845 replies to this topic

[gail]

Hi Chaos,

Our sqirrel is right, talk to us! Me can make good suggestion, with more info. Are you still on it? For how long? Depression etc?

We are here for you and won't let you down. Gail

[Yonk]

I have been taking Cymbalta for 4 years (60mg).  I wanted to get off of it because of some of the side effects, one of which is lack of sleep and another, lack of sex drive.  My Dr. had me reduce to 30mg for 1 month, then 1 every other day then 1 every third day, then stop.  The 4th day after I stopped I was so nauseous.  I did not associate it yet since i was not aware of all these horrible side effects.  As the week progressed, it was a battle every minute not to vomit.  I began experiencing chills, fatigue, and my whole body felt like someone beat me.  Getting off the couch was a struggle.  I called my doc and he told me to go back on the 30mg until my levels were back up, then we would ween even slower.  A week later after going back on 30mg, there was a slight improvement, but not great.  I called doc again and he said I needed to go back on 60mg.  I am 5 days into that and getting better, but still not 100%.  Am I never going to be able to get off of it???  I'm going to be very scared to try to ween again!  Has anyone experienced this??  

[Iknowthiswillgetbetter]

Hello, 

 

This is my first post to this site. I found it when I realized that in trying to taper off Cymbalta on my own, I had hit a point where I could not function and needed help to even understand what was happening to me. Yesterday was a low point where I couldn't even figure out how to post. I really miss my brain!  Some of the symptoms I had before the medication which was prescribed after a Fibromyalgia diagnosis in 2016. I then went on to get even sicker in 2018 and was diagnosed with ME/CFS. I also have osteoarthritis with my first joint replacement at 52 and working on the next one, unfortunately (the other hip) so pain is constant and my recliner is my best friend.

 

Pre Cymbalta:

 

Constant Burning pain in hands and shoulders

Some insomnia and anxiety

Seasonal Depression

IBS

Some headaches

 

Side Effects or Illness (tough to separate)

Extreme fatigue (but this could also be from chronic viral infections)
Continual insomnia with NO deep sleep and 40 wakeups/hour
Overall health declined: sick frequently and now unable to work at all
Weight gain - 15 pounds
Memory problems - can't remember if I took medicine, details of conversations, people's names
Concentration problems - difficulty reading and understanding instructions or following conversations


Withdrawal Symptoms:

Severe dizziness

Worsened fatigue -- hard to even get up to go to the bathroom

Heightened chemical sensitivities

Light and sound sensitive

Nausea

Anxiety

No appetite
Headaches
Tingling / prickly and itchy extremities
Flu-like symptoms including painful swollen glands
Sinus/jaw pain
Hot flashes & night sweats
Memory problems -- worsened
Concentration problems  -- worsened
Strange dreams

Very thirsty - drink over 100 oz water a day

 

Thank you for providing this site and to all those who provide support to others!

 

 

 

[fishinghat]

 Welcome  iktwgb

 

I certainly recognize those symptoms. Where are you at in your weaning Process? How can we help?

 

I might start by suggesting you look through our ebook to get some ideas on what have helped or hurt other members.

[gail]

Hello, welcome to the forum,

To help you, we will need more info. How did you taper? Have you finished, since when? How many mgs? Did you go cold turkey?
Other members more qualified will answer you.
Weight will go down when you no longer swallow this piece of shit. Waiting for your answers.

[invalidusername]

Hi and welcome from me too....

 

Can't say more than my friends have said - let us help you! There is nothing you have listed that we haven't seen before and helped with, so let us know if and how we can help you. 

 

...and as Hat said, a very good starting point is our very own eBook which is free for download to our members from here;

 

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

 

Hope to hear from you soon

 

IUN

[Xstrandman]

Hey All,

 

So I've been officially off Cymbalta for 1 year and 1 month. My symptoms have come and gone and varied in frequency, duration and sensation. Currently, I have the nervy/itchy/prickly sensation in my arms and legs. It feels electrical and shocking. Like a bubbling brook or floating champagne bubbles under my skin - it's bizarre and uncomfortable and really only happens when I am sitting or lying down. Sometimes I will feel a sharp and distinct pinch, as if I am being poked or bitten by an insect. It's awful and has actually gotten worse since September.

 

My primary physician is at a loss and I have a referral for a neuro consult. I will admit I don't drink enough water or take any supplements at this point - so I am not really helping myself.

 

Can anyone offer some insight? It's been over a year and things are not trending upward, despite me reading that others get better with time...

