![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 648 to 672 of 696. Go back in thread:
Posted by deltmen on February 24, 2008, at 0:06:35
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal - Publicity » Troy Tempest, posted by moesje on October 15, 2007, at 14:19:36
1) This board needs an update. It seems it was made years ago...
I might suggest PHPBB: free, open source, and secure.I've been browsing Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms for months now with this forum appearing on numerous occasions, and Ive finally been able to quit about a week ago.
Ill share my experience first, and then for those who might be interested go into some finer points about this drug, life, physcatrists, and drug manufactures.
I am currently about a week into my withdrawal, and from what I've read I can expect it to go on for at least 3 to 6 weeks. I had been on 90mg for about a year and a few months. I first tried (months ago) to go off on a rapid taper over 2 weeks. I had not really experienced withdrawal symptoms like this before. This is an extremely dangerous medication as far as I am concerned. After experiencing first hand the intense and sickening withdrawal side effects mentioned in so many of these posts about Cymbalta Withdrawal, I consulted my physiatrist again and agreed to go on a much more shallow taper. I seemed to be stable at 60mg after this initial taper, and so I began a long and arduous schedule involving a prescription of 20mgs. I went from 60 to 50 to 40 to 30 to 20 in six weeks. During this time I also went briefly back on wellbutrin (to quit smoking). I had been on wellbutrin before as an anti depression and had noticed first hand the smoking cessation side effect that it has. I successfully quit smoking and quit wellbutrin (it gave me severe anger issues, an extreme and unpleasant side effect of taking the drug that I did not have while taking Zoloft as well). I had been smoke free for about a 2 weeks when the timeline for my Cymbalta taper had come to the end. I attempted to quit at 20mg, and had the horrible side effects return, and after consulting with my phys once again I began another taper period. 20 mg to 10mg to 5 mg by splitting the 20mg caps by hand and pouring out however many dots I estimated for my dose.. One can do the applesauce thing as well. So for 1 week I went back to 20mg to stabilize, then for 2 weeks I poured out half the cap, and for another 2 weeks I discarded a good amount (leaving about 5mg for a dose). After two failed attempts, over 10 weeks, I was finally quit this at 5mg. While I had the side effects they were diminished, but still very real.
The first two days I was ok (in fact I was kind of hyper manic: I actually organized my entire possessions, changed my diet, and began an exercise program.) The third day I began to have extreme dizziness, mood swings, and faintness when standing. From day 3 to day 7 (now) Ive had a persistent dizzy spell when moving or standing still, looking left or right, and a general flu like sickness feeling (THAT DOESNT GO AWAY). Today I actually had a 4 hour period where I had extremely low energy (similar in my experience to a hypoglycemic reaction).
I would like to thank all those who have shared on this forum and elsewhere their experiences with this drug, it has helped me finally rid myself of it. To those searching this forum and suffering from the withdrawal side effects I urge you to
1) TAPER SLOWLY, take your time. Take 1 4 weeks between mg switches. DO NOT do the every other day thing, this is not tapering and is bad for you. DO feel free to open a capsule and swallow parts the white dots with milk, applesauce, whatever, if you have to get a lower dose than 20mg.
2) Do not despair. You will have side effects if you find your body chemistry is prone to the scary and sickening withdrawal side effects of Cymbalta.
3) Try to exercise when you are feeling down or flu like, I have found this can help. Drink water. It is not actually the flu that makes you feel bad, it is this drug. Exercise through the bad feeling, the chemicals you release through physical activity will help your body regain normalcy through natural healthy means.
4) Do take it easy when under Cymbalta withdraw as if you were actually sick with the flu or Cold (not just feeling sick). Over-stimulation can happen a lot easier and cause a lot more discomfort than you are used to. The drug has altered your body, and you are altering it back, take it easy on yourself and your body.
5) Keep a positive attitude, an open mind, and know that you are not alone in this struggle.Keep in mind I am NO DOCTOR, I am sharing what has helped me and what I have read has helped others. But you may also find, as I have, that physiatrists are baffling ignorant to the withdrawal symptoms of this drug.
