46 replies to this topic

[Wagtail]

Hi everyone , a blast from the past from those who remember me .

Just thought I'd drop in & say hello & see who is still here & how you're doing.
It's over two years now since I stopped taking Cymbalta 60mg ..you who remember , know I did all the wrong things , you who don't know me ... I went cold turkey after taking 60 mg daily for approx 10 yrs & I did it on my own without the knowledge or help from a doctor or with any medical help .

I walked with the devil through hell suffering & I emphasise SUFFERING.
12 months into my discontinuation , my brain & body tried to convincing evidence me that I was having a mental breakdown & I ended up spending 4 months in a private clinic & back on many different antidepressants....none would work .
At this moment I am 55 days into washout but still needing Valium 5 mg 2x daily .

I will hopefully never take another antidepressant . If I get bad again I am going to take medicinal cannabis , unfortunately in our country it's illegal but the government is thinking of legalising it ... It has proved to cure many illnesses & I tried it myself & it took away my anxiety . Please Google Rick Simpson " pheniox Tears " & read for yourself . I spend months of research on it for my sick brother inlaw who was dying from a Brain tumour , the worst one you can get . The medical cannabis has the hallucinogenics taken out so the patient doesn't get the high , some has a smigan left in depending on the illness being treated .
It took away his 24/7 pain for a start & had his first nights sleep in a year .
He was admitted to palliative care the week we started him on the oil & his death was imminent .

Well we hit him hard with high doses of the oil & he started to respond , long story short ... That was about 6 months ago & not only is he still alive & doing well but the tumour has completely gone . Cannabis oil gave him back to us . Do yourselves a favour & start researching it.
I believe that in some states of America & other countries it is already legal .

I am atm suffering from salmonella poisioning , @ the end of it thank goodness . I'm taking care of myself by watching my diet , eating a lot of organic food , getting rid of chemicals as much as possible .Gave up alcohol & changing all my cosmetics shampoos etc to organic .
Cymbalta changed my life & me & I believe I will never be the same person . I'm alive & I have to be thankful for that .
Everyday is taken moment by moment & I never know how I will wake up .
I am going to start reading all your posts to catch up on you all ..... Fishing hat , TryingFL ? Gail ? Hopefully you will try the oil & get your lives back ....it even cures epilepsy...fibromyalgia, if not cures it gives you a better quality of life & you should be eating hemp seeds everyday ....

Thinking of you all.. Love Wagtail ( Gail ) 😘😘

[fishinghat]

Hey Wagtail!! It is good to hear from you. I am soooo glad you are feeling better.

 

Don't be such a stranger girl!!

[TryinginFL]

Wagtail!!!

 

So good to hear from you again

 

I know you have had an extremely difficult time and hearing that you are better is great news

 

Yes, I have stuck around to help the Newbies and was thinking of you the other day.  I have been off the poison for over 2 years as well.

 

Please keep posting - we have missed you!

[gail]

Hello Wagtail, so so nice to hear from you.

Of course I remember the hell you went through, and for you to come back to the forum gives me great pleasure.

Will look up the medical terms you are talking about.

Do keep posting, from Gail to Gail♥

[ButterflyWings63]

Oh, my Lord, Wagtail (Gail), I have only a tiny glimpse of what you went through and am sooo thankful
my body wouldn't allow me to continue the journey you were on.  I have also been on the Cymbalta
60 mg for 10 years.

I did taper down 20 mgs last year and then I had to stop. 

 

I decided to not taper any further until after my son's wedding which is in two weeks now.

 

But this time when I taper, I will already have the zoloft on board.  Don't know if I should just do

a 10 mg. drop each year, allowing my body to adjust slowly or not.  I realize it's trial by error.

 

Blessings and perseverance!!
 

