As I read all of the comments on the Cymbalta Withdrawal Symptoms Suck post left by people suffering through the Cymbalta withdrawal I am infuriated. I decided that more needs to be done than just compiling signatures on a Cymbalta petition
to send to Eli Lilly.
I figured rather than just inform the pharmaceutical company themselves the FDA should be informed. I was able to find the FDA MedWatch Online Reporting Form and I filled out a complaint against Cymbalta. I’m going to tell you how you can file a complaint with the FDA too.
I urge all of the people that are effected by Cymbalta withdrawal to do the same. Just follow the link above and answer the questions. There is also a field that allows you to explain in your own words what your complaint is about. This section allows you something like 6400 characters so you won’t run into the problem of running out of space while ranting.
Who knows if this will have any effect but I figured if a good number of people start reporting this problem directly to the FDA maybe they will start to look into this situation.
I’m a realist so I am assuming that Cymbalta is too much of a money maker to ever be taken off the market completely. My complaint focused on the fact that the information about the potential for Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms is not made available to physicians and patients. Therefor there is no effective way to avoid or treat them.
The FDA form takes about 5 minutes (depending of course on the length of your rant) and I beg anyone who has experienced Cymbalta withdrawal to fill out a complaint. Thank you
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{ 111 comments… read them below or add one }
I just started Cymbalta and so far like it very much. I am a bit nervous if I quit it but I have tried Lexapro and had the same problem quitting that as you describe for Cymbalta. It lasted MONTHS and was extremely awful. I was also considering filing something just to let people know what they are getting into when they do try Lexapro. Its a bummer now that I have to worry about this one too but so far with the good results I am thinking (hoping)it is worth it…….
As of right this second there are 111 signatures on my online Cymbalta petition. Thanks to everyone who has signed so far and for those of you that haven’t…what are ya waiting for?
I tried filling out the info on the FDA page, but there is info I don’t have (like NPI # that come from an MD reporting adverse affects. How did you finish filling out the form without the info?
I am on Cymbalta and was attempting to go off but stopped because of side effects. I have major brain zaps. It feels as though I’m stuck sometimes because I want to go off to see if I can manage without it, but it is so difficult to attempt to get off it!
Is it not truly scary that you are on a drug only to avoid the withdrawal symptoms. I wanted to go off for the same reason, I felt I was at a place and time in my life that I could try and manage without the help of drugs…which by the way is fantastic. But I had to get through those awful withdrawal symptoms…there is not way other than to just do it. It’s like anything else you try to get off of, you just kind of have to go through the pain.
i missed two days of cymbalta i have eectric shocks in my head i did not know who i was where i was i was confused i never felt anything ike this in my life i am obsessed with suicide i have headaches everyday no one told me this . i do not even know where the last year of my life has went because of this medicine. i need help i want off this medicine and cant.i walk and it stunns my head like a stunn gun. do not take this medicine
Cymbalta has the worse withdrawal symptoms I have ever experienced. I told my doctor that this medication made me feel worse than being depressed. His solution was to increase my dosage, when he got me to the maxiuman dosage he added lexapro. I felt like I was going over the deep end. I told him I wanted to stop medication as I felt worse than ever. His advice take both meds every other day for 2 weeks then stop all. He never warned me about side effects, never told me to come in if I have problems. This was told to me by his nurse, he never had the decency to even call me. I am on my own with the worse withdrawal you can imagine. I feel brain zaps and nausea. I CAN NOT function. I hope and pray I can survive this awlful withdrawal. DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION.
I have been so sick and so scared and didn’t have a clue what was wribg with me. I realized that I had slacked off on taking my cymbalta and was curious if this could be the cause of my symptoms. Thanks to this site I atleast knew what the problem was. I don’t know how to resolve it. I am so achy dissy, my head hurts, I am exhausted and I have had the strangest sensations in my head. My doctor didn’t even think it was from the withdrawal of the cymbalta and they had no sympathy.
I have been off Cymbalta since May 2007. I suffered a host of symptoms that I cannot even name due to my confusion. I had 2 solid weeks of vertigo/dizziness with my doctor telling me there was nothing he could do to help. Am considering getting back on it but feel that if I do I will be “wasting” good withdrawals that I have already suffered. Can no longer work due to the brain fog that I still have. I made an appt with my dr. to get back on them but am thinking twice about this move. I feel weak, no energy, no motivation to learn or read or even work (and I need to work). Am considering filing for disability maybe this will make the FDA pay attention. dunno, dont care anymore.
I am on my third week of cutting down the cymbalta. I was off of it as of Saturday, Feb 9 2008. The Vertigo, nausea , diarrhea and many more side effects was overwhelming. I when to the ER, and was told there is nothing they can do. Since I was feeling so sick, I did take 20 mg. of cymbalta. My plan is to take it for a few more days till i feel no more withdrawal. Then try again not to take any. I was on Paxil and got off that, but this medication is worst. I will not ever go on a SSRI again.
I had to quit cold turkey due to financial reasons…emotionally I feel ALOT better…but physically..the symptons are crazy..kinda like pregnancy type & my vision is garbage but my vision turned cruddy when I started taking it it also made me not care about stuff..I neglected my friends & family alot…but the withdrawal is worse than any medications ive ever been on including effexor.
From Lexpro to Cymbalta I went for fibro pain and the standard ration of depression that entails. I quit Cymbalata, and Lyrica which was only a recent pharmacopial element, cold turkey, a week ago. The 60mg dose had ceased in 5 months to help much. Having been on something for 7 years, I realized the original depression triggers had been resolved, and I was tired of being forever in a gauze coccoon that shrouded me from much sensation at all. What I have noticed most, is the crying jags. A macaroni dinner commercial has me in tears. I know this will pass. I would like to know how long the sleeplessness, and sobs, and slow mo stuff will last until I am me again?
Well, I finally went back on the Cymbalta and am feeling more “normal”. I figured out that when i was on them b4 I was fine and felt like i could do anything. But when i got off all the bad stuff came back along with the side effects. there is nothing the doctors can do about the side effects and they wont even try. some wont even admit that it is a side effect opting to do expensive tests only to find out the results are all negative.
My sister has been on Cymbalta for close to a year, and recently passed out at home, and has got to have surgery on her heart. I read the side-effects, and heart problems is listed as one of the less common side-effects. I thought about trying it, I am on Prozac. BUT i have not had any problems with Prozac, and will just continue on it for now. Some people have had trouble with Prozac, fortunately, it hasn’t been a problem for me so far.
I have been weaning off this poison for almost 6 weeks. I took 40 mg on Sun Apr 13 and another 40 mg on Wed Apr 17. I planned to take 40 mg on Sun, April 20 but thought I would forego it since I was at home. The brain zaps were bad but I figured, if I can make it through today, tomorrow would be much easier. Monday was worse. Today I stayed home from work and literally thought my brain would explode. There were times I would yell out in pain before realizing I was yelling. By 6pm, I decided to take 20mg. My brain is starting to feel a little better.
This drug seems to affect the brain like crack, or heroin. If you don’t give it the drug, the brain reacts. I wonder how long it will be before I’m totally off of it and normal again.
The drug company has nothing in their literature about these withdrawals. I cannot believe that they were not aware of these withdrawals, esp when their (and the doctors who prescribe this poison) suggest restarting the drug to get rid of the brain zaps (and other withdrawals).
As an aside, I’m a diabetic. Since starting the weaning, my blood sugar has gone completely haywire. My blood sugar normally ran in the 85-110 normally. Now it runs 225-350, regardless of what I eat or if I eat. I asked my pharmacist about whether weaning from cymbalta could cause it and he said absolutely. The only time my blood sugar even gets close to normal is when I take one of these pills. Before going on cymbalta, my blood sugar stayed pretty stable.
I have never experienced anything like this in my life, and look forward to my brain becoming normal again. I have a feeling the drug company just loves that the withdrawals are so bad that doctors recommend going back on the medicine.
Usually when you start looking online for help with a drug, there is some dr who knows about problem such as these with cymbalta and at least is there to provide some advice and assurance. I have found none.
I will never again take a drug my doctor prescribes without checking online for withdrawals and side effects from their victims, er patients.
I took Cymbalta for only four days before I decided to stop taking it because of the way it made me feel. Only four days and at 30mg a day and I have been on major withdrawal symptoms ever since (they started immediately and this is my 7th day without the drug)!!! I feel like raging and yelling at people on the street, I’ve thrown plates and chairs at the wall, I keep yelling at the TV, I have brain zaps constantly, now I have a fever and other cold-like symptoms, I keep sweating like crazy yet I feel cold at the same time, I feel so surreal it’s like I’m a zombie from a different world when I’m out in public. Yesterday I slashed my wrists because I was in such a rage/anxiety driven stage of mind and when I went to the ER the doctors wanted me to start taking the drug because it would releave my withdrawal symptoms!!!! How insane is that??!!! This drug is way worse than Effexor, which I took for a year and when I stopped taking it the withdrawal symptoms were similar but way less severe. I was on Zoloft before this Cymbalta experience and I have never experienced any withdrawal symptoms from that even though I have sometimes been off it for a week at the time. I am now back on Zoloft (halleluja!) which doesn’t really help with my depression ( or so I thought… hard to tell now) but which doesn’t give me any negative side effects either. I’m also now taking high doses of oxazepam to deal with these Cymbalta problems. Thank you so much for not warning us about this poison Eli Lilly!
Damn. I thought I would have the chance to be happy again. I just got a prescription for Cymbalta and now, I am so frightened by it. Now what? I can’t take lexapro, wellbruten, celexa all because of allergies. Prozac didn’t work for me. Now what.. Just makes me sadder. I wonder if I should just try it and when it’s time to quit, just cut everything in quarters and take like 3/4 of the pill for a month then take half, then a quarter for the next month, then quit… I just want something to work. What should I do?
Find yourself a good therapist!
