845 replies to this topic

[juju]

Has anybody else had visual hallucinations associated with withdrawal from Cymbalta? I had one serious hallucination where I saw an impossible MC Escher-like scene on a wall. The whole thing was in motion and the colors were very vivid. I am not sure how long it lasted. It felt like several minutes, but now that I look back at it, I think my sense of time became distorted and it may have not lasted that long. It happened during the strangest and most intense part of my withdrawal. Very strange indeed. Does anybody else have a similar experience?

I had a very bad hallucination experience as well! It was day 1 of taking nothing. At night, I went to the bathroom, and the floor was moving like waves, and the diamonds in the centres of the tiles where growing and blurring out! I was sooo scared I sat on the floor in the corner of the bathroom, and cried for about an hour! I felt like I was on acid!! And I haven't done that suff in years, and I was scared...

[Lundeliz]

Has anyone had jaw pain and a feeling of fullness or pressure in your jaws?

Also have had ear pain, but right now it's the jaws that are bothering me.

Scaring me to death because that was my first symptom of lyme disease. Please

tell me it's a normal withdrawal symptom. I'm beginning to think w/d can cause

about any symptom under the sun, I've had some strange ones.

[tnickel]

I am not sure where my post went to you...lol so here we go again. My brain fog is causing me to do very weird things . but I too have had the jaw and ear pain. Pretty sure it is from clenching our teeth either at night or during the day when we are not aware of it. This withdrawal makes us very tense! try some moot heat and gently massage the muscle around the ear and jaw. that works for a while for me.

[Lundeliz]

Thank you, tnickel. I've wondered about that. I've never caught myself

clenching my teeth, but it's possible I could do it at night. I'll give the

heat a try. Thanks again.

[juju]

Now I too am wondering...but now that you mention it, I do have jaw pain sometimes when I wake up :/

[ewalker]

I am new and am shocked at all the symptoms that are listed that I have.I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia after years of complaining that I was in pain all over. Finally sent to a Dr that prescribed Cymbalta. I was on it for about 1-2 years and the side effects seemed to be as bad as the fibromyalgia. When my primary Dr couldn't get my mouth to clear up for the sores in my cheeks which caused me to not be able to eat anything but soft bland foods. He suggested coming off the drug. However my Rheumatologist insisted that she has never heard of anyone having the problem with their mouth. against her wishes I weened off the meds. My mouth is clearing up a little but the withdraw symptoms are HORRIBLE, BRUTAL AND SOMETIMES SO UNBEARABLE I CAN'T TAKE IT.

Side Effects:
Lethargy
Irritability
Trouble sleeping
Nightmares
Withdrew from friends and family
Agitation
Overall health declined: sick frequently
Weight gain excessive
Memory problems
Concentration problems
Vision problems
TERRIBLE MOUTH SORES

Withdrawal Symtpoms:
Nausea
Diarrhea
Headaches severe
Brain “zaps” unbearable
Dizziness
Flu-like symptoms
Sinus pain
Hot flashes that are constant
Rage
Mood Swings
Crying
Suicidal ideation
Cold chills: Shivering accompanied by chest and abdominal muscle tightening
Memory problems and unable to get words out
Concentration problems
Nightmares that get verbal and I have to be waken
muscle and nerve spasms

[kathiq]

I'm off for 5 days now... The good... I'm not really feeling depressed - I cry all the time - but it's like I'm FEELING sad so I cry. I'm actually PARTICIPATING with my family!
The bad... I'm so dizzy I feel drunk, my whole body is tingling constantly, I haven't really slept in 3 days. I didn't really eat yesterday. Horrible headaches come and go. There's more for later.
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

[juju]

I'm off for 5 days now... The good... I'm not really feeling depressed - I cry all the time - but it's like I'm FEELING sad so I cry. I'm actually PARTICIPATING with my family!
The bad... I'm so dizzy I feel drunk, my whole body is tingling constantly, I haven't really slept in 3 days. I didn't really eat yesterday. Horrible headaches come and go. There's more for later.
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

Hang in there!!!! We are in this together!! (digitally lol) I am day 8!! The dizziness subsided a little yesterday I can actually walk and do a few things without wanting to pass out, or almost falling down the stairs And the brain zaps arent nearly as often either
Day 6 and 7 where flu like symptons, and the nausea was almost unbearable, but I would rather that, than the dizziness!! Yesterday, I could barely make it to the bathroom, as I had diarhea for hours!! And it was BRUTAL
Today is still early, but my legs are feeling very achey and restless, still nauseau, dizziness has gone way down, here's hoping we both have a not horrible day!!!

