I am not a doctor nor will I try to be yours. I do want to share with people how I came off Cymbalta...A few years ago I came off this drug and never experienced anything like it! I was taking it for depression an PTSD. I had been on other anti-depressants in the past and came off with little to no side effects. Not Cymbalta! I had what I have read people call "brain freezes", dizziness, jitters and more. It lasted about a week.
I went back on the Cymbalta a few years later, as it did help with my depression and PTSD. Well, aftre two years I have found that it gives me terrible headaches and needed a change. This time I went to see my doctor for advise (which you should also do and I should have done the first time) on how to stop taking it (I was not going to go through withdrawal again, like I did a few years back.
I will tell you this, I see one of the most respected doctors in the world in this field, located in Boston, MA.
This is what he told me:
Cymbalta comes out of your system very quickly, within days, where other drugs, such as Prozac gradually come out of your system. The side effects people have is your body reacting to this sudden change. Cymbalta effects your SEROTONIN level, which is thought to keep the brain "happy" for a lack of a better word. What my doctor did was put me on another anti-depressant at the same time (Prozac). The reason being, both Cymbalta and Prozac effect SEROTONIN levels. As I previously stated, Cymbalta coming out of your system very quickly. Prozac does not, it takes a few weeks. So I was able to keep my SEROTONIN level up while stopping Cymbalta.
This is how it worked (for me): I took 20 mg of Prozac for a week, along with my 20 mg of Cymbalta (20 mg of Cymbalta was what I took all along). After a week, I was told to cut the Prozac (I took the generic brand so I was able to split it in half) in half and take 10 mg for a week, again along with my regular dose of Cymbalta. After one more week (two weeks all together) I stopped the Cymbalta all together. I continued to take the 10 mg of Prozac for one more week and the stopped taking that all together. Once this was done, I was switched over to Wellbutrin, a drug my doctor felt would better work for me.
With all of this said, and having done it the wrong way the first time, I had very little side effects. One was my eardrums sounded like they were shaking a bit ( I was told by my doctor this was normal and common). He told me Cymbalta effects some small musels in the ear area. (I do not re-call the exact name of the muscle, sorry).
I really hope this helps!?!? Again, see your doctor because I am NOT one and don't claim to be one. I just felt sharing this and helping others was the right thing to do (I never do things like this). Good luck and you can do it!
I went back on the Cymbalta a few years later, as it did help with my depression and PTSD. Well, aftre two years I have found that it gives me terrible headaches and needed a change. This time I went to see my doctor for advise (which you should also do and I should have done the first time) on how to stop taking it (I was not going to go through withdrawal again, like I did a few years back.
I will tell you this, I see one of the most respected doctors in the world in this field, located in Boston, MA.
This is what he told me:
Cymbalta comes out of your system very quickly, within days, where other drugs, such as Prozac gradually come out of your system. The side effects people have is your body reacting to this sudden change. Cymbalta effects your SEROTONIN level, which is thought to keep the brain "happy" for a lack of a better word. What my doctor did was put me on another anti-depressant at the same time (Prozac). The reason being, both Cymbalta and Prozac effect SEROTONIN levels. As I previously stated, Cymbalta coming out of your system very quickly. Prozac does not, it takes a few weeks. So I was able to keep my SEROTONIN level up while stopping Cymbalta.
This is how it worked (for me): I took 20 mg of Prozac for a week, along with my 20 mg of Cymbalta (20 mg of Cymbalta was what I took all along). After a week, I was told to cut the Prozac (I took the generic brand so I was able to split it in half) in half and take 10 mg for a week, again along with my regular dose of Cymbalta. After one more week (two weeks all together) I stopped the Cymbalta all together. I continued to take the 10 mg of Prozac for one more week and the stopped taking that all together. Once this was done, I was switched over to Wellbutrin, a drug my doctor felt would better work for me.
With all of this said, and having done it the wrong way the first time, I had very little side effects. One was my eardrums sounded like they were shaking a bit ( I was told by my doctor this was normal and common). He told me Cymbalta effects some small musels in the ear area. (I do not re-call the exact name of the muscle, sorry).
I really hope this helps!?!? Again, see your doctor because I am NOT one and don't claim to be one. I just felt sharing this and helping others was the right thing to do (I never do things like this). Good luck and you can do it!
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Thank you very much. I am not well today, due to stopping the Cymbolta inappropriately. Not aware of proper procedure. However, I have been on it since Nov. 2009, With Welburtin. Is it possible to have the tel communication, for more details.
I feel very uncomfortable in my stomach. Burning, as if I am there is something going in my organs. Couple of time I tried and when I try to come off it, it has not worked. This time is the effects appearel after 3-4 days.
Pam
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Thank you for this info, I have been off Cymbalta now for five days and considering never going back on it again because of the withdrawl symptoms. I actually am considering just finding other homeopathic ways to deal with pain etc.,, The reason I had to go off is because my doctor did not fill out the yearly 5 page paperwork that has to be sent to insurance company before I could get another refill....so I have been on the phone back and forth with doctor, pharmacy, and ins company. All I hear about is the "paperwork" I'm sick of all of this. We are placed on these meds that appear to help but are at the beck and call to "paperwork" when trying to get refills.
So since I have made it this many days without it hopefully the "rattle" sound in my ears, dizziness, headache, and nausea will stop soon. Why should I be concerned about these effects, my doctor isn't, she's too busy filling out more "paperwork".
What a business it is "pharmaceutical" they have all of us hooked!
