141 replies to this topic

[Lovey]

I am starting a slow taper again. I feel ready with the holidays behind us. Starting point:

19 beads a.m./ 19 beads p.m.

Today I begin with 19/18
Will do a one bead drop every 5 days. In 5 days from now will go to 18/18 etc. At this pace, with no problems, I will hope to be free by June.

God willing and with His help, I will fully recover and heal!

[Lovey]

I would love to hear how everyone is doing! And to know you are on standby so to speak:) love.

[gail]

Lovey, a good plan. Go slower at 10 beads. They can be nasty. I presume that you were on 40mg? We're you?

[Lovey]

Hi gail! I've been on about 8mg for 6 months. I went slow but been weaning for a year and a few months. Highest dose was 120mg in 2016. What symptoms did you have at tge 10 bead mark? 10 beads total per day? I'm using a split dose method. Taking currently 19 beads a.m. and 18 beads p.m.

[gail]

Lovey,

I went from 15 to 0. The side effects were so distressing that withdrawal was the same as I went with it.

So, with that, I cant answer your question, sorry. Again, your method is very good.

[frog]

Good luck Lovey!

You can do this! I'm also tapering down from the 7 beads I reinstated when I was desperate for some relief from withdrawal after I essentially went cold turkey from 20mg to 0. I'm down to 5 beads this week. Dropping a bead a week. I had 0 problems last week at 6 beads but this week Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday the anxiety went back up a bit. It's possible it's just a wave from withdrawal and not much related to the drop. As long as I have a couple good days between now and Sunday I'll feel ok to drop again on Monday. Today's actually been better so I think things are stabilizing. 

 

My only advice is one you probably already know. Listen to your body. If it's been 5 days but you're still seeing an uptick in your symptoms just hang in there and wait a little longer. You're so close to the finish line there's no reason to risk your progress just to stay on a schedule

[Lovey]

Thanks gail and frog. Good advice. I really want to be done by the winter of next year. say, November 1st the latest. I feel strongest in Summer so I am very optimistic. What a chore making these capsules every week. I will not miss this!

[frog]

Having a goal is great but just remember that it's important to be flexible! Even though it's disappointing. 

I honestly thought I wouldn't have ANY reaction dropping from 7 to 0 beads but I guess I'm a bit sensitive to this stuff (clearly). 7 to 6 was fine, but 6 to 5 I've had a increase in anxiety particularly in the evening after I take my second dose which is the one that I lowered this round. It's not severe but it's enough to make me aware of it and it's uncomfortable. I have a few more days before I'm scheduled for the next drop so fingers crossed it evens out, but if it doesn't by Sunday night then I have to accept that I might need a few more days. I'm only 5 beads from freedom and I'm SO ANXIOUS TO BE DONE WITH THIS AWFUL DRUG. 

[Lovey]

How u doin today frog?

[frog]

Hi Lovey

I'm doing good. The anxiety is abating so I think I'll be good to do my next drop on Monday. My husband and I went out for a nice dinner tonight which is something we used to do all the time but I haven't been able to do in over 2 months. It felt so good to feel normal again. On the other hand I've been extremely exhausted for 2 days straight now. I feel like I was in a constant state of stress and anxiety for over 2 months and now that the anxiety is decreasing, the fatigue of it all is catching up with me. 

[Lovey]

Extra rest is neccessary for me too in all this. Plus recovering from holidaze. Glad to hear this good news from u. I'm good too. Steady as she goes!

[Lovey]

Doing well with the slow taper. After tomorrow i will be down to 18/17....yay!

[Lovey]

Woke up with extreme vertigo. Very unusual for me. Maybe low magnesium. will eat a banana...

[invalidusername]

Good luck for the weekend drop!! Will be thinking of you.

 

Just realised why I have not replied here - I wasn't following it!! I get notified of when a new topic is posted, but then I need to follow it, otherwise I loose track... NOW that explains things a lot better...

 

Regarding the vertigo, I used to get attacks of that all the time on and off for some time during and after the withdrawal. Holding onto stuff just to get myself the bathroom... Not nice - my sympathies...

[frog]

Good luck Lovey. I'm down to 4 beads this week, today being day 4. I'm having an uptick in anxiety today but it's so hard to tell if it's from the drop or just a regular ol' wave that would have come for me even if I hadn't dropped anything. I kind of think it's just a wave because I've been filling out a little tracker for myself for almost 3 weeks now, mostly rating my anxiety and how I feel overall from 1-5 and my husband helped me plot the data on a graph and based on the graph I'm due for a worse day. Fortunately the bad days are far easier now than they used to be and the graph reminds that good days will come again

[fishinghat]

When in doubt, pause your wean and see what a couple of days at a steady dose brings before proceeding.

