166 replies to this topic

[kmrekl217]

This is my third, yes third, attempt to wean off Cymbalta. Like the second time I tried, I am now taking Effexor (which my doctor says is like the parent of Cymbalta) because it comes in a tablet form that can be broken in half and quarters, albeit not easily. Still easier than bead counting.

 

So, I started at 12.5 mg on Wednesday. I definitely notice a difference. TMI but I've had a lot of diarrhea. Vivid dreams. Lightheadedness with this occasional whooshing feeling in my head.

 

I have support right now and nothing stressful happening in professional or personal life. Now seemed as good a time as any.

 

I'd like to use this site an additional support system as I go off this awful drug. 

[fishinghat]

Always welcome Kmrek. I hope you know that Effexor is just as hard to wean off of as Cymbalta. Dropping by quarters and halves will be way too fast. What dose Cymbalta were you on and have you switched completely over to Effexor?

[kmrekl217]

Always welcome Kmrek. I hope you know that Effexor is just as hard to wean off of as Cymbalta. Dropping by quarters and halves will be way too fast. What dose Cymbalta were you on and have you switched completely over to Effexor?

I was on 20 of Cymbalta. Effexor's lowest dosage is 25 mg, so I'm using a pill splitter, making it 12.5 mg. This is my doctor's instruction.

 

Yup, I know it's just as hard a withdrawal; my second withdrawal attempt was on Effexor, same as this one. I just find the pill splitting easier than bead counting. Taking it very slowly. Will be on 12.5 mg for a couple months before going down again to 6.25 mg. The tablet is in the shape of a pentagon, so splitting it in half and then half again won't be entirely even. But my insurance doesn't cover a compound pharmacist and honestly have no idea of the cost out of pocket.

 

Don't really need any advice per se. Just lots of support. 

[KathyInFL]

 

Don't really need any advice per se. Just lots of support. 

 

Good luck! You will get a lot of support here, this site is the best for coming off this awful drug.

[kmrekl217]

Good luck! You will get a lot of support here, this site is the best for coming off this awful drug.

Thank you : ) It's really nice being able to talk about it with people who understand. Nobody in my life really gets it.

[fishinghat]

Support you have. Our love and support.

Why not drop by smaller increments, instead of 50^ drops why not 5% drops? Any reason? Just curious.

[invalidusername]

Hi kmrek...

 

Wishing you all the best in your current situation. Just take things nice and slow... and then even slower! Lets get you off this time.

 

Now the whole tablet system is a difficult one when withdrawing. Whilst it is a pain in the [bottom] to come off Cymbalta, the beads make things easy to go slow. This is the ONLY good thing I can think of Cymbalta. Tablets, yes, they can be broken in half, and then again, but as you say, you don't always get even amounts.

 

My friend had a similar problem with this drug insomuch that she couldn't get off the last of it. What we ended up doing was dissolving a half tab in liquid - shake and drink a given amount each day. So to get 2mg, we got 12.5mg into liquid and measured out into 6 equal parts. Can't remember if that was the exact levels. Now I am not a doctor and do not advocate other methods without trial, BUT it seemed to work for her - and she was not easily influenced by placebo or external phenomenon (I should know - I dated her!!).

 

Just my 10 cents...

[kmrekl217]

Support you have. Our love and support.

Why not drop by smaller increments, instead of 50^ drops why not 5% drops? Any reason? Just curious.

It's what my doctor advised. Would be very hard to split a tablet by 5% when it's a pretty small pill to begin with.

[kmrekl217]

Hi kmrek...

 

Wishing you all the best in your current situation. Just take things nice and slow... and then even slower! Lets get you off this time.

 

Now the whole tablet system is a difficult one when withdrawing. Whilst it is a pain in the [bottom] to come off Cymbalta, the beads make things easy to go slow. This is the ONLY good thing I can think of Cymbalta. Tablets, yes, they can be broken in half, and then again, but as you say, you don't always get even amounts.

