 

So that's where I'm at now, kinda lost and not sure if I should continue staying off of the medicine. 

 

Glad I found this forum. Thanks in advance. 


#2 fishinghat

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Posted 22 March 2016 - 12:26 PM

Welcome Turbo

 

I would highly suggest you try to stay off the Cymbalta. What you described is classic withdrawal. It usually is around week 6 or 8 that you start to see periodic improvements. very small at first and then slowly but surely better. It can take 4, 6 8 months to get where you feel human. One thing you have going for you is your age. Typically the younger you are the less severe the withdrawal and the quicker the recovery. I think you have a good idea browsing the past posts. You will find a common link to what you are experiencing now and our members experiences.


#3 lady2882Nancy

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Posted 22 March 2016 - 04:19 PM

Hi Turbolag

 

The lack of cognitive abilities (losing words and having trouble making sentences) is normal for this point in your withdrawal. It was a running joke when posting when I was at your stage that we had to proofread our posts at least 3 times to make sure we made sense. Don't worry that will improve in time.

As you know the fight, flight or freeze reaction is a normal reaction that comes from our natural self preservation instinct from eons ago but can still preserve us today. Understanding it is one thing, controlling it is another thing altogether. Much of these reactions are caused by our anxiety levels which Cymbalta withdraw causes usually between 6 to 8 weeks off and you may find that in a few more weeks this also calms down just as your other symptoms did.

As for getting your serotonin levels checked, I hope you are aware of the brain-gut connection with there being serotonin in the gut. I am sure there are others on here who can fill you in more on how this works but I do know for myself I have to be eating a gut healthy diet in order to have a healthy brain and it never became more apparent to me that this was true until I was getting off and withdrawing from Cymbalta.

As for those all natural remedies from the health food store, just remember that some of those supplements contain the same basic chemicals as do the medications so be sure you know what you are taking and what your body turns it into.

Take care of you

Nancy


#4 Turbolag

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Posted 22 March 2016 - 05:29 PM

Welcome Turbo

I would highly suggest you try to stay off the Cymbalta. What you described is classic withdrawal. It usually is around week 6 or 8 that you start to see periodic improvements. very small at first and then slowly but surely better. It can take 4, 6 8 months to get where you feel human. One thing you have going for you is your age. Typically the younger you are the less severe the withdrawal and the quicker the recovery. I think you have a good idea browsing the past posts. You will find a common link to what you are experiencing now and our members experiences.


Thank you for your info man. I'm glad to be here.

#5 Turbolag

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Posted 22 March 2016 - 05:33 PM

Hi Turbolag

The lack of cognitive abilities (losing words and having trouble making sentences) is normal for this point in your withdrawal. It was a running joke when posting when I was at your stage that we had to proofread our posts at least 3 times to make sure we made sense. Don't worry that will improve in time.
As you know the fight, flight or freeze reaction is a normal reaction that comes from our natural self preservation instinct from eons ago but can still preserve us today. Understanding it is one thing, controlling it is another thing altogether. Much of these reactions are caused by our anxiety levels which Cymbalta withdraw causes usually between 6 to 8 weeks off and you may find that in a few more weeks this also calms down just as your other symptoms did.
As for getting your serotonin levels checked, I hope you are aware of the brain-gut connection with there being serotonin in the gut. I am sure there are others on here who can fill you in more on how this works but I do know for myself I have to be eating a gut healthy diet in order to have a healthy brain and it never became more apparent to me that this was true until I was getting off and withdrawing from Cymbalta.
As for those all natural remedies from the health food store, just remember that some of those supplements contain the same basic chemicals as do the medications so be sure you know what you are taking and what your body turns it into.
Take care of you
Nancy


Thank you for the response Nancy. Would you mind elaborating on the mind and gut connection? I made some diet changes after I read never be sick again. I started trying to get organic products as much as I can.

But id really like to hear your input or anyone elses. Or where I can look to learn more?

Thank you.

#6 fishinghat

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Posted 22 March 2016 - 07:16 PM

I don't want to step on Lady Nancy's toes but....

There are 3 main connections.