By the way, the doctor that prescribed this for me I now realize was a complete (censored explicative(s) here), it was no wonder he was not covered by my medical insurance (yeah I paid out of pocket)
Onto crazed ravings
I found a site somewhere out there in internet world that expressed the anger, frustration, and general sickness I felt about this drug. These are blogs about Cymbalta.
http://www.whatwinnersdo.com/severe-cymbalta-withdrawal-symptoms/
This is my favorite from thebipolarview.wordpress.com:
http://thebipolarview.wordpress.com/2007/04/15/cymbalta-sucks-*ss-eli-lilly-executives-are-*ss*s/If these addresses do not work for whatever reason (if you are searching this forum in 2015 and find the addresses are outdated and 404) go to google.com and type in Cymbalta withdrawal sucks, you may find something out there.
Now. I am very, very, very, very, very, very pissed off after this experience. Thankfully it has made me stronger, and more informed as a patient, of which I should have been in the first place. I am off all antidepressant medications after 5 years of error I would say trial and error but in reality these medications are (in my opinion) just a giant mistake.
I have read that Eli Lilly sells some of their drugs to phys docs making them sign agreements that the doctors will not go over the withdrawal side effects with their patients and other bullshippot like that. Whether this is true or not, I dont care. I know from my experience, and many others I have found online, (and of course the dead who do not speak go ahead and Google Cymbalta test suicide, look for a story about a college woman under quick withdrawal) anyways from my experience I know that the doc that put me on this shet didnt know, or WAS NOT TELLING, about the social-political mud that surrounds this medication, or the withdrawal side effects. The doctor I quit this stuff with did not know about the elongated taper that is needed for some when coming off this drug. There is something very, very, wrong with this. Doctors prescribing medication they know little about.
I am surprised there has not been a class action lawsuit. I assume any hint of such a thing has been squashed by the money behind pharmaceuticals and their law firms. But Im mad: at the system, psychiatrists in general, pharmaceutical companies, and the government over this issue. Im not the only one.
If I was Eli Lilly, a bad Physiatrist, or a corrupt government agency that was meant to protect people, especially depressed or pained people at risk, from bad Physiatrists or Pharmaceutical companies, if I was any of those things: I would pray to the gods, (god) that a series of law suits held me responsible legally binding. I would pray that the effort I didnt spend making sure my drug or drug recommendation was a good one, would have been spent defending myself against those I harmed, and that that effort (call this Karma) would have been used up until nothing was left except a memory of what once was. I would pray for forgiveness from those I harmed because if that did not happen, an agony far worse would await me. This agony would not be monitored by the fines and jail times from a court of law. This agony would be from the billions of lives I harmed crying for justice in a world where no justice was given.
Of course Im still withdrawing from their drugs at the moment. All this can simply be considered an insane ranting by a poor anonymous internet ex drug junkie. But if Karma does exist, I hope we all get ours.
Posted by ethoma1 on February 26, 2008, at 8:12:49
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by Jenny10 on January 19, 2008, at 1:19:33
If I had known that Cymbalta was so addictive, I would never have started it. I was not depressed -I actually took it for anxiety, though now I think my hormones are just off-balance and anxiety was not an issue.
I have been on it for about 5 months. Once I tried to quit taking it because I didn't want to cough up the money to refill it. I got through about 4 days that time. I tried again and took my last pill last Saturday. Today makes the 10th day Cymbalta-free! Of course I ran into a couple of walls and even fell down in my boss's office while talking to him. :) I had the dizziness and terrible headaches. Some brain zaps, but not many. I think I refer to them as dizziness, though. I felt great this past Saturday and was out and about with my child. Yesterday and today I guess I have the itches I've read about. They do not really itch - it just feels like something is tickling my skin and I have to scratch. I am usually an insomniac, so I welcome the fatigue - I look forward to going to bed knowing I will get a full 8-9 hours of sleep! Though right now it seems that sleep is all I live for. :) I guess that will go away eventually.
I am glad I found this board and see that I am not in this alone.
