36 replies to this topic

[Cecile]

Is there anyone going cold turkey right now???? I'm on my 9th day being cold turkey after weaning off for almost 1month. with my Dr. and i absoultly feel like i'm going to die with all these side effects!!!!!! I feel like i'm going to have a seisure, or a stroke or i'm going into shock!!!!!!! my body feels this way.. DOES ANYONE FEEL LIKE THIS GOING COLD TURKEY????????? This site is the only site that makes me feel normal...i feel outcasted..against the world. And I only have one wish and only one wish! and that is to be normal and without this Cymbalta...I want my life back again........

PLEASE.Write back!!!!!

Cecile

[tiredofcymbalta]

I feel that way. I am down to one pill a week and I can tell when it's time. If I am late taking it, I feel like my body is going to go into a seizure, I have never had one before but if that's what it feels like then well....

I hate it. I cry and cry and cry because it scares me, I just want the side effects to stop!

[Sandlion]

Hi Cecile,

Yes, I felt JUST like that when I went cold turkey -- so incredibly ill in body and brain, I could not imagine ever feeling well again. HANG IN THERE -- you're on your way to being Cymbalta-free. People's experiences differ, but for me, the symptoms started to reduce somewhat by Day 10 and the worst of it was over by Day 14, although I still had occasional brain zaps for a few more weeks after that. Be kind to yourself and know for sure that this terrible ordeal will pass, and when it does you'll feel like yourself again.

My thoughts are with you,
Sandlion

[nursedeborah]

Cec,
You did not go cold turkey, you had a weaning process that your doc gave you.
What you still having is just he withdrawls. I would call my doctor, and tell him
what your going through, and maybe just go down more slowly.

It does not make you a failure to have to go off this as slow as you need to, it's
not your doc who has to feel how awful you feeling.

Don't put your poor self through all of this.

Love,
Debbie

[MaureenV]

Cece, I agree with Debbie.


If you're to get help from another doctor you must stop saying you went cold turkey - you didn't - you went through an ill-advised and inappropriate wean. There's every chance if you DID go cold turkey you may be feeling better now than you do.

What you were advised to do was not better or worse than cold turkey, just a different type of bad.


For example, if you DO find a new doctor, here's an example of how your conversation might go:

Cecile: I was take off Cymbalta cold turkey and now I feel terrible.

Doctor: ah, cold turkey is no good this is what I want you to do, start taking some again, then follow this system of weaning. (the same as you had last time.)

C: But I tried that before and that's what the problem is now.

D: But I thought you said you went cold turkey.

C: Yes I did.

D: But you've just said you've tried weaning off.

C: I did. Then I went cold turkey.

D: ?????????????????????????


Can you see what I mean?


When you find a new doctor, you shouldn't mention the words 'cold turkey' - it doesn't apply to you.
Cold Turkey means taking 30mg every single day, then one day just stopping.

When you find a new doctor, you tell them that the weaning system you were put on has probably been as bad, and perhaps worse THAN cold turkey.

If I can also be so bold as to say that when you do find a new doctor, don't criticize the old one - he only did what the drug company tells him to - if you criticize him, the new doctor will almost automatically be defensive. You can just say that he was adamant it was the only way to go, and that it wasn't right for you.

take care, Maureen.

[Cecile]

Maureen,
yes, i did mention already that i was weaning off for 1month acctually to be exact!! it was only 3 weeks!! cause not even on the 4th week the dr. wanted me to stop taking anything..I haven't tookin Cymb since Sep. 16 I started weaning on Aug. 25th...

Yes, i have made a new appointment with a new Pych/doctor next week it took me 1 week to get in!! and no i will try not to put the other dr. down...I just want a good dr. to help me and if this one doen't either then on to the next!!! It's been 10 days for me and my Side effects are sill bad!!

Maureen what do you think about Sandlion?? what he posted.. do u think it's true after 10 days he left better?
(Just asking) for a opinion to Maureen no one get offended please thank you!!!!! and no one says danilion is lieing!!!! thank you!!!
Cecile

[Cecile]

Sandlion

You went absioultly cold turkey?? because i was weaning off for almost 1month...and i haven't been on Cymb ever since...From Aug. 25th to Sep. 16th and i haven't been on anything since and i have really bad side effects right now!! shouldn't they be over by now?????? How many mg's were you on and for how long if u mind me asking??

Cece

[MaureenV]

Cecile everyone's different, that's why doctors shouldn't be treating us like we're out of some textbook, but AS individuals.


I got impatient, and instead of taking the last of my 6 x 10mg, split it into two and two 5mg for two days.


I did this because several days ago the brain zaps had virtually disappeared and the itchiness was not as bad. I went out and got the Omega 3 fish oil that's recommended and started taking the maximum dose.

