2761 replies to this topic

[invalidusername]

You still got 3 days. Grab them when you get the 25's.

 

It's entirely up to you, but I think a straight swap is a bad idea. GP's often advise it for fear of SS.

 

You may be OK, in which case I will eat my hat (not the fishing one), but I don't want to be the one to say "told you so"

[fishinghat]

With only 3 Cymbalta left you have fewer options. No more refills?

[Axlejames]

The way the VA works is they give you your prescription and it can be called in to be refilled my dr gave me enough pills at 30mg for 2 months when i went in yesterday i had 3 30mg left i told her i didnt feel cymbalta was working and i would like to go back to an ssri since that is what helped in the past she suggested zoloft she said i can just not take the cymbalta and just start taking the zoloft in the morning at 50mg but she said she didnt think this would be enough but just to start there and then sent me on my merry way did not refill cymbalta and when the va stops a med they discontinue off your chart so yeah i have only 3 left i did not take it last night and i took 50mg of zoloft this morning when i woke up i felt sick like a headache and a cold and feel kind of quesy its also cold season so i dont know if its a cold/flu is it possible to feel effects this soon since i think whats going to happen is im just going to have to do the 50 mg zoloft and push through can you all tell me what i can expect with this the dr also said that the 50mg zoloft will be a higher dose than the 30mg cymbalta in any case if i know what im up against i can at least prepare i am a soldier and by God i will need to push through be strong and do my best i think thats the mind set at the VA that we can supposdley take more than the average person to be honest sometimes thats true sometimes its not when it comes to my mental state its not im just like everyone else i think but i digress when i went to the va and they took my blood pressure it was good but my pulse was at 138 before taking my bp the nurse told me to breathe through my nose deep breaths and out through my mouth when i get my bp done lately i am anxious and fearful because my pulse is always elevated is it possible its that high because im nervous after he took the cuff off and i started breathing normal he tested it again and it was 128 anyways any advice is this gonna suck and how long might it suck thank you all lots of love and happy new year

[fishinghat]

"i woke up i felt sick like a headache and a cold and feel kind of quesy its also cold season so i dont know if its a cold/flu is it possible to feel effects this soon since i think whats going to happen is im just going to have to do the 50 mg zoloft and push through can you all tell me what i can expect with this the dr also said that the 50mg zoloft will be a higher dose than the 30mg cymbalta in any case"

This is common symptoms with both Cymbalta withdrawal and increasing the dose of Zoloft. If it is from the Zoloft it should fade in 4 to 7 days. These symptoms can be treated with regular over the counter meds.

What every route you go AJ, remember we are here for you.

[gail]

Well Axle, it's a game of wait and see!

Nobody can predict the outcome of the straight switch. Ozgun has cold turkeyed then went on Zoloft. Many others have done this before. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Soldier, you will make it one way or the other! Just don't expect smooth sailing for a while.
Love, Gail

[invalidusername]

I sincerely hope the direct switch isn't too much of a burden for you, but as 'Hat said, you can expect for feel lousy at least for a few days - just like you have the flu. 

 

Please keep us updated on how it all goes over the next few days as this is not only "good data" to share with others in the future, but we are all wanting the best and care for you, as Gail said.

 

Happy New Year Mate.

[Axlejames]

Update:so ive been on zoloft for 3 days other than some irritablity the first day not to many withdrawl issues yet i do feel brain fog for sure and im still looking for answers i feel like im waiting just waiting all the time like i cant do anything because im waiting for what i dont know. in any case i am trying to push forward i am very greatful for all of you to get me this far there is no way i could have done this alone and without all of you. and I will still need to lean on all of you as i go forward i am hoping to get my cell phone issue fixed i did message admin because it helps me to talk to you all throughout the day.

[invalidusername]

Good to know it has been relatively plain sailing at the moment. Lets hope it carries on this way for you and you have a gentle switch over. 

[Axlejames]

Update 2: So far so good no major issues other than when i get stressed I feel like i ve eaten to much salt my hands swell and my muscles get tense would not be such a huge deal but it happens even with a little bit of stress not a good feeling i feel like im retaining water pretty bad. as far as my mental state it seems to be getting better wether or not its the meds or time and patience which i lean more towards time and patience since my meds arent really to strong but i dont know for sure. I want you all to know im still here for you please tell me how your doing i dont get to post much since for some reason i cant log in on my phone to post through out the day but i am still able to check and see waht you all post .

