I had earlier posted that I felt Cymbalta wasn’t working for me as an antidepressant. Along with not working on many depression symptoms Cymbalta lowered my libido. Finally I had an appointment with a Psychiatrist and I was shocked at what she told me.
I had been having some lingering symptoms of what I thought was depression. I was unmotivated, everything seemed like a lot of work to me and like I had said before, I had zero libido. I thought that Cymbalta wasn’t working on my symptoms and that I would need to have a medication change. I was wrong.
After asking me a series of questions in which I answered as honestly as possible no matter how embarrassing it was, the psychiatrist told me something that I wasn’t expecting to hear. I was not having the symptoms that I am having due to being under medicated or being on the wrong medication. I was having these symptoms because I was over medicated.
Based on the fact that my daily dose of Cymbalta is relatively low, it appears that I don’t require an antidepressant. What? You mean that my medication which I thought was making my life a little better had actually been causing some of my most major problems? I couldn’t believe it. So what do I do now?
Cymbalta is not the type of medication that you should just stop taking all together. It can cause some withdrawal symptoms and frankly, I’m all set with going through another withdrawal. So the psychiatrist suggested that I ween myself off slowly…very slowly.
My daily dose of Cymbalta has been reduced by half and I am to take that for 3 months. After that time, I can either cut that dose in half or I can stop taking it all together. That is a pretty long weening time frame if you ask me, but then again I’m no doctor.
Today is the second day of taking 20mg of Cymbalta. I actually still am feeling some withdrawal symptoms. I have something going on that I can only describe as brain shivers. If you have never had this, be thankful. It is really a bad feeling. It doesn’t hurt or anything like that but every once in a while I get what feels like an electrical buzz inside my brain. I know that this is due to the decrease in Cymbalta because there was a time I went a week without taking the medication and I got the same sensation, although a lot more intense than what I am having now.
I’ll grab a saying out of the narcotics anonymous bag o’ sayings, ahh here we go…This too shall pass. Knowing that this withdrawal symptom will be short lived I am feeling pretty positive about weening off of Cymbalta.
It is great to feel that I don’t “need” to take some sort of drug to be a functioning human being. After all isn’t that why I stopped my substance abuse in the first place. I wanted to be free of “having” to take drugs to feel normal.
Today, although I have some weird feelings in my brain, I am proud of myself for taking steps towards becoming a better person on my own without the help of drugs. I’m also feeling good about myself for not caving in because of my “brain shivers” and taking my regular dose of Cymbalta. I never thought I would be weening myself off another drug in my lifetime but it is what it is I guess.
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I’m also stopping Cymbalta currently and know how you feel. I’ve been journaling my experience at [link no longer works] and it helps to be aware of the symptoms and be able to adjust.
good luck
Honesty and action Erin, these are some of the greatest tools if recovery and it seems you are on a roll. Additionally, the common sense of talking to your doctor, taking her recommendations, and weening yourself off the medication gradually is just knocking this one out of the park.
Just as a friendly exercise, l’ll give you a scenario the old TDA would have pulled.
1) Wait to begin plan until there is an extremely stressful situation to handle
2) Immediately announce to the world of intentions to go antidepressant cold turkey
3)Wait for failure- if it doesn’t come soon enough stir up more trouble. Then drink or abuse drugs because of course we all know that it will take several weeks before the new antidpressants kick in.
4)Use as incident as proof of chemical imbalance
That’s me thinking like an alcoholic.
I am glad that you are thinking instead like someone who is very serious about their recovery. I know it may not count for much, but I am very proud of you.
The Discovering Alcoholic
It actually does mean a lot to hear you tell me that you are proud of me.
I think of you as one of the winners that I am trying very hard to become. Thank you for your encouraging words.
I am coming off of 60mg of Cymbalta and I have been pretty lucky so far. My doc at least knew that I had to taper fairly slow so here’s what I did:
Doc prescribed 30mg and 20mg capsules. I took a 30 and a 20 daily for a week. Then two 20mg capsules daily for about a week. Then a 30mg capsule for about a week. My main WD symptom is dizziness so if it got too unpleasant I would revert back to the previous dose for a day or two. I now take 10mg every other day and I feel OK. I’m almost ready to stop. I gently pry open a 20mg capsule, and with a magnifying glass divide the little pellets into two piles. One pile goes back in the capsule and is taken. I’ve prepared several capsules this way. If after, taking these for a week or so I feel like crap, I’ll create 5mg capsules. So far so good with the 10mg every other day. I’ll try jumping off and see. I can always make more caps if I have to. – synchro
Synchro – that is some really great information on how to ween off of Cymbalta correctly. It sounds like your doctor really understands just how bad the withdrawal could get if not weened very, very slowly.
Good Luck and thanks for the info.
I am glad to be free of cymbalta…
I am so glad to be free of cymbalta. I had the same problem. ZAPS. My dr talked with a neurologist and the drug rep….they came up with a solution. I went to 20mg for 2 weeks then I took low dose of prozac for 2 weeks. The difference was like night and day compared to trying to get off of cymb. last year….which I failed at! I have been cymbalta free for 6 weeks now. Still do not feel like myself…and zaps come and go…mostly when I am being active. Walking…Running up stairs…etc. THe prozac for 2 weeks worked like a charm!
just wanted to post an update to this. It is now Nov and I am feeling like myself again. No zaps. No more withdrawl symptoms. I will never never never take cymbalta again! Dont get discouraged if it take a while to rid this nasty drug from your system…I am proof that it can be done.
One day at a time…power through it.
How long after cause I feel like it will never end
Can you tell me in bullet steps how you got off this stuff. My husband really needs help getting of this.He has been taking it for two He takes 60mg a day . I think it is causing him to be impulsively aggressive, like road rage. We have been together for 26 years. He was prescribed it for bladder control after prostrate cancer but it doesn’t really help and when ever he tries to get off it he gets dizzy and terrible ringing in his ears. His doctor is not very wise and thinks he can just stop taking it.
I’m glad to hear that you finally felt like yourself again. I’ve been off for about four weeks now and I still feel like my head is never going to feel normal again. It’s extremely frustrating. I’m doing all the right things too, like taking natural supplements (everyone coming off anti-ds should check out POINTOFRETURN.COM, its really helpful!!) and hitting up the gym at least four times a week.
I noticed so many people on here came off because the drug wasn’t working for them. I think after this whole ordeal I’m coming to realize that antidepressants don’t really help. I guess for the odd few they do, but if I could do it again I would have never gone on them in the first place, and I think it’s a shame how some doctors hand them out like candy!
Thank you so much Syncro for your most helpful information. My story is a horror story weening off Cymbalta. Im going to try your method and see what happens. You are lucky to have a doctor that understands. My doctor told me that there are no symtoms of withdrawal of Cymbalta and that what Im expierencing is depression I came to him in the first place for. When I dont have anymore brain freezes I will share my story to help others get off this poison.
Synchro – I wish I had been as…what’s the word…responsible will do. I wish I had been as responsible as you coming off my Cymbalta. Today makes one week and one day since I quit cold turkey and frankly, I think I would rather go through natural child birth with triplets than do this crazy shit again.
Pat – Your doctor was/is a quack and I hope to God you’ve found someone else since this post. I’m sorry you had to go through it.
I have been taking cymbalta since September at 60 mg. I don’t feel depressed, rather, what happens to me is that I was having a lot of general anxiety that would get in the way of being able to sleep. I’d lay in bed and toss and turn worrying about crap that I didn’t need to be worrying about at 2 am. I also had a lot of trouble with concentration. I know that I a symptom of depression, which I have had in the past, along with being really irritable and feeling hopeless, but thankfully, never suicidal. Anywho, my MD switched me from Celexa in Sept to Cymbalta hoping to address some of my attention issues. It worked really, really well. It was my adderall! I was able to read for school, get my papers out one after another, etc…, and slept fine with none of the sexual side effects that I had on Prozac from way back in the day. I am really bummed because I had to d/c my Cymbalta because it made my blood pressure go too high. Now that I’ve been off of it for about a week, my BP is back to normal. The thing is that I just stopped the Cymbalta cold turkey and I have been having what people describe as brain shivers from time to time. It doesn’t hurt, just feels weird and I get a bit dizzy, but it comes and goes. I hope to get on Celexa again, maybe at a higher dose cuz it was OK at 40 mg, but maybe I should have tried 60 mg. Does anyone know if the brain sensations are dangerous? Can something bad happen? seizures? I’d hate that to happen. I want to just tough it out as long as there are not major consequences.
I am so glad I found this website! I went off my Cymbalta (cold turkey) about a week and a half ago. Three days ago I started having the “brain zaps”. I went to my Dr., he said it wasn’t withdrawals, but he didn’t know what it could be. All he did was blood work and sent me home to suffer. Thanks to this website I know what’s wrong with me! Cymbalta is an evil drug!!!!!
I just found this website. Talk about eye opening. I’ve been taking cymbalta 60mg for about 3 years, as a treatment for my fibromyalgia. In that respect it worked very well. I am now on my fourth day of ‘cold turkey’ because my doctor won’t refill it till I see him. Thank goodness that’s today. So for the past (hell) 4 days, I’ve been going through major withdrawals. I’ve never felt this crappy in my life!!! Horrible headaches, nightmares, brain zaps(which really scare me)nausea, cranky, to top it off i’m getting my panic attacks back!!! Somehow I’ve got to get off this evil drug. Anyone have any natural remedies for fibro and panic attacks? Thanks for listening
I’ve been taking 90ml of Cymbalta for two years. It was discovered last May that I had very low blood platelets. I’ve had an 8 hour infusion of a blood product and most recently had 4 rounds of chemo trying to correct what they were calling ITP. I now find that a side effect to Cymbalta is low platelets. My insurance company has paid over $100,000 for a the tests and procedures and to find out it was Cymbalta really makes me mad. Is anyone else having the same issue? Wish me luck on getting off this nightmare….
Trying to reach Doug re: post about Cymbalta and low platelets! I also have been being treated for ITP and take Cymbalta! Was wanting to get more info.!!
Thanks!!
Anna
I am so thankful I found ths web site. I’ve been taking Cybalta 60mg for a while but didn’t know it was the Cymbalta that was causing my speach problems. I can’t have a conversation with out “stumbling” over my words. When I apologize they look at me and say “It’s ok” .. but it’s NOT ok!! I don’t want this. I also have “tics” or “muscle spasms”. I have them in my whole body.I once dropped a gallon of milk, thank God it didn’t bust open. So I guess being a waitress is out of the question…lol!!!
I just put in a call to my MD about weaning off Cymbalta. Hopefully I get a call back soon so I can rid myself of nasty drug. Good luck to everyone who’s facing this.
Well I’ve been on Cymbalta for about 9 months now. I have felt not myself for most of this time. I thought, well my body needs to adjust to the medication. Ha! My head feels like a water logged ball of matter. I get a buzzing in my head like a car that can’t start. then these brain zaps, like a blot of electricity passing through. i lay at night and can feel the buzzing inside my body. God help me this is to weird…..
O.K. so I decide that I’m getting off this stuff. I can’t take the sweating either that comes with the Cymbalta. dear God I sweat like a pig. It’s so embarassing. Anyway I cut my dosage in half for the first week. Now this week I’m taking 1 every other day.
I called the Dr. today to tell him I’m trying to come off it.. He told me to take just half a pill a day next week then 1/2 a pill every other day the next week. Well today I have the dizziness, and I fell like I’m coming out of my skin. Called him back and said I’m going to come out of my skin please give me something… He called in an anti anxity drug. So that’s where I’m at, never would I have started this if it were not for this Fibromyalgia that i’ve had for 20 some years. They said Cymbalta helps the pain. It did for like 2 weeks then I was back to square one.