 

1) Neurotransmitters. eg, adrenaline activates the brain and stimulates the muscles but slows down digestive activity, While serotonin helps to regulate mood but yet is the most common neurotransmitter in the gut. These are just to name a few.

 

2) Bacteria in the stomach are essential for digestion in the gut. The wrong bacteria then food is improperly digested and the resultant absorbed nutrition tends to be inflammatory. Medical research has linked these problems, to heart attacks, asthma,  psychological issues and many more. Now that doesn't mean these conditions are caused only by an imbalance in bacteria but they contribute. As we get older the risk of an imbalance becomes greater. Dosages of 15 to 30 billion probiotics are often used. I don't necessarily recommend a daily dosage but a dose every week or two can help keep a gut in balance.

 

3) The vagus nerve. Th e vagus nerve runs to both the heart and the gut and feed back to the brain. This is why heartpounding, skip beats and racing pulse are associated with anxiety. In addition it can cause irritable bowel and other digestive issues.


#7 lady2882Nancy

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Posted 23 March 2016 - 08:50 AM

I was hoping you would step in here and explain it fishinghat


#8 Turbolag

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Posted 28 March 2016 - 10:16 AM

Thanks for the replies fishinghat and Nancy.

Regarding 1, and 3 from fishinghat's post, how do I address them?

For the probiotic I found one at the health food store. I'm not gonna lie, thinking about taking it is making me a little nervous. I've tried two different pro biotic in the past and they made me feel awful. My stomach was upset and I just didn't feel that great. So I stopped them after about a week. I want to try this one that someone at the store showed me. But again, just knowing how the last two went, it's a little uneasy.

#9 fishinghat

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Posted 28 March 2016 - 01:57 PM

Well Turbo, a good question. For #1 and#3 things like cignitive or mindfulness therapy, yoga, breathing exercises, jogging and many more things can help with that. A good tharapist can teach you a lot of little tricks to control your heart rate and rhythm as well as anxiety/depression and sleep. There are medicines to help with these issues as well, such as clonidine, atenolol, and other adrenaline control drugs.
 
It is also important to realize that the perception of light causes the brain to begin the serotonin production process, which stimulates us to wake up in the morning and increases the amount of serotonin in our tissues. As the sun sets the serotonin is converted to melatonin which makes us sleepy. When stress causes us to become anxious we typically do not control our serotonin production very well and this leads us to having the symptoms I mentioned in the earlier post. There are many things you can do to limit your serotonin and help the sleep cycle. I will copy the info from one of my drs below.

