The best way to get off cymbalta/ effexor is to over lap your tapering dose with a longer acting ssri like prozac. THe withdrawl symptoms occur because cymb/effex have short half lives. taper down to zero while on prozac and then slowly decrease prozac. Prozac has a really long half life so it leaves your system nice and slowly. I couldnt believe how much easier it was and why it is not recommended more often. Tell your friends!!!
labelmesane.com/about/brain_zaps.htm
I found this article to be informative as well as Wikipedia's definition to "Brain Zaps."
Common offered treatments to Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms seem to be Benadryl and/or Omega 3 supplements.
I found this article to be informative as well as Wikipedia's definition to "Brain Zaps."
Common offered treatments to Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms seem to be Benadryl and/or Omega 3 supplements.
I was prescribed 30mg daily of cymbalta for back pain, I had no response to it so my Dr. kicked it up to 90 mg daily. which I have been taking for about 3 months now. It helped a little but I was expecting a miracle cure for my chronic back pain. The sub-par results prompted me to start doing research on the product and stumbled across all of the people having issuse coming off the drug. I decided to get off the drug before it became even more difficult to stop. I cut my dosage back down to 30mg for about 2 weeks and I didn't have any issues. I then decided about 2 weeks ago to go cold turkey. I stopped taking the medication and made it about 3 days before I got so bent out of shape I had to take a pill. I took another one 4 days later. It has been 5 days since I last took a pill and I am feeling ok I think exercise has been helping me cope with the side affects. The only constant issue I am having has been a feeling of... well the best way to describe it, is like I have just suffered a concussion. I feel spacey and kind of uncoordinated I get the occasionally zap but it’s mostly just a constant spacey feeling. I hope this goes away soon I don't like it.
I am also very itchy I don’t have any visible rashes on my body, but it feels like I have poison ivy in certain places (around my eyes, back of my shoulders and arms). Anyone else having this issue?
Thanks for your help and support and good luck to you all coming off this stuff. The medical industry really needs to take a look at when and why they prescribe this drug to people.
I am also very itchy I don’t have any visible rashes on my body, but it feels like I have poison ivy in certain places (around my eyes, back of my shoulders and arms). Anyone else having this issue?
Thanks for your help and support and good luck to you all coming off this stuff. The medical industry really needs to take a look at when and why they prescribe this drug to people.
I was only on 30mg of cymbalta for 10 days before I discovered this forum (and others like it). I'm so glad I quit when I did because while 2 + weeks later I'm still feeling the dizzyness, it hasn't been nearly as bad as it could have been.
I DO have useful info, though, from my own personal experience. ALCOHOL MAKES THE WITHDRAWAL WORSE!! Stay away from alcohol, people. I never drink and for the past 2 weeks I experienced minor nausea and lightheadedness when I turned my head too quickly. Then my allergies kicked in 2 days ago and after 2 nights of nyquil (containing alcohol) to help with the sneezing, my dizzyness has become an all day thing. I feel awful. I'm just offering this word of caution because I've read of others experiencing a worsening or returning of the symptoms after drinking. And it's never a good idea to mix alcohol with any antidepressants. I wish all of you well and hope that your suffering is eased soon. Remember that you are only given what you can handle. Take care, Addie
I DO have useful info, though, from my own personal experience. ALCOHOL MAKES THE WITHDRAWAL WORSE!! Stay away from alcohol, people. I never drink and for the past 2 weeks I experienced minor nausea and lightheadedness when I turned my head too quickly. Then my allergies kicked in 2 days ago and after 2 nights of nyquil (containing alcohol) to help with the sneezing, my dizzyness has become an all day thing. I feel awful. I'm just offering this word of caution because I've read of others experiencing a worsening or returning of the symptoms after drinking. And it's never a good idea to mix alcohol with any antidepressants. I wish all of you well and hope that your suffering is eased soon. Remember that you are only given what you can handle. Take care, Addie
I took Cymbalta - slowly increased dose to 90mg/day because of severe neural pain r/t back inury. After surgery, told dr. I wanted to taper - then, because symptoms were so bad, I accelerated taper to stop rather quickly. "Brain zaps", diarrhea, severe weakness - on and on and on.....even went to ER because i felt so sick! Instead of understanding, they discharged me with note that I could never get narcs from that facility again! I didn't go for narcs! I have more than I need at home - if I wanted to take them. Pain mgmt. dr. apparently was not aware of these severe symptoms - thinks maybe I'm having strokes or something! But all symptoms are right here online. Also tapered and quite Kadian at the same time - so I'm sure that's made it worse......but I will NOT go back to these meds.
