19 replies to this topic

[firstrobin]

I went from 60 mg every other day to 30 mg every other day then quit.
OMG, tremendous asthma that inhalers and antihistamines won't control.
Anyone else have this problem and what did you do?
After my Dad died in 1987, I felt I wasn't handling the grief, so my
GP put me on low dose prozac. I took it for about 5 months. It was the
first time in my life I didn't have hayfever or allergies. That was before
Zyrtec. Had no problem quitting the prozac cold turkey.
Been off Cymbalta now for three weeks and no let up on sweats, hair loss,
extreme agitation and asthma. Also, while driving I had something like an acid trip (yes just a couple trys in college). Sorry don't have patience to read all posts.
But will read from this point forward. Are others experiencing these sypmtoms. Is anyone reporting this to the
drug company?

So I guess my question is, will prozac help?

Thank you to anyone out there who has the patience to respond. I greatly
appreciate it even though I'm gritting my teeth. Trying to find some
humor in this.

[Lundeliz]

Hi Firstrobin, I'm sorry I really don't have an answer as to whether Prozac would help.
I hope someone may be able to offer advice. I just wanted to tell you that I did
have a similar experience about three years ago when I went off Cymbalta C/T. After
I stopped taking it, I seemed to have no symptoms whatsoever. A few weeks later I
developed shortness of breath. I never related it to the Cymbalta at all. It got
really bad, so I went to see a Pulmonary dr. He did xrays and wanted to do a lung
biopsy. I had that done and was diagnosed with hypersensitivity pneumonitis. He
put me on steroids for several months. Now I'm pretty sure it was caused by Cymbalta
withdrawal. It never dawned on me at the time. Now I wonder if antihistamines would
have helped. I hope you get some answers and get some relief. Best of luck to you.

[cookie]

Hello FirstRobin:
I have never suffered from ashma. When I started weaning from cymbalta I had breathing problems, it was very hard to breath, I had shortness of breath and sleep apnea (like my brain wasn´t sending signals to my lung to breath, so I would wake up choking). It dissapeared after some time. I haven´t had breathing problems anymore.

I have also had extreme hair loss. I lose tons of hair everyday.

I´ve read on this site, of people that use prozac as an aid to wean from cymbalta. I rather not to add any new meds in this process.

[sick of it]

I'm suggesting that u go to the doc asap. I have allergy induced asthma, and when I was withdrawling from cymbalta I was having what I assumed to be asthma attacks. It was only after I landed in the hospital that I learned I had walking pnemonia. The withdrawl symptoms were so bad the E.R. Doc actually tested me for illegal street drugs, because she was afrid to treat me. With the symptoms I was having... sweating, shakes, nausea,dizziness, and catching trails she honestly thought I was either having a bad trip, or coming off of crack or heroin. They were very scoked when the toxicoligy report came back neg. Yes these symptoms seem to be very normal for many, but I'm concerned about the breathing.

[Nannyfor3]

I am currently experiencing the EXACT same things!!! This is my 5th week off cymbalta. I was having some easy bruising problems and was getting ready to have surgery on Nov 18. I didn't want to have bleeding issues during surgery so I started weaning off. I did three weeks of every other day...then two weeks of every two days. Then it was the week before surgery so I just stopped. BIG mistake!!! Though I didn't know that. I noticed I wasn't feeling well...I was really tired, extremely aggitated, out of control emotions (anger, crying), then I noticed I was having rapid heart rate. I've been running the last two years and now that I look back...I started cymbalta in April...in may my heart rate would reach 200 when i'd run. Anyway I went for me pre-op appt and my blood pressure was 180/90!! I had to go see my regular doc the next day and there my bp was 163/114 with pulse 131!!!!! My dr put me on a med that helped the bp and heart rate go down. Was able to have surgery. After I had been on that med for two weeks I started not being able to breathe. I have allergy induced asthma but haven't needed my inhaler much in years. I used it 4 days in a row. I switched to another bp med and this one works ok on the bp burnt pulse is still running 90-100 resting! Sometimes higher. And I am still needing my inhaler...although it doesn't seem to really help much and it raises my bp!!!!
Don't know if Prozac would help. I was on it years ago and it made me insane so I won't try it again probably.

[shadow]

I am experiencing bad breathing problems as well. I have puffers that do nothing. It is really scarey. I have been to the doctor, and I have had many tests, including my lungs. My doctor believes that ALL my major physical problems come from cymbalta.. I am weaning myself off this monster drug and my breathing is getting worse. I have been told my breathing will go back to normal when the drug is out of my system. I have tried all sorts of vitamins, I have not found anything that works yet. I will keep looking. I reported the drug side effects to the company. , I have decided to stay away completely from psychiatric drugs, there must be a better way other than so called magic in a pill.

