14 replies to this topic

[Reeses93]

Hi,
I was put on Duloxetine about 15 months ago for depression and fibromyalgia. After my doctor leaving the practice and insurance switches I ended up unable to refill my prescription and am now on day 5 of not taking it. After doing some research I realize this is a blessing in disguise since I was apparently experiencing every possible negative side effect of the medication from daily migraines to gaining 100 pounds in less than 18 months. The worst though was the malfunctioning of my bladder sphincter since no 26 year old should be peeing their pants regularly. However I am still upset I was put on this demon medication in the first place and I am now dealing with basically every possible drug withdrawal symptom under the sun except for seizures. At one point I even got stuck on my couch basically stuck in my own body unable to talk or do anything but move my eyes while switching between stiffening up and hyperventilating for 45 minutes. My brain has essentially been neurologically going haywire and I'm just along for the ride. That's not including the emotional symptoms like sobbing for no reason and rage fits or the horrible physical symptoms. I am mostly here to get any insight as to what my future with withdrawals looks like. My brain zaps are pretty bad and constant but my biggest issue is the nausea caused by them. I can deal with a lot of physical ailments and discomfort since I've lived my whole life with multiple chronic illnesses but feeling like I'm going to vomit is something that I have always been horrible with handling. I've also seen in other threads that people experienced symptoms way beyond the typical amount of time someone would when coming off an antidepressant. Can anybody give me any advice at all for dealing with this? Anything to help the brain zaps or what the easiest foods are on the digestive problems or how long I will be dealing with the initial severe stuff? This is honestly the hardest thing I have ever done both mentally and physically, and it makes me mad to think that doctors can just tell people to put something this horrible in their body like it's nothing. My fiance is a former drug addict who withdrew from hard opioids and he said what he experienced seems like nothing compared to what he has watched me go through in just the last 72 hours. I would appreciate anything, even if it is just your own experiences so I'm no longer going in blind desperately praying that every new day is the one where things start to look up. I knew the first week would be horrible but I stupidly thought the worst of it would even out by day 7-10 like any other medication. Not when your doctor put you on Cymbalthell apparently. I'd also like to add that I really don't want to go back on and wean off, especially when I am almost a full week in and aside from the withdrawals I can feel positives of coming off the medication like a better mood, craving foods again, and the return of my sex drive. If anything my chronic illnesses have been good practice for a lot of the things I am experiencing when they would debilitate the average person. It is even more aggravating that the withdrawal symptoms aren't constant, I will feel good for a few hours while tolerating the brain zaps and then fall into fits of severe nausea or breakdowns. I am so thankful to have found this forum and I am mostly desperate to not be dealing with the unknown of how long I have to worry about falling into these really severe waves.

[fishinghat]

Welcome Reeses

 

This can turn into a nightmare. People who cold turkey are known to have become suicidal and even commit suicide and can suffer horrible withdrawal for up to 2 years (although 6 to 8 months to begin recovery is average).

 

We normally recommend taking 6 months to wean off slowly but don't know if you can somehow get more Cymbalta to wean with.

 

We have an ebook that covers medical research, what others have tried and what helped and what didn't and much more it is located at ...

 

https://www.cymbalta...tion-the-ebook/

 

It will give you many ideas on how to handle these issues. As far as the nausea is concerned the best thing found by members is ginger; ginger tea, ginger ale, ginger gum, etc. Be sure it contains real ginger though and not an artificial flavoring. This is a common trick used by women to control their nausea when pregnant. 

 

look over the ebook and please feel free to comeback and ask any questions you may have, We will be glad to help.

[frog]

HI Reeses,

Welcome to the forum. I'm heartbroken to hear about everything you're going through. Cold turkey off of Cymbalta is no joke. Since Cymbalta falls under SNRI group of medication, it controls two of the major neutrotransmitters in your body and as a result the withdrawal tends to have not only emotional side effects (like the rage, the crying, anxiety) but physical as well since the N is connected to your adrenaline production. For me that included severe constant panic attacks, others get itchy skin, etc. It seems like the spectrum of issues that people experience is pretty wide unfortunately. FishingHat has seen it all having been on the forum for many years. 

