5 replies to this topic

[moodyhoney]

Hi, I'm a female with depression and anxiety. I started taking Cymbalta in February - I switched from Zoloft to Cymbalta. The Cymbalta was not helping much. I am tapering off Cymbalta and trying 30 mg Viibryd.

 

I struggled with the drop to 30 mg, and struggled even more from 30 mg to 0 mg (rage, crying spells, extreme mood swings, suicidal thoughts) so I resumed the 30 mg. I started feeling a little better after a couple weeks. But then this past Sunday I started taking 20 mg, and I felt withdrawal that night. Yesterday I felt awfully depressed and cried a lot. I have been struggling to enjoy doing anything. Today is day 3 on 20 mg.

 

I am wondering how I can continue tapering off Cymbalta. There is a pharmacy near me that compounds. Could I ask my psychiatrist to write scrips for lower and lower doses of Cymbalta? If so, what doses should I ask for? 

 

 

[fishinghat]

Welcome moodyhoney
 
It may not be necessary to use a compounding pharmacy. Most members use a method called bead counting. Open a capsule and count the tiny beads inside. Usually around 300 beads. Each day remove 1% more of the beads, pausing when necessary. This can be a time consuming process so be patient.

I am assuming you have already started the Viibryd. When it kicks in you should be able to increase the drop rate on the Cymbalta. It takes Viibryd about 6 to 8 weeks to kick in fully.

[moodyhoney]

Thank you, fishinghat. 

 

I'd like to try compounding, however. I feel that counting beads is too tedious. Is reducing by 5 mg every couple weeks a good strategy? I think I can deal with some symptoms, I would rather just get off the Cymbalta faster. 

[fishinghat]

MoodHoney, 20% of people have little to no withdrawal while around 80% have medium to severe withdrawal. Withdrawal can take a year or more to clear. Having said that, and you starting at 20 mg my suggestion would be to drop no more than 1 mg a week. You are not even near the worse part yet. Yes, you may be one of the lucky ones but better to be safe than sorry. If you do try a faster rate you can always go back up, stabilize and wean slower.

[moodyhoney]

How could I go about dropping 1 mg a week? 

[fishinghat]

Your compounding pharmacist can do that. There is two ways they prepare special doses. One is bead counting like we do and the other is a liquid preparation. They dissolve the Cymbalta in something like PEG and then dilute as necessary. Be sure and check with your insurance as some do not cover these type of special preparations.