[frog]

Thanks FH. I've been waiting 7 days between drops for the past few. In each case I'd had at least two pretty normal days prior to the drop so I felt good about moving forward. If the anxiety hasn't settled down by Tuesday I'll just wait until it does. 

 

Of course I spoke too soon in my earlier post about the bad days being easier and all that. I started getting anxiety around 4pm yesterday and it got worse and worse over the next few hours. It was intense and very uncomfortable and I hadn't felt it this strongly since I started taking the propranolol. Fortunately when I took my regular prop dose at 8pm it made things a LOT better. Unfortunately the combo of 300mg gabapentin and 50mg seroquel that's been working for me quite well for sleep the prior 4 nights, didn't work. I was tired and sleepy but couldn't actually fall asleep. Feeling a little bit better this morning. Hopeful for an easier day and some sleep tonight. 

 

Ironically I was supposed to have an appt with the psych NP this AM and I cancelled it because things have been going ok and the sleep seemed under control. 

[fishinghat]

You might find this interesting...

https://www.ehealthm...on/can-t-sleep/
A list of sleep meds and their ratings on effectiveness.

[Lovey]

Hi friends.. my wrists hurt a little so can't write too much but today i dropped another bead. So I'm at 18/17 now. Thx for thinking of me iun We are getting 6 inches of snow here tonight I'm glad for it. It will be beautiful! I went to an open house at an art show in which i have a drawing included. It was very fun. I met up with a good girl friend of mine. Had some laughs:)

[invalidusername]

All sounds positive! Glad to hear this....

 

You are an artist? Any particular genre?

 

Hope this up-time continues for you H...

[Lovey]

I am an artist yes!!
Primarily a painter, drawer. It was my college major. I am beginning to make a real go at it now that I am not clinically depressed or sick. It's extremely exciting and my goal is to work full time as a self employed artist. I have a diversified portfolio so I can create pieces to be enjoyed by all sorts of people. I paint people and pets in oils, do home renderings in mixed media by hand, and abstract works in acrylic and mixed media.

[invalidusername]

Fantastic! I could never get on with paint as a medium myself - all my stuff was in pencil or pastel. I am now strictly a digital artist. Just wish I had more time to indulge...

 

Hope the weekend is being kind to you my dear H...

[Lovey]

Last night was my reduction of one less bead. I missed my morning dose by 5 hours. I am experiencing some withdrawal symptoms. Agitated, angry, tired. Some flashing vision. I had a half of a small can of coke yesterday. I never drink pop. Caffeine and artificial caramel coloring is very bad for me personally so i think some of this is reaction to this maybe. My eyes were and still are red and puffy like an allergic reaction upon waking this a.m. Have been having MAJOR sugar craving past 3 months.... no I'm not pregnant lol! Any thoughts on this anyone??

[invalidusername]

The 5 hours out won't have helped, but it will be in your system now, so that can be written off.

 

It is better to avoid carbonated drink during withdrawal - the severity varies from person to person, but you are right that partial reaction could be due to this. The sugar cravings are no doubt down to the brain trying to balance the norepinephrine which regulates your adrenaline. This will be maxed out because of the anger and agitation (this is all ways in which the chemical can manifest itself while it is trying to balance out). You will be using glucose reserves, so if you feel as though you are light-headed or weak, then have a bit of candy to level you out, but don't overdo it as this will only keep you in this state longer.

 

Your brain will continue to put you through these various states as it has to "catalog" all your various emotions again having had it previously controlled by the drug. Unfortunately this is all part and parcel of the withdrawal... so my sign off is one of Hat's favourite... "time and patience".

[Lovey]

Fascinating! I am not feeling rage for the past 2 hours!! Wtf?! One bead drop!! A 5 %decrease from 18 to 17 beads. Seriously??????

[fishinghat]

Cymbalta withdrawal often caused low blood sugar in many members. Like IUN said, a LITTLE bit of sugar may help.

[invalidusername]

Fascinating! I am not feeling rage for the past 2 hours!! Wtf?! One bead drop!! A 5 %decrease from 18 to 17 beads. Seriously??????

 

Yes!

 

The forum is littered with examples of "one-bead woes"

[Lovey]

Meant to say I AM FEELING RAGE.

What other foods are good I wonder?

[invalidusername]

Rage foods?!

 

You need my tools, LDN's trash can or Hat's boat. They have all helped us through these times in the past...!!!

[fishinghat]

There is a list of foods in the ebook that can raise serotonin, endorphins, dopamine etc. You might look through there.