I thought Cymbalta was an answer to my prayers 6 years ago. I had lots of emotional problems that have in essence worked themselves out. I have weaned myself off Cymbalta because I want to “feel” again. This has affected my marriage and my relationship with others. BUT I feel like CRAP! I have crohn’s disease and the intestinal side effects are about to kill me. Plus the brain fog, the slow motion, the “huh, where am I” feeling. Last night I actually thought I was going to die..couldn’t breath, heart racing, chest pain, sweats…finally subsided but this is awful. I am going to renew my prescription but I am going to try to stick this out….Does anybody have any idea how long this hell will last?
After reading all the above, I wonder why no one has mentioned nightmares? Thru a mix up with my online pharmacy and my insurance company, I ran out my Cymbala and didn’t get my refill when I should have. Just now called my Doctor and asked if nightmares were a side effect as was told yes, they are. Last night was an absolute horrow show. The only other withdrawal I’m having is nausea every other day. But the nightmares come every night. As I’m taking Cymbalta for my Fibro (and does help with the aching) I will continue taking it as nothing else has come close to helping. Now I just have to pay out of my own pocket for 5 days worth of pills until the insurance gets straigthend out. Prayfully, when I take one this evening, I won’t have nightmares tonight. I remember withdrawing from Oxycontin a year and a half ago and this is nothing compared to what I went through then. Thank the Lord.
I have never felt so terrible in my life with the withdraw symptoms of Cymbalta. There should be warnings given to anyone who starts this hellish drug. It has been almost a month now & the withdraw is still real bad, it is not getting any better. The brain zaps are terrible along with flu like symptoms, very moody, a lot of rage I have never felt in my life plus many other withdraw symptoms everyone else has listed. I would like to see these drugs off the market. There has to be something else out there.
Under my doctors orders I weaned off of Cymbalta over a period of 3 weeks. First he cut my dose from twice a day to once, then to every other and now for the past 7 days I have been off. I have had the flu-like symptoms, mood swings like everyone, but the most challending side-effect is when I move I feel like my body is trailing me. If I get up too quickly, my tongue and left side of my head gets numb/tingly. This happens whenever I move. It has been really bad for 4 days and is not getting better. Anyone else have this? If so, did it go away? I can’t function.
Matt,
Yes, I had similar and more severe reactions. Tell your doctor and be careful. I ended up in the hospital with seizures (a week after total withdrawal over a 10 week cycle slowly). I told my a little of my story in the recent blog . My Nuorologists have seen my condition and knew how to handle it. I do credit them with saving my life. Cymbalta can have dangerous side effects and the FDA called me this passed week and did a phone interview over my situation (doctor reported; Adverse Severe Serious Life Threatening Side Effects). You may need so addition help withdrawing from this medication. The FDA did tell me that “investigating withdrawal complaints”. Take yourself and your withdrawals seriously but most of all “be kind and gentle to yourself”. I fought my withdrawals and tried to rough 2 months out ; refusing to take any other meds. due to being scared of the condition the Cymbalta had placed me in. I lost — I’m so happy my life was saved.
By the way— TOPAMAX 25 mg. is an anti seizure medication that can help settle your nuerons. A Neurologist named Dr. Raymond in Austin, TX is a “specialist in this area”. The other 2 Neurologists called her in to help me out.
I have been on cymbalta for eight months and want to get off of it. I was researching on how to wean myself…I am a little nervous about it after reading this. But, I dont feel normal now even though I am still taking it. My head feels “funny”, I have a lot of headaches and the rest of it(dry mouth, constipation, somolence…). Why am I even on it?!!?? Wish me luck everyone.
Quite surprisingly, I’m glad I found this webpage. At least we can all communicate about what helps and what doesn’t when dealing with these withdrawals. I have been on Cymbalta for eight months. My doctor put me on it to quell my obsessive-compulsive disorder, which can be ruthless on its own. I was doing fine until a few weeks ago, thankful for the relief even. Then the nightmares worsened. I’ve never experienced such visceral, relentless dreaming. I would wake up thankful to be doing so, as one typically does after a nightmare. But during the day I was starting to behave strangely. I had to look over my shoulder, I started locking myself into rooms, and I started carrying a knife. Yesterday morning I woke up convinced that someone was in my house, and I took my knife and locked myself in the bathroom. After about 2 hours I calmed down and made sure I had company the rest of the day. (I didn’t go to work though, as I’ve noticed is a pattern amongst these stories.) I was a little scared to go to sleep last night, but I figured it couldn’t be any worse. I was very, very wrong. I woke up (unfortunately, I know this feeling from personal experience) feeling like I had taken DXM or acid. My senses were heightened through the roof. The walls were curving in and out, the water in the sink was pulling the sink with it. I couldn’t tell the difference between being awake and being asleep. I’ve never been so scred, even during an OCD outbreak. Now, I’m terrified to go off this stuff. Not only will my withdrawal symptoms be an assault, but my OCD will come back with a vengeance. There are lots of herbal remedies for things, and I plan on discussing it with a highly knowledgable naturopath first. If anything, herbs ease symptoms.
Guess I’d better find a good neurologist too. I’d rather deal with OCD than this insanity though. Wish me luck, as I do to you. This is the reason I’m studying neuroscience; I just hope I stay sane enough to keep with it.
Can anyone tell me how long the Cymbalta withdrawal will last?! I have been sick and dizzy for days..
I’m scared. Because of financial problems I had to quit Cymbalta cold turkey. I took my last pill three days ago and since yesterday I have been sad, nauseaous, dizzy, tired, and many other things. Last night I was so extremely bloated that it hurt so bad and it did not go away. I went to bed in pain from it then woke up this morning with relief. I feel sick constantly. I am waiting for my insurance to kick in in about 2 weeks but I am not scared to take the pill again. I am afraid that I will have to go through this hell again. I don’t know what to do. How long will this last????
Hi Jen,
It’s definitely a hard battle to get off the stuff. I recommend weaning off slowly (over months). I was like you and dropped it cold turkey…… Big mistake.. I went back on it as I was sicker than a dog! I then slowly started weaning, even to the point of counting 10-12 little balls of the stuff out and taking it. (this kept me from having the head rushes/zaps and nullified the nausea). I’m finally off of it completely after about 10 weeks and will think long and hard before ever taking it again.
If you cannot afford it for your depression try discussing Nova-Venaflaxine with your doctor. It is a generic for Effexor. It was what I was taking before starting Cymbalta and the effects and side-effects were identical for me. Plus it’s far cheaper.
Good luck! Feel free to contact me if you want to chat more about this. jagis @ jagis . ca
-James
James,
Thanks. What baffles me is that I was stupid to take the medication without even looking into it. I’m not even a depressed person!! I had PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) due to an abusive relationship from the past. I was told it was the anxiety it was going to help. Then I find out this s*it was for MAJOR depression. I thought what the hell!? So I was on a medication for something other than what I even had.
Jen,
I think the biggest issue around this medication is that Doctors nor the manufacture explain the severity of the withdraw effects. Regardless of what you read on the Net, the symptoms will fade then go away but it takes time and weaning is really your best bet. You’ll still feel sick but not as badly.
Hope you feel better soon,
-Jamie
Well, I started back on cymbalta just to get rid of the horrific withdrawals. However, I am being smart about it and taking one every other day and then going to move to every two days and so on. I can’t go through that again.
I have been of cymbalta for just two days and I feel like I’m dying. I feel like I am having electric shocks in the back of my head and I thought I was going crazy. I am so glad that I’m not going crazy and I am not alone. I feel sick and horrible. I am on the highest dosage and my insurance just ran out before my birthday. I want to die. No one told me about any of this.
I just read your post from Dec./08, getting off CYMBALTA. Everything you said registered with me. I tapered off properly, still had major reactions, and to this day, feel like ending it all. No help from Doctors, Family doesn’t get me, no one does, I cry everyday, for at least half the day, and feel so useless, and much much worse than that.
How long did it take you to feel back to the way you were, before taking Cymbalta? It’s been over a Month now, and I am getting worse.
I would love some feedback when you have the time. Much thanks.
Bad. I am dizzy and have no impulse control or appetite. Feel like I’m outside myself. Dr. put me on for crying spells and anxiety – now my life situation has changed so I thought I didn’t need it anymore. I teach Sunday school and pray regularly – but I did something I would never do the other night. I seriously felt like I was not me and I behaved in a way that I NEVER would behave. Today is the 4th day and I can’t stand this – I went back on it this morning.
Okay, kids…have been on the Cym for about 4 months now for anxiety. Loved it at first, but came to realize quickly that it was the low dose of Xanax that would help me if I had an attack. For now, I feel that the Cym acts more of a placebo than anything else for me, and that the Xanax, although quite addictive if taken all the time, helps me through those “moments” more than the Cym. I used to take both everyday, but now just take the Xanax when I need it…not even close to once a week. (1mg) I recently decided to quit the Cym cold turkey, and experienced the zaps and all that, but I am a workaholic, and if left alone (ha ha) I seem to cope fine. The mood changes and snapping at folks happens, but I seem to be able to control for the most part. Can someone with some true credibility tell me what the TRUE dangers are of quitting this drug cold turkey after 4 months are, as my wife has told me various things. Thanks!
