Cymbalta withdrawal

I thought that I was the only one feeling this way and thought that I was going nuts! The aches, the pain, anxiety, severe aggression, crying jags that followed. Now reading all of these discriptions I realize that it's the stinkin' Cymbalta. I don't think the Dr. helping me even knows! He tested me for Fibromyalgia because I complained of the joint aches, but everything has come out negative...No wonder! I will just take longer getting off of the Cymbalta. The only other problem is that he wants to switch me to Effexor. I'm not on XR yet, just the regular. I hear the XR causes most of the withdrawl problems. Any clues on what to do? Maybe a higher dose of Zoloft?
Thank you all for making me realize that I'm not going insane...any more than I already have anyway! o.O o.O

I recommend opening the capsules and pouring out a tiny amount of the pebbles, lessening your daily dose only slightly over time. You can guestimate how much to pour out each time. That might allow you to go from a 60mg capsule to around 50mg for a month, then to 40mg, and so on down to maybe 20mg. It may take two months to do this. I am starting the process now, and don't know exactly what to expect.

Good luck!

I was on Cymbalta for 3 years after being on Prozac for 14 years and it quit working. I got to where I wanted to sleep all the time on Cymbalta and I couldn't feel anything - I couldn't cry. My P-doc took me off of it slowly (4 day ago) by cutting it down by adding 100 mg. of Wellbutrin at the to 30 mg. a day I had been taking and then after a month dropping the Cymbalta 30 30 mg. for a month and then completely off the Cymbalta. I haven't had any Cymbalta in 4 days and I've had dizziness and strange feelings in my head - probably some people call them brain zaps. I knew what to expect from reading posts and I kind of like the brain zaps - they feel kind of cool. The nurse said to drink lots and lots of water to wash out the Cymbalta. I don't know were I go from here because all my aches and pains have come back and I'm missing the Cymbalta. I'm one of the few people who feel it's a great drug - for me at least.

I'm on my third withdrawel from Cymbalta, and yes it's hell for a week or two. But that's little hell, big hell is getting rushed away in an ambulance after trying to take your own life...again. Cymbalta is the ONLY drug that has consistantly raised me up after a suicide attempt. Please don't go writing the FDA to get it removed when some of us need it. That's already happened to me once with a different med :-(

I went off Effexor to Cymbalta.Cymbalta for Depression and nerve pain.I took it for 4 weeks and was sick ,got car sick everytime I got in A car.I cryed everday for no reason for 4 weeks.Maybe some having to do with being off Effexor.The nausia was defenantly from Cymbalta.I got off after that.No real side effects after 10 days.. But am going back on Effexor.What a mistake to switch to the poison Cybalta.But everyone is different[/list]

I responded to an earlier post regarding Effexor and the bad side effects I had with it. I've basically been on anti-depressants for 8 years now and it basically destroys your sex life, and well, now I'm a fat magnet.

My experience with any anti-depressant that was the best was Lexapro but it just stopped working after so much time. Last year I was put on Effexor and I began sweating excessively, having nightmares that grew worse and worse with people wanting to kill me and then one night I wet the bed...so I made an appointment with my doc and she changed my meds.

I went on Zoloft for awhile and it seemed to help but I was still irritable. I have noticed with ALL anti-depressants, whenever I 'd had to change and I've taken many, many of them, there are always side-effects. I always feel dizzy and wobbly and sometimes just out of it until I adjust.

I also have fibromyalgia and the rheumatologist I went to see about three months ago insisted I try the Cymbalta and I had advised her I had already tried it but it wasn't working, I honestly didn't stay on it long enough to give it a chance. Well, I'm still on it now but for the first 6 weeks the adjustment literally made me an EMOTIONAL BASKET CASE. Let's just face it, whenever you take any meds that affect the brain....it's gonna happen at some point. I have found there are good things going for the Cymbalta opposed to (Wellbutrin--headaches, Lexapro--excessive weight gain and not giving a c**p about anything, Effexor, excessive sweating, mad dreams and bed wetting, migraines, Zoloft, extremely irritable and migraines) the other anti-depressant I've tried. Besides it making you absolutely emotionally broken down when you switch, it has helped with the depression, my migraines are less, I'm gradually losing weight, it is helping with my Fibromyalgia, I actually want to try to have sex now, allows me to emotionally feel where many anti-depressants left me with no feelings whatsoever. I can cry when I'm sad without being in despair and hopeless/helpless (healthy crying), I can laugh when I'm happy and I like that. It's scary to be in a place where you can't even cry anymore because your brain chemicals have been so jacked up.

I've taken the Topamax for awhile as well for the migraine (I read that earlier on this topic) but it kept me so physically sick to my stomach....I could eat nothing. Losing weight is great and fewer migraines are great but if you feel sick 24/7 what's the point in taking it.

As far as swelling...I cut out all of my caffeine except maybe one cup of coffee a day or a glass of tea, drink water, I definately don't drown myself because I just don't care to drink it that helps but I think the key is getting enough sleep. If I sleep 6-8 hours a night I don't swell but if I don't...I look like I have inflatable legs.....

Hope that didn't help and didn't bore too bad!

I was on Cymbalta for about 4 months and at first it was ok. I lost weight and felt pretty good(I thought). I had no sexual desire and no excitement really. I just felt blah. I decided that I wanted off of it to get some excitement back and I started gaining weight. It seemed like my life was just a blur, no ups or downs. Getting off it was hell. I was dizzy and nauseous all the time I had to go back on it. The doctor lowered my dose and told me that after 2 weeks try cold turkey. It was hell but worth it. The side effects of withdrawl were dizzy, nightmares and even more weight gain which is hard to deal with considering I stopped taking the cymbalta because it was making me gain weight. I am on my third week of withdrawl and I feel pretty good. I still have some wild dreams and I find I am more tired during the day than I used to be. I still worry about the weight gain. I work out 1 1/2 hours 5 days a week and I am still getting bigger. I can't explain it but hopefully the weight will start to drop off soon. Has anyone else experienced large weight gain while trying to stop the cymbalta? Let me know.