Well I’ll keep checking in to see how we’re ALL doing soon.
Hi. I have been taking Cymbalta now for about 2 years. If I miss one day, I can’t even function. I want off so bad, but my doctor continues to tell me no. I tried to do it cold turkey, but we all know how that feels. Now I am opening my 30mg capsules and halfing them. This is the worst that I have ever felt, being on this stuff! I hope that everyone does well getting off and say some prayers for me because I’m doing it all on my own!
how are you? did you ever get to ween off?
Hi It’s me again…Well I’ve been off the Cymbalta now for 3-4 weeks. Today is Jan 6, 2009 so I guess it’s been 3 weeks now. These last 3 weeks have been a living hell. I have lost 5-6 lbs from vomiting & diarreah. The Dr. gave me something for all of this. I told him not to perscribe this Cymbalta to people, it’a a horrible drug. He said , well it’s a miracle drug for some.. I said, ya till they try and come off it…My Dr. has never taken someone off it before so I’m a new case for him in this area…I have called the manafacture and let them know what I was going through & how I feel, I also made out a complaint form to the FDA…. I’m truly pissed that anyone should have to go through this!! This is going into week 4 and I still have those brain zaps… The sweating has stopped, the nausea is better and I haven’t actually thrown up in over a week. Came close the other day, but didn’t. My temper has evened out more, I’m not so bitchy. I went to the health food store and got on an antioxident to help my body ride it’s self of all this poisen in me. I really think it has helpd too. Listen to this. My Dr. says that Cymbalta re-calculates the brain and that it will take a while now that i’m off it for my brain to re-calculate, back to it’s old self! He has no idea how long all this will take. Your brain controls all your bodily functions….ah, hello, this is scary no??? No idea how long all this will take?….UGH So depressing..
Well that’s where I’m at with all this, I will check back in in a month and let you know how it’s going. I hope someone reads this and gets something from it….
Wow it all makes sence now. I have had enough of the medication and decided to get to the gym every day and go cold turkey. It has been 4 days so far, i was on 2x60mg a day (think a high dose) but yes, my head or brain for that matter feels like I am spinning constantly. Sounds like the slow weaning off it is the better approach – just gonna have faith and see how it goes. Otherwise emotionally feeling good – alot less dull than before.
I quit taking my 60MG of Cymbalta and started having constant headaches (kinda like a fever without a tempature), loose and frequest stool, some dizziness and fatigue. I have been to my normal doctor 2 x and they have taken blood and stool samples thinking I might have e-coli or something. I am thinking, after reading this, that it might be withdrawl. Have others had the semi diarrhea?
yes i have had this problem i was on 60 mg and i went cold turkey off this whicked pill after 5 years.. todays day 5 for me and iam going crazy i just want this crap out of my system
Yes, I have been having loose bowels, diarhea, and constant stomach pain. I was only on cymbalta about 2 months and I just quit taking it about 4 weeks ago; I still dont feel any better physically; I am scared I have damaged my stomach. I am going to give it a couple more weeks and if not feeling better I am going to make an appointment with my gastroenterologist.
I was supposed to wean off my Cymbalta but because if insurance issues I couldn’t get a new refill and I have to wait. So I went from 90mg to zero. Its been a week. I am dizzy all the time but I am feeling a little manic euphoric like everything is so great. I am not complaining just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I can’t sleep. I ‘ve been up all night dizzy. This is a better situation that what I had when I got off of Lexapro so I am happy;that WAS HELL! I have major headaches that feel like sinus headaches and tension headaches but no nausea thank goodness. Its been 8 days and I see my dr on Wednesday to talk about should I get back on for my major depression and chronic pain or just continue to wean because that was the plan but instead of cold turkey it was supposed to take 3mons stupid insurance. I am exercising that helps. But the lack of sleep is crazy.
-insomnia
-severe headaches
-dizziness
-loss of focus, can’t hold a conversation very well at all
Out of all this I am glad I am not suicidal like I used to be the feeling of wanting to kill myself and that damn chronic pain. I am just waiting for the depression to come back after all this goes away.
Hi everyone, I am also trying to get off my cymbalta.My story is a little different. About 3 years ago I was having trouble brathing.The dr determined it was all in my head because he said there was nothing wrong with my lungs.I was on Zoloft for depression so he said cymbalta will take care of these “so called breathing issues”.Long story short I had a cancerous tumor in my larynx!!! Got that taken care of and now I am trying to get off cymbalta.It doesnt help with my depression at all.I want to go back on zoloft because that worked!
But here’s how I was told to wean off(different dr of course).Take my 60mg every other day for the first week ,then every 2 days and so on and so on.Thats seams messed up to me??? Like I am f*****ing with my mind.But I am starting to feel better.But I am now on every 3 days.So I will see by my third day???? This is so crazy!!!! Also my dr told me I can start taking my zoloft the second week that it was ok to overlap these meds?? Is that true? I dont trust dr’s anymore! My first week I couldnt get off the couch without having the brain shocks and dizziness.I will repost after a few more weeks to let you all know how it went. Thanks, Maryann
Doug, Well now I have advanced?? to extreme nausea and loose frequent stools…the headaches are less painful, dizziness is still there full on all the time, but insomnia is better. I am sleeping okay now. The nausea sucks though and the stools are time consuming because I feel I am always on the toilet.
I see my doctor tonight to discuss options. I thought the nausea, stools came from food poisoning HA! Then realized that rest of my family is eating everything I am with no need to feel like they are going to throw up and live in the bathroom.
I’ve been on Cymbalta (30 mg) for about a year and I decided I didn’t want to take it anymore. My Dr. said coming off it was easy – one of the few anti-depressants that doesn’t have any withdrawal side effects. So I just stopped taking it about two weeks ago. The first few of days, I felt fine and thought this was going to be a breeze. But three days ago I started having bouts of nausea and dizziness. It sort of came and went. Two days ago I started with the headaches. Today I got up and felt really sick – severe headache, shivers, diarrhea and vomiting. I basically feel rotton. I just found this website, thank God, so now I know why I feel so lousy. I thought I had food poisoning. Haven’t had the brain zaps yet, but can’t wait for that to start. Anyone know how long this nightmare will last???
Mike, Welcome to my world… I am still going through it and I stopped Jan 5. My doctor (a realist) said it will take 3-4 weeks. I trust her because it took me 22 days to fully get off of Lexapro another one they all say that it should be easy as pie to do cessation off of… Today I had a headache so bad I comtemplated going to ER for some pain killer but decided it wasn’t worth the $125 (Cymbalta sent me to the ER already cuz of pain) So I took 5 motrin @ 2pm and I am waiting for relief it is 7:30pm now.
I have been on cymbalta 60 mg. for a little over a year now. It worked well at first but for the past 6 weeks I have had terrible anxiety and nausea. I am going to begin tapering my dose tonight. I read that you can take 7 beads a day out of each capsule until you get down to zero. This should take me about six weeks or so..seems like a long time but I can’t handle the withdrawals that come from stopping this medication. Has anyone tried this? Did it work for you? I will keep you posted on how it works for me..if you are not on cymbalta and considering taking it ..DON’T!! I have been in bed most of the time that I have been on it but didn’t realize how much I was in bed until a couple of days ago. I have been a zombie and I just want my life back.
I want off of Cymbalta and I’m gald I found this website because now I no why I feel so crappy. The fatigue the night sweats, sleeplessness, not able to hold a conversation without my brain freezing and I find myself at a lost of words. I just feel like a Zombie. I have taking it now 6 years and sometimes when I run out of it and am off for 3 or more days I feel awful. I have a 30 day supply that I picked up on friday I think Im going to take it sparingly say every 2 days.
If anyone is out there researching to find out about this drug, Please don’t take Cymbalta it’s not worth it in the long run!
I have been on Cymbalta for 3 days, and i have been telling a slight difference for the better. After, reading these post i am becoming very parinoid. Has anyone had positive things happen from this drug? I am starting to concentrate really well. I need opinions.
Thomas,
Cymbalta was great when I was taking it everyday religiously. I felt wonderful painfree and symptom free from depression. Its when I STOPPED taking it that I find that I am a wreck.
I’m a little concerned, I started taking cymbalta 4 months ago for anxiety. Although Im calmer, I sleep way too much, and Im either constipated or have diarreah. Not to mention how expensive it is. Im gonna come off 60mg daily, the pharmacist says every other day etc…the doc…says reduce mg. I want the eaisist way off, I won’t be able to deal with the dizzies well. And Im worried what it will do to my blood pressure. Im very nervous already just thinking about it….any suggestions….
I’m in day eight of coming cold turkey off this crap. I wouldn’t advise it to anyone. The dizzy spells are torturing, although not getting worse, so maybe that’s a sign i’m getting over the hill. I think these things are highly addictive. Oooo, what was it my doctor said to me? “They’re not addictive, but you can become dependant on them”. I’m pretty sure that’s the exact same thing.
HELLO I HAVE BEEN TAKING CYMBALTA FOR ABOUT 8 MONTHS AND I JUST STOP COLD TURKEY , TODAY IS DAY 2 AND I AM KINDA OF LIGHT HEADED AND I HAVE HAD LOOSE STOOLS– BUT LIKE U I WANT TO DO THIS COLD TURKEY ANY ADVICE–
Hi all, it’s me again and I’m here to tell you that I am FINALLY back to my old self…I’ve been off the Cymbalta now for more than 9 weeks and I guess I haven’t had any more horriable side effects ( brain zaps, diarreah, nausea) for about 3 weeks.
Let me tell you all what I did or should say I took that really helped me… I went to the Health food store and asked for the highest anitoxident that they had which was the Aucai 100 juice.. I took an ounce in the morning and an ounce in the evening…I started feeling better within 2 days … I kid you not…I had energy back, I had mental clarity back, I still had some nausea but nothing like before…the diarreah stopped too. I truly believe that the Aucai 100 juice was what helped… Hey it’s worth a try right?? It helped to rid my body of all the posion that was in there.
I will NEVER recommend Cymbalta to anyone and have become the biggest Advocate against it that you have ever heard…I told my Dr. just what I thought about it and you know what he said???, Well, it’s a miracle drug for some.. I said yeah untill they want to go off it, then it becomes a nightmare drug….
I also contacted the FDA and filled out a form telling them what I was going through, then I called the manifacture and let them have it…They told me I came off it to fast…Ha I didn’t come off it to fast at all. I did just what they told me to do…I also told the manifacture that I felt they didn’t do enough study on how to get people off it before they put it on the market…
So there you have it..It has taken me a good 2&1/2 months to get off it and back to my old self.. So there is a light at the end of the tunnel just stay the course and don’t give in to the thought of just going back on it to stop the side effects!!! Don’t do it… Keep on keeping on you’ll get there and you’ll be glad you stuck it out!!! Go to the Health food store and try the Aucai 100 juice.. It helped me…Good luck…I’ll check in to see how ya’ll are doing. Tell me if anyone else trys the Aucai juice and if it helped them too I’m courious…Ethel
Thank you for this post. I have been off for about 4 weeks…and am feeling better BUT was wondering how long it would take to really feel 100 percent ME… or if I every would feel like myself again. zaps are few and far between (sometimes days go by without a zap)… still irratible…but not as bad. sweating has stopped…hot flashes are mostly gone. my brain feels like mush. BUT ALL better than trying to go off cymbalta without the 2 week help of prozac. that was a great plan by my doc. I also want to encourage people to ween off cymbalta properly. This stuff can really mess you up. I pray that God will help everyone dealing with this withdrawal. it is tough.
thanks for the tips, I find them to be helpful for my begining of this journey
Going to go and get some of that juice now. Will let you know how I go.
