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[DuneAlia]

I am 22yrs old and have had nerve damage from unexplainable causes (the doctors THINK it's an unknown virus) which has put my life on hold for the past 3yrs. Just over a year ago I had an overdose/reaction to two medications (won't go into detail on how that came about but I will kill that doctor) and I was put in the hospital. I almost died in the hospital from reactions that I find very similar to the Cymbalta reaction being on and coming off, though on a much smaller scale. I am on this medication because you can't go through all the trauma that I have over the past three years (and the hospital was only one of many and can be called the "icing on the cake" at this point) without becoming depressed. I agree with that as I do have the symptoms and notice them myself but without any medication for anti-depression, anti-psychotic, and anti-anxiety from all this time I have managed to keep myself sane and have done much better than any doctor ever has. I only took this medication because I was tired of crying about once a month from stress in general (but I've been through hell and haven't yet fully made it back yet! Let me have a stress relief somewhere! It's the body's natural response!) and have white-coat syndrome (I have had that as a child but it skyrocketed after all this. Why wouldn't it?!) and being a bit too anti-social (if I were able to be around people without being hurt [nerve damage] or them afraid of hurting me and treating me like glass that would take care of it wouldn't it?). So, to get everyone off my back about being depressed and trying out the "miracle drug" (that they promised to help me with three years ago!) I decided to try it. For the record? I've been saying to doctors and my family that I don't want any drugs that mess with my head since the hospital. I am always right about this! LEAVE ME ALONE ABOUT IT!!!

I took it at night as it was told to me that most people like to sleep through the effects, at least at first. I had a reaction starting at 4am because that's when all my medication stops (because I sleep through that and then wake up and take the first dose of the day at 10am). I wanted to die I felt so bad and having literally been at death's door before it had to be something bad. By the way, nausea (feeling sick but not able to throw up) is not the same as vomiting (feeling sick AND throwing up). I'd rather vomit. I was seeing things, I couldn't lift my head, my body wouldn't respond to me, I was completely nauseous, dizzy, I couldn't tell if I was asleep or awake, I couldn't tell that it had been three hours instead of five minutes, my head hurt, my entire body was on fire and in excruciating pain, the bed was soaked all the way through with sweat. That was the first three hours and I couldn't even ask for help because it was impossible in every way to reach someone. The next day my eyes were so dilated I could see more in the dark than my cat (I'm not being sarcastic here, I'm being literal. That also happened to me before going to the hospital.) along with those symptoms. This went on for four days. THEN it STARTED to settle down. I was only dilated, dizzy, slightly nauseous, completely insecure, still too hot, still in too much pain, and still not lucid at night (I sleep from 3am to 12noon). THAT was after changing the taking of Cymbalta from 10pm to 10am. But there was a sick feeling that NEVER got better at all and in fact got worse. You know that tight, sick feeling you get in your chest, neck/throat, and mouth when you are ABOUT to throw up? I had that without being sick at all. I had that in the hospital and I knew that feeling well. If that feeling hadn't gotten better after 2 weeks (yes, 2 weeks of the above symptoms) then it WAS NOT going to get better.

I have gone through a LOT of medications, I have been addicted to Tylenol before and gone off of it 'cold turkey', going off of the medication I had a reaction to in the hospital had been cold turkey too and took a year to get as far as I have and I still have not fully recovered from that, and have had an overdose of vitamins too so I am not an amateur at going through this. I am on multiple medications and even more vitamins to help with my nerve damage. After this I will NEVER say yes to anything to mess with my mind again (which is what I first told them!!!). So far my reactions to coming down off of this medication is almost worse than being on it, I'm use to that but this is more intense than usual.

Just last night I had a reaction like the first night but I'm weening off of it. That was day 5 and should not have been that severe or intense no matter how you look at it. My mother has been sleeping in my room next to me for three weeks (the house has also been in black-out for that long because my eyes are still dilated) and I really needed her last night but I couldn't reach her. I knew she was there even while I was delirious but my body wouldn't listen to me so I couldn't ask for help even though she was a foot away. That is terrifying. I've been through some of thee most terrifying situations in life in only the last three years and that ranked up there no matter how small it was. I know that I was physically able to reach her but my mind wouldn't let me and that was the result of the Cymbalta. That is not okay and I can't do that for five more weeks.

After reading this and all it's ranting which I swear is all true is there anyone with any advise that does not have to do with: lower the dosage, every other day, talk to your doctor, try an herb/vitamin/medication/acupuncture/etc. I know that sounds rude but except for the acupuncture (after you've been through a specific test with needles you wouldn't be able to do it either!) I've done everything on that list.

[nursedeborah]

Well since this subject was already there I will just use it for what I need to talk about today.
I don't see any of you this am, and that makes me feel so alone, as I really need all of you.


This is day 3 of the Prozac 20 mg, and day 2 of Cymbalta 30. I had a well it felt like a heart
aattact yesterday, and I just laid down, and didn't efven turn on the TV. I woke up a few
hours later, and was just so tired.

All I did the rest of the day was to sleep off and on as I just had no energy at all. Then I got
some real awful anxiety as it was getting late, almost time to go to sleep. I had to take my
Xanax.

I know I am going through withdrawls, but I also think I am stressing myelf out by thinking
that I will have more heavy withdrawls in a few days because I went down to 30 mg from
40 mg minus 35 beads. I am not really feeling anything yet, but it's like I am freaking myself
out over the maybe's.

I know the last time I did a drop it took about 6 days before I really felt it, so I guess that's what
I am in fear of it hitting me all of a sudden, or my having more Panic Attacks, oh and I had more
pains in my chest last night too, just not as bad as the ones in the am.

Relax, and stop thinkg so negative is so easy to say when your feeling scared, but I do have to tell
myself that. I do need to talk to the withdrawls, and also start thinking, and talking positive!!!

Please bearr with me rightnow as I do feel like scared aboutall of this. Also I am back to being a
slug, just no energy, come on Prozac kick in please. Talk about just being afraid I am stuck like this
please telll me it will not be forever.

Debbie