18 replies to this topic

[FinallyComingBack]

One of the Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms I've seen listed is carbohydrate cravings, and I've been experiencing that in the last couple of weeks. After I made significant changes to my diet in the last few years, my cravings in general have decreased so the recent carb cravings are notable.

 

I know a good diet that avoids refined baked goods, sugars, fast food, grease, etc is essential to good mental as well as physical health, especially so when coming off a prescribed drug that must be similar to getting off crack. The last thing I need is to spiral into shitty eating.

 

But, I found that eating carbs can ease the nausea, when a normal meal (chicken, veg, etc) does not. It's almost like feeding a hang-over.

 

Mmmmm pasta (gluten free!), mac n' cheese, rice, french fries, POUTINE!!!!

[fishinghat]

If eating carbs make you feel better during this withdrawal, even for a short time, I would spoil myself a little. Doing any enjoyable activity releases endorphins (a feel good chemical in the body).

 

God Bless

[FiveNotions]

Sugar and starch increase brain serotonin ... so I bet your craving corresponds to your brain not having the Cymbalta to boost the serotonin and now being in the process of relearning to did it for itself ...

http://www.psycholog...ant-weight-loss

I'm with FH, let yourself have some "comfort food" ... but, if you can, stay away from white sugar stuff, the cookies, candies ... and chocolate ... the sugar digests fast, hits the blood stream, gives the brain a fast blast, and then you just want more ...

try to "crave" carbs with real nutritional value ... potatoes and bananas both boost serotonin ... (I don't think I could ever crave bananas, but potatoes ... fries, chips, massed, baked ... oh yeah!)

[fishinghat]

Hey FN

 

Question for you....Is "massed" potatoes ones that are Roman Catholic?

[FiveNotions]

HAHAHAHA ... yes, FH ... it's an old Irish Catholic tradition.. the "Blessing of the Potatoes" (kinda' like the "blessing of the fleet") ... we trundle our freshly dug up potatoes down to the local church in our rusty wheel barrows, line the barrows up in front of the altar, the parish priest says the "Potato Mass" (in Latin, with a Gaelic accent), and then sprinkles the potatoes with Blessed Irish Whiskey, while the congregation passes a bottle of the same around for their own little "blessing" ...

[FinallyComingBack]

Good to know!  Might have to visit the local poutine food truck today (or try the new Asian buffet that opened up in town).

 

I'm with FH, let yourself have some "comfort food" ... but, if you can, stay away from white sugar stuff, the cookies, candies ... and chocolate ... the sugar digests fast, hits the blood stream, gives the brain a fast blast, and then you just want more ...

 

I've never had much of a sweet tooth so my comfort carbs are savory (and spicy) things like potatoes (I'm with you FN, in almost all their forms) and pasta, nacho plate, fried egg sandwich with sharp cheddar .....

 

And I have also found eating salad greens and gourmet coleslaw mixes help the nausea (forget the fork and salad dressing, I take fingerfuls of the veggies from the bag, undressed, and shovel them in ....).

 

Since you mention bananas, that made me realize something:  I used to eat at least a banana a day, then I just lost my taste for them. I did not start to dislike them,  I just did not feel like eating them.  Cymbalta must clog up our health food receptors too!

[buntbean2]

LOL!  I live on carbs.  I'm a creature of habit and eat exactly the same thing everyday.  1 piece of whole grain bread with peanut butter and flaxseeds for breakfast.  A coconut greek yogurt with walnuts and coconut granola for lunch.   I make supper more for my family than myself.  I'd be happy with some cereal, pizza or mmm...pasta.    I try to eat some fruit in the evening.  Weekends are made for all things ice cream and whipped cream!!  Maybe that's why I'm happier on the weekends, filling my brain with all those feel good hormones.  I actually made 3 vegetables with supper tonight.  I think that might just be a record around here!

[TryinginFL]

BB2...

 

I keep meaning to tell you that I love your avatar!  It so describes this whole crap withdrawal!

[Amysgarden]

Been eating a lot of weird stuff at weird hours since I went off the Crap. The weirdest thing about it is that I don't want sweet stuff. At all! And I have, or had, a major sweet tooth! Currently craving salty food, and preferably really spicy too, despite the digestive issues! Maybe something to do with the effect of capsaicin?

[fishinghat]

Amy mentioned salty food. Sodium can be a real issue for those suffering from anxiety. Anyone under stress (physical or mental) produces lactic acid. That is why many of us get body aches during times of high stress. Salt consumption, as everyone knows, puts high amount of sodium into the blood stream. It reacts with the lactic acid in our bodies to produce sodium lactate, a very strong neurostimulant. I am particularly sensitive to it. A simple salty hotdog will double my anxiety for 2 or 3 hours. Obviously I can reduce that by forcing fluids, say 2 or 3 glasses in an hour or two. This has lead me to eating at home where I can have a salt free diet.rocessed foods from the grocery stores either. Anyone else sensitive to salt intake? Kind of curious.

[air3333]

I believe that sugar and caffeine increases my anxiety. They do act like a drug. Over the past few months when I decreased from 60 to 30 mg I couldn't stop myself from eating these foods. I just simply wanted more and more and eventually became the norm at every meal. This is a recipe for diabetes and heart disease.