Thanks Ethel.
Ethel, I will try that juice too. I am feeling better but anything will help. Also, I was in one of those research studies that is how I got introduced to this drug, Cymbalta. They didn’t give a rats ass about me when it was time to get off. It is so expensive so getting it for free was great then I was left trying to wean off. My dr gave me samples they helped until they were gone. I don’t think they do studies/research on getting off drugs. That is why dr always say it was a “miracle drug” for some. Bull! It was a miracle drug for me until I tried to get off of it. I almost convinced myself I would have to be on Cymbalta for the rest of my life then I am going to a mental health therapist and a separated acupuncturist that tell me everyday I can be free of the symptom of depression and the deal with the root cause WITHOUT DRUGS. I believe them and I am tired of being on antidepressants. I am on a cleanse right now so that Acai Juice will come in handy.
Quincy
Stay the course…. Don’t let anyone get you off course…You can be DRUG free and feel good too…Please let me know how you get along,. I feel so good now and I wonder why I didn’t fo this sooner (yrs.ago) I have been on antidepressants of one kind or another for years; Cymbalta being the last of those..for ever the last…My Dr. tried again to get me on another antidepressant and told him no way…So he’s fine with that too. No more mind altering drugs is what I told him!! Good luck and let me hear from you again soon on your recovery walk…. I hope that Aucai 100 juice helps you ….Ethel
I was given this medication by my so called boyfriend, he would put in my drinks/coffee creamer. I as coming off this cold turkey. Help I need too know what to do. I have all the side effects. Hair coming out, dreams that seems so real, aches in elbow, teeth, pain in jaw. I’m at my son’s trying to get better, not easy any info will help.
please help I have never had any addictions to drugs\Am I being classified as a addicted person
I am also going to try quitting this drug.I was put on this and xanax in July for anxiety and mild depression. I found out how addicting the xanax is when I tried to just stop the 3mg dose and got really sick. So I am slowing decreasing by .25mg a week and it’s going good. I am down to 1.5mg with no ill effects.The reason I came to this website is I noticed an increase in memeory problems and stumbling my words. Last week I drove thru a stop sign and decided this is enough!I am doing the decrease by 20mg (on 60mg dose) and hopefully will avoid horrible side-effects by exercise, colon cleanse and natural supplements. Wish me luck!
I have been coming off Cymbalta for approx. 5 1/2 wks. now. I stopped cold turkey. Yes, Cymbalta worked at first. I noticed many symptoms for beginning Cymbalta had returned when I decided to stop taking it. I have never experienced as many withdrawal symptoms from an antidepressant as this. I fear even taking a few particles from the capsule to ease the withdrawal for fear of going through all this again. I have head aches that make me want to butt my head into the wall. General malaise,not usual for me, at all, dizziness, achey muscles and stomach distress. My guess no one can tell when and if these symptoms will stop. My advice, never take this drug,find something else.
I only took cymbalta for about three months, but I recently started to feel like it wasn’t really helping me much anymore (I actually somewhat question whether it had ever really helped me at all). Since I was almost out of it anyway, I decided not to bother getting any more. It’s only been about a week and a half since I stopped taking it, but I feel like absolute crap. At first I didn’t attribute my ‘sickness’ to withdrawl, because I legitimately had the flu the week before last, but even after I got over the flu stuff, for the last week, I have been feeling nauseous every day, pretty much all day long, I have had horrible indigestion (heartburn, sour stomach, occaisional diarreah), been tired all the time, and am having horrible headaches every day. My husband thinks I’m just making all this up, but I swear I’m not. I don’t even want to eat lately just because I know I’m just going to feel like throwing up no matter what I eat. I couldn’t figure out what the problem could be, then I remembered reading about all the horrible side effects of the Cymbalta (I almsot decided not to start taking it – I now wish I would have stuck to that desision), and remembered some of the posts I’d read discussing withdrawl symptoms. Does anyone have any idea how long these particular symptoms are expected to last? My dosage was 30 mg a day, btw, and I stopped cold turkey.
Traci,
I was just wondering if you are still having the withdrawl symptoms from the cymbalta? I quit 3 days ago *per my dr’s orders* and I am scared these withdrawls are never going to go away after reading all these stories.. SO do you still have them?
Thanks
I have been reading many posts about cymbalta. i too have been on anti depressans for five years now. I can honestly say that my life went from bad to worst. It did nothing but add an extra load of hardship for me. I have had such bad experiences with horrible dr. Dr. who are irresponsible. Like telling me to stop cold turkey. How is that aiding in my recovery? I agree, I too suffered from a long battle of drug and alcohol abuse, and now i have to battle this as well. It’s an awful feeling even after a day or two of not taking it, but I have no choice. I’m really scared i’ll give in, and never escape the clutches of this evil medication, but yes, somehow-someway, this too shall pass.
Well I’m back on here again, to give ya’ll the latest on my progress. I was doing GREAT till last week..Some of the side effects raised their ugly heads and came rainning down on me…What a horrible surprise.. Totally out of the blue… I have been sick to my stomach and throwing up …(& No, I’m not sick with a stomach virus)…This is diffinetly from withdrawel it’s just a different kind of sick, don’t know how to explain it… I also have had a couple of brain zaps again and I’m not sleeping again… I’m real down and depressed…I just can’t imagine that after 6 months of being totally off this stuff that I would have like a little withdrawl relapse…I hope this doesn’t happen often!!! I told my husband that this Cymbaltia has totally , totally, messed up my brain and that I hoped they do something about it for other people….He said well, everyone reacts different and maybe your just one who will be bothered by it forever…OH GREAT..thanks for that thought right??? He meant no harm….He was just sharing “his” thoughts…. Yeiks…So there you have it…I’m still getting side effects..sorry to tell ya’ll that, but thought I should. doen’t be surprised if it happens to you….Ethel
I did not mean to go off my cymbalta, i ran out last Thursday, I am a busy mom so i did not do anything about it over the weekend. But on Sunday just 3 days off I have been having horrible stomach problems, I thought I had food posioning. I also have had the brain shivers, and dizziness. I did not go pick up my RX because I felt so horrible. Now that I have read all these comments I know my body is going into major withdrawls. I only take 20mg a day. I’m horrified to learn how bad things have gotten. I can only imagine how the rest of you must feel taking higher doses of it. You have opened my eyes, i will not allow myself to take a higher dose, but i will try to wean off the medicine as well.
I went to my GP today and asked that I reduce my Cymbalta 60mgs with the aim of eventually becoming drug free. He is of the impression that I need to be on antidepressants for the rest of my life. I disagree. I had a nervous breakdown 18 months ago, have been having regular counselling, and have some very supportive family and friends. By putting a positive routine in place every day, including regularly eating, eating healthy stuff, and exercising a little every day, I am feeling heaps better. I was on Prozac but have been on Cymbalta 60 mgs for six months. Reading some of the comments on this site has helped me to decide that I need to cut down the dose. I will halve the capsule contents and see how it goes. I expect some withdrawals, but know that I can work through them, because there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. I have also been taking fish oil tabs, vitamin B and a multi vitamin every day ( I am a 47 year old working female). I also went to the health food store (the chemist was no help) and purchased “Health Fusions’s stress and anxiety” tabs (abit expensive at $26.95 for 30 tabs, but I take them if I feel a bit jittery and seem to be okay. I feel I have worked hard in therapy to put strategies in place, and now am able to identify triggers, and know that what is in the past needs to stay in the past. I also know (although it is often hard) that I need to just get stuck into things, not think about them too much. Like exercise. Sometimes I lie in bed in the morning thinking I don’t want to go for a walk then think “just do it” and I get out of bed real quick and am walking around the block before I have time to argue with myself. This is made a tad easier by having my Ipod ready at the door, so I can grab it a keep pace with the music.
Anyway, I’m just sharing some of the things that have helped me, hoping that they might help others. I know, having lived most of my life and some of my depression and anxiety without emotional support, that we all need to be true to ourselves, and this can be hard. I will be slicing capsules in the morning and will let you know how it goes. To all of you fighting with depression, anxiety, withrawals and life’s general crap (not to say that life is crappy!!), keep well, follow your gut feeling, and keep supportive people around you, even if it is via a website.
So I have been on cymbalta for three weeks now. The doc I saw weaned me off lexapro and put me on cymbalta at the same time. I just upped my dose of cymbalta 3 days ago to 60 mg. I feel horrible. I got up this morning, got in the shower and the tears just poured on and on. It has been so bad that I have been terrified of staying at home alone with my five month old daughter. I have constant brain zaps and I feel completely depressed (which I did NOT before this medicine). I am dizzy all the time, have to force myself to eat, and all I want to do is sleep to make “it” pass. This is horrible. To make things worse, my doc is out of the country….i am going to see a new doc tom., I just don’t know if I should take a pill tonight or not?!?!? I’m terrified!!!!
I started taking cymbalta abut a year and a half ago. The latest attempt at coping with “generalized anxiety” disorder. After 6 months of taking 60mg a day I was found to have diabetes. Since I had taken effexor for 3 years prior to that, I wasn’t sure if that may have caused it. I know it could be from something other than ssri’s but but it seems like many others have experienced the same rise in blood glucose after a while on these meds. I am currently weaning myself off of the cymbalta and am taking 1 every other day as of 4 days ago. I do have the elevator head/ brain jello effect and have noticed a higher level of crankiness. I may be irritable because I just want to know if I can ever live an adjusted life without the use of meds. I like the idea some of you spoke about the cleansing and the anti-oxidents. That makes sense and I am going to look into that. I also am interested in a natural health food product that can take the place of ssri’s for anxiety. We just have to be so careful because many of these health and natural remedies do not require fda regulation. Of course ssri’s require fda approval and look at the many stories of negative experiences with these products! Will check back later and I truly, truly wish you all the gift of health and easy healing!
I’ve had chronic pain in my back for a few years now and as a result, I tend to get depressed. My doctor told me that Cymbalta was a good choice for me so I’ve been taking it for about 2 years. Within a week, I felt better. The level of pain was reduced and I found myself singing and feeling happy for the first time since I hurt my back. I was already on medicine for high blood pressure and didn’t know that Cymbalta would increase my BP even more. My doctor doubled the dosage of BP medicine and added a 2nd pill to help stabilize it. I take pain medicine, a muscle relaxer and Synthroid because I had thyroid cancer. I stopped singing a while back & about a month ago, I started to sweat profusely. I never had that happen before so I talked to my doctor & was advised that it could be hot flashes. Since then, I’ve had extreme muscle aches & noticed a loss of concentration. I figured the problems were being caused by the Synthroid because it was the only thing new in the equation. What finally caught my attention was when I went to the store to pick up my refill, the pharmacist gave me a print out saying that the combination of medication I was taking could cause psychosis. I started doing research & found out that most of my symptoms are caused by the Cymbalta. I’ll take the brain zaps & dizziness in exchange for the temporary happiness.