[fishinghat]

Welcome Xstrandman
 
Just a couple of observations here.
 
First, that is not an unusual symptom for Cymbalta withdrawal but it is late in your withdrawal for it to occur.
 
Second Your blood pressure is lowest when setting or laying and low blood pressure can produce similar symptoms. If do to low blood pressure the symptoms would be worse in the fingers and toes and less in the calves and forearms and even less in the thighs and upper arms.
 
Third, be sure your dr check your electrolyte levels; magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium, as they can get out of normal range during withdrawal.
 
Lastly just a note to let you know that some members had luck using diaper rash crème to treat the symptoms.
 
Please keep us posted and if there is anything we can do to help let us know.

[gail]

Hello XStrandman,

As FH says, these symptoms are late in coming. You will be going through test to find something that is causing this. Cymbalta, maybe.

We're you on antidepressants before cymbalta? If they find nothing, I would consider another antidepressant like Zoloft, Lexapro or Prozac. Because of their long half life, they are easier to taper. That's my two cents worth. Come back, we are here for you.

[Xstrandman]

Welcome Xstrandman
 
Just a couple of observations here.
 
First, that is not an unusual symptom for Cymbalta withdrawal but it is late in your withdrawal for it to occur.
 
Second Your blood pressure is lowest when setting or laying and low blood pressure can produce similar symptoms. If do to low blood pressure the symptoms would be worse in the fingers and toes and less in the calves and forearms and even less in the thighs and upper arms.
 
Third, be sure your dr check your electrolyte levels; magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium, as they can get out of normal range during withdrawal.
 
Lastly just a note to let you know that some members had luck using diaper rash crème to treat the symptoms.
 
Please keep us posted and if there is anything we can do to help let us know.

 

 

Hello XStrandman,

As FH says, these symptoms are late in coming. You will be going through test to find something that is causing this. Cymbalta, maybe.

We're you on antidepressants before cymbalta? If they find nothing, I would consider another antidepressant like Zoloft, Lexapro or Prozac. Because of their long half life, they are easier to taper. That's my two cents worth. Come back, we are here for you.

Hey Guys - 

 

I had some lab work done in both January and June of 2019 and every single result came back in normal range both times. In regards to the sensations, it is absolutely worse in my calves. Basically from below my knees to my shins and also from below my elbows to my wrists. Occasionally, I'll get the weird sensations in my core/trunk area.

 

It's very frustrating because I was damn near symptom free in the middle/end of August. I remember in September I started noticing pulses in my calves (fasciculations) so much I counted at least a dozen every 30 seconds. As those decreased in frequency, that's when these new sensations became more prominent. The fasciculations are still there, but not as often.

 

I have been on a variety of anti-anxiety/depressants ranging from Lamictal and Citalopram to Escitalopram. 

[gail]

Hello again,

Are you eating lots of proteins and drinking water?

Lack of proteins can cause havoc in your body. A blood test will tell. If this is the case, eggs, Greek yogurt, cheese, meat. Your symptoms seem phisical.

More tests please, complete blood tests. I say this because I was barely eating for months, my legs became so bloated for two months, I could barely walk. I started eating better and within ten days, my legs became normal. Lots of protein, I insist on that.

Come back whenever you want, we are here for you! Love!

[fishinghat]

Thanks for the info Xstrandman

 

I am still convinced probably withdrawal but what do I know?  lol

 

I do remember a few members that had leg issues, some times thighs, sometimes calves and some times both. Issues in the arms as well. Many had normal blood chemistry but they soaked there legs/arms in Epson salts which would help relieve the symptoms. Epson salts contain magnesium and magnesium and calcium control muscle activity. I will bet you a jillion dollars (If I had that much) that they ran a standard CMP and there is no result for magnesium in the test.  

[Xstrandman]

Hello again,

Are you eating lots of proteins and drinking water?

Lack of proteins can cause havoc in your body. A blood test will tell. If this is the case, eggs, Greek yogurt, cheese, meat. Your symptoms seem phisical.

More tests please, complete blood tests. I say this because I was barely eating for months, my legs became so bloated for two months, I could barely walk. I started eating better and within ten days, my legs became normal. Lots of protein, I insist on that.

Come back whenever you want, we are here for you! Love!

 

 

Thanks for the info Xstrandman

 

I am still convinced probably withdrawal but what do I know?  lol

 

I do remember a few members that had leg issues, some times thighs, sometimes calves and some times both. Issues in the arms as well. Many had normal blood chemistry but they soaked there legs/arms in Epson salts which would help relieve the symptoms. Epson salts contain magnesium and magnesium and calcium control muscle activity. I will bet you a jillion dollars (If I had that much) that they ran a standard CMP and there is no result for magnesium in the test.  

