97 replies to this topic

[justsayno]

I found a bunch of info on seizures and Cymbalta and should be ready to post it in the morning, Looks interesting.

 

Thank you I look forward 

[fishinghat]

Cymbalta and seizures
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1) Comments by Members

Grand Mal Seizure And Mouth Spasms ?
Posted by justsayno on 02 April 2017 - 07:58 PM in How to Find Support
Was trying to work it out tonight. Looking for any patterns / similarities etc
Only obvious thing being that both seizures occurred after a dosage drop from 40 to 30 mg.

Grand Mal Seizure And Mouth Spasms ?
Posted by justsayno on 01 April 2017 - 02:26 PM in How to Find Support
Hi Gail
Far as I am aware No. In 28 years I've never had any seizures until I began taking Cymbalta.

Bead Counting Advice Doesn't Jive With My Capsule Contents
Posted by PtldFrank on 04 September 2016 - 04:44 PM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
Vinpin,
Regarding seizures, that's a subject I do have personal experience with. The good news is that I'm seizure free for more than 10 years. The bad news is that I had half a dozen gran mal seizures in the 12 years prior, starting with wellbutrin. I tend to believe the seizures all came from the various meds (15-20 combinations) I went through. The only thing that seems to have stopped the seizures is the anti seizure medicine Keppra.

Involuntary Cold Turkey From 120Mg
Posted by Cassandra on 13 February 2015 - 10:32 AM in What are you feeling?
Hello world, this is Cassandra. It's been a rough month since I quit cymbalta and I think it'd be best to start from the very beginning.

I have been experiencing major depression as long as I can remember, at least from the age of 9 which is where my earliest memories are. I was put on my first antidepressant--celexa--5 or six years ago. I had been depressed before but when I started medication it just got worse. Five/six months ago I was put on cymbalta, first 60 mg then 120, and it got worse. I became violently suicidal and after a course of 12 ect treatments I attempted suicide by taking 2 bottles of cymbalta at once (my insurance had just switched me to where I could only get my meds in a 90 day supply--bad, bad idea to give someone who's suicidal a giant bag of meds.)

I woke up having seizures that went on for hours, and then on and off for a few days. When I got to the hospital, I was hallucinating, and couldn't stand or eat for days. I learned how to walk again and a month later I can ride my bike again.

Listing The Positive Events Daily Through My Cymbalta Withdrawl
Posted by FiveNotions on 24 December 2014 - 09:42 AM in ARE YOU NEW HERE? Words from the wise about Cymbalta
I was just talking with a friend about where I was last year this time ... compared to this year ... and it seemed more than worthy of a post in our "Positives" thread ...

Last year this time I was about 19 days into hard, cold turkey withdrawal ... I was overwhelmed with vertigo and nausea, confined almost totally to bed, and crawling to the bathroom to puke ... at one point, I just took my blanket and pillow in there and slept/lay curled up on the floor (less far to travel) ... I was unable to eat any solid foods, not even crackers ... and was living on broth and herb tea and water (didn't make for much to puke up, but I still did) ...
I was having constant muscle spasms, and had a couple of seizures (at least I assume that's what they were, I just blacked out and woke up on the floor) ... I was having auditory and visual hallucinations, constant cold, dripping sweats, and horrid general body aches and pains .... couldn't sleep much at all, just an hour or so at a time ... I hadn't showered, washed my hair, changed clothes, or changed my sheets, once ... and I simply did not care ...

Article: Duloxetine Withdrawal Seizure [Cold Turkey Withdrawal]
Posted by FiveNotions on 03 January 2015 - 09:32 AM in Cymbalta in the News
I think I had at least 1, possibly 2, seizures during hard, cold turkey withdrawal ... but don't know for sure, was alone and woke up on the floor ... yet another reason not to quit this poison cold turkey!
Duloxetine Withdrawal Seizure [full text]
Psychiatry (Sept 2006)
http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC2963463/

From the article:

Much has been written about the use and side effects profile of duloxetine (Cymbalta®). We report a case of a patient who had generalized tonic clonic seizures after abruptly stopping duloxetine.

Case report. Ms. X was a 59-year-old Caucasian woman with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder recurrent severe without psychotic feature. She was stabilized on duloxetine 90mg p.o. daily.

She came to the emergency room with complaints of nausea, clear liquid vomitus, anxiety, “electical sensation” inside the body, restlessness, decreased liquid intake, abdominal pain, and decreased sleep.

She stopped taking her duloxetine two days previoiusly. She had two generalized tonic clonic seizures 20 minutes apart in the hospital.

Urine drug screen was negative. Urinalysis was negative. Complete blood count (CBC) was normal. Her sodium was 134, potassium was 2.5, chloride 86, glucose 110, calcium 9, and magnesium 1.5. Her blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine were normal. Her liver function tests were normal except mildly elevated alkaline phosphatase of 126. Computed tomography (CT) scan of her head was negative. There was no sign of infection at the point of admission. She was stabilized and was then started on a different antidepressant due to her history of nonadherence. She had no further seizures during her hospital stay.
Seizure?
Posted by sarahb on 04 April 2014 - 10:59 AM in What are you feeling?
My mother has been on Cymbalta I think 90mg and she recently started having seizures. I wonder if there could be any correlation. I'm the one who was on it 5 days and found your group and has decided to get off. Now my thoughts are with my mom. I know different things about her health are shorting her health but I hate to think what this drug is doing to her and God forbid she needs to get off.

And Here I Am- Am I Screwed Forever?
Posted by jenniesue on 09 December 2013 - 12:49 PM in ARE YOU NEW HERE? Words from the wise about Cymbalta
The DVT/Blood Clots were after I lost a pregnancy. Yes I was placed on Cymbalta for pain. The seizures I had started within 2 weeks of taking Cymbalta. Yes I have discussed all issues with my Dr. and they give me a diagnosis of something else, and have told me just keep taking the Cymbalta. Where do I start to get off of this evil med? I go to see my Dr. Monday Dec 15.

Seen The New Commercials?
Posted by Pixi on 10 June 2012 - 02:32 AM in Cymbalta in the News
I'd thought I was unsubscribed...but this thing emailed me for a reply so here goes. I can't believe it's almost a year to the day since I made the post on here. That means I've been totally Cymbalta free for 6 months! I took my healthcare into my own hands & I'm glad I had the fortitude to go through this & come out as well as I have.

I'm taking nothing for depression/neuropathy and still having the odd brain zap & dizziness - my "Cymbalta moments" as I call it. . Still having seizures at night, bouts of horrible dementia and just wish I'd never listened to the Doctors & allowed myself to be their labrat for this evil drug. Depression is still much better off it and bladder control is almost back to normal. The ONLY way to go is wean slowly, count the grains even tho it's tedious - over months, even if you're only just on it a few weeks, start to cut it down really slowly - your brain is way more delicate than you know. This shit does pretty weird things to you - that's how it's supposed to work - alter your neurology. Don't let them mess with you. It caused me DID/MPD, made my diabetic neuropathy 100 times worse & a host of other shit I've probably posted about elsewhere on this forum.

Seizures From Cymbalta
Posted by Namaste on 02 May 2012 - 02:04 AM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
Doctor changed celexa to cymbalta And was ok with it for a month and
I started Having hives, itching and bruises. My doctor stopped cymbalta and gave me prednisone. Then i started having seizures where i was fully aware of what was happening so I'm now on lamictal for seizures. Anyone of you having the same experience?

My Chapter Of Hell
Posted by distill on 06 December 2011 - 02:55 AM in ARE YOU NEW HERE? Words from the wise about Cymbalta
I have already wrote this once, but if I can help out another person then I've done what I set out to do.

I know some people have done great while taking it but the withdrawal is what gets them. I was not depressed, I was injured on the job crush three disc in my lower back. I was put on it for sciatic help.