Despite the fact that I've gone from a tiny 10mg to 5mg, and taking the fish oil, the brain zaps started up again!!!

Unbelievable that anyone can be so sensitive to such a small change. I figured I could either keep going with the 5mg or just stop and see what happens. If it gets any worse I'll start taking it again and keep going down.

There may well be plenty of people out there who have few symptoms. Remember those who have few symptoms are hardly going to bother checking it out on the internet are they?

cheers, Maureen.

[Sandlion]

Cecile,

Yes, I went cold turkey off 60mg/day. I had been on the drug for 6 months and decided to discontinue when I found that I was pregnant. My doctor advised the cold turkey method and told me that there would likely be no withdrawal symptoms. He was wrong about that -- the withdrawal symptoms were horrific and I have never been so ill and miserable in my life. To add to the misery, I worried that such a severe withdrawal must be affecting my developing baby; however, the doctor assured me that it would not affect the baby. All I can do is hope that is correct.

When I told the doctor how sick the withdrawal process was making me -- nightmares, sweating, severe vomiting to the point of not even being able to drink water (I survived on little more than crushed ice for one four-day period and could not travel in the car for several weeks because any movement induced more vomiting), intense migraines, brain zaps -- he said that if I wanted to, I could go back on a lower dose (30mg instead of 60) and taper down; he left the decision to me. At that point, having already found this website and read many of the threads, I decided that I was probably already going through the worst phase of cold turkey withdrawal and that, for the baby's sake and mine, I would rather not go back on the drug and have to withdraw all over again. Cymbalta is physically out of the system in about 6 days; how long your body misses the drug is, I am sure, influenced by many variable factors including how long you were taking it. For me, the most severe symptoms began to subside after Day 10 and were significantly better by Day 14. I still had occasional brain zaps for some weeks after that, especially if I had not eaten for some time and my blood sugar levels were allowed to get low.

My response to your post was intended as heartfelt encouragement while you go through what I know, from personal experience, is an excruciatingly difficult and painful process; I did NOT mean to imply that your timeline should mirror mine, and I am sorry to see that it has offended you. It helped me when I was in the midst of withdrawal to hear from others who had been through the process, just to know that it DOES end sometime. I responded to your post to provide encouragement; I did not post in order to pass judgement about tapering vs cold turkey, or to advocate one option over the other, nor did I imply that anyone's experience would or should follow the same timeline as mine.

I wish you, and all Cymbalta withdrawal sufferers, well.
Sandlion

[nursedeborah]

I reallly think it pretty bad when a person is talking about another openly! We are all here just to be
supportive of eachother, and not to judge.

If you have something you want to say to someone about some else, at least do it in a private message.
For goodness sakes we are having a hard enough time as it is, and then to have to read something like
that takes the safety of this place down a degree.

We are not a bunch of kids here, and if you can't act like a grown up, then keep your comments to your
self.

Guess you can tell I am a bit cranky, but again this place really means so much to me, and I need all your
support, and no games played with my head.

Debbie

[nursedeborah]

Cec,
Please do some searching on the internet as you still don't get this stuff really that well.
I am glad that Maurene is helping you, but we also need to be responsible for ourselves,
and to know all that's going on with us.

What does it matter about what another persons is saying how they did it, or how long
it took them.

Let's keep this a supportive site, and not talk about others. We are all here to just be
helpful as we are all in the same boat, and don't need any tension added to what we
are already going through.

Love,
Debbie

[Junior]

Cecile,

I have to agree with both Debbie and Maureen here. It's really not right to question whether what someone else is saying is true. Ask yourself, why would someone come to a site like this and lie? What would they gain from it? What you need to realise is that everybody's brain is 'wired' differently. We are NOT all the same and our responses to drugs are not all the same. Some people can get off these drugs easily, some people can't. For example, I was on Paxil for over 10 years and had no trouble dropping the dose from 40mg to 20mg (i weaned) then switching to a similar drug (another SSRI). All i felt was some late afternoon dizziness for 3 days. Some people take years getting off Paxil. Do you see my point?

When other people come here and talk about their experience, that is all it is, THEIR experience. It doesn't mean it will be the same for you.

I also suggest you settle the tone of your posts a bit. They come across as being somewhat hysterical. I don't think your hysterics, no matter how bad you are feeling, are going to help anyone. Least of all yourself. It is much better to just state how you are feeling and ask if anyone else is having the same experience. Let's keep things on an even keel here. We are ALL having a hard time. We ALL need support. And we ALL need to support each other.


Junior

[Houdi]

You guys have me at a loss for words.....Houdi

[Junior]

Why?