I have been on Cymbalta just shy of a year. My doctor thought it was a good choice for the "situational" depression I was having. It certainly did the job. I was able to focus on my issues and deal with my losses but I started to have horrible nightmares and foggy headedness and just felt like I was drifting through my days. We decided it was time to get off it. I was on 60 mgs and went down to 30 for 3 weeks. Today is my 2nd day on NOTHING. I'm scared of what may happen. I've been dizzy and nauseous throughout the process. I've had crying spells, I'm eating everything in sight, feel glittery, I can feel my eyes shifting. My memory has gone to c**p, I can't focus on anything.
I keep telling myself that once I'm off and feeling better then I can focus on trying to lose the weight. I'm scared though because I"m seriously eating everything and I can feel the weight gain. But I know I can't exercise right now being so dizzy.

I wish everyone good luck getting off the meds. NO ONE should have to go through this insanity. I feel sorry for my loved ones who are so concerned about me. My boyfriend deserves an award for all he's put up with!!

i stopped due to sever bladder spasms..i had no idea they were from this medication nor did my doc..i had to find that out on my own..as this was the only medication i was taking..i stopped it and amazingly the spasms stopped

It's I never put two and two together. I've been on 60 mils of cymbalta for about a year now for my depression. I noticed if I miss a dose, I get terrible sick. Lightheadedness, all the flu like symptoms. I even got to the point where I have vomitted. I've lost some weight on the med. (I'm too upset about that.) This lightheadedness and sensetive to sound and light is really getting to me. It's worse than a migraine headache.

I just want to feel like myself again.

I quit taking cymbalta, wellbutrin and pur hoodia cold turkey about 1 1/2 weeks ago. I thought the pur hoodia was making me terribly ill, so I stopped everything. I am so sick. Tonight I sat and cried because I feel so terrible. I take xanax to releive anxiety at night to aide in sleep. I decided to look up withdrawl symptoms and found this sight. My nerves are shot. Any suggestions of how to fight the terrible sad irritable feelings.
Tammy

can someone please help me....i was taking celexa for a few years 40mg,then i went to paxil, was aweful, then i went on cymbalta, i have only been on it a month, i am going off as of today march 19, 2009...i am so scared... what can i expect ? do you think it will be ok, cause i was only on it 1 month? can anyone help me? Trish

i was prescribed Cymbalta for neuropathic pain from a back injury. It was a workers comp injury. The Ins. co case manager decided I didnt need cymbalta anymore and just cut me off. The side effects are hell! The anger, constantly feel like I am burning up under the skin. I keep my house ice cold. and the "brain zaps" really scare me. sometimes they are really violent. I feel suicidal. I constantly thimk about slitting my wrists.
I hope my family sues the heck out of the insurance company, their doctors, and Eli Lilly if i do something to myself. I am not working so I cant afford Cymbalta. and I cant even describe the nightmarish dreams that i have had since starting Cymbalta and they seem worse now that I am having to go cold turkey. good luck and keep in constant touch with a crisis intervention person and let yor family know what you will be experiencing during withdrawals.

OK GUYS I HAVE BEEN READING BLOGS AFTER BLOGS ON THE WITHDRAWLS FROM CYMBALTA, I DIDNT TAKE IT FOR 3 DAYS AND I WAS USELESS MY 8 YEAR OLD HAD TO HELP ME WITH EVERYTHING, LITERALLY.. I HAVE BEEN TAKING CYMBALTA FOR A YEAR AND IAM UP TO TAKING 120MG A DAY AT NIGHT AND I FEEL LIKE ITS NOT HELPING ME AT ALL ANYMORE, I WAS TOLD I HAD FIBROMALGIA WHICH IS WHY I STARTED TAKING THIS MED AND NOW 1 YEAR LATER IM TOLD I MIGHT NOT EVEN HAVE FIBRO. I WANT TO GET OFF OF THIS MED SO BAD BUT I NEED TO BE ABLE TO FUNCTION TOO.. I AM A SINGLE MOM OF 3 KIDS AND I HAVE A FULL TIME JOB. I HAVE A BOYFRIEND AND I DONT WANT TO RUN HIM OFF YA KNOW.. I ALSO FEEL LIKE CYMBALTA HAS KILLED MY SEX DRIVE.. HELP PLEASE I NEED ALL THE ADVICE I CAN GET.. THANKS TO EVERYONE!

I just wanted to say that I'm happy to hear that I am not the only one feeling all these withdrawl systems of Cymbalta. I have been feeling these brain zaps, and I am very nauseous to the point that food repulses me. I admit at first I thought it wasn't going to be to bad coming off of this because I didn't feel it initally, but the third day rolls around and WOW, I thought I was not going to make it through the day. I have cried, been angry, and I really haven't had any reasons to be. My poor husband, has been so good to me and has tried to make me as comfortable as possible. My smell has even been hightened and everything smells horrible to me and makes me almost throw up. I just don't know what to do with my situation because the problem is that I am currently living overseas and my Cymbalta has to be sent to me from the states, and it has not yet arrived. It has been 6 days since I have had any, and I don't know weither or not to go back on it now since I have made it this long without it. I just don't want to have to go through this again, and my husband and I plan to try and start a family soon, and I don't know how cymbalta affects pregnancy. Anyone and any advice?? I had been on Paxil before, and coming off that was pretty horrible as well. My prayers are with everyone that has to come off this drug, it truely is a horrible feeling.

Faith