Its very painful thinking back to the two years I stayed on it. Or at least the little I can remember, it was such a numb blur of chaos. I remember feeling out of control and I did things that were very out of character for me. I almost lost my job, my degree, and most importantly my marriage and the close bond of a family we had with our kids. I felt like it was all hanging on a thread and could all shatter any second. Id drive to work and look at different spots on the freeway, considering which would be most effective to crash into without killing anyone else.
I eventually stopped taking it with no guidance to how gradual it should be done and suffered a third year of brain zaps, light sensitivity, nausea and muscular twitching, etc.
Last month, more than 5 years since I was first prescribed cymbalta, and after having increased previous symptoms as well as new ones (severe bells palsy, double vision and multiple miscarriages), Ive now finally discovered I didnt have fibromyalgia afterall, extensive blood tests and ultrasounds confirmed I have hashimotos and pre-lupus, with visible damage to my thyroid and lymph nodes.. if only id had known 5 years ago, I could have avoided so much pain that I know now, was due to the cymbalta.
I have been on Cymbalta for five years both as a treatment for a severe pain condition and as management for depression associated with chronic pain. My last major pain flare up was in 2013 and I was deeply suicidal. My specialist though that a combination of Lyrica and Cymbalta would be therapeutic and indeed it has been. Within 3 days of taking Cymbalta my suicidal ideation almost disappeared which was a Godsend at the time and I made a slow recovery. Fabulous as it would be to leave it at that. I recall telling my partner many times that I had never felt so consistently angry, frustrated, vastly impatient and sometimes aggressive to the point of being an emotional bully which just isn't the me that I know. I just thought that after being in pain for so long that something in my mind had just snapped and left me irretrievably and almost constantly angry. Now having weaned myself off the drug just very recently and gone through a horrifying period of withdrawal I found myself at this site and Hallelujah!! Everything now sadly makes sense I hope. I was suffering from drug induced aggression and anger which now appears to be not uncommon at all! This anger has taken a big toll not only on me personally but on my relationship with my partner. I feel very sad that I have lost these five years to such soul-destroying anger but also quietly relieved that in time this will hopefully dissipate and that I'll get the "old me" back again. Even after only ten days off this drug, I feel calmer and more peaceful and while I am grateful for the medication at the time I will never take it again. Good luck to all those who are in or have been in my position. There is hope on the horizon!! P.S. Withdraw very, very SLOWLY!!!