 

I know in the state you're in, you're looking for concrete information about how long this will go on for. I searched desperately for the same. And when I heard 6-8 months I couldn't believe it. I'm now over 10 months off, it'll be a year in November. I would say at the 5 month mark is when I felt like I really turned a corner, and nearly 5 more months after that before I feel like I turned another. The first few months were the absolute worst and little by little it got better. However for the most part the progress has not been linear. Don't be discouraged if you feel better and then feel worse again. It's a rollercoaster. I will also say that some symptoms will probably fade quickly, like the brain zaps. The emotional stuff will probably hang on the longest. 

 

We're here for you!

[invalidusername]

Hey Reeses.

 

"My brain has essentially been neurologically going haywire and I'm just along for the ride"

 

That had me in stitches! I know it is not to be laughed at, but you got it right on the money! Frog usually comes out with stuff like that and she cracks me up! 

 

Right to the details. Rarely that I do not side with Hat, and this is completely no exception. If you can get a refill, you really should get back on a dose and wean slowly. I don't want to speak ill of a certain facebook page that promotes cold turkey from Cymbalta, but we have had many a poor soul from this group. We don't profess to be doctors here, but even the patient info leaflet warns against cold turkey. As much as we hate the pharma, at least they have it right that a cold turkey withdrawal is a bad idea.

 

Frog has given you a idea of where you could be in a few months, but if you really cannot get hold of any more caps, then we need to supplement the ass out of your situation to help you alng the way.

 

Will wait to hear back from you regarding the above before going any further, but please consider the above. We will however support you any way you decide to go forward...

 

IUN

[Reeses93]

Thank you all so much for your insight!

Unfortunately it doesn't look like I have the option to get more and wean off since the main reason I am off in the first place is due to my doctor leaving the practice out of nowhere and them (without my approval) switching me to another doctor in the building who instantly informed me they were going to be cutting off my meds so I'd have to come in for an appointment to get a refill (something not very possible since I live 40 minutes away and don't like to go out during the pandemic since I have a lowered immune system). I put in a refill request anyway and tried to work with them over the issues like possibly doing a Zoom appointment instead but they flat out ignored me since to them it was all or nothing that I come in to see this new doctor or I don't get my meds. I switched to a closer better doctor (one of the very few taking new patients during COVID) but they don't go into effect yet for my insurance and after talking to them it would be months before I could get in to possibly get a refill there. I agree that cold turkey is no joke and I am willing to do anything recommended to get out of this with the least damage possible.

Since I went over 20 years with unmedicated mental illness I am pretty good with handling behavior swings and suicidal thoughts; It's not the best way to live but I know how to reach out for help when things get bad and freaking out for no reason doesn't make me feel crazy or scare off my loved ones the way it would with someone who didn't have such issues before the medication. I think the hardest thing for me will be the severe flu-like symptoms. I took some benadryl earlier since I saw others talking about it for brain zaps and felt good enough to get a few things done quickly before I got extremely tired. That paired with some ginger lozenges for my stomach had me feeling better than I had in days. Luckily I am in a better situation than most since I work and do my schooling from home, so although sleeping and revolving myself around handling this for the next 6+ months isn't ideal it also isn't as bad as it would be for someone who has to worry about their job or kids.

The nightmare of this already feels a little lighter since I have an idea of how the timeline of symptoms will work; I'd rather knowledgeably prepare for a new normal than sit around 2 months later still feeling horrible while wondering what was going on.

I am thankful for anything you can recommend as people who have experienced this themselves, if anything I trust it way more than an actual doctor after this

[invalidusername]

How on earth can they insist on a face-to-face or not at all? They should applaud the fact that you are trying to work under the rules.

 

It is good that you have experience of unmedicated mental illness, but withdrawal DOES have the capacity to push you to places beyond that which you will have seen as it will directly control your neurochemistry. Without pills, there is only so much these chemicals can deviate, but when you remove a drug that has been controlling it, then it can, and will, go beyond the levels which a brain should be putting out. This is why we need to be careful.

 

Hat will corroborate exactly what I have said. We want you to be as safe as possible.

 

I am so glad you have found the information on the site useful for the benadryl and ginger. Our eBook is full of information that will assist in all given symptoms. We have been here for many years now and seen just about every symptoms that is possible - and it all goes in the eBook.