This is refreshing to hear people helping each other get off of this stuff. I just wanted to say I have been on this drug for years because of rheumatoid arthritis. I have spent the past 3 years doing extensive research on diseases such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, diabetes 1 & 2, AIDS, heart, and depression among many others. I found the main thing in common with ALL disease is diet and spirituality (or self love) so I am in the process of doing an overhaul on my life I feel like for the first time in a very long time I feel hopeful. I am converting to a completely RAW FOOD diet. I have been on it about 2 weeks and I already feel 20 again. My RA symptoms are almost gone its crazy I wish someone would have told me this so long ago. Anyway I want to share this here to help. I am now trying to wean off this evil cymbalta…EXTREMLEY difficult. I feel as if I am having a heart attack, dizzy , trouble breathing, its scary. i am on 30 mg now and want to go off but the side affects are tough.. anyway if anyone has any addvice please share….thanks!
I too have RA with fibromyalgia.I never knew that cymbalta was actually prescribed for RA? Or is it? Anyway, I have been on effexor since 2003 and was then put on cymbalta 30 mg which seemed to do alright for a while. Then I was put on the 60 mg and everything changed. Nightsweats, nightmares (strong and vivid), felt euphoric but made a lot of financial mistakes feeling that way. I started clenching my teeth worse than before and then started sucking my jaws in while I was asleep and would bite down on them. My dentist showed me all the sores in my mouth caused from biting my jaws at night. At the present time, I have been weaning off of the 60; however, I jumped to the 30 mg and then started by taking it everyday, then everyother day, etc. I have only been doing this for 3 weeks and I am going through pure “hades.” I have cussed more people out than I have in my life (that is a terrible thing to say but it is true); if I drive, I am having road rage so I try not to. I have been sleeping quite a bit and I have brain woozes (I call them) along with knocking. I thought Woody Woodpecker had come to visit and it was frightening to know that it was coming from my brain. I am anxious, irritable, nervous and my blood pressures goes up and down but my pulse rate is staying high. I can’t read because everything is blurry although I have noticed that my eyes are not as drying coming off of cymbalta. Just thought I would post something because I was astonished when I got to this site and found out that I was experiencing what so many others were. I have been on antidepressants most of my life and have NEVER experience anything this difficult to wean off of. Also, I wanted to let some people know that if they absolutely have to stay on the drug, just because there isn’t a generic in the USA doesn’t mean that there is not one other places. Look up http://www.canadadrugs.com and you will find that there are generics and if you have to stay on a certain drug, then you will find that the price difference is about 3 to 1. I also pay for my own medications and although my doctors have kept me in samples for the most part, I have had to go there to order some things and have had no trouble. My doctor told me it was the exact same thing. Anyway, I got off the subject and didn’t mean too but I also know how expensive it is to buy cymbalta in the US. Anyway, I really just wanted to relay that I too was having difficulty weaning off of them and really won’t know if I will have to go back on anything until this process is over. I haven’t known my true self in at least 6 years and would like to see if I can handle life without antidepressants. If I can’t, then I don’t know. We will just have to see but I refuse to go on cymbalta 60mg ever again!
Hey everyone…
Well it’s been a couple of months since I’ve posted. Last post I said I had a mini relapse of the withdrawel symptoms. That was the only one I had since then all’s well in my physcial body, except that in my last blood test it showed I had to many red blood cells..Not sure if this is the same as others that have posted about their blood work??? I’d love to hear from you about it. Also my mind is still not back to it’s normal self. I have crazy thoughts that go through my head and I’m more depressed than I used to be. I’m able to decern so that’s a good thing, as long as I know that these thoughts are not normal then i can fight them. I WILL NOT ever go on another anti depressant or mind altering drug so don’t even suggest it…Well just an update hope you others are feeling physicaly better too. Love to know how your doing mentaly too…Ethel
I have been taking Cipralex for 1 month (5mg) and I feel worse than before. I suffer from S.A.D. and I am now weening myself off of this drug. I am taking up meditation and may even start going to a church. (I know, I know anyways…..)
I know I WILL beat this thing the sad thing is I know there is people out there who really need help. I have family support and a very close friend who is there for me., even though when i was drinking one evening I got mad and almost hurt him. DO NOT DRINK WHEN TAKING CIPRALEX……..NOT AT ALL. I ALMOST KILLED A PERSON.
Luckily this friend forgave me (25yr friendship) and now I do not drink at all. (I was a weekend drinker only…….not much)
DO YOUR HOMEWORK PEOPLE WHEN TAKING THIS STUFF……….AND THERE IS NATURAL HERBS U CAN USE – SEREDYN & ALSO OXYTOCIN try these instead. If needed in the future I will ………and natural is the ONLY way I will go.
YOU C A N BEAT THIS !! Lov from Toronto Canada
Gosh thought i’d check in again to see how everyones doing…Seems we have a whole bunch of newbies to this place…Scary isn’t it??? I have been off Cymbalta since novemeber of 08..Well at least that’s when i decided to go off it with my drs. help i might add. I have to say the physcial effects have all deminished but I have not been able to get a real grip on my mind…I’m wondering if others are experiencing this too? I feel like I’m about to crack up…Everything is so overwhelming to me EVERYTHING from the stupidest things…I can’t handle any stress in the least…I have withdrawn into my self and to tell you the truth I feel like i’d like to just run….I have weird thoughts at times and I think who have i become??? where is the girl i used to be??/ I used to be happy go lucky …my son said yesterday, Mom what is wrong with you? What is up with you? your not yourself…I said I don’t know and yes i know i’m not myself…i could cry at the least little thing…I’m depressed that i know but i will not go back on antidepressents…I feel their what has caused all this to begine with…I won’t do drugs or alochol.. so i try to deal with this every day. anyone out there having this too? After being off Cymbalta for at least 6-9 months? I’d love to hear form you if you are and what you are doing about it…Thanks…Ethel
Ethel, Its called depression. I’ve been off of cymbalta since Feb ’09. I too have the same issues you have. I know its the depression rearing its ugly head. Try exercise, getting out, keeping stress low as low as possible, also stay away from high simple carbs (sugary stuff, breads, pasta) or keep carbs fairly moderate to low. You can stay of meds but your life will never be as it was before the depression. I know it because this is my life now. I struggle everyday with not going back to how it was in deep depression. I can take this but not being able function and my kids seeing me cry everyday was hard. Now I still cry but I can now at least take showers and fix my hair brush my teeth unlike it was when I was in the major depression. I hope you feel better. Take it slow. It is not the cymbalta now its just depression. Read noondaydemon when you can lots of stories of depression. I chose not to take meds after the cymbalta and I had to stop working, socializing but I can take care of my kids and myself and I think that is the best thing ever that I am still alive and I didn’t kill myself like I wanted to so many times. I wish you well.
Ethel, I hate the cymbalta too, I am on my 3rd day of the withdrawls from quitting cold turkey.. But there are other meds out there that wont make you feel so shitty after quitting them. I have taken prozac, lexapro, paxil, wellbutrin, trazadone, and effexor and those didnt give me ANY withdrawls when I quit them. .. well except for the effexor.. The effexor sucks like the cymbalta.. I think its just these new meds the DR’s love to shove down everyones throats.. If I were you I would try the first ones I wrote about.. They actually do work.. They worked great on me, until they found out I was bi polar as well and wanted to change it all up.. They also have Abilify out now which can help you with depression if taking one of those meds I mentioned above.. I wouldnt trust the effexor or cymbalta though.. But if you have depression, somtimes its NOT best to go without any meds at all.. You need to find a good balance so you are not having the chemical embalance in your brain. Good luck
Try doing vipassana?
My psychiatrist took me off Cymbalta 30 milligrams once daily *cold turkey* to put me on Lamical for depression and bipolar. It has been 3 days and right about now I hate her. I am miserable. I feel like I have been ran over by a bus, my head feels like its going to roll off my shoulders and my legs are like rubberbands. I have been crying for the past 7 hours.. and I mean balling my eyes out over nothing. Everything feels hopeless and I dont give a crap about anything right now. I just want to feel better and I am extremely pissed that she took me off cold turkey instead of weaning me off.. This is a serious medication and people should be aware of the affects of coming off of it. The only solution my psychiatrist had when I called her today was she gave me a RX for 4 *four* prozac pills to take away the withdrawls.. I am beginning to think she is fking retarded. What are four pills going to do when I am going out of my mind and people are having months of withdrawl symptoms after quitting the cymbalta.. I think tonight I am going to the ER before I end up losing my mind completely. All of this extreme crying and panic attacks is rediculous now that I see she could’ve lowered my doses and weaned me off.. What a bit**.
……Think my head is swimming all the time. It’s been a couple of week since I been with it. I have been waiting on my meds from the company, I get them on the assistance program. Cymbalta helped some for my fibro for the last few years. I have given up having a full filling sex life, had the sweats, summer is always horrible, and other no so lovey experiences with the drug. I am now experiencing all these horrible symtoms everyone is reporting. Since I am so far into not having any cmybalta, and after reading about all the horrible things, I gonna continue to ween myself off. Hoping to get my life and mind back. I think cymbalta has a lot of “skeletons in the closet” and I think all us suffers need to let the public know about this. There not enought info or testing about the side effects of this drug. I think cymbalta better be saving up for some lawsuits down the road. Don’t think I want be the first one to sign up. MY prayers to everyone, stay strong.
Sorry for my off wording in my comment…..as ya’ll know, my mind ain’t all here these days………..
Oh people of cymbalta withdrawal,
I am one of you – I am so pissed right now…mad at myself, for taking the pills, mad at the NP for prescribing them – NO ONE should take this crap. I have only moderate depression, not suicidal, functioning, etc., and my therapist talks me into believing I have been depressed my whole life and that maybe anti-depressants will help. Started in May on Lexapro – all I wanted to do was sleep ALL the time, until night-time, and then my brain wouldn’t shut off. So then I was prescribed Ambien to help me sleep and I started to feel like the old lady that swallowed the fly.
Anyway, the Lexapro made me so sleepy, that when the NP said to double the dose (and it was EXPENSIVE!!!), I did for a couple of days and then said no way, I can’t live like this – before I was on any medication I was getting up and going to the gym 3x a week and now all I do is sleep. So the NP talked me into switching to cymbalta – oh dear god!
I wish I had never started taking the stupid drug – I am in Hell. The first thing I noticed was a constant low grade headache – all the time, even on the 30mg. And my sleep was still disrupted. After 2 weeks the NP told me to go up to 60mg. I did, stupidly, because she suggested to me that I was being overly sensitive about the side effects. I only took 60 mg for 4 days, and could not stand the side effects – seriously, how is anyone supposed to be happy with the dizziness, nausea, and headaches? So I quit taking them, about two weeks ago – and even though I was on the medication for less than 3 weeks, I got so sick, I had to call the NP, in tears, because I could not handle feeling so crappy – I mean, I have a job, I need to be able to work, and I had been sick for days – brain was jello, constant headache, nausea, diarrhea, hot and cold flashes, vertigo….I could not function, all because of some stupid drug I shouldn’t have been on in the first place.
I stopped the 60mg dose on Sept. 27. I had to take a 30 mg capsule on the 1st of October because I could not handle the sickness….and now I am taking 15 mg every other day or every three days – but I want off so bad…I feel pissed because I was on it for such a short period of time, I shouldn’t have such bad withdrawal symptoms, but I do, and now I have to keep taking a drug that makes me feel bad to keep me from feeling worse. What a sick thing that is to do to someone.
All I want is to feel like my old self again. The melancholy I can handle, because at least I felt physically well and I could do all the things I wanted to do – now, it’s a struggle just to get out of bed in the morning.
