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Weaning Off With Wellbutrin


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#1 pikachu

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Posted 13 March 2024 - 10:33 AM

hello! I started a sort of chaotic taper a few weeks ago, and naturally started googling around to see how to better manage it, which led me to this wonderful site.

 

I had been on 60mg of cymbalta for about two years and the side effects were starting to become overwhelming, so I met with my psychiatrist to switch off to another drug. he suggested going on 30mg of cymbalta and 150mg of wellbutrin for five weeks. going from 60mg to 30mg was not terrible, but recently I went from 30mg to 15mg, which, having now read the resources here, was not a great idea. I am supplementing with a few vitamins (adrenal/thyroid support, omega 3, vitamin d, and magnesium glycinate occasionally) and am generally functioning the same as before physically, but with a significant increase in brain fog and shocks.

 

I was curious if others had gone off cymbalta while getting on wellbutrin, and if so, what sort of taper regimen they followed. thanks very much!


#2 fishinghat

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Posted 14 March 2024 - 07:19 AM

Welcome pikachu.

 

That is a great question. I will have to do a little research on that one. It may take a couple of days so bear with me. I know a few have done that so hopefully I can provide some details.


#3 fishinghat

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Posted 14 March 2024 - 09:08 AM

I got a few minutes so collected this info.

 

Posted by Iknowthiswillgetbetter on 15 June 2021 - 05:38 PM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
"One doctor told me I could "cross-taper" to Wellbutrin for a month then quit,..."
 
Posted by PebblesWondering on 09 March 2021 - 05:31 AM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
"One of the troubles I have had in recent years is finding a psychiatrist that knows enough about Cymbalta to help me get off it or at least reduce it, possibly with an augmentation drug like Wellbutrin to keep my depression and anxiety at bay whilst reducing Cymbalta's side effects (mainly fatigue, emotional blunting and difficult managing my weight). It has been so disappointing to realise the vast differences between Dr A and Dr B. It's clear from the posts that some members' doctors had no concept of the hideous withdrawal that can occur with Cymbalta and I think that's incredibly negligent."
 
Posted by Jgfergie on 25 October 2017 - 08:41 AM 
I have been on 120 mg of Cymbalta , in addition to 3 doses of .5 mg of clonapin a day for 8 months.  About 6 weeks ago I started weaning the cymbalta first and recently the clonapin too.  Went from 120 to 100 to 80 and now 60 with about 2-2.5 weeks in between each drop.  I also went on 100mg and then 150mg of Wellbutrin concurrently and didn't have any real issues, just some increased anxiety and depression for a day or so usually about a week after a drop. I attributed that mostly to the cymbalta drop.  Overall I have felt much better.   Last week my Dr. upped my Wellbutrin to 300 (from 150) while dropping my Cymbalta to 60.  I have also started to cut the clonapin very slowly from a .5mg dose 3x a day to a .25mg dose in the am, a .5 mg. dose in the afternoon and .25mg dose in the pm each day.  For this last adjustment, I started to feel really jittery and slightly manic so called my doctor yesterday and we adjusted my dose of wellbutrin back down to 150 today, as I felt really good there.  But my anxiety and depression is really acute today and I am thinking it is the follow-on from the Cymbalta drop.  Does that sound right?  Should I push through for another day or two and see how I feel after the WellButrin stabilizes back at 150?  Its been a week since I cut the Cymbalta from 80-60.  Our plan is for me to stabilize here at 60 with teh 150 of Wellbutrin and get off the clonapin before attacking the rest of the cymbalta. 
 
Posted by memiller77 on 03 August 2017 - 01:15 AM
I have a new doctor and told him I want off of Cymbalta because it's not working. He lowered my dose to 60mg and added 159mg of Wellbutrin for two weeks. The day down to 30 mg of Cymbalta with the Wellbutrin. My problem is I feel so hopeless that I'll never feel better. My depression has reached suicidal thoughts. Only the thought of what that would do to my family keeps me from it.
 
Posted by cymbaltaboy on 17 July 2017 - 06:15 PM in How to Find Support
I've been on a combination of Cymbalta and Wellbutrin for almost a year and half to treat dysthymia. My psychiatrist added Wellbutrin after a previous stint on Cymbalta (20mg then 30mg) left me extremely fatigued. I already have chronic fatigue so this wasn't too much of a shock... it felt like the medication was just worsening the issue. However, after trying about 5 or 6 antidepressants, I found Cymbalta was the only one that helped my depression. 
After combining 30mg of Cymbalta with 100mg of Wellbutrin, I started to feel a lot better. So much so that I increased to 40mg of Cymbalta and 200mg of Wellbutrin. I felt great! I wanted more of these good feelings so we tried increasing to 60mg of Cymbalta, which brought back the fatigue symptoms. Tried going up to 300mg of Wellbutrin to balance it out but it stopped me from sleeping, so ultimately I got back down to 40mg of Cymbalta and 200mg of Wellbutrin. 
 In my first few months on the medication I was more social, happier, and felt like I was finally out from under a dark looming cloud. After about 10 months I started to feel like I was regressing. I wasn't experiencing depression the same as before, but I definitely was not feeling as good as I had. Simultaneously I was feeling very fatigued again. 
My psychiatrist had me decrease to 30mg of Cymbalta, then to 20mg which I am on now. Although I am still taking 200mg of Wellbutrin, I feel exhausted constantly. Ultimately, I plan to get off of the Cymbalta within the next few weeks, but I am left with a lot of confusion over the past year and a half.
 