Posted by EMTLADY on March 14, 2008, at 20:31:51
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by Jenny10 on January 19, 2008, at 1:19:33
I have been on cymbalta for a year and a half. They have moved me up to 120mg! I'm tired of the automatic push to a psychiatrist that I get when I go to see any new doctor or hospital, etc. It doesn't work anymore anyway so I'm going off of it. I've heard of the horrid withdraw, but have yet to see anyone on as high of a dose as I am on. I'm only 22, I'm not bipolar, I was only supposed to be on it temp after I had a really bad car wreck and became semi depressed. As I've read through the threads it's almost like I'm having some of the withdraw symptoms (that I was about about to be tested for MS for) and I haven't even gone off it yet, it makes you wonder. Any advise? I don't know if I should just do it, make my own capsules and then tell my doctor afterwards, or if I should tell her first.
Any suggestions on any of this?
Thanks
Posted by tennisplayer on March 15, 2008, at 15:50:39
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by EMTLADY on March 14, 2008, at 20:31:51
>I would say probably tell your doctor, but definitely start your getting off of it. It definitely is better to do it in a tapering fashion. On thing I read said you need to taper one month at least for every year you have been on it, but please get advice from a doctor who has tapered someone before if you can. I was at 60 mg, and sleeping almost round the clock when I was on mine. good luck.
> I have been on cymbalta for a year and a half. They have moved me up to 120mg! I'm tired of the automatic push to a psychiatrist that I get when I go to see any new doctor or hospital, etc. It doesn't work anymore anyway so I'm going off of it. I've heard of the horrid withdraw, but have yet to see anyone on as high of a dose as I am on. I'm only 22, I'm not bipolar, I was only supposed to be on it temp after I had a really bad car wreck and became semi depressed. As I've read through the threads it's almost like I'm having some of the withdraw symptoms (that I was about about to be tested for MS for) and I haven't even gone off it yet, it makes you wonder. Any advise? I don't know if I should just do it, make my own capsules and then tell my doctor afterwards, or if I should tell her first.
> Any suggestions on any of this?
> Thanks
>
Posted by Troy Tempest on March 16, 2008, at 14:40:01
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by EMTLADY on March 14, 2008, at 20:31:51
I was on Cymbalta for about 2 years, up to 90mg. I came down to 60 for 6 months, then 30 for 3 months, then 15 for a month. It was okay until I came right off it - a month of misery and almost 3 months before I really felt free of it.
Take it VERY slowly! You might be lucky and have mild or no withdrawal effects, but then again...
TT
> I have been on cymbalta for a year and a half. They have moved me up to 120mg! I'm tired of the automatic push to a psychiatrist that I get when I go to see any new doctor or hospital, etc. It doesn't work anymore anyway so I'm going off of it. I've heard of the horrid withdraw, but have yet to see anyone on as high of a dose as I am on. I'm only 22, I'm not bipolar, I was only supposed to be on it temp after I had a really bad car wreck and became semi depressed. As I've read through the threads it's almost like I'm having some of the withdraw symptoms (that I was about about to be tested for MS for) and I haven't even gone off it yet, it makes you wonder. Any advise? I don't know if I should just do it, make my own capsules and then tell my doctor afterwards, or if I should tell her first.
> Any suggestions on any of this?
> Thanks
>
Posted by tennisplayer on March 20, 2008, at 15:33:03
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by Troy Tempest on March 16, 2008, at 14:40:01
> I was on Cymbalta for about 2 years, up to 90mg. I came down to 60 for 6 months, then 30 for 3 months, then 15 for a month. It was okay until I came right off it - a month of misery and almost 3 months before I really felt free of it.
>
> Take it VERY slowly! You might be lucky and have mild or no withdrawal effects, but then again...
>
> TT
>
>
> > I have been on cymbalta for a year and a half. They have moved me up to 120mg! I'm tired of the automatic push to a psychiatrist that I get when I go to see any new doctor or hospital, etc. It doesn't work anymore anyway so I'm going off of it. I've heard of the horrid withdraw, but have yet to see anyone on as high of a dose as I am on. I'm only 22, I'm not bipolar, I was only supposed to be on it temp after I had a really bad car wreck and became semi depressed. As I've read through the threads it's almost like I'm having some of the withdraw symptoms (that I was about about to be tested for MS for) and I haven't even gone off it yet, it makes you wonder. Any advise? I don't know if I should just do it, make my own capsules and then tell my doctor afterwards, or if I should tell her first.
