280 replies to this topic

[Cecile]

Hayleann, I wish it was that easy for me to get off Cymb... : ( It took me a while to wean off and my side effects where so HELL!!! and it's still HELL!!! even off 50 days completly off I have SOOO many problems....I hope u don't get a rude awakening on how bad the afterside effects are...Good luck..

Maureen I have a curve in my neck and a bulge the Curve is my spine and the bulges on my neck are muscle spasums..

How is ur tapering systmen doing?? Do u watch the Series baseball?? it's getting good New York Yankees and the Philli's...

Goodnite cecile

[MaureenV]

HI Cecile,


I have just finished tapering by taking the last 1mg on Sunday.


The effects of stopping completely have been mild, obviously, but noticeable.


Have thrown a few tantrums :) , the brain zaps have returned, have had lots (as in hundreds per day) but they're mild but the thing that surprised me most, because it hasn't happened for quite a few weeks - and that's the swallowing, keeping liquid things down, which I know you also suffered from.

Strange stuff - it feels first of all that food won't go down properly, and then when you think you're just going to burp - up comes a mouthful of your last cup of tea.

In order to feel grateful that I'm at the end of this I just keep trying to remember all the things that I'm hopefully over. I did have to take half a mersyndol last night to get to sleep - the tinnitus is actually loud enough to keep me awake, but none of this is any worse than when I've dropped a small amount, so I know it will all settle in a few days.

It had better all settle or I'm not a very good 'advertisement' for doing it the grindingly slow way!

I understand what you mean now about your neck, you have a curve AND bulging discs. Have to tell you my lower back bulging discs (which were classified as 'severe' 15 years ago by a back surgeon) have not got worse due to exercise. I'm limited in what I can do, but walking and bike riding are great. The bike riding is also great for the minor irritation from the curve at the top of my spine (but I don't have bulging discs there). The bulging discs pressing on the nerves will certainly lead to muscle spasm, but that is a SECONDARY effect of the bulges. I couldn't manage my work without Voltaren though - even though I'm on a low dose, it's the sort of drug where you might need a high dose to to help short term, but that problem can be kept well under control in the long term with a small dose.

cheers, Maureen.

[Junior]

[Maureen said:] "I have just finished tapering by taking the last 1mg on Sunday."

Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*throws massive party*

*then remembers that this is something she may have to face in the future with Aropax / Paxil* ... *sighs*

[nursedeborah]

Maureene,
Total Congrat's to you!
Junior, I thought the Paxil wean was all worked out, or that's how I
took it on another post you wrote. Still don't know how you will
decrease the pill, other than by using a pill cutter?

Debbie

[Junior]

Debbie

I don't know what I'm going to do yet. To be honest, I never wanted to come off the Paxil in the first place. I know many people have major problems with a/ds (yourself for example) but for me, it's been a wonder drug. You've heard of my struggles over the years with both depression and GAD, well this drug relieved both and gave me a quality of life I'd never known. I was happy to stay on it for life. Then it started losing its effectiveness....

I don't want to be in a situation where my body goes into withdrawal while I'm still ON it. I've read about others battles with that. But I also don't want to withdraw quickly and have major withdrawals that way. Then there is the prospect of having to live with GAD again. Ugghhh!! So I really don't know what I'm going to do. I've also got my son on Prozac and don't want HIM to have to go through any of this. But, the Prozac has helped his anxiety enormously. And he suffers from depression....

*sigh* I"m seeing my shrink in a couple of hours. I want to work through how I feel about it all with him. This bloke is a psychiatrist AND psychologist so he different from most shrinks. Unfortunately he's going to retire shortly and move interstate. I was hoping he'd be there for me if /when I do the withdrawal. Blah....

Junior

[Junior]

PS - People talk about getting a liquid form of Paxil and dropping 1mg at a time. I don't know if the liquid is available here in Australia..but one thing at a time....

[Cecile]

MAUREEN I"M SOOO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) YOU DID IT!!!!!!!

Love, Cece

[MaureenV]

Thank you very much, Cecile, I'm really happy too, to find that without it I'm not depressed.

Thank you for your support along the way.


regards, Maureen.

[MaureenV]

[Maureen said:] "I have just finished tapering by taking the last 1mg on Sunday."

Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*throws massive party*

*then remembers that this is something she may have to face in the future with Aropax / Paxil* ... *sighs*

Thankyou Junior. Waves hand soberly. he he. Actually waves hand after having had a glass or two.

Have to say it's the zaps who've come out to party, but they won't get me.


*Runs like hell*



Maureen.

[MaureenV]

p.s. actually I shouldn't have said that - I was trying to be funny. The zaps are mild and tolerable.


I don't want to make it sound like a slow taper isn't worth it - it is - each time the symptoms got milder and didn't last as long, so was worth it for me.


Maureen.

[Junior]

Maureen

So... the zaps were kind of a "shocking" experience? Did you get many before 3pm on Tuesday? (only Melburnians will know what I mean)

Sorry.. that was bad...

Junior

[MaureenV]

yeah, bad as, Junior.

As bad as The Age headline: 'shocking crime scene. '


I've never been more out of touch with the cup than this year

When I got home I didn't even realize they were talking about THE race.


(Again for those outside Australia, the Melbourne Cup horse race is known as 'the race that stops a nation' and even my 93 yo mother, who doesn't drink, smoke, etc has a flutter. It's even a public holiday! Shocking and Crime Scene are the names of the winner and second horse. )


My husband went to work to do some personal stuff and went by train - he said there were some very 'tired and emotional*' folk on the train on the way home. *that's Australian for drunk.


Maureen.

[nursedeborah]

What the heck are you talking about you guys
let me in!

Debbie

[MaureenV]

O.K. Debbie,



Looks like we'll have to turn you into an honorary Australian.


Years and years and years ago, Australia had a constitutional crisis, from which a certain Governor General (the Queen's representative in Australia) never really recovered in terms of his reputation. He was a bit of a drinker, too, and one time, when he was clearly drunk, the press politely referred to him as being 'tired and emotional'. If you described yourself as being 'tired and emotional' here 90% of adults over the age of 40 would know you meant you were drunk. What also catches people unawares here too on Melbourne Cup day is that it's spring, and if it turns out to be a warm day, can be the first day people have been out in the sun. Add alcohol, celebration or commiseration (with the betting) and you have some VERY 'tired and emotional' folk on the trains going home.


The favourites didn't win - the winner was called 'shocking' and the second horse was called 'crime scene', so the newspapers had a field day with the headlines.


Does any other place in the world have a public holiday for a horse race I wonder? (It's only the Melbourne Metro area that has a public holiday.)

Funny how traditions start and continue in different countries. Hallelujah for the difference, I say, otherwise what would be the point in travel?

It's a bit difficult to type here this morning, the new cat, Archie (or boofy boy as I call him) has decided to sit beside me attacking my hand as I try to move the mouse.


cheers, Maureen.

[nursedeborah]

Maureene,
Love the stories! Also I love the nickname of the new kitty.
What ends up happening in our family is that we always
give the animal a name, but end up calling it a nickname,
and it then ends up being that name.

Not so with my sister, she wass in the theater since age 3, and
also a movie freak, so she names all her pets after movie stars.
It is really cute, and they had "Fred and Ginger", and "Roxey", but
Ginger just had to be put to sleep, so they now have "Lucy"

My mom lives with them, and followed the old family tradition, and
her cat who had just died, heck I can't even remember it's real name
but it ended up with "Cat'O Day" as her name for 19 years. The new
kitty she got, also had a short lived name? but it's name now is "Baby
Boy", not just "Boy".

What is so strange is that is what my brother ws callled until he was
6 yrs old, and he didn't know his real name! The teacher called, and
said she needed to see my mom, as my brother was not behaving.
My mom went,and was told he does not answer me when I call his
name, and my mom asked "what are you callling him"? the teacher
said by his legal name, and my mom said "No wonder, he only goes
by Boy"

Pretty sick hugh? What is even sicker is that she used to call him
was"Mamma's Boy" before that!!! He did grow up, and did turn out
just fine, totally amazing!

Yes there is kinda a day like that here, it's called the "Kentucky Derby"
Oh talk about a big todo!! It's all about people with money, and furs,
their cars, and clothes!!!! OH yes, and the horses, and the race!!!
SO MUCH MONEY AT STAKE!! BIG TIME!!

Your right about loving it being different in every country, as that's
why I so loved to travel. One of my favorite things when I travel is
to eat the food of different countries, that why when you talk about
food, I want to know how to make things.I guess I should ask you
about a few different things, and see if you will give the recipie??