 

You mention kids... do you have any help with them at all? Do you find that you are able to cope with their needs?

 

The best thing you can do is keep us abreast of issues as they present themselves and we can guide you in the right direction. You seem to be doing a great job so far, but we will always be here to guide you further.

 

IUN

[fishinghat]

The site is not letting me post anything large again so I will have to do this in sections I guess. I hope some of these help. There are also a lot of other things in the ebook.

 

 

Items Shown to Help Many with Cymbalta Withdrawal.

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Diphenhydramine, (over the counter) also known as Benadryl, is an antihistamine and as such is not only used for allergies/colds but also as a sleep aide. It does have a mild anxiolytic effect. May lower blood pressure and cause irregular heartbeats. Your body does build up tolerance to it after a few weeks. This medicine has many drug interactions.

Begins working in 15 to 30 minutes

Peak levels - 2 to 2.5 hrs

Half Life – 4 to 6 hrs

Use by members for anxiety relief and to help sleep is too numerous to mention. 

Diphenhydramine should NOT be taken with hydroxyzine. Drugs.com

 

serendipity - I found Benadryl to produce hangover effects, and cause palpitations when taken long term. Even if you wake up in the middle of the night, and can't get back to sleep, even a teeny amount (say, 15mg) can induce sleep again. 

Schmb - Benadryl worked on a limited basis for me, because sometimes it makes me jittery, and that only made the zaps much worse, so just use some caution in case you are sensitive to it.

FH - One caution on benadryl. It is famous for bad reactions with other medicine so check your compatability closely. The maximum dosage of benadryl is 25 to 50 mg every 4 to 6 hours and do not surpass 300 mg in a day.

 

Benadryl Total

Medicinal ingredients:

•Acetaminophen, 500 mg

•Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride, 25 mg

•Pseudoephedrine Hydrochloride, 30 mg

 

It contains diphenhydramine which is the active ingredient in regular Benadryl and also pseudoephedrine which is common in most cold medicines. The Diphenhydramine helps with sleep and anxiety and the pseudoephedrine helps block the action of adrenaline which produces a calming effect. 

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[fishinghat]

Melatonin

FH - a research article where it was shown that taking 0.7 mg of liquid melatonin under the tongue (sublingual) helps with anxiety. Place it under the tongue until dissolved and gone. In case you are not familiar with melatonin it is the chemical your body produces in the evening to make you sleepy and ready for bed. 

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Gatorade

 

Many members found Gatorade to be considerable help in fighting most withdrawal symptoms, especially the green gatorade.

 

Kindorf - Also I have been avoiding caffeine so I cut out my coffee and sweet tea.

I replaced then with fruit juice, ( mainly apple juice ) water and Gatorade. Today no stomach cramps I think they are done. No diarrhea, Lord I hope that is gone. 

 

Judy -  I knew that Gatorade helped with the light-headed, "floating brain" feelings. 

 

watchdog -  Drinks LOTS of GREEN gatorade..... don't know what the deal is, but it helps.

 

wiraz - Drink at least one G2 Gatorade a day – stay away from the full sugar version, leads to a higher chance of diarrhea. I drink one 32 oz bottle every day plus tons of water!!

 

caroline - Vit E also for head and joints and then Gatorade's G2. I didn't want the sugars so I went with the G2

 

Rafael -  I have mild brain zaps but I believe the omega 3 Fish Oil and Gatorade are helping.

 

Sandlion - I took fish oil/other Omega 3 and also found that Gatorade helped -- maybe it's the salt replacement after all the nightsweats.

 

guppie -  I'm a month off the drug so only minor zaps now and then. Whoever gave the gatorade advice is a genius. That treats them instantly (make sure you get the low calorie gatorade since regular is high calorie). Brain zaps are minor. I grab a gatorade and that gets rid of those for a bit (electrolytes). 