I wish there were just something to stop the diarrhea and the brain zaps. Its been three weeks since last dose of Cymbalta. A week since last dose of Kadian. Still sick - have had one half -decent day, though even that day I still felt very weak. Doctors don't understand that weakness caused by weeks of diarrhea are causing nutiritional imbalances - which cannot be corrected wtihout some way to regulate body function. Noone seems to know how to deal with this. I feel so alone! I REFUSE to go back and take doses of these toxic medications. Had I known this would be this bad, I would NOT have taken them - in spite of severe nerve pain. Doctors need to warn patients of these drugs - adn what they do to the body!
I continue to pray - to try to eat foods that will stay in me long enough to provide the necessary nutrition to get better and stronger.
One piece of advice - if anyone you know is advised to take Cymbalta - TELL THEM TO AVOID AT ALL COSTS! I'VE NEVER BEEN DEPRESSED - I TOOK FOR NERVE PAIN R/T COMPRESSED NERVE ROOTS. AFTER TAPER AND WITHDRAWAL - I HAVE DAYS WHEN I CRY FOR NO REASON.....AFTER 3 WEEKS STILL WEAK. NEVER, NEVER TAKE THIS POISON!
I wish there were just something to stop the diarrhea and the brain zaps. Its been three weeks since last dose of Cymbalta. A week since last dose of Kadian. Still sick - have had one half -decent day, though even that day I still felt very weak. Doctors don't understand that weakness caused by weeks of diarrhea are causing nutiritional imbalances - which cannot be corrected wtihout some way to regulate body function. Noone seems to know how to deal with this. I feel so alone! I REFUSE to go back and take doses of these toxic medications. Had I known this would be this bad, I would NOT have taken them - in spite of severe nerve pain. Doctors need to warn patients of these drugs - adn what they do to the body!
I continue to pray - to try to eat foods that will stay in me long enough to provide the necessary nutrition to get better and stronger.
One piece of advice - if anyone you know is advised to take Cymbalta - TELL THEM TO AVOID AT ALL COSTS! I'VE NEVER BEEN DEPRESSED - I TOOK FOR NERVE PAIN R/T COMPRESSED NERVE ROOTS. AFTER TAPER AND WITHDRAWAL - I HAVE DAYS WHEN I CRY FOR NO REASON.....AFTER 3 WEEKS STILL WEAK. NEVER, NEVER TAKE THIS POISON!
All I can say to anyone is do not stop taking this cold turkey I am in my 5th day of not taking anything and I am so sick Having brain zaps Im dizy, everything you guys are feeling and more and then I realized why I started taking this in the first place its because i tend to make bad choices when Im depressed. This was definitly a bad choice Im on my way to the doctor Im gonna walk in tell him what I did ask him for some samples then ween myself off the right way. Yes I hate this drug just like everyone els but I love my self for going to see the doctor today and doing this the right way. I will get off this nasty drug but not the hard way. Then I will try to stay on the lowest mg possible without leting my doctor up my dose whenever the hell he feels like it. We will prevail. Good luck everyone stay strong.
I was taking Cymbalta (60 mg) for a little over a year. I took it for nerve pain from a failed back surgery. I stopped taking it when I was sick and on antidepressants and I freaked out. We were in Home depot and I was clinging to my wife like a child saying don't leave me alone. Startad taking it again and was fine. My back pain is gone so I decided to stop Cymbalta gradually. Dropped to 30 mg every day, then every 2,3,etc. I could go 5 days without getting "crAZY". got sick again, took antibiotics, quit the cymbalta and was o.k. Week and a half later - Brain zaps, worse in afternoon and night. If I move my eyes quikly in one direction, or turn my head quickly, I get the brain flash. It is very disturbing and depressing - I hope this will subside over time.
Ok I may be the only one but I had to stop cold turkey w/o warning because of insurance. I did attempt suicide and after going thru this withdrawal now i am regreting I wasnt sucessful.
>;)
This *&$#$ is the devil...I have NEVER been so dizzy in my life. I am soooo tired that I can't even open my eyes all the way. I have been off of 30 mg cymbalta for a week now and other than not having to run to the bathroom every half an hour it has not gotten better. The funny thing is that I wake up feeling fine, and then the more that I move the worse it gets. Has anyone ever tried Dramamine?? It feels like I have motion sickness so I was wondering if anyone else had ever tried that. I do take 150 mg Wellbutrin SR every morning (I forgot it yesterday and I paid dearly yesterday evening, I thought that I was just going to fall asleep and never wake up...) I am really scared, my mother commited suicide almost a year ago, she was on Zoloft...I just started taking Omega 3 this morning because of all the good that I have heard but I will NEVER go back on this devil drug, it is the worst kind of poison....
