1636 replies to this topic

[ForLyla]

I'm going to stop the ppi starting today. I just cant take it anymore. I'm in a severe wave right now - the kind of wave I felt last year when I was out of my mind. My anxiety is through the roof, akithisia, heart pounding etc. I woke up this morning feeling like my heart beat was shaking the bed. I only feel like that when I'm in an acute like stage of withdrawal. Unfortunately the ppi experiment failed, although not surprised but still disappointed. It does affect absorption, although it seems to be at a smaller rate than the other ppi. The other one was like missing 3 doses in a row and this one is like reducing your dose by 20%. It will catch up with you. I'd rather get throat cancer than descend into full blown withdrawal hell again.

[fishinghat]

I am so sorry Lyla. I was hopeful that that med mught work. I don't know where to turn next.

[ForLyla]

Maybe surgery to fix my hiatal hernia. If it kills me then so be it! Another option is to get off the cymbalta altogether and just deal with the consequences. Can you offer any recommendations to get off this poison quickly?

[invalidusername]

Sorry to hear of everything that you are going through Lyla. I have just caught up the last couple of days worth of posts. As you say, there is so much going on with you that it is difficult to see where it all comes from. 

 

I remember talking to doctors about hh surgery a I simply couldn't face the prospect of going on pills for the rest of my life - and at that time, adding more pills to the existing mix of benzo and citalopram. The more I am taking, the more chances there are for things to go wrong as I see it.

 

The surgery is risky, and is considered a last resort if it is really ruining your life. 

[ForLyla]

IUN why do you think its risky? It seems quite safe from what I've seen.

[gail]

Lyla, I also have the same question. Hiatal hernia surgery, why is it risky. I had it, no problemo! Scrat, are you there?

[ForLyla]

I'll talk to my gastro about it again.

[ForLyla]

I feel almost worse than ever. Not only did the ppi bring back withdrawal symptoms 10 fold but now my rebound reflux is terrible. I'm so miserable. I was just desperate and knew that other meds and supplements always set us back. 3 years and no further ahead from these setbacks. The more you kindle, the worse it gets. I feel like that was my last straw. I wouldnt even care if surgery killed me if it wasnt for my daughter. Of course, I was just starting to feel great again withdrawal symptom wise.

[invalidusername]

"It is estimated that laparoscopic repair carries a mortality rate of just 0.57 percent, and open surgery carries a mortality rate of 1.0 to 2.7 percent."

 

That's enough to scare me!!

[fishinghat]

Difficulty Burping or Vomiting
Hiatal hernia surgery can cause burping or vomiting complications in patients. Affected patients can experience difficulty or an inability to burp or vomit after undergoing this surgical procedure, Dr. J. Scott Roth with the University of Kentucky warns. Consequently, patients can feel unusually bloated after eating. Typically, these complications of hiatal hernia gradually subside as a patient begins to heal from hiatal hernia surgery; however, in certain patients, these complications can be chronic.


Painful Swallowing
Painful swallowing, a complication of hiatal hernia surgery called dysphagia, can occur in certain patients. Patients who experience pain during swallowing may also develop a decrease in appetite due to this surgical complication. Swallowing difficulties are generally temporary and begin to resolve within the first three months following hiatal hernia surgery.


Pneumothorax
Pneumothorax is a complication of hiatal hernia surgery that causes excess air to accumulate around the lungs. Affected patients can experience symptoms that include chest tightness or pain; increased heart rate; fatigue; difficulty breathing; or skin discoloration. Depending upon the severity of pneumothorax symptoms, affected patients may require additional surgical intervention to resolve this complication of hiatal hernia surgery. (This usually occurs when the surgery enters through the chest wall and not when done with laparoscopic surgery)

Internal Organ Damage
Internal organ damage or injury is a potential complication of hiatal hernia surgery, John Muir Health explains. Patients who experience internal organ injury can develop nausea, diarrhea or constipation. Severe internal organ damage is rare, but may necessitate additional surgery to locate and repair the injury.


Infection or Bleeding
Infection or bleeding complications can arise in certain patients following hiatal hernia surgery. Affected patients may develop chills or a fever that exceeds 101 degrees F, the University of California Los Angeles Health System warns 1. Additional complications from infection can include incision site redness, inflammation or drainage. Patients who experience these complications of hiatal hernia surgery should seek immediate care from a doctor.