 

Alisha - gatorade-had one of the big bottles yesterday and it did seem to help,

 

Vinvin - The Fierce Green Apple Gatorade, Dramamine and Boylan's Ginger Ale seem to help out as well 

 

Summary - Many members mentioned drinking Gatorade for the electrolytes after diarrhea, night sweats and when having brain zaps. G2 was often mentioned because it has no sugar (not true, see below). Also, it was suggested that one should not just rely on Gatorade alone for hydrated but should also drink plenti of water. Green Gatorade is highly recommended by some members.  Vitylite and Powerade were also mentioned a couple times for electrolytes. I would also recommend Isopure as it comes with and without sugars and proteins with a similar amount and type of electrolytes as Gatorade.

 

G2 Gatorade - It has the same amount of sugar as regular Gatorade and nearly all the same ingredients and electrolytes.

 

Gatorade Fierce Green Apple Sports Drink - This may be the "green  gatorade" that members spoke of. It contains malic acid, the active ingredient in apple cider vinager which has proved so helpful to other members. Other ingredients are the same.

 

Isopure Zero Carbs - No sugar, with some calcium. Contains Malic acid

Isopure Mass - With sugar and proteins, with calcium, Contains Malic acid

Isopure zero carb with proteins - no sugar, contains proteins. With calcium  Contains Malic acid

 

Sparkybird - I’ve found that Pur Aqua Sparkling Frost in any flavor has malic acid. I discovered it by accident. It is only 50 cents at Aldi’s. It is only 10 calories a bottle.

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[fishinghat]

L-theanine 

 

L-theanine is an amino acid precursor to glutamate (involved in the synthesis of GABA) and glutamine. It can cross the blood brain barrier. It is only produced by plants and fungi and a component in some teas. It inhibits glutamine transporters and glutamate transporters, and thus blocks the reuptake of glutamine and glutamate. Theanine increases serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and glycine levels in various areas of the brain. Caution – Most plants that contain L-theanine also contain caffeine and it can be a significant contaminant in L-theanine supplements. It is synthesized from glutamate using the enzyme glutamate decarboxylase and pyridoxal phosphate (which is the active form of vitamin B6) as a cofactor. This process converts glutamate, the principal excitatory neurotransmitter, into the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter (GABA).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theanine

Member's comments

(puritan's pride) 200 mg capsules 2- 3/ day. I have been taking this prior to cymbalta detox. It helped me reduce my dosage of clonazepam. Within 20-30 mins I feel more calm. I do believe it is helping keep the anxiety in check.

Tinabee - For now I have started taking fish oil and a supplement called Theanine Serene that is supposed to help with anxiety. I know it sounds silly since I've only taken the anxiety supplement for a couple days but I really feel like it has helped.

200mg L-Theanine in the morning with a full glass of water on an empty stomach, you can take again in late afternoon 100 to 200 mg if needed (make sure it is suntheanine - it helps with headaches and pain as any painkiller I had just did not cut it)

Member's comments were generally favorable.

 

http://www.cymbaltaw...page-2?hl=helps

Page 1 and 2, detailed information on L theanine and its usage.

Research

The research shows that all green tea leaves contain both L-theanine and D- theanine BUT only the special processing used by the manufacturer produces pure L-Theanine and is the choice of many of the research biologists.

 

 

Five of the six products contained significant amounts of D-theanine. Only one product, SunTheanine, appeared to contain only the L-theanine enantiomer. D-theanine is not used by the humnn body.  Suntheanine is the pure ingredient and that is what you want. 

 

Key Points

Theanine increases serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and glycine levels in various areas of the brain. 

Scientific Information

A National Standard monograph that reviews current research on theanine reports that it is likely safe in doses of 200–250 mg up to a maximum daily dose of 1,200 mg. Theanine is used to help with anxiety, blood pressure control, mood, and cognition. 