 

I absolutely need to drink more water and also make better choices when it comes to diet. My protein was 7.7g/dL and normal range is 6.4-8.3 so that was normal.

 

FH - You're right, no readings for Magnesium. I have been taking NaturalCalm every now and then, but nothing consistent. Sadly, I haven't done anything consistently...

 

I'll be sure to look into the Epsom salt baths as well as the diaper rash crème. I also need to make some lifestyle changes as well: better diet, more water, less alcohol, less caffeine, a good multi-vitamin and some fish oils (with a solid DHA count).

 

It's been a year since I had my last dose (but I have an earlier post that detailed in great length about my withdrawal symptoms and that I quit cold turkey - twice), so I can't help but think I am still dealing with side effects of withdrawal. I know what this drug can do to you, I was just hoping for a positive trend of relief after this long. But I have to do my part to help my body heal.

 

You guys are great - thank you!

[fishinghat]

Why don't these idiots check the magnesium as this is the electrolyte most often out of range.   Drs!!!

Here are the notes from the ebook on Natural Calm

"Natural Calm
350 mg magnesium citrate"

That is a lot of magnesium. Most drs do NOT recommend magnesium unless blood tests show it low. If magnesium is low then they recommend no more than 100 mg a day and recheck in one month and change dose as necessary. Magnesium is a strong stimulant and high levels have caused many members anxiety and other issues. It is quite possible that you have high magnesium (after all they did not test it). High levels of magnesium lowers serum calcium also which causes its own problems. If the dr had known you were taking magnesium supplements he/she should have done the magnesium test which is recommended at least every year when taking it as a supplement.

My idea at this time is to is to stop the magnesium (Natural Calm) and add a little calcium to your diet (milk?) for 1 week and see what happens.

The ebook documents that the best fish oil during withdrawal is one that contains at least 2000 mg of EPA and DHA. Also be sure to buy one that is certified mercury free.

In addition, I would recommend staying away from a multivitamin if possible. Vitamin toxicity is the leading type of toxicity reported in ERs. Things like magnesium, selenium, and b vitamins have sent many a member into the ER for various issues.

What ever you decide is up to you and either way we are here for you. I would recommend that if you try additional supplements that you try one at a time so you will know if an item is working or making things worse.

[Xstrandman]

Why don't these idiots check the magnesium as this is the electrolyte most often out of range.   Drs!!!

Here are the notes from the ebook on Natural Calm

"Natural Calm
350 mg magnesium citrate"

That is a lot of magnesium. Most drs do NOT recommend magnesium unless blood tests show it low. If magnesium is low then they recommend no more than 100 mg a day and recheck in one month and change dose as necessary. Magnesium is a strong stimulant and high levels have caused many members anxiety and other issues. It is quite possible that you have high magnesium (after all they did not test it). High levels of magnesium lowers serum calcium also which causes its own problems. If the dr had known you were taking magnesium supplements he/she should have done the magnesium test which is recommended at least every year when taking it as a supplement.

My idea at this time is to is to stop the magnesium (Natural Calm) and add a little calcium to your diet (milk?) for 1 week and see what happens.

The ebook documents that the best fish oil during withdrawal is one that contains at least 2000 mg of EPA and DHA. Also be sure to buy one that is certified mercury free.

In addition, I would recommend staying away from a multivitamin if possible. Vitamin toxicity is the leading type of toxicity reported in ERs. Things like magnesium, selenium, and b vitamins have sent many a member into the ER for various issues.

What ever you decide is up to you and either way we are here for you. I would recommend that if you try additional supplements that you try one at a time so you will know if an item is working or making things worse.

 

FH

 

I wasn't taking the NaturalCalm at the time of my appointment, but I have requested a new set of labs and have specifically asked for Magnesium to be checked.

 

The fish oil that I am looking into has 2250mg of total Omega-3 with 1200mg of EPA and 900mg of DHA - thoughts?

 

I started the MV to help fill some gaps of a local diet, which is just out of pure laziness. The breakdown is pretty simple with nothing too abundant or even going over 100% of daily value.