How to Sleep Better

Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

Tip 1: Keep a regular sleep schedule
Getting back in sync with your body’s natural sleep–wake cycle—your circadian rhythm (daily rhythm)—is one of the most important strategies for achieving good sleep. If you keep a regular sleep schedule, going to bed and getting up at the same time each day, you will feel much more refreshed and energized than if you sleep the same number of hours at different times. This holds true even if you alter your sleep schedule by only an hour or two. Consistency is important.
Set a regular bedtime. Go to bed at the same time every night. Try not to break this routine on weekends when it may be tempting to stay up late. No more than 15 minutes earlier or later each day.
Wake up at the same time every day. If you’re getting enough sleep, you should wake up naturally without an alarm. If you need an alarm clock to wake up on time, you may need to set an earlier bedtime. As with your bedtime, try to maintain your regular wake–time even on weekends.
Nap to make up for lost sleep. If you need to make up for a few lost hours, use a daytime nap rather than sleeping late. DO NOT NAP MORE THAN 1 HOUR PER DAY as it may affect your evenings sleep. DO NOT NAP AFTER 5 PM. The best time to nap is early afternoon.
Fight after–dinner drowsiness. If you find yourself getting sleepy way before your bedtime, get off the couch and do something mildly stimulating to avoid falling asleep, such as washing the dishes, calling a friend, or getting clothes ready for the next day. If you give in to the drowsiness, you may will usually wake up later in the night and have trouble getting back to sleep.
Tip 2: Naturally regulate your sleep-wake cycle
Melatonin is your naturally produced hormone that regulates your sleep. Melatonin production is controlled by light exposure. Your brain will secrete more in the evening, as it becomes darker, Conversely, during the day your brain detects increasing light levels and begins producing serotonin, which causes one to wake and be alert.
Spending long days in an office away from natural light, for example, can impact your daytime wakefulness and make your brain sleepy. Then bright lights at night—especially from hours spent in front of the TV or computer screen—can suppress your body’s production of melatonin and make it harder to sleep. However, there are ways for you to naturally regulate your sleep-wake cycle, boost your body’s production of melatonin, and keep your brain on a healthy schedule.
Increase light exposure during the day
Remove your sunglasses in the morning and let light onto your face.
Spend more time outside during daylight. Try to take your work breaks outside in sunlight, exercise outside, or walk your dog during the day instead of at night.
Let as much light into your home/workspace as possible. Keep curtains and blinds open during the day.
Boost melatonin production at night
Turn off your television and computer. Many people use the television to fall asleep or relax at the end of the day. Not only does the light suppress melatonin production, but television can actually stimulate the mind, rather than relaxing it. Try listening to music or audio books instead, or practicing relaxation. If your favorite TV show is on late at night, record it for viewing earlier in the day.
Don’t read from a backlit device at night (such as an iPad). If you use a portable electronic device to read, use an eReader that is not backlit, i.e. one that requires an additional light source such as a bedside lamp.
Change your light bulbs. Avoid bright lights before bed, after 7 PM do not use a light greater than 25 watts. Reduce light exposure by significantly reducing the brightness on your TV or electronic device.
When it’s time to sleep, make sure the room is dark. The darker it is, the better you’ll sleep. Cover electrical displays, use heavy curtains or shades to block light from windows, or try an eye mask to cover your eyes. Most patients with chronic problems blacken their bedrooms entirely. Do not use nightlights if it can be done safely. Block all windows in the bedroom so light can not enter.
Tip 3: Create a relaxing bedtime routine
If you make a consistent effort to relax and unwind before bed, you will sleep easier and more deeply. A peaceful bedtime routine sends a powerful signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down and let go of the day’s stresses.
Keep noise down. If you can’t avoid or eliminate noise from barking dogs, loud neighbors, city traffic, or other people in your household, try masking it with a fan, recordings of soothing sounds, or white noise. You can buy a special sound machine or generate your own white noise by setting your radio between stations. Earplugs may also help. Sound machines can be purchased at local department stores.
Keep your room cool. The temperature of your bedroom also affects sleep. Most people sleep best in a slightly cool room. A bedroom that is too hot or too cold can interfere with quality sleep.
Make sure your bed is comfortable. You should have enough room to stretch and turn comfortably. If you often wake up with a sore back or an aching neck, you may need to invest in a new mattress or a try a different pillow. Experiment with different levels of mattress firmness, foam or egg crate toppers, and pillows that provide more support.