[ForLyla]

Ok so potentially die from surgery or die from throat cancer. I think I'd rather take surgery. Can someone die if they cold turkey duloxetine? I might just do a fast taper and get off this shit once and for all and deal with the consequences. The fucking stomach flu is all it took to end this for me.

[ForLyla]

The first half of the days are way worse now. I'm getting some slight windows as the days go on. I never should have taken that ppi. Even my reflux symptoms were better before I took it. I've never been so depressed in my entire life. I just want to end it. Theres no more hope.

[fishinghat]

The only people I know of that have died from coming off of Cymbalta are a few that have cold turkey off of high doses (50 to 120 mg) and they committed suicide.

[ForLyla]

One thing I've noticed the last couple days is that I feel somewhat better after my dose of duloxetine. Both times about half an hour or so after my dose I feel some relief. I thought yesterday was coincidence but it happened again today. Still feel awful and this has been my worst day.

I did get some satisfaction of throwing the remaining lansoprazole in the garbage! Hopefully this setback wont last for months or years. By the feel of it, it seems like 4 or 5 month setback minimum.

[fishinghat]

That is another sign that the ppi is interfering with Cymbalta absorption.  That is terrible. So sorry Lyla.

[ForLyla]

FH so when will the ppi stop interfering with the absorption? I haven't taken it since Saturday afternoon! It's been 48 hours! Also, how the heck did this happen? The last ppi I took I felt it immediately. I felt fine the first few days on this. My last setback from the ppi was roughly 2 and a half months. I actually feel like I'm right back in acute this time. Worse than when I originally joined this forum. I took 8 of these god forsaken pills and last time I only took 3.

[fishinghat]

It has less interference than last time but unluckily still too much. It should be much shorter than last time.

[ForLyla]

Ya but I took 5 more pills than last time. This wave is insane!

[ForLyla]

FH do you think this wave could be worse than the others potentially? Like I'll go back to the way I was when I had my initial taper crash? I took 8 pills total but they were never full doses.

[fishinghat]

What were you on before when you had an issue with a ppi? It wasn't lansoprazole was it?

[ForLyla]

It was pantoloc (pantoprazole) sodium. This wont be as long lasting as my taper a year and a half ago, will it?

[ForLyla]

Any opinion on why you think my symptoms are getting worse after getting off the ppi? I felt bad before but today is insane!

[fishinghat]

The lansoprazole definitely has less interference with Cymbalta absorption than the pantoloc so the symptoms should subside faster. Now that you are off the lansoprazole the liver enzymes are more readily available to process the Cymbalta and your blood levels will drop. It is as if you had a drop in dosage and this sets of a setback.

[ForLyla]

Ugh. Yup I feel the shakiness and heart pounding again. So I just take my cymbalta as normal? Yes, it affects it less but I took more dosages so not sure how that measures up. Nearly 3 times more than the pantoloc (8 pills vs 3). Should the lansoprazole be completely out of my system now after 72 hours?

I'm assuming it will take a while for my blood levels to get back up and then even a fair amount more time for my nervous system to stabilize enough to the point where I can function again. Last time it took nearly 8 weeks before I started to feel somewhat normal again and 3.5 months before I felt pretty good withdrawal symptoms wise. I didn't feel like my reaction was as bad last time. This time I have more heart pounding, anxiety and shaking and last time I had more cognitive distortion. The anxiety is far worse this time which makes me think it will be a worse setback.

[Polly38]

So sorry you are suffering Lyla. I'm having a rough time too, unfortunately, and I've realised today that the Ranitidine is making me feel much worse😓. I feel like someone is sat on my chest and I can't breathe. I feel anxious and shaky too.

Am definitely stopping them and hope I feel better soon. I'd rather have the stomach pain than feel paralysed with fear (at nothing in particular) and feel exhausted. Praying for us both to get back to feeling better🙏.

[fishinghat]

The lansoprazole should be out of your system now. It is just a matter of how long it takes to adjust to the change in Cymbalta levels.

[ForLyla]

I threw the dice and took an antihistamine today. It seemed to help alleviate my anxiety quite a bit but the shaking and heart pounding remains. I'm very curious how long this setback will last. 

 

FH  from my understanding it only takes a few days for the cymbalta levels to stabilize and become the same again? From there, it's my nervous system reaction to the drop that will take time to heal?

[fishinghat]

You  are correct on both points Lyla.

[ForLyla]

FH or IUN do you know exactly how long it takes for the blood levels to stabilize again?

[fishinghat]

Around 3 days it will be 93% the way to stability. At 6 days it will be completely stable assuming something else doesn't come along and change things.