[whathaveIdone]

7 years off Cymbalta poison........still have brain zapping as I call it....ringing in the ears...neck and shoulder pain can be unbearable....I get a massage every week( for 7 years)...sometimes 2 a week.....to manage my pain so I can continue to work.....I have pain from head to toe and never know from day to day where it will be.....I have suffered muscle spasms and have been given 800 mg motrin to take as needed...and flexiril.....I have fluid in my ears a lot and even when I don't if feels like there is....This stuff is poison and I can not believe it is still being marketed and people are taking this garbage or more that the medical field keeps prescribing.   I have not kept up with reports on this crap, for it just upsets me even more.....I hope others have had a better recovery than me.....Thanks everyone!

[fishinghat]

I don't know what to say. I am so sorry for your suffering. Most of your symptoms are not classic symptoms of anxiety or depression so I am inclined to think they are long term effects of Cymbalta and/or other medicines. I would like to thank you for this update. It helps us get a picture of long term outcomes.

 

God Bless

[whathaveIdone]

Thank you fishinghat.  I was put on Cymbalta because I was having symptoms of anxiety.  Assuming I was premenopausal, and that was causing my anxiety, I was told this would ease my symptoms...I did not want to go on anything....but she said this would help me..I trusted her judgment against my wishes, which is my fault now....in the meantime they took blood work....my hormone levels were fine so it was not my hormones but found out I had hypothyroidism.....So I immediately wanted to stop taking Cymbalta.....Dr. assured me that it would help me while they got my thyroid levels regulated.....4 months later I let them know that I wanted off this pill....it was making me actually feel depressed.....so the weaning started!  They started me on 60 mg.....prescribed me 30 mg when told them I would not continue to take it and told me to take it for 2 weeks then every other day for a week, then every 2 days for one week and every 3 days for one week......Well I did that and by the 2nd week the pain started and the brain zapping.....When I called and ask about side effects the dr nor the pharmacist were familiar with the symptoms I was having.....I started reading about the drug and so started whathaveidone.....I literally emptied the capsule and counted each ball and started lowering the dose after the 3rd week....I was a wreck....to many things to explain....it took me from July-October weaning myself off by reducing the dosage each week and going every 4 days then every 5 days etc till I was off.....Unfortunately, symptoms I had never had like the zapping and the pain...continue to haunt me.....The zapping is not everyday like it was when I was coming off this crap.....but it still happens often....just lots of stuff still happens as it started when I was weaning off....   

[fishinghat]

Did they put you on thyroid medicine?

[Sharisse]

I'm going through cymbalta withdrawels after being on 90mg for over 3 years. Im quitting cold turkey after forgetting where im at while driving at night.I've had ringing in my ears, brain freeze, crying, stomach problems, vision blurred,snappy, achy muscles, in all I feel worse than ever. I went to the hospital for help and dehydration. Funny thing is I called the suicide hot line 2x and got an answering service,left my number with no call backs. I really want to speak with a good attorney. Any ideas?

[fishinghat]

Zachary Johnson at Knox Ricksen
Direct: 213.281.9171
Toll Free: 1-877-713-5669

[Wagtail]

Well another year has passed since I posted my update.
Not a great deal has changed , I do think I'm gaining ground but in very tiny steps .
I haven't seen my psychiatrist or psychologist since before Christmas,so that's a forward step in the right direction.
I am seeing a INTEGRATIVE GP now & the jury is still out on whether he is helping me , but I feel he has in some ways,
He did a lot of blood works & I found out that I am pre-diabetic , my body is making too much iron ...my cholesterol is too high , but that could be genetic.
He has added a good quality magnesium powder , zinc , Q10 & L-thianine to my diet .
I can no longer have sugar or grains & has cut my carb intake back to the bare minimum. I have loads of organic vegetables , a small piece of either fish , chicken or another protein eg nuts or yoghurt for my meals .... No breakfast cereals now & I loved my oats ... now it's chia seeds ( soaked ) with fruit & nuts for breakfast .... I've also had some heart problems & needed to have a angiogram , this showed that I have heart spasms & the cardiologist added statins & a drug to widen my arteries... I only managed to take the last one for two weeks .....couldn't stand the 24/7 headaches , so it was replaced with aspirin .
Ok guys that brings you up to date .....almost 4 yrs since I ceased Cymbalta ( cold turkey ) 😖😖😖
& it hasn't finished with me yet .
Still have panic & anxiety .....
I sincerely hope you're all doing well & are happy & confident ...💞💙