I had a house, cars, and my best friend for a fiance. Within two weeks of taking it I lost my mind. Manic aggression, seizures, nightmares, etc. I did things I never wouldve done before this. Its like i either knew what i was doing and didnt care or i flat out dont remember. We were losing the house and my demeanor drove her away. Workers comp denied paying for all psychological meds and I flat out couldn't afford $400 for 90days. That was in January of this year.

Neuropathy As A Side Effect?
Posted by cookie on 28 November 2011 - 11:57 AM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
Dear Pixi

I took cymbalta for depression, other than than I was a pretty healthy person. After 6 years of taking it, I have sugar problems and now I am experiencing prickling sensations and pin & needles. I also have problems remembering names. I also experienced seizures and problems with my joints which I never had prior to the medication

Check In On Your Progress Here!
Posted by CindiEponabri on 16 October 2011 - 01:31 AM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
1) Method you're using
Counting bead method, kinda... I take out about 1/4 of the beads out of one of the two capsules for each day's dosage, for a week. The following week it will be 1/2 of the beads of one capsule.

2) Starting dose
120mg

3) Current dose
105mg (roughly)

4) Withdrawal symptoms you're having
more pain, anxiety, dizziness, tired, nausea, cold/flu symptoms, nightmares, itching,


5) Things that have improved.
Seizures.. we had thought they were being caused from the Oxycotin, but now I see it was from the Cymbalta, because for the most part they are now gone. I have a little one every now and then.

My Story
Posted by cookie on 26 July 2011 - 02:25 PM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
Dear Imdone:
.....However I learned to differentiate the initiall symptoms from withdrawals. I took the medication for severe depression. When I reduced dose I started experiencing asthma, itching, joint pain, problems finding words to talk and comprehending language, dizziness, vomiting, seizures, facial tics, sensitivity to noises and light, tremors, allergies, sore throat, etc which I definitely didn´t have when my depression appeared 6 years ago.
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2) Drug insert from Eli Lilley for Cymbalta
https://dailymed.nlm...f2-c185fbad64ba

5.7 Discontinuation of Treatment with CYMBALTA
Discontinuation symptoms have been systematically evaluated in patients taking CYMBALTA. Following abrupt or tapered discontinuation in adult placebo-controlled clinical trials, the following symptoms occurred at 1% or greater and at a significantly higher rate in CYMBALTA-treated patients compared to those discontinuing from placebo: dizziness, headache, nausea, diarrhea, paresthesia, irritability, vomiting, insomnia, anxiety, hyperhidrosis, and fatigue.
During marketing of other SSRIs and SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors), there have been spontaneous reports of adverse events occurring upon discontinuation of these drugs, particularly when abrupt, including the following: dysphoric mood, irritability, agitation, dizziness, sensory disturbances (e.g., paresthesias such as electric shock sensations), anxiety, confusion, headache, lethargy, emotional lability, insomnia, hypomania, tinnitus, and seizures. Although these events are generally self-limiting, some have been reported to be severe.
Patients should be monitored for these symptoms when discontinuing treatment with CYMBALTA. A gradual reduction in the dose rather than abrupt cessation is recommended whenever possible. If intolerable symptoms occur following a decrease in the dose or upon discontinuation of treatment, then resuming the previously prescribed dose may be considered. Subsequently, the physician may continue decreasing the dose but at a more gradual rate [see Dosage and Administration (2.7)].

6.12 Postmarketing Spontaneous Reports
The following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of CYMBALTA. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.
Adverse reactions reported since market introduction ....., seizures upon treatment discontinuation, supraventricular arrhythmia, tinnitus (upon treatment discontinuation), trismus, and urticaria.
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3) Medical Research on Seizures and Cymbalta.

https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC3229538/
"Although the risk of seizures with antidepressants is generally very low, the association with overdose is well established [80]. However, the molecular mechanisms by which antidepressants cause seizures have not been clarified. GIRK2 knockout mice exhibit spontaneous seizures and are more susceptible to seizures induced by pentylenetetrazol than wild-type mice [37]. The risk of seizures in overdoses with sertraline, duloxetine, mianserin, and venlafaxine significantly increases [80]–[82], and amoxapine overdose is more likely to cause seizures [83]. "
80. Montgomery SA. Antidepressants and seizures: emphasis on newer agents and clinical implications. Int J Clin Pract. 2005;59:1435–1440. [PubMed]
81. Whyte IM, Dawson AH, Buckley NA. Relative toxicity of venlafaxine and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in overdose compared to tricyclic antidepressants. Q J Med. 2003;96:369–374. [PubMed]
82. Isbister GK, Bowe SJ, Dawson A, Whyte IM. Relative toxicity of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in overdose. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 2004;42:277–285. [PubMed]
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https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC4683813/
"Epilepsy is a serious condition which can profoundly affect an individual’s life. While there is some evidence to suggest an association between antidepressant use and epilepsy and seizures it is conflicting and not conclusive. "
"Conclusions
Risk of epilepsy/seizures is significantly increased for all classes of antidepressant. There is a need for individual risk-benefit assessments in patients being considered for antidepressant treatment, especially those with ongoing mild depression or with additional risk factors. Residual confounding and indication bias may influence our results, so confirmation may be required from additional studies."
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https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/16534127
Neurology. 2006 Mar 14;66(5):773-4.
Duloxetine-induced syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion and seizures.
Maramattom BV1.
"The syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) and hyponatremia is a well known side effect of older selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as paroxetine, sertraline, fluoxetine, citalopram, escitalopram, and fluvoxamine.1,2 The frequency of hyponatremia is around 8 per 1,000 among elderly women receiving fluoxetine.2 Although the second-generation dual blockers, selective serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as venlafaxine and duloxetine, are touted to have a wider therapeutic index, hyponatremia is encountered even with venlafaxine. To date, Medline searches do not reveal any reports of hyponatremia associated with duloxetine. We describe a woman who developed severe hyponatremia on exposure to duloxetine and recurrence on inadvertent rechallenge, suggesting the causative relationship of this drug to hyponatremia. "
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http://www.psychforu...topic69139.html
This is a thread about seizures and Cymbalta you might want to check out.
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http://www.ehealthme...mbalta/seizure/
95,293 people reported to have side effects when taking Cymbalta.
Among them, 1,077 people (1.13%) have Seizures
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https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/16534127
Duloxetine-induced syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion and seizures.
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http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/22306002
Generalized tonic-clonic seizure secondary to duloxetine poisoning: a short report with favorable out come.
Abstract
Duloxetine is a potent and selective inhibitor of serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake (SNRI) with a weak activity over dopamine reuptake used in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Daily doses of 60 mg are effective in treatment of major depression. There are few cases of isolated duloxetine overdose in humans. We think this is the first report of a generalized tonic-clonic seizure following isolated duloxetine poisoning with a very high dosage.
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https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC2963463/
Duloxetine Withdrawal Seizure
She came to the emergency room with complaints of nausea, clear liquid vomitus, anxiety, “electical sensation” inside the body, restlessness, decreased liquid intake, abdominal pain, and decreased sleep. She stopped taking her duloxetine two days previoiusly. She had two generalized tonic clonic seizures 20 minutes apart in the hospital.
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4) Misc.
Benzos can trigger seizures.
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Hyponatremia

Note - Hyponatremia is a know cause of grand mal seizures, but low potassium is not. Cymbalta can cause Hyponatremia (low serum sodium levels). See below

https://www.accessda...s011s013lbl.pdfFDA
Hyponatremia — Cases of hyponatremia (some with serum sodium lower than 110 mmol/L) have been reported and appeared to be reversible when Cymbalta was discontinued. Some cases were possibly due to the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). The majority of these occurrences have been in elderly individuals, some in patients taking diuretics or who were otherwise volume depleted.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/23075738
A case of severe hyponatremia induced by duloxetine and ziprasidone.

https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC3285747/
Rapid-Onset Hyponatremia Induced by Duloxetine in a Middle-Aged Male with Depression and Somatic Symptoms

https://www.ehealthm.../hyponatraemia/
95,293 people reported to have side effects when taking Cymbalta.
Among them, 649 people (0.68%) have Hyponatraemia

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25538343
Duloxetine-induced hyponatremia in an elderly patient treated with thiazide diuretics.

