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Finally Done But Still Having Side Effects


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#1 lar

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Posted 10 April 2017 - 07:14 PM

It's been a while since I've been on here but wanted to let everyone know that I've finally weaned myself off of this hellish drug.  It has now been 12 days since I took my last capsule which literally contained one beadlet.  I slowly tapered down to the 20mg capsules and then took one beadlet out each day until I was done.  Although it was a wonderful feeling to be off of this medicine, I feel horrible.    I thought by weaning this way I wouldn't experience the brain zapping, dizziness/vertigo, headaches, memory issues, sleeplessness, anxiety, random body pains/aching but I was completely wrong.  I was on Cymbalta for about 10 years and was taking 60mg daily for most of the years.  I was put on this horrible medication by my PCP for anxiety.  I basically worried all of the time and it was effecting my sleep at the time.  I never knew what a horrible drug this was or I would have never started it in the first place.  Over the 10 years, I gained 45 pounds and actually started feeling depressed (which I never felt before the drug).  I had no quality of life while on this drug.  I worked my full-time job and felt my life slipping away.  I would come home from work and just want to go to bed.  I had no desire to do anything and no passion for life as I once had.  Incidentally, it never solved my anxiety/worrying issues either.  I'm not sure if it's related and not sure if any other women have experienced this but I've suddenly stopped getting my menstrual period now.  It may be unrelated by I thought maybe someone else may have experienced this before.   I really need some words of encouragement from others who have weaned this way.   I'm frustrated that I'm still feeling horrible.  The dizziness/vertigo, headaches and brain zaps begin mid afternoon every single day.  It's very difficult for me to work as I take care of patients as I work in the medical field myself.  I also have a very demanding job in which I must be on my toes every second.   I just want these feelings to end and be "normal" again.  I've explained these feelings to my friends and family members but no one truly understands which completely frustrates me.  My co-worker/friend told me that there was no way that I could be having these side effects and said it's all in my head.  I just wish for one minute, she could feel this feeling and understand.  That's why I've come here to vent and talk with others who truly understand how very horrible this drug is.  Why can this company get away with this and why do doctors continue to prescribe it.  On a side note, I've never seen a psychologist or psychiatrist.  I've always been managed by my new PCP who also had no clue that these side effects occurred.  How can this be that a medical professional doesn't research these horrible drugs?  I actually told her that I was going to wean myself off by taking beadlets out of my capsules and she thought I was "NUTS".  She wanted me to stop cold turkey from the 30mg capsules which I could never have done and still maintained my employment status.   Again, I'm just looking for words of encouragement and any advice on supplements or natural alernatives to help with these withdrawal symptoms.  Thanks for listening and understanding.


#2 fishinghat

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Posted 10 April 2017 - 07:36 PM

Taking the beads out to slowly wean is now recommended by the FDA, in part due to forums and people like us. By the way the term for the change in menstrual cycle is called Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction  (PSSD). It is unusual but does occur during discontinuation. For most this is a temporary condition which slowly corrects itself over a 3 month or less period, however it can be permanent. The discontinuation of the medicine causes a failure of the HPT axis which regulates nearly all sexual function. It can lead to vaginal dryness, loss of orgasms, libido, erections, ability to ejaculate, numbness of the vagina or penis, etc. Unluckily I am one of the unlucky few who developed the complete set of PSSD symptoms and it has turned out to be permanent. I have had it for over 4 years and there is no treatment.

 

The drug that keeps on giving. (He said sarcastically).


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