1636 replies to this topic

[ForLyla]

Shaking and heart pounding are the most prominent symptoms which I havent had like this in quite some time. Otherwise, I'm also having more anxiety but it's not horrible most of the time. I took 3 pantoloc pills. Is that all it takes to throw me back into the depths of hell like I was? Can it really throw off my nervous system that much? I thought I'd recover quickly when it was out of my system.

[ForLyla]

As the day has gone on today, I'm increasingly in lala land. I could be on Mars for all I know. This is insane!

[Noush]

Anxiety & your mind being pre-occupied with anxious thoughts about how you are feeling, can make you feel like you are in lala land & away with the fairies. Try your best to focus your mind on something else. Do you have any beta blockers? My GP prescribed me 40mg propanolol tablets for when my heart was pounding & it does the trick. If the Pantoloc stopped you absorbing the Cymbalta properly, then that's like you taking half or less your usual dose over a few days & that certainly is enough to throw you out if sorts. At least it's only the physical symptoms you're getting & not emotional. It's the extreme anxiety and depression that comes with withdrawal that I struggle with. The physical symptoms I can deal with, as I still have a rational mind.

[ForLyla]

My anxiety is still pretty bad and I'm super depressed at the thought that this sent me back to square one after all the progress I've made. I'm so worried about it. I can't go back to month after month and years of prolonged hell anymore. IUN how long were you setback when took something that interfered with your meds absorption?

[fishinghat]

Pantoloc half life is only about 2 hours so 10 hours after you take the last pill 97% will be out of your system. After that it may take as long as 3 days for your Cymbalta levels to stabilize.

[ForLyla]

3 days to stabilize but how long for my nervous system to stabilize from this setback. That's the big question 😭

[ForLyla]

I feel almost exactly how I did last February when I updosed. I think this will take several months to recover from unfortunately. Such a shock to my nervous system. Ppi's soak up the meds like a sponge. It pretty much feels like I cold turkeyed for 3 days. Goes to show even the smallest thing can set us way back to ground zero!

[Polly38]

Hi ForLyla.

So sorry you are suffering too. Recently I have had a burning pain behind my breastbone and pain between my shoulder blades. An endoscopy showed that I've got inflammation in my oesophagus and a small polyp in my stomach so I have been prescribed Lansoprazole, which is a PPI. However, it gives me joint and muscle pain which is really bad. I know it's the Lansoprazole as I haven't taken it today and I don't have the muscular pain, but the heartburn has come back😟. So damned if I do and damned if I don't!!

I hope you don't mind me asking but do you think your stomach problems are down to this drug or did you have them before? I'm trying to work out if it's Duloxetine causing this pain or the polyps.

Thanks. Hope you feel better soon.

Polly

[fishinghat]

Cymbalta controls serotonin. Serotonin in the stomach helps regulate acid production. Cymbalta weaning decreases the control of serotonin and the acid production increases. Increased acid production causes inflammation of the esophagus. The high acid content may contribute to polyps but there are too many other things than can contribute as well.

[ForLyla]

Hey Polly. Sorry you have to go through this. I had stomach problems before as I have a hiatus hernia. The acid moves pretty high up my esophagus and causes pain and blocking in my ears. Stress causes gastritis as well and we are definitely in no shortage of that! Stay away from ppi's, supplements, acidic foods, and all other drugs for that matter. They always come back to bite you. Your body wants to be in a natural state.

[Polly38]

Hi ForLyla

I'm so sorry you have been going through it for so long. I don't really want to take the PPI or Ranitidine but my doctor said I've got to to heal my Oesophagus so really not sure what to do. Do you know if this is something which will settle down as I wean off?

I'm also taking Omega 3, Vitamin C and Ashwaganda to help with the withdrawals. Are you taking no other supplements? Do you find that they aggravate your symptoms? I don't know if I could cope without the supplements as they are keeping some of the withdrawals at bay. God, we are in a catch 22 situation 😢.

Thanks.

[Noush]

I have taken Gaviscon Double Action tablets & Zantac lots & lots of times in the past 6 years of being on Cymbalta & I don't think it has ever had any negative effect on me. I took them both for pretty much 2 weeks solid last year, whilst on holiday (too much spicy rich food & alcohol) & I was fine. However, I wasn't weaning or recovering from a period of withdrawal then, so maybe that makes a difference.

Hope today has been a good day Lyla. 🤞

[ForLyla]

Polly I think that's your problem right there. Omega's and especially vitamin c will give you terrible reflux. Taking vitamin c for me is as bad as drinking coffee. Omegas and vitamin c don't seem to make my withdrawal worse but I think it's mostly placebo as to them helping. There isn't anything but time that heals our brains and vitamins etc will have no effect whatsoever in repairing the brain injury. I'd say just eat a healthy natural diet that is low in acidic foods. 