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25911354
Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion: a story of duloxetine-induced hyponatraemia.

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/18562431
Severe and symptomatic hyponatremia following duloxetine treatment.

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/17224730
Duloxetine and hyponatremia: a report of 5 cases.

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/17502788
Recurrent hyponatremia after substitution of citalopram with duloxetine.
And more....

https://www.mayoclin...ms/con-20031445
Mayo Clinic
Hyponatremia signs and symptoms may include:
⦁ Nausea and vomiting
⦁ Headache
⦁ Confusion
⦁ Loss of energy and fatigue
⦁ Restlessness and irritability
⦁ Muscle weakness, spasms or cramps
⦁ Seizures
⦁ Coma

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Drugs.com
Applies to: Wellbutrin (bupropion), Cymbalta (duloxetine)
Talk to your doctor before using buPROPion together with DULoxetine. Combining these medications may increase the risk of seizures, which may occur rarely with either medication. In addition, buPROPion can increase the blood levels of DULoxetine, which may increase other side effects. You may be more likely to experience seizures with these medications if you are elderly, undergoing alcohol or drug withdrawal, have a history of seizures, or have a condition affecting the central nervous system such as a brain tumor or head trauma.
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[fishinghat]

Hives and Cymbalta
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Members Comments

Seizures From Cymbalta
Posted by Namaste on 02 May 2012 - 02:04 AM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
Doctor changed celexa to cymbalta And was ok with it for a month and
I started Having hives, itching and bruises.

Skin Rash / Hives From Cymbalta
Posted by chrisak on 31 July 2016 - 01:55 PM in What are you feeling?
I've been on Cymbalta 60 Mg for a year now, started with 30 mg for 2 month then moved to 60 mg, 2 weeks ago i started getting a rash / hives that appears at night around 1 Am and disappears the next morning around 11 AM / anybody has faced similar symptoms? i'm worried about this your help is much appreciated thanks

Involuntary Cold Turkey From 120Mg
Posted by Cassandra on 13 February 2015 - 11:32 AM in What are you feeling?
Hello world, this is Cassandra. It's been a rough month since I quit cymbalta and I think it'd be best to start from the very beginning.
My depression vanished, in a matter of weeks, since I stopped the medication. The withdrawal was rough though--I had a rash on my entire body, everything had burst into hives,

Took My Last Dose Of Cymbalta 6 Days Ago, Is This Dizziness Normal?
Posted by buntbean2 on 16 August 2014 - 07:15 AM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
I decided to keep it at 40mg until June 16th, then I decreased to 30. I have had hives on my left arm since then but I don't know if it's related to the Cymbalta, I've never had hives before though.

List Your Symtpoms
Posted by shebakikki on 27 March 2014 - 11:59 PM in What are you feeling?
I was taking 60 mg for two years, felt better pain wise but the constipation I looked like I was 9 months pregnant now I go every day feels so good!!! I have pain every day but I will live with it, never again will I be on Cymbalta. I feel like my last 2 years were a fog and my head is clear now it's like I woke out of a 2 year sleep. The hives & burning across the top of my back the hives under my skin on my back arms legs & burning feet. I'm mad that no one mentioned the side effects of being on or going off Cymbalta!!!!

Have To Withdraw Rapidly:(
Posted by chimera on 06 April 2013 - 05:43 PM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
the next day, the cramps subsided, and the hives (uticaria) began. now I am not an 'allergic' type of person.

Plmd And Cymbalta
Posted by melly on 04 May 2012 - 09:40 PM in ARE YOU NEW HERE? Words from the wise about Cymbalta
I have a question, I was wondering if anyone has developed bumps sort of like hives on their body after being cymbalta free. The last two days I have been getting them, benedil seems to help.

Day 10 Cold Turkey
Posted by jana on 03 July 2011 - 01:43 PM in What are you feeling?
Last sunday I started getting the hives for some unknown reason. I know well enough that when on medications one can develope an elergic reaction to meds at any time and to stop whatever you are taking. I was diagnosed with MS in 2005 and have been on Copaxone injections nightly and been on Cymbalta for about a year now. I immediatly stopped taking my meds and vitamins. I have been in the ER 2x because the hives were so severe and my esophagus is continually having spasms.

Getting Off Cymbalta Prescribed For Chronic Pain
Posted by zombie on 20 April 2011 - 04:53 PM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
It's me... Day 7 of no Cymbalta... after 60 days on 20 mg FOR PAIN and a few of 10 mg... got off because it was not helping, I had been turned into a totally useless slug - could not even put dishes in dishwasher nor feed myself other than frozen boxes into the micro, and I developed an allergy to it - hives.

Getting Off Cymbalta Prescribed For Chronic Pain
Posted by zombie on 17 April 2011 - 11:13 PM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
It's me again... reporting in. Cymbalta is soooooooooo scary. I was put on it for chronic pain - not depression. Today was another day w/o cymb... and another day OUT of the fog. I could cook real food for myself and put plates and utensils in the dishwasher... like a normal human.
I had a pretty good day... tackled some projects I have wanted to do since 2010... still some hives, bloodhot eyes, and I look like an escapee from a death sentence.

Getting Off Cymbalta Prescribed For Chronic Pain
Posted by Lundeliz on 15 April 2011 - 12:36 PM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
Hi Zombie,
I also feel like a slug on Cymbalta. That's a very good description of how I feel. I have been tapering off for over a year. In the beginning of my taper, I also broke out in very itchy hives. Miserable.

success story on quitting cymbalta using prozac temporarily
Posted by Hol on 07 November 2010 - 08:05 PM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
Hi Everyone,
I also have a thread on Weaning Off Cymbalta, but I could really use some advice on the Prozac option. I seem to have withdrawals longer than most (at least from what I read). I restarted the medication approximately three weeks ago (I had stopped in May after a way too short taper – but I did not know and my doctor did not either).
Therefore, I went to my old primary in October and she said I had to start the med (she put me on it), but she is not helping me deal with the withdrawals. I regret this decision because I had been off for so long, and my withdrawals keep getting worse. The shocking and burning of my skin never stops (no matter what I take to help). I did not get some of this until the fourth month off (I had all the other horrible withdrawals). When I take the med, my rashes and hives get worse. The burning is relentless and my skin will not retain any moisture. At the time, I felt that was the only thing that would help.

After You Updose And Stabilize...
Posted by Lundeliz on 20 June 2010 - 03:01 PM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
Hi,
A few weeks ago, I had a round of hives on my face. After about a week of waiting for it to get better,
I updosed about a couple of milligrams. After a few days the hives finally went away. I remained at that dose and actually got to feeling better than I had in a while.

Gained 70lbs and continue to gain HELP!
Posted by saynoEliLilly on 20 May 2010 - 04:43 AM in Nutritional Support
When I was diagnosed with PTSD, Dysthymia, and Major Depressive disorder, I needed some help. I didn't know that the meds would go on for ten years. I have had pouring sweats on Cymbalta, eye twitching, last three months I itch and have huge weird looking rash/hives/SOMETHING all over my skin.

More than one medication?
Posted by nu2this on 27 August 2009 - 04:26 PM in What are you feeling?
Going on week 4:
My emotions and dizziness are more in check, but I gotta tell you the damn hives are killing me! I've tried Benedryl, even was told to try Zyrtec, NOTHING works. Those of you that have had hives, how long did yours last?

My Withdrawal off Cymbalta 60 mgs(cold turkey)
Posted by jyls on 21 October 2008 - 02:53 PM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
Glad I found this forum.
My psych advised me to stop taking Cymbalta completely since I've been having hives-like side-effects.

List Your Symtpoms
Posted by Holly on 21 August 2008 - 01:17 PM in What are you feeling?
One more to add:
Hives.

