Cymbalta withdrawal

I am a new member. I was actually looking for the relief from the symptoms of withdrawal from cymbalta. When I read some of the postings I started to cry. I have "taperd off" paxil and celexa...slowly...no fun. CYMBALTA ..this is a nigtmare...I am day six of zero cymbalta after a 4 week taper down from 60 mg to 30 mg to O mg. My head is buzzing, i can't move my eyes or turn my head with out "brain swish".
Here it is Memorial Weekend and I want to go to a dance...ha ha.

I went on cymbalta so I could get out of bed after trying celexa to replace the constant sleeping and "lazy state?" of the paxil.

Cymbalta started out good for three days...that's it. The weight gain was not a problem for me becuase I was too tired to bother eating in the past.
I also need to mention that I had ramped up on Lamictal pror to going off cymbalta' The lamictal seems pretty good but now hard to tell.

My job is helping people and right now I can't even help myself. Thought it was just personality problem "not taking care of myself"a nd not chemical problem...I was wrong...I am emotional and it's not my fault! [/b]

I am on day 5 of Cymbalta withdrawal and still taking 60 mg a day and I am going mad. My muscles ache, I am sick I can barely see or walk straight. I have to work tomorrow and have no idea how I can possibly do my job. (I was on 120 mgs a day)

This is worse then a narcolic and I would not reccoment anyone take it for anything. I was on it for nuropathy. I am drinking a lot of water and I think I will try to walk.

Peggy

I have read just about every (post) for the Cymabalta withdrawal. I have been on 60mgs. for 5 years. I went to 30 mgs for a week and am going cold turkey. However, this is the 2nd time I have gone of this type drug, the first was Effexor XR. It also has the exact same withdrawal symptons.

The "hell" of withdrawal WILL end. The "ning-ning's" or brain zaps, are the worst, but I found with drinking a ton of water and walking at least a mile a day I felt, the drug was moving quicker out of my body. Secondly taking OMEGA 3 - from the health food store helped with the moodiness. Third, I told my husband and kids what to expect, i.e. aggressive outbursts, crying, sleeping, eating way too much. This helped them understand what I was going through. As far as work goes, print off a copy of the side effects from withdrawal, tell your doctor to write you a note or excuse to your employer, and if they're at all understanding, depending on your job - lay low for as long as you can. And foremostly whether a reliqious person or not pray to the Almighty to give you strength to get through this. YOU CAN DO IT. God bless and take care, you're not alone.
Ann

I am new here. I have suffered permant damage from weaning off of Cymbalta. I am back on it again, but in the process of weaning back off again, a few beads at a time. I have a website to the FDA. If you go there, it has a form to fill out regarding adverse reactions to drugs. I am hoping that they will invetigate Cymalta and take it off the market. If you visit other blogs, please forward this address to them as well. We nedd to get as many people as possible to report their problems.

www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/medwatch-online.htm

Thank you,

Cynex1

Dear anyone trying to get off Cymbalta,

I feel this med nearly destroyed me, I got to a point where I couldn't function.. I was also taking Topamax at the time.
(i was wrecked after taking the combination for 7/8 months, and have taken 4 months to taper and stop.)

I was a zombie; too much sleeping, couldn't talk properly, couldn't find words, very forgetful (memory screwed), sweating, couldn't exercise (no energy), vision problems, and the worst... I withdrew from society to the point where I stopped leaving the house except for work, bad paranoia (people following me)... etc

I begged my p-doc to get me off or find another combination.. he was concerned about suicide and said lets "up the Topamax dosage".. i never went back to him.

Found new p-doc.. better now.. off Topamax and Cymbalta.
Taking Lamotrigine (generic) and although it has its own "things" its much better. (Bipolar II, Borderline Personality Disorder, Anxiety etc)

My advice:
take at night.
>If you are currently taking 60, open the Cymbalta capsules and take out a few granules at a time.
I mean 10 granules a week till you get to half.
(its a real irritating thing dividing up the granules but its worth it. Just keep going, it gets easier I promise!)
>Then ask p-doc for prescription for 30's.
Again, take out a few granules (1 or 2 a day) till you get to almost none.
Then stop and if you feel withdrawals (dizzy, tingly, brain zaps).. then take 3/4 granules right there and then and less the next time.

Withdrawals were so bad for me, i took 3/4 months to taper and have now only been free of it for 2 weeks (still have tingling hands and aching muscles, and a few scary brain zaps/swishes).
So.. I went from 60 to nothing in 3/4 months! that is NOT quick.
and anyone who advises reducing the dosage faster is very wrong! the withdrawals are EXTREME!
If you are like me.. Don't go down by half, you will not be able to function.
SO... don't do big drops at a time (ie when I say take out 10 granules a week.. I mean like 1 or 2 less per day).. big jumps are not good.

Initially i tried to go from 60 to 40 in a week and i was a wreck; vertigo (really losing balance! and feeling like I was walking on a boat), aching, flu-like symptoms, vision problems, crazy brain zapping, and ITCHING feet!!! so bad i couldn't sleep, memory completely weird .. etc) there was MUCH MORE i am happy to forget. I don't know how I kept my job!

Note: I take meds for Bipolar II, Borderline Personality Disorder, Anxiety, PTSD, etc.
: I was (until I stopped completely) on C/T for 1 year (It seemed to help for 2/3 months but I was a zombie after 7/8 months).. perhaps if you have been on it for less you could speed up the tapering just a little..

