5 replies to this topic

[Painthorse]

I have been on Cymbalta since it first came out almost 10 years. I decided enough is enough. Ever since I started my health has been getting worse and worse. I have horrible migraines, constant kidney stones and infections, rls and body aches,always tired. I've been on 60 mg. I counted beads and took half last night. Had horrible rls and didn't sleep. I thought this would be a good place to record my own withdrawal and hopefully be successful with the help of everyone here. So glad I found this site

[fishinghat]

Welcome Painthorse

 

Let us know what dose you are on and how you plan to wean off it. Maybe we can help.

[Painthorse]

I will take any help I can get. I was on 60 mg once a day. After years of taking it i had no idea that it could be the cause of horrible way I've been feeling the past few years. My Dr never told me of the side effects and that they can gradually happen. I have horrible migraines, rls, and extremely fatigue.
I decided to try to half the beads and I'm hoping I'm ok with that. If not should I take half then Half that half again to take in the middle of the day or just take a little more then half once since I was only taking it once a day. Thanks

[Raven72]

- Welcome Painthorse -

 

I am also new but my choice was not the most common choice. After trying to wean off I decided I would rather get it over with and just do it cold turkey. It's not the most advised choice or the easiest choice as I am finding out. Like everything it has it's good days and bad days.  Today is not a good day for me and I knew it would be worse doing it this way. My husband told me it was my choice and he would support me no matter what. I am thankful to have him in my my life. I will tell you what I say to everyone. Be thankful and cherish anyone that tries to help you or even stays with you for that matter, because we can do some horrible things coming off on and being on this medication.

 

Blessed Be,

Raven

[lady2882Nancy]

Hi Painthorse

So you were on 60mg once a day  and took a half dose last night so roughly 30mg

 

That was the way I started out and I had horrible withdrawal symptoms right away. 

If this happens to you then you have two options:

1} go back up to the 60mg and bead count from there or

2} stay at the half dose until you stabilize and that can take some time. Then you bead count from there,

I do not recommend any large decreases in dose because that is when the withdrawal symptoms start and you can have a lot of long term problems when doing it that way. Cold turkey and going alternate days are also big No-No's with this drug.

 

To understand the whole bead counting process you can find it under "ARE YOU NEW HERE? Bead counting - How to do it" which is part way down the page.

 

If you have any further questions, just ask and we will be happy to help.

 

Take care of you

Nancy

[Gran23]

I haven't replied to anyone on here since I first posted a few months ago.  I do read other members post and there seems to be a wide range of reasons why they have chosen to stop Cymbalta and as meany different ways of going thru the process.  When I started I was on 60 mg of generic Cymbalta.  There's 12 tiny, equally sized pellets in each capsule.  That makes each pellet 5 mg.  I drop one pellet every 3-4 weeks, according to how I'm feeling.  With each drop, I get a little jittery the first couple of days but that's all I have.  No brain zaps, no feeling like I want to kill myself, no moodiness.  When I feel the jitters, I tell myself that this is normal and will pass.  I also depend on prayers to my God for strength and for Him to decrease my symptoms.  If ever my W/D symptoms become worse, I will go back to the previous dose and wait another 2-3 weeks to see if the symptoms settle down.  At present I am on 35 mg.  I have read on here and other places thaat the symptoms may be worse as we get closer to being totally off.  If this happens to me, I will go to my doc and ask for a prescription for brand name Cymbalta and stat counting those tiny beads and make smaller drops that the 5 mg at a time that I am presently doing.  There's also a couple of generic brands that have the same size beads as brand name Cymbalta but I don't have those names right now.  If you want the names of those, let me know and I will post when I can get to a place I can look them up.  I feel extremely blessed to not be having severe withdrawals.  I tried once before and didn't make it.  I've been on Cymbalta about 5 years now.  I've read that the longer you're on it the worse your withdrawal will be and the slower you need to go with your W/D process. I'm no expert, just a person who wants off Cymbalta for my own wellness.  Please browse the internet for everything you can find about getting off medications.  There's a lot of information out there now because so many have trouble getting off. I believe our doctors just don't know enough about the medications they are giving. I'm not blaming, it's just the world we live in today.  Good luck to all.