Relaxing bedtime rituals to try
Read a book or magazine by a soft light
Take a warm bath
Listen to soft music
Do some easy stretches
Wind down with a favorite hobby
Listen to books on tape
Make simple preparations for the next day
DO NOT exercise or do any significant physical activity after 6 PM. Anything considered work (laundry, dishes, etc) must be avoided after 6 PM.
Tip 4: Eat right and get regular exercise
Your daytime eating and exercise habits play a role in how well you sleep. It’s particularly important to watch what you put in your body in the hours leading up to your bedtime.
Stay away from big meals at night. Try to make dinnertime earlier in the evening, and avoid heavy, rich foods within two hours of bed. Fatty foods take a lot of work for your stomach to digest and may keep you up. Also be cautious when it comes to spicy or acidic foods in the evening, as they can cause stomach trouble and heartburn.
Avoid alcohol before bed. Many people think that a nightcap before bed will help them sleep. While it may make you fall asleep faster, alcohol reduces your sleep quality, waking you up later in the night. To avoid this effect, so stay away from alcohol in the hours before bed.
Eliminate caffeine. You might be surprised to know that caffeine can cause sleep problems up to ten to twelve hours after drinking it! No chocolate, most teas, coffee.
Avoid drinking too many liquids in the evening. Drinking lots of water, juice, tea, or other fluids may result in frequent bathroom trips throughout the night. Caffeinated drinks, which act as diuretics, only make things worse.
Quit smoking. Smoking causes sleep troubles in numerous ways. Nicotine is a stimulant, which disrupts sleep. Additionally, smokers actually experience nicotine withdrawal as the night progresses, making it hard to sleep.
Eliminate stimulants. No sugars, salty food or MSG. Sugar is a stimulant which can increase blood pressure and pulse. It can take significant time to process this material and slow down your metabolism. Salts like table salt and MSG provide sodium which is used by the body to help carry electrical system in our bodies. This can also increase heart rates and metabolism for several hours.
If you’re hungry at bedtime
For some people, a light snack before bed can help promote sleep. When you pair tryptophan–containing foods with carbohydrates, it may help calm the brain and allow you to sleep better. For others, eating before bed can lead to indigestion and make sleeping more difficult. Experiment with your food habits to determine your optimum evening meals and snacks. If you need a bedtime snack, try:
A small bowl of whole–grain, low–sugar cereal
Granola with low–fat milk or yogurt
A banana (not sugary fruits)
You’ll also sleep more deeply if you exercise regularly. As little as twenty to thirty minutes of daily activity helps. And you don’t need to do all thirty minutes in one session. You can break it up into five minutes here, ten minutes there, and still get the benefits. Try a brisk walk, a bicycle ride, or even gardening or housework. Serious exercise, even small amounts, must be done before 6 PM.
Some people prefer to schedule exercise in the morning or early afternoon as exercising too late in the day can stimulate the body, raising its temperature.
Tip 5: Get anxiety and stress in check
Do you find yourself unable to sleep or waking up night after night? Residual stress, worry, and anger from your day can make it very difficult to sleep well. When you wake up or can’t get to sleep, take note of what seems to be the recurring theme. That will help you figure out what you need to do to get your stress and anger under control during the day:
If you can’t stop yourself from worrying, especially about things outside your control, you need to learn how to manage your thoughts. When trying to go to sleep it is essential not to think about work, money, your family’s problems or other stressful subjects. These are very detrimental to sleep. Do not think about exciting subjects (a vacation, your favorite hobbies, etc.). Instead pick something mundane (boring). Pick a subject like weeding you garden, cleaning your car, etc. It will be difficult to stay focused on these boring subjects at first but it will become easier with time and practice.
If the stress of managing work, family, or school is keeping you awake, you need help with stress management. By learning how to manage your time effectively, handle stress in a productive way, and maintain a calm, positive outlook, you’ll be able to sleep better at night.
Relaxation techniques for better sleep
Deep breathing. Close your eyes—and try taking deep, slow breaths—making each breath even deeper than the last.
Progressive muscle relaxation. Starting at your toes, tense all the muscles as tightly as you can, then completely relax. Work your way up from your feet to the top of your head.
Visualizing a peaceful, restful place. Close your eyes and imagine a place or activity that is calming and peaceful for you. Concentrate on how relaxed this place or activity makes you feel.
Tip 6: Ways to get back to sleep
It’s normal to wake briefly during the night. In fact, a good sleeper won’t even remember it. But if you’re waking up during the night and having trouble falling back asleep, the following tips may help.
Stay out of your head. Hard as it may be, try not to stress over the fact that you’re awake or your inability to fall asleep again, because that very stress and anxiety encourages your body to stay awake.
Make relaxation your goal, not sleep. If you are finding it hard to fall back asleep, try a relaxation technique such as visualization (focus your eyes on something in the room), deep breathing, or meditation, which can be done without even getting out of bed. Remind yourself that although they’re not a replacement for sleep, rest and relaxation still help rejuvenate your body.

Stretching. If you wake during the night do NOT fight it or panic. If you can not go to sleep in 10 to 15 minutes, get up, wake 20 or 30 feet, stretch (touch your toes or stretch your arms), walk back to bed and lay back down again. Each time you stretch and lay down your body will produce a small amount of endorphins which help the body relax.
Postpone worrying and brainstorming. If you wake during the night feeling anxious about something, make a brief note of it on paper and postpone worrying about it until the next day when you are fresh and it will be easier to resolve. Similarly, if a brainstorm or great idea is keeping you awake, make a note of it on paper and fall back to sleep knowing you’ll be much more productive and creative after a good night’s rest.