[Cecile]

Sandlion,
Thank you for the encouragment!! No i did not take ur post offensive!! I just was desprite to know when your side effecs subside because mine are killing me!! NO i didn't get offended not at all!!!!! : )) I want to get pregnat too! but i never will if i can't get off this drug..I hate it!! My GP actually told me it was ok to get pregnat on Cymbalta!! yeah right he dosn't know what he's taking about, and i want to find another GP!! My Pyh/Dr. Crazy too!!! putting me on this wean system for a month and i still feel sick!!!! what the hell's wrong with him!! what's wrong with me?? for being soo nieve for just being so desprite to get off this drug.. take care!! Ps. I never asked you to share ur story with me because some people are thinking i did and i didn't i just asked when did ur side effects subsided and some people are just freaking out!!! about that..I guess i'm not the only crazy one on this site!!! hahahaha!!

Debbie,
don't be soo angry, why are you mad at Sanlion's story she was just telling us she got off of Cymbalta pregnat....I feel sorry for her, because i would never want to be pregnat and have to go through these awefull side effects......and she decided ON HER OWN to tell her story all i asked was about how long her side effects lasted because mine are killing!!!! me..I guess debbie you wouldn't understand and quite trying to argue with me!! and don't tell me what "i can" and what "i can't" ask cause i can ask any question i want to!!!!!!!!!! it's there decision if they want to share there stories not mine honey!!!

Junior i don't even know why u have an opinion.....because my answer to u is the same as Debbie's.

God bless you both,
Cecile

[Junior]

Cecile

What is this?............. "I guess debbie you wouldn't understand and quite trying to argue with me!! and don't talk to me i can ask questions if i want to!!!!!!!!!!"

Debbie wouldn't understand? Debbie has done nothing but try to be supportive.

Quit trying to argue? I suggest you re-read her post. She's not arguing. She saw something she didn't like (you questioning whether what someone else said was actually true) and didn't like to see that sort of behaviour. Neither do I.

I can ask questions if I want to???? No one has said you can't. But talking like that isn't helping anyone. To be brutally honest, that comment sounds like it has come from an 8 year old. Even in withdrawal, I think it is reasonable to expect a bit more maturity from the members here.

Junior i don't even know why u have an opinion..... Cecile, three of us have seen something here and we are trying to nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand. Why do I have an opinion? I believe I have as much right to have an opinion as you do to ask questions. It is an open forum. And as I said above, I think it is reasonable to expect a bit of maturity from those who post here.

We understand that you are going through a hard time. We are ALL going through hard times. (I had to take sick leave today from a job I've only just started.) But I think it would a good idea for us all to be respectful toward one another. After all, that's what this site is all about - supporting and helping one another through our drug withdrawal.

Junior

[Cecile]

I never said someone was lieing or not?? what is ur problem JUNIOR????? and thanks a 8 year old what kind of encourgement is that!!!!!haha go to hell

[Junior]

Cecile

I copied this from one of your earlier posts:

"Maureen what do you think about Sandlion?? what he posted.. do u think it's true after 10 days he left better? Cecile"

The way that reads, you are questioning whether what Sandlion said was true or not. Debbie didn't like to see that and neither did I. I'm sorry if that offends you but it is what YOU said.

As I said earlier, we are ALL going through a hard time here. Not just you. So how about treating the rest of us with a bit of respect?

Junior

[Cecile]

ALL i asked was for Maureens opinion!!!!! I never said she was lieing!!!!!!!!

I have little energy to argue with u Junior..I have been off Cymbalta for 11 days completly!! fighting my side effects i don't know about you, but i don't want to argue anymore with you i will try to keep mine and maureens conversation away from you..

Good nite...

[Cecile]

Houdi
I think i know what you mean!!!!!! exactly what you mean!!!

Cecile

[Junior]

Cecile, you can't see anything wrong with questioning the truth behind someone's statement? When you didn't ask them personally? Don't you think that is unfair on the person?

As for your comment about 11days of withdrawal... perhaps I should remind you that YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE HERE WHO IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH WITHDRAWAL.

Out of respect for other people here.. I will stop there.

[Cecile]

I'm not disrespecting anyone your the only one with the problem when i say i'm off cymbalta, I know i'm not the only one getting off this med's so get off my back already!! and again!!! what is ur Problem??!!! Cymbalta must have done some serious damage to ur brain already poor poor sausage... Dont ever speak to me again!!!! You must like to bring the ugly out of people..like seriously.

[Junior]

Cymbalta must have done some damage to my brain???????

That is a horrible thing to say. I have tried to be respectful to you even if I've said a couple of things that have upset you. Sometimes things need to be said and I am a person who is not afraid to do so.