[PrincessNutella]

AJ, thanks man. My thoughts are with you, and I'm really happy Zoloft is benefiting you. But I've never heard of water retention in the hands? If it's your whole body, these groups of antidepressants tend to do that. Getting tense is pretty normal. Cymbalta controls both serotonin and norepinephrine (which turns into adrenaline). Zoloft only controls serotonin. When you cross taper from C to Z, your body instead of C begins regulating norepinephrine in response to stress and fails to do normally. Your body adapts after a while.

[invalidusername]

Very good point Oz when switching from SNRI to SSRI.

 

Some say that the norepinephrine part of it doesn't kick in until a higher dose, and so it acts just as an SSRI at lower doses, but I am not sure at all on that given that we cannot accurately measure the levels within the cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. Obviously there are indications taken from levels elsewhere in the body, but fact remains that we can never be sure how representative these are of the levels in the brain. Research to find this out is quite invasive in its terms of administering medication, and clearly has the potential to remain as subjective as anything else involved with the brain and central nervous system.

[invalidusername]

UPDATE ON BEHALF OF AJ (via facebook);

 

"I’ve been doing ok with the med change physically no flu symptoms but mental state is kind of all over the place I could be at peace then the next moment I’m stressed then anxious I don’t feel real a lot the time either"

 

He should be back once he has figured out his log in issues!

[invalidusername]

ANOTHER UPDATE FROM AJ;

 

"I’ve been ok so far in the med transition but I am still dealing with depersonalization derealization and the ocd going with it is kicking my arse I don’t know what to do like I’m paralyzed with these what if thoughts and then compulsively looking for answers about them I don’t know if this is from the withdrawal anymore or if it’s from my ptsd from the war please feel free to post this on the forum I still try to log in on my phone everyday and it won’t let me"

[fishinghat]

God bless you AJ.

[gail]

Same here, you are missed!

[invalidusername]

Absolutely - even though you are on FB, it isn't the same!!

[Axlejames]

I am going to try and make an effort to at least get on my computer and make one post a day here because I miss you all and its important to me to do this. I ve been doing OK with the transition from cymbalta to Zoloft I think the fact that im on such a low dose for both of them made all the difference. I am still struggling with OCD and Depersonalization and de realization issues every time i come to reality its like my mind goes nope don't like that and kicks me back out to non reality thinking. Then the OCD kicks in I start to obsessive over existence and I compulsively look for answers. What I am realizing is that I need to choose what I believe and stick to it that's where my real fear comes in not trusting my own thoughts after everything that has happened with medication changes and life changes I am afraid to trust my own thinking anymore so I look for others to think for me this is dangerous and just creates a deep depression in me and my anxiety goes through the roof. I am hoping that this is just another symptom of the withdrawal since it has not even been 6 months off celexa is it possible these are still a bi product of the withdrawal? In any case I miss all of you and hope you all are doing well.

[invalidusername]

HEY!! The AJ is back

 

"I need to choose what I believe and stick to it that's where my real fear comes in not trusting my own thoughts"

 

Herein lies the issue. Our thoughts are not right sometimes. This is the whole role of anxiety - it gets you to think something could/will happen when your real thought processes would tell you otherwise. So sticking to them is a very good proposal, but don't beat yourself up if it doesn't always turn out that way. Most nights I tell myself that I will not fear this or that when I wake and set about my day, but its not always the way. So, I try to simply accept. What my brain tells me, is what it tells me. Then I can deal with it in the way I best can. Pushing yourself to think one way or stop thinking another way can set you up for disappointment when it next comes to ambush you.

 

I would say the anxiety that is setting in now and in forthcoming weeks will be the Cymbalta rather than the Celexa. Having a long half-life, the celexa should not be much of an issue as you get closer towards 6 months...

 

Great to have you back man!

[fishinghat]

Hi AJ, good to "see" you.

"I am afraid to trust my own thinking anymore so I look for others to think for me this is dangerous "

During the worse part of my Cymbalta withdrawal I just turned to the wife and said you are in charge. Whatever you say goes, I can't deal with things in my state. It took a lot of pressure off of me.

[invalidusername]

"I just turned to the wife and said you are in charge"

 

My wife told me not to go near the Pregabalin - case in point for Hat's idea there.

 

Why didn't I listen?!