Take Care, your a HOOT!,

Love,
Debbie

[bsmith]

I don't know what to do or how to do it. Cymbalta is so expensive even with insurance that I have been fortunate enough to remain on it for approx 2 yrs with samples from my doctor. This month they didn't have any samples, so the Doctor prescribed for me, my insurance refused to pay any portion of this prescription. So my doctor gave me something else "in the same family" they said, wellbutrin generic. Not at all the same to me, the withdrawls are god awful, unbearable, nightmarish, want to die bad. Long story short I got my cymbalta and leveled out in approx 3 days. Things are great for now, what will I do next time. I am honestly like a drugie needing a fix. How can I honestly get off this stuff FOREVER?

[nursedeborah]

bsmith,
Get your doc to call the Cymbalta rep, and they will come, and give you all the samples
you need. In the mean time, what does are you on, and how many do you have left?

Geet a copy of the FDA report here for you doc. as they have no idea as how to wean
a person of, what the side effects really are, or the withdrawl symptoms, if you can
get back right away, and if nothing else we can at least make what you have last for
longer, and by then the Cymbalta rep will have come in.

What he gave you is not going to help at all, if nothing Prozac is the drug that we have
found does help with the withdrawls, one still needs to wean slowly
off this crap.

http://prozactruth.com/cymbalta.htm

Get back to me soon, I am online now.

Debbie

[Junior]

BSmith

Sorry you are having such a hard time. I'm an Aussie and it never ceases to amaze me how poor your health system is. Here, the govt funds a fair portion of all meds on the "pharmaceutical medical scheme". All we have to do is take the script to the chemist and they fill it. The most we pay for most drugs is about $35. What you guys have to go through is criminal in my book.

Anyhow... I don't know who told you that Wellbutrin is in the same class of drugs of Cymbalta but that is absolute rubbish. Cymbalta is an SNRI, meaning that it directly affects both serotonin and norepinephrine. Wellbutrin works on norepinephrine and dopamine. The only way it could be classed as being in the same 'class of drugs' is that they are both anti-depressants. I'd get another Dr.....

As for you question on how to get off Cymbalta..NONE of the modern a/ds should be stopped abruptly. They make changes to our brain function that takes time to reverse.. even when the drug is out of our system. The best way to get off is to taper down slowly. What sort of drop and how long you need to be on that dose is different for everyone but as a guide I guess you could say two weeks. Debbie can give you further info on how to get the drugs you need as she is American and understands your health system better than I do.

Good luck
Junior

[Cecile]

Hey, everyone...My neck and my back still hurt...BUT since i got off Cymb.!! I was put on it because of anxiety attacks and panic attacks (almost the same thing) I'm getting them again!!! what do i do?? I don't want to go back on Cymb. Isn't there a drug out there just MAINLY for anxiety attacks that is NOT a anit-depressant????? I'm trying to control the anxiety on my own but i'm soo shakey! and feel the nerves all over in my body!!!.... I don't know what do do!
Please Write back!!! as soon as possible!!!!! it get's worse everyday!!!

Cecile

[MaureenV]

Cecile,


any drug that's going to make enough difference is going to have potential side effects.


If you don't want to take the anti-anxiety one you were prescribed recently, which Debbie said was an o.k. drug, your only choice is to act very quickly getting a physchologist to help you work on training your own brain.


I have no idea why you were prescribed an anti-depressant and not advised / asked (or were you?) to see someone to help you work on them at the same time.

The anxiety and panic attacks are something that you CAN (with help) get under control. It DOES NOT need drugs.

Believe it or not, the most powerful thing determining your panic attacks is deciding whether or not you're going to let them take over you, or whether you're going to (TODAY!) decide on a non-drug approach. With that, you have to acknowledge that it will be hard work on your part.

Your panic attacks cannot be cured with drugs, they can only be subdued while you work on them. That's what you should have been doing while on Cymbalta - otherwise there's no point.

Have another look at your post and see how many !!!!!!!! and ???????????? there are.

Writing like that is ONLY going to make you feel more stressed and uptight.

FORCE yourself, when you've typed, to take a deep breath and review your post - taking out the angst that's there - perhaps by doing that you will see that in some ways it IS all within your control.

take care, Maureen.