Posted by GillMan on 27 September 2016 - 08:40 AM
I was recently weaned off of Cymbalta and onto Wellbutrin (Bupropion) by my doctor, over a two week period. I'm now about a week and a half on solely Wellbutrin Two nights ago I started feeling extremely paranoid, deeply depressed, and had suicidal thoughts. That night, I experienced at least three (that I can remember) episodes of night terrors. In addition to all this, I'm getting the lovely "brain zaps" and nausea/diarrhea. I'm always tired, though that is likely because I have difficulty sleeping, even when taking an over-the-counter sleep aid.
 
Posted by Ava81 on 19 September 2016 - 11:38 PM 
I've been on Cymbalta for about 6 years. I take/took 60mg for Depression and Fibro. I went to my Dr. about a month ago cause the Cymbalta is no longer helping my Depression. Dr. has me stopping Cymbalta and starting Wellbutrin. I asked about the withdrawal, he seemed to think Wellbutrin would prevent withdrawal. 
 He was wrong. I have been off Cymbalta for just over a week now. I feel manic, irritable, paranoid and very ANGRY. I am constantly nauseous and can't keep much food down. I thought initially that the Wellbutrin was the cause of my issues. Now it seems more likely withdrawal.
 
Posted by Vinpin on 11 September 2016 - 08:07 PM 
I decided not to start my weaning off of Cymbalta today. Earlier in the week, after three days resumption of 30mg of Duloxetine while staying on 75mg of Wellbutrin, I started experiencing some dizziness, lightheadness, chills and a constant headache. These symptoms persisted up till Friday.  I called my doctor, and he advised me to discontinue the Wellbutrin. I'm disappointed that I'm not able to make the Wellbutrin work, but I need to be rid myself of the head and chill issues.
Yesterday (Saturday), I felt mostly better, but today I again experienced the aforementioned head and chill symptoms. I think my brain "chemistry" just needs a chance to stabilize - this is another reason I've decided to heed my doctor's advice, and pull off the Wellbutrin for now. Taking the 30mg Duloxetine daily with no Wellbutrin now puts me back where I was medicine-wise before this mess started.....
 
Posted by ANFSCD on 27 August 2016 - 06:14 PM 
This is a big step for me towards healing. Writing this is a positive event for me.  This is day 43 free from Cymbalta and Wellbutrin, I was removed from both medications by an overzealous psychiatrist cold turkey on July 15th. I spent 16th, 17th and 18th of July vomiting uncontrollably, complete with brain Zap's. Three days later, I ended up in the ER, for fluids, after losing 10 LBS in 72 hours.  I have been unable to work since. I am a licensed mental health professional and have been on some sort of antidepressant for 10 years due to depression secondary to brain injury many years ago.  My symptoms of withdrawal have included, poor emotional regulation, crying for no reason, laughing for no reason (both inappropriately), clumsiness, brain fog (Frequently losing items) and a complete loss of ability to enjoy or play music.
 
Posted by nhlady2006 on 27 April 2016 - 08:54 AM
 She is the one that put me on Cymbalta and also the one that took me off of it, cold turkey. She tried to give me Wellbutrin last week and it didn't work as it kept me perpetually awake. 
 
 Posted by Usedtobejoyful on 25 June 2020 - 09:20 AM in Cymbalta Lawsuit Information & News
I am trying to withdraw from this awful medicine. I am transitioning to Wellbutrin (at 300 mg now), from Duluxotine, I was up to 120 mg (60 twice a day). I am down to 20 mg once a day, she went from 60 twice a day to 30 once a day, then she stopped it. OMG I had almost every symptom and it was terrifying, as I am normally a easy-going person, working 3 jobs to a non functioning adult...I called and she put me back on 20 mg a day for 2 weeks then wanted me to do every other day. I am waiting for a call back, because I think I need to go much longer, and maybe even go back up to 30? Then start the whole bead removal process?  I have been on it for several years, just increasing from 90 to 120 in January. I am on it for depression (2 suicide attempts, been 9 years since hospitalization for that) I need some help transitioning. advice? I am experiencing most of the symptoms and am having trouble with working, concentrating, functioning, etc. 
 
Drugs.com
Applies to: Wellbutrin (bupropion), Cymbalta (duloxetine)
Talk to your doctor before using buPROPion together with DULoxetine. Combining these medications may increase the risk of seizures, which may occur rarely with either medication. In addition, buPROPion can increase the blood levels of DULoxetine, which may increase other side effects. You may be more likely to experience seizures with these medications if you are elderly, undergoing alcohol or drug withdrawal, have a history of seizures, or have a condition affecting the central nervous system such as a brain tumor or head trauma. 
 
The following post also contains comments on member reported side effects iof Wellbutrin. I thought you might want to look at it as well.

#4 pikachu

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Posted 15 March 2024 - 08:57 AM

wow.. fishinghat, I can't thank you enough for taking the time to pull together all of this information!! it's such a relief to know others have tried this so I have a better idea of what to (or not) expect. it seems like wellbutrin isn't the magic pill for cymbalta my psychiatrist thought it would be, so I'll continue with a more controlled taper. thank you again!!


#5 fishinghat

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Posted 15 March 2024 - 02:11 PM

Anytime pikachu.


#6 invalidusername

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Posted 16 March 2024 - 03:58 PM

Hi pikachu,

 

Apologies for my delay in writing to you to welcome you to our forum. 

 

Hat has got you off to a great start - I would expect nothing less. I have nothing to add other than you would do well to download our extensive eBook - free to all members - and can be found at the following link;

 

https://www.cymbalta...tion-the-ebook/

 

Please continue to keep in touch so we can help you as much as possible - again, welcome to the forum.

 

My very best for your continued recovery.

 

IUN





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