This *&$#$ is the devil...I have NEVER been so dizzy in my life. I am soooo tired that I can't even open my eyes all the way. I have been off of 30 mg cymbalta for a week now and other than not having to run to the bathroom every half an hour it has not gotten better. The funny thing is that I wake up feeling fine, and then the more that I move the worse it gets. Has anyone ever tried Dramamine?? It feels like I have motion sickness so I was wondering if anyone else had ever tried that. I do take 150 mg Wellbutrin SR every morning (I forgot it yesterday and I paid dearly yesterday evening, I thought that I was just going to fall asleep and never wake up...) I am really scared, my mother commited suicide almost a year ago, she was on Zoloft...I just started taking Omega 3 this morning because of all the good that I have heard but I will NEVER go back on this devil drug, it is the worst kind of poison....
If cymbalta is stored in fat cells would going in a far infred sauna help speed up detox?
hi all -
i know exactly what y'all are going thru! i finally came off my cymbalta (thank god) and i don't know if i could have done it without my mother's help - she's a pharmacist. i was on 60 mg. so, my doctor put me on 30's twice a day. I would alternate between taking 1 30 twice a day and once a day. i did that for about 3 weeks. then, i took only 1 30 per day. after a week or 2, i went down to 1 20 mg per day. after 3 weeks of that, i only took one every other day. eventually i only took one every 3 days. and now, NONE!!! i have to say that the only really awful side effect was thins weird feeling of...i don't know...spaciness? and some tingling in my hands and head. i also feel like i've gained some weight...anyone else find that? anyway, it takes time, but just work with your doctor on stepping down very very gradually. DON NOT JUST STOP TAKING IT!!! PLEASE!!!!
best of luck!!!
i know exactly what y'all are going thru! i finally came off my cymbalta (thank god) and i don't know if i could have done it without my mother's help - she's a pharmacist. i was on 60 mg. so, my doctor put me on 30's twice a day. I would alternate between taking 1 30 twice a day and once a day. i did that for about 3 weeks. then, i took only 1 30 per day. after a week or 2, i went down to 1 20 mg per day. after 3 weeks of that, i only took one every other day. eventually i only took one every 3 days. and now, NONE!!! i have to say that the only really awful side effect was thins weird feeling of...i don't know...spaciness? and some tingling in my hands and head. i also feel like i've gained some weight...anyone else find that? anyway, it takes time, but just work with your doctor on stepping down very very gradually. DON NOT JUST STOP TAKING IT!!! PLEASE!!!!
best of luck!!!
I have been taking cymbalta for years and was taking 120 mgs a day. I have been off it for a little over 2 weeks now and as my family can contest I have sat in my closet and cried, and cried for days at a time.
you talk about emotional, plus the muscle pain has been horrific :'( %-) I have been in bed alot for hours on end and can't stand it much longer.
Please any ideas before I go completely out of my mind??????????????
Now I am dealing with nausea.
you talk about emotional, plus the muscle pain has been horrific :'( %-) I have been in bed alot for hours on end and can't stand it much longer.
Please any ideas before I go completely out of my mind??????????????
Now I am dealing with nausea.
i just took my first 30mg of cymbalta yesterday. i have issues from a work injury and dr prescribed this for nerve pain. weight isnt an issue for me i need to gain 10 to 15 lbs but if coming off this is going to be so hard i think i just changed my mind. glad i found this board thank you al:)
You just made one of the best decission of your life if you decided not to take cymbalta or any other anti depressent!! Believe all the posts on the horrors of these meds..they are ALL true. I would rather give birth a 100 times than go through withdrawl again! Stop before its to late. Eventually the Cymbalta will quit working and you'll be stuck with the choice of months of withdrawl or going on a diffent med than will do the same thing. It is a NEVER ending cycle. You are smart to have check up on this drug and not going having blind faith in your doctor. Go luck with finding a better answer for you pain. ;-)
THis is to anyone that has ever experienced withdrawals from cymbalta. I started taking dramamine (for motion sickness) Also for the irritability and depression I started taking Valerian blend which is a natural mood enhancer. Usually what I do is take a dramamine morning, noon, and night and a valerian blend supplement at the same time. Any questions you can ee-mail me at _[removed]_. I have only been off of the cymbalta for about 5 days and I feel alot better!
Laura
workathomeunited.com/foreveryone
Laura
workathomeunited.com/foreveryone