This drug should be pulled from the market. Or only used as a last, last resort. I was not told about the potential intensity of the side effects. It’s awful.
southgoing,
Don’t be angry at yourself. You did what we all did. We started taking the meds because we THOUGHT it would make us feel better…gives us something we thought we were missing. Did it feel like the story about the sage and the goat? Do you feel better after getting rid of the med goat? Do you appreciate your life more? I know I do. I have LOTS of issues but I feel I have less now that I am med free. I think meds made me feel MORE suicidal.
Here is the story from Noonday Demon: The first story is that there was once was a poor family that lived in misery and squalor, nine of them sharing one room. No one had enough to eat, everyone’s clothes were in rags and their life was one of utter, unrelenting misery. Finally one day the man of the house set off to visit the sage and said to him, “Great sage, we are so miserable that we can barely stay alive. The noise is terrible, and the filth is awful, and the lack of privacy could kill a person. We never have enough to eat, and we are all beginning to hate one another. Things are just horrendous. What should we do?†The sage replied simply, “You must get a goat and have the goat live inside the house with you for one month. Then your problems will be solved.â€
The man looked at the sage in astonishment. “A goat? You want us to live with a goat?†But the sage insisted, and since he was a very wise sage, the man did as he had been told. For the next month, the hellish life of this man’s family was beyond intolerable. The noise was worse; the filth was worse; there was nothing remotely resembling privacy; there was nothing to eat since the goat kept eating everything; and there were no clothes because the goat ate everyone’s clothes as well. The rancor in the house became explosive. At the end of the month, the man returned to the sage in a fury: “We have lived for one month with a goat in our hut,†he said. “It has been horrendous. How could you have given us such ludicrous advice?â€
The wise man nodded sagely and said, “Now get rid of the goat and you will see how peaceful and sublime your lives are.â€
HI quincy,
well, that’s true. It is a goat. A nasty, stinky goat.
I am still working to get off the medication – I would quit cold turkey if I knew I would only be sick for a couple of days – but I don’t think anyone can tell me that for sure – my plan is to go as long as I can without any, then take as low a dose as I can…I spent an hour this morning dividing the capsules into 12mg, 10 mg, 8mg, and 6 mg doses.
I do value my “old” life, my old self, more now. I mean, yes, I was mildly depressed, but god, at least I had energy to do things, at least I could sleep through the night, at least I didn’t have a headache ALL the time.
I guess I am mad at myself because the decision to go on meds went against my better judgment – I succumbed to the idea that a pill mihgt fix what was “wrong” with me. Bad idea.
But thank you for your comments, it’s nice to know I am not alone in this, at the very least, although I am sorry anyone else has to go through this.
Oh my Gosh, I am so glad I found this site. I tried to get off my 60 mg cymbalta one am and one pm. 120 mg a day. two days ago cold turkey, was fine well, went to work today . I am nauseated, dizzy, having terrible dreams, shaking like crazy and feel like I have a tense unit on my whole body. While on I had no sex drive. I feel like my brain is not mind, what the hell. I just took one, hopoe I start feeling better. I will start doing one a day for a week then half the capsule, like some have said for a week, then half that for a week. I am drinking gallon water a day, help clean my system out. Oh my gosh, do not take if you are not on yet, what the crap, can not spell or think right.
Wow, it is so nice to know that I am not alone whilst going through the dramas of getting off Cymbalta. Starting the drug I thought would be the answer to the anxiety and mild depression I suffered, however now I feel worse than how I felt before I started. After talking to some friends and my boyfriend who have all been supportive of me, they all said that they have noticed the difference whilst I have been on this drug. No positives at all!! So I have decided to stop it cold turkey. Today is day three of me not taking the regular dose of 60mg per day.. My heads spinning, im in a daze, I feel sick, just like most of you who have written in expressing their side effects. I dont want to “ween” off as I am petrified that taking one more “happy pill” will only make me consider that I should do so everytime I have a weak moment of what I am now understanding to be “withdrawals”. I am scared that I am damaging my brain, my body and the people who love me and that not following the proper precautions will only make me and the situation worse, I was at a loss as to what to do. However I have found you all and now know that there are people out there who can relate. I will keep a regular post of my attempt to get off this nightmare of a drug. Thank you to all of you for you insight and honesty. Ethel and Quincy – you guys rick and I hope all works out for you both!! Cheers
I have been off of cymbalta now for just a week. I have had the brain shocking noise in my head and ears, the frequent and loose stools and I am having headaches off and on. I teach and I now notice I try to retrieve a word and it isn’t there. That is all so scary. I went on Cymbalta a year and a half ago after being told by a psych. that my Lexapro wasn’t holding my depression.
I was going through a terrible divorce for a year. I hate the day I started Cymbalta. I haven’t been on anything in my life for depression. I gained twenty pounds on this crap and I also have the sweating thing dispite of being mostly through menopause.
I agree with many of you this should not be on the market.
I thank those of you who told us to take a natural substance to rid the body, I will do that. Am I afraid of the next few days, weeks and God forbid months to get this out of my body Yes a million times. I hope I can drive safely cause I too have moments where I may not stop when I should. I do know that if something happens to me my family will come back on the manufacturer of this product.Good luck to all of you and I will keep you in my prayers.
I suffer from rsd and was put on cymbalta for nerve pain. At 60 mg a day. I was on cymbalta for only 2 months when I started having low grade fever, and the worst all over body rash and itching you could imagine. The doctors came to the conclusion that I had developed an allergic reaction to the cymbalta. Needless to say I had to get off that crap. Its now been 2 weeks and after getting off the cymbalta cold turkey, today is the first day I didnt feel like I was going to die. I can tell you, I still have the rash nothing seems to be helping that, and low grade fever comes and goes. It just goes to show how long this drug stays in your system. However, I had motion sickness so bad that I couldnt even look at a tv. sick to my stomache all the time. I could not even get out of bed the first 10 days or the room would spin. I couldnt even make it to my doctors appointments because I was so sick. and I cried hysterically for days. This was the worse withdrawl I had ever had. I Treat everyone around me with actual hate in my eyes, I dont think ive said a kind word in weeks to anyone and I dont seem to be able to control what comes out of my mouth.I cant believe these withdrawl symptoms arent put as a warning on the phamphlet, so that the doctors can be made aware. This is wrong and its hard to get people and doctors to believe what you are going thru when there is nothing to back you up.
Wow ! Everyone and this site Thank- You
bunches for posting your information,
It does help so many others
I really needed your info today,
It has been more than 2+ weeks now -0- ,
after taking Cymbalta daily for 3years,
Now I am asking / saying to myself
I don’t need this Cymbalta med, If I’m depressed
I will fix it myself……. I’m ok.. bla, bla…
A difinite wake up brain call thing for me.
My mind does not stop… can’t concentrate, focus or complete any one project.
Sometimes, that has been in a good way, other times….
I feel I am a big mental case>> ?
Yet, (As I would say to anyone saying the same, as I posted.
Is just an excuse… There are No excuses:
Get on with it and get it done…. whatever)
Almost 50, now duhhh My mom had thing since 16,
Always, I have said no way not understanding then,
I’m good stable etc.
Really, I do think many people although maybe other issues etc during their life.
Many People really do have (speaking for myself only) do
have some type of chemical imbalance, we are all not perfect
Vitamins, doob, diet, foods maybe> I have no idea..
As a kidd and even today…..
I always wanted to be anywhere or feel anything but straight.
Thanks everyone for your posts and great information, I am sure it took a lot of
courage to even share your info and write it.
Cymbalta versus ? ……..
Respectfully,
Kim
Indiana, USA
Hey,
I am now off of Cymbalta for two weeks now and I really am doing better than I thought. I still have the brain zaps and I get a little down, but I must say facing 23 first graders each day, my loving husband who I don’t see but on week-ends and prayer has helped sooo much.
I never picked up my last perscript. for my Cymbalta. I still need to call and leave a message for my Dr. that I will not be seeing him. I hate to say it but, that is how the docs get you back by getting you on the meds.
Well, I hope everyone can hang on and keep the faith.
Hi Teacher,
Been off cymbalta for 8 days today, it was using it for fibromyalgia pain(buzz, brain zap), i was not depressed with my pain just in pain but a functional pretty much happy person. Know i am just extremely depressed, have crying spells, diarrhea, vomiting, uncontrolable anger, i have never call in for my job and i have not be able to work for 5 days. I hope this will go away i have never feel so miserable. Lets all fill the complaint to the FDA. They should disclose all this withdrawl symptoms, the last bottle i bought i was reading side effects and says nausea, vomiting and dizziness if it was just that.
Vane,
So sorry to hear of all of your pain. Fibromyalgia runs in my family too.
I probably to have it but it isn’t severe. How long have you been on the Cymbalta? I have been on it for a year and a half and the highest dose was 60 mg. I then was cut to 30 for a year. I then went off cold turkey.
I recently broke a bone off in my foot and I have had alot of pain with that and almost every joint hurts along with my skin when I put on lotion. I don’t know if it is the withdrawal or fibro maybe entering my life. I went back on my natural remedies, like Glucosimine and vitamins. I took one day off for the cymbalta thing cause after reading everyone’s problems I was scared what would happen. Thank God I haven’t had the vomiting , I do cry more easily and am emoitional.
I hope all goes better for you.
i have only been on 30 mg fpr 6 days and i can’t stand it…all i do is sleep and i’m groggy…just not myself…called my pharmacist and she said to skip a day…but i think i’ll open the capsule…even though it’s only been 6 days…i just don’t like the way i feel and what i’m reading…i hope you guys feel better…i have arthritis and the insurance company keeps denying epidurals…so the pain and the stress has me a mess…so two doctors recommended this medication…i think i’d rather endure the pain at this point…thanks for your posts…
I started taking effexor in dec 08 and immediately began to feel better. I had gone through a divorce after being married for only a short time. (Wellbutrin did nothing for me, tried that first). I had a successful year on effexor (150) and decided in sept 09, with the help of my dr. and therapist, to begin coming off of it. I really felt I had gotten to a place where I didn’t need it, and frankly just could not lose the weight I had put on and that really upset me. I was able to very successfully come off the med by tapering it – decreasing the dose month by month. I was SO SCARED I would have the withdrawel symptoms that so many people have had but thankfully I did not have that. I think it’s because I went so slowly and allowed my body to adjust to the decreased dosage over a one month period of time. I took my last pill on Jan 16 2010. That first week was a little difficult but I really did not have the withdrawel symptoms and was so pleased with that.
In the last 2 weeks or so I have had trouble getting up in the morning and have had an overall decrease in my mood and energy. Of course there are external factors that I’m working on, but in the past few days it’s really been hard for me to do anything and now I’m considering going back on the medicine. It will break my heart if I feel that’s what I need to do, because I did the work coming off of it.
Has anyone else experienced this? Where they were on it, came off of it successfully, and now feel they want to go back on the med?
Wow…I am so glad that I found this site. It is nice to know that I am not alone. I am curious to know if anyone who had weight gain with the Cymbalta, did the weight come off after getting off of Cymbalta? I was thin all of my life and gained about 20 lbs. in 6 weeks and finally stabilized about 40 lbs. more than usual. I need to get the weight off and I am tired of taking the expensive med. Thank you.