> > Any suggestions on any of this?
> > Thanks
> >
>The slow, extended taper followed by Troy Tempest seems to be the safest thing to do. This is the only antidepressant or drug of any kind that has given me the severe withdrawal symptoms once I quit it completely, but they have been very severe. You will be able to make it through that time though. It is not unbearable, especially when you know you will get to the end of it. I am now free of those withdrawal symptoms completely. It took me 4-1/2 months once I completely quit the Cymbalta, and I had tapered over a two month period before that. What really surprised me was how much it affected appetite, blood pressure, cholesterol level, as well as the mental and emotional aberrations. I believe the antidepressants which not only inhibit serotonin reuptake but also inhibit norepinephrine reuptake cause the most severe physical and mental withdrawal problems. I think Effexor falls in this group, and possibly some others. Good luck. You will make it and you will be so glad. Not that I don't still have some problems, but at least I don't sleep 16 hrs a day like I did when I was on it, or interact hostilely with people and have sky high blood pressure like I did when I tried to come off it. Every day I see new ads for candidates to take experimental antidepressant drugs. I wonder if any new theory has been introduced or if they still operate on the chemical imbalance theory, which doesn't seem to be true, or at least the way that they are trying to change that imbalance doesnt work at this point any better than placebo tablets work.
>
Posted by 49er on March 29, 2008, at 16:26:26
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by Troy Tempest on March 16, 2008, at 14:40:01
Hi,
I want to stress again that tapering needs to be done very slowly.
The recommended tapering dose on the Paxil Progress Boards is 10% of the current dose every 3 to 6 weeks.I am using a digital jewelry scale that you can purchase on Ebay to measure my Remeron doses. It is working well.
With cymbalta, I assume you take powder out of the capsule and then measure it? Sorry I have never taken it.
If you don't want to measure your doses, you can get your prescription filled at a local compound pharmacy for the doses that won't be filled at your local drugs store. But insurance coverage might be tricky.
But find a way to slow your taper because if you don't, there will be h--l to pay.
Good luck as my heart goes out to anyone who is suffering.
49er
Posted by Scooter1908 on March 29, 2008, at 17:46:39
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by 49er on March 29, 2008, at 16:26:26
I wrote on 2-11-08 when I first went off Cymbalta.I thought the head zapping would drive me insane. I'm happy to say that six weeks later there has been a great improvement. It's still happening, but not very often. So please don't give up. There is hope. I'm still depressed, but I don't have the nerve to try another antidepressant. I think Cymbalta should be taken off the market. I wrote to the FDA and told them about all the symptoms I was having. I don't know if that did any good, but it made me feel better.Don't give up hope. As time goes by it does get better. Good luck to everybody that is having a hard time coming off this poison.
Posted by 49er on March 30, 2008, at 7:04:06
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by Scooter1908 on March 29, 2008, at 17:46:39
> I wrote on 2-11-08 when I first went off Cymbalta.I thought the head zapping would drive me insane. I'm happy to say that six weeks later there has been a great improvement. It's still happening, but not very often. So please don't give up. There is hope. I'm still depressed, but I don't have the nerve to try another antidepressant. I think Cymbalta should be taken off the market. I wrote to the FDA and told them about all the symptoms I was having. I don't know if that did any good, but it made me feel better.Don't give up hope. As time goes by it does get better. Good luck to everybody that is having a hard time coming off this poison.
Hi Scooter,I am glad to hear you are doing better.
Kudos to you for writing the FDA. It can't hurt.
As one who is tapering off of all my meds after being on them since 1995, personally, I think you are making a good decision in not trying another AD. I know that isn't the popular thing to say on this board. However, because these meds have caused extreme devastation in my life, I don't want anyone else to suffer.
Have you tried fish oil capsules? It is alot of trial and error but when you get the right doseage, I think it can be helpful.
Good luck.