[Wagtail]

7 years off Cymbalta poison........still have brain zapping as I call it....ringing in the ears...neck and shoulder pain can be unbearable....I get a massage every week( for 7 years)...sometimes 2 a week.....to manage my pain so I can continue to work.....I have pain from head to toe and never know from day to day where it will be.....I have suffered muscle spasms and have been given 800 mg motrin to take as needed...and flexiril.....I have fluid in my ears a lot and even when I don't if feels like there is....This stuff is poison and I can not believe it is still being marketed and people are taking this garbage or more that the medical field keeps prescribing.   I have not kept up with reports on this crap, for it just upsets me even more.....I hope others have had a better recovery than me.....Thanks everyone!

My heart aches for you , I went cold turkey too & 4 yrs almost & still battling . I am back on another old tricyclic antidepressant & Valium. It scares me to think I might be still like this for another 3 yrs ..... I've found a good integrative GP who has me on a diet similar to ' The Mediterranean Diet ' No sugar , very little carbs , I did notice a difference when he added Xinc & a good high potency magnesium powder ... Well onwards & upwards I hope ....

[gail]

Hey Wagtail, nice hearing from you. Wishing you well, it's been a real tough battle!

The battle continues here also, not necessarily due to Cymbalta. Such is life! Love, Gail.

[Wagtail]

Hello namesake !...
Yes ,you are so right . It's a battle that has no end ..... it's just ongoing . I still suffer from some of the withdrawal or discontinuation s/es .the anxiety is relentless & I have burning skin whenever I get upset . I still battle agoraphobia which I developed during my withdrawal stage .
Oh what I would do to just wake up one morning & feel happy & full of life . I miss that so much . It has taken a toll on my family as well which leaves me with a huge sense of the guilts ,
I do manage to make some of our family events but usually I sit home & cry that I CAnt be there with them .
I am a far cry from the vivacious life of the party girl I was pre Cymbalta ...
It has certainly taken a huge chunk out of my life .... it I keep on trying to find the cure ...
nice to hear from you also

[Wagtail]

Hello namesake !...
Yes ,you are so right . It's a battle that has no end ..... it's just ongoing . I still suffer from some of the withdrawal or discontinuation s/es .the anxiety is relentless & I have burning skin whenever I get upset . I still battle agoraphobia which I developed during my withdrawal stage .
Oh what I would do to just wake up one morning & feel happy & full of life . I miss that so much . It has taken a toll on my family as well which leaves me with a huge sense of the guilts ,
I do manage to make some of our family events but usually I sit home & cry that I CAnt be there with them .
I am a far cry from the vivacious life of the party girl I was pre Cymbalta ...
It has certainly taken a huge chunk out of my life .... it I keep on trying to find the cure ...
nice to hear from you also

I always post a little emoji but they never show up ?????
Love ❤️ Gail.x

[fishinghat]

You know I have never liked posting on this thread as the title suggests that you have to be "old" to post here. I am reminded enough of my age each time I try to move around. lol

[TryinginFL]

Agreed, FH!

 

Gail, so good to hear from you !   I have been wondering about you for some time. 

 

I am so sorry that you are still dealing with so many issues.

 

God Bless

 

 

Liz

[albergo11]

My life was ruined 4 years ago by cymbalta.  I have not really gotten any better - but actually quite a bit worse.  I actually posted here in my first couple of months, you can find my old posts and confirm it's been almost 4 years now.

 

I used to be a scientific researcher with a good future, now I have nothing and my life is ruined.

 

I saw this post and just figured I'd chime in here.

 

This stuff is obviously poison that damages the brain and the peripheral nervous system.  Some are lucky enough to heal, others are not.