Thank you to all of you for writing these comments, it really helps to know that I am not crazy and alone. i have never felt anything like this before. i took Cymbalta for only a couple of months but because of bad side effects decided to stop last week, cold turkey… what a mistake! I have been feeling sick ever since, horrible nightmares, insomnia, dizziness, NAUSEOUS, weak… this is hell but I DO NOT want to ever go back on it. Something need to be done to stop people from taking this drug!
no one has mentioned hearing clicking. been off 5 days now after weening and feel terrible was on it for 1 year..helped my pain but now wanted to see if pain is still there…this medicine should be taken off the market
I have been on Cymbalta for 3 1/2 to 4 years. My prescribing doctor left town and since I wanted to get off Cymbalta, I decided to do cold turkey about 1 1/2 years ago. I was nauseated, severe projectile vomiting with an inability to think FOR A WHOLE MONTH! There was a stomach virus going around the office and I kept blaming that until my family and co-workers told me it had to be Cymbalta withdrawal. I found a doctor who put me back on it (20 mg) and I instantly felt better. If I forget one dose, I’ll start to feel sick and think I have food poisoning or something and then realize I forgot to take Cymbalta that day. I recently had a checkup and told my doctor I was addicted to Cymbalta but wanted to get off. He wanted to send me to a psychiatrist. I told him I am PHYSICALLY addicted, not mentally addicted and described my withdrawal. In addition I have had chronic diharrea for the past year, gained 50 pounds in 3 years and after always having normal blood pressure, it has now increased; I’ve seen an opthalmologist for eye flashes (none of which I knew were side effects until I started reading blogs on the Internet). My doctor called me after speaking with a psychiatrist and said they recommended putting me on Prozac while I taper off of Cymbalta because Cymbalta doesn’t stay in the system but Prozac does and will help balance the serotonin. After such a bad experience for a whole month, I DREAD even trying to get off of this but I know it is ruining my health (I’m 62) and I am desperate to get off Cymbalta. I told him he is going to have to give me an anti-emetic for the vomiting. Before I try this, I am trying to find someone who has done this or gotten off Cymbalta successfully. I need to work and if my brain is muddled like it was last time, it’s near impossible. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND TO ANYONE THAT HAS NOT TAKEN CYMBALTA–DO NOT START. IT IS NOT WORTH IT.
It is so scary to think that we are given these drugs to help us and little do we know the side effects we will face not only while we are taking them but most importantly trying to come off the darn things!
I was given Cymbalalta for the pain from sciatic nerve damage. I have tried a pain clinic, had accupuncture, a neve stimulator put in my spine (a whole nother story from you know where!) After I have tried everything my Dr. put me on 60 mg’s of Cymbalta. I was on it for a year and will have to say it helped more than anything else I had tried at first…but after taking it for several months the pain returned. I also gained 25 lbs along the way! I have tried everything to lose weight and nothing will work so I called my Dr. and told him to get me off this Med! He lowered my dose to 30 mg’s for two weeks and then told me to stop taking it. Last Monday night was my last pill and by Wednesday I was beginning to get dizzy. I’ve been pretty much plastered to my recliner since Thursday because the dizziness is so bad. When I turn my eyeballs from side to side…I almost throw up so I try to just look straight ahead. Last night the “brain zaps” started and have been with me all day. Oh my gosh…how scary to think this medicine can actually make your brain zap when your not even taking it anymore!!! I have had nightmares for the past 4 nights and have woken myself up screaming! I hope and pray I am not stuck with any of these symptoms for a very long time…Please someone tell me they go away! I would rather be in pain than to deal with this feeling I have now!!!
I have a friend who is coming off of them as well. I advised her to call her Dr. immediatly to see if there is a better way of coming off this nightmare drug!!!
I too was on Cymbalta for sciatic nerve pain, and it worked great, but then my blood pressure went way up, I knew it was because of the Cymbalta, so I stopped it.It has been about two weeks now, and I think I had a seizure during the night, the brain zaps are painful, I cry easily, and words don’t come easy. Bottom line no one should take this drug without investigating the withdrawal symptoms.
I too was told that Cymbalta would help my fibro symptoms trusting the doctor, i tapered off of Lyrica and started Cymbalta for 4 days. the side effects were horrible. felt stoned, eyes dilated, dizzy and nauseus and cried very easily, felt panicked anxiety and paranoia. I knew I had to get off this killer drug. The withdrawal phase is godawful considering being on the Cymbalta for 4 days only. The brain zaps are really scary and I thought that I was having a full blown anxiety attack and seizure. now, i am thinking that it was a really intense brain zap that was litteraly roiling around the lower base of my head from ear to ear. And I would get so tensed up and really dizzy at the same time. I am on day 12 since my last pill. And I still get syptoms as brain zaps, fogginess, blurry vision and very dizzy and nauseus with loose stools. I am planning a vacation trip to florida at the end of the month and pray that I will be better. I really can’t believe that i got all the withdrawal symtoms from being on the drug for 4 days!!! My doctor did not believe me when I told him this. He said it was not in my body long enough to do this. Well, I am living proof that you can get these withdrawal symptoms from just 4 days on it.
I have been on Cymbalta for generalized anxiety for four months and am ready to get off. Having read all of the withdrawal symptoms on this blog, I am terrified about what kind of symptoms I will have. And since I have to work, I’m not looking forward to anything that would make me miss work. I too have experienced dizziness, a blackout and potential blackout, nightmares, chronic fatigue, and even depression, which Cymbalta is supposed to treat. My sister was on Cymbalta and died in a car accident last October, and they say she probably fell asleep at the wheel. Now I am really wondering if she blacked out because of the Cymbalta. I’ll definitely be talking to my doctor about these things.
I have taken 60mg every 2 or 3 days for a year now. and even that is too much. I tried stopping it and went through pure hell. withdrawls equal to a server cold or worse. throwing up, shaking, sweating. now im afraid to stop and in turn suffer even more..
Wow….you all make Cymbalta sound fun…NOT. I have been on it for over a year and have recently been feeling like I am missing my doses. I am experiencing withdrawl symptoms even though I take my 60mg twice a day like clockwork. I have been on just about every antidepressant there is and none have good withdrawls. I know about the brain zaps, the insommnia, emotional train wrecks and such. I have clinical depression and have been suffering all my life so being medicated is the only way I can cope without trying to take my life, keep from crying and hold down a job. I wish I didnt have to be on them because of the immediate side effects when I have been late taking a dose. There is no mercy or window with Cymbalta. Caution to those who do not need it.
Wow! Are you still on the stuff? Like you, I get withdrawal symptoms between doses; I take 60mg in the morning and another 60mg at night. The daily effects are worsening; my body obviously wants more, but I’m already at the max dose. I’ve attempted dropping down to 90mg but always go back up due to the withdrawal. I’m ready to go for something drastic and have my psychiatrist’s full support: I’m checking into the local psych ward to get off the stuff. If I don’t, I’ll remain a prisoner of Cymbalta. If I try stopping it on my own, I’m certain of self harm.
How are you doing?
Hi all,
I am also feeling dizzy and light-headed; this is my second week of withdrawal. Have upped my vitamins and nutrition just in case it helps. Thanks to all of you, I feel prepared to expect the worst and that is not meant to be sarcastic. It helps to know that others are in the same boat. Fight the good fight – you are worth it~
Jo
I am on Cymbalta and have not had problems…except maybe weight gain. Am going through really stressful period financially…very unsettled, but I think the Cybmbalta is halping me get through it. I am surprised at my ability to handle a really bad situation that does not seem to end.
That said, I am going to have to go off it (lost insurance in above nightmare). I am going to do what I did when I went off Effexor in the past. I opened the pills and counted down those little suckers (the granuales) and did it over 3 months. Took forever and was a pain, but had nothing other than minor brain zaps which I would not have really even categoized had I not read withdrawal websites. I did once miss pills for several days and could not even stand up, so I know I could go that way if I stopped cold turkey.
I guess what I am saying is to taper very slowly even if it includes tapering down to granuales at the end! I reduced the count of granules every 3 days. Took forever. But I was okay.
Nobody has said how long these symptoms last! It has been 7 days and not getting any better..can hardly see and am getting afraid to drive becuase of severe dizziness…so does anyone know? How long does it take to get rid of these withdrawal symptoms?
I recently quit Cymbalta. This is the second time I have gone through withdrawal. I tapered off of 60 mg two years ago and it took forever for the brain zaps/dizziness/numbeness,tingling in my face to dissipate. This time I quit cold turkey due to finanacial reasons and basically just wanting to get off of this stuff. Have learned better coping skills and just basically want to be drug free and hopefully can handle any depression that may come my way again. This withdrawal has been horrific. Nightmares, brain zaps are worse, tingling in face more frequent and having difficult with my thoughts and forming sentences while speaking with others. the first week, i sweat profusely and could not get rid of the strange sounds I kept hearing. I felt I was going through like a drug rehab program or something! It just infuriates me that these damn drug companies don’t give you any forewarning and its all about them making money and we the people suffering at their hands for real issues we are truly trying to deal with and manage. My doctor had an MRI run on me to make sure there wasn’t any neurological issues. Came back fine. Doc has no answers either. Says it just takes some people longer than others to get it out of their system. Thank goodness I am off this summer from work and can hopefully get through this…anxiety has gotten worse as well….Tapering slowly helps but bottom line is, you with have these terrible withdrawal symptoms no matter how you do. Omega 3′s are helpful I hear and I have just started taking Krill Oil to help with brain zaps… Will see how it goes….
Donna,
Sounds like you are a teacher, too. Cymbalta withdrawl, while attempting to teach 23 2nd graders in a Title One school, has been challenging to say the very least. I can barely teach, let alone “deal” with anything… additional. AFTER tapering off from 60 to 30 for a month… Three days on 0 mg, (school board insurance doesn’t want to cover such an expensive “medication”) and I suddenly flew into a rage throwing a stapler to the floor and essentially “going nuts”! Dizzy constantly, crying at the drop of a hat… As many of these posts ask, “How long does this last?!”. This is HELL. My students are suffering, also. Did the Omega3 or Krill Oil help?
Here’s the story. Started seeing a psychiatrist. He put me on Cymbalta after the other depression/anxiety meds. had not worked. I’ve been on several different ones and, at first, I feel better, but that doesn’t last. He told me I suffered from PTSD. All this time I thought I was depressed! Well, whatever “title” I have stuck to me does not come close to how I feel coming off of this drug that should be outlawed. I have come down off of Lexapro and others, but never have I felt like this! I was on this drug for 3-4 months. Here’s the symptoms: Dizzy, nausea, sweats, heart racing, anger, thoughts of/attempts of hitting oneself, blurred vision, and dry mouth. How long have I been without a pill…less than a week!!! Who will help? Not the psychiatrist that put me on this junk. My opinion, well, I can’t believe I have been able to sit here long enough to even type this. That’s how bad it is. I have had a hard life, but nothing compares to how sick I am coming off this stuff. I am mad. I have read other complaints and I don’t even think that I have begun to detox off of this. I’ve even read that some of these drugs can cause permanent brain “zaps” and damage. I was a scholar student and had an awesome career, now I feel like I can’t even make a phone call much less leave the house!!!