 

My friend had a similar problem with this drug insomuch that she couldn't get off the last of it. What we ended up doing was dissolving a half tab in liquid - shake and drink a given amount each day. So to get 2mg, we got 12.5mg into liquid and measured out into 6 equal parts. Can't remember if that was the exact levels. Now I am not a doctor and do not advocate other methods without trial, BUT it seemed to work for her - and she was not easily influenced by placebo or external phenomenon (I should know - I dated her!!).

 

Just my 10 cents...

I was so frustrated by the beads when I tried tapering off six years ago (but then I was going from 20 mg to nothing and it was only when I had really big problems that my doctor suggested bead counting).  The beads are practically microscopic. I think taking a 12.5 mg tablet (which is really a 25 mg tablet split) and dissolving in liquid, then measuring out could work. I'll ask my doctor about it. I'm not at the point yet where I need to because I'm staying on 12.5 mg for a few months, but it would be good to have a solid plan ahead of time.

 

Did your friend use milk, water, or juice to dissolve the pill?

[fishinghat]

You wouldn't split the pill Kmrek. You just weigh a pill and scrap off a little more every few days. You just need a sharp knife and a sensitive set of scales.

[kmrekl217]

Yesterday was really bad in the morning. Lots of sobbing. I am not used to having so many emotions at the surface.

[fishinghat]

It is a rollercoaster for sure. Hang in there.

[KathyInFL]

Yesterday was really bad in the morning. Lots of sobbing. I am not used to having so many emotions at the surface.

 

Come here when you need to get help, we are here for you! xoxox

[invalidusername]

Sorry for late entry Kmrek - busy week thus far.

 

We used orange juice with the pill - not sure if that was suggested, or whether it was just part of her daily routine, meaning she would not forget to take it - because when she did... oh man. She was quitting smoking at the same time despite my advice not to. Living together at the time was not easy I can tell you!!

 

I really feel for you going through another withdrawal. Everyone here is really good for support, as is a read through other posts, even if you are on a different drug this time.

 

Keep at it as best you can. We are all here for each other, so keep posting!

[kmrekl217]

I'm down to 12 mg of Effexor. Using a compound pharmacist. In a few weeks, I go down to nine mg, then six a month later, then 3 the month after that, then 0.

 

I haven't had the horrible brain whooshes since I started taking the compounded version. But my feet are tingly, and I can't stop having this obsessive thought that I have diabetes. It may sound crazy; no other symptoms like frequent urination or insatiable thirst ( I don't think so, anyway). I have a doctor appointment the beginning of next month---first physical in five years. I don't know if I can wait that long before I find out if the tingly feet are some weird side effect of tapering or if I have diabetes. 

 

I'm on a new HMO and haven't seen this doctor before, so that's the reason given to me for such a long wait (I made the appointment last month). I am thinking of calling to tell them I have tingly feet to see if maybe that will get me an appointment sooner.

 

Thanks for letting me vent/update/share a crazy obsessive thought.

[kmrekl217]

Come here when you need to get help, we are here for you! xoxox

Thank you! Nobody told me when I went on this drug over a decade ago how hard it would be to go off it. It makes me mad sometimes.

[KathyInFL]

Thank you! Nobody told me when I went on this drug over a decade ago how hard it would be to go off it. It makes me mad sometimes.

 

The pharmaceutical companies don't tell anyone that, us or the doctors. If they did, no one would take their drugs!

 

How are you doing other than the tingly feet?

[invalidusername]

Tingling extremities are quite common during ssri withdrawal.

 

If you had diabetes then you would have more noticeable along with this, such as the thirst for sure, and you would be craving sweet foods most likely. A lot of people also feel an odd sensation when they urinate due to the sugar level. 

[fishinghat]

IUN is dead on with his comments. Mine lasted about 4 weeks if I remember right.

[kmrekl217]

Tingling extremities are quite common during ssri withdrawal.

 

If you had diabetes then you would have more noticeable along with this, such as the thirst for sure, and you would be craving sweet foods most likely. A lot of people also feel an odd sensation when they urinate due to the sugar level. 