[lenap]

I am so glad to learn about this site. No doctor previously even hinted at the side effects from withdrawal from Cymbalta. I have been on it for about 1-1/2 yrs and did not need this type of help any longer. There were personal things happening in my life-even death of a loved one- so I weaned off for about two week and am now cold turkey. Since that time, I felt like I was going crazy because of the way I have been feeling. The effects seem to be getting lighter and lighter each day. I have persistent sweats. I first thought it was hot flashes but they were very unbearable. The mind zaps and lightheadedness have been very draining. I have very severe nightmares. I am not myself - no energy. It takes such great effort to do anything. I feel itchy all over, pain in my legs. I have an appt with my MD this week and will see what he suggests. If it continues to subside, then I won't feel so bad and will try and stick it out. More patients need to be informed about withdrawal from this medication.

It is reassuring to know that many other patients have felt this same way. Frequent crying jags, tingling in hands and feet are effects also. I, too, have read that the usual withdrawal is about 19 days Isn't that great?? Good luck to all

[lgrosales]

I am barely getting off of the Cymbalta and am really just trying to get through this. I am just thinking to get rid of all the medicine that I am prescribed because the doctor at the hospital said it was too much for what i was being treated for. Hopefully I can stop all of them soon so i don't feel like a guinea pig anymore. these were some of the things i went through.

Side effects from Cymbalta were:

GOOD: Decrease in anxiety
Decrease in panic attacks
Normal attitude no deep depression

BAD: Rashes on hands
low energy/tired most of the time
numbness in hands and face
excessive weight gain
trouble with memory

Withdrawal Side Effects:

BAD: Dizziness
Concentration problems
trouble with remembering
nauseous
headaches
trouble sleeping
sweating when body is cold
irritable
depressed

[lorlynkay]

Cymbalta helped me with my depression so much! I was a fan, because after trying several different drugs, Cymbalta was finally the one that helped me feel like myself again! I did have a few initial symptoms as follows, but after my body adjusted to the drug, I was happy, and back to my old self! The initial symptoms were as follows:
-Dizziness
-Diarrhea
-Inability to think correctly.

After being on Cymbalta for about 2 years, I was feeling much better, and thought I would be able to stop the taking the drug and function normally. I weaned myself off of Cymbalta gradually, without talking to my doctor first. I was taking 90 mg. initially. I went to 60 mg for two weeks, then 30 mg for two weeks, then 30 mg every other day for two weeks. I started having symptoms about 5 days after I took my last pill. I just didn't realize that it doesn't matter how gradually one weans themselves, there are still significant withdrawal symptoms! I have had good days and bad, but following are the symptoms I have experienced over the last few weeks:
-Agitation, and inability to sleep
-Extreme fatigue
-Flu-like symptoms
-Stomach cramping
-Diarrhea
-Brain zaps (wow, I thought my head would explode!) I have not experienced that for several days now, I had them for two weeks)
-memory issues (aphasia-like) I can't form thoughts well or get them out of my mouth.
-sight problems (when I move my eyes it's a dis-jointed picture, I don't know how to describe it better than that).
-Swishing sound in my ears

I saw my doctor yesterday, and he verified that what I am experiencing is indeed Cymbalta withdrawal. He also said to expect it to continue another couple weeks, and if it is not gone in three weeks to come back.

Thank you so much for posting this forum! After feeling sick and agitated for a few days, it dawned on me that there might be a connection between what I was experiencing and Cymbalta. I looked on the internet, and found this website. It made me feel so much better to know that I'm not the only one with these symptoms, and that "this too shall pass!"