Hi talkng about weight gain and loss, i think it depends on what you are eating strach and crbs cause the gain, i dont think cymbalta has any effect on this..i am 33 yrs and was 285lbs six months ago..diabetic..high BP…i changed my diet completely.. i am on protein shakes for 2 meals and a balanced bread/lots of stir fry veg/and meat protein..swimming in the evening..i have also reduced cymbalta from 60mg daily to 30mg every 3 days..Ok it is hard..but it is helping me..i am 240lbs now..hope this helps..please share experience with amen_xu@hotmail.com. it will help:-)
I have been taking 60mg for 3 to 4 years notice sex drive was off and I was placed on this as a trail for my MS. I have not seen that DR. for years and all the others just keep refilling it??? I have never been depressed to crazy for that and to busy. Notice issues with speech and thoughts and I am just tired of taking this stuff ( I will be polite)
I am about to stop while I have 7 pills left, after reading the withdrawals I am concerned. I am a big guy 6’3″ and 260 lbs. I wonder if it would be easy to stop it since it was for pain. I am taking Suboxone for pain and at the minimum dose 2mg 3 times a day.
I honestly take enough meds as it is and I am stopping this, I have to take testosterone gel because my levels are low. I was told pain meds will cause this, and maybe the Cymbalta is contributing to this?
Next move is to call my DR and inform the staff I am done with it. I need a refill to stop slowing like the most of you did. I think for now every other day for starters. If I have a symptom I always blame it on the MS. I will keep in touch. Wish me luck.
Larry D.
Mothers Day the worse I ever felt 2 days without Cymbalta and I took a pill. I think dying would be easier right now. I feel like I am about to vomit and dizzy almost like my MS is flared I hope not. I have been doing 0ne pill every other day since the 29th and then 2 days without was yesterday. Why do I feel so good on the days I do not take it and so bad when I do???
DR. wants a visit will not discuss any other way (ass hole) Can’t close eyes and feel comfortable this stuff is a curse!
I greatly appreciate all of the tips. I was determined to get off of Cymbalta. I went from 60 to 30 for two weeks. Then I opened the 30 capsule and made, approximately, a 20 capsule and did that for a week. Next 15 for a week, then 10 and I am FINALLY FREE!!! Yes, I did have some periods of being more emotional than before, but as a working, mom in her 40s with fibromyalgia, that is not unexpected and at least the emotions are really. I still get slightly dizzy at times, but not bad. I had forgotten my 60 mg/day Cymbalta for a 2 day trip and the dizziness and headaches were just incapacitating. Thank you all for the encouragement and good advice. I am sleeping better and deeper than I had in years. I also don’t get as tired during the day. I was taking Cymbalta for my fibromyalgia and I do experience a bit more joint pain, but I am working on taking supplements, getting proper exercise, and taking Tylenol when needed. A little joint pain does not compare, for me, for the expense and other side effects of Cymbalta. I have not had a significant weight loss yet. I had gained 20 lbs. in 6 weeks when I started and then increased to a total of 40 lbs. over 6 months. I have only been Cymbalta free for 2 weeks. Still hoping for improvement in that area.
Congrats gator Gal,
I figure after the day I had it’s time to open the pill and cut in half. How long have you been on it???
I think for me 4 years for my MS since I take a SUBOXONE for constant MS pain I know I do not need this ( cymbalta). Suboxone is normally used for people who addicted to Opids but can be used in long time pain management. I have a very active life even with the MS. Just about finished my house remodel.
I curse the day they started the Cymbalta. Today was like having a monster MS attack. I was able to eat some Mac and cheese 8 pm sure some of the feeling was being hungry but when the stomach will not let you eat what can you do.
If it makes anyone feel better, I am starting to feel better. It took a year. No medications for 6 months about. I made dietary changes, lifestyle changes and I am still making more changes. I have taken antidepressants since 1998 consistently until this point. So I feel pretty good but I eliminated alot of stress out of my life (working less that 10hrs a week, not socializing etc). I am still struggling with sleep issues but I feel hopeful which is a change. I will start seeing a counselor soon. Cymbalta withdrawal was hellish but it will end…one day.
Well I am a dizzy as hell again I f”ing hate the drug! I have taken my last refill and open up the capsule I freaked look like a million little dots of hell in a 60mg tablet. No way to count it out so I just pour out what I hope is half hold it up to the light and took I hope 30 mg for a week and all went well but today real dizzy, could it be staying up so late 3 am and I took a shower this morning. Remember I have MS and it makes me very heat sensitive and an hour later the nausea started with the dizziness. I will take a Valium for ear ringing and dizzy spells for my MS I rarely have to take it one pill every 3 weeks. So I just took a Valium and 3 days to go and I will cut down the capsules to I hope 15mg and keep going. There is no turning back all this for pain management go figure. I look back over the several years I have been taking this poison and all the side affects I blamed on my MS and so do all the doctors. Hell the DR I see now has no reason why I am taking the stuff but yet he wrote the script for the past 1 1/2. Now that I want to quit it for all the above reasons and the cost he is no help this is plain crazy. Where is a lawyer when you need one LOL. Seems like most the folks stop posting, I wish some would check back in for an update. No one should feel this bad. Hang in there my friends one day at a time I will report at the next level. I hope this helps somebody to ween off better. Just not a lot of info how to ween off. Hope this works for me. I may feel shitty but I still do my chores around the house. Remember I have been on this for about 5 yrs for pain management lol what a joke it causes more discomfort NOT RELIEF.
Hi,
My name is Anne and I’ve been in recovery for 21 years. I’ve been taking prozac and elavil foe 18years and (for depression and migraines) decided to get off the drugs and take 5htp (a natural serontin inhibitor). I am experiencing the worst rage and angst I have ever felt in my life. I am also going through menapause I have been told. Is there anyone out there that is experiencing extreme withdrawel for prozac and elavil?? If so could you please email me at aesutton50@yahoo.com or on this website. Any suggestions would be most welcome. Thank you
I take 90mg cymbalta and yesterday it was like it just quit working. I had some old bad bad memories brought up and i had anxiety attack and all kind of confusion. The headaches, no libido,sweating and nausea I thought was caused by something else. I want help so bad but dont know what to do. I have an appt with a psychiatrist in the middle of october but until then what do i do. I have been to two drs and when you tell them how you really feel then they want you to go to a psychiatrist. I have no desire to do anything but sit here. I keep getting tingling in hands, head, legs. Its a mess. I am glad to see that other people have similar problems.
I have been taking 30mg of Cymbalta for approx 6months for Fibromyalgia, which without doubt assisted with joint pain.
I too have experienced the side affects as listed which are without doubt very tough and I have also experienced withdrawals
and side effects from a number of other drugs, however none this severe.
I am now at day 7 and am feeling a lot better and more hopeful.
I am taking Melatonin, fish oli, a good multi vitamin, CQ10, motion sickness tablets and now St Johns Wort and you cannot take this natural substance when
you are taking antidepresants. I was also taking pain killers for the skull cracking headaches which are now not so severe. I also went cold turkey as I if I was going to have to endure side effects I didn’t want to
prolong the agony. It has been a tough ride to say the least however I am very positive about my decision which helps, as
each day I am closer to being Cymbalta free.
I don’t have anything monumental to say other than it is certainly a experience that has only made me stronger
As I am now more determined than ever to stay away from such drugs and look towards more alternative therapies and I too
have tried many. Yoga and meditation helps…not that yoga or any exercise was managable this week.
It’s high time Eli Lily were held accountable for the misery & damage this wretched drug causes. Is anyone considering a class action? I’m in Australia & was prescribed it for depression about 18 months ago by a posse of Psychs at a teaching hospital. I was told it was the new “Prozac” & would work wonders & no, it’s safe & non addictive… What a crock!!! Cymbalta has ruined my life in so many ways & now I am incontinent because it has fried my nerves so I can’t feel when my bladder is full. My body buzzes day & night, I sweat like a hog – especially my head, my ears are filled with fluid, I can’t see properly, I have painful arthritic flare ups in all my joints and look like a puffer fish on bad smack. My depression got much much worse and it gave me manic highs & suicidal thoughts. The drug has socially isolated me. Then there’s the migraines, burning stomach, nausea, inability to feel anything emotionally & zero interest in sex. I’m told there is no actual weaning program offered by the manufacturers – which should be downright illegal if they are marketing such an insidious drug – that goes for all meds. Doctors should not buy into the clever hype (or take the kickbacks/golfing weekends) and check that there is a tried & tested weaning program before prescribing such shit as Cymbalta – or give it a whirl themselves then they’d see what we are all left to deal with. It may benefit some small percentage of the population as long as they never need to get off it in a hurry. I’m down to 30mg a day which is the lowest dose my GP says exists here, so reading other posts about 20mg was a shock to me. I can’t even get gel caps to halve the dose to 15mg and so on for self tapering. The GP is pissed I’m taking charge of this. If I miss a pill, boy do I know about it! The zaps start and I lose balance with the dizziness. It’s like mini black outs. The trick is to walk slowly and make no sudden moves & forget bending down. Bloody great as I have advanced osteoporosis too and cannot afford to break any more bones. Living alone and coming off this stuff is like playing Russian roulette. I feel like Cymbalta is killing me and I am so toxic. I’ve decided to try cold turkey to see how far I can get – I am 2 days into it. The depression feels better already despite the zaps and even if I know they can last for months – at this point – I’m going to try & stick to my guns. I have no idea if the damage to my nervous system will ever heal, so please pray for me and everyone who is going thru this nightmare. Thanks so much for having this thread out there – the world needs to know about Cymbalta – the soul thief. Don’t be a lab rat like me – the more you take over a long period, the harder the detox. Sorry for the long rant – I feel heard for the first time.
Blessed be.
This is GatorGirl again. It has been almost 6 months Cymbalta free and I am MUCH better. The weight is coming off too. With the grogginess of the Cymbalta I ate a lot to try to stay awake. I don’t have the desire to eat as much. I eat regular food and snacks, but I got on the scale recently and had dropped 10 pounds. Just like it came on quickly and unexpectedly, it is finally dropping off. I also appreciate not having the sweatiness. My scalp used to sweat so much that I had to use special shampoo. My sleeping is SO much better. With fibromyalgia, quality sleep is essential to letting your body try to heal itself. With the Cymbalta, the twitches would keep me from getting to deep sleep. With the improved sleep, my fibromyalgia is so much better. I found an herbal sleep aid that has helped too and it is inexpensive. It is called Calms Forte. I have found it in Walgreens and it is on-line at Drugstore.com and Vitacost.com. It is amazing that the medical community is so ignorant. Absolutely, the only person who can really take care of you is you. I have been researching and trying to do as many natural things that I can do. Doctors don’t get bonuses for prescribing herbs, just the drugs. Also, I used to use a lot of aspartame (Nutrasweet). I am completely off that and use the natural stevia (Truvia, Pure Via packets, liquids available through Vitacost, the vanilla creme is great in coffee). I think getting off of the chemical sweetners has helped. I had read an article (I can’t remember where) that suggested that fibromyalgia could be partially caused by aspartame.
Good luck to all of you. It is not easy to ween yourself off of Cymbalta, but hang in there and keep trying. You can feel better.
UPDATE:
Forget the cold turkey. I didn’t get past day 3…
Now, I’m removing 10 granules from inside the capsules per day for a month and so on. Take them out with tweezers. It’s going to take ages, but I could not stand the neuro backlash this drug causes. It’s a menace to wean off of and staying on it is killing me. I wish I had never been sold the idea by ill-informed Doctors it would help me. It’s done nothing but exacerbate symptoms. I hope I will not suffer permanent damage from Cymbalta – it’s too soon to tell. Good luck everyone.
I am starting the downward titration right now. After about 16 mo @ 30 mg., last week I took 20 for 7 days, this week it’s 20, every other day, then I’m supposed to just stop. I DON’T THINK SO!!! This is day 2 of the 20@ every other day, and I thought I was going to come UNGLUED!!! My head was “zinging.” ANXIETY…..SHOT THROUGH THE ROOF! I was able to take a last-acting ant-anxiety med that PRN. I felt like a “meltdown was IMMINENT. This is very depressing process.