List Your Symtpoms
Posted by jean on 15 August 2008 - 05:51 PM in What are you feeling?
P.S. Greybeard--
I had another thought. You are so right about the business of hives and a possible drug allergy. It is easy to write off all of our symptoms to withdrawal whereas they might be something else. For those of you who are taking Benedryl for withdrawal symptoms be aware that Benedryl is also used to treat allergic reactions. So if your rash gets better when on Benedryl don't just dismiss it. That may really mean you are having an allergic reaction to one of your meds and the Benedryl is treating the symptoms but the only cure for the allergy is to stop taking the particular allergy causing med. An allergy will not go away in fact with each additional dose of the allergy causing med your symptoms will get worse and could be life threatening. So check with your MD if you have the hives. Jean

List Your Symtpoms
Posted by 1984 on 12 August 2008 - 11:47 PM in What are you feeling?
I stopped Cymbalta on 8/8/08, so it's been 4 days. It's almost like the med is toxic in my system and I can't take it anymore. I had some red hives on my stomach about two days ago.

I'm a newbie with questions!
Posted by heidiho on 09 June 2008 - 11:12 AM in What are you feeling?
This site is great! I've been on Cymbalta for over 2 years now, and am taking 90 mg. per day. What I just thought was my new "normal", I can see now, are issues that so many of you have been dealing with. I've been thinking about trying to cut back my dose or even wean off, but now I'm scared to death about withdrawal. I'v gotten hives in the last month, and never had those before.

HAS ANYBODY EXPERIENCED HIVES WHILE STOPPING CYMBALTA?
Posted by RUWR123 on 10 May 2008 - 03:58 AM in Weaning Off Cymbalta
I have been tapering off Cymbalta for about 2 weeks now. A week ago i broke out in hives and my doctor believes that it might be linked to the Cymbalta. (she is not a big fan of the drug)

Have you experienced this as well?
Posted by nancyweNW on 20 April 2008 - 02:50 PM in What are you feeling?
Thanks for your reply and investigation as well Sarah! Actually my doctor is a PA and has responded very well to my complaints and lack of information regarding withdrawal from the drug. She said to definitely give a report to Eli Lilly and she will fire back to the rep with my complaint.
I am doing better today headache-wise, still there but not as awful as the last couple of days. What's kind of frustrating me also is that I'm still have hives outbreaks even though I've been off the drug for almost 2 weeks now which is the whole reason I stopped it in the first place. I felt great when I started and would still be on it except for the hives. I'm going to a dermatologist/allergist to see about that and what is causing that now. I suppose there is a possibility that the drug just started a chain reaction that my body is still playing out but it could be that something else is causing this that just happened around the same time I started the drug.
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Manufacturer's Drug Insert

https://dailymed.nlm...f2-c185fbad64ba
From the drug insert for Cymbalta...
(side effects) Also includes hypoaesthesia, hypoaesthesia facial, genital hypoaesthesia and paraesthesia oral (Soreness and sensativity in the mouth)

Severe Skin Reactions — Caution patients that CYMBALTA may cause serious skin reactions. This may need to be treated in a hospital and may be life-threatening. Counsel patients to call their doctor right away or get emergency help if they have skin blisters, peeling rash, sores in their mouth, hives, or any other allergic reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6)].

5.6 Severe Skin Reactions
Severe skin reactions, including erythema multiforme and Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), can occur with CYMBALTA. The reporting rate of SJS associated with CYMBALTA use exceeds the general population background incidence rate for this serious skin reaction (1 to 2 cases per million person years). The reporting rate is generally accepted to be an underestimate due to underreporting.
CYMBALTA should be discontinued at the first appearance of blisters, peeling rash, mucosal erosions, or any other sign of hypersensitivity if no other etiology can be identified.
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Medical Research

No research items found
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[justsayno]

Interesting read FH ,

 

Can brain damage caused by Cymbalta be reversible and if so is their anything I can do too aid the process ?  Supplements etc ?

[Jillybeans]

Interesting read FH ,

 

Can brain damage caused by Cymbalta be reversible and if so is their anything I can do too aid the process ?  Supplements etc ?

 

Justsayno,

 

I was wondering about this too and wanted to know if there's supplements too.

[justsayno]

Justsayno,

 

I was wondering about this too and wanted to know if there's supplements too.

 

Thanks to this poison I'm on anti epileptic drugs for the foreseeable future 

[Jillybeans]

Thanks to this poison I'm on anti epileptic drugs for the foreseeable future 

 

 

I'm fairly about 4 weeks since the withdrawal symptoms started. I still have some burning, tingly skin or prickly skin, some muscle weakness, along with sleeping problems, not much of an appetite. A little bit of the ringing of the ears, still a bit of hearing loss. Lost a lot of weight, hope I can get my appetite back. Had brain fog, memory and concentration issues and some vision distortion earlier. Sensitive to lights and sounds at first, that looks like it's going away at a time. Earlier, I had a lot of symptoms from electric shocks, creepy crawling on my skin, itchiness, sweating so much, some brain zaps, confusions, out of body feeling, anxiety, shakiness, heart palpitations. The burning and itchiness, the tingly, muscle weakness was strong, I was so terrified when it happened that night. I wish I know how to shake those tingly, burning sensations and some muscle weakness and to be able to eat more and better sleeping. I still have to use a fan for the sweating.

 

The anxiety still persist, though I started on Prozac 5mgs with increases to 20mg. I'm on day 2 on 20mgs, I really hope it will knock out those withdrawal symptoms. I think part of the anxiety is because I had just started on Prozac with slow increases.

 

The hard part is being patient. With the Prozac, supposed to kick in after about a month or 6-8 weeks, then eventually I will wean off on that once I ask the nurse practitioner more questions next Wednesday.

 

Fishinghat had mentioned Mucinex D or Sudafed PE to try, he found a CVS brand version, I haven't tried it yet and hopefully that will help with the withdrawals. Taking fish oil, Evening Primrose oil (for hot flashes) and chelated magnesium and this weekend I will order Balanced B-complex 50 by Megafoods. Unless I take a multivitamin by Megafoods, it's all food based. I'm not sure how Mucinex D or Sudafed PE works for the withdrawals yet. Fishinghat knows his stuff and is very helpful!

[fishinghat]

Well guys (or gals), the term damage is the key part of your question.
 
Let me explain this way. In a normal brain the body releases neurotransmitters in response to a stimuli. For example, a car accident, the stimuli, car accident, causes the brain to signal for the release of adrenaline (also known as epinephrine). The adrenaline reacts with little pockets (receptors) on the end of the nerve cells called synapses. This stimulates the nerves and causes fast heart rate, nervousness, etc. Each nerve cells contain hundreds of synapses. Some are the shape to react to adrenaline, others are shaped to fit endorphins, some for serotonin, etc. Once the stimuli is over then the body slowly returns to normal.
 
If a person is exposed to constant stimuli then the body produces the neurotransmitter constantly as the body never gets a chance to recover. The body then becomes conditioned (trained) to constantly produce this neurotransmitter. This causes anxiety, depression, fear, etc  depending on what is the stimuli and which neurotransmitter is involved.
 
SO now you have, lets say anxiety and go see the pdoc. He says 'You need Cymbalta'. Once taking Cymbalta it reacts with the synapses it will fit. In the case of Cymbalta that is norepinephrine and serotonin. By reacting with those synapses it slows down the natural reaction of those two and calms the body (hopefully).
 
Here is the issue. Cymbalta does not fit those synapses perfectly. That is why it takes 4 to 6 weeks to fully kick in. During that time the synapses slowly change shape to fit the Cymbalta. Now when you feel like you no longer need the Cymbalta and begin to withdraw those same synapses will no longer react to norepinephrine or serotonin because their shape has changed and you body desperately struggles to return to normal but is not capable to do that. Your synapses react wildly with tremendous variety of responses and symptoms. Research has shown that with ssri/snri, benzos, opiods, etc it takes a good 2 years for these synapses to reshape back to normal and FULLY recover. Obviously some recover faster than others. So there is slow steady recovery in symptoms. The body will heal itself naturally. That is the good news. The bad news is it is slow. Omega 3, esp DHA and EPA have been shown to help in the recovery of synapses in the brain but it is not perfect.
 