 

Noush were you still on Cymbalta while you took the ppi's? 

[Polly38]

Thanks Lyla.

I haven't taken Vitamin C regularly but still have chronic heartburn. I have been taking the Omegas though so will lay off them for a few days to see if it helps. I have to take something to calm the anxiety down though so am trying Ashwaganda and L-Theanine. Have you tried either of them?

I never suffered from heartburn before taking this awful drug😢

[fishinghat]

Lyla is right about the vitamin C. It can contribute to heart burn The Omega 3 should not but can give you gas for sure. Most people take enteric coated Omega which should cause no problems. Same with the vitamin C, either enteric coated or buffered if you have heartburn issues.

[Noush]

Yes Lyla, I was on Cymbalta then. I have been on Cymbalta for 6 & half years now. I've always taken Gavison Double action tablets & Zantac for heartburn/indigestion without a second thought. I only usually get indigestion after eating spicy food, lots of chocolate or drinking more than a couple of largers. Gavison or Zantac sports it out & has never seemed to have a negative effect on the cymbalta.

[ForLyla]

Polly, the general rule of thumb for all psychotropic drug withdrawal syndromes is that these supplements work against you. There is no medicating or supplementing your way out of this. Your nervous system is very sensitive and they will just work to provoke it and prolong your suffering. I tried l-theanine and it sent me into a wave but it really depends on how sensitive your nervous system is. From my experience, I'd take a few weeks off of everything and see how you feel.

[ForLyla]

I have taken Zantac and Gaviscon as well. They didnt effect me that much, however, the Pantoloc did a real number on me. I thought I was playing it safe by taking it 8 hours after my cymbalta dose but it didnt matter. My body is in a state of chaos right now that I havent experienced in several months. I should have known better after I took the pantoloc and my heart was pounding out of my chest but then I took 2 more pills after that. I still feel like I've been setback to the beginning. I should have known better. Every time I start to get better, I have some massive setback. Last year I was feeling better from a terrible 15 month withdrawal from benzos and I messed it up by tapering cymbalta. Now I was feeling better after a hellish year of that and I take pantoloc. What's next? I just cant win. The universe doesnt want me to get better! I'll never take another med or supplement again while I'm in this.

[Polly38]

So sorry you have been having such a horrible time ForLyla. Hopefully, your body will recover quicker this time. This really is a wicked, wicked drug!! Have you ever experienced the shortness of breath? Like you can't get enough air in and keep taking shallow breaths?

Hope you start to feel better soon

[ForLyla]

Not so much with cymbalta but I did have the shortness of breath in acute benzo withdrawal.

[whosthat]

Are you saying you used Benzos briefly and it took you 15 months to recover from them?

[whosthat]

Not so much with cymbalta but I did have the shortness of breath in acute benzo withdrawal.

What sort of dose and duration of use if you don’t mind me asking. Battling with using benzos just enough to make lliving bearable but trying to keep it as infrequent and only when absolutely necessary as possible

[ForLyla]

I took 1mg of Lorazepam about 3 or 4 days a week for about 2 months or so. The withdrawals from benzos are horrific and can actually kill you if you cold turkey or drink alcohol with it. They work on different receptors but the withdrawal is very similar - nervous system gets destroyed. YouTube benzo withdrawal! Much the same of what I'm going through now. I'm sure my cymbalta levels are back to normal but it generally takes me about 5 or 6 months to recover from a nervous system overload. When I was in benzo withdrawal, it took me about 5 months to recover after a glass of wine for instance. Many people I've talked to have had similar experiences. I'm sure it will take me about 5 or 6 months to recover just from taking 3 pantoloc pills. The Benzo Buddies Forum is a good resource as well. Medicating your way out of this mess will only make you worse.

[whosthat]

I took 1mg of Lorazepam about 3 or 4 days a week for about 2 months or so. The withdrawals from benzos are horrific and can actually kill you if you cold turkey or drink alcohol with it. They work on different receptors but the withdrawal is very similar - nervous system gets destroyed. YouTube benzo withdrawal! Much the same of what I'm going through now. I'm sure my cymbalta levels are back to normal but it generally takes me about 5 or 6 months to recover from a nervous system overload. When I was in benzo withdrawal, it took me about 5 months to recover after a glass of wine for instance. Many people I've talked to have had similar experiences. I'm sure it will take me about 5 or 6 months to recover just from taking 3 pantoloc pills. The Benzo Buddies Forum is a good resource as well. Medicating your way out of this mess will only make you worse.

