11 replies to this topic

[miniskin]

I got prescribed Cymbalta for back pain after suffering from spinal compression and out of place sciatic nerve. Before I started on these horrible things I had good days and bad days due to pain but on the whole still felt like me. Having had a successful operation continued to take them up until Christmas 2012.

 

Having been taken of the 60mg tablets at christmas to see if this was the cause of my post surgery stomach pains it resulted in a terrible christmas period resulting in a torrid time for my young family and my parents. The replacement drug was useless. I am still experiencing severe stomach problems resulting in hospital admitions, cameras, a range of different tablets and aliments and many doctors appointments later it still remains a medical mystery. 

 

Having been placed back on Cymbalta I still felt down but just put it down to having to start again from scratch. I was given 60mg at first then upped to 90mg after about 6 weeks. I was later advised by the crisis team that 90mg wasn't in my best interests.

 

I had to have an emergency meeting with the crisis team in April. I wonder if this is because of the '4-6 month' shelf life this drug is meant to have. During this period i had some suicidal thoughts and was finding it really difficult to cope with the situation. 

 

The problem has got worse. Just over 5 days ago, after a month or so of feeling crap taking them i decided to bite the bullet and stop all together. Unfortunately last night i had a meltdown. I don't like the feeling of uselessness and being unable to help myself. This god forsaken drug that was meant to help me has ruined me, nearly cost me everything and left me in a mess i cant get out of. This included suicidal thoughts including stopping my diabetes medication and not wanting to be on my own. I also couldn't control scratching myself and head butting inanimate objects. I just want it to stop so i can go back to enjoying my life like i did before my operation. I just want to be me again.

[Negotiator851]

Cymbalta is a massive cash cow...

 

God bless you friend, DON'T LET THIS MED PLACE YOUR LIFE AT RISK. Where is your physician ? It sounds like this med is no longer of any benefit to you ! Does your Physician know you are this uncomfortable ? Is he or she allowing you to do this without help at home ? Once you are free of this medication, DO NOT START IT AGAIN...  Move on...

 

Make sure someone who knows the withdrawal is taking place is checking on you hourly. If you are losing control, missing meds, insulin and glucometer checks. If you are headbutting as you say, don't you think you should go and be admitted on a MEDICAL FLOOR so they can help erase your withdrawal ? Alone we can not  ensure safe medical & NUTRITIONAL care ? It seems that you are at continued increase risk to try to do this at home, right ?

 

I am coming off Cymbalta 2 CAPS, 60mg.  per day , for over 2 yrs of constant use. Sudden interruption due to insurance refusal to pay. MALFEASANCE OF  INSURANCE IS KILLING MEDICALLY COMPROMISED  PATIENTS EVERY DAY. NO GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT MEANS THAT THEY ARE GETTING AWAY WITH THIS, no legal accountability.

 

I am a also, a "medical person". I am surprised at the level  of nausea, vomiting and malaise I am having to tolerate.  I also slept 24 hrs. missing medications and food. I am wondering if this has actually been compounded to DISCOURAGE ANY PATIENT EVER STOPPING WITHOUT SEVERE DISCOMFORT ?. I HAVE MY DEAR FRIEND WHO IS A PHYSICIAN'S .ASSISTANCE COMING TO LIVE WITH ME , UNTIL I RECOVER. 

[lady2882Nancy]

Hi Miniskin

I so know where you are coming from. The desire to just be me again is so familiar. Cymbalta, or Crapalta as I call it, made such a mess of my life too. Given to me for chronic pain and it did not help. I became suicidal while taking it and that continued until I was complete off of it.

The good news is that once this poison gets out of your system that you will feel better. It takes about 18 days to get through the side effects but then things will get better.

A little warning here as you are diabetic. Crapalta can cause elevated blood sugar levels so once off those blood sugar levels will be lower and you will need to be careful. I am hypoglycemic and had a tough time keeping my blood sugar levels even after I stopped taking it.

You may also experience rebound pain which Crapalta is getting to be famous for. Please know that it will go away and don't let it get you down. Gentle exercise such as walking will help especially when all you want to do is not move at all.

You can get free of this stuff and it is hard but it is so worth it. If the side effects get really bad there is the option of taking something like lexapro to help you through. Many have had to do this and lexapro is much easier to stop than Crapalta.

Crapalta seems to be one of the medical professions current "wonder drugs" and they give it out for just about everything. Their "wonder drug" turned out to be pure poison for me and it almost killed me. Don't let it destroy you. You can be well and happy again. 

Drink lots of water, take a good vitamin B-complex, get some L-theanine (suntheanine-get at health food store) for the mood swings, gently exercise and rest as needed and you will get through this.

Let us know how you are doing because we care.