Not to RAIN on anyone’s parade but I was on Cymbalta 60mg once a day for 3 years. I started developing IBS symptoms and severe constipation & gastrointestinal issues so we assumed it was the Cymbalta (the ONLY medication I was taking at all).
March 2010: Began weaning off Cymbalta for three months which wasnt bad initially going from 60 to 30 to 30 every other day. I wish I knew about breaking up the capsules. July 31st 2010: PCP gave me Wellbutrin XL which really helped me get thru the Cymbalta withdrawals but then I developed the traditional side effects on the Wellbubtrin XL. So we stopped that after 8 weeks and I was fine without any withdrawals from either one from October 2010 thru January 2011. Although I have permanent ringing in my right ear now.
For FOUR MONTHS I felt AWESOME until OUT OF THE BLUE (No medications in me what so ever mind ya) I started feeling like I got the flu mid January and then chronic fatigue gradually increasing during February then March 9th felt like I got hit by a bus and I could not MOVE! So we ran all kinds of blood tests for LYME Disease etc. All normal/negative.
My diagnosis is Fibromyalgia. Since the Neurotransmitters are the cause of my sensory nerves short circuiting, Im betting taking the Cymbalta for 3 years messed up the ability to control them and now let me tell you this pain is way worse then the side effects of the withdrawals or medications themselves. I was fine all my life with no medications cept for colds or what nots, until given Cymbalta after filling out a questionnaire at a friends Doc’s office before I found my current PCP. I am now stuck taking Savella for Fibromyalgia which is also a SSNI but not for depression in patients. Strictly for nerve pain and muscle pain issues. And Im glad its working (week 2) but its a lifelong expensive medication now thanks to Cymbalta screwing with my brain.
Good news is most companies that make the meds have a patient assistant program to help provide the medication to those in need. Thats how I was on Cymbalta so long.
OK. So let me tell you all what I did. I stopped Sertraline when I figured out that my doctor was trying to poison me with “bloodpressure medicine” and “antidepressants.”. That was back in January. I came thru the other side of feeling ill with a lot more energy and clarity. And I can suddenly see all the people who have spent years ripping me off while I was doped up. And you know what? They don’t like it and tell me that I paranoid and angry all the time because I cold-turkeyed it. From my perspective, I’m angry because these people are ripping me off and it’s not paranoia when you have people ripping you off. So what do you all think? I don’t know any of you and you don’t know me. Did I do the wrong thing? Should I see another doctor? Or should I just keep moving forward and dump my loser job and family and get on with my life?
I stopped cold turkey, after 2 months of 60mg. I cannot afford $140 a month!!!! Wish me luck guys, I hope its not too bad. This is my second day. I had left over Prozac and decided to take one yesterday, I hated Prozac and I hgonestly dont know why I took it. So I just have my low dose xanax to hopefully help. I REALLY want to to go all natural herbs. I tried a bunch of different ones years ago, hoping I can re-try and possibly find new, more imporved ones then HTP or St John wort. Ive been reading up on skull cap? Ive also tried valerian. Any suggestions would be GREAT!
Finally off the evil cymbalta after trying to wean myself off 3 times(with no luck and alot of pain). I had read about using prozac to help with the withdrawals so I asked my doctor for it and he said NO! Eventually when cymbalta stopped working for me, he added a low dose of wellbutrin(150mg) to be taken along with he cymbalta. That’s when I saw the opportunity to get off the demon drug. I weaned down to 30mg of cymbalta for a week, then switched to wellbutrin alone the following week. The withdrawal did come, with a vengence, but I was determined to NEVER go back. After 6 days on taking only wellbutrin, the withdrawals were REALLY bad, so the following day I took a double dose of Wellbutrin, 300mg instead of the usually 150mg. It caused severe ankle, knee, joint, and muscle pain, but it also COMPLETELY suppressed the withdrawal pain(incredibly loud ringing in my ears/head, and feeling very unbalanced). The following day, I went back to taking the lower 150mg dose for the following 3 days. After that I stopped taking the wellbutrin altogether. I still had some minimal symptoms and used tylenol cold and sinus, and Buckley’s (cold, flu, sinus). I took 1 nighttime buckleys at night to help me sleep for about 3 nights. Slept like a baby. I took tylenol daytime (cold and sinus) throughout the day to further alleviate any remaining symptoms. I did the tylenol and buckleys for about 3 days(yesterday was the 3rd day). Today, I’ve taking 2 tylenol daytime, 2 1-a-days (Life brand/canadian available from shoppers but centrum should be fine). I dont think i’ll be needing any more buckley’s at night because my sleeping seems to be back to normal. Overall i’m feeling GREAT!! I’m hoping that my brain will start to regulate itself and i won’t have to be forced to go back on anti-anxiety meds. Oh, and I also prayed ALOT. When the cymbalta stopped working, I know that that was God answering my prayer because now the doctor had to prescribe wellbutrin. It’s not prozac but it worked just as well. Praise God!!
Coming off cymbalta took me about 4 1/2 months……I tried it faster before and has SERIOUS ANXIETY I COULD NOT LIVE WITH! These were very hard months: 20 mg. is where I stared. For 2 wks down to 10 every other day; then add the remaining DAYS down to 10 for another 2 weeks; halve the 10 to 5 for 2 weeks every other day (taking apart the capsule and discarding half), then add the remaining days down to 10 for 2 weeks; down to 5 mg every other day for 2 wks, then add the remaining down to 5 for 2 weeks; reduce to 2.5 mg every other day for 2 wrk, then add the other days down to 2.5; then reduce down to 2 mg (apx) every other day for 2 weeks; REDUCE DOWN TO A FEW GRAINS for a week….then off. Even down to 1-2 mg…..I was symptomatic: anxiety, headaches, confusion…… I am HYPER SENSITIVE to this stuff…..and would NEVER take it again. I have an anti-anxiety med I use on the rare occasion (2-3 x a mo) that I cannot manage my anxiety through behavior modification. I experience ZERO DEPENDENCE…..or need for regular use.
I completely am in the same place where you are..and i am glad that you shared the experience..it actually is like going thru rehab..the struggle that only you know..taboo for others..lol i am with you my friend .I understand.
Okay, proper diet can help…please read the article below..lets work on it and see…
http://www.angelfire.com/hi/TheSeer/seratonin.html
Okay, so today is my 11th day off cymbalta. I also stopped taking the wellbutrin 6days ago. was feeling great; no more shivers or ringing in my ears, but i’ve been feeling very disoriented the past 2 days; disoriented like when u’ve got a new pair of glasses and your eyes are trying to adjust. Did anyone feel like this as at any point while weaning off? Hoping this is not a return of any anxiety symptoms. I initially went on anti depressants for anxiety issues. I’m currently working full time and am returning back to school in a few days. Really not sure what to expect. I took a wellbutrin today and it’s helping a bit. I’m thinking I may have to keep taking the wellbutrin a bit longer. I really don’t want to go to my family doctor about this because he’ll simply tell me to go back on the cymbalta (even though it stop working for me months ago.) Any ideas of how long this phase will last, and is it a phase??
Del–
I had that feeling, it was horrible unfortunately I tried and only got down to being off cymbalta for 1 day and the nonstop crying, aches, pains, dizziness, it felt like my entire body hurt, felt like blood slooshing around my head..the most horrible feeling in the world. I couldnt take wellbutrin it makes me nausea but I was on something i cant remember what, a couple of things but now today I am currently on 60mg cymbalta, I dont know if I can wean off. Good luck. Sorry I dont have any good news or advice from my personal experience. I hate it and want to be off it. However, My friend did get off of it she said after about 3 weeks or so she was feeling normal again.
Hi Erin. Thanks for the reply. So on day 11 I couldn’t stand any more of the disorientation and took a wellbutrin. It helped alittle and i feared that i’d have to continue with it. But later that day, I decided to try some tylenol and it worked ten times better than the wellbutrin did. So if tylenol works better for me than an anti depressant, that convinces me that I don’t need to go back on anything. That day, my head felt like a volcano about to explode. My mom recommended tamarind juice(my family is from the caribbean and doctors there will ever only prescribe tamarind for hypertension/blood pressure). So i went to the caribbean store and got the pure tamarind pulp. You can also purchase it from the asian food store. You boil hot water, then put the pulp into the water and let it stand for about 30mins. Tamarind is really bitter so I added lots of sugar to mine. I drank that throughout the entire day and my massive exploding head was 70% calmer by the end of the day. I feel so much better that I feel like I’ll b okay going back to school when it starts in 3 days. This is the end of week 2 completely off cymbalta. Erin I will be praying for you. I honestly thought that i would be on this drug for life as my doctor had said to me. But I’ve made it through 2 weeks without it. If the wellbutrin won’t work for you then try prozac, or any small dose of something else which is compatible with cymbalta. Keep me posted as to how u r doing okay.
Kim,
I actually meant that last reply and thanks to be for u. Erin was on my mind for some reason. Sorry ’bout that. thanks for your support. As the day goes on i’m starting to feel soooo much better. Looking forward to the end of week 3. Will keep posting throughout the week to let everyone know how the recovery is going.
Well it’s seems like a lifetime ago and I still receive these posts, I went thru hell getting off this drug to help with my MS pain.
Slowly ween yourself s I open the pill and for weeks tapered off.MY family Dr. was not much help and my son in law is a DR and his Brother in law is a pharmacist this is what got me thru this. It takes time go slowly ween off tiny steps works the best. I was in too big of a hurry and had to slow it down and I been cymbalta free since last post way back.
I was so upset my sister said she was going on this and told her not too, she did not listen and is going thru the same hell as all of us. slow but sure wins this race
Hey Larry, I too have MS and am going off this chemical nightmare of a drug. Did you relapse at all during your withdrawal? I’ve assumed the nausea and dizziness were MS related, but this is Day 5 or 6 or something since I decided not to refill my script, and hearing EVERYONE else describe these symptoms, well…
Contacted my neuro today, and am expecting her to yell at me for waiting so long. No one really knows the long-term effects of any of this man-made crap, but having MS kind of changes the playing field anyway.
Just curious about your experiences with the cymbalta and MS.
Thanks…
I honestly do not think It made any of my MS symptoms worse, but I felt so bad from the withdrawal everything else seemed minor. It was a tough time back then and worth the hell to get off it. I have lost a bunch of weight with WW since I quit Cymbalta. I could not loose weight while I was taking it.
This is a great drug if you need it for depression/// but to claim it helps with MS and other illnesses IT IS NOT WORTH IT. My sister is still trying to quit and after all I warned her all about it before she took one pill, and she still took it. lol I guess big sisters never listen to their younger brothers do they???
Thanks Larry for your 2 cents. My neuro wants me to wean off it since the symptoms I have are so debilitating. She put me back on the stuff at 40g for 2 weeks, 20g for 1 week, and than she thinks I should be symptom free after that. I told her about all the horrible reactions people endured when going off the drug, and I don’t think she expected it to be as severe as it is. They never really understand…
I agree that it can be a great drug for depression, but my old neuro felt everyone should be on an antidepressant who is diagnosed with MS, although I was always one of those obnoxiously happy people before MS. I don’t think I need an antidepressant anymore though, but fair enough, I was going through a REALLY tough time when I was initially given cymbalta.
Hope your sister is able to clear herself out of the drug. I TOTALLY agree with you on older siblings not listening to the younger ones!!