 

Over the last year I've dabbled with: Lion's Mane, NAC, ALA, Inositol, Glutathione and a few other things. But nothing longer than a 30-day supply worth. I honestly can't quantity if one had any effectiveness or not simply because my symptoms have had such a huge variety over the last year. But they've all been nerve-related. I took Gabapentin and didn't notice an effect until I was taking 200mg 3x a day. But that worked for a couple weeks before I had to increase dosage. My doctor's response was "we can keep going up to 1800mg per day" at that point I weaned myself off gradually. If I have to keep taking stronger doses, that clearly means its not working!

[gail]

Hello XStrandman,

You are in good hands with Fishinghat, so I'll keep out of it. Good luck! Love!

[fishinghat]

Sounds like a good Omega 3. I like it.

 

It really sounds like you have dome a good job trying to find a solution to your issues. Have you tried Suntheanine yet?

[Xstrandman]

No Suntheanine yet.

 

I did get my lab results back - all normal, yet no specific marker for Magnesium despite me asking.

[fishinghat]

Doctors, Ugghh

[gail]

XStrandman,

That is good news, now we know where you stand. As for the magnesium, as FH says Ugghh!

FH, what would be the symptoms of too much or not enough magnesium? Thank you.

[fishinghat]

Gail, so many other electrolytes are tied into magnesium that symptoms vary but in general...

Hypermagnesemia (high magnesium)
Symptoms include weakness, confusion, decreased breathing rate, and decreased reflexes.
Nausea
Low blood pressure
Low blood calcium
Abnormal heart rhythms and asystole
Dizziness
Sleepiness
Abnormal heart rhythms and asystole are possible complications of hypermagnesemia related to the heart. Magnesium acts as a physiologic calcium blocker, which results in electrical conduction abnormalities within the heart.
Consequences related to serum concentration:
4.0 mEq/L decreased reflexes
>5.0 mEq/L Prolonged atrioventricular conduction
>10.0 mEq/L Complete heart block
>13.0 mEq/L cardiac arrest
Magnesium is a stimulant and is critical for proper muscle performance so too much can cause muscle spasms, cramps, etc.

Hypomagnesemia (low magnesium)
Deficiency of magnesium can cause tiredness, generalized weakness, muscle cramps, abnormal heart rhythms, increased irritability of the nervous system with tremors, paresthesias, palpitations, low potassium levels in the blood, hypoparathyroidism which might result in low calcium levels in the blood, chondrocalcinosis, spasticity and tetany, migraines, epileptic seizures, basal ganglia calcifications and in extreme and prolonged cases coma, intellectual disability or death.[7] Magnesium plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism and its deficiency may worsen insulin resistance, a condition that often precedes diabetes, or may be a consequence of insulin resistance

[gail]

Thank you, sounds so complicated for my understanding.

[Toblerone]

New poster here. 30 year old daughter was diagnosed BPD after a trip to the emergency room and was admitted to hospital for 2 weeks. The second night in, they gave her seroquel, which sent her into seizures. She was given another med to counteract it and came out of them. The next day, she was given a combination of Cipralex and Abilify. She was on that from Jan 9 to Feb 7. They made her feel zombified and drugged, so changed to a combination of 30 mg Cymbalta and 20 of Vyvanse. After a week on, she felt suicidal and depressed more than when she was first admitted. A facial rash, headache and nausea led to advice to stop taking the drugs. She was on them for 2 weeks. This discontinuation as suggested by her psychiatrist and a nurse.

 

It has been one week since she stopped taking Cymbalta and Vyvanse. She hates everyone and herself, wants to leave home but doesn't know where to go. She has no job, income or friends. She just finished a 6 week outpatient program, but is in worse shape than when she entered hospital. 

 

Any advice as to how long typical symptoms of withdrawal (anger, depression, rage) last when someone has been on this drug for such a short term?

[fishinghat]

Welcome Toblerlone
 
So sad to hear about your daughters situation. Most members have been on Cymbalta for months to years and while some have few symptoms of withdrawal many experience a year or more of symptoms after their last dose. Having said that those who have been on it a few weeks suffer for a couple months on average. There are some things you can do to ease her discomfort. If you open a capsule of Cymbalta you will find it contains (usually) around 300 tiny beads.  She can simply remove the beads except for 3 or 4 beads and that may help considerable. I would not go up any further than that as it is just that much further to drop later. Another option is to just wait it out. The emotional swings are typical and will subside BUT may be worse due to her bipolar. Also, just a note but Cymbalta is not approved for bipolar and is usually not prescribed for that condition. In addition, Vyvanse is not approved for bipolar as well and even carries a warning that it may cause severe mood swings in bipolar disorder. Vyvanse also has its own nasty withdrawal as well.