[shadow]

I forgot to say all my tests say i am healthy, and my lungs are clear. I dont drink alcohol. My liver has been compromised by cymbalta, it showed in my results...

[cookie]

I forgot to say all my tests say i am healthy, and my lungs are clear. I dont drink alcohol. My liver has been compromised by cymbalta, it showed in my results...

Dear shadow:
What test can I do to check my liver???

[susyQ]

Asthma like I've never had in my life as I wean off Cymbalta. I'm so glad this site is here to help me put it all together.

I was on 40 mg Cymbalta, psychiatrist told me to start weaning in mid-November because as I was having abnormal muscle movements as a side effect. About 3 weeks after each successive step lowering the dose, I had shortness of breath, a tight chest, and have been using an albuterol inhaler every 4 hours. I am completely freaked out after today's conversation with my pulmonologist, who thinks I might need to be on Prednisone!!! My pulmonologist Dr. did say, however, that the Cymbalta weaning and accomanying mood changes could be the culprit, but she was not certain. Well, now that I've read about others' experiences on this site, I'm going to ask the pulmonologist to hold off on the Prednisone as this may be a transient problem associated with Cymbalta withdrawal.

Also, I will be seeing a psychiatrist on 1/14, whom I can directly ask if this is a documented problem.

And yes, I can sympathize with most of the other horrible withdrawal symptoms from Cymbalta - the worst I've seen for the SSRI/SNRI group of meds in my life, and I'm a mental health professional who has worked in a Psychiatry clinic. Horrible gastritis, acid reflux, alternating diarhea and constipation, sweating, chills, fleeting feelings of vertigo, emotional lability. Now add asthma to the list.

[Deedee]

Had history of fibromyalgia, menopause, depression, asthmatic bronchitis. Started on Cymbalta April 2008 to help fibro pain and depression. Was dx with sleep apnea 6 months later- c-pap is a miracle. Got dramatic improvement with sleep improvement. Everything was fairly stable, so I just stayed on medication. Have had gradual wt gain of 30 lbs resistive to exercise or calorie reduction. Swelling in legs. Constipation. Past yr- increased depression and now insomnia. Fibromyalgia pain almost unbearable. Went back to PCP to taper Cymbalta and return to Zoloft. Started taper 3 wks ago.

So sorry others of you are experiencing rotten withdrawal of Cymbalta, but at the same time you are so comforting and informative to me. I thought I was maybe imagining lots of this stuff, but here's what I am experiencing: Brain zaps, headaches, abd cramping, shortness of breath, bloating, itching without rash, stinging and stabbing sensations, leg cramps, muscle soreness, flu symptoms, emotional roller coaster of crying, quick temper, depression, sleeplessness, paranoia, jitters, rapid speech, black thoughts, slow thinking, indecision and on and on and on. (I am a nurse with 35 yrs in critical care, cath lab, ER, etc and this brain thing is making me very nervous at work- I have to constantly THINK about being "normal", but I'm not real sure what that is right now! Thank my precious Lord that I am in a slower paced patient care area right now.)

I got really hot 3 days ago while gathering corn and preparing for freezer. Developed largnitis and sore throat, painful cough, wheezing, etc. Thought I had just exacerbated my bronchitis- went today to walk-in clinic for steroid injection and cough suppressant. Sitting in recliner with fan in face to breath. This hasn't felt like my normal bronchits, more dry and painful cough- shortness of breath seems more like muscle spasms and squeezing pain with an almost "panic attack" throwed in for free. I feel some of this may be exaggerated by Cymbalta withdrawal. I was not prepared for the severity of this. I'm just gritting my teeth and enduring. But this stuff isn't for wimps!!!!

[cookie]

I went from 60 mg every other day to 30 mg every other day then quit.
OMG, tremendous asthma that inhalers and antihistamines won't control.
Anyone else have this problem and what did you do?
After my Dad died in 1987, I felt I wasn't handling the grief, so my
GP put me on low dose prozac. I took it for about 5 months. It was the
first time in my life I didn't have hayfever or allergies. That was before
Zyrtec. Had no problem quitting the prozac cold turkey.
Been off Cymbalta now for three weeks and no let up on sweats, hair loss,
extreme agitation and asthma. Also, while driving I had something like an acid trip (yes just a couple trys in college). Sorry don't have patience to read all posts.
But will read from this point forward. Are others experiencing these sypmtoms. Is anyone reporting this to the
drug company?

So I guess my question is, will prozac help?

Thank you to anyone out there who has the patience to respond. I greatly
appreciate it even though I'm gritting my teeth. Trying to find some
humor in this.

Did your asthma get better?