49er
Posted by cmi on March 30, 2008, at 18:27:42
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by tennisplayer on March 15, 2008, at 15:50:39
I have just recently lost my job which meant I lost my insurance. I have been on Cymbalta for at least three or four years. Of course now with no insurance I am unable to afford it. I am having bad vertigo and I am very numb, I can't even feel my lips at times. Does anyone know of a natural remedy (besides alcohol :)) to help me through this until I can afford insurance?
Posted by Scooter1908 on March 30, 2008, at 20:01:28
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by cmi on March 30, 2008, at 18:27:42
> I have just recently lost my job which meant I lost my insurance. I have been on Cymbalta for at least three or four years. Of course now with no insurance I am unable to afford it. I am having bad vertigo and I am very numb, I can't even feel my lips at times. Does anyone know of a natural remedy (besides alcohol :)) to help me through this until I can afford insurance?
I came off Cymbalta because of the cost also. I don't plan on ever going back on an anti depressant again because of the horrifying withdrawal symptoms. If you need help paying for the prescriptions there are a couple toll free numbers you can try. 1-800-821-0538 and 1-800-545-6962. Eli Lilly helped me for awhile. Maybe you could get on another med instead of Cymbalta that is cheaper if they don't help you. If you decide to stay off antidepressants like I did, the symptoms do ease up. Don't give up hope. I wish you the best of luck.
Posted by Scooter1908 on March 30, 2008, at 20:15:11
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by cmi on March 30, 2008, at 18:27:42
Hello 49er, Thanks for the suggestion about fish oil capsules. I've never heard about them before. Do you use them for the withdrawal symptoms or for the depression? Best of luck to you.
Posted by cmi on March 30, 2008, at 20:18:37
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by Scooter1908 on March 30, 2008, at 20:15:11
Did that work for you?
> Hello 49er, Thanks for the suggestion about fish oil capsules. I've never heard about them before. Do you use them for the withdrawal symptoms or for the depression? Best of luck to you.
Posted by tunguska on April 1, 2008, at 12:17:26
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by tennisplayer on March 20, 2008, at 15:33:03
I'm hearing its a long road but I'm starting to realize from these posts that I should h ave toughed it out when I tried before. I was having pain I can only compare to when I had mono 20 years ago - oh great another assault on my liver! The blurring of vision is gone - thought it was my age. My blood sugar levels are currently normal. I'm sleeping a lot more but I'm not worried, what I'm going through woould make anyone tired. I am able to work and play productively and the person who convinced me that I was the one with a problem is still an *ss.
Posted by tunguska on April 1, 2008, at 12:32:08
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by Scooter1908 on March 29, 2008, at 17:46:39
All these side effects, I just keep telling everyone, and myself "its the flu" and its funny how with some concentration you can accept and dismiss some really awful stuff if you make it into something its not...this is how I got here anyway. My husband who I think has suffered from depression as long as I've known him lad a family member with cancer (at the same time I had a family member dx'd with cancer) and he was so overcome that everything fell to me, I mean everything, work child rearing, etc. While he was doing nothing but sleeping and feeling sorry for himself I was exhausted...a practioner told me it was menopausal symptoms and offered me lexapro to "take the edge off". 10 months later the pounding headaches and the fact that my husband still hadn't done anything about his problem had me believing HIM when he told me I was a problemed person so I allowed another practioner (the first one had disappeared) to prescribe Cymbalta to take care of the so called annxiety I was having when I tried to give up the lexapro because of the headaches...and here we are today. The whole time I was saying but I don't feel depressed, or particularly anxious for that matter, except this stuff makes my headaches MUCH worse.
So if I could actually be dumb enough to believe taking cymbalta would cure my husband's depression I can get off it by convincing myself these side effects are the flu, why not?
Posted by 49er on April 5, 2008, at 11:55:45
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by Scooter1908 on March 30, 2008, at 20:15:11
> Hello 49er, Thanks for the suggestion about fish oil capsules. I've never heard about them before. Do you use them for the withdrawal symptoms or for the depression? Best of luck to you.
Hi,
Sorry for the late response.