Agree generally but I have two jobs and school and I am an absolute wreck without clonazepam.. I can’t even look at people. Feel the size of an ant, just completely pathetic and worthless. I have no voice. It isn’t great with clonazepam but at least I can talk to people a bit. Really have no options. Take this poison or live a life of total isolation

[ForLyla]

I understand and it totally sucks but i dont want to sugar coat it. My philosophy is short-term gain for long-term pain. I think you should deal with the suffering for a while to make it out of this mess and do your best. Pure CBD oil or capsules would be a better choice. Benzos are more addictive and make people more dependent than heroin times 10. Basically every celebrity that's died in the last 20 years was on a cocktail that included Xanax. People passing out and drowning in their own bathtubs, unexplained suicides, shooting rampages etc. Benzos are the devil kingpin of all psychotropic meds. Tolerance withdrawal usually comes quickly and your brain cant produce gaba effectively anymore. Without gaba, your body goes into chaos. The prolonged withdrawals from it are absolutely insane - 3, 5, even 10 years in some cases of absolute misery for people on the benzo boards. I was only on it sporadically for 2 months and I went through hell for 15 months. Lisa Ling just did a documentary on it... you might be able to find it online.

[whosthat]

I understand and it totally sucks but i dont want to sugar coat it. My philosophy is short-term gain for long-term pain. I think you should deal with the suffering for a while to make it out of this mess and do your best. Pure CBD oil or capsules would be a better choice. Benzos are more addictive and make people more dependent than heroin times 10. Basically every celebrity that's died in the last 20 years was on a cocktail that included Xanax. People passing out and drowning in their own bathtubs, unexplained suicides, shooting rampages etc. Benzos are the devil kingpin of all psychotropic meds. Tolerance withdrawal usually comes quickly and your brain cant produce gaba effectively anymore. Without gaba, your body goes into chaos. The prolonged withdrawals from it are absolutely insane - 3, 5, even 10 years in some cases of absolute misery for people on the benzo boards. I was only on it sporadically for 2 months and I went through hell for 15 months. Lisa Ling just did a documentary on it... you might be able to find it online.

I've been prescribed clonazepam for 5ish years now. I've gone many months taking them every day and cold Turkey many times. Can't say if there are lingering effects months down the road from them versus my normally fkd mental state. I can say that after only a week back on them if I don't take them i feel in sort of a sensory hole where my vision gets hazy and shallow, I don't seem to hear as well, and my impending sense of doom and the destruction of my personal is massively intensified. It's like being wrapped in a blanket of stitches together razor blade, thrown and sealed in a whisky drum, thrown into a 100 foot well, and covered over with dirt. The pain is intense, but your brain, feeling like it has been hit with a baseball bat, can't process enough to make sense of anything. It isn't that inability to suffer that causes me to use them. Short term pain isn't much to deal with when you live in hell. It's that it doesn't get better without them. I was off for many months and a few weeks ago started again, only taking .125 mg initially (1/4 of a .5 pill). Then .250, .5, couple times went up to a pill and a half.. 1.5mg. Mind you these are older pills. My standi ng prescription allows me 4mg a day. 4.. can't imagine that much wouldn't feel anything. Anyway my strategy has been to only take on the days I work, but with the massive half-life of course they're always in my system. I last took Saturday night (Now Monday morning), and already feel pretty shitty. Started feeling pretty bad yesterday. I've just been under psychological, psychiatric, and pharmaceutical aid for over a decade and nothing has worked. So the "short term gain" thing doesn't apply. I literally sat in a room, completely isolated, for like 3 years. And that's nearly total isolation. The lack of friends, partners, interests, pleasure, and my being mostly but not as significantly isolated has been going on for much longer

[fishinghat]

What you describe for your Clonazepam experience is very unusual. It is considered by most drs to be the most potent and most addictive of all the benzos and has one of the worse withdrawals. I still lean toward an organic issue with your condition and recommend you see a neuropsychiatrist. Have you every had a head injury from a fall or automobile accident?

[ForLyla]

I'm so sorry Whosthat. Do you feel like the medications have helped you at all or have your mental issues gotten worse since taking them? What did you originally take them for?

[whosthat]

What you describe for your Clonazepam experience is very unusual. It is considered by most drs to be the most potent and most addictive of all the benzos and has one of the worse withdrawals. I still lean toward an organic issue with your condition and recommend you see a neuropsychiatrist. Have you every had a head injury from a fall or automobile accident?

One of my psychiatrist did the blood panel and ct scan, said it was all fine

[fishinghat]

That is great. It is weird though that your symptoms just don't fit anything I have seem on this site before. Sorry to bother you.