[KarenAnnabelle]

I had many of the side effects and withdrawal symptoms mentioned above. Additionally, while on the medication, after 8+ hours of sleep, I would wake up feeling and looking like I had spent half of the night in a bar and the other half in a ditch. I also had an increase in compulsion. I was on the Cymbalta for fibromyalgia but have always had anxiety and OCD issues but had refused medication in the past (what was I thinking this time?????) I also had severe sweating and increased social anxiety tendencies.

As far as withdrawal, the only additional symptom not mentioned was numbness in my mouth, tongue and hands and just a general feeling of freaking out when the zaps and vertigo were too much for me. Kind of like mini panic attacks. Fun times!!!

[Avi]

This site for those with Cymbalta Withdrawal Symptoms is a great help. In reading the entries I can see I am not going crazy and everything I am going through seems to be quite common to what is happening to others. My symptoms are getting better and I know I have a long way still to go. However, reading what you have all written really helps me get through each day. Thank you all!!

Except for two of the following symptoms, I cannot say that any of the other symptoms listed have anything to do with the drug Cymbalta. However, it is my opinion, when considering the number of symptoms that seem to coincide with the beginning of my taking Cymbalta and were not there before, that there is more than coincidence.


Cymbalta Side Effects

Frequent Urination (hourly) Doctor
Urination only a trickle Doctor
Stinky urine
Chronic nausea
Chronic headaches
Night Sweats
Lack of libido
Inability to get or maintain an erection
Insomnia
Vivid dreams Doctor


Withdrawal Symptoms

Normal Urination (several hours)
Normal flow unrination
nonstinky urine
Extreme nausea and sharp pains in upper stomach area
Diahrea
Headaches
Brain Zaps
Dizzyness
Memory problems
Spaced out feeling
Crying, Moodiness, Suicidal Ideation
Sudden rage/anger for no reason
Irritability
Concentration problems
Nightmares
Inability to function, extreme lethargy
No joy in anything
Not interested in eating – have lost several pounds
Not bathing regularly
Daytime Fatigue/ Tiredness – I have to lay down during the day
Poor sense of time

I think it was spring of 2005 (give or take about six months) that I was first prescribed Cymbalta. I was under medical treatment for a herniated disk (L4/5) with severe chronic pain. I remember getting concerned about ongoing depression. My doctor gave me some tests and diagnosed moderate to severe clinical depression. The doctor told me that my body was using up my neurotransmitters in fighting my back pain and there was essentially nothing left over to fight depression. The doctor explained that the Cymbalta was supposed to resupply my levels of serotonin and neropinephrin.

At first, it seemed to help with both back and sciatic nerve pain. I am not so sure about the depression. Approximately a year later I was given more testing for depression. The diagnosis continued moderate to severe although in actuality it seemed to worsen. At this time my Cymbalta dose was increased from 60mg to 90mg per day which seemed to help the depression at first. As summer came I was able to reduce my Cymbatla to 60mg per day. In 2008 I tried to further reduce my dosage to 30mg per day but noticed a definite increase in both pain and depression so I went back to taking 60mg until mid fall time when I had to increase dosage back to the 90mg dosage. This seemed to correspond directly to the amount of daylight. Before Cymbalta I had never before been subject to Seasonal Affective Disorder but this seemed to be what was happening. I asked my doctor how long I would have to take Cymbalta and was told probably the rest of my life.

As for direct side effects, I definitely had urination problems. This was confirmed by my doctor as one of the possible side effects. This amounted to having to urinate about once an hour and having it come out in trickles. Getting up four to five times a night to urinate became the usual pattern. I had very vivid dreams which were also confirmed by my doctor as a possible side effect. These dreams eventually subsided. Up until the time I began taking Cymbalta I had never had sleep problems to the point I needed sleeping pills. Shortly after starting Cymbalta I began to have insomnia which got worse with time to the point that I frequently needed prescription sleeping pills. After the start of Cymbalta there also came an almost total lack of libido or no interest in sex at all. With this was an inability to either achieve or maintain an erection, which has had very negative effects on my marriage. Headaches seldom occurred before Cymbalta but, after beginning to take this drug, they became constant to the point it was rare to wake up without one. Nausea also became a problem where I began to live on Tums. About two years ago I was diagnosed with ulcers.

