2761 replies to this topic

[Axlejames]

I was on celexa for 8 years 2 months ago my dr took me off this abruptly and started throwing other meds at me enter cymbalta I've been on cymbalta 30 mg for the last month and recently I went up to 60mg for the last 4 days did not like how that made me feel so I only took 30 today and I feel like I have the flu I want to eventually come off all of these meds I'm a combat vet and I needed them 8 years ago when i first got back but they are ruining my life can anyone help me I have only been on 30mg for a short time and even this small bit of withdrawl sucks so I need to get off these soon I believe

[invalidusername]

Hi Axlejames and welcome!

 

Firstly - coming off any anti-depressant abruptly is not the way to go. Despite guidelines to the health service that patients can do a "straight-swap". Most of the time there will be consequences. They fear serotonin syndrome, so the easiest way is to stop one, start another. Although you are on another AD, you can quite easily be suffering withdrawal from the celexa. After 8 years, it will take a while to get out of your system - remember also that you have switched SSRI to SNRI. 

 

Secondly, you will need to give a dose change at least 2 weeks before writing it off, and the drug as a whole, 3 months to gauge its effectiveness for you - unless it is making you feel too bad, in which case, you will need to think about coming off. How quickly that is depends on the severity of the effects.

 

Most of the guys here will obviously tell you to come off the Cymbalta (!) - we all know how nasty it is! But if you are serious about coming off, and you have only had 4 days on 60mg and come back down, you will feel lousy for a few days, but the 30mg will level out and you will feel better. Flu symptoms are by far the most common, and even one day after a drop can bring it on.

 

You need to decide if you are withdrawing altogether or switching to a new drug. But whatever you do, DO NOT stop taking the cymbalta abruptly. You will still need a taper plan - and that is what we are here for! These plans are more the speciality of fishinghat who will no doubt drop you a line shortly...

[fishinghat]

IUN hit the nail on the head. getting off the medicine merry go round can be tough so don't think too far ahead. Just focus on one step at a time. Given your short term use of Cymbalta I would suggest the following...

 

Stay at 30 mg until you feel stable.

Drop 10 mg and see how you feel for 2 or 3 days. If bad symptoms rush in then go back to 30 mg and stabilize again and we will set you up with a bead counting schedule. To decrease your dose by 10 mg open one of the 30 mg capsules, count the little beads inside and remove 1/3 of those little beads. That will leave 2/3 which will be 20 mg.

 

Hang in there. We have all been through this or are going through this so we are here to help. You can get through this.

[gail]

Welcome AxleJames,

Only on month right! How I hate the way it makes you feel, I felt the same.

IUN said that you were on both, I didn't read the same thing.

I'd take the the chance to drop it off all at once. If there's Celexa around, take them for a while. To ease whatever withdrawal symptoms you may have. They will be short living because of the four weeks on it(Cymbalta) Be strong here. If you go back on Celexa, I suggest you do, stabalize then taper slowly off it.

This will give you the time to see if you need another antidepressant, Zoloft, Prozac and Lexapro are the ones we advise because of their long half life, easier to quit.

You got two point of views, wait for Fishinghat to come along, then YOU decide what's best for you.

[Axlejames]

My goals is to come off meds in general I think it would be best to let my dr know this correct right now I'm taking 30mg of cymbalta and 200mg of lamatrogine would you all recommend coming off one at a time tbh im really scared when they cut me off celexa I had a nervous breakdown I thought I was dying and it took me a month to realize what was happening I want to share more in that time my sister passed away she was 45 and my wife asked for a seperation I honestly feel like I'm doing this all on my own I dont know if I should be saying all this here but it's like no one I know knows what I'm going through and I'm trying to find people to help me I have not ever been one to seriously consider ending it but many times over the past 2 months I've given it thought no plans no crazy schemes but it creeps in I'm getting better but it's slow can anyone relate anyone advise

[Axlejames]

