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Feeling Broken And Seeking Encouragement


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#1 walkinthru

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Posted 19 June 2016 - 07:24 PM

I am feeling so broken today.  Like my pieces are scattered everywhere, and I can't reassemble them.  I just went off Cymbalta on Saturday after tapering down over four days from 60 mg.  My head is spinning, I'm nauseous and I'm feeling so sad.  The drug just wasn't working anymore.  After 17 years of being on different antidepressants, I'm moving on to yet another one.  Will this next one be the answer?  I've tried so many over the years, I can only hope and pray. 

 

After reading through some of the posts, it seems that my doctor may have taken me off of this drug too quickly.  Am I at the start of a rough ride?  How can I make this transition and hold my job and love my family?  I can't take a 'time out' from life while the old drug exits and the new drug kicks in.  I'm just feeling so lost today.  I feel like I'm letting my family down.  I feel like I'm on the outside of a party, looking in through the window...watching everyone laugh and have fun and wishing I could do that, too.

 

I just want to feel good again.  I want to feel whole.  I want to join the party.


#2 FiveNotions

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Posted 19 June 2016 - 07:32 PM

Hi Walkin, welcome, I'm so glad you found us !

 

Your doc is a jackass ... as are most docs when it comes to understanding how powerful cymbalta is, and how hard it is to get off of for many folks ... :angry:

 

you've come down / off super fast, and you're essentially in cold turkey withdrawal. It's ugly, I assure you ... I did it cold turkey (lost insurance, had no choice) ... and it was, for me, 4-6 months of absolute hell, followed by about 8 months of gradually getting better ...

 

I urge you, as will others here on the forum, to get back on the drug, at your full dose, and stay there until you completely stabilize ... then, dose down slowly ... using the bead counting method. (I won't presume to explain the method, as I didn't use it, but others here can do that ... you can also search the forum archives.)

 

You can do this, but you need to do it slowly ... bead counting will allow you to control the process / symptoms, rather than allowing the process to control you !  :)


#3 gail

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Posted 20 June 2016 - 05:54 AM

Hello Walking, and welcome,

Fivenotions is right. It is needed of you to go back on the 60 Now.
Even if the drug is no longer working.

Stay with us, read through the old posts, we are here for you.

#4 fishinghat

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Posted 20 June 2016 - 08:03 AM

They are right Walk.

 

Get back on your full dosage until stable. Then you start bead counting. Open one of your capsules and count the beads (usually around 200 to 300). Each day open a capsule and remove 2 or 3 beads more than the day before. So on day one remove 2 beads, on day two remove 4 beads, etc. This is a much slower and controlled method.


#5 Carleeta

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Posted 20 June 2016 - 10:49 AM

Welcome Walking,

 

You have come to the right place for your concern.  Members here have already given you wonderful and supportive advice. It's true most dr's have no clue on how to stop a medication once they have put you on one.  Cymbalta is extremely hard to just stop cold turkey.  I'm not saying this applies to everyone, although most individuals experience some very scary withdrawal symptoms.  Your not the first and you will not be the last.  Since the 'bead counting' method ,mentioned above, seems to be the best way to safely come off cymbalta, I would strong suggest you at least consider using this method.  It's not a fast way to get on the right tract, although, its the best way for you and the symptoms you are experiencing.  This way you are  in control of your tapering and your symptoms not hitting you all at once.  Just remember, it didn't take overnight for you to become depressed, it didn't take you overnight to keep changing medications, therefore it will not take you 'over night' to get better. Please remember the best things in life take time.  Think of at least considering your body will need time to  heal and to use the bead counting method.  Please keep us informed what you plans will be.  We are here for you because we care and want to support you anyway we can. 


#6 sandinafh

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Posted 20 June 2016 - 10:55 AM

Hi walkinthru - just my two cents here... I was being told by my doctor - several doctors actually - that I could just stop taking it or do a 2-week taper. I finally found a psychiatrist who was recommended by my cognitive behavioral therapist. This psychiatrist is a God send! I told him about my wishes to get off the Cymbalta and he is helping me to do just that. I stopped 4 weeks ago today and he put me on a very small dose of Zoloft (25mg) to help ease the withdrawal symptoms. He has also been very helpful in making sure that I am eating right and exercising, and he is good about suggesting natural ways to boost my serotonin.

 

God bless and best of luck to you. This is a great site.


#7 walkinthru

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Posted 21 June 2016 - 06:57 PM

Thank you all for your thoughtful replies. I am in CO this week on vacation with my daughter. My doctor couldn't see me before I left. I have an appointment scheduled for Tuesday. My latest symptom is itchiness everywhere. I'm hoping my doctor can help me sort this out. I've been reading about the bead counting method and I would like to try it. I will need a refill, though. How do I present this to my doctor? Any suggestions? A heartfelt thank you to you all.

#8 emoothart

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Posted 22 June 2016 - 10:47 AM

I can relate to that feeling of being "outside" and away from the party.  I'm so sorry.  You definitely need to get back on your regular dose and then taper down.  In my experience, it is taking months just to get from 90mgs down to 60mgs.  Have you talked with your doctor about cross-tapering?  And yeah, maybe give him/her some information about cymbalta withdrawal.  It is NOT in your head...this is a real thing and you and your doctor need to take it slow, slow, slow.  Hang in there.