Since I posted here on April 16th, I’ve completed the withdrawal from Cymbalta. With my doctor’s “help,” I weaned myself off of it. I took my pill only when the brain zaps became persistent and INsistent that I take another. So I started out with every two days, then worked up to every three, then four, etc. I had a bit of a roadblock at four days, and then I just decided to push through and see what happened. When I reached seven days, that was the worst of it. Brain zaps all over the place. Then on the 8th day, it wasn’t so bad, and the zaps decreased steadily thereafter. It’s been three weeks since my last 30 mg dose. I’d been weaning myself off for over two months. I still have the occasional brain zap and a little free-floating anxiety (which I might have anyway), but I am off. The neck pain that Cymbalta was great at minimizing, is now back. But I’m okay with finding a different solution for that. I am hoping there are no other long-lasting effects from this medicine. Everybody’s withdrawal symptoms are going to be different, but my advice to everybody is to take it slow, and don’t pressure yourself to get off before you’re ready. The doctors don’t know enough about these withdrawal symptoms, so we have to really be proactive about our own care.
Good luck, y’all.
here is a website i found for helping with withdrawing from drugs. http://www.theroadback.org
This post follows my complaint #34 above. I am finally DRUG FREE!! My doctor put me on Prozac to get off of Cymbalta. It took about three months to taper off of Cymbalta. I took it every other day for two weeks, then every third day for two weeks, all the while taking Prozac EVERY DAY. I didn’t feel good at first–just sort of crummy, not thinking/finding words easily, but didn’t have any violent episodes like the time I went off for a month and was projectile vomiting and holding my head in my hands because I couldn’t think. This time I had ONE bad day where I was dizzy and nauseated. That was it. No vomiting, no brain zaps…just some aches and pains that Cymbalta had been masking for years. My doctor said Cymbalta only stays in your system for a short time but Prozac lasts a lot longer once you’ve taken it for a few weeks. I am off of both drugs and now feel better and am SO glad to be completely drug free! GOOD LUCK and GOD BLESS each and every one of you!
I’ve been taking 60mg Cymbalta for 9 months. Every month when I
refilled my prescription, the pharmacy would have to call my doctor
for authorization. Last week I was told by the pharmacy that the
doctor refused to authorize a refill until I went to see him. I did
so and he basically blew me off. He gave me one last refill and
told me that from now on I’d have to see a psychiatrist. For the
last 4 days I’ve alternated taking and not taking a capsule. I
think I will try counting the little balls and weaning myself
off that way. My brain zaps only happen once every week or two,
but I’m incredibly foggy every day and have trouble forming a
complete sentence without stopping to think about what I’m trying
to say. Most days I feel like a zombie. The thing that makes me
the maddest is that I wanted to go on Paxil (which I took several
years ago and had no withdrawals) for my anxiety, but
the doctor insisted on Cymbalta. When I took my initial prescription
to the pharmacy and they told me it was a $45 copay and there was
no generic for Cymbalta, I had them call the doctor to prescribe
something else without a copay and he still insisted on Cymbalta.
Now he refuses to help me wean myself off this physically addicting
drug. I wonder if there’s anyone I can report this to. Good luck
to all of you trying to rid yourself of this cymbalta nightmare. ~Teri
Have been on cymbalta for four days only. Start having side effects night one. I felt like I was having all of the side effects that were listed. Take that drug off the market now!!!!
Hi. Been on Cymbalta for a few yrs now and was up to 90 mg! Seemed to help more than lower dose but I was uncomfortable with taking so much and had bad withdrawal symptoms when I missed a few days.
Now I’m switching to Prozac. Stupidly I d/c Cymbalta cold turkey and started a low dose of Prozac, but I am still experiencing awful withdrawal- dizzy, foggy, nauseaous, weepy, and overwhelmed by anxiety. The pharmacist said the Prozac would prrevent this but it’s not.
Thanks for a positive outcome KJ!
Daughter is coming off Cymbalta – I was horrified when I found out what her Dr had given her, but as she is an adult living in another state didn’t hear about it until she was on it.
She had her last dose 5 days ago after being on it for 2 months. Brain Zaps have been her biggest issue, and everywhere we look we found horror stories so it was good to hear somone managed to get over them.
She is eeling hers have now peaked and are easing, so hopefully we will be able to report another success story.
She went from 60mg to 30mg for 5 days, then emptied part out of 30mg capsule for a 3 days (approx 15mg) then stopped.
As she just started her first full time job (whisch is why she wanted off the meds) it has been a challenging 2 weeks, but as she has moved home to do it I am hoping that with support she will soon be another success!
Thanks for the only positive note on the board!
I have been on some form of anti depresant since the age of 12. The ear nose and throat doctor that my mother worked for was kind enough to put a kid that had had no psychological screenings on brain altering chemicals on the whim of a negligent mother. anyway, at around 15 they added cybalta to my paxil, but my mother then decided the psychologist was a quack and didnt allow me to return. so since then i have taken both. however last friday the husband and i found that i am pregnate. paxil has been around long enough that we know that this causes sever birth defects. however the obgyn i saw told me that i can continue to take both if my”health” depended on it. i have not had another pill since friday, and though the shocks are awful, i will not take another one. i am having horrific and gory nightmares, hearing the clicks, i can feel the brain giving off electricity at the slightest sound or movement. i am ill, but i did inform the husband of what it would be like if i ever had to come off of them.
I was on Cymbalta in 2007 and I can relate to everything people are complaining about here. I withdrew slowly but was sick as a dog! I had severe vomiting and diarrhea (had to be rushed to the emergency room), crying spells, and what felt like electric shocks or zapps going through my brain. This has been the most horrible drug I have ever taken and I would not recommend it to anyone!
I don’t care what they say, this stuff stays in your system for MONTHS!
I agree that this stuff stays in your system for months. It’s been over 2 months and I still get brain zaps, hot flashes and nt just mild. The hot flashes you get are so bad you feel like jumping into ice water! I trying some natural resources in form of tablets from NUTRILITE
I have been on 60 mg of Cymbalta from April 4, 2009 until September 18, 2009 for treatment of Fibromyalgia pain. For the first 4 weeks I was in a state of euphoria because my pain was gone. However, the euphoria was only 4 weeks lived. My pain returned along with some horrible side effects that I have lived with for the past 22 weeks until I decided that I had had enough. I would rather live in pain for the rest of my life than live in misery for however the amount of time I have left here on earth. The side effects are listed below:
very painful constipation and 3 tablets of Colace daily offered no results
extreme fatigue
cloudy thought processes
short term memory impairment which mimiced Alzheimer’s disease. My mom died of that horrible disease.
I asked my primary physician to take me off this drug. (IT IN NOT A MEDICATION. IT IS A DRUG!!!) She said I needed only one week of weaning on a 30 mg dose taken once a day, which started Sept 18. Listed below are my withdrawl symptoms which were in full bloom by Sept 21, 3 days later:
very nauseous
dizziness
unsteady gait and needing assistance to walk
eyes twitching, nausea and dizziness with the slightest head movement
irritability
extreme hot and cold flashes and diaphoresis
frequent feelings of little “pings” inside my brain
I called my physician this am to report my symptoms and her nurse returned my call. She in turn relayed my status to the doctor and again received a call from the nurse. I was told to restart Cymbalta 30 mg every other day for 2 weeks and call back to let her know how I am feeling. I never talked to my doctor. I received 2nd hand information.
I detest the thought of taking that poison again. PLEASE, someone out there read and heed all these complaints. I wish Cymbalta would be removed from the market before any other person has to suffer these consequences. It is outrageous how these drug companies PUSH these drugs on doctors and then it appears that doctors do not take the time to read what is written about the drug in the prescribing fact sheet provided with the drug. It appears that doctors rely on the drug reps to give them the info and then hand out, so freely, the samples to the unsuspecting patient. Granted the patient must be an informed consumer and advocate for themselves but if the doctor does not inform the patient first, the patient thinks it must be “ok if my doctor is prescribing it for me”. There is not even a warning label on the bottle I received from my pharmacy. It warns about the dangers of pregnancy ( I’m 69 years old!!!) and how the pill should not be chewed, but the most important info of discontinuation of this drug is NOT mentioned. Perhaps if I knew ahead of time, I would not have accepted the drug from my pharmacist in the first place.
THIS DRUG SUCKS, I GAINED 50 LBS ON THIS DRUG, I AM NOW GOING THROUGH HELL AS THE WITHDRAWLS ARE HORRIBLE. I WILL NEVER TAKE THIS POISON AGAIN NO MATTER HOW BAD OR SICK I FEEL FROM NOT TAKING IT ANYMORE. BE STRONG TO ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE COMING OFF THIS POISON. NOTE * PLEASE NO ONE TAKE THIS DRUG.
Hello fellow Cymbalta users: I have been taking 30mg for about 2 weeks, taking 150 Wellbutrin along with it each morning. My horrible siatica is GONE, its like a miracle. I do have increased fatigue in the afternoons but other than that no other issues. Have Fibro, CFS, Endometriosis and debilitating back pain. Now feel so much less pain, not taking ANY pain meds anymore but after reading these posts it has me having second thoughts. Its just that is works so well for me. I just wonder, do most people have withdrawl symptoms? What about those who stay on it? If I never have to stop would it be ok to stay on it? 30 mg gives me amazing relief and I have suffered with back pain for 10+ years!!!!