[Cecile]

Maureen,

I'm sorry i use soo many !!!!!!!! and ?????? It's just i get soo scared so i use the "!" and i want answers to my questions so i use the "?" and when i use them yes, Iam usually panicing...I try to control it myself but sometimes and sometimes i do, but some of them are just tooo powerful and i can't control them myself..I don't want to get on another antidepressant..that other drug was a muscle relaxer and it's only recommend for 2 weeks only it's that powerful and it's associated with a antidepressants so i decided not to take it...My neck and my back hurt when anxiety it gets worse when i get a panic attack and i start to shake all over and i can't control it with breathing techniques it won't make it go away..I nervous and tinggelyness all over 24 hrs aday and when i get a panic attack it gets worse..I can feel my nerves constently..it's just a matter of time when i start to shake really bad and it turns into a panic..I have a problem with being along i always have to have someone around me and if i don't i start to panic..i need to stop this, but i can't there are other things too like when i'm driving alone too, i freak out..Oh and I didn't have ANY panic attacks when i was on Cymb maybe 1 or 2 the whole time i was on Cymb. for 1 1/2 years that's why i never practiced with panic attacks after it all stoped.. i didn't think i would get them this bad after i got off Cymb...I did have them before i went on Cymb. that's why they put me on the Cymb....I don't know what to do...i think i will ask my Pych/Dr. what to do...

Are you dealing with any bad anxiety being off ur Cymb. Maureen? i hope u don't mine is bad..it makes me want to go back on a medicine...

Cece

[Junior]

Cecile

We have told you many times what is needed but we can't do it for you. You have to be prepared to do it yourself. I know I've posted several times about this... I'm now beginning to feel like I'm hitting my head against a brick wall. But I'll try again....

You are letting your thoughts control you. If you listen to the anxiety in your head, what happens is that it creates more anxiety... and more....This will do 2 things. 1 - it will go round and round and round in your head... and build .. 2- it will change the way your body functions.. more adrenalin will be released, your heart will pump faster....and before you know it, you will have another panic attack. YOU HAVE TO TAKE CONTROL. YOU have to stop the 'worry' before it builds. And YOU need to find a therapist who can help you with this.

I can't stress this enough. TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR OWN LIFE. Posting here, going to Drs, .. it's not going to change anything. YOU have to do the work. We are here to support you but it is not happening to us. I know I've posted links to places in other posts, I've given you information about the sort of treatment that is available, and I've often recommended counselling. But.. you keep coming back and asking for more help.. What more can we do?????

Please think about this
Junior

[nursedeborah]

Maureen,

I'm sorry i use soo many !!!!!!!! and ?????? It's just i get soo scared so i use the "!" and i want answers to my questions so i use the "?" and when i use them yes, Iam usually panicing...I try to control it myself but sometimes and sometimes i do, but some of them are just tooo powerful and i can't control them myself..I don't want to get on another antidepressant..that other drug was a muscle relaxer and it's only recommend for 2 weeks only it's that powerful and it's associated with a antidepressants so i decided not to take it...My neck and my back hurt when anxiety it gets worse when i get a panic attack and i start to shake all over and i can't control it with breathing techniques it won't make it go away..I nervous and tinggelyness all over 24 hrs aday and when i get a panic attack it gets worse..I can feel my nerves constently..it's just a matter of time when i start to shake really bad and it turns into a panic..I have a problem with being along i always have to have someone around me and if i don't i start to panic..i need to stop this, but i can't there are other things too like when i'm driving alone too, i freak out..Oh and I didn't have ANY panic attacks when i was on Cymb maybe 1 or 2 the whole time i was on Cymb. for 1 1/2 years that's why i never practiced with panic attacks after it all stoped.. i didn't think i would get them this bad after i got off Cymb...I did have them before i went on Cymb. that's why they put me on the Cymb....I don't know what to do...i think i will ask my Pych/Dr. what to do...

Are you dealing with any bad anxiety being off ur Cymb. Maureen? i hope u don't mine is bad..it makes me want to go back on a medicine...

Cece

Cec,
You made a statement about the Flexeril that not true at all. It is not just a drug to be taken
for 2 weeks because it's that powerful, or is it even close to being in the same family as a/d's.