 

I have improved in a couple of ways, but I made the mistake of trying the prozac bridge very early on in the process, and some supplements/drugs which made me WAYYY worse.  The damage from those "treatments" never went away, unfortunately

[Wagtail]

I , it's 4 yrs plus for me but I went cold turkey .From 60 mg daily for ten years to zero .... HUGE MISTAKE !.
I never dreamed that one could suffer so badly & for such a long time . Yes it has ruined my life also & I battle every day .

I have been seeing a Intergrative GP & I have hope for the first time .
I did need to go back on a antidepressant but that was a lot of trial & error . My brain was rejecting all the newer ssri etc I am tolerating an old tricyclic with Valium ... I will be endevoring to withdraw from both of these when the time is right .

This doctor did blood works that other doctors hadn't bothered doing .
They showed interesting results, I am pre-diabetic, I am making way to much iron , My cholesterol is too high & I have heart disease.

He put me on a strict diet immediately, NO GRAINS , NO SUGAR , NO FLOUR , NO LACTOSE & I ONLY DRINK ALKALINE WATER .
I TAKE A GOOD QUALITY MAGNESIUM SUPPLEMENT, ZINC, Q10 ,L-THEANINE , VTB12 , VT D3 . I can actually feel the difference already .
My diet is mainly ...lots of fresh clean vegetables & salad , very little fruit . Protein with every meal ,but only a small amount.
Lactose free milk when I need it ... The diet was hard to get use to but I do have a good variety to chose from .
If you know a good "INTERGRATIVE " Doctor , go & see him / Her . It's well worth the try .
They say our brain & our gut is connected, fix the gut & you fix the brain .....
I wish you the best of luck & never give up or stop trying ...
There is a cure for you , you just need to keep positive & keep fighting ....

[gail]

Hey Albergo and Wagtail,

A nice surprise to hear from you both.

Albergo, what a sad story. Have you tried another med in the meantime? Surely, something else could help you out?

Gail, an old triciclic, I hope it works for you. I too, am following your path!!
Should this sixth antidepressant not work, triciclic is the next thing.

How long have you been on this one? Again, so nice to see you both. Xxxx

[Wagtail]

Hello God Like , it's like a blast from the past !.... Good to hear from you but sad that we're both still here & both still holding on . The tricyclic I'm taking is called DEPTRAM , you will need to google its proper name . I did try Nortriptaline & the s/es were awful ...I can't think of the other one they tried me on but it didn't work.This one was the only one that helped @ all . I've worked up to 70mgs & have been on this dose for approx 12 months . Hopefully with fishing hats help I will be withdrawing from the Valium I'm taking asap .
I just need to be in the right frame of mind & have minimal family worries , this is unavoidable but hopefully it can happen .
I found that after the torture of the Cymbalta withdrawal , no antidepressant would work for me but I am getting some relief from this one . Keep in touch & let us know how you're travelling

God Bless xxx

[albergo11]

Hey Albergo and Wagtail,

A nice surprise to hear from you both.

Albergo, what a sad story. Have you tried another med in the meantime? Surely, something else could help you out?

Gail, an old triciclic, I hope it works for you. I too, am following your path!!
Should this sixth antidepressant not work, triciclic is the next thing.

How long have you been on this one? Again, so nice to see you both. Xxxx

 

 

I've tried everything, and nothing worked - most things made me worse.  Especially meds.

 

The one thing that made me like 500% worse was taking another antidepressant medication.  Trying other meds is INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS, I would not recommend asking people that question in the future.  It's literally like Russian roulette - even if you aren't unlucky enough to get the bullet in the brain, then you're stuck on a mind altering drug and have to taper off that one in the future as well.  Going to doctors is futile from my experience, and potentially harmful because they love to prescribe us more drugs, which are themselves very addicting, dangerous, and have long term side effects and withdrawals.  Tricyclics are VERY DANGEROUS and interact with a lot of drugs and alter the brain profoundly, that's honestly not a solution whatsoever.  That's like treating a broken leg with a body cast and a large dose of heroin - yes it helps keep the broken leg immobilized and there's no pain, but it creates a host of new problems and addictions that in the long term make things even more difficult.

 

In the end, the best course of action is a taper that lasts for 6 months or longer, and then time.  Only time can heal this condition.   I've been waiting 4 years.

