Hello, everyone!
First of all, thank you for this forum. The sharing of information regarding this awful drug is so important. The first time I stopped taking Cymbalta, I did it cold turkey because I didn't know any better. After a few days, I was terrified that I was having a psychotic break - until I looked online and found you guys. Anyway, I appreciate everyone who has shared their experiences and especially the folks to keep this forum together.
I'll try to give a quick Cymbalta background before I get to where I'm at now. I've been on 60mg for approximately six years for nerve pain caused by a spinal pars fracture and severe stenosis. After I'd been on it for a year and gained twenty pounds, among many other unexpected side effects, I decided the costs were not worth the benefits (it did help with the nerve pain, fwiw). I'd never been on an antidepressant and was quite ignorant of the withdrawal process, so I just stopped taking them. I had everything - brain zaps and swooshes, migraines, constant crying, suicidal thoughts, severe depressive state, and anxiety. I remember there was a corner of my couch that I just couldn't move from for days. Like I said, I didn't know what was going on and it embarrassingly took me too long to put two and two together. I'd been on and off of narcotics for years and have never once had a single problem with withdrawals, so I just hadn't seen this coming. (Funny thing is, I started taking this terrible stuff to replace opiates because they make me sick to my stomach no matter how long I take them.)
When I realized what was going on that first time, I immediately went back to them and felt fine within a day or two. Between then (five or so years ago) and now, I've probably tried to (not slowly enough) wean myself off three times. Maybe four. Always to end up deciding that I must just accept the fact that I need to be on Cymbalta because the way I feel off it could actually kill me. Until now...
I finally decided a couple of months ago that I can't be on it anymore, and I was going to do what I needed to do to get away from it. I'm on the generic version, and there are twelve tiny pills inside the capsule (5mg each, I'm hoping). I can't remember exactly when I started, but I took one "bead" out approximately every week. I hadn't had a single brain zap, swoosh, or any of the more debilitating symptoms, so four days (down to 20mg - four beads) ago I decided to go "cold turkey." While I was tapering, I felt like crap, but could still function. LOTS of fluid retention, bouts of intense nausea, weird skin problems, dizzy spells, yucky digestive tract issues. I got sick of it, and just wanted to be done with it. I was/am prepared for the worst.
Here's my experience since I stopped altogether... The first couple of days, I didn't feel much different, and I actually had what I recognize now as bouts of mania. I was feeling really good for short periods of time, and thought I might be on my way out of this nightmare. Today, the fourth day, I'm feeling extremely unwell. Last night, the crying began. I cried for a couple of hours straight over nothing. So far today every little thing makes me want to burst into tears or punch stuff. I have a small red rash at the corner of my eye that's been coming and going since I started the taper, but today it's an angry little rash. (Last week I had a rash on my chest and stomach.) My GI symptoms have, let's say, intensified. The dizzy "spells" are now a constant dizzy state.
Despite the uptick in symptoms, I'm dedicated to seeing this through as long as I can still function. I'm not sure why I haven't had the zaps and the "hearing my eyes move in my head", etc, this time, but those are the things that make it the hardest for me, and I'm grateful I don't have them so far. I am on some supplements that I wasn't before, but my diet sucks (I know, I know). I'm taking flax oil, evening primrose oil, a multi, ginger root, l-tyrosine, and l-lysine. Most of these I take for reasons unrelated to the Cymbalta, but I've also seen that some of them might help.
I didn't intend for this to be so long, my apologies. Thanks again so much for listening. And for sharing!