Please keep us posted and feel free to come back with any questions you have or just to vent frustration. Were are here for you and your daughter if you need us.

[Toblerone]

First, thank you for your response. Secondly, I apologize, I didn't mean bi-polar for BPD. It should have read borderline personality disorder. I'm new to this, so I may need correction for terms used.

 

She is adamant that she is no longer taking any drugs for the damage that was done, so waiting it out is the only option at the moment. I have some psychotherapy booked this week. Hopefully that will also help weather the storm. Two months average is a long time. 

[fishinghat]

Now I understand the use of Cymbalta and Vyvanse. Unluckily drs often use the same abbreviations for more than one thing. lol

Remember that is just an educated guess based on a little over 7 years on this site. I am hoping that she will be one of the lucky ones to adapt quickly.

Therapy is a good option. A good therapist can teach her a lot of coping skills that will help. It will take some time and practice to get good at them but they will help.

[invalidusername]

Hi Toblerone.... and welcome from me

 

Far be it for me to say this, but it sounds like your poor daughter has been pushed and pulled around like a lab rat. Has she not been referred to any psychotherapy before this? Therapy first, meds thereafter. Never the other way round. Unfortunately here in the UK it is cheaper to lace our livers with pills than it is to give us a few sessions of therapy.

 

The mix that she has had will undoubtedly have wreaked havoc on her psyche and it will take time for her to come out the other side. Best advice is to keep her safe, do your best to make her understand that what has happened is not her fault - as BPD sufferers have a tendency to do just this.

 

Make sure you find a well-established and recognised p-therapist. The p-doc can follow once more information is found, until then she is safer off the meds. Her condition can be worsened with the wrong meds (well, as you can see), and unfortunately in this day and age, pills are handed out like candy knowing very well that it is a lottery. You throw enough pills at a patient and one might work. Who gives a damn what happens in the interim...

 

That is what our forum is here for... keep in touch if you can. We will do our best to help.

 

God Bless

 

IUN

[Toblerone]

Hi invalidusername and thank you for the welcome. The experience at the local hospital has destroyed any trust or faith in our mental health system. I'm in Canada. Healthcare is paid for by taxes. There has been much ta da about how wonderfully accessible and effective our mental health supports are becoming. This experience proves otherwise. There is a culture of fear (from nurses about the psych doctors), hubris from the doctors and an utter lack of accountability on the mental health floor and in general. Records are not being kept properly. I had to step in for days to insist and remind that they NOT give her the medication that caused seizures. No one put it on her chart and, there it was with her other psych medication. If I wasn't there, I'm sure things could have been much worse. Her psychiatrist, though in hospital daily, would always be hard to find. She waited for 2 days experiencing a zombie-like state to see him IN HOSPITAL ON HIS FLOOR. Apparently, he's volatile and I was told by one of the nurses, in confidence, that she would never recommend him as a doctor. None of the other doctors would see her either because she was assigned to him. She is not a non-compliant or difficult person when it comes to medical advice, so there should have been help available when she really needed it. I'm very seriously considering a lawsuit for malpractice. Never was psychotherapy offered as a first treatment. Big pharma wouldn't be pleased at losing money.

 

Hopefully the psychotherapist can help her. We're supporting as best we can by remaining calm through the rages and depression. She always feels so bad and apologizes after they have passed and has told us she's so afraid of hurting us or herself when she's in that state. I'm looking up as many resources as I can and will do whatever is needed to help her through this.

 

There needs to be responsibility and accountability from the doctors. A lab rat would have had a better experience. Thanks for letting me vent.

[Toblerone]

Update - Hopefully the very worst of the symptoms have passed. The depression. headaches and some of the muscle twitches have not. She has a stutter that comes and goes, better now than a week ago. Memory and motivation are still nowhere near what they should be. We're starting CBD oil and cannabis for the really bad days. Cannabis has given some relief. She started psychotherapy two weeks ago, and that was good, but now it's on hold because of COVID. The office is closed and she can't mentally focus on a screen of an off-site session. Remaining hopeful and hope everyone out there is healthy.

[invalidusername]

Thanks for the update Toblerone - it is good to hear of the partial success. This is a very good thing indeed at such early times, so I would say you are looking fairly good for now. Make sure you get the CBD from somewhere that has 3rd party testing from a reliable source and that certification is publically displayed on the site. If you need any help with this let me know. I am not a user of the smoked leaf myself, but do not condone those who use it in such times. Used responsibly, it can help break up the bad times. 

 

Wishing you all the best for your health, and thanks for extending the same to the forum.