Lethargy, no volition, inability to enjoy anything, and not wanting to get out of bed became the rule. Cymbalta had apparently stopped having much effect on my depression. Counseling did much more to bring my depression under control than the drug. My chronic pain has lessened and under control by other means. I really had a desire to quit the drug.

As has been my practice, I reduced my dosage from 90mg per day to 60mg per day around the first of May 2012. I reduced this to 30 mg per day at the end of June. On August 1, 2012, I thought I would try to get completely off Cymbalta and stopped taking it altogether. At that time I had been taking this for approximately seven years and was very familiar with the headaches and dizziness of missing doses for more than a day. However, I had been able to cut back to 60 mg, then to 30mg per day with no problem and, when the dizziness and headaches set in after I completely stopped, I thought it would only last a couple of days. On day five the withdrawal symptoms had become almost crippling. At that point I began taking half a 30mg cap per day. I have tried to vary the dosage along with much reading. Currently, I am now on approximately 1/3 of a 30mg cap per day which will be cut down to ¼ cap in another few days. This has brought most of the symptoms to manageable levels, although they have not disappeared. Nothing can describe how horrible these symptoms really are unless you have gone though them. Even being somewhat subdued, they are still bad. The past month has been a haze. However, I want my life back. Although life is hell now, I refuse to go back!! Eventually my brain will rewire itself and my body will rid itself of this poison.

Brain Zaps – There have been a few times when it was almost as if I was generating my own fireworks show in my eyes. One evening it was like someone with a flash camera in the room. After one particularly bad bout with brain zaps I woke the next morning with several “floaters” in my left eye that weren’t there before.

Mood Swings – I am usually fairly level in my moods. In this withdrawal I can be happy one moment and suddenly feel rage and extreme anger for no apparent reason. This also applies to feelings of being totally unworthy or extreme sadness. While I am not really suicidal, I am having feelings of being such a looser that the world would be better without me so why should I go on living. I am glad I have read that this is happening to many others so I know it is only a symptom of coming off Cymbalta. I have also been weepy for no apparent reason.

Inability to function – There are many things I need to do but am not able to even get started. Once I do get started then I am able to complete the task and enjoy doing it.

In spite of the difficulty getting away from this drug, some good things seem to be happening. For the first time in years I don’t need sleeping pills and I am able to sleep through the night without getting up four or five times for a trip to the bathroom. The headaches of quitting are mostly gone now with the current way I am reducing my dosages, and the other headaches aren’t there. For the first time in years most nights I sleep through the night and wake up without a headache. I can go to a movie without going out to the restroom at least twice. This is huge.

[depressedmom2]

I have been on Cymbalta 90 mg for about 7 months. I was forced into a rapid discontinuation due to my stupid insurance's refusal to cooperate with the dr.'s request for a refill of 90 mg's. I have to mail order maintenance RX's. Its a long drawn out story that i won't get into. The dr. office was out of samples when i needed them. SO, in a effort to be proactive, i saw i was getting low and the last few days of pills, i took 60mg for 2 days then was left with one 30 mg pill. I took that last pill Tuesday 9/11/12. I was immediately irritable, nauseaous, had nightmares and major night sweats. Wedensday i was painfully tired and super angry about nothing. I could not function at my job that i normally excel at. Thursday was even worse. COuldn't hardly drag myself out of bed. Work was awful. I cried most of the day, had nausea, hot/cold flashes, headache, extreme dizziness and slight brain zaps. By Friday, I prayed to God to let me die. I seriously though about ending it. It scared the Hell outta me. I sat in the floor of the bathroom at work and cried until i was sick. I couldn't eat. I was tired. NEEDED to sleep. Had bad nightmares in the middle of the day. I walked off my job. Thank goodness my boss got in touch with me. I was alone. THe headache was debilitating to say the least. I am a 40 year old mother of two great children. I have had chronic depression since i was a teenager. My son's bipolar diagnosis (he is 10) is the reason i am on meds now. I consider myself a stable person, able to handle crises fairly well. I have NEVER NEVER felt this bad, even when the depression is not being maintained by meds. My dr. wanted me to check myself into the hospital. It was that bad.