Important- Once the brain is condition to produce too much of a neuroreceptor it has 'learned' that permanently. That is why therapists train their clients how to recognize what there bad stimuli is and to avoid it. If you get off the Cymbalta and eventually feel great that will be for nothing if you return to a stressful way of life. The anxiety, depression, etc will only return and even quicker than the first time. The stress management tools a good therapist teachs can help off set this effect some but not completally. You must continue to recognize your stress and try to avoid it. It must be a change in life style.

[justsayno]

FishingHat, could you be my doctor , I'll pay you whatever you want .. lol

 

That was some proper useful information and I'm very grateful for it , thanks 

[Jillybeans]

FishingHat, could you be my doctor , I'll pay you whatever you want .. lol

 

That was some proper useful information and I'm very grateful for it , thanks 

I second with Justsayno

[fishinghat]

Thanks, I am flattered. I don't think I would be able to deal with the stress of the politics and I would worry too much about my patients. I would wind up back on Cymbalta.  lol

[justsayno]

will these anti epileptics that i'm on stop any further cymbalta induced seizures ?

Or won't they work with these kind of seizures ?

 

i keep worrying that i been misdiagnosed and these new anti epileptic drugs will cause me more problems ( like cymbalta )

[fishinghat]

Hello Justsayno

 

If you could give me the name and dosage of the anti-epileptic drugs you are taking I will see what I can find out.

[justsayno]

Hello Justsayno

 

If you could give me the name and dosage of the anti-epileptic drugs you are taking I will see what I can find out.

sorry for late reply FH

 

lamotrigine 150 mg

[fishinghat]

Thanks justsayno. I will get to it as soon as I can but it may be Monday. I hope that is OK.

[justsayno]

no worries FH

[fishinghat]

As promised

 

After reading this in formation you may want to get your blood electrolytes checked.

Lamotrigine Seizure Control

Wiki -
For epilepsy, it is used to treat focal seizures, primary and secondary tonic-clonic seizures, and seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

Mechanism of action

Lamotrigine is a member of the sodium channel blocking class of antiepileptic drugs. It is a triazine derivate that inhibits voltage-sensitive sodium channels, leading to stabilization of neuronal membranes. It also blocks L-, N-, and P-type calcium channels and has weak 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 (5-HT3) receptor inhibition. These actions are thought to inhibit release of glutamate at cortical projections in the ventral striatum limbic areas, and its neuroprotective and antiglutamatergic effects have been pointed out as promising contributors to its mood stabilizing activity. Observations that lamotrigine reduced γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A receptor-mediated neurotransmission in rat amygdala, suggest that a GABAergic mechanism may also be involved, although this concept is controversial.

Lamotrigine does not have pronounced effects on any of the usual neurotransmitter receptors (adrenergic, dopamine D1 and D2, muscarinic, GABA, histaminergic H1, serotonin 5-HT2, and N-methyl-D-asparate). Inhibitory effects on 5-HT, norepinephrine, and dopamine transporters are weak. Lamotrigine is a weak inhibitor of dihydrofolate reductase, but whether this effect is sufficient to contribute to a mechanism of action or increases risk to the fetus during pregnancy is not known. Early studies of lamotrigine's mechanism of action examined its effects on the release of endogenous amino acids from rat cerebral cortex slices in vitro. As is the case for antiepileptic drugs that act on voltage-dependent sodium channels, lamotrigine inhibited the release of glutamate and aspartate evoked by the sodium-channel activator veratrine and was less effective in the inhibition of acetylcholine or GABA release. At high concentrations, it had no effect on spontaneous or potassium evoked amino acid release.

These studies suggested that lamotrigine acts presynaptically on voltage-gated sodium channels to decrease glutamate release. Several electrophysiological studies have investigated the effects of lamotrigine on voltage-dependent sodium channels. For example, lamotrigine blocked sustained repetitive firing in cultured mouse spinal cord neurons in a concentration-dependent manner, at concentrations that are therapeutically relevant in the treatment of human seizures. In cultured hippocampal neurons, lamotrigine reduced sodium currents in a voltage-dependent manner, and at depolarised potentials showed a small frequency-dependent inhibition. These and a variety of other results indicate that the antiepileptic effect of lamotrigine, like that of phenytoin and carbamazepine, is at least in part due to use- and voltage-dependent modulation of fast voltage-dependent sodium currents. However, lamotrigine has a broader clinical spectrum of activity than phenytoin and carbamazepine and is recognised to be protective against generalised absence epilepsy and other generalised epilepsy syndromes, including primary generalised tonic–clonic seizures, juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

The basis for this broader spectrum of activity of lamotrigine is unknown, but could relate to actions of the drug on voltage-activated calcium channels. Lamotrigine blocks T-type calcium channels weakly, if at all. However, it does inhibit native and recombinant high-voltage–activated calcium channels (N- and P/Q/R-types) at therapeutic concentrations. Whether this activity on calcium channels accounts for lamotrigine's broader clinical spectrum of activity in comparison with phenytoin and carbamazepine remains to be determined.
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https://dailymed.nlm...ed-762cbea0d737
Manufacturers drug insert

 

1.1 Epilepsy
Adjunctive Therapy
Lamotrigine tablets are indicated as adjunctive therapy for the following seizure types in patients aged 2 years and older:
partial-onset seizures.
primary generalized tonic-clonic (PGTC) seizures.
generalized seizures of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

5.2 Multiorgan Hypersensitivity Reactions and Organ Failure

Multiorgan hypersensitivity reactions, also known as drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), have occurred with lamotrigine. Some have been fatal or life threatening. DRESS typically, although not exclusively, presents with fever, rash, and/or lymphadenopathy in association with other organ system involvement, such as hepatitis, nephritis, hematologic abnormalities, myocarditis, or myositis, sometimes resembling an acute viral infection. Eosinophilia is often present. This disorder is variable in its expression, and other organ systems not noted here may be involved.

Fatalities associated with acute multiorgan failure and various degrees of hepatic failure have been reported in 2 of 3,796 adult patients and 4 of 2,435 pediatric patients who received lamotrigine in epilepsy clinical trials. Rare fatalities from multiorgan failure have also been reported in postmarketing use.

Isolated liver failure without rash or involvement of other organs has also been reported with lamotrigine.

It is important to note that early manifestations of hypersensitivity (e.g., fever, lymphadenopathy) may be present even though a rash is not evident. If such signs or symptoms are present, the patient should be evaluated immediately. Lamotrigine should be discontinued if an alternative etiology for the signs or symptoms cannot be established.

Prior to initiation of treatment with Lamotrigine, the patient should be instructed that a rash or other signs or symptoms of hypersensitivity (e.g., fever, lymphadenopathy) may herald a serious medical event and that the patient should report any such occurrence to a healthcare provider immediately.

