Report Cymbalta Withdrawal Symptoms To The FDA « What Winners Do

Report Cymbalta Withdrawal Symptoms To The FDA

Posted on March 9, 2010

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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Mar
September 22nd, 2007 - 13:12

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…….

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Erin
October 2nd, 2007 - 19:46

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?

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stayathomemotherdom
October 5th, 2007 - 16:37

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!

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Erin
October 5th, 2007 - 20:25

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.

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joanne sheppard
October 6th, 2007 - 10:48

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

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jeanette
October 9th, 2007 - 10:22

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.

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Janine
October 16th, 2007 - 12:57

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.

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Diana B
December 30th, 2007 - 07:51

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.

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Carol B
February 11th, 2008 - 17:46

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.

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Katherinexviolet
March 7th, 2008 - 00:45

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.

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KATHY S
March 19th, 2008 - 23:41

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?

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Diana B
March 20th, 2008 - 15:46

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.

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Nomi
April 9th, 2008 - 19:02

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.

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Caryn
April 22nd, 2008 - 22:34

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.

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Gwen K
May 18th, 2008 - 13:04

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!

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Shannon
June 2nd, 2008 - 00:13

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?

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woodsy
June 14th, 2008 - 10:20

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?

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Pat
June 17th, 2008 - 14:18

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.

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Angela/Pennsylvania
August 14th, 2008 - 17:17

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.

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Matt in San Diego
August 16th, 2008 - 16:42

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.

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sumer
August 17th, 2008 - 16:49

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.

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Nicole
September 11th, 2008 - 21:48

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.

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Emily
September 16th, 2008 - 08:24

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.

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Jamie
September 30th, 2008 - 21:06

Can anyone tell me how long the Cymbalta withdrawal will last?! I have been sick and dizzy for days..

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Jen
October 28th, 2008 - 16:10

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????

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Jamie
October 29th, 2008 - 07:39

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

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Jen
October 29th, 2008 - 09:30

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.

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Jamie
October 29th, 2008 - 09:37

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

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Jen
November 4th, 2008 - 07:13

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.

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Miranda
December 29th, 2008 - 03:34

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.

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Kris
January 4th, 2009 - 15:14

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.

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Jim Davis
February 10th, 2009 - 20:16

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!

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Sophie
February 21st, 2009 - 07:16

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!

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paul
March 3rd, 2009 - 10:12

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

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Jackie
March 5th, 2009 - 18:45

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.

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Brenda
March 10th, 2009 - 00:12

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!!!

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Joanna
March 23rd, 2009 - 01:09

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.

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alice
April 11th, 2009 - 19:02

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.

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KJ
April 16th, 2009 - 12:54

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.

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robert anderson
April 20th, 2009 - 18:42

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..

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Kim
May 13th, 2009 - 10:42

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.

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Jo
June 7th, 2009 - 13:13

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

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Marcy
June 18th, 2009 - 16:56

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.

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michele
June 27th, 2009 - 18:04

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?

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Donna
July 1st, 2009 - 18:30

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….

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Jennifer
July 3rd, 2009 - 14:04

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!!!

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KJ
July 13th, 2009 - 09:28

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.

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dunya
July 14th, 2009 - 20:32

here is a website i found for helping with withdrawing from drugs. http://www.theroadback.org

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Jackie
July 17th, 2009 - 15:41

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!

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TV
July 17th, 2009 - 18:34

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

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Lena
July 20th, 2009 - 17:42

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!!!!

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Jen
August 10th, 2009 - 11:33

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.

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Tarkarri
August 10th, 2009 - 21:38

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!

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ashley
August 12th, 2009 - 19:23

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.

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Cheryl Patterson
August 15th, 2009 - 12:54

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!

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KJ
August 24th, 2009 - 11:06

I don’t care what they say, this stuff stays in your system for MONTHS!

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Vilma
August 26th, 2009 - 09:50

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

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Rose Oldfield
September 23rd, 2009 - 14:21

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.

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Balfgeagiar
September 27th, 2009 - 09:53

Thank you for great post!

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MIKE
October 14th, 2009 - 20:27

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.

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Kat
October 27th, 2009 - 21:56

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!!!!

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KJ
October 28th, 2009 - 09:32

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.

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Nicole
November 6th, 2009 - 12:13

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!

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Lynn Felton
December 21st, 2009 - 23:17

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.

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K2
January 30th, 2010 - 16:11

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.

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