Thank goodness my husband was able to get me samples Friday from the Dr. I THINK i should be thankful. At least now i can taper off of this a little more slowly. I hope at least.

[scknthd]

Hi. I'm so glad to have found this website. I didn't think I had anywhere to turn for an explanation of my symptoms I've been having. I had been on Cymbalta for about 6 months when I stopped cold turkey. While on the med, it did have some positive affects. I stopped being depresed, and stopped being a recluse. I begin to live life again. Even though I had some positive affects, it also had side affects. My side were: sore muscles, headaches, weight gain, trouble sleeping, strange bruising, and yellowing of the eyes.
I decided to stop cold turkey about 4 days ago. I think I made a terrible mistake. Since stopping Cymbalta, I have had these symptoms: brain zaps, diarreah, headaches, cramping and sore stomach, chest tightening, terrible nightmares, tingling in legs, crying, dizziness, nausea, mood swings, sinus pain ad stinging in the nose, and lethargy. I tell you, I have been afraid to leave my house or be alone because of these brain zaps. I've been so dizzy that I'm afraid to walk down my stairs in my home. I have spent most of my time in my bedroom in bed. I hate that I even started takng this medication. I was only expecting flu like symptoms. Funny, I'm more of a recluse now than I was before I started taking it.

[mimi]

I have been blessed...finding this site...that I have finally found people I can relate to..omgosh..I've posted acouple places but here in the symptoms...I am beginning to feel i might once again feel sane sometime in the futre or al least i won't feel so crazy...over the years[close to 10] I have tried withdrawing..with no luck..well, I'm doing it now..how bad it gets? doesn't matter as long as i can come here..read ...and know I'm not crazy and I'm not going crzy...thankyou..thankyou...blessings to all of you..m

[lynnae]

Recently I abruptly stoped cymbalta after a new diagnosis of narcolepsy. I am on day 9 of quitting cold turkey and am finally putting the pieces together. I was iniatlly prescibed cymbalta due to severe neuroapothy. Prior to my 30th birthday and just weeks after delivering my second child I became very ill. It was not long after that I was diagnosed with castlemans disease. Not long after that it was neuroapothy, then POEMS syndrome, and now narcolepsy. Well of coarse my docs also thought I was depressed because who wouldn't be with all that. Despite my protests that I was not depressed and was managing with what life delt me. However I agreed to go on cymbalta after just growing tired of taking so many neurontins a day. Its never really took away the neuroapothy completely but it did help. Fast forward...sleep study for sleep apnea and narcolepsy. Doc found it took me 522 minutes to enter REM sleep and advised me to stop cymbalta immediatly. Day 3 of discontinued use I begin to have a srange popping feeling in all different places of my body. By day 5 it gets so severe when walking around that I begin vomiting from the nausua. I assume my neuroapothy must have progressed significantly and wow the meds were really helping me. Day 7 uncontrollable diarrhea. I assume I drank too much cider at the pumpkin patch with the kids. Day 8 and 9 unconrollable crying and I find this site. I know this is not normal and I have never felt this way in my life. Even when my medical problems were so bad I wasn't sure if I was going to live to the next day. Tomorrow is day 10...

[houtex]

Ok, here I go....
Benefits of Cymbalta
Pain relief.... I was taking Cymbalta for pain in my feet due to peripheral neuropathy.
Side Effects of Cymbalta
Weight gain... I gained 30 pounds within 5 years of starting Cymbalta. ( I began Cymbalta in 2004. )
Gastric problems. I never had this problem before starting Cymbalta. I do not know if it is related, but my acupuncturist believes so.
Social issues... wanting to be alone. I have never been much of a social butterfly anyway, but did wonder about it.
Trouble sleeping.
Pain in my legs, which has stopped after discontinuing Cymbalta. This pain began a few months ago.