#10 gail

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Posted 28 March 2016 - 06:49 PM

Fisherman,

Can't read all that, but last paragraph is great, thanks!

#11 Turbolag

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Posted 18 May 2016 - 10:38 AM

Hey everyone. I wanted to provide an update and hopefully get zone advice.

So I've been without Cymbalta for 4 months now.here is what I'm feeling:

1. Racing thoughts

2. A burning pit type of sensation in my stomach off and on all day.

3. Feeling of doom.

4. Still have body aches and chills. They're intensity level changes.

5. Really nervous all the time, and uncertain.

6. Definitely increased anxiety when I go do anything.


So my question is, are all of these just withdrawals from Cymbalta? Or am I just genetically a very nervous person? Is it time to get on another medicine? The issue I run into with medicine is the side effects. I am so sensitive to anxiety meds that cymbalta was the only one I found that I could tolerate. And it gave me really uncomfortable symltoms.

Edit: Each month it feels like the anxiety gets stronger.

So should I wait a little longer, or is my body telling me I need to be on medication?

Thanks.

#12 fishinghat

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Posted 18 May 2016 - 02:07 PM

That is about where I was at 3 to 4 months off, you maybe a little better as my fear was so bad  use to set in a dark corner and scream in fear. Still Cymbalta in my opinion (whatever that is worth). The fear/doom is fairly common with Cymbalta withdrawal. Matter of fact all of those are common symptoms BUT I would draw attention to one thing.

"Each month it feels like the anxiety gets stronger."  Normally a person would be more stable than that by now.

 

If it is real intolerable there is no shame going back on another AD. As far as which one would work the best, well, that varies from person to person. Usually I recommend Zoloft, Prozac or Lexapro as they have the least nasty withdrawal but I don't know if any of these will help you or if you have tried them before. I would recommend one thing. These meds take 4 to 6 weeks to buildup to full effect. By that time the dr usually has a person on full dose which may not be necessary.  You might consider when going on a new AD to start with the minimum dosage of 25 mg for 6 weeks and then have the dosage increased  a notch every 6 weeks thereafter until you find the minimum effective dose. This would assure you that you were taking no more AD than necessary. That takes time though. It also assures you that you will have the minimum dosage to come off of at a later point.

 

Remember that ssri are less potent as snri. Snri control serotonin and noradrenaline while ssri control serotonin only. So when I went from Cymbalta to Zoloft I was disappointed but I also realized ir was a step in the right direction. As soon as I am off my benzo I will begin tapering the Zoloft.


#13 gail

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Posted 18 May 2016 - 03:50 PM

Hello Turbolag,

Seconding what Fishinghat says here. Sometimes less is better for some.

Just watch out for the milligrams,they are not equivalent,meaning a 25mg of Zoloft is not equal to 25mg of Lexapro.

If you need it for a certain quality of life, go for it. Do choose one with a long half life,easier to withdraw from.

#14 Turbolag

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Posted 19 May 2016 - 10:14 AM

Thank you both for the response. I really appreciate the info. I kinda thought it was still withdrawal type symptoms. 

 

About the anxiety getting stronger. Its hard to explain.... I think. I think what has been happening is I've been forgetting that all of this is withdrawals, and this isn't permanent. It has been really difficult for me to keep reminding myself that the withdrawal symptoms will subside. So into month 4, when do you think it is reasonable for the withdrawal stuff to stop?

 

I want to try to continue, but if it gets too much I'll call the Dr.

 

About the medications: I've taken Zoloft, Lexapro, and prozac. Out of these, the Zoloft works the best. But, it makes my stomach feel like its being pulled apart. Very uncomfortable stomach pains. 

 

Depending on what happens, I'd like to try a low dose of Zoloft again. 

 

I haven't forgotten about the natural medicines, but after reading the article fishinghat posted, they seem to have a lot of side effects also.

 

Not sure what I'm gonna do medicine wise right now. I'm just gonna try to remember that this is withdrawals and my system trying to level out. I was on Cymbalta for 8 years, so I guess its gonna take a while.

 

Thank you both for the replies. 