Ken, I think you have to do what’s right for you. Everybody’s different. If you’re getting relief, maybe for the present it’s what you need. My sister had a chiari malformation (before she died in a car accident last year), and the Cymbalta helped with her neck pain. That pain relief was in lieu of some otherwise risky or at least dicey brain surgery. So you just have to weigh the risks and benefits and be aware that there are some problems associated with withdrawal (and for some people just using it).
Best of luck to you and I hope you have long-lasting pain relief with no ill side effects. I’d like to hear from other people who have had GOOD results with this drug.
I have been on Cymbalta for 5 years, started taking it when it was brand new to the market and had tried everything else. I am on 60mg daily and have been since I started.
About a year ago, I accidentally forgot to take my medicine for a few days. I started feeling vertigo, fogginess, generally terrible (which are the side effects that you all are experiencing) and went to the doctor. He initially thought it was an inner-ear infection but couldn’t explain it either. Then I took my meds and it went away. I thought perhaps there was a corrolation and asked both my psychologist and my primary care physician and neither had ever heard of that. Then again, about a month or two after that I was in a financial bind and couldn’t get my Rx for a few days and had the same side effects. I then realized it was no coincidence.
For all of you who are stopping “cold turkey”- first of all, don’t!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That isn’t recommended regardless of what medication you’re on but especially with anti-depressants. No offense, but there is a reason you’re on them. It’s called a chemical imbalance and when you stop taking something like Cymbalta cold turkey it is extremely dangerous. So stop. Take it from someone who has tried to quit in the last 5 years. I will be on this medication forever. It makes me a normal person. I tried to quit and if it wasn’t for my faith in God, would have committed suicide! If you’re experiencing intolerable symptoms while on this, that’s another story, talk with a doctor about another medication you can switch to immediately so you don’t experience the withdrawal symptoms. Or try taking the Cymbalta in the evening before bed- that is what has helped me. I experience the side effects while I’m sleeping… and they DO go away. The first 4 months was rough and now I don’t have any.
Hope that everyone finds what they need to get right. God Bless!
Hi,
i have been on cymbalta for two years going on three. I too suffered from withdrawl symptoms- i was sick with the flu and forgot to take cymbalta then wen i remembered to take it- i figure i will start wen i feel better. i was sick for three weeks and the flu would not go away. i went to urgent care and they told me i was fine that what was happening were withdrawl symptoms from not taking cymbalta wen i was sick with the flu. it was horrible, i immediatly took the pill and after three days i felt a little better and after seven i felt normal again. i think that it will be scary to come off it. i hope that with psychiatrict counseling i will soon be normal without cymbalta and not fear the withdrawl period.
I have fibromyalgia and was told Cymbolta may help. I too 30mg on a saturday at 1pm. By 4pm I had shooting pains in my lower left back. Then I bacame nauseaus and dizzy. I had insomnia that night even though I took my ambien cr which helps me to sleep even for at least 2 hours at a time. The next day I could not function and felt like a rad doll in bed. No muscle energy whatsoever. I took the one pill and now I will not take another, but still have the sick feeling in my belly and a little dizzy, still have the dry mouth and not thinking as sharp. I won’t be trying this anymore nor would I suggest to people who are considering it. Be proactive. I even told my Dr. about my kidney cancer and he said you only have to worry about kidney disease. Aparantly not.
This drug is freakin’ poison, and Eli Lilly and our doctors are getting rich off it because it is designed to make the patient unable to stop taking it. I was given 30 mg per night (for sleep disorder related to “possible” fibromyalgia). I’ve been on it for two years. I gained an immediate 30 pounds, and have been unable to lose it no matter what I do. I can barely exercise because the drug makes me feel like a slug. I have absolutely NO energy. But, it did make me sleep through the night after 20+ years of “insomnia”. About a year into it, I started having MORE fibro pain and MORE daytime fatigue than I did before I started this drug. My doc also combined it with 50 mg if Trazodone, which I forgot to mention. A real one-two punch. I am trying to withdraw very slowly from both drugs. The first day, I ran out of meds and was unable to get to the pharmacy because of a snowstorm. I didn’t take any meds that night. I didn’t sleep all night long, but the next day I felt FANTASTIC. I had so much energy. I began to think “Oh no, Maybe I’m manic-depressive now.” I was flying around like a nut getting everything done. That night, I decided to try for night #2 with no meds. I again did not sleep all night. The next day I had the jitters, total brain fog, and extreme irritability. The third night, I took both drugs again. It’s now the weekend, and I’m going to try to go three nights without. The first night was last night (Friday) and I slept, and I do still feel a bit sluggish today (Saturday). I’ll try again tonight, and Sunday night. Then, I’ll probably take more Monday night so I can wean off this evil drug slowly like they and everyone else recommends. I forgot to mention: without the drug I am PAIN-FREE. My bowels and urine work again (I was all clogged up and never really had to go to the bathroom). I have already lost 5 pounds. I get brain zaps anyway (which is the reason I went to the doc in the first place because I believed I had a neuro problem like MS). So, I wouldn’t know the diff if there are any brain zaps. This drug should have very specific use for only a week or two, and should not be prescribed for long-term use, ever. That is my opinion.
Hi- I am in the 2nd week of dropping cymbalta and going on pristiq for a few days-stomach pain with it so I stopped and am just on wellbutrin xl which bothers my stomach too-have flu-like symptoms-vomiting,severe depression-brain zaps-tinnitus- anxiety- hot-cold- on web all day looking for support-cannot handle being alone
I have only been taking 30mg of Cymbalta for 7 days and after reading post after post decided it’s not worth it. Does anyone know if the withdraw symptoms are felt after taking it for only 7 days?
Started Cymbalta 2 yrs ago and it was like the best thing since sliced bread until I realized the weight gain wouldn’t stop and the neck pain was getting worse. I spent 1 week on a lower dosage of 30mg than skipped 2 days.. 2nd day worse than day 1, end of 2nd day needed a dose. now I am on day 4 of nothing and swinging rapidly on the mood swing ride. hope, despair, anger, crying, hating the world, loving everyone… physically its not so bad if you don’t mind not being able to see if you turn your head quickly, some nausea and a feeling like Im burning up Cold showers and sherbert are all I want. I honestly don’t know which is scarier; getting off this med or staying on it? trying to tough it out if by day 14 things are not looking up I will consider just taking a lower dose for as long as necessary. I guess it’s a good thing i’ve been laid off I wouldn’t want to have to go to work on this roller coaster. Is anyone else feeling the “EVERYTHING” is frustrating. every. Single. Little. THING is MAJOR.
Been taking Cymbalta for approx 5 years after my doctor told me I was severely depressed. I did not want to take meds and asked how long?…he replied for the rest of my life. I have just recently learned that over time this drug can cause liver damage and decided to take charge of my own life. Currently on day 5 of cold turkey withdrawl symtoms. I can’t sleep at night, want to cry all the time and very concerned about the “brain zap/buzz”. What is causing this?…and all the docs say it has nothing to do with the drug. BS. If they were true docs and really cared about patients, they would be more involved and research before they give medication they obviously don’t know anything about…Oh but wait, I guess it’s all about the rich getting richer…I will never take another AD again and will find it hard to trust our so called Doctors …”western medicine” LOL
Been on this med for 4 mos 30 mg. Given to me to off set symptoms of going thru the change at age 47. Having terrible pain on my lower left abdominal side. All test completed and everything comes back fine. Unfortunately I think this is a side effect of this med. Decided to quit this med. Anybody having this pain?
Prozac is also helpful against anxiety attacks but be careful about its side-effects:~:
I have had to quit cold turkey, couldn’t get samples while I wait to see if I qualify for free perscription from the Lily Foundation. I’ve been through this before, and it wasn’t fun. I ended up getting a divorce, that I wish never happened, and had to go back on cymbalta to get straight.
I have never been an addict of any other type of drug. Although, I did smoke a lot of weed before, and have never experienced any side effects from quiting it, ever! Weed was the best calming agent I have ever used, but, guess what? It’s illegal! So I can’t get my cymbalta if I use it, so I quit smoking it 3 years ago.
I had no problem quitting weed. But quitting Cymbalta is a nightmare in it’s self. Brain zaps, anxiety, cold, hot, headaches, chills (without being cold), dizzy, vision disturbances, can’t think clear, feeling like you have a fever, but you don’t, cry over anything, just plain sad, and the one I’m most terrified of- SUICIDAL THOUGHTS! But, other than all of those withdrawal symptoms, I feel fine.
I MAY HAVE STUMBLED ACROSS SOMETHING THAT MAY HELP WITH WITHDRAWL SYMPTOMS. PLEASE READ.
I’ve been Cymbalta free for 11 days. I came down with a head cold my 3rd day into withdrawl and started taking Alka Seltzer Plus Cold & Flu every night before bed. The cold is gone so I stopped taking the cold medicine….why did I do that?! The withdrawl symptoms came back strong so I started taking the Alka Seltzer Plus. I don’t know what exactly is happening, but the cold medicine makes the withdrawl all but gone AND the cold medicine isn’t habit forming. The cold medicine does make me drowsy so I just take it at night, but I’m able to function and actually work again.
Paula,
Please, please… do tell….
Were you able to keep the withdrawl symptoms at bay long enough to “get through it” using this method? 4th day at 0 mg AND a bad cold… darn students… How long did it take you to get back to being “a real person”?
sleep disorders can also lead to other health issues like cardiovascular disorders’.’
I’ve been on Cymbalta for 3 weeks(30mg twice a day). I had been on many AD before and nothing seemed to work (I’m also on Remeron with Cymbalta). At first I had a terrible headache for a few days but since then it’s been a lifesaver. I feel like I have a life again. It’s like night and day. I’ve been calling it ‘my happy pill’.
Recently though I’m starting to have night sweats. I was on Paxil before and had to stop because of terrible night sweats as well and didn’t make me feel better anyway. Even though I tapered it down slowly, I suffered horrible withdrawal symptoms. I literally wanted to jump off of a building. I don’t ever want to go through this kind of withdrawal symptoms ever again.