I use them for both. Unfortunately, I am hesitant to recommend a brand because depending on where I am in my withdrawal, different ones are more effective.
What I would do is go go http://www.vistacost.com and do a search on fish oil capsules. Read the reviews of the ones that are highly rated.
49er
Posted by adutchrose on April 17, 2008, at 14:08:14
In reply to Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by Regina on March 3, 2005, at 16:37:18
ok signing up for this site was a major pain in the *ss but maybe it's just me since I am experiencing major side effects from Cymbalta. I have been taking it for about 3-4 weeks now and yesterday I almost fell over because of my balance. Also, I take Ambian CR at night and I knock out so bad my husband almost can't wake me up. If I have only been taking it that short of time do you think I will have major withdrawals? I am really concerned after reading this thread.
Posted by Troy Tempest on April 17, 2008, at 22:26:35
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by adutchrose on April 17, 2008, at 14:08:14
Interesting that you mention about your balance problem - I found a similar thing, but it did clear up after quitting Cymbalta. A long time after - about 4 months.
It was particularly worrying for me, as a pre-requisite for my private pilots licence medical is to be able to demonstrate the ability to balance!
TT
> ok signing up for this site was a major pain in the *ss but maybe it's just me since I am experiencing major side effects from Cymbalta. I have been taking it for about 3-4 weeks now and yesterday I almost fell over because of my balance. Also, I take Ambian CR at night and I knock out so bad my husband almost can't wake me up. If I have only been taking it that short of time do you think I will have major withdrawals? I am really concerned after reading this thread.
Posted by adutchrose on April 18, 2008, at 9:08:32
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal » adutchrose, posted by Troy Tempest on April 17, 2008, at 22:26:35
please don't tell me it's going to take that long to get my balance back! How long were you taking it for? I decided to quit cold turkey since I have only taken for 3-4 weeks. I already feel more clear today. This is really hard though because I have a job that I have already missed a week.
Posted by Bob on April 21, 2008, at 13:29:12
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by tennisplayer on February 14, 2008, at 10:21:24
> Scooter, Keep hanging in there. I also have severe chronic pain from interstitial cystitis, so I was interested in Cymbalta because it said it helped with pain as well as depression. Sadly it did not help me with either one, and had horrible sleeping-itis while on it, and nausea, insomnia etc. after trying to stop it.Does the "sleeping-itis" mean that Cymbalta actually caused you to sleep too much? What dose did you get up to?
Posted by tennisplayer on April 21, 2008, at 15:14:51
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal » tennisplayer, posted by Bob on April 21, 2008, at 13:29:12
>
> > Scooter, Keep hanging in there. I also have severe chronic pain from interstitial cystitis, so I was interested in Cymbalta because it said it helped with pain as well as depression. Sadly it did not help me with either one, and had horrible sleeping-itis while on it, and nausea, insomnia etc. after trying to stop it.
>
> Does the "sleeping-itis" mean that Cymbalta actually caused you to sleep too much? What dose did you get up to?Yes, when I was on the Cymbalta I started wanting to sleep all the time. Two hours after I got up I was crawling back in the bed, and just physically sleepy and yawning all the time. Not just the sleeping you sometimes do with depression. But neither the doctor nor I realized it ws the Cymbalta doing it. I have to take Lortabs for my severe chronic interstitial cystitis pain, so I was afraid maybe they had built up and were causing a sleepiness, but thankfully that was not the case. After I quit the Cymbalta I had a horrible period of withdrawal symptoms including nausea, insomnia, hyperactivity, hostility, non stop talking and pacing, etc. But it finally went away afer about 3 months and I settled back down to not being sleepy all the time but not being hyper either. I tried the neurostimulator implant for my I.C. pain, but it didn;t help much. I felt I had to try it though. So I still have to take Lortabs at daytime, and one oxycontin at nite. Thankfully the Lortabs don't make me sleepy or lethargic. At nite oxycontin does make me sleep but I don't mind it at night. I no longer trust any antidepressants, they don't seem to help with depression and they seem to have horrible side effects, especially the ones who claim to help with physical pain. They didn't help me with the pain either. Maybe there is some good in antidepresants for people who are suicidal or something, but generally I don't think staying on them long term is a good idea, and in my particular case I don't want to start using any of them at all ever again. I think exercise (I play a lot of tennis) which releases endorphins, helps my depression more than any antidepressant, as does meditation. And of course getting pain relief with the Lortabs helps a whole lot with keeping depression at bay. I just hate that I have to take a narcotic, and that I am no doubt addicted to it. Sometimes things become the lesser of two evils. Hang in there.