5.8 Withdrawal Seizures
As with other AEDs, lamotrigine should not be abruptly discontinued. In patients with epilepsy there is a possibility of increasing seizure frequency. In clinical trials in adults with bipolar disorder, 2 patients experienced seizures shortly after abrupt withdrawal of lamotrigine. Unless safety concerns require a more rapid withdrawal, the dose of lamotrigine should be tapered over a period of at least 2 weeks (approximately 50% reduction per week) [see Dosage and Administration (2.1)].
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https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC2963463/
We believe that this is the first reported case in which a person developed duloxetine withdrawal seizure secondary to deranged electrolytes after abruptly stopping duloxetine.
Her sodium was 134, potassium was 2.5, chloride 86, glucose 110, calcium 9, and magnesium 1.5.
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https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC3229538/
Although the risk of seizures with antidepressants is generally very low, the association with overdose is well established. However, the molecular mechanisms by which antidepressants cause seizures have not been clarified. GIRK2 knockout mice exhibit spontaneous seizures and are more susceptible to seizures induced by pentylenetetrazol than wild-type mice. The risk of seizures in overdoses with sertraline, duloxetine, mianserin, and venlafaxine significantly increases, and amoxapine overdose is more likely to cause seizures. Brain levels of the drugs in overdose cases may be considerably higher than levels during treatment at therapeutic doses, suggesting significant inhibition of neuronal GIRK channels by the drugs. Additionally, other types of K+ channels are inhibited by antidepressants at micromolar concentrations, that is, the two-pore-domain K+ channel, TREK-1 for sertraline and voltage-gated K+ channels for amoxapine and mianserin. Therefore, the inhibition of GIRK channels by the drugs after overdose together with the different types of K+ channels may contribute to increased seizure activity and the occurrence of other neurological side effects by increasing neuronal excitability.

Note - GIRK2 is a K+ ion regulatory mechanism.
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https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/16534127
Duloxetine-induced syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion and seizures.

Description of antidiuretic hormone
Kidney
Antidiuretic hormone has three main effects:
Increasing the water permeability of initial and cortical collecting tubules and inner medullary collecting duct in the kidney, thus allowing water reabsorption and excretion of more concentrated urine, i.e., antidiuresis.

Increasing permeability of the inner medullary portion of the collecting duct to urea by regulating the cell surface expression of urea transporters, which facilitates its reabsorption into the medullary interstitium as it travels down the concentration gradient created by removing water from the connecting tubule, cortical collecting duct, and outer medullary collecting duct.

Acute increase of sodium absorption across the ascending loop of henle. This adds to the countercurrent multiplication which aids in proper water reabsorption later in the distal tubule and collecting duct.

Note - This could severely impact sodium and potassium levels in the blood stream.

From article - "We describe a woman who developed severe hyponatremia on exposure to duloxetine and recurrence on inadvertent rechallenge, suggesting the causative relationship of this drug to hyponatremia. "
Hyponatremia - is a low sodium level in the blood.
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http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/22306002
Generalized tonic-clonic seizure secondary to duloxetine poisoning: a short report with favorable out come.

Note - Tonic–clonic seizures (formerly known as grand mal seizures) are a type of generalized seizure that affects the entire brain.

 

Tonic–clonic seizures are the seizure type most commonly associated with epilepsy and seizures in general, though it is a misconception that they are the only type.

Please note that this research links Cymbalta to Tonic–clonic seizures and The drug insert for Lamotrigine states....

"Lamotrigine tablets are indicated as adjunctive therapy for the following seizure types in patients aged 2 years and older:
partial-onset seizures.
primary generalized tonic-clonic (PGTC) seizures.
generalized seizures of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome."

This would indicate that Lamotrigine would be effective for Cymbalta related seizures.
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https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC2963463/
Duloxetine Withdrawal Seizure
She came to the emergency room with complaints of nausea, clear liquid vomitus, anxiety, “electical sensation” inside the body, restlessness, decreased liquid intake, abdominal pain, and decreased sleep. She stopped taking her duloxetine two days previoiusly. She had two generalized tonic clonic seizures 20 minutes apart in the hospital.
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https://www.accessda...s011s013lbl.pdfFDA
Hyponatremia — Cases of hyponatremia (some with serum sodium lower than 110 mmol/L) have been reported and appeared to be reversible when Cymbalta was discontinued. Some cases were possibly due to the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). The majority of these occurrences have been in elderly individuals, some in patients taking diuretics or who were otherwise volume depleted.

Note this article links Cymbalta to Hyponatremia caused by inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion.
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Medical research articles linking Cymbalta to Hyponatremia
http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/23075738
https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC3285747/
https://www.ehealthm.../hyponatraemia/
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25538343
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25911354
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/18562431
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/17224730
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/17502788
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Members comments
No members commented on the use of Lamotrigine for Cymbalta seizures.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please beaware, I beleive there is withdrawal symptoms for coming off Lamotrigine .
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[justsayno]

FishingHat , what does the synapse actually do ? 

I've looked @ diagrams and to me it just looks like a open gap between two neurons. am I right or is  their some kind of outer barrier keeping the synapse in tact with the sending and receiving neurons ?

 

Thanks for the information above by the way

[fishinghat]

You are right, the synapse is just a gap between two neurons. Every nerve is either efferent or efferent. Efferent nerves carry signals away from the brain and afferent carry signals to the brain. Example: When a nerve is stimulated by stress it  may release adrenaline from one side of the synapse and it travels across to the other side and attached to an adrenaline receptor on the other side. This stimulates adrenaline to be released from the other end of that nerve and travel to the next nerve cell and on and on until the signal reaches the brain or what every organ that nerve is attached to. It is amazing on that one side of the synapse contains the neurotransmitters (adrenaline,  noradrenaline, serotonin, etc) and the other side has the receptors for each of these neurotransmitters BUT the receptors are shaped to fit only ONE neurotransmitter. Adrenaline will not attach to a receptor for say  serotonin. When the nerve reaches the organ it goes to that neurotransmitter will generate a very specific reaction in that organ.

[justsayno]

Thanks for clearing that up FishingHat

 

do you think it's possible that cymbalta could of damaged stomach nerves / synapse and caused the seizures because they only happen when i eat. 

i read that the stomach is the second brain so i guess it must play a part with serotonin and noadrenaline 

 

 

also off topic maybe but do you think excessive use of heartburn tablets over the past 2 years could of done something 

[fishinghat]

No known damage to stomach synapses/nerves from Cymbalta. But just like the nerves in the brain, once the Cymbalta is removed from your system the stomach/intestine nerves take time to recover BUt they do return to normal. The contribution of eating to the seizures is probably due to the brain/gut/skin connection.

 

The brain/gut/skin connection was first proposed over 70 years ago by a dermatologist who noticed that people with stomach issues were more prone to skin issues like acne, psoriasis, etc. Much work has been done on this since his hypothesis and it has now been well established that this connection exists.

 

1) The vagus nerve supplies signals from both the heart and gut to and from the brain. That is why when you have significant stomach issues your heart often pounds hard and races. Eating food increases the activity of the stomach and that signal to the brain decreases oxygen flow to the brain (thus you often feel sleepy or tired). This decreased blood flow may be allowing the brain to have electrical "spasms" or seizures. Just a guess.

 

2) Also during digestion, if the bacteria in the stomach is out of proportion the bad bacteria will not do a proper job of digesting your food. The bad bacteria will break down food into improper forms of nutrition which has been shown to be inflammatory to many organs including the brain. gut, and skin. Those inflammatory nutrients have been linked to gout, diabetes, asthma and many other conditions. A good probiotic like Ultimate flora, taken once per day can help keep your stomach flora in balance and greatly decrease these inflammatory conditions.

 

A post with more info to follow.

 

What heartburn medicine do you usually take? 

[fishinghat]

Probiotic Research
(8/18/17)
Gastric Issues
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25940150
https://www.ncbi.nlm.../?term=17242485
https://www.ncbi.nlm.../?term=14557292
Probiotics can prevent reoccurrences of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in adults,
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/24280877
Administration of probiotics results in additional benefit in inducing remission of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and pouchitis.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25206258
There is very strong evidence supporting the use of multispecies probiotic VSL#3 for the prevention or recurrence of postoperative pouchitis in patients. For treatment of active ulcerative colitis, as well as for maintenance therapy, the clinical evidence of efficacy is strongest for VSL#3 and Escherichia coli Nissle 1917. Moreover, some prebiotics, such as germinated barley foodstuff, Psyllium or oligofructose-enriched inulin, might provide some benefit in patients with active ulcerative colitis or ulcerative colitis in remission. The results of clinical trials in the treatment of active Crohn's disease or the maintenance of its remission with probiotics and prebiotics are disappointing and do not support their use in this disease. The only exception is weak evidence of advantageous use of Saccharomyces boulardii concomitantly with medical therapy in maintenance treatment.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/23286925
Clearly, some probiotics have considerable potential in the management of IBS and IBD; however, the benefits are strain specific

Diarrhea
https://www.ncbi.nlm.../?term=17053425

Constipation
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25099542
Probiotics may improve whole gut transit time, stool frequency, and stool consistency, with subgroup analysis indicating beneficial effects of B. lactis in particular.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/28762070
Probiotics are ineffective for the management of functional constipation in children in terms of treatment success, frequency of fecal incontinence, and frequency of abdominal pain.


Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Ljungh A, Wadstrom T, ed. (2009). Lactobacillus Molecular Biology: From Genomics to Probiotics. Caister Academic Press. ISBN 978-1904455417.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/19091823
Probiotics may help people with irritable bowel syndrome.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25070051
Probiotics are effective treatments for IBS.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/23829297
The proportion of patients whose IBS symptoms were substantially relieved at week 4 was significantly higher in the probiotics group than in the placebo group: 68.0% (17/25) versus 37.5% (9/24) (P < 0.05). Secondary end-points such as improvement in abdominal pain/discomfort and bloating occurred in the probiotics group but not in the placebo group.

Gasteroenteritis
https://www.ncbi.nlm.../?term=14627948
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25333367
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/23632352
Seven-day BIO-THREE administration demonstrated high efficacy and safety in infants and children with severe gastroenteritis. The incidence of severe gastroenteritis was significantly reduced in the rotavirus origin and BIO-THREE intervention groups.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/14557292
Latic acid bacteria products might aid in the treatment of acute diarrhea, and possibly affect rotavirus infections in children and travelers' diarrhea in adults,
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/12369194
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25934376
Campylobacter jejuni is one of the most common bacterial causes of human gastroenterocolitis worldwide, leading to diarrhea and other serious post-infectious complications. This review has collated the studies conducted using probiotics to inhibit C. jejuni colonization and growth to date to provide a collective knowledge about the role of probiotics as an alternative intervention strategy for campylobacteriosis.

Acute Infectious Diarrhea - See "Infections"

Antibiotic-Associated diarrhea (AAD)
https://www.scienceb....org/probioticsCrisp, Mark
A review assessing the work of 16 different studies representing the evaluation of more than 3,400 patients concluded that the evidence gathered suggested a protective effect of some probiotics in this condition.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/26155632
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/22071814
https://www.ncbi.nlm...?term=Szajewska
In adults, some probiotics showed a beneficial role in reducing the occurrence of AAD.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.../?term=16635227
Probiotic treatment might reduce the incidence and severity of AAD as indicated in several reviews.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/18542041
https://www.ncbi.nlm.../?term=12052801
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/12182746
The results suggest a strong benefit of probiotic administration on antibiotic-associated diarrhoea
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/16635227
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/23728658
Three types of probiotics (Saccharomyces boulardii, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, and probiotic mixtures) significantly reduced the development of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Only S. boulardii was effective for Clostridium difficile disease (CDD).
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/16939749
Probiotics reduce the risk of AAD in children. For every 7 patients that would develop diarrhea while being treated with antibiotics, one fewer will develop AAD if also receiving probiotics.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/16728323
The potential efficacy of probiotic AAD prevention is dependent on the probiotic strain(s) used and on the dosage.

Surawicz CM (July 2008). "Role of probiotics in antibiotic-associated diarrhea, Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea, and recurrent Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea". J Clin Gastroenterol 42 (Suppl 2): S64–70.
A Cochrane Collaboration systematic review, in which 16 randomized clinical trials (n=3432 participants) were analyzed, concluded that treatments with less than 5000 million CFUs/day did not show a significant decrease of AAD. However, patients treated with ≥5000 million CFUs/day (including L. rhamnosus and Saccharomyces boulardii) had 60% lower relative risk of experiencing AAD than untreated patients.
Johnston BC, Goldenberg JZ, Vandvik PO, Sun X, Guyatt GH; Goldenberg; Vandvik; Sun; Guyatt (2011). "Probiotics for the prevention of pediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhea". Cochrane Database Syst Rev (11): CD004827.
Peptic Ulcers
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/14522098
Some strains of LAB may affect helicobacter pylori infections (which may cause peptic ulcers) in adults when used in combination with standard medical treatments.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/26051728
Probiotics combined with triple therapy for treating PU infected by H. Pylory can greatly improve the eradication rate of H. Pylory and increase recovery rate of patients, with less adverse reaction. Therefore, the method is worth for promotion.

Colitis
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/22161412
No good evidence was found to indicate taking probiotics helps maintain remission from ulcerative colitis.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/26019464
Probiotics may be effective for maintaining clinical remission in patients with quiescent UC, especially those who belong to cluster I on fecal bacterial analysis

Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Several clinical studies provide evidence for the potential of probiotics to lower the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and mortality in premature infants. One review indicated that probiotics reduce all-cause mortality and risk of having NEC by more than 50% compared with controls.
AlFaleh K. & Anabrees J., 2014, "Probiotics for prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants." Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Issue 4, Art. No.: CD005496, DOI 10.1002/14651858.CD005496.pub4, accessed 11 June 2015.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC2856678/

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25236308
Enteral supplementation of probiotics prevents severe NEC and all-cause mortality in preterm infants. Our updated review of available evidence strongly supports a change in practice.

Colonoscopy
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/26183594
Our study has shown a significant reduction in the duration of pain days post colonoscopy in patients taking probiotic compared with placebo. No significant effect was seen in terms of return to normal bowel function or bloating post colonoscopy.
General
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/28762696

Diabetes Mellitus
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25963407
This systematic review generally demonstrated beneficial effects of the probiotic administration, especially Lactobacillus sub-strains, on the management of diabetes-related blood parameters, although, more evidence, especially from human trials, is needed to confirm these effects and also to conduct a meta-analysis
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/28782784
Lactobacillus casei CCFM419 attenuates type 2 diabetes via a gut microbiota dependent mechanism.
These findings suggested that L. casei CCFM419 modified the gut flora-SCFA-inflammation/GLP-1 mechanism to ameliorate type 2 diabetes.

Liver Function
Hepatic Encephalopathy
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25956487
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/24246768
In a prospective, randomized controlled trial, probiotics were found to be effective in preventing HE in patients with cirrhosis.

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25038208
Intention-to-treat analysis showed the number of patients who improved after giving treatment were 67.7% (21/31), 70.9% (22/31), 50% (16/32), and 30% (9/30) for LOLA, rifaximin, probiotics, and placebo, respectively.

Pancreas
https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC4056604/
Probiotics showed neither beneficial nor adverse effects on the clinical outcomes of patients with predicted SAP
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/28713382
The current review focuses on recent advances on nutritional interventions including enteral versus parenteral nutrition strategies, and nutritional supplements such as probiotics, glutamine, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins in clinical AP, hoping to advance current knowledge and practice related to nutrition and nutritional supplements in clinical management of AP.