A few weeks ago, I decided to discontinue Cymbalta with my neurologist's blessing. I was to go from 60mg daily for one weeks to 30 mg daily for one weekg and then stop. Well, my symptoms began during week number two... the 30 mg.
Withdrawal Symptoms
Nausea
Stomach pain and bloating
Diarrhea
Brain zaps(the only way I can describe them)
Sweating (day and night, despite the temperature)
Cold shakes
Loss of appetite
Loss of energy
Flu like symptoms
Insomnia....
I had no idea that the prescription drug I had been taking with my doctor's blessing could cause so many problems and so much misery. When I visited my neurologist for the first time and subsequent visits, I was never given alternatives to very powerful medications. I trusted my doctor and I trusted Cymbalta. After all, it is prescribed by a physician, right? Had I only known I would never have taken Cymbalta! I feel as though I am trying to go off a drug that is illegal. I have seen comparisons to heroin withdrawal on this post. I do not know if that is accurate, but I am one miserable person at this time.
The good news is..... this will pass. I will get through this.

[GreenRose]

I have been on Cymbalta for a year and it really helped with my anxiety (I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder). The only side effect I had was lethargy and that only lasted the first week. I have been off Cymbalta for 3 days (cold turkey due to insurance problems) and I have had nausea, diarrhea, headaches, brain "zaps", dizziness, flu-like symptoms (right now I have a sore throat and some congestion), sinus pain, mood swings, crying, and concentration problems the last 2 days. What did I get myself into.......I really regret even starting Cymbalta now since the withdrawal is horrible and yet it's just beginning.

[lady2882Nancy]

Anyone wanting to see if something is a withdrawal symptom should look at this thread.

It should be required reading for doctor's before giving a patient a Rx for this crap

[Kittencat]

I hate Cymbalta

[GreenMachine]

Touche

[OffMyMeds]

Good stuff while on Cymbalta:

AWESOME dreams! Why *ever* be awake?

Stopped crying over stupid stuff like my hubby leaving the seat up.

 

Side Effects:

Decreased Libido

Heavy co-pay (OK, not a side effect but one reason I wanted off)

Doctor/Phramacy jerking me around on giving me my G-D pills (ditto)

Reduced creativity (due to lack of need for catharsis?)

Laziness/lack of drive

Never enough sleep. 10+ hours wasn't enough.

 

Withdrawl:

Brainzaps. Constant Brainzaps.

More brainzaps.

Reduced sleep/Frequent waking up (not so bad. at least I'm not tired all the time anymore)

Bad dreams (not bad enough to be nightmares, but not pleasant)

Body aches - Hips, back, shoulder

Umm.. that's that thing... uh... concentration.

A striking increase in typos and bad spelling

No longer giving a mierda about my diet

 

Good stuff:

The Libido returns!

 

How I'm dealing with it all:

During the day, Ibuprofen for the body aches

At night Aleve.

Tums for the tummy ache caused by the Aleve.

Reading this forum. I laughed outloud when I found it because I realized I am NOT alone!

[lady2882Nancy]

Thanks for the laugh, OffMyMeds. I really needed it this morning. You hit it big time.

At some point (probably when I can concentrate on something for longer than 30 secs) I am going to make a list like that.

[ksn1177]

I had no side effects that were notable enough for me to remember while on Cymbalta 60 mg for 2+ years for GAD.  I honestly loved it while I was on it.

 

I become pregnant and was immediately told by my doctors (GP and psych) to stop taking Cymbalta.  Neither told me anything about what would happen once I stopped.  I didn't take any more doses, and miscarried on 2/28/13 at 5 weeks.  To be fair, I want to mention that I don't think Cymbalta definitively caused the miscarriage, but now that I've dealt with the discontinuation side effects, I believe anything is possible.