#15 TryinginFL

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Posted 19 May 2016 - 12:30 PM

Hi Turbo,

 

I have been off the poison 2 years and 4 months now, but after about 8 months off, I flew to Hawaii for my younger son's wedding and realized too late that I should never have gone.  The anxiety was through the roof and crying was frequent.

 

Last summer I was checking flights to visit my older son in Seattle and the anxiety was so great I had to say that I couldn't make the trip.  I don't mean that this will be true for you, but it was the "freezing" anxiety and I thought it would never go away.

 

I still get anxiety at times but it is not constant as it once was.  I am now taking Bupropion (generic Wellbutrin) which is an old medication and it seems to do the trick for me.

 

Just sounding off here to let you know that you are not alone!

 

Liz


#16 gail

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Posted 19 May 2016 - 04:09 PM

Turbolag,

Withdrawal or not, that is the question. For myself,I gave it a full seven months before going on anything else.

If you think you can hang on for a while, do it. Four months is young, you will know when you no longer have any quality of life...

The anxiety thing seems like the last symptom to go. Many have reported that it still lingered on after many many months off the stuff. Keep us posted, whichever route you take.

#17 Turbolag

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Posted 21 May 2016 - 10:19 AM

Thank you very much for the replies.

I'll keep posted what I do.

#18 Turbolag

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Posted 27 June 2016 - 09:35 AM

So here's an update. So I've been off of Cymbalta for about 5 1/2 months now. Here's how I'm feeling:

Overall I feel good, happy, want to do stuff.

However, I have a list of symptoms that keep me from feeling great.

1. Still having body chills off and on all day.

2. I still get this burning/pit sensation in my stomach all the time, off and on. It's completely random, and sometimes if I thinking about doing something I'll get it.

3. Big time flushing sensations off and on all day.

4. Really uncomfortable panic type sensations.

5. Severe agitation

6. Severe restlesness. Like I almost can't sit still sometimes. Almost like I had a ton of caffeine, but I've had 0. This in turn causes me anxiety and panic feelings.

But here's the thing, I don't think I feel that nervous, but my body is giving me all the symptoms of being nervous. But I don't feel that bad.

I feel like garbage right now from allergies and all these symptoms but if I didn't have these symptoms I'd feel pretty good.

Is this still withdrawal? I really don't want to get on any meds. Just not sure if this is still withdrawal or just my body sending me signals. I don't need these signals, there's no danger anywhere so the signals are not helping. They're useless.

Any ideas here? Kinda losing motivation to be honest. I'm tired of feeling bad when underneath all this crap I feel good. Does that make any sense?

#19 fishinghat

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Posted 27 June 2016 - 10:12 AM

Hi Turbolag

 

This is normal. After being stress for a long time you develop what is called a 'chronic adrenergic state'. This is a condition reflex your body develops. As a conditioned response it takes time to undo that conditioning but it will fade with time.


#20 TryinginFL

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Posted 27 June 2016 - 10:25 AM

Turbolag,

 

 

I have been off the poison for 2 1/2 years now and still get what FN calls "worms in the stomach"...

I consider this a part of the anxiety which I still experience and never had before this nasty drug, however less often than when first coming off.

 

Hang in there - I agree with FH!  Most of what you are feeling will fade in time.

 

It is truly sad that some of us are left with "gifts" :angry: 


#21 Turbolag

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Posted 30 June 2016 - 10:47 AM

Thank you both very much for your information. I'm gonna try to keep doing this. I'd like to maybe try an herbal supplement. L Theanine is of one of the ones I want to try.

#22 fishinghat

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Posted 30 June 2016 - 10:56 AM

A little info for you.

L-theanine is an amino acid precursor to glutamate and glutamine. It can cross the blood brain barrier. It is only produced by plants and fungi and a component in some teas. It inhibits glutamine transporters and glutamate transporters, and thus blocks the reuptake of glutamine and glutamate. Theanine increases serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and glycine levels in various areas of the brain. Caution – Most plants that contain L-theanine also contain caffeine and it can be a significant contaminant in L-theanine supplements.

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/21208586
Effective, 400 mg/day
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/15378679
Not effective on anxiety, 200 mg/day
https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC4137547/
Used to treat PTSD. It was successful in treating 8 gene problems associated with PSTD in the hippocampus and amygdala.