#9 brzghoff

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Posted 23 June 2016 - 07:44 PM

walkinthru - as for how you approach it with your doctor, how much do you trust him/her? some here can be open and honest with their doc who has prescribed as needed to accommodate a bead count strategy. others here had doctors who have their head in the sand who don't support getting off at all or think withdrawal takes two weeks.  for those forum members, they simply get refills as usual and take matters into their own hands with the doc non the wiser.

 

it sounds preposterous to do something behind your doctor's back and i certainly don't recommend it - but it has been necessary for some folks.

 

i wish you the best


#10 FiveNotions

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Posted 24 June 2016 - 08:04 AM

Walkin, if your doc isn't supportive of you in getting off the crapalta, then just let him/her refill the drug "per usual" ... and then follow our instructions for bead counting your way down ... then, once off the stuff, tell you doc ... no, it's not "honest" ... but your doc isn't knowledgable about the poison, so it's only what's best for you that counts ... most docs only know what the drug co. reps tell them ... and that ain't the truth, for sure ...

 

How are you doing? Please let us know !  :)


#11 walkinthru

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Posted 24 June 2016 - 05:08 PM

Hi courageous people, I'm on day 7 of being off of cymbalta. My good news is that the itchiness has stopped. Also, I was having restless legs, and that has improved, too. The not so good news is that I am still dizzy, nauseous, anxious, down and feeling disconnected. This is definitely an all time low for me. I'm looking forward to returning to MN tonight and seeing my doctor next week. My appt is on Wednesday, but I'm hopeful I can move it up to Monday or Tuesday. I've been working with this doctor for 17 years. When he's unsure about something, he consults a psychiatrist that he works with. I plan to be open with him about what I've learned here. I will keep praying and try to be hopeful. I appreciate all of you thoughts and feedback. Thank you!

#12 walkinthru

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Posted 24 June 2016 - 05:10 PM

Hi courageous people, I'm on day 7 of being off of cymbalta. My good news is that the itchiness has stopped. Also, I was having restless legs, and that has improved, too. The not so good news is that I am still dizzy, nauseous, anxious, down and feeling disconnected. Sleep does not come easy. This is definitely an all time low for me. I'm looking forward to returning to MN tonight and seeing my doctor next week. My appt is on Wednesday, but I'm hopeful I can move it up to Monday or Tuesday. I've been working with this doctor for 17 years. When he's unsure about something, he consults a psychiatrist that he works with. I plan to be open with him about what I've learned here. I will keep praying and try to be hopeful. I appreciate all of you thoughts and feedback. Thank you!

#13 walkinthru

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Posted 24 June 2016 - 05:34 PM

Oops, sorry about the double posting.

#14 fishinghat

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Posted 24 June 2016 - 05:48 PM

No problem Walk.  The nausea and stomach issues should start to fade soon. Good luck.


#15 FiveNotions

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Posted 24 June 2016 - 08:09 PM

Hi Walkin, thank you for posting to let us know how you're doing !

 

Congratulations on a week off the crapalta ... now it's just a matter of time ... all the various symptoms of withdrawal will arrive, and fade / pass gradually ... try to be patient with yourself, and get lots of rest and relaxation ...

 

So glad the skin stuff has passed ... that's a very good sign ... the itchiness lasted a lot longer for me ... seems like you might be moving through this process quite a bit more rapidly than some of us here ... yay !

 

You're darn lucky / blessed to have a good doc ... 17 years, wow ...

 

Hang in there, you're doing great !   :)  (And be sure to let us know how it goes at your doc appointment.)


#16 walkinthru

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Posted 06 July 2016 - 09:04 AM

Hi Friends,  I started back on cymbalta on Saturday.  The adverse symptoms I was experiencing cleared up by Monday night.  I am now able to sleep again, the dizziness is gone, and so is the itchiness and restless legs.  (I thought I had beaten the itchiness earlier, but it came back.)  Anyhow, I feel like I am stabilizing now.  I was a little disappointed with my doc appointment last week.  My doctor had no recommendations for me...he sent the notes from our meeting to the psychiatrist and promised to get back to me.  His nurse called me today (seven days later) to tell me to up my fetzima (which I quit last Thursday) to 40 mg.  I told her that I am back on cymbalta, and when I am ready, I would like to do a very slow taper.  She assured me that the symptoms I was experiencing were from the fetzima, and she said that the cymbalta was completely out of my system.  I respectfully disagreed with her.  I know what withdrawal feels like after coming off of effexor several years ago.  I had to take it slow, slow, slow.  The past two weeks going cold turkey from this drug were two weeks from hell.  I do not want to go back there again.  I'm going to take it nice and slow this time.  I hope you all are doing well!


#17 FiveNotions

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Posted 06 July 2016 - 09:57 AM

That's great news, Walkin !

 

I just wish all our docs, as a requirement of being licensed to practice, were required to take Cymbalta ... and then quit it cold turkey (or, follow their own other dopey methods) ... personal experience on their part would work wonders in how they treat us !   :angry:


#18 fishinghat

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Posted 06 July 2016 - 03:48 PM

You are a wise man Walk...


#19 Carleeta

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Posted 08 July 2016 - 05:53 PM

Walk,  glad you reinstated your cymbalta and are sticking up for yourself with your doctor.  Getting to the psychiatrist might be your best option here. Talking to him/her about your issues and explaining how you would like to get off cymbalta and do a very slow taper and at your own pace.  You can also explain to him/her how you had a difficult time coming off the effexor and you need to approach cymbalta in the same manner and a bit slower as your cannot afford to go at a pace you feel uncomfortable.  Wishing you the best.  Keep us posted 





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