I also have this patch of dry skin on my neck. I couldn't sleep well last night due to the tingly feet and the worry. I'm going to call the doctor today to see if because of this symptom  I can get an earlier appointment. I don't think I can last a month worrying that I have diabetes.

 

I am never this anxious about my health and in fact am always rather cavalier about it. Haven't taken care of myself for years and am so afraid I've let my body go to waste. I have never told anyone this (am going to go to a therapist next week and "fess up") but nearly four years ago I made a suicide attempt. 

 

I'd been having trouble sleeping and was depressed due to circumstances in my life. Didn't want to live anymore, but I was also so afraid of hurting my family. I eventually got sick of thinking about suicide and doing nothing. So I took some of the sleeping pills my psychiatrist prescribed (I still feel so guilty for never telling psychiatrist and for violating trust. It makes me feel f**ked up.) I washed them down with wine. I didn't die and never went to the hospital. Convulsed a little and had very blurry vision, as well as feeling very drowsy. My memory of all the details is hazy. Since then my urine has been somewhat cloudy. No other symptoms in nearly four years. 

 

Now I'm getting healthy physically and mentally at last. All the worry about telling someone, confronting what I did, as well as extreme worry I've destroyed my health due to that attempt and other lifestyle choices is making me crazy. These tingling feet are only exacerbating my anxiety. 

[invalidusername]

I have had health anxiety for years now, so you have my every sympathy. The problem here is the anxiety, not the symptoms. You could overnight some glucose sticks from Amazon and be sure you are not diabetic by tomorrow, but the worry will still be there. You will think it is a dud test, or it'll shift to something else. I know. I've been there many times.

 

Worry does some really unknown things to us, but I am all but certain that the tingling is the meds. I was with a friend earlier who is currently dropping 30 to 20mg of Duloxetine (Cymbalta), and he is getting the exact same thing.

[fishinghat]

Most pharmacies here will do a quick blood sugar test if you just walk in and pay the fee. Instant results.

[kmrekl217]

I have a doctor appointment tomorrow AM. Please send your luck/prayers/thoughts that I don't have something seriously wrong with me.

[invalidusername]

You will be in my prayers this evening. 

 

Wishing you a peaceful sleep and look forward to the update.

[kmrekl217]

Most pharmacies here will do a quick blood sugar test if you just walk in and pay the fee. Instant result

Good info to have. Thank you : )

[kmrekl217]

You will be in my prayers this evening. 

 

Wishing you a peaceful sleep and look forward to the update.

Thank you. Appointment in a little less than three hours. So nervous. All this guilt and judgment about my suicide attempt and possibly having destroyed my health. Time to face the music, whether I like it or not.

[invalidusername]

Hold it all together - this is the best thing for you to do at the moment...

[invalidusername]

How did you get on??

[kmrekl217]

The doctor at the clinic was entirely unconcerned but ordered blood tests anyway. My psychiatrist's office manager also got back to me to say that, yes, tingling feet is a side effect of Effexor withdrawal. Gee thanks.

 

So I probably don't have diabetes. But I am pissed at both doctors. Clinic doctor for saying rash on my neck might be fungal and due to not washing my clothes enough. WTF!? I am a very clean person. I wash my sheets once a week and never rewear clothes without washing. It was so insulting. Maybe it's from new sunscreen I've been using, not diabetes. But it's definitely not due to me being unclean. So f**king mad about being treated like that. Clinic doctor spent a grand total of four minutes with me.

 

And my psychiatrist couldn't even be bothered to a) give me a list of symptoms in the first place nor B ) reply to my email, instead pawning it off on the office assistant who acted like I was nuisance. "It is one of the symptoms on the list he gave you." I got no such list.

 

Thanks for letting me vent. I guess I just have to put up with having tingling feet for the next three months. Terrific. 

[invalidusername]

No harm in venting - and your doc's office sounds like all I have known! 

 

I would hope that the tingling won't continue for quite as long as the three months - I'd say that is worst case scenario. Regarding skin condition, obviously difficult to say, but also common during withdrawals if you were to search for Cymbalta users experience, but from what they said to you, I sure would be very annoyed for them to make an assumption about my personal hygiene!!