5 replies to this topic

[MattP]

I'm in the midst of reducing my duloxetine and struggling mightily. I went from 30s to 20s in late spring which was a struggle and now I've made it down to 7 beads. I've been stuck on 7 for about 2 weeks and it's awful. My bead counting consisted of opening a capsule and dumping half of the beads down the drain and then a couple weeks later I went down to 7. I'm 100% sure I screwed this up. Not sure what to do because the last thing I want to do is reintroduce a larger amount into my system but the spacey, light headed, dizzy feelings are really getting to me. It seems to happen when I'm concentrating in meetings / conversations or when there is a lot of visual stimuli...like walking through a store, etc.

 

Does this seem like what you would expect from my faulty bead counting attempt?

 

Also, I tend to drink a lot of iced tea which I believe is a diuretic. I've read a lot on this forum and hydration seems to be a remedy but not sure.

 

Thanks for letting me throw this out there...any advice is welcomed!

 

 

[fishinghat]

"Does this seem like what you would expect from my faulty bead counting attempt?"

 

What faulty bead counting attempt. The end is usually bad. I think you are right on tract. Just stay at your current dose until things get better. Ina few weeks you should feel good enough to continue dropping.
 

[hocaspocas]

Hello, I just signed into this forum hoping to learn something new about the withdraw process. I was on it for 3 months for fibromyalgia (wrong diagnosis, is a long story) started on 20 then increased to 60 mg nice a day due to ignorance from doctors. Each time I told them that I feel Horrible under this medication they suggested me to increase the dosage because my anxiety and my fibromyalgia needs more of cymbalta and that I haven't reached the maintenance level in my brain. To make the story short after 3 months of suffering, I found a doctor that were willing to listen and have experience with cymbalta. He told to begin with I don't have fibromyalgia and second cymbalta is a very tough medication and is overkill for me. Also due to it short half life it requires constant dosages higher and higher. So I started to tapper off. Went thought it very fast reducing 20 mg each week the the last 20 mg I reduced to one pill every other day and then every 3 days. Now I am in my 8th day off. In the beginning I was suffering from brain zaps and nausea. Those symptoms eventually are getting milder but feeling of fear and anxiety are increasing, specially at evenings and nights. I am taking another antidepressan Trazodone 150 mg that helps me to sleep. And I think It has helped me to get my energy during the night and feel relaxed during the day. Now I only need to find a way to keep me calm during the hours of 4 to 8 pm.

So far I still able to function at work and at home.

[fishinghat]

Welcome HP

 

You are very lucky. The withdrawal can be much worse than you are experiencing. Most of us withdrew over a 3 or 4 month period. Much slower. The bad part for you was the every other and 3rd day thing. Cymbalta has a 12 hour half life so about the time it was out of your system it jacked it up again with another pill just so you could repeat the withdrawal. Considering that you are still able to function I would suggest you continue on without going back up on dose. Stay well hydrated, use 500 mg/day of Vitamin C and 3000 mg of Omega 3. Cymbalta is fat soluble and is stored in body fat so the omega 3 should help get it out of your system. You can use diphenhydramine (the active ingredient in Benadryl and most sleep aides) to help with the anxiety. During the day it may make you drowsy at first so use with caution. until you see how to handle it. You can build up tolerance to it so use it intermittently.

 

Also, don't forget, Trazadone has its own withdrawal so stay with that minimal dosage if you can.

 

Keep us posted on how you are doing and the best of luck to you.

[MattP]

Well, chalk my primary up as someone that doesn't understand. She just got back to me and told me to take the Duloxetine every other day for a week then every third day for a week then stop. Saying I'm frustrated just doesn't do justice. Thank God I found this forum and can get real advice here...VERY grateful.

[fishinghat]

It is sad about the drs. I guess too many patients and not enough time.