To me it sounds like you are getting something out of living in the problem vs living in the
solution, as you have been offered as many as there are for your anxiety issues, and yet you
never pick up any of the tools offered, and just keep coming back, and saying the same stuff
over and over.

Until we are willing to do the foot work ourselves, we can ask all the questions we want, but
what also ends up happening is that people just throw their hands up in the air, and don't
want to hear about it anymore, unless your activly doing something to change it, no matter
how small.

If your having that much anxiety, as I have told you I do understand, you can get something
for that, and use it while your in therapy working through your isses, as anxiety, and Panic
Attacks, have actually kept me in the house.

There is a way to get to the bottom of them, and that all has already been told to you.

Love,
Debbie

[itdoeswork]

Cecile,
Wow! I joined this site to read about other's experiences and it sounds like you are having a really tough time. From seeing what others are writing to you (above), I was wondering why you are bothering to post? These people do not sound supportive to you at all. The words are rather discouraging.

[nursedeborah]

itdoeswork,
That is not right at all that we are not supportive of her, you have not
been here, and need to read all the posts to find out what has even been going
on in the first place.

You will find that we do care very much about her, and have been very supportive.

So for you to come in, and just make a statement like that has no basis on the
facts of what has really been going on since Aug, 09.

We are all very caring, and supportive of anyone that comes here!

Debbie

[haleyanne]

Cecile~
Have you tried Xanax? I know that's not something you'd want to be on forever, but in dire times can be quite helpful. For me, it knocked out the panic and anxiety last year when I was in a rough work situation. Once it was over, I decided I didn't want to rely on it anymore, so I started cutting the .25mgs. in half and then quarters. It caused a little insomnia for a couple days, but otherwise I was okay. It did help me when I was "freaking" out though. You may need to use meds. along with some kind of counseling. It always nice to have a caring therapist who will listen to you.

[MaureenV]

Cecile, Cecile, Cecile, :))


I don't want you to be sorry to me for using!!!!!!!! and ??????????

It doesn't matter one jot to me.


I use it as an example of how you DO have some power over how you feel, act, then react.


You MUST stop 'externalizing' everything. Turn IN, not OUT for help - you have all the advice, you have access to the drug which is necessary to help you get there.

I suspect your panic attacks and anxiety are bad enough to NOT be able to just deal with it with a counsellor - that you DO need a drug to help you 'get outside' the situation.

But THEN, the most crucial thing is to deal with why you're taking the drug.

Why didn't that happen when you were on Cymbalta? I can't believe anyone prescribed Cymbalta for panic attacks without suggesting you get help dealing with them.

Think of the !!!!! and ?????? in terms of what Junior said: it just creates more anxiety. And as Debbie says - you've got to start 'living' the solution, not the problem. There's no point just posting what's happening to you - we know, and we DO understand - now what??

There ARE things you can do to help yourself. I would go into the details of EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) but I'd want to know that you're going to give it a try before I go to the effort of putting it all in writing only to find you don't do it.
EFT has certainly helped me at stressful times, helped a niece get over an awful relationship breakup much faster than otherswise, and is a brilliant technique for anxiety. A lot of work has been done with Vietnam veterans in America with fabulous results.

YOU are the BOSS of your body. Once you make that decision, you'll be on your way.

We're here to support you all the way - but we can't do it for you.

take care, Maureen.

(listening to the Magpies singing for their breakfast.)

[Junior]

Cecile,
Wow! I joined this site to read about other's experiences and it sounds like you are having a really tough time. From seeing what others are writing to you (above), I was wondering why you are bothering to post? These people do not sound supportive to you at all. The words are rather discouraging.

itdoeswork

It is very unfair to just walk in and respond to a couple of posts like that when you don't know the history. We supported Cecile throughout her withdrawal, even when her behaviour was somewhat rude. We've given her many suggestions about how to help herself and been supportive the whole way - for several weeks. But we are beginning to feel like we are bashing our heads against a brick wall. With good reason. I suggest you read a few threads before you say anything more.

Junior

[itdoeswork]

Junior: It was easy to sense the frustrations in the previous postings, which I did read written to Cecile. It sounds like she's at her wits end...

[MaureenV]

Junior: It was easy to sense the frustrations in the previous postings, which I did read written to Cecile. It sounds like she's at her wits end...

I've no doubt that any suggestions you can make (that haven't already been made) would be more than welcome.


Maureen.