Posted by alycat on April 29, 2008, at 13:07:57
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by tennisplayer on April 21, 2008, at 15:14:51
Hi...Have been on 30mg for a little over a year now, went cold turkey about a week ago (thought I had another bottle, am disorganized and haven't sent in my mailorder scrip), and now I feel like crap. I have to laugh, cuz it's my own damn fault for not keeping on top of my med supply, not knowing abt. this w/drw business, and now realizing I don't want to be on this junk anymore. I have been on Prozac, Wellbutrin, Lexapro,and Cymbalta at different times over about a 15 year period, always with a "drug free" stint lasting up to 2 years before going on my next "fix". Never have I felt this lousy for this long coming off something. Driving is the worst for me, followed by moving my eyeballs too quickly...I know that sounds funny, but it's true. I do find exercise to be helpful, and I am hoping I can sweat this stuff out of my system quicker...is that possible? Also, I find my appetite to be insatiable...am I eating for comfort, or does my body really need it? So, I am at day 7...will this get worse, or better from here? It sure sounds like I have a long road ahead of me...ugh. I feel for everyone out there.
Posted by Bob on April 29, 2008, at 14:03:19
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by tennisplayer on April 21, 2008, at 15:14:51
> > Does the "sleeping-itis" mean that Cymbalta actually caused you to sleep too much? What dose did you get up to?
>
> Yes, when I was on the Cymbalta I started wanting to sleep all the time. Two hours after I got up I was crawling back in the bed, and just physically sleepy and yawning all the time. Not just the sleeping you sometimes do with depression. But neither the doctor nor I realized it ws the Cymbalta doing it. I have to take Lortabs for my severe chronic interstitial cystitis pain, so I was afraid maybe they had built up and were causing a sleepiness, but thankfully that was not the case. After I quit the Cymbalta I had a horrible period of withdrawal symptoms including nausea, insomnia, hyperactivity, hostility, non stop talking and pacing, etc. But it finally went away afer about 3 months and I settled back down to not being sleepy all the time but not being hyper either. I tried the neurostimulator implant for my I.C. pain, but it didn;t help much. I felt I had to try it though. So I still have to take Lortabs at daytime, and one oxycontin at nite. Thankfully the Lortabs don't make me sleepy or lethargic. At nite oxycontin does make me sleep but I don't mind it at night. I no longer trust any antidepressants, they don't seem to help with depression and they seem to have horrible side effects, especially the ones who claim to help with physical pain. They didn't help me with the pain either. Maybe there is some good in antidepresants for people who are suicidal or something, but generally I don't think staying on them long term is a good idea, and in my particular case I don't want to start using any of them at all ever again. I think exercise (I play a lot of tennis) which releases endorphins, helps my depression more than any antidepressant, as does meditation. And of course getting pain relief with the Lortabs helps a whole lot with keeping depression at bay. I just hate that I have to take a narcotic, and that I am no doubt addicted to it. Sometimes things become the lesser of two evils. Hang in there.What was the highest daily dose of Cymbalta that you were able to stabilize on?
Posted by tennisplayer on April 29, 2008, at 16:34:10
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal, posted by alycat on April 29, 2008, at 13:07:57
> Hi...Have been on 30mg for a little over a year now, went cold turkey about a week ago (thought I had another bottle, am disorganized and haven't sent in my mailorder scrip), and now I feel like crap. I have to laugh, cuz it's my own damn fault for not keeping on top of my med supply, not knowing abt. this w/drw business, and now realizing I don't want to be on this junk anymore. I have been on Prozac, Wellbutrin, Lexapro,and Cymbalta at different times over about a 15 year period, always with a "drug free" stint lasting up to 2 years before going on my next "fix". Never have I felt this lousy for this long coming off something. Driving is the worst for me, followed by moving my eyeballs too quickly...I know that sounds funny, but it's true. I do find exercise to be helpful, and I am hoping I can sweat this stuff out of my system quicker...is that possible? Also, I find my appetite to be insatiable...am I eating for comfort, or does my body really need it? So, I am at day 7...will this get worse, or better from here? It sure sounds like I have a long road ahead of me...ugh. I feel for everyone out there.