[coastal]

I have been off Cymbalta for about 3.5 months. The major physical withdrawal symptoms are gone (nausea, brain 'zaps', etc) EXCEPT I have trouble BREATHING any time I lay down. I first thought it was anxiety, boardering on panic attack. I now think it is more physiological than that. When I sit up, breathing immediately becomes easier again. Lay down and it becomes more labored again. Almost feels like my neck or throat has less of an airway passage. Of course, not being able to breath as well is leading to anxiety, where I initially thought it was the other way around. This is affecting my sleep greatly. I am on no other medication except antacids, 81 mg aspirin, general/common vitamins. I am not interested in taking a different medication.

I am beginning to think, based on this thread, it may be a withdrawal symptom.

I do not have asthma or allergies.

[cookie]

Asthma like I've never had in my life as I wean off Cymbalta. I'm so glad this site is here to help me put it all together.

I was on 40 mg Cymbalta, psychiatrist told me to start weaning in mid-November because as I was having abnormal muscle movements as a side effect. About 3 weeks after each successive step lowering the dose, I had shortness of breath, a tight chest, and have been using an albuterol inhaler every 4 hours. I am completely freaked out after today's conversation with my pulmonologist, who thinks I might need to be on Prednisone!!! My pulmonologist Dr. did say, however, that the Cymbalta weaning and accomanying mood changes could be the culprit, but she was not certain. Well, now that I've read about others' experiences on this site, I'm going to ask the pulmonologist to hold off on the Prednisone as this may be a transient problem associated with Cymbalta withdrawal.

Also, I will be seeing a psychiatrist on 1/14, whom I can directly ask if this is a documented problem.

And yes, I can sympathize with most of the other horrible withdrawal symptoms from Cymbalta - the worst I've seen for the SSRI/SNRI group of meds in my life, and I'm a mental health professional who has worked in a Psychiatry clinic. Horrible gastritis, acid reflux, alternating diarhea and constipation, sweating, chills, fleeting feelings of vertigo, emotional lability. Now add asthma to the list.

I recently started having reflux problems. How are you now? is your reflux getting better?

[CymbaltaHell]

I'm trying out 10 mg Prozac now because I am having the same asthma symptoms and I can't stand it anymore so I will report back on that in a few days. I quit Cymbalta cold turkey 3 months ago and although most of the major brain zaps and mood problems are gone the one thing that has stuck around is severe breathing problems. My doctor doesn't think withdrawal symptoms can't last that far out but they are and it's scary. I have an albuterol inhaler and Symbicort inhaler and at this point neither one help all that much. I've also been on oral corticosteroids and they don't do much either. Two of the things that seem to aggravate breathing even worse are caffeine and dairy products so I've been trying to really cut back on those temporarily. I'm crossing my fingers on the Prozac!

[redbird22]

So glad I found this. Nowhere else could I find a relationship between asthma and cymbalta withdrawl. 
Now I'm worried about hair loss too... great.

How long will this last!?       

[invalidusername]

Hi again Redbird....

 

We have a member, Cookie, who experienced asthma as a result of going too fast on the withdrawal, so you are not the only one.

 

Also, are you taking any other meds - especially anti-histamine or beta-blockers (Propranalol)?

 

Hair loss is a new one on me with Cymbalta, but do not rule out the stress that you are under at the moment. But if you can let me know about your other meds... and the questions in my other post, that will give me a better idea.

 

FishingHat will also be along shortly and he will be able to advise as well and myself - he may know about hair loss.... (edit: not a hint regarding your age there, Hat LOL)

 

IUN

[invalidusername]

You might also like to check our eBook if you haven't done so already...

 

You can download it from here;

 

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

[redbird22]

I'm on no other meds. I think maybe you have a point regarding the stress factor and hair loss. I'm not at the age where hair loss is common from growing older and I'm not in the typical group who experiences hair loss.

[invalidusername]

I am aware that serotonin syndrome (taking more that your prescribed dose to the extent that it is too much for you system) can cause hair loss, there is mention on the PIL (patient information leaflet) that hair loss (or telogen effluvium) is a VERY rare side effect to taking Cymbalta.

 

From what I have read, it is reversible, insomuch that you stop the drug, and the hair loss goes away. So whilst we are talking 1 in 5000+ you may be one of these statistics. 

 

But all the same, it will stop when you have stopped the Cymbalta. That is your main focus.

 

I have myself been in the category of having one of the VERY rare side effects. I sometimes wonder just whether they are as rare as they are stated!! But looks like reducing the drug and the stress as a byproduct, you should be fine...

 

IUN

[fishinghat]

Hair loss rare indeed. It should improve once the withdrawal fades but there is little research on the subject.

 

How long it will last? Well considering your history of weaning I hate to say it but it could be several months to even a year. As I often say, success is about time and patience. I wish I could be more optimistic. You have come a long way though so try and hang in there.

 

IUN - As old as I am I still have quite a bit of hair, Thinning? Yes, but still there.  lol