#23 lady2882Nancy

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Posted 30 June 2016 - 11:22 AM

Hi Turbolag

I used L-theanine with some success on treating some of my withdrawal symptoms on the advice of another member.

Just make sure it is suntheanine. It helped with the headaches, anxiety and the moodiness I had. I must say that it made it much easier to concentrate as well.

Take care of you

Nancy


#24 FiveNotions

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Posted 30 June 2016 - 03:29 PM

I still take it (at bedtime), LadyN ... and have found pretty much the same benefits as you ... 

 

Caution to new users ... as with any of the aminos (tyrosine, 5-htp, etc), start at the lowest dose ... or even lower (open the capsule and pour some out) ... gradually work up to higher doses ... aminos are strong stuff, and some folks just can't tolerate them ... theanine is one of the easiest ones, but still ...

 

caution in dosing is far better than chaos in results 


#25 Turbolag

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Posted 02 July 2016 - 06:30 PM

Thanks for the replies. I have a couple questions about the L Theanine.

1. What brand should I get?

2. Can I empty some of the contents out of the capsule so I get less of the dose safely?

3. How can I be sure that it is not contaminated with caffeine? If I got ahold of caffeine right now I'm sure how I'd handle it. I don't think it would be very pleasant.

Thanks.

#26 fishinghat

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Posted 03 July 2016 - 09:07 AM

I don't know what the best brand is but I am sure someone will come along and make a recommendation. Yes, if it comes in a capsule then you should be able to safely remove some of the ingredients, close the capsule and take it with no problem. As one is never sure of side effects or such from a med I would suggest you start low and work up. There are caffeine-free brands on the internet. I would suggest a search and you should come up with some choices.If you have difficulty finding a brand let us know. 


#27 lady2882Nancy

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Posted 03 July 2016 - 10:54 AM

Like fishinghat said there are a number of brands online.

I used the Sangster's brand and started with 100mg which is a very low dose and then moved up to 200mg then added in another 100mg in the late afternoon.

 

The way to take this supplement is to take it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach with a full 8 ounce glass of water then if you need more in the late afternoon take it with as empty of a stomach as possible again with the full glass off water.

 

I took 200mg in the morning and then at about 3 in the afternoon I took another 100mg.

 

As I said the 100mg is a very low dose and anyone that takes this supplement on a regular basis for whatever reason takes it at a much higher dose. The person that got me on to this was Greenmachine and he was very careful and cautious about what he put into his body as a former athlete. He said that he had taken it safely up to 1200mg a day but recommended that I use just enough to ease my symptoms which is how I got to my daily dosage.

 

This is not a medicine because it is a naturally occurring supplement that helps a normal functioning body create some of the chemicals that our brains need to function but when we are suffering the stress of withdrawal the brain needs help creating those chemicals.

 

I hope this answers some of your questions

 


#28 FiveNotions

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Posted 03 July 2016 - 11:19 AM

I use the NOW brand ... I suggest searching for this, and LadyN's brand, on Amazon ... and reading the reviews ... I check the negative reviews first, as that's where you'll find mentions of adverse reactions, dosing problems, etc... then read the positive reviews ...


#29 lady2882Nancy

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Posted 03 July 2016 - 12:56 PM

The Sangster's brand will only be found on their website but they do have reviews of their products on the site.

I am in Canada and there are pretty strict regulations on supplements here

I do not know if Sangster's is strictly a Canadian brand or if it is available in the US too.

I do know that I highly recommend the brand for all their products and their stores are second to none with well informed managers and staff.


#30 Turbolag

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Posted 04 July 2016 - 11:09 PM

Thanks for the replies.

So I looked at a couple brands of L theanine today. One brand had l theanine and calcium. Another was L theanine (suntheanine). What is sun theanine?

Can I just buy any brand? I was hoping to get one tomorrow and not have to order if online.

I was thinking I should get the L thea nine (suntheanine) only.

Also, to be safe I was going to dump the contents of the capsule out and just take the capsule. This way I'd only get residue from the ingredients and if I am allergic it would be lower than if I had a full or half of a pill.

Any ideas? Thanks.



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