I had the same experience of the worst withdrawal I have ever had from anything. Somewhat like you I initially forgot to take the pills for a few days in a row and got horribly nauseous, but at the time I just thought I had a bug. I was also ravenous after quitting, and only for carbohydrates, tons of them, and when I say ravenous, I mean I would grab a whole half gallon of ice cream and couldn't get it down fast enough Needless to say I started gaining weight I don't think it is a comfort eating thing, I think Cymbalta and those things that inhibit reuptake of not only serotonin but also norepinephrine really cause a horrible chemically induced screw up in your digestive system. It does finally go away, but mine took about 4 months to go away completely, but it was getting better each week. My cholesterol and blood pressure went sky high too, and I have never had high blood pressure before. Also I had tons of gallstones form in my gallbladder. Now BP is back to normal. Hang in there.
Posted by tennisplayer on April 29, 2008, at 16:56:31
In reply to Re: Cymbalta withdrawal » tennisplayer, posted by Bob on April 29, 2008, at 14:03:19
>
> > > Does the "sleeping-itis" mean that Cymbalta actually caused you to sleep too much? What dose did you get up to?
> >
> > Yes, when I was on the Cymbalta I started wanting to sleep all the time. Two hours after I got up I was crawling back in the bed, and just physically sleepy and yawning all the time. Not just the sleeping you sometimes do with depression. But neither the doctor nor I realized it ws the Cymbalta doing it. I have to take Lortabs for my severe chronic interstitial cystitis pain, so I was afraid maybe they had built up and were causing a sleepiness, but thankfully that was not the case. After I quit the Cymbalta I had a horrible period of withdrawal symptoms including nausea, insomnia, hyperactivity, hostility, non stop talking and pacing, etc. But it finally went away afer about 3 months and I settled back down to not being sleepy all the time but not being hyper either. I tried the neurostimulator implant for my I.C. pain, but it didn;t help much. I felt I had to try it though. So I still have to take Lortabs at daytime, and one oxycontin at nite. Thankfully the Lortabs don't make me sleepy or lethargic. At nite oxycontin does make me sleep but I don't mind it at night. I no longer trust any antidepressants, they don't seem to help with depression and they seem to have horrible side effects, especially the ones who claim to help with physical pain. They didn't help me with the pain either. Maybe there is some good in antidepresants for people who are suicidal or something, but generally I don't think staying on them long term is a good idea, and in my particular case I don't want to start using any of them at all ever again. I think exercise (I play a lot of tennis) which releases endorphins, helps my depression more than any antidepressant, as does meditation. And of course getting pain relief with the Lortabs helps a whole lot with keeping depression at bay. I just hate that I have to take a narcotic, and that I am no doubt addicted to it. Sometimes things become the lesser of two evils. Hang in there.
>
>
>
> What was the highest daily dose of Cymbalta that you were able to stabilize on?
>
> I stablized on 60 mg per day because my doctor thought 30 mg was not producing any antidepression effects and 60 mg might accomplish that. The 60 mg didn't help with my pain or depression either, but I thought maybe if I wasn't taking it things would be even worse than they were. I wasn't really all that depressed, but rather wanted the advertised relief from physical pain because of my interstitial cystitis. It didn't help on either count, but neither I nor my doctor realized it was what was making me so sleepy. I was also taking Lortabs and amitriptyline and we both thought one of those might be causing the sleepiness. It turned out it was the Cymbalta. When I got off of it I actually was hyper and insomniac for about two months and then finally got back to pre- Cymbalta state of alertness without hyperactivity and insomnia.
>
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