My goals is to come off meds in general I think it would be best to let my dr know this correct right now I'm taking 30mg of cymbalta and 200mg of lamatrogine would you all recommend coming off one at a time tbh im really scared when they cut me off celexa I had a nervous breakdown I thought I was dying and it took me a month to realize what was happening I want to share more in that time my sister passed away she was 45 and my wife asked for a seperation I honestly feel like I'm doing this all on my own I dont know if I should be saying all this here but it's like no one I know knows what I'm going through and I'm trying to find people to help me I have not ever been one to seriously consider ending it but many times over the past 2 months I've given it thought no plans no crazy schemes but it creeps in I'm getting better but it's slow can anyone relate anyone advise

[fishinghat]

"I'm taking 30mg of cymbalta and 200mg of lamatrogine would you all recommend coming off one at a time"

I would suggest the Cymbalta first One of the possible but unusual withdrawal symptoms for Cymbalta is seizures and the lamotrigine can help manage that risk.

How long ago did you come off the Celexa? What are you feeling now and what do you think it is from?

As far as "I don't know if I should be saying all this here". Well, you have come to the right place. We have all been through this and now what it is like. You will NOT be judged here. Just support and love. You are not alone.

[Axlejames]

I came if celexa at the end of August beginning if September today i feel shaky and my face is red and puffy is that from not taking the extra 30 mg of cymbalta like i said i had taken the extra for 4 days only and i didn't take the extra yesterday or today right now i feel calm but apprehensive my wife is a stressors i love her and support her and she one day says she just needs a break then it's a divorce then its let's be friends and grow our relationship again and like i said on top of all that i have this overwhelming sense of doom i cant get close to my 3 kids because i fear losing them

[Axlejames]

Any idea how long I will feel like this will it be forever

[fishinghat]

I would not think the puffiness would be from the extra Cymbalta but it could ne possible because Cymbalta withdrawal can cause puffiness. It might be the drop from 60 tom 30 though. If so it should only last a week or two.

How long has "this overwhelming sense of doom" been going on?

[Axlejames]

Off and on since the celexa some days are better

[invalidusername]

My goodness - you have been through it - new schedule. First on the agenda - take a step back and see you for the hero you are. Dude, you have done so well to have gone this far. Self-compassion is key here. And I will reciprocate and tell you that my last partner turned out to be a control-freak, but I let her walk all over me for years until I had the strength to go it alone. There is no weakness here - only life lessons. 

 

If you look at my latest posts you will see what I have done to get to 10mg of Cymbalta (Duloxetine in my case). Compared to others who have had this drug in their system for a lot longer, I feel I have had an easier ride, and I am sure you will too. It seems like it will be forever, but really it won't.

 

Regarding your thoughts of doom and so forth, it may well be the drugs talking, I have days of depression and anxiety seemingly out of nowhere. It's awful. I just don't have any control. But it will go, and you will be back in control. You have some great people here, and we will do what we can to help you. But most importantly...

 

... give yourself a break. You are a very strong person. Stronger than most I'd wager.

[gail]

Hi again,


I just reread all your posts, and I wonder,will all that is going on in your life,maybe it would be better to stay on the Cymbalta 30.

When all calms down, perhaps that will be a better time for you to withdraw.

Just a thought!

[Axlejames]

First off thank you invalid and everyone else I'm concerned staying on it to long cause it will be harder to come off I just want to feel feelings again if that makes sense I want to dream I dont dream and didn't notice until recently that I dont

[invalidusername]

Absolutely dear Gail - I quite agree.

 

[edit] Is a catch 22 Axle. On one hand, you may not have had that much affect from the Cymbalta, but stopping it now, you will still have the aftermath of those that came before it. It needs thinking.

 

I have always thought it would be nice to be pill free - and I will be - but sometimes the road needs to be a little longer to get there. I will have been on Cym for 5 months, but I decided to stop it only after 2

 

c.r.a.z.y stuff

[fishinghat]

If the doom feeling has been going on since ending the Celexa It would lead me to think it is from the Celexa withdrawal (a known withdrawal symptom). What I don't understand is why the 30 mg of Cymbalta isn't sufficient enough to handle the Celexa withdrawal. This could also be a side effect of Cymbalta. Only time will tell. If it is from Celex withdrawal then it will slowly fade. If it is a side effect from Cymbalta then it will continue or maybe even worsen. You might want to talk this over with your dr.