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Prescription Meds

 

Clonidine

Clonidine  (Catapres, Kapvay, Nexiclon, Clophelin) is a classic blood pressure medicine BUT it is very effective on anxiety. It is an alpha adrenergic antagonist which means it stimulates the alpha adrenaline synapses located in the frontal lobes of the brain. When these synapses are stimulated by the clonidine the brain thinks that it is due to adrenaline and it tells the adrenal gland to produce less adrenaline. It is a little slow to kick in, about an hour and a half. It has a 12 hour half life. Most drs prescribe 0.1 mg twice a day. One to be taken about an hour before bedtime and the other in the morning. Because it decreases adrenaline it has a strong calming effect which helps a person get to sleep and stay a sleep. It is not unusual for people to have a little drowsiness from clonidine until they get use to it (1 or 2 weeks). It does NOT work faster sublingual (under the tongue) like benzos.  These have no withdrawal but your blood pressure may spike for a couple weeks if you cold turkey. Due to the lowering of blood pressure and sleepiness it is common for the patient to start with ½ tablet at bedtime. Once the patient adjusts to the medicine they begin a ½ tablet in the morning. As sleepiness and blood pressure stabilize they are slowly worked up to the 2 tablets (0.1 mg each) a day. 

Begins working 60 to 90 minutes

Peak levels – 3 to 5  hrs

Half Life – 12 - 16 hrs

There are too many research articles on clonidine's anxiolytic properties to list here.

FH - I started clonidine but it was a relief to me NOT to be able to feel my heart pound through my chest. As long as your bp is OK you shouldn't have a problem. 

That is why the slow start up. This gives your heart a chance to adapt to the new med. I did the same slow start up and my bp stayed within normal range. Just keep monitoring your bp and you should be OK.

FN - clonidine worked wonders for me 

 

Hydroxyzine, (Vistaril, Atarax) - is an H(1)R antagonist, is very effective against anxiety in most people but some get no help from it at all. It is not addictive nor does it have withdrawal but it also can lower blood pressure some but that usually goes away with time. This medicine should be started slowly to give your body a chance to adjust to the blood pressure effect. Normal dose is 25 mg four times a day but can go as high as 400mg/day.

Begins working in 30 minutes or less

Peak levels - 2  hrs

Half Life – 15 to 20 hrs

Do not take with cimetidine as it increases hydroxyzine levels in the blood.

 

https://www.mayoclin...se/drg-20311434

(Mayo Clinic)

For oral dosage forms (capsules or suspension): 

⦁ To help control anxiety and tension: 

⦁ Adults—50 to 100 milligrams (mg) 4 times a day. 

 

Atenolol is a beta 1 adrenergic receptor antagonist, also known as a beta blocker. It does not pass  through the blood brain barrier which limits its side effects compared to other beta blockers. It has been linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. It may cause drowsiness and lower blood pressure. Typical dosage around 25 mg four times/day. Dosage should be slowly increased.

Begins working in 30 minutes to an hour

Peak levels – 2 – 4 hrs

Half Life – 6 - 8 hrs

SF - So now I am on one. It is called Atilonol (Atenolol?) and calms down your heart rate too.

 

Buspirone (Buspar) is a seratonin 5-HT1A  receptor partial agonist and a dopamine antagonist at the receptors. It functions as a weak anti-anxiety medication similar to diazepam in strength (a weak benzo). No withdrawal or tolerance issues. Dosage should be kept low if taking a ssri and/or snri or St. John's Wort as it may cause seratonin syndrome. DO NOT take with grapefruit or grapefruit juice. May lower blood pressure. Typical dosage is 10 to 20 mg three times per day.

Begins working 3 to 7 days after begin dosing

Peak levels - 1  hrs

Half Life – 2 - 4 hrs

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/22998742

Buspar (15mg) and Melatonin (3 mg) yielded the best anti-depressant effect of any combination concentration tested. (See Melatonin below)

https://www.ncbi.nlm...pubmed/25156283

Buspar and melatonin in combination is anxiolytic.

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[fishinghat]

Dos and Don'ts

 

DON'T ...

take Omeprazole (Prilosec)

Significant drug interactions.

omeprazole ↔ citalopram

Applies to omeprazole and Celexa (citalopram) 

Talk to your doctor before using citalopram together with omeprazole. Combining these medications may increase the blood levels of citalopram and increase the risk of certain side effects, including an irregular heart rhythm that may be serious or life-threatening. 

Caution - Omeprazole causes the increased absorbtion of nearly 500 medications. It should NOT be taken with.....

Benzos, Atenolol, Celexa, Lexapro and many other ssri and snri, st. john's wort, etc.

take St. John's Wort, 5HTP, tryptophan, SAMe, Dextromethorphan (a cough syrup/cold medicine) with an antidepressant - Serotonin Syndrome.

