10 replies to this topic

[Kerro]

Hi everyone 

 

I'm new here and I'm about 10 days into the hell of withdrawal. I've been on 120mg of Cymbalta for a number of years and gained a huge amount of weight. My new pdoc has been moving me to a new antidepressant (buproprion aka wellbutrin aka zyban) because of the weight issues. He's had me gradually reducing Cymbalta in 30mg chunks while gradually increasing the bupropion since last November and mostly things were going fine until about 10 days ago when I stopped the last of the Cymbalta.

 

Enter constant headaches, brain zaps, dizziness, nausea, sweating, a high fever, incredible rage at the tiniest thing, and endless tears. Thank you Eli-Lilly. I can't work feeling like this, let alone do much else. I'm trying to keep in touch with work stuff but finding it hard to sit up for more than about 30 mins before the headache and dizziness send me back to bed. 

 

Pdoc added 20mg of Prozac two days ago to help manage the withdrawals. It's certainly made me calmer (brain zaps, rage and tears mostly gone) but hasn't addressed the other symptoms. 

 

I'm at wit's end and wondering if I should tough it out or go back onto some Cymbalta - at a lower dose, 30mg or even 15mg? The plan would be to stabilise and then use the bead counting method described on this site.  

 

Thoughts?

 

 

[gail]

Good morning Kerro,

Welcome to the right place. You are right, do go back on Cymbalta. 15 or 30mg, or the last dosage that you felt comfortable with, like Now. Get stable then bead count. You really did your homework about this stuff.

Fishinghat will be in soon, and will help clear this up! Stay tuned (lol)!

[fishinghat]

Nothing to clear up Gail. You are absolutely right Gail (as usual).

[Kerro]

Thanks Gail and Fishinghat. This forum has been a veritable encyclopedia of information! 

 

I am reluctant to go back on but need to function like a normal human again. I've literally just taken a few beads now. I think i read somewhere that if you take a few beads and they have no affect within 5-6 hours, then take a few more, and so on, you'll land on a dose that works. 

 

Fingers crossed because I am totally over this (and pretty annoyed at the pdoc who didn't tell me this could happen   )

[fishinghat]

Perfect idea Kerro!!

 

Keep us posted.

[Dtchgrl]

Please keep us posted, I’d like to know if going back on and then counting beads helps. In similar position here...debating to go back, maybe add some Prozac or something. only I was on cymbalta for a shorter time, but did gain weight like you!
Good luck

[stepheth12]

Hi guys, 

 

Forgive me if I have posted in the wrong post area but I am in need of advice/encouragement from people who actually understand what Cymbalta withdrawal is like....I feel like many people think I am being a hypochondriac or a sook as they don't understand why I'd be feeling so crappy coming off something like this.

 

My situation is similar to the initial post. I was taking 60mg of Cymbalta for 7 years (started in 2012), went to my doctor approx. 3 weeks ago to ask how I would go about getting off it as I was in a great place and felt I no longer needed to be on them, my doctor agreed and told me to take the 30mg capsules for 1 week and then stop taking them completely.

 

I explained to her that I had read multiple forum posts about the weaning process and that going cold turkey is a bad idea due to what other people had experienced, however she didn't agree and said it would be fine so I just went along with it, as she is the professional...it was a TERRIBLE idea, the first day off it was ok, I hardly had any symptoms, however the second day I had to leave work at midday (I am a Teachers Aide at a Special Needs school that never misses work, even with the stresses of my work at times! so it was obviously a rough day..) I had hot/cold sweats, couldn't concentrate, I was sensitive to light and noise, shaky, had a very short fuse - would get snappy and irritated really easily and also felt really nauseous so went home and slept, I ended up taking the Cymbalta for the rest of the week and felt 100% better.

 

I went back to the doctor as she had only prescribed me a weeks worth of Cymbalta and explained to her what happened, she said it was normal and should only last 1-2 days, then prescribed me 2mg Valium to take in place of the Cymbalta to help with the withdrawal symptoms.

 

I have been giving this a good go for 2 weeks now, I am not getting nauseous but my head feels like it is about to explode - the headache is constant and not even an ibuprofen or Panadol will make it go away, I am a lot more tired than usual - like I could sleep all day (doctor said this could be due to the Valium as it supposedly makes you drowsy?), the brain zaps are constant and make me feel as though I am having a seizure or something... I am easily frustrated and angry - especially at the smallest things and also cry/become sad very easily, I still can't concentrate (I am studying Primary School teaching at the moment at University as well, so this has been a really big problem for me when it comes to assignments...but affects me mostly when I am at work as I am not 100% "involved" as I should be with the kids, this is not fair for them as they deserve 100% out of all of the staff to help them succeed and I am sensitive to light and noise (writing this on my PC is hurting my head at the moment..). I had 2 days off work this week because of it. My boyfriend is unsure how to help.

 

I just feel rotten and want to know how long it's taken others' to get off this devil drug and if I should be trying a different method to try to limit the symptoms. I have read about the bead counting but don't fully understand how to do it properly. Do I try going to a different doctor and risk them saying the same thing as my GP said above? I am just so angry that doctors don't seem to give a crap or don't have the right info about this. 

[gail]

Hello Stephet,

And oh my God, these doctors still exists? Crap and crap.

First, reinstate immediately. Now. Stabalize. Then bead count slowly. I will let Fishinghat explain to you how it's done.

If you don't have any left, get some and even lie to your doctor to get some. Anything to get them except kill(lol). I will see you later!

[fishinghat]

"I explained to her that I had read multiple forum posts about the weaning process and that going cold turkey is a bad idea due to what other people had experienced, however she didn't agree and said it would be fine so I just went along with it, as she is the professional...it was a TERRIBLE idea,"

Obviously she doesn't keep up with her reading or she would be familiar with all the FDA and manufacturer warnings on Cymbalta withdrawal. This includes suicide, seizures and much more.

2 mg of valium a day will not even touch Cymbalta withdrawal. AND valium is addictive with its own bad withdrawal. Hydroxyzine and/or clonidine help with the anxiety that will come along and they are not addictive and have no withdrawal. In addition I would suggest you look through the thread "and the answer to your question is..." in the medical Support section, it is a compendium of everything members have tried and what has helped and what hasn't. You should get some good ideas from there.

Nearly cold turkey withdrawal usually lasts from 6 months to 2 years. On the other hand a few feel better after 3 to 5 months.

I agree with Gail. Reinstate immediately and bead count. Go back to the 60 mg and stabilize. After you are stable open one capsule and count the beads. Usually there are around 300 tiny beads inside. Each day take out no more than 1% of the beads *3 beads). This will bring you down easier. ANYTIME you feel the withdrawal hitting immediately hold at that dosage until it passes. Then start reducing a little slower. When you get down to around the last 5 grams then you need to reduce at a very slow rate, 1 bead every 3 days to a week, depending on how you are doing.

This is a lot to take in so think it over and if you have any questions please feel free to come back, We are here for you.

By the way I would stop using my GP for psych issues and try finding a good psychiatrist if you can.

Hang in there.

[gail]

Stepheth,

You can try reinstating at 30mg also, many go from 60 to 30 with no problems at all.

Keep us posted!

[fishinghat]

A food idea Gail. Unluckily a lot of this is trial and error.