 

I understand the more I eat or drink sugar the more I will want it and I want it much more than others. 

 

I reached the point where my clothes cannot fit anymore and my understanding this is because of my fast food and sugar consumption. 

 

Well I decided to stop this and I am quitting sugar and caffeine, cold turkey. It is the only way for me because I am addicted to the substance. I am not sure if Cymbalta started it or not but I believe sugar and caffeine make matters worse in my anxiety and other issues. 

 

I am day 2 into quitting sugar and caffeine and eating the atkins diet. 

 

I feel weak and tired fatigued but I know this will go away when my body moves into ketosis. I did this last year and felt amazing especially since I lost 20 pounds. (I regained those pounds over the last year)

[fishinghat]

I guess I should feel lucky. I have no interest in sugar, never had a cup of coffee nor a cigarette. No wonder I needed Cymbalta. lol

[air3333]

Turns out the fatigue and weakness I was feeling was mostly from caffeine withdrawal not carbs. I will continue drinking diet coke to counter these symptoms until the time is right to quit Diet coke, lol. 

[FiveNotions]

Boy, we each sure are different with the food cravings ... as soon as I went into withdrawal I lost all interest in sugar, chocolate, coffee/caffeinated tea, cigarettes, and alcohol. Maybe that's part of why I had such a hard withdrawal ... I was coming off all those things, plus Cymbalta

 

I did have a massive craving for spicey stuff the first month ... I couldn't keep down solids, but I drank gallons of V-8 juice, loaded up with tabasco sauce, Worcester sauce and extra hot chili powder...also some black pepper for good measure ... And, I was eating horseradish and grey poupon (sp?) mustard straight out of the jars ....  yowza!

[DoneWithCrap]

Yes I crave spicy salty carbs. Market Basket sells the best jalapeno popper flavored cheese puffs. I hadn't had any during their strike but now that the right Artie won, I'm stuffing myself with this food from the gods. I wonder if that is why my pain has kicked up a notch? Oh well. I guess I better finish off this last bag so I won't be tempted to eat it tomorrow 

[FiveNotions]

The spicy cravings are actually very good cravings ... back when I went nuts with the spicy stuff, early in withdrawal, I did a bunch of research, that I was sure I posted about here ... can't find it now, but will keep looking ... in the meantime, I just found a couple of links to similar info (just not the "researchy" stuff I found before) ...
 
The first item talks about salt as a natural antidepressant ...

Second item talks about turmeric ... that's another craving I had ... I made turmeric tea, and even ate it raw (how weird is that?) ... turmeric and curcumin are big serotonin boosters ... turmeric has been used in India to treat depression for over 1,000 years! And my body was craving it right when my brain was needing serotonin to balance the loss of the crapalta serotonin boost ...

Salt might be nature's antidepressant
http://www.scienceda...90310152329.htm

Health benefits of turmeric
http://www.care2.com...d-curcumin.html

Curcumin as effective as Prozac
http://www.ergo-log....ozac-study.html

Spicy foods increase serotonin, reduce inflammation and have lots of other health benefits
http://healthyconnec...-food-benefits/

Eat more curry for a brain boost
http://www.psycholog...rry-brain-boost

Mustard for health ... omega 3, B vitamins, speeds up metabolism
http://ezinearticles...stion&id=718352

Superfoods: Horseradish
http://www.lef.org/m...And-More_01.htm

Chart: what do food cravings mean (nutrient shortage indicated by cravings)... scroll down the page, chart is at bottom)
http://betterraw.com...-you-chart.html

[FinallyComingBack]

Reading over these posts about your cravings made me laugh ... when I was experiencing the worst of the physical symptoms I sometimes described it as feeling like a combination of being pregnant (the morning sickness and cravings) and going through menopause at the same time!

 

FIveNotions, interesting that you craved turmeric (I've heard it has all kinds of health benefits) since I plan to try Dr. Sanjay Gupta's turmeric tea:

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond milk (I'll try coconut milk too)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp honey (or maple syrup)
• 1/4 tsp ginger

 

Directions: Heat the almond milk, stir in the spices and drizzle the honey on top. 

[FinallyComingBack]

Turns out the fatigue and weakness I was feeling was mostly from caffeine withdrawal not carbs. I will continue drinking diet coke to counter these symptoms until the time is right to quit Diet coke, lol. 

 

Air, I'd think coffee is better than the diet coke!  Those artificial sweeteners can really mess with your body and mind (anxiety-creating, among other effects) plus the other junk that is in pop.  Coffee on the other hand, has been found to have health benefits. Dark roast coffee has less caffeine.  Sweeten it with honey or maple syrup - they have a medium glycemic index and have other health benefits, and sweeter than sugar so you use less (or try stevia, I heard the body does not process stevia as a sugar).

 

Take care! 

[Mimi9]

Hahaha now I know why I spent 2 weeks eating only white foods. Rice, chicken and cheese casserole, lots of biscuits, lots of saltines. Milk, yogurt, chicken salad. Chicken and dumpling soup. Any type of potatoes .
Bananas. If it was white,i ate it. Thankfully the diarrhea kept the scales balanced.