Immune Function and Infections
Immune Response
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/26143437
This study suggests that these two Lactobacillus strains have beneficial effects on regulation of immune responses, which has promising implications for the development of ecological agents and functional foods.
Urogenital Infections
https://www.ncbi.nlm.../?term=18685506
A 2 strain combination of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 have proved to be the most effective at restoring and maintaining a normal vaginal microbiota
Acute Infectious Diarrhea
Allen SJ, Martinez EG, Gregorio GV, Dans LF; Martinez; Gregorio; Dans (2010). Allen, Stephen J, ed. "Probiotics for treating acute infectious diarrhea". Cochrane Database Syst Rev 11 (11): CD003048. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003048.pub3. PMID 21069673. 
LAB products might aid in the treatment of acute diarrhea, and possibly affect rotavirus infections in children and travelers' diarrhea in adults,
Reid G, Jass J, Sebulsky MT, McCormick JK; Jass; Sebulsky; McCormick (October 2003). Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 16 (4): 658–72. doi:10.1128/CMR.16.4.658-672.2003. PMC 207122. PMID 14557292. 
Ouwehand AC, Salminen S, Isolauri E; Salminen; Isolauri (August 2002). (PDF). Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 82 (1–4): 279–89. doi:10.1023/A:1020620607611. PMID 12369194. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
"http://www.nhs.uk/ne...ach-upset.aspx"NHS Choices. 2010. Retrieved 28 October 2013
Some strains of LAB may affect pathogens by means of competitive inhibition (i.e., by competing for growth) and some evidence suggests they may improve immune function.
Reid G, Jass J, Sebulsky MT, McCormick JK; Jass; Sebulsky; McCormick (October 2003). Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 16 (4): 658–72. doi:10.1128/CMR.16.4.658-672.2003. PMC 207122. PMID 14557292. 
Ouwehand AC, Salminen S, Isolauri E; Salminen; Isolauri (August 2002). (PDF). Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek 82 (1–4): 279–89. doi:10.1023/A:1020620607611. PMID 12369194. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
Clinical trials have demonstrated that probiotics may decrease the incidence of respiratory-tract infections.
Hatakka K, Savilahti E, Pönkä A, Meurman JH, Poussa T, Näse L, Saxelin M, Korpela R; Savilahti; Pönkä; Meurman; Poussa; Näse; Saxelin; Korpela (June 2001). BMJ 322 (7298): 1327. doi:10.1136/bmj.322.7298.1327. PMC 32161. PMID 11387176

Common Cold
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/24793963
Probiotics decreased the presence of picornaviruses after 3 months, which may imply that probiotics play a role against viruses causing common cold.

Helicobacter pylori
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25935190
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25997615
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/14522098
Some strains of lactic acid bacteria may affect Helicobacter pylori infections (which may cause peptic ulcers) in adults when used in combination with standard medical treatments.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25929897
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/23757373
Long-term intakes of products containing probiotic strains may have a favorable effect on H. pylori infection in humans, particularly by reducing the risk of developing disorders associated with high degrees of gastric inflammation.

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/24323343
Probiotics supplementation in triple therapy for H. pylori infection may have beneficial effects on eradication and therapy-related side effects, particularly diarrhea, in children.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25997615
Because increased density of H. pylori on the gastric mucosa is linked to more severe gastritis and increased incidence of peptic ulcers, we can infer that a reduction of the density might help to decrease the risk of developing pathologies, probably the progression toward atrophic gastritis and gastric adenocarcinoma. These effects together with improving the H. pylori eradication rates and amelioration of treatment related side effects might open the door for probiotics to be added to H. pylori eradication regimens.

Clostridium difficile Infection
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25922397
There is moderate evidence on the effectiveness of probiotics to prevent primary CDI, but there are few data to support use in secondary prevention of recurrent CDI. This review discusses the literature available on the use of probiotics to prevent primary and secondary CDI.
Bacterial Vaginosis
Probiotic treatment of bacterial vaginosis is the application or ingestion of bacterial species found in the healthy vagina to cure the infection of bacteria causing bacterial vaginosis. This treatment is based on the observation that 70% of healthy females have a group of bacteria in the genus Lactobacillus that dominate the population of organisms in the vagina.
Petrova, Mariya I.; Lievens, Elke; Malik, Shweta; Imholz, Nicole; Lebeer, Sarah (2015). "Lactobacillus species as biomarkers and agents that can promote various aspects of vaginal health". Frontiers in Physiology 6.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/24318276
Compared with the control arm, the limited evidence suggests that probiotics show a beneficial effect in patients who are suffering from BV.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/24170161
In 2013, researchers found that administration of hydrogen peroxide producing strains, such as L. acidophilus and L. rhamnosus, were able to normalize vaginal pH and rebalance vaginal flora, preventing and alleviating bacterial vaginosis.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/26142892
Probiotic supplementation with vaginal Lactobacillus rhamnosus BMX54 seems to be useful in hindering bacteria growth especially after antibiotic therapy; therefore this intervention may be considered a new prophylactic treatment for preventing recurrence of BV, in particular in high-risk patients.

Steatohepatitis
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/23396737
Probiotics treatment may reduce liver fat and AST level in NASH patients

Respiratory Infections
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25920295
Administration of probiotics containing Lactobacillus casei (Shirota strain) has a tendency to reduce the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia and colonization with resistant bacteria in oropharyngeal cavity without significant effects on mortality and length of hospital stay.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25344083
Evidence suggests that use of probiotics is associated with a reduction in the incidence of VAP. However, the quality of the evidence is low and the exclusion of the one study that did not provide a robust definition of VAP increased the uncertainty in this finding. The available evidence is not clear regarding a decrease in ICU or hospital mortality with probiotic use.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25927096
Probiotics were better than placebo in reducing the number of participants experiencing episodes of acute URTI, the mean duration of an episode of acute URTI, antibiotic use and cold-related school absence. This indicates that probiotics may be more beneficial than placebo for preventing acute URTIs.
https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25430686
At least one beneficial effect of prophylactic probiotic was observed in the majority of RCTs. Even a minimal reduction of 5 - 10% in the incidence of URTIs would have an important clinical and economic mpact on societies. Furthermore, the long-term administration of probiotics appeared to have a good safety profile in childhood and none of the studies reported any serious adverse events related to the probiotic strain.

[fishinghat]

Sorry, it won't ley me finish posting this info. You can get access at....


https://www.cymbalta.../?hl=probiotics

[justsayno]

almost 11 months off cymbalta now 

[fishinghat]

How are you doing? Things should be getting some better by now.

[gail]

Justsayno,

I would also like to know how are you doing at this point?

[justsayno]

Hello FishingHat and Gail.  Things are okay I suppose. I've been seizure free for four and half months

 

 

I still don't understand why that last seizure happened when I was off C for almost six and half months. You'd think if it was a withdrawal seizure than it would of happened a lot earlier. 

 

 

 

How are you two doing anyway ?

[gail]

Hi Justsayno,

Thank you for your post. Being seizure free must be of a great relief.

I spent my life looking answers for things I can't understand, to see a correlation here and there, wasted time as life is always a mystery unrolling itself day after day.

Doing ok here, I guess!

[fishinghat]

That is great!! I am really glad for you.

 

I am pretty stable right now. Still working down on the Lorazepam but it goes smoothly. Meanwhile I am well enough to have a pretty good quality of life for an old goat.  lol

[justsayno]

Hello FishingHat, Gail and anyone else reading. I apologise in advance for waffling on below. I just wanted to get this off my chest because  I'm lonely , scared , depressed and not in a good place at the moment 

 

It's currently 7 am here and I am feeling complete shit and cannot sleep. I keep trying to figure it all out in my head but i find it impossible.  I deal with this fear / dread every day of my life but every month it boils up so much to the point i can not cope.  The thought of having another seizure absolutely terrifies me. It really would destroy me. 

The problem I have is convincing myself that it was cymbalta that caused the seizures and that no more will happen because I'm no longer on it.  it sticks for about 5 minutes and then it's back to nagging constant doubt. it's like it needs constant reassurance which i just cannot give. 

I try telling myself that withdrawal caused them but it's like my brain wants concrete proof . i remind myself that seizure 1 and 2 happened when i dropped from 40 to 30 and seizure 3 happened when i dropped to 4.5.  is this enough to convince me ? ? NO

an annoying voice than pops up asking how can it of been caused by withdrawal when this last seizure happened 6 months after stopping Cymbalta.  Surely if it was withdrawal than it would of happened a lot earlier ... ?

I admit defeat and instead start trying to convince myself  that cymbalta was still somehow in my system and that caused the seizure but than that annoying voice is back @ me again saying that's impossible because it's out of your body in 3 months after discontinuation!

 

it's like my mind doesn't want me to find the answer. i'm so mentally tired