So far I have nothing bad things to say about Cymbalta but I’m concern about all these horrible withdrawal symptoms. What if my side affects get worse or the med doesn’t work anymore? All the postings are so scary. Does anyone have anything positive to say about this med? It’s been only 3 weeks but do I need to be prepared to go down the tube?
Any advice will be very helpful.
I was on cymbalta for about 4 months. At first everything was great, happy again, didn”t rage, didn’t snap at people and was very laid back and mellow. Then mellow turns into numb. Comfortably numb. I stopped being responsible, I wanted to sleep all the time, I took 2-3 hr naps a day. All I wanted to do was eat and sleep. So how happy can you be when your fat and lazy. I gained 25lbs and craved carbs constantly. The last straw was when I couldn’t make it home without breaking into the cheesecake box that I just bought. Enough! I dont want to be numb and fat and tired. Thants not happy. So I stopped taking it. Then a week later I started noticing all the withdrawals. I thought it was a severe sinus infection before realizing that it was withdrwal side effects. I have tracking when I move my head, I have the most severe head ache, stomach ache, rapid heart beat, palitations. chest pains, and I guess what everyone describes as brain zaps I had but it is more like a shiver that goes through my head. Now I dont know if I should continue on cause I’m in a full week already. Hopefully the worst is over and i got thru it because I thought it was a sinus infection.
Hello all you OCD, depressed, recovering alcoholic, long term painiacs!
Now on 4th day of quitting Cymbalta 60 MG – have been taking for “3 plus years” in combo w/ Wellbutrin XL 150 MG. Also going through menopause – 55 years old. Decided to stop taking Cymbalata again for 2nd time as was experiencing very loud ringing in ears/head, migraine intensity headaches, tired during day, increased lack of interest in life (helps initially restore interest, but subsides after ongoing usage). Trouble all 3 years having bowel movement – nearly impossible w/out laxative, or real concentrated fiber intake. Also note – no weight gain w/this med, but heightened need for sweets. Tended to get up in middle of night for sweets, too.
I am currently going through withdrawal – cold turkey, like severe alcohol hangover – NO Cymbalta for 4 days (staying on Wellbutrin XL though – unaided by physician – not recommended for most – have gone off both Cymbalta/Wellbutrin combo successfully before). Now experiencing brain zaps/electrical zipping back & forth across what feels like brain vortex, zipping especially if look quickly side to side, down, up, etc. After perhaps a month of diminishing zipping, better day by day, zipping will go away altogether. So don’t worry, the brain zipping will end. Shaking/sweating 4th day out. Please note that this is not severe enough to worry about others noticing. You, however; will notice. May be helpful to take days off work, rather than having to worry about work. Initially, the W/D is much like a severe ongoing alcohol hangover.
On the upside of taking these meds, I do want to say that Cymbalta & Wellbutrin XL combo really helped me get through some bad times w/3 years of “wonderful help”. But due to recent ill side effects having outnumbered good effects, I have chosen to relinquish usage of Cymbalta. I will be staying on Wellbutrin, as it is a more benign med w/less severe side effects for my OCD, depression.
I hope this dialogue helps. Hang in there & know that life is good & that you will overcome. Accept yourself & accept life on life’s terms. BE GOOD TO YOURSELF!
Joan reporting again – Feb 20, 2011 Been off Cymbalta 60 MG since 02/17/11, then went off Wellbutrin XL 150MG 2 weeks ago. As of today I began taking the meds again due to pain from long term back/neck pain coming back. Sometimes you don’t appreciate sonething until going off of it. The ringing in my ears is just a reality and not due to meds. Headaches did not stop, still craved sweets & woke up in mid of night to eat although W/D symptoms ended a week ago. I never gained weight while on this combo, but did after going off of the duo – probably since we eat when we are not feeling well – from W/D although only 4 lbs. I began feeling sad a few days ago and started OCD’ing again. Even though I became less reclusive/more friendly to others/less businesslike and could have bowl movements again – unassisted/no lax/prunes, that was pretty much it in re: to good points. I now know that the Seretonin is responsible for my fun & active dreams, which I miss.
I have got to admit, I am glad I did not bother my doctor with this experiment. I advise that if one is to go off Cymbalta cold turkey – that not having to drive/care for young children/work is advisable for 2 weeks if want to hold it together – just FYI. It is brutal, but my fibromy-type pain is so much worse, so back on the meds.
AnneMarie, if you are still on the fence about Cymbalta (stimulates Norepenephrine & Seretonin) and have maybe started up again, try adding the Wellbutrin XL 150MG (Norepenephrine & Dopamine), this I have heard counteracts any weight gain and by itself I have heard Wellbutrin could cause one to lose a few lbs. and make you less sleepy/numb. My brain zaps/palpitations/weakness stopped after 3 weeks, but I had the Wellbutrin for 10 days after stopping the Cymbalta – that may have helped with W/D.
Hope, AnneMarie that you are doing ok! Take Care!
I am 21/F/MI.
I was on Cymbalta for over a year (30mg)= 2 years ago. Never upped or seen a doctor because I was pushed through so many doctors due to medicaid. My first doctor (when I started medicaid)assumed I was a maniac depressant because I was dealing with sudden panic attacks when I started transitioning into the young adult stage. He prescribed me cymbalta. I can remember being on it like yesterday. I would have dizzy fall down spells, which my next doctor misdignosed as an ear infection. When the anti-dizzy medicine was gone, the dizziness and falling down came back. I also had a very bad reaction to that were I slept for 3 days straight. I would also experience sweating, nausea, upset stomach, flu like symptoms constantly. I did shed 25 pounds though!! But I just didn’t like the side effects. I remember missing one day and I would flip out and go crazy. I would feel like my brain was sucked of all fluids and I was a vegetable. I couldn’t leave bed even after I would take the make up medicine, I would feel side effects for 2-3 days later. 2 years later after countless doctors and being misdiagnosed. I was put on 3 different anti-depressants which all never tackled my anxiety( but only made me worse) My doctor now insisted I go back on cymbalta (30mg) since I did ok, even though she insisted the side effects would go away after getting me on the right dosage, what ever that was. So here I am on the medicine and I lost it. I was angry, agitated, no sex drive, my genitals felt numb, I was restless, had night terrors, panic attacks, and was just up and down, which is after a month 1/2. So I decided I cannot handle this, so I stopped. 2 days after stopping cymbalta(30mg) I was throwing up, diarrehea, nausea, dizziness, my head was throbbing, even the area above my equilibrium was swollen and I would throw up if it was touched. I was out of school a week. Not only that, I started having suicidal thoughts from NOT TAKING me medicine. I go into the doctor and she issued me a paper stating that I had to go to a mental health center or I would be picked up my the crazy bus. Come to find out from the mental health center from MI, I SHOULD OF NEVER BEEN PRESCRIBED ANY ANTI-DEPRESSANT!! I am on my second week of withdrawls, and now I am experiencing flu like symptoms. I am restless, coughing, achey, agitated, up and down, HUNGRY, and feel like I am pregnant. I am throwing up, swollen breasts, sore back, weird craving, night terrors, stuffy nose, and coughing. I would not suggest this medicine for anyone. And shame on doctors for treating me differently because I am on medicaid. Their misdiagnoses’ have put me through a big loop… and if I didn’t have my family to get me through this; I would definatly not be here now.
I would also like to state that being on Cymbalta has infact damaged the chemicals in my brain, not only that but the 3 other anti-depressants I was on as well. I do not how long it is going to be before I can be back to a normal self.. a year or more atleast is what my therapist has told me.
quit cold turkey after being on cymbalta for 2 yrs. when will the diziness go away?
i have only taken 1 30mg cymbalta pill and am having the brain fog, feel like im in a daze, very dizzy, was vomiting and have diarrhea very bad. i hate this pill so much. hooray for the people it works for i am glad it does but for everyone going thru this withdrawal i feel your pain. yeah i know 1 pill, not gonna do anything right? ha WRONG!!! only 1 of them and i feel this way. i am so discusted with this pill. i thought ugh finally after 5 years i may feel normal again. ha! wrong again! i feel worse now then i did the day before yesturday. the dr said it should be out of my system in 2 days. well it better hurry up or im gonna go to the hospital and make them do something for me. i cant stand this. thanks for the warning on this pills withdrawal affects after only 1 pill. my goodness, what kind of medication is this? i hope everyone feels better. God Bless.
Meg, it generally takes 2 weeks for a med to enter and establish itself in one’s system and there will be initial oddities like the brain fog you experienced. I feel stimulated initially whenever I went on a seretonin med, like I was zoomed up. I remember having this same reaction you described when starting Prozac many years ago. I noticed immediately that I felt ill and stopped after 2 days. I have been on Paxil, Lexapro, Cymbalta & Wellbutrin before, but the one that made me severly ill & shaky and buzzy was the Prozac. I say listen to your body though, Meg like you did, as each drug & person’s response to it will differ. If you initially, recently sought out a Dr.’s help/meds do not give up. Your doctor will help you figure out what is wrong.
Cymbalta really saved my life 3 years ago; I’d probably have offed myself w/out it, so it does work & is a miracle for some.
Hope you are doing well. JusT FYI for anyone else reading this blurb – a hospital/doctor will not assist you in getting off a drug as you had indicated after a day or one pill. Even after years of treatment/on meds it is unlikely a doctor will ever medicate you/hospitalize you when going off a drug such as this. A celebrity w/deep pockets perhaps.
I was on Cybalta for about 3 months, taking 60 mg. It did not seem to be doing any good. I was still really depressed. I started reading the blogs and stories about negative withdrawal symptoms. I could not find anyone who had gone on the drug successfully without withdrawal symptoms. Most of the blogs I read said that the withdrawal symptoms were terrible. It really scared me, but I wanted to get off the drug.