Thanks again for your quick and helpful response
lol I agree when I got DX they put me on Buspar and some other stuff because of the DR fear your going to be depressed After a year or more on Buspar I had to undergo surgery for removal of tumors in my breasts. My wife was jealous I was bigger then her lol. Drugs can do horrible things to certain people.
But my own Dr did not understand just how slow you need to ween off even my son in law was shocked. Your Dr maybe right BUT when you get to the smallest dose and your suppose to stop I would start by every other day take it,, then every two days take it. Then you may have a better idea what your feeling and what your comfortable feeling. Stopping at any size dose is going to bring on withdrawal. Slow but sure, wins this race.
I will say this,, I always felt I was one of those very happy guys all my life too and I hate to admit this even being off Cymbalta for a couple years I did feel a little more down then I did while taking it. I was retired all the time in the world and that is a big void to have, hard to explain the feeling. What really made me 100% whole again was getting into a new routine and staying busy. Best medicine ever.
Best of luck, Cee
Hey does anyone have any suggestions; I’ve been getting increasingly dizzy and disoriented feeling in the last 2 weeks. It has been 3 weeks in total since I stopped cymbalta. The dizziness does not seem to be getting better, just worse and worse. Did anyone experience this at all? Can I expect it to stop soon?
I was only 6 weeks on cymbalta at 120 mg a day. It helped the depression; it killed the sex life. The doctor added wellbutrin to help that problem. It did, but not by much.
Last week, I dropped by doseage ot cymbalya from 120 to 0 in three days. I had perios of iddziness the first two days. I still have a swooshing feeling in my head. It grows less every day. I did stay with wellbutrin xl at 300 mg per day. It seems to be tretating me well. Really to early to tell. The sex improved by the third day. I probably wasn’t on cymbalta long enough to have undergone severe withdrawals. What I had was bad enough. I’ll endorse it was a good depression med if you have or want no sex life.
I was on 60 mg of Cymbalta since it first came out to be used for fibromyalgia. Then three years ago I was diagnosed with dystimea so I began taking a second 60 mg of Cymbalta. On Sept. 8th I was told by my psychiarist to begin tappering down on the Cymbalta as he lowered it to 90mg. For the last two and a half weeks I have experienced insomnia most nights four or five hours, headaches, terrible itchiness, redness and puffiness of my body. I also have had waves of extreme tiredness come over me. The feeling of being terribly hot comes to me at least once a day. It seems to last a few hours at a time and appears in 24 hour cycles – about two hours later than the last day. When I called him and told him of the withdrawal symptoms, he told me I would need to be on the 90 mg awhile longer. Pray I can come off this to at least 60 mg. I don’t know if I can stand the pain of the fibro without the Cymbalta as I am allergic to so much medication.
Hi Rodyanne.
so sorry to hear all that you’re going through. But I’ll tell you that you really really need to pray about it. I’m now in my sixth week off of cymbalta. I’m back in school and still working about 25hrs a week. And I’m doing well. I had been on cymbalta for 2 years, on anafranil for a year bebore that. Cymbalta had done alot for me, but then it stop working. I had tried to wean off it twice before but just couldnt. It was not until I truly learnt to seek God and depend on Him that he took complete control of all the problems in my life, including this, and started healing me in all those areas that I need healing. You need to pray about this and ask God to help you with it, to free you from it. But I’ll be honest, it was not until I prayed for healing through the power of Jesus’s blood that I started to see signs that I was going to be ok. Pray to God and ask Him to put you on the right path. I sought God out because I had come to the point where I realized that no doctor could restore me back to a healthy life, but God now has. if my doctor could see me now he’d be shocked!
I am sorry to see so many people having trouble with getting off this Cymbalta! I too am going through it…I hate this med..no one warned any one of us about this hell that we are experiencing! We need to go rally against the FDA! Power in numbers!
I can tell you all a little history..I was on 60mg for the last yr, my rheumatologist said I have Fibromyalgia. First of all he tried me on lyrica, savella and then cymbalta. My digestive dr recommended that I not do either of the savella or lyrica…I have barretts esophagus and cannot talk anything that may stir that up. I also have osteo arthritis and cannot take any NSAIDs because of it. Well I am here to tell you that these meds (cymbalta, savella, lyrica) can only make you feel so good about this dam pain! When I get through this hell life of getting off cymbalta I will never take any of those drugs again. Im sure you all have heard of efexor etc…all the same neighborhood of meds, “dont take them”. I will be back!
Thanks for the information. I too am on 30mg cymbalta daily, and want to stop. I experienced whooshing, buzzing noises in my head, especially when you look left then right with your eyes, at times when I had a day or two without my dosage. besides these experiences did anyone have any other symptoms, as I would like to prepare myself, and exactly how long do these noises go on for? Until you are completely off them???? thanks.
Hey New Comer. Symptoms should start to dissipate after 3 weeks. however, if you are doing this in wintery weather, you’ll experience serotonin related issues. Drink lots of Acai berry juice, and a light therapy lamp may be needed to pull u through the winter months. Also go for lots of walks. You may experience odd and unexpected symptoms ie heart palpitations, numbness, they will go away. It’s honestly your body trying to readjust. But what u should expect to see by week 4 are signs of getting better. And keep posting. I’m sure others who’ve gone through this will give you helpful info along the way. And honestly, just pray to God. U won’t know how He’ll answer but he will.
I managed not to give in and take the dosage of 90 mg of Cymbalta while trying to get down to 60 mg of it. So now I have gone from 120 mg in September to 60 in November. Since I have fibromyalgia I don’t know if I should go off it completely.
Rodyanne, you really must taper. However, if u can have your doc prescribe a low dose of prozac or wellbutrin it would help. That would be the best thing to do
I was taking cymbalta and my dr told me take 1 pill every other day for a month..Well its been a month and I feel like crap, Dizzy, nauzia. It is alful..I dont know what to do..go to my dr or go to half pill every other day.. I wish I hadnt started taking this crap.
I have been on Cymbalta 60mg for about a year. Recently all I think about is that we would all be better off not being on earth. I’ve never been suicidal but wouldn’t care if it happens. So I went to the dr. And asked if he would give me something else. He prescribed Wellbutrin. I could miss 1 pill of the Cymbalta and have the dizziness. Dr. Didn’t act like he believed me. He cut the Cymbalta to 30mg for 1 week and then was to start taking the Wellbutrin. After the first pill of Wellbutrin I couldn’t sleep and had crazy dreams. After 4 pills and the horrible side effects of Cymbalta I decided to quit cold turkey. The brain zaps have been horrible and it has been really hard to function. I don’t know how long this will last. All I have wanted to do for the past 2 days is cry. I don’t feel real sad just want to cry. With God’s help I don’t ever want to take another antidepressant. The depression is easier to deal with than the side effects.
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Speaking only for me……it took me about 4 1/2-5 months to wean off this stuff. I was literally down to FIVE GRAINS (can you imagine how minute that is)…….2 x a week for about 2 weeks……and even then…..I “felt” zingers for a few months. This is POWERFUL STUFF….I believe something bad would have happened had I cold-turkeyed. I am doing the same with neurontin now that I was taking for peripheral never pain, but have had a successful back surgery…….but it will be A VERY SLOW TAPER! Two years ago I stopped neurontin cold turkey….and ended up in the ER THINKING I WAS HAVING A HEART ATTACK….AND THEM BELIEVING IT WAS A PULMONARY EMBOLISM (I couldn’t speak….get air to move- and I have a BIG voice). I HIGHLY respect the power of these drugs, and urge CAUTION during tapering off. Best of luck.
I had been on Cymbalta 60mg for about 4 years was put on it for stress and anxiety. When some of that had lessened i wanted off of it since i had gained 40 lbs while on it; when prior to being on it i was very underweight and ate like a horse (could not gain weight even when i tried). So my doc weaned me off for about a month and decreasing dosages went fine, i never had the brain zaps, but i did feel mentally groggy, and dizzy, a little moody and irritated, but nothing i couldn’t handle or work through. It was during the weaning process when i was to no longer take ANY cymbalta. It started with no appetite and nausea, and became progressively worse to nausea, vommitting, no appetite, frequent diarrhea and watery loose stool. It has gotten to where i am afraid to eat, and really don’t want to. I am constantly nauseous and diarrhea even after just drinking liquids. I have missed several days of work and keep having to call in. . im a nurse and they don’t take lightly to call ins where i work. On the other hand it is impossible for me to perform such a physically, stressful demanding job when all you can think about is not puking or running to the bathroom. .im getting very scared, and anxious to know when this nightmare is going to be over!! My doctor can’t seem to find any physical reason for my gi symptoms, i have suggested it could be this withdrawal effect from Cymbalta; doctors don’t seem to buy this or be aware of this problem. .i wish i had never gotten on this medication. .this website has been very helpful to know im not alone. .just havent heard any answers as to how long this withdrawal last when you’ve been weaned down. .i did buy the ACAI 100% juice and a herbal supplement from the health food store they recommended to ease the symptoms..it’s called Stress Guard. . well see how that all works. . but ive already lose 10 lbs in 2 weeks. . have not had these brain zaps that people talk about. . just minor dizzyness, and slight mental fogginess which has improved but this GI symptoms are killing me and have not gotten better.. .
Was on paxil for about 3 years 10 years back, tried to taper off and experienced the same effects as cymbalta withdrawal. I ended up doing a two week taper-off on the paxil, then a low dose of prosac to replace it. Three weeks later I stopped the prosac, and nothing.
I have been on cymbalta for about 5 years, and have gained at least 50 pounds. On top of that, I have no motivation at all. I am self-employed, which makes it worse, as I can choose to sit and watch TV or be on the computer all day, and do not have the motivation to do anything else. After researching extensively, I blame it on the cymbalta, and I only take 30mg a day.
I am going to wean off the cymbalta slowly. I tried cold turkey a couple of years back and by day 4 I thought I had it beat, day 5 I wanted out of my skin, and was suicidal for the first time in my life. I just wanted that feeling to stop. I gave in and took 60mg on day 5 and went back on 30mg per day until now.
I will cut my dose in 1/2 for a week at a time, until down to about 3mg. Then I will try the low dose of prosac approach that worked for me with paxil. It was pretty much painless.
I will keep you guys up to date on how things go.
I have come off these bloody tablets carefully and controlled!
OMG never felt so so ill……Every nasty symptom you can imagine, was suicidal last week and went to bed to save myself doing something irreversable!!
This week collapsed and was unconscious and ended up in casualty on heart monitors!!
The Withdrawal process is absolutely unbearable!! Hope I make it!!
Hiya
Please tell me someone is still reading this blog and responding *she pleads*
i know this is a blog for Cymbalta (Cymgen). I would like to know has any one had the weening off of an anti depressant is fine, you cope ok, you have the symptoms, but then by a month being clean, you ABSOLUTELY LOOSE YOUR MIND??
every time i go on an anti-depressant it does not work, i never get happy, i have been in this lost hole half of a human being for over 5 years now, and nothing they try works for my insomnia, the only thing i get is the feeling to not to feel suicidal. but each time i come off , i hit the one month bench mark and i loose it completely. I only take low doses as high doses make me suicidal and im questioning if im addicted. Has any one had this? what did you do? any advice I would really appreciate.
Thanks Mal..I saw a few posts that people have used Dramamine to help the withdrawal symptoms so I bought it today..I can say it has definitely helped me…hoping to be 100% very very soon…I think if I knew about these withdrawal symptoms, I would have never gotten on it..I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and I’m here to listen since I know first hand about my family not really being there for me these past few days..