 

Don't take Stimulants (Make anxiety worse)

Caffeine 

Over-the-counter cold preparations contain phenylpropylamine and pseudoephedrine*

Sleep deprivation

Marijuana*

Magnesium*

MSG

Alcohol

Stress

amphetamines

ecstasy

nicotine

Ginseng

L-Tyrosine 

B Vitamins*

aspartame

Coconut Oil 

Taurine 

DHEA 

Ginkgo 

Iodine 

Arginine

Sugar

Kava

* - Only some people have this reaction.

 

Things containing caffeine..

Coffee, Espresso, Cappuccino, some Teas,  Low calorie, non-cola soda containing aspartame,  Low calorie colas containing aspartame or saccharine, Energy drinks, Some types of alcoholic drinks.

Chocolate ....Baking, Dark, Sweet and semisweet, Pudding, Cereals, Fudge , Milk chocolate, Syrup, Mousse, Soymilk, Fat free cookies, Cookies, Cake, Frozen Yogurt, Ice cream, Frosting, and Shakes .

Java Pops, Chai Mints, Green Tea, Warp Mints, Penguin mints, and cinnamons. Caffeinated Energy Strips, Caffeinated Fruity Lollipops, HyDrive Energy Chews, Caffeinated Nixie Tubes, Foosh Energy Mints, Atomic Energy Bites, Buzz Bites, KickBricks, Energy Chews, Reload Energy Strips, Movit Gummies, Caffeinated jellybeans, Morning Spark, Oatmeal, Sumseeds (caffeinated sunflower seeds), Lightning Rods (beef sticks), Engobi "Energy Go Bites" (crispy snacks), Jolt Gum, Blitz Energy Gum, Think Gum Stay Alert, Vibe Black, Black Go Fast!, Dozens and dozens of herbal supplements.

https://www.caffeine...ffeine-database

List of energy drinks with caffiene. (over 100)

 

take Depressants (Make depression worse)

Oxalic acid is found in members of the spinach family and cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, chives and lamb's quarters are high in oxalates, as are sorrel and parsley. Rhubarb leaves contain about 0.5% oxalic acid.

Can cause depression, lack of minerals, kidney stones, and more. Cooking does not affect oxalic acid. People with kidney disease, a history of kidney stones or suffer from depression should avoid these foods. 

other depressants:

Aspartame

Gluten

High Fat Dairy

Sugar 

alcohol

Trans fats

Sodium 

Caffiene

Pesticide residue on foods

GHB

exposure to organic solvents (paint, varnish, stains, cleaning solvents, paint thinner, etc).

 

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Do

take 500 mg of vitamin C per day or 6300 mg of NAC - (N-acety cysteine) an antioxidant

learn Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Mindfulness

sleep as much as possible

Keeping a Journal  - Don't trust your memory during withdrawal.

Stay hydrated

[fishinghat]

Omega 3

Dose - Omega 3 is recommended at 2000 mg/day EPA and DHA for anxiety, give or take a couple hundred depending on what research you read. It has been shown that only the EPA and DHA components effect anxiety. Any other omega 3 fatty acids don't do anything for anxiety. Life Extensions, Mega EPA/DHA, is distilled (molecularly purified) so you don't get any impurities with your product plus it contains no mercury. Some even provide a certificate of analysis if requested. They also have ones that are enteric coated now that will not irritate the digestive track and has no fish burbs to them. 

 

http://www.cymbaltaw...elps#entry67706

This thread contains a detailed discussion on use of Omega 3.

 

Also this thread....

http://www.cymbaltaw...elps#entry68036

 

Fishinghat - Omega 3 fish oils can be very high in mercury depending on the type of fish used. Some have tested at over 300 ppm mercury. There are brands out there that are mercury free or low mercury guaranteed. Something to think about. If you have thyroid issues they usually contain high iodine concentrations also. One member had an episode of high iodine toxicity I couldn't find a iodine free product. If your thyroid is fine then this should not be an issue.