[Axlejames]

Update: So I try to get here to write but its difficult kids are usually on my computer this week I had a couple of days where I felt really dizzy its was weird like being overly tired. I am battling depression still and anxiety I had a thought this week that my anxiety is there and my obsessive thoughts are my way of coping if i continue to go and look for answers its keeps my mind busy and i dont have to face the reality that I need to deal with this anxiety because its difficult and if i can keep my mind busy with questions that dont have answers then i dont have to face the hard work of dealing with reality. I am however starting to realize that is important for me to find meaning for myself and to choose what I will believe and try and stick to that and move forward. I am struggling again with thinking about death and there are days when i just think whats the point of doing anything if im just gonna die someday anyways and that thought sucks because then i just dwell on it. in any case I think im in the cymbalta withdrawl faze here where i am just having weird days of stress and anxiety and depression do you think maybe i should see about upping my zoloft dose to 100 mg maybe talk to the dr about it?

[invalidusername]

Great to see you AJ, and thanks for the update.

 

What you say about the OCD being a way to keep the anxiety at bay is interesting, and if that is what works, then that is fine short term. The two often go hand in hand, so don't be surprised that as the OCD tails off, the anxiety comes back. This is completely normal. Deal with one and then the other. Don't overwhelm yourself.

 

So you have only been on Zoloft since the New Year - not even 3 weeks yet. I would give it time. I am into week 5 now of my Lexapro and just noticing it kick in... with room to go. But others will I am sure weigh in with thoughts. But I think you need to give your system a break for a while and let it get a bit more stable. I have just done a post today which will help explain what is going on, and with a man of many questions, I think you would do well to have a read;

 

https://www.cymbalta...wal-great-read/

[fishinghat]

"So you have only been on Zoloft since the New Year - not even 3 weeks yet. I would give it time. I am into week 5 now of my Lexapro and just noticing it kick in... "

You hit the nail on the head with that IUN. Zoloft, I would give it at least 4 or 5 weeks before looking to increase it.

[Axlejames]

hey everyone just wanted to try and post here so far everything seems to be going OK not great or fine by any means just OK i am dealing with some existential depression and over thinking still and not sure where to go from here its like i have plateuaed but now i dont know where to go from here and everytime i want to make a decision i start thinking whats the point if were all gonna die anyways its sucks

[fishinghat]

How long since you came off AJ?

[invalidusername]

Good to hear from you AJ.

 

This sounds very familiar. I went through a phase of feeling very empty without reason - other times there was a reason, so I wouldn't put too much stock in your thinking at the moment. These drugs can really make you think and do stuff that just aren't you.

 

That aside, I am glad things are looking on an even keel. The tough bit now is the patience to see it better. 

 

Always here for you man.. well here and FB

[Axlejames]

Fish I came off around January 1st from Cymbalta went right on to zoloft I am still obsessivly thinking about death and existence and I keep giving in to searching out answers the thing is all the answers are the same some of the smartest people in the world people smarter than me believe in God and the afterlife and I ask myself why cant I. I dont think anymore that its a matter of what I believe its a matter of my wanting to just obsess and my anxiety wanting to keep me in angst and anxiety. Thats just an idea on my part. In any case I am battling anxiety and I know I just need to let it come but its hard I am person who normally likes structure and now its like i see structure like oh no same thing day in day out and i get depressed i want to stay busy but then i feel like if i stay busy ill miss something

[fishinghat]

Well, the good news is that you should be feeling the Zoloft a little  by now and it should be fully kicked in within a week or two..

[invalidusername]

Try not to beat yourself up too much AJ, this is still no you - it is your anxiety talking here. You should notice that it comes and goes as the days go on and should find it more easy to ignore.

 

And don't read intelligence into the whole belief thing. You are thinking of this in your own context. You are thinking clever people can fathom the stuff you are looking at answers for, but you know... deep down... the answers aren't there, so clever or not, it comes down to faith. Faith requires no such intellectual capacity...

[Axlejames]

Actually surprisingly this is very relatable i do go throughout the day and its like those thoughts creep in then i get anxiety but then sometimes i can just go about and not think so deeply about stuff. I want you all to know how greatful i am for you I know i say that a lot on here but I would be so lost if it werent for all of you. For some reason now when i even try to access the forum from my cell phone it says its temporarly down I did message the guy but he said its not something on the forums end it must be my cell phone so I dont get on here as much as I would like but know im always thinking of you all.