[fishinghat]

Hi Albergo

Really sorry to hear about your situation. I wish I could make it pass but I can't. Do you feel like you are still improving any?

[gail]

Albergo, I am sorry that my question hurt your feelings.

To each his own path I guess.

[Wagtail]

Albego, just a thought !,
I live in Australia where m decal Cannabis oil is still illegal ,but Ai know that in many American States it's legal .
I belong to a few online groups where the people use cannabis oil for PTSD , DEPRESSION, ANXIETY & PANIC ATTACKS with great success . It's also usd for many other ailments as well . We used it for my brother's brain tumour & I completely killed he tumour .

If you want to google it , you may find it another way to find your good health again .
The most important thing is to do your research & join a few online groups & learn as much as possible .

You need to use a competent supplier who knows the EXACT MIX to prescribe for you personally .... low cbd with a tiny amount of thc is what was recommended for me . You don't want to get high & that's what makes it medicinal , the hallucnagenic part is removed .
It could be an answer for you .
I would take it in a heartbeat if it wasn't illegal here .
Keep on trying .
Regards .

[gail]

Hum! Wagtail, what is C oil? Looked it up, can't find this.

Intriguing stuff, if it's illegal then it could be M***. Thanks!

Can you point me to this forum by PM? Thanks Gail!

[TryinginFL]

Gail, I would think that this is cannabis oil...

[Wagtail]

Hum! Wagtail, what is C oil? Looked it up, can't find this.
Intriguing stuff, if it's illegal then it could be M***. Thanks!
Can you point me to this forum by PM? Thanks Gail!

Hi GL & TFL .... it's made from the cannabis plant ( marijuana ) not sure of the spelling for that !. Cannabis is the right name marijuana is just a nick name for it apparently.
I'm so surprised that you haven't heard about it & it's miraculous healing properties . Canada & America are two of the places where it's legal in most states . Australia is always late to catch up with the rest of the world .

You can even get it by subscription in America , they are just starting to do that here .

BIG PHARMA have been doing their best to stop people from knowing about it let alone use it . It's main success is stopping epileptic fits & stopping the shaking from Parkinson's

Haven't you heard about all the natural practioners being killed in the USA ....? It sounds like a bad novel but it's very real
As they're finding out how many illnesses can be helped & cured by using cannabis oil , the more BIG PHARMA .... ARE WORRIED .
THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT CANNABIS & it's healing properties for many many years ,but have had it locked away in a safe .

From the reading I have done over the past four years & speaking with sick people who actually use the oil from the black market , I am satisfied that it can heal pain & relieve the mental anquiish we all suffer from . I speak to these people daily & our TV Coverage is chasing this story all over the country .
Robert DeNiro , Morgan Freeman & many other stars are speaking out about this & supporting its use .
I belong to a few groups who are fighting to have this made legal here in Aus , the proof is there but the governmenmake sooooo much money from keeping us all sick ,that they don't want it to be made legal .
More & more doctors are speaking out now & turning a blind eye to their patients using it , they can't deny that it actually cures as opposed to pharmaceuticals that they can prescribe .
I just went onto SAFARI & googled medical Cannabis/ marijuana & there were lots of sites .
Alternatively,google " Rick Simpson " he is known around the world as the pioneer of using Cannabis oil to heal .
He has a site & even tells you how to make it
It DOES relieve anxiety & depression , many have been able to come off all other medications.
Oh & it works wonders with fibromyalgia....

Spend the day researching guys , it's right under your noses ..& if your lucky enough ,your state might be one where it's legal ...
It's IMPERATIVE that you get the prescription right , if you get one that is too high in thc ...it could make you paranoid for a few hours & you don't want that !!!!!

Love Wagtail

[gail]

Thank you Gail.

When I was younger, I tried that many times and boy, half the time it made me really paranoid.
I had my first great panic attack on this, I was scared shitless for many weeks. We didn't have internet at that time to check what was going on and I thought that I was losing my mind.

It's legal here but I will pass. I will check the sites just the same.