20 replies to this topic

[Lovey]

Hi friends! My first post. I'm down to 30 mg from 60mg!! There is never a good time for a reduction. I'm dreading the withdrawl symptoms. I've recently started a job that causes a lot of stress for me. But it is summer and my depression is quieted down so I am going to at least try it and see how I do. I have Zoloft on hand in case things get really bad, I will take that to try to alleviate the sadness that I know may be coming. My last reduction took 10days for most symptoms uo resolve themselves. We'll see. Wish me luck!

[fishinghat]

Zoloft is a fine choice but it may take weeks to kick in or just a few days, one never knows. Are you going to do bead counting from the 30 mg down?

[Lovey]

I typed in a reply but hit the wrong button:( anyway thx for feedback. Reducing to a 20mg cap, then plan to use digital scale to make 10mg caps.

[fishinghat]

For most that is way too rapid a drop in dose. Normal members drop by about 5% or less a week when they get to 30 mg and then by 1% a week when they get to 5 mg. Some have a lot of problems that way and some don't. It varies a lot from person to person.

[Lovey]

Thanks for that information. If I start getting the negative withdrawls i did last drop from 40 to 30mg, i will have to consider a more conservative route as you have suggested. Wanted to avoid having to mess around with making my own caps but i will if need be. Thanks again. What dose are you on? Or have you gotten off it?

[fishinghat]

I was on 90 mg for several years and went through withdrawal in 2013. So many people stopped and took the time to help me when things were rough that I decided to stick around and help others.

[Lovey]

That's awesome of you. And congratulations getting off this monster. Did you do the 5% method?

[fishinghat]

No, I did 2% a week and had 9 months of terrible withdrawal. Some people have done as little as 0.3 % (1 bead a day) and still had a tough withdrawal but I also know of a few that went off of it over a 2 or 3 month period an d had virtually no withdrawal. You just never know.

[Vinpin]

Hi Hrk630,

 

Just to support fishinghat's commentary and advice ....

 

Was on 30mg for 12 years, then had no problem switching over from 30mg to 20mg capsules this past February. I didn't want the "brain zaps" I had when I tried going cold turkey a few years ago. So since February, I've followed the gradual "bead counting" reduction method fishinghat advocates, and that got me down to about 8mg with little-to-no withdrawal side effects.

 

Then.... I hit a wall (many tough side effects, and wasn't functional), and have had to stabilize at about 8mg, which is where I'm at now (actually had to increase from 30 to 32 beads, just to get stable). But I plan on resuming the bead counting and gradual weaning off process in early July. I plan on going even slower in July ... but regardless, I know for me it won't be pretty......

 

So yes .... a drop from 20mg to 10mg is pretty drastic. Everyone is indeed different, but with that kind of reduction, you'd be increasing your risk of withdrawal symptoms.....

 

One final word of advice (even though I'm a relative newbie too......). Look around on this site's forums. Do searches for the specific information you need. There's a lot of great information to be gleaned from folks' experiences on the forums, led by fishinghat, et al.......

 

Good luck to you!

 

-Vinpin

[Lovey]

Thanks guys, I decided to break open my digital scale I purchased online and made 25 mg caps. I was getting crying spells already, on day one and thought, ok, I need to be more kind to myself and patient with this. Hopefully I can tolerate a 5 mg drop but if not, will increase a bit. I tend to get bouts of seasonal depression in cold, dark months so want to make progress now while having the benefit of more sunlight and nice weather which helps my mood tremendously. Thanks to you both for the input. I'm learning more about Cymbalta than I ever would want to know. I look forward to being free of it. My last bout of withdrawl symptoms lasted about 10 days but then began to improve. With a smaller reduction this time, hopefully I'll get by with fewer crying spells, radical mood swings and intense anger.

[gail]

Hello HRK,

I would suggest a different approach here. 5 mg in one shot is a lot. Even 5 beads is a lot.

It's best to drop every day, exemple, 2 beads the first day then 4 the next then 6 then 8 and so on. It's slow but your body will have a better chance to get used to this small change. Stabalize if needed then down again.

Of course, it's your choice and we will support you whatever you decide. Keep us posted.

Any questions, don't hesitate even if they might seem stupid to you. Nothing is stupid here and no one is judged. We are a family!

Vinpin, thank you for your lovely post.

[Lovey]

Gail, thank you for that. I'm going to see how i feel today on 25mg and if its bad, will consider doing what you said. I appreciate all the support and feedback from you all. I'll let you know how today goes.

[Lovey]

Well, it was a crash and burn. I came back home after a tertible morning and took 5 more mg to get me back to my baseline if 30. I felt like someone had beat me up. I was able to take a nap after and I'm feeling a little more stable. My emotions were just terrible. I am going to start tomorrow with the 2 bead method. I just cannot put myself through that again.

[Vinpin]

Hi again Hrk640,

 

I'm sure fishinghat and Gail are not in shock over your "crash and burn". So sorry it was such a rough time today. It is certainly a time for patience and lowered expectations. I'm finding that out now as well....

 

A slower "go of it" like fishinghat and Gail are proposing sounds like it would be of great value to you. Like I mentioned, I actually had to add two beads back in just to stabiize. Two beads!!!!!.... that's at most a 1/2 mg! That shows how potent this medicine is......

 

One idea - not really a recommendation, just an idea that sometimes (not all the time) works for me. While withdrawing, maybe you can try remembering that all the voices and thoughts that pop into your head are not always voices of reason, and many of them are not necessarily correct either. Sometimes, that helps me make it through the tough emotional periods. I let the thoughts happen, but certainly try not to get caught up in drawing conclusions or making decisions based on them.

 

Very best of luck to you!

 

-VinPin

[Lovey]

Vinpin, thanks for weighing in. I was so disappointed when I realized how terrible I felt and that I was going to have to go so slowly with this. I feel this medicine is akin to poison and yet I currently have to keep putting it in my body because the withdrawl is so unbearable. The thoughts of extreme aggression and anger were so out of character for me (for the most part lol) ...

So I'm doing 2 beads down for the next two days to make sure I'm ok, then I'll go from there to -4, -6, etc. I may stay at each reduced number for at least 2 days as I seem to be very sensitive.

I can't fully express how grateful I am for your kind, encouraging words. I try to tell myself, this is only temporary. This is just withdrawl symptoms, it WILL get better.

Thx also to gail and fishinghat.

[gail]

Hi HRK,

Well, you tried at least and it could have worked!

An experience, so later during the process, you don't question yourself with this.

It's done and now we know what to do. Keep posting, we are always here for you!

[fishinghat]

"Like I mentioned, I actually had to add two beads back in just to stabiize. Two beads!!!!!.... that's at most a 1/2 mg! That shows how potent this medicine is...…"

Boy do I agree with that!!!

[Lovey]

Hi friends, wanted to check in. Doing pretty well, all things considered. I've decided on a 2 bead reduction for 3 days, then an additional 2 beads out etc for another 3 days and so on. Slow and steady is the way to go. Hope you are all well gail, fishing hat and vinpin!

[fishinghat]

Doing great Hrk. well done. That may still be a little fast when you get down to the last 5 mg or so. Good luck and thanks for posting.

[Lovey]

Hey how's everybody doing? I'm doing well with my reduction. I have so far been conservative, doing a 2 bead reduction for 3 days in a row, then 2 more etc. It's slow but I'd rather not risk anything more right now. I have some other big challenges in my life right now and trying to be very gentle with my body. I have figured out its going to take about 5 months of doing it this way if there are no unforseen detours. Where are you all at in your Cymbalta journey? I can't quite remember.

[fishinghat]

A wise approach Hrk.