For your information, I have experienced some very rough times in my life. You've mentioned how much you want to have a baby - well I've endured SEVEN FAILED ATTEMPTS ON IVF. The one child I did manage to have happens to have autism and intellectual disability. That particular period of my life (throughout the 90s basically) was extremely difficult for me. But no, I don't get any joy out of as you put it 'like to bring the ugly out of people'. Quite the opposite in fact. After all that I went through, I got the appropriate therapy, put myself back together and went back to school. At the age of 37. I've tried very hard to put my past behind me, move on, and do something of value with my life. To that end I now have a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in psychology, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Psychology. My original aim was to be a counselling psychologist but it would cost a lot of money to do a Masters and it's not fair on my family. So I put that idea to one side, we moved house so we can accommodate our son's long term needs, took a holiday, then I started looking for a job - in the mental health field. So no, I DON'T enjoy trying to bring other people down. That is not my style at all. In fact what I have tried to do is to find a way to express the desire to nurture that I have inside of me and that can't be lavished upon my son.



I am also not only withdrawing from Cymbalta. I'm not sure whether there were probs with me coming off Aropax (Paxil) 6 months ago or not as I went straight on to Lexapro - but I suspect what I'm feeling now has a lot to do with the Lexapro withdrawal. So my experience is probably not quite as 'straight forward' (as in there is more than one drug involved) as yours.

[Sandlion]

This site was a godsend when I was in the worst of withdrawal and here I received much positive support; information that helped me arrive at answers to my questions; and kind thoughts from generous people, for which I was and remain profoundly grateful. I'm well now and in a good place and I don't look at the site every day -- but I check it from time-to-time in case there are other pregnant women who come on looking for information and support, as I figure my experience will be most helpful and relevant to them. When I read Cecile's post about "Does anyone feel like they're going to die" it struck a chord as I remember feeling that way, and I answered in the spirit of letting her know that she was not alone and the worst does pass.

I'm distressed at the breakdown of civil communications in this thread and the idea that I have contributed to such a breakdown in any way with my responses. I apologize unreservedly if anything that I have said here has caused anyone pain or offense -- that is definitely NOT my intention. We were all on Cymbalta for a reason, so it stands to reason that withdrawal is not the only problem in life that we are having to struggle with; I don't want to contribute to a conversation that deliberately seeks to inflict harm on others, involves verbal abuse or attempts to belittle or demean others.

To everyone who is struggling through withdrawal, I offer my sincerest best wishes for a speedy recovery. Thanks for the kind thoughts and support that I have received, and I want to try and give some of that back in whatever small way I can.

[nursedeborah]

Sandlion,
You have done nothing wrong at all, and I have made some statements already regarding this person, and how she is talking about others
here on this site.
I just now found this, this am and I am grateful that someone else feels the same as I do about it.

I came here for support, and not to be judged, and question about my dose, lenght of time on this drug, if what I am saying is true or not.

Again!!! You didn't start this at all. Don't own this. I feel this person is causing more harm than good just being here.

Nothing like this has ever happened before, until she arrived, and none of us need this kind of stress, we are going through enough right now.


Love,
Debbie

[nursedeborah]

Junior,
I totally agree with you, and have seen many posts by this person that are alarming.
I didn't come here to have someone doubt, or question my time on the drug, withdrawl
symptoms, and to talk about others.

This has not been like this until she got here, and it's truly very sad.
We are all going through so much right now, add our personal lives
that it only adds to it all. I don't think this is right, nor should it be
allowed.

Isn't there something in the terms, and agreements when you join that say
you can't behave like this? I think something needs to change.

I have seen many of this person pots, and they are very upsetting, and now
arre causing another harm, and to feel responsible.

I am so sorry to hear all that's going on with you, and what has been in the past.
Just know I am here for you, and always will be.

Lets all band together, and keep supporting eachother!

Love,
Debbie

[nursedeborah]

Cec,
I think it's just awful the way your bashing others here, and doubting what they say they are going through.
I know I have already writen something to you, but then I see what you wrote to another in this form, and
I just can't believe your behaviors, and words.

Yes we are all sensitive right now, and can say it's just the withdrawls that's causing us to act like this, but
if you willl notice, your the only one who is doing so, and why?

Why do you talk about others, dobut them or say they couldn't have been on it that long, or that they were
not on that dose. If a person says something, then that's what it was for them. Why do you need to question
it.

Let's just all get along here, and go back to being loving, and supportive, ok?

Love,
Debbie

[Cecile]

I believe i have not cause no harm here. I'm coming off Cymbalta and I'm staying on this site!!!!!!! so too bad i'm not leaving.

-Sandlion- I apologize if i offended you in any way, becuase some people can't get over it here on this site. But i honestly i turely do apologize. Also, I wrote you a message please read it!!

Cecile

[Cecile]

we can't tell you how long the side effects will last because everyone is different, but my side effects have lasted longger than i expected and I'm going throuh alot pain just as you are.... soo hang in there we are all going through this too just like you!!! :)

Cecile

[Cecile]

rrmag123
You might want to ask -Maureen- that question she comes on this site here and there. because she is more knowlagebel in that area..then i'am..