I strongly advise anyone to get off this drug (or not start it).. its not worth it.
My best to all!

I was wondering why most of you chose to get off Cym. Also to the last poster, Topamax at too high doses can also cause slurred speech. I had to stop at 150 mg due to that side effect.

Thanks

To dmareiok,I was on CYmbalta for depression. When my p-doc put me on Lamictal thinking I am Bi-polar, I suggested weaning off of Cymbalta. I weaned off 30 mg at a time from 90 mg. Before I was even off of it, I started getting very bad joint and muscle pain. I was on the couch for ten days. I actually thought I had the flu, but never got any more flu symptoms. So, I went to my PCP, my PDoc etc. I ended up going back on the Cymbalta hoping it would help my terrible pain. It didn't. My pdoc actually increased my dose up to 120mg to see if it would help. It never has. This weaning off started last Januaray. Over this past summer, a Rhuemetologist diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia. So, now I am also on 1,000 mg of Vicodin twice a day, and Klonopin to help me sleep. I resent having to be on more meds just to get off of one.
Right now I am on my second attempt to wean off. I started about a month ago at 120 mg. I broke open the capsules and took a few beads out a day. Now I am down to 60 mgs. If I start to feel really bad, I stay at the same amout for a few days before removing beads again.
The really bad thing is that Cymbalta (and Lamictal) are used to treat Fibromyalgia pain. (As well as Lupus, Diabetes etc.)It hasn't helped to get back on it.
I am in pain every day. I am worried about my second attempt to wean off. Will I still be able to work? My brother in off it now for almost 3 weeks. He has had one trip to the Er and now is suffering from a swollen tongue, panick attacks, suicidal thoughts, major irritability. He forgets how to wash his hands, how to buckle his seat belt. One day he said he could even smell the water and his shirt. He now has to see a nuerologist because they think he is having mini seizures. He was on Topomax too. He thinks that the Cymbalta blocked the uptake of the Topomax. When he weaned off the Cymbalta he thinks his brain was overloaded with the Topomax. Topomax is an antiseizure drug. Scarey. I am on it too for migraine prevention.
Since all of my Fibro pain, I have had my suicide planned out. My pain is better because of the vicodin, but I still find myself fantizing about it a lot. How to make it look like an accident so my husband can collect insurance. I understand that is a side effect of Cymbalta as well. \
Anyway, If you haven't been on long, GET OFF!!!!!!
Find an alternative med. I have been trying to find a local investigative reporter to look into this. I emailed FOX NEWS. I am trying everything I can think of to get the word out that this drug is hurting people and Eli Lilly needs to take responsibilty. I need all the help I can get. It doesn't help in the long run if we don't all work together to get something done. I don't think Cynbalta should be used for depression for sure, and I sure don't think it is right for drug companies to do their own drug studies. Plus I think it is wrong for them to advertise on TV. That is how I found out about Cymbalta in the first place.
If you can think of anything we can to do to work to get something done, post it!Or email me!
*********

**edited by moderator**emails not alowed**

Did you make any headway contacting FOX news to expose the horrible effects of cymbalta? I was thinking of doing the same thing. I had terrible neck pain and spasms - went to my MD twice in one week, then ended up in the ER. The next week, I experienced anxiety, panic attacks, overwhelming feelings of dread, suicidal ideation, jitters, mood swings, crying jags, impaired memory. I am a health care provider and an athlete whose had many injuries and I have never experienced this type of severe pain. I had many tests - all negative, and not until I mentioned this to a friend did I realize that this could all be from Cymbalta withdrawal. Has anybody had severe neck pain like this? Fortunately, I'm near back to normal emotionally, but still dealing with the neck pain/spasms.

I had awful withdrawals.. started on 60.. then

i was on 30 for a while then they also do a 20mg (although its labelled as 'yentreve' (but it has exactly the same active ingredient which is duloxetine) .. and still had problems coming off that too.. Doctor prescribed me 'prochlorperazine' (search google) to take while i wasnt on it to reduce the symptoms.. and it was a saviour.. i used it 3 times a day for 1-2 weeks and i was fine after.
I hope that helps you guys!

I've been on almost every SSRI for the last 15 years. Most have worked pretty well in controlling depression but I still needed another med for anxiety and panic. Paxil is the drug from hell. I gained over 30 lbs. and the withdrawal symptoms lasted almost 2 months. I have been on Cymbalta for over a year since Prozac just stopped working after 5 years. I have gained 40 lbs. since starting it with no change of diet or exercise. In addition, there has been enormous edema and I feel like the Pillsbury doughgirl. The swelling and retention of fluid got so bad at one point that the skin on my feet and ankles split and I could not walk. My doctor is taking me off Cymbalta. I was on 60 mg. and he dropped me to 30 for 7 days and then he wants me off so he can see if that's what's causing the weight gain and swelling. Today was Day 3 of 30 and I'm clenching my teeth and my anxiety is through the roof. Lack of focus, light-headedness etc. This frankly sucks but I'm hoping the weight gain and swelling are from the Cymbalta. I took an extra half of prescribed Klonopin to get me through the day. I'm new to this and need some support. Did anyone else out there have enormous weight gain and fluid retention from this drug?