FH - Cod liver oil you buy in the store may be high in mercury and pesticides. The liver is the pollutant filter for the body. Cod livers are from the top of the food chain and pollutant levels are usually significant. Be sure to get one that is purified and verified mercury free. But I don't believe there is one verified pesticide free. Great care must be used in selecting one. It also contains fairly significant levels of vitamin A and D and toxic doses are known to occur. Routine blood analysis for Vit A and D should be done every 6 months if using Cod Liver Oil or any Fish oil.

 

Warning

Arrhythmias

Omega 3

3 Grams of omega 3 per day can worsen cardiac arrythmias.

[frog]

I'm assuming the doctor you're referring to who left was a psychiatrist? 

I'm wondering if you have or can get in front of a primary care doctor quicker? They would also be able to prescribe a refill especially if it's just to bridge the gap before you can see someone new

[Reeses93]

IUN- I don't have any kids, that's why I was saying that I am in a better situation compared to someone who has to care for them while going through this. Sorry if the way I worded it was confusing I also thought the doctor being so all-or-nothing was ridiculous, especially with a medication like this that can be so dangerous to come off of. I am definitely keeping an eye on anything that could be a symptom and dedicating all my time to handling them accordingly. I am glad to have a resource like this website where I can keep checking in on things.

 

Fishinghat- Thanks so much for all that valuable information. I made sure to write it all down and will definitely start supplementing and watching my diet like a hawk. I have made sure to avoid caffeine and have been taking naproxen for my headaches since most medications for that specific issue have caffeine in them, but I didn't think about things like sodas. I took Benadryl a few times but didn't necessarily like how sleepy it made me so fast, so since the dose on mine is 1-2 tablets for adults I just take the one and although it doesn't help as much as taking 2 did I still find some relief and don't have to worry about needing to get things done before I fall asleep for half the day. I am also very iffy about putting any sort of medication in my body after this so luckily I won't need to worry about drug interactions since I won't be taking anything outside of the 2 or 3 things recommended here such as the 500 mg of Vit C per day. I am excited about to hear about the Gatorade since I had already been wondering about my electrolytes!

 

Frog- I was not seeing a psychiatrist, unfortunately all of this was going on with my regular primary doctor. At this point I think I may look into a psychiatrist since they may have more knowledge on the background issues with these medications since they are specialized compared to a PCP that juggles everything. At the very least when I switch to my new doctor I am going to research and talk over every medication they want to put me on together since I have now learned from this that it is possible for a doctor and patient to both be going in blind.

 

My withdrawals have seemed to make a shift in the last few days, the nausea stopped and as of yesterday has now come back like many reported with things getting better and then worse again. I am getting better at tolerating the brain zaps and luckily they haven't been too debilitating. The biggest issue I have noticed is that my body is so sore, especially in my torso region; My neck, shoulders, back, and sides feel like I worked out for 12 hours straight and have stayed that way for about 4 days now. The soreness is a little bit in my arms today, but after reading more into your feedback I think all of this could be partially attributed to the hydration issues. I haven't been the best water drinker in my life and I have been trying to keep up on eating/drinking enough between sleeping or being distracted by not feeling good, but I could probably be better. There are a ton of other things that I'm sure I just can't think of specifically because I am so used to being uncomfortable and sick due to living with chronic illness, but I would still never wish this on anybody. I am so thankful to have a place like this with supportive people who have experienced it that I can check in with for guidance and answers!

[fishinghat]

Hey Reeses, A note on the sport drinks. These days most do not contain much electrolytes anymore since they have become the property of Pepsi and Coke. Most of the Gatorade does not contain any electrolytes like magnesium, calcium or even potassium. There are a few exceptions though. It is primarily the malic acid in the green Gatorade that helps with the withdrawal.

[invalidusername]

Hi Reeses.

 

Good to hear that you feel you have improved a bit, and the tolerating is a tough one, but that is the way forward. You know it will pass, it is the not knowing when that causes the issues.

 

A general aching of the body, such as that endured during flu is very common. Keeping hydrated will of course help to some degree, but don't forget that should this be a withdrawal symptom (and likely to be...), all the water in the world will not cure it! Some thing will have to be approached with the tolerance as above. Regardless, you have my every sympathy. We have all been there, some worse than others, but that is why we are here to give people the guidance from our own experience.

 

IUN