Take care of you

[lady2882Nancy]

Hi Negotiator851

 

What you are going through is very typical for 20% of people who discontinue this med. 120mg per day is an unsafe dose to abruptly stop. I hope that your friend is prepared to deal with all the problems you are going to have and be able to stay with you for at least the next 18 days.

I hope that you are okay but fear that you have a hard road ahead of yourself. You may need to consider taking a SSRI like Lexapro to help you get through this.

Let us know how you are doing.

Take care

[miniskin]

Day 8/9 feeling absoulty terrible, worse days since day 5. got really bad pins and needles, a fuzzy head and not feeling very 'with it'. Still not had any of this cymbalta crap since first stopping tho. any advice for staying 'with it'?

[fishinghat]

Force fluids, exercise and pray not necessarily in that order). Just try to keep your mind occupied with something else.  I wish there was an easy answer I could give you. Hang in there. We are all pulling for you. It WILL go away.

[miniskin]

Day 10,

 

Having a torrid time again today, the withdrawels are getting a bit too much. Server pins and needles, my body is so itchy it feels like i am being eaten alive. Still feel completely withdrawn from the real world. Not 'with it' at all. Just seem to be plodding along feeling crap. This stuff is ruining me slowly Feeling rather worthless today and having spent last night waking up at silly times and not really being able to settle was horrible, add this to my stomach turning tricks it was another night to forgot Not sure if i am a strong enough person to figth this crap anymore :'( really not enjoying the past 72 hours, its been a living hell. Luckily i have a strong family to give me some support, i hate what this is doing to me. It really is destroying me, I Want this all to end now, this stuff has done to much damage to me and my family already, i want to all stop and leave us alone. Let me be me again cymbalta don't you think you have done enough fucking damage :'(

[lady2882Nancy]

Don't give up now miniskin - - - You are almost through the worst of it. Get some antihistamine for the itching at the drugstore. Most of us needed something for that just make sure that it is for skin reactions. - - - The waking up at odd times is very common too.- - - All of this will pass and you will feel better again. - - - It is tough but you can do it.

[fishinghat]

Lady Nancy is right. I know it doesn't feel like it right now but it does get better. Try to keep your mind on something else if possible. Do anything you can that you might enjoy. Reading, watch TV, etc. And don't forge to drink plenty of fluids. Hang in there.

[pammynmbr2]

I was wondering why I was itching so much!!!!! Day 4 cold turkey. Yesterday felt fine, today I'm dying inside my brain. Finally took a bath in hopes to feel better, but no luck. Sweaty, head hurts, can't eat. Thought about taking just 1 dose to help, but NOT going to do it. I've been through worse. I had hep c for 20 years and went through total hell during treatment. Numerous reasons why they put me on Cymbalta. Not only that, but are they really trying to kill me? Bad liver. and they give you something that can harm your liver? Makes no sense, but nothing at the moment really does. Had a friend in crisis today trying to ween herself off of celexa, she ended up at the ER and given more meds. I begged her not to do it. People have to make their own choices though. Glad she went, they found a blood clot in her lung. Now I'm having a horrible feeling of dread. I think I'm dying., great something new to focus on. Sometimes I just wish I would.

[chimera]

miniskin and pammy, try and get an antihistamine as Nancy says. it will make all the difference and carry you through the worst of it

[lady2882Nancy]

I was wondering why I was itching so much!!!!! Day 4 cold turkey. Yesterday felt fine, today I'm dying inside my brain. Finally took a bath in hopes to feel better, but no luck. Sweaty, head hurts, can't eat. Thought about taking just 1 dose to help, but NOT going to do it. I've been through worse. I had hep c for 20 years and went through total hell during treatment. Numerous reasons why they put me on Cymbalta. Not only that, but are they really trying to kill me? Bad liver. and they give you something that can harm your liver? Makes no sense, but nothing at the moment really does. Had a friend in crisis today trying to ween herself off of celexa, she ended up at the ER and given more meds. I begged her not to do it. People have to make their own choices though. Glad she went, they found a blood clot in her lung. Now I'm having a horrible feeling of dread. I think I'm dying., great something new to focus on. Sometimes I just wish I would.

 

It can be scary when someone we knows has one of the nastier things like that happen. Try not to focus on it as it will just make things all the harder for you. I know that it is hard not to think about but very few people have this kinds of things happen and it could easily be from another med that she is one. Blood clots from birth control pills are far more common than from SSRI's.

 

I cannot believe that your doctor would put you on a med like this when you have had Hep C. Were you getting tested for liver function regularly?

Please make sure you eat a healthy diet with lots of veggies and fruits and make sure you drink lots of water to help your liver detox.

I understand how you feel in regards to feeling like you are dying and sometimes I too wish that I would but now I want to hang around so that I can see them pull this terrible drug off the market. I will get alot of satisfaction out of that. My doctor will owe me an apology too.

 

Hang in there girl it will get better