[Axlejames]

I am a Christian and I've noticed I keep questioning my faith more has anyone else had this how did you get passed it

[fishinghat]

I did not have that experience but I have read several old posts that mentioned that experience.

[Axlejames]

I'm scared to at one time I didn't have any of these issues and now it's like everything has been piled on me at once I have tinnitus from the war is it true cymbalta makes it worse if I get off the cymbalta will all of this garbage go away eventually

[invalidusername]

This is a tricky subject, but remember we are never punished, or thrown into this life by our spiritual brethren. It is my belief that we make our own plans for when we arrive here to learn that which we are to understand more clearly on the other side. I do not think God is responsible for any of what has happened to me, and if anything, it has made my belief system more stable. 

 

Sometimes things to do not happen the way we always think they should. Yesterday, the ball joint on my car split and started making some horrible noise and I remember thinking "God... why now.. why me?!". Today I reluctantly fixed it, and I felt something I hadn't felt in a long time. Pride. I had got off my a**e and done something practical.

 

Mysterious ways people. Look for it - it will be out there.  

 

p.s. I am not in any way discounting the way you are feeling, and I can empathize entirely. These are clearly troubled times for you both. If nothing else, thank the powers upstairs that you have found us here

[Axlejames]

It's my second day back at 30mg like I said previously I was on 60mg for 4 days I was feeling good before my increase but now I feel like crying all the time I feel sad not anxious which is why they put me on the cymbalta to deal with the emotional breakdown I feel just lousy how long will I feel like this how can I deal with it what do I do

[invalidusername]

After 3 days, blood levels will start to stabalise so you need to give it at least 3 days to reverse. It may take longer.

 

I know it is hard, but the more attention you bring to it, the longer it will take. I was taught a lot about acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) a while ago. It made a lot of sense and it helped me. Might be worth having a read. Read, meditate... music... anything where you can get outside of your head, even for a few minutes.

[Axlejames]

Thank you all are amazing I miss me the old me from so long ago I know I probably asked this but will I ever be me again if I can get off meds

[invalidusername]

Simple deduction. You were the "real you" before the meds, therefore....

 

But don't forget, there are still many people - some of whom on this site - who live perfectly normal and happy lives with these meds... but not Cymbalta!!

[fishinghat]

GardenLady

"It's a nightmarish circle that I don't know how to exit."

You don't exit it. The effects of withdrawal just have to run its course. Just realize it is not you just the withdrawal.

Axeljames

Yes the Cymbalta does tend to make tinnitus worse and that hangs on a while before it begins to lowly get better.

I would say the crying spells (I had them too) are definitely from the drop of 60 mg to 30. Time and patience.

[Axlejames]

The worst part for me at this point is my wife I've been married for 13 years been with her for 18 years and at the end of my breakdown she decides to tell me she wants to separate or divorce she keeps telling me there is a sliver of hope still but one day she will be affectionate which is what I need other day she's cold and distant we still live together but she wants to be friends I need help I know I'm putting to much stock in her but she is the one I turn to when I'm broken

[fishinghat]

I don't know what to say. You can't force her to change her mind. Just let her have time and do the best you can. I wish I could help more.

[invalidusername]

Agree completely with the hat here. From experience, you need to give her time and SPACE. This is important. Hanging around like a fly, or verbalising your feelings will only make the matters worse. I am no therapist or councellor, but trust me. 

 

If anything, she needs to know what she is missing. Don't change for what she wants you to be, just show that you can take matters into your own hands, and that you can recognise what she needs. She will acknowledge that, but from pride might not show it straight away.

 

I know it is tough my friend. Eight years ago, I was in the same situation minus the children.

[Axlejames]

Thank you fish and invalid I'm already starting to feel a little better just having all of your support