I am a long term user of anti-depressants, but none seem to help me. I used Prozac or similar drugs for years and thought that perhaps they were helping, but I was still depressed. A couple of times I went off of the drugs, and became even more depressed; so, I assumed they were doing something. I never quit for very long.
Still, I decided to get off Cymbalta and stay off. I was depressed on it. Why not be depressed without it.
I slowly went off the drug by cutting the dosage from 60 to 30 for two weeks; then I took 30 every other day for about two weeks and stopped taking any medication after that.
I am writing this because I could not find anyone who seemed to go off Cymbalta without fairly severe symptoms, and I was looking for encouragement; instead the blogs just scared me, but I decided to quit anyway.
I have been off Cymbalta for a couple of months, and I never experienced any of the negative symptoms; so maybe some others have gotten off the drug without all of the side effects I read about.
If you really want to quit the drug; hopefully, this will encourage you to try.
I am still very depressed, but no more so then when on the drug.
Joan
dear joan;
thank you!
I’ve been on cymblata 60mg for one your now,and know i need to get off of it.
i’ve been reading all of the blogs above for the last hours or so,and i will say i sure am scard to come off cymbalta,i’m in my frist week of coming down to 30mg,having sweats( brain zapp) all the time, but i’ve been having them all along, and having a hard time getting to sleep but when i get to sleep the dream start and there all night,and now some chess pain,but i’m hoping to get though this and after reading your comment i have a little bit of hope and i’l get though this.
nancy pi.
I have experienced the same problems but much worse going off Paxil, and now paxil is a “troubled” drug = hopefully cymbalta will be too. I have taken myself off of this medication but VERY slowly – It has taken me 4 months to go down from 90 mg to nothing. I am feeling teeny zaps, a fogginess, headaches, and irritability…sometimes I wonder if it was worth going off of it.(i hate being irritable) but I could not afford it anylonger, and I felt like I didnt really need it anylonger – was on it for 2 years. I just hope that eventually I will have NO withdrawl symptoms and I can manage my self with what I am still on (Wellbutrin (extended release) I feel I’ll probably be on that forever – but I just wanted to state that I totally understand what everyone is going through as far as withdrawl symptoms and we need to let this be known!
I took Cymbalta x 3 years, mainly for migraines but also for some anxiety issues. I was having quite a few side effects though and wanted to stop taking it. I attempted several different times, but the migraines were so intense were trying to stop that it wasnt worth it to me. I have finally this last time decided to go off d/t the new side effects I have been having. My side effects included sleepy all the time, dont care attitude, nothing phased me/as if it took alot to make me cry, little or no sex drive and most recent was my body was twitching during my sleep. My twitching was so bad that it was keeping my husband awake. So this last time, I was taking 60mg and tapered to 30mg x 1 week,then 30mg every other day x another week.
This to me was simply not enough tapering. My head feels so “fuzzy” especially throughout the am and early pm. It is hard for me to concentrate and I fear that will affect my work performance as a nurse. I feel as if I am going crazy!!! I want to talk to my friends but dont want them to thing “hey she is crazy” so I just try to make it. I really want to hang in there this time, but gosh I felt better on the Cymbalta!!! I am definitely going to talk to my doctor about this so that others may not go through such a rough time with the withdrawals
I recently quit 60 mg Cymbalta cold turkey 1 week ago. I have been on anti-anxiety meds for 4 years and felt it was time to go off of them. I was on Cymbalta for about 9 months. This has been hell, dizzy, fuzzy. sick. While I know this is all part of the poison leaving my body, is anyone out there having severe back pain? I can barely walk or bend over. I am 34 and active and work with children and the past few days I can barely walk. All I want it to feel better physically again. Does anyone have a general answer as to when the fuzzy dizzy, nausea spells go away for good? thanks
I have bee. Off cold turkey for close to 2 weeks. The cost is what made me stop. My copayment is 50.00 a month. Add that with my other medications its to much. I have been on cymbalta for close go two years. I put on massive weight from it. My husband is not happy with me over the effects. I can only assume it’s from the cymbalta. I can not stand for more then a few seconds without feeling like I am on a rocking boat. My balance is worse then ever. I have fallen a lot more then normal. I have bruises , and my eye sight is so bad I can hardly see. I have to really strain to see . I feel worse then ever and feel like I am dying. I have not been able go eat, just don’t want to. I have made myself eat soup once a day just so my kids will see me eat. My husband is constantly unhappy with me and doesnt understand. I do not want to go back on the medication because the huge weight gain which just keeps going up. And honestly the only help it did was with the nerve pain in my hands and feet. My hubby is not happy because I cant get up. I can get up for a few minutes here and there but he doesn’t understand how I have issues making a can of soup.
My head feels clouded worse then normal. My memory issues have always been bad but we aree lucky I can remember my name at this point. Everyone seems to think I am crazy , other then the few good friends.
Between the cymbalta and ambien it’s pretty much ruined the me I was. I wish I had never used any of these medications to try to help with my fibromyalgia. I trusted the doctors, i was never told what they would do to me.
What’s worse is nobody seems to take what I am feeling as real.
Worse mistake ever taking cymbalta , and I paid a lot of money for it to ruin my life.
I too have had to stop cymbalta. My insurance changed and I cant afford it. I too have put on 60 lbs over 6 years of taking this stuff. I had 3 weeks worth of 30 mg and now I am out. I have been having severe joint pains and thought I was having some new medical issue. I read that these could be from the cymbalta. Now today I started horrible vertigo.
I have also been on ambien cr.
I stopped taking Cymbalta almost a week ago. Altough I weaned myself off of them after taking them for years, I still am having withdrawal symptoms. I find I’m Angry ALL the time…very short tempered…sleeping worse than I ever have…and the nightmares are HORRIFIC when I do sleep. Very weepy over the most stupid of things. Feeling very depressed again. I have felt like I have the flu for the past couple of days….this is turning out to be a TOUGH ride.
I’ve had varying levels of depression my whole life. I’ve learned to tell the difference between “biochemical” and situational events. The side effects of Cymbalta have messed with my mind and body so badly that I can’t tell the differnce anymore. From a productive, gentle, empathetic, careful person I have become, on occasion a vicious, screaming and impulsive slug. I just wanted a temporary help with fibromyalgia and sleep problems that were increasing my depression. I’ve spent my life helping others. Foster children, homeless, animal rescues… and balanced that with continuing education and work. Life is so different now. I don’t cry anymore. Laughter feels forced. I forget what I’m doing and have such a disconnect with time that crucial tasks lacked all importance unless I was looking striaght at them. My hands shake, visions blurs, vocabulary is draining away, neck is so tight it keeps me awake… My doctor tells me it’s ageing – stroke, maybe early onset dementia, parkinsons, part of my fibro, part of my depression, psycological… when he says these things, I think, maybe “OK… I’m damaged.. it’s not the drugs.” Then I remember the woman who used to question, challange and DO things. First time withdrawing was a nightmare (litterly) for everyone. The next time, I cut my dosage gradually, a 1/2 pinch at a time every four days. Live sucked. Then I happened to take tylenol three (codiene) for an abecessed tooth. OH DEAR GOD!!! so much better. MOST of the pain and some of the “meanies” abated. I admit, I refilled that damned thing as much as I could and saved it for the next round of withdrawals. Magnesium helps with the muscle cramps. I’ll start the withdrawal process again in the winter when my responsibilites are at their lowest. I’d rather be anxious and depressed. The brain zaps at their lightest feel like I’m being hit with a giant, super soft pillow all over at the same time. Whoomp. Other times they feel like a charley horse in your head. be well all and good luck
please check out this website http://www.pointofreturn.com I think the supplements have been making my withdrawal much easier to deal with. You deserve better.
Oh my, I thought that I was just having some new health problem. I have started suffering from joint pains in all my joints. I had no idea that this could be from the cymbalta. I have been taking this for 6 years and my presc. insurance wont pay for it. I was coming off it and was on 30 mg and ran out. Now I have vertigo and joint pains. I am not going back on this stuff. I wonder how long these symptoms are going to go on for. Cant take prozac am allergic to it. sever joint and hip pain in my right hip. great. I wish I knew this would happen. are there any natural help aids other than just lying on the couch trying not to move too fast?
I was placed on Cymbalta 30mg after having my 2nd child for treatment of depression & to also help control my obsessive compulsive disorder.
Obviously sceptical about taking the drug my Doctor assured me that Cymbalta was “NON ADDICTIVE” so I felt I had nothing to worry about as far as that was concerned.
I have been on them for 3mths & things were going well I felt “normal” again, so last week I decided to stop taking them Cold Turkey and all I can say is this is a living nightmare never before have I experienced anything so horrific insomnia, diarreah, nausea, brain zaps, hot sweats just to list a few, I feel worse now then before I went on Cymbalta how is it that a “ NON ADDICTIVE DRUG” can cause such horrific withdrawal symptoms?
As bad as I feel now I am determined to never take this drug again & encourage others to do the same.
Well — I have no idea what a “brain zap” is that you guys are experiencing…
I was on 150 mg for three years. Went to 120, 90, 60 then 30. My doctor wanted me to go to 20 — but I just decided to stop it all together. On 150 mg, life was horrible. I was tired all the time and wanted to do nothing but sleep. Now I’ve been dizzy on and off for over a week.
They give this stuff to their patients like it’s candy… Not the least bit worried about the effects. Then when you complain they increase the dosage and/or add another medication.
I am a 38 year old female who was put on Cymbalta around 3 months ago. After 2 months I began to experience pain in my upper right trunk area. After some blood tests it was found that my liver had almost tripled in size in less then an 8 week period. My doctor immediatly began to take me off of the offending drug. I am now down to 30 mg every other day, and am in so much pain, and feel like I am in a tunnel. The worst part is I am afraid the damage to my liver may have already of been done. They call it Hepatic Steatosis. It apparently is the rarest of all the Cymbalta side effects. I am out of options as to what to do, and want to know how long the withdrawls last? Help!! I cant sleep and my belly is so swollen and I am in such terrible pain.