 

I decided to still not take any more doses because I wanted to try again for pregnancy as soon as I was able.  I started experiencing side effects that same week. My withdrawal symptoms are (in the order that they appeared):

 

Nausea and the feeling of wanting to vomit all the time

Diarrhea

Fatigue

Tingling and zaps throughout body

Numb fingers that come and go

Brain fog

Anxiety (to be fair, reason I was put on Cymabalta was for hypochondria)

Cold hands and feet with numbness

Weight loss though eating more

 

The symptoms are getting better in that order.  The worst one I'm dealing with right now is the cold hands and feet.  The zaps are becoming less frequent.  I'm three weeks off and it's killing me not to give up and go back on it.  I'm trying to keep the big picture in mind - I want a baby and I cannot IMAGINE having a baby go through these withdrawal symptoms once they are born or stop breastfeeding.

 

 

[fishinghat]

You made the right decision ksn. You got to stay off that crapalta!! If you review the posts typically (but not always) the withdrawal symptoms have pretty much subsided in 4 to 6 weeks with the possibility of still some light symptoms for another 4 to 6 weeks. But I think most people would agree that the first 4 to 6 weeks are a real bear.

 

You might want to read some of the other posts about using omega 3, B vitamins, lemon balm and other products to help take the edge off this stuff. I can't take most of these because of side effects so I would refer you to GreenMachine, Crapalta, Lady2882Nancy or others. I think they can help you more than I can. DON"T give up!! Anything you need to let off your chest or any questions just drop a line and we will help as much as possible.

[LindaVandy]

Here to the best of my ability are the withdrawal symptoms: exhaustion, insomnia (pacing the floors at night), isolation, agitation, euphoria, weight gain (despite not being able to eat), nausea, lots of gas, lack of appetite, memory problems, concentration problems, blurry vision, headaches, inability to understand what people are saying to me, tinnitus, brain spasms (everything suddenly shifts to the side),  dizziness, falling down, numb fingers, flu-like symptoms worse than “normal” Fibromyalgia, sinus pain and congestion, runny nose, sneezing, severe chills, crying, shaking/shivering,cold all the time especially my hands and feet, chest and abdominal muscle pain and tightening (I can’t breathe), involuntary muscle spasms especially around rib cage and abdomen, itching till I bleed (feels like there’s something under my skin), rapid heartbeat, hallucinations, jaw and ear pain (like knife stabs), my mouth feels like I ate barbed wire and I go from severe dry mouth to drowning in my own saliva. Maybe once it stops snowing every week and warm weather truly comes I will be stronger.

[Jones]

I am having hair loss and breakage. The texture my hair has changed to brittle and frizzy. What touched me was what you said about how he felt about animals. It is just unbearable with me now. Even looking at the cows in the country whe we live tears me up knowing their fate. I have started the bead counting after first going from 60 to 30 mgs. Crying jags and incredible headaches are the norm. Does anyone else have the mouth sores ? I am glad to see who theirs surviving this. Suicide not an option but I really don't want to be here any more.

[ksn1177]

Just wanted to give an update... Symptoms are starting to subside at 4 weeks.  It is really strange to me how most of them come and go, except for the arm and leg "zaps."  The only new symptom I've had is that I'm basically on the verge of crying at the drop of a hat - for no reason.  I started crying at a Friends episode last night.  I'm thinking this will pass, but at least I'm feeling SOMETHING.

 

Hang in there, guys.  I am feeling miles better than I was one week ago, and I was at a pretty low place last week.

[lady2882Nancy]

Yes the crying at the drop of the hat is pretty common for both males and females so I'm told.

4 weeks is awesome, I can hardly wait til I'm there.

 

I had to take 20 beads less each day as my depression coming back bad.

At that the side effects were getting intense so I said screw it on Wed and this is Day 2 without Crapalta.

As long as I don't move things aren't too bad, other than the constant static in my head, the intense headache, the constant nausea, and jabs of electricity to various parts of my body. LOL

Now if I move it is a whole different world of torture.

Good thing I have a sense of humour and thank you God the deep dark hole of depression is getting shallower all the time.

 

Hope everyone has a great weekend and Happy Easter.

 

Take care of you

Nancy