I found this site because I too have weaned off Cymbalta. I have the aches, dizziness, and ringing in my ears that I’ve seen referred to here. I realize they are from the “discontinuation syndrome” related to Cymbalta. I was hoping to find some info about what to except in regards to how long I might expect these issues to last. The answer to that question varies alot. I took Cymbalta as follows: 60mg for close to 3 years, recently 60mg/30mg alternately for a wk, then 30mg for a wk and lastly 30mg every other day. I’ve been Cymbalta free for a week. I started to question how much, if any good Cymbalta was doing for me. I started doing research independent of my Dr. and found answers to questions I didn’t know I had. I had no idea that the “heavy sweats” that I have experienced the last 3 years could very well be because of the medication. I didn’t correlate Cymbalta with them at all. That one side effect has probably had the most impact on me personally. The “heavy sweats” caused me to stop doing things I once enjoyed, for me they were close to unbearable and depressing in themselves. I pray that discontinuing Cymbalta will resolve that problem. I do feel Lilly has an obligation to provide a protocol for discontinuing this drug (smaller available dosages) and to better inform the public about it’s “probable” side effects. I don’t recommend anyone take it without being more informed. My Cymbalta experience has not been a good one!!
I have been off Cymbalta for days now. I was taking 90 mgs a day for over a year. After reading all of your comments i am a little freaked out. Last night was my first all nighter although its been building for a few days. I tried weening myself off for 2 weeks now have cried more times than i can count and had a melt down Sunday. My Dr. switched me to Wellbutrin not sure how thats going to work out.
What are Brain Zaps? I apologize for any misspelled words but the ole brain is not working so well right now…
Sorry all but i have just quit completely 4 days ago…sure wish it was longer not looking forward to this ride.
Vickie,
I believe it’s been 5 days for me on 0 mg. Yeah, my brain isn’t functioning at “full speed” either… I have been wondering about the brain zaps, also. I’ve only been “lucky enough” to experience the constant dizzyness, occasional crying, sudden fits of rage, (by the way… not good if you’re a teacher!), fatigue, hopelessness, etc…
How is the switch to Wellbutrin working for the withdrawl symptoms? I don’t want to go on another “med”, but I simply can’t function like this for too long. Furthermore, there’s no way in hell I’m going back on the Cymbalta! I’ll join my Dad in “the wild blue yonder” before I’d give those pharmacutical bastrxxds one more cent!
Talk to me, girl…
I’d love to have a friend to help me through this!
Signed… “Floatin’ Head in Florida”…
I made it!
3 1/2 years later, and very fearful of the withdrawal effects, I’ve weathered the storm.
After reading many, many blogs, forums, etc., and due to the fact I was already experiencing withdrawal effects between my a.m. and p.m. Cymbalta doses, I worked out a plan with my psychiatrist to GET OFF this drug. I wanted a fairly quick tapering as I didn’t want to prolong those withdrawal effects. I dropped from 120mg to 90mg for one day. The next 3 days I was at 60mg. The 3 following that at 30mg, and then zero. Seriously, I couldn’t imagine a year of tapering nor another year of having this stuff in my body.
Compounding the anticipated severity of the withdrawal was my ongoing issues of self harm in the form of alcohol and pill popping. As a result, the plan was to be admitted to the hospital to keep me safe and to help me manage the withdrawal symptoms. On day one of zero Cymbalta, a bed opened up in the local psych ward, something my psychiatrist had arranged and something I actually wanted. (Yes, I realize that is somewhat ‘crazy.’) I was discharged 36 hours ago, and I’m doing okay.
Coming off Cymbalta the way I did meant not working. What follows is my 120mg to 0mg effects:
– the week of the tapering was much more tolerable than expected. I was off work, but at home. The day after each dosage drop I was pretty zappy – the electric shocks (across my brain, numb lips, and a shot down the centre of my torso) were frequent, almost constant, but less intense than I expected. The zaps intensified once I was down to 30mg. At this point I also became quite foggy, lacked clarity of thinking, and was dizzy.
– Day 1 of zero mg, the symptoms were slightly more intense. This was the day I was admitted to the hospital. My psychiatrist ordered up a max PRN of 2mg of Ativan. Worked like a charm to keep me ‘quiet’ and helped me to sleep, sleep, sleep.
– Day 2 – the fog, dizziness, ability to think straight, and the zaps really intensified. A new symptom was a drunk-like feeling: I couldn’t walk a straight line and generally felt quite ‘out of it.’ I also started having issues with chills and sweats. My psychiatrist (who was one I switched to approx. 4 months back), is very cognizant of meds (she couldn’t believe I was on such a high Cymbalta dose) and rather than giving me more Ativan, wanted me to try Seroquel as a sedative instead. Didn’t work for me though because it made me hyper and kept me up much of the night.
– Day 3 – like Day 2 but more intense. The zaps also became audible, especially when I moved my eyes. (The sound is rather like those bug zapping things you can buy.) My new PRN was Clonazepam – something I’ve taken regularly for some years – but now upped from .5mg to 1.5mg.
– Day 4 – same symptoms. (Interesting that coming off Cymbalta left me feeling like I was taking drugs, not stopping one.) At night, I was starting to have trouble sleeping – awake for a couple of hours at a time.
– Day 5 – symptoms still very much there, but less severe; decided to venture out of the hospital on my own for the first time (nurses made sure I could walk a straight line first – ha, ha). [Note: there's NO WAY I could have driven throughout any of this part of my withdrawal.] Sleep was again an issue.
– Day 6 – symptoms back at a more intense level; a little less zappy – audible ones still there. Sleep once again a problem, but the chills and sweats were becoming less intense and less frequent.
– Day 7 – symptoms were much less severe. After my daily session with my psychiatrist, she asked if I’d like to try going home for the night then coming back the next day. Yes – I wanted to give going home a try; No – I did’t want to come back in the next day – except for my session with the doc. Just like that I was discharged, but armed with a prescription for a very low dose (12.5mg) of Trazodone for sleep. (I’ve been taking Zopiclone for years, including during my hospital stay. Needless to say, it didn’t seem to be helping at the moment.) Slept like a baby! [Having said that, I was worried about being on the Trazadone as it is an antidepressant. The very low dose is common for sleep, and 300+mg is the usual therapeutic dose. Still, worried about libido, which was making a comeback.]
– Day 8 – woke up alert. Some zaps in the morning, but I felt I was safe to drive. Later in the afternoon, though, started feeling that drugged up, dozey feeling – not thinking straight, slow reflexes, slow thinking. A good walk helped to chase that away. I discussed the Trazodone concerns, and my psychiatrist is supporting that I don’t take it for a week, see what’s what with the libido, then try it again to see if I notice a negative impact.
– Day 9 is today. Still noticing the zaps (both physical and audible) at a low level and feel a low level dizziness/foggy brain as well. Still don’t feel I could manage work (I’m a teacher and need to be ‘on’), and I’m not sure I’m ready for the gym yet, but things are definitely on an upswing.
Based on information I’ve gathered through this site and by scouring others, I’m optimistic that these withdrawal effects are as bad as they’re going to be for me – no vomiting, no diarrhea, no pain. For the record, the Cymbalta hasn’t been replaced with another antidepressant, although I continue to take lamotrigine and clonazepam. I have been on one antidepressant or another for 11 years, save for a 14 month stint off of them in between; the last 6 years have been medicated years. In short, I am happy the tapering was quick. From all I read, it would appear that many people endure very similar withdrawal effects whether they taper over a very long period, including counting out the beads, or tapering quickly. And the fact that I’m so incredibly lucky to have a career where medical leave is possible is not lost on me. Without that option, I’m not sure I would have survived Cymbalta.
Best wishes to all of you, and a special thank you to Erin for starting this blog. Cymbalta is one drug I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
It would appear I spoke too soon. Starting December 5, I noticed what I thought was a holy-cow good mood; we’re talking 12 out of 10, here. On the 6th it was a 14 or so. Later on the same day I wrote the previous entry – Dec. 7 – I hit a 16 out of 10 mood in the evening. A few hours after that I realized I was anxious. Then, within 2 hours, at bed time, I was crazy irritable/agitated. I screamed at my hubby for interrupting my meditation (irony???), then violent kicked at the cat while he tried to settle in beside me on the bed (so not in line with my character), and then I had a total meltdown – slamming my fists on the bed and wailing uncontrollably. Life has been pretty much like this since then. I can best describe it as being volatile. Mostly it’s been really negative, nasty behaviours (again, very out of character), but there have been a few ups. One day at a time, I guess.
Oh ya, and I’m still getting zaps, both physical and audible.
How are you feeling now? I’m on day 5 and feel like 10 pounds of a well-known substance in a five-pound bag. Light-headed, gaseous, overemotional in spurts, occasional zaps.
Oh, boy, where do I start?!? Well, being ON Cymbalita has made a HUGE positive impact on my life…but, my doctor has been screwing up the paperwork and timing for the last several years so, I have to withdrawal almost EVERY 30 days! And, it is HORRIBLE!!! I am about a week into withdrawals this time and have HUNDREDS of “mind zaps” a day. I am nausiated 24/7. I have vomited about 100 times in the last week. My depression is at least 10 times worse than what is was before taking Cymbalta and withdrwaling. I am constanly angry which wasn’t an issue before taking it. “Luckily”, I’ve experienced these withdrawals many times before so I know it’s only because of the withdrawl and I can keep reminding myself of that so I won’t do anything stupid. I shake, sweat and all of the other normal withdrawl symptoms. I have MAJOR coldsweats EVERYTIME I sleep. I literly have to sleep in “puddles” of sweat. When I wake my clothes, sheets, and cover is completely soaked in sweat. I have HORRIBLE nightmares every time I sleep. I have CFS (why I was prescribed Cymbalta) and now my CFS symptoms are way worse. Anyway, it’s HORRIBLE! I can’t wait to get back on it!