I am going back to swimming, jogging, and yoga! I live on the Cape at one time, when I moved to Ohio - different climate, everything changed for me.
So since I have made it this many days without it hopefully the "rattle" sound in my ears, dizziness, headache, and nausea will stop soon. Why should I be concerned about these effects, my doctor isn't, she's too busy filling out more "paperwork".
What a business it is "pharmaceutical" they have all of us hooked!
I am going back to swimming, jogging, and yoga! I live on the Cape at one time, when I moved to Ohio - different climate, everything changed for me.
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Thank you so much! I am having the same ear problem which scared me to death. Also my skin feels like it is crawling. Constantly hungry
and stomach pains. This is my 3rd day cold turkey.
and stomach pains. This is my 3rd day cold turkey.
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I have been cutting down by week on cymbalta, last thurs I took the last dose. Since then I am dizzy, nauseous, disoriented, shaky, this is after a full week. Any suggestions?
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Small muscles in the ear? That explains why (on 90 mg/day) my ears would crackle at the sound of loud noises, like vacuuming, or even dumping ice into a cooler. That was almost unbearable. The ear doctor could find nothing wrong. I am trying to slowly quit and have backed down to 60 mg for about 2 weeks now and the crackling is gone. After trying 30 mg for a week, I had to increase the dose. Quitting is the only alternative since I was laid-off and lost my insurance because this drug costs over $800 a month!! But it is a great painkiller, as I have noticed my aches have returned since lowering the dose.
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I'm only on my third day cold turkey and I feel so dizzy!! This is horrible. I had the same situation that my doctor hasn't called in my renewal for my prescription. After reading all of your comments and enduring the last three days, I'm thinking that I keep going and go off of this drug. Honestly; this is wrong. The drug companies get us hooked on this medication and it's go to be so bad for our bodies long term. I'm laying in bed and thank you all for taking the time to help through your tough experiences. Be well.
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I've been weaning myself off of Cymbalta after approximately four years with advice from my doctor. However, even doing it the "right" way has been extremely horrible. I knew from past experience that any kind of anti-depressant is difficult to come off of but this one is the worst. Extreme dizziness, skin on fire, extreme swings in mood, i.e., crying uncontrollably, extreme anxiety, can't seem to get full, always hungry but sick to my stomach at same time. The worst thing though has been the nightmares, I would almost say night terrors. I have always had trouble with depression but at this point in my life I think I'll just try to deal with it best I can without medication. I think these drugs are dangerous and the people put on them are not informed clearly enough what they're gettting into.
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Sorry to hear what you are going through, but if it is any consolation to you, I and EVERYONE else that was/is on Cymbalta will or has experienced the exact same withdrawl symtoms, This sad to say, holds true wheather you quit cold turkey or try to slowly ween yourself off the drug, The drug company says "It's easy to take!" What they don't say is that it is extremely difficult to quit, and there is NOT, and I repeat NOT an Exit strategy for this drug. The reason Dr's are unknownalageable about how to stop taking Cymbalta is that they have not been told how to do it and it is not included in the manufactures Drug Leflet. It is as they say, "A Hotel they check into and Don't check out!"
That said,
1.) I am not a Dr., But I have had 30 years of medical experience being a Medic with the Army and a Paramedic with the Dallas Fire Department,
2.) I took Cymbalta for 6 years and although it had some benefits, the cons far outweighed them. It evenyually made me a Zombie who didn't care about anything. Wife, Family, Life, Work, hobbies, Sex, Love, Passion, Quality of Life, fun and the ability to do or care about ANYTHING were as close to nill as made no difference.
3.) I quit cold turkey.
My suggestion is to STOP COLD TURKEY! Be prepaired to experience HELL for at least a week and maybe two with some side effects lasting a month or two! I am not joking at all. HELL. You may think you are going crazy or going to die. Also, people that try to stop slowly just experienced these withdrall symtoms over a longer period than they would have had they gone cold turkey. They also get hit by the exact same Massive Symtoms for the exact same time when they quit taking it. "Dammed if you do and dammed if you don't", but longer if you don't.
Be ready to experience all the symtoms people had that you read about, in some severity or another, for the time I mentioned up above.
People (myself included) have experienced Brain Freezes or "Rushes", small sezuries, spasms of your upper back, neck, shoulders and extremities that can cause your muscles to rip and joints to ache. Weakness, lighted headed, the worse headaches and neckaches you can imagine (It's a migraine on Steroids), body aches, jaw contractions that might make you bite you tongue. Aniexity, fear of dying, terrible dreams (night terrors), insomnia, lack of any useful rest, restlessness, Visual disturbances (flashes of light, inability to focus, sensivity to light), tempery loss of the ability to talk. Moving your eys to fast will make you sorry. These are just a few but most noticeablely important symtoms.
The only thing that I found that helped at all was minimizing any stimulating input like light, sound, foods, touch and movement. Sounds just like a Migraine in this aspect doesn't it? Need I say that the drug manufacturer should be held accountable for this Demon Drug. It should have never been allowed on the market. If you have not started the drug, then DON'T, or you will regret having ever taking it AND having to quit.
I am quite able and ready to defend myself to the drug company or anyone else as I have documented my experience with words and pictures.
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Wow! Thank you so much for your input. I have also decided to quit cold turkey as of 2 days ago. I have never heard anyone else talk about the ear crackling and head rushes before. I thought it was just me! I'm praying that I can make it thru this, honestly I am a bit scared, but I know I will be better in the long run.
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Thank You so much for your post. I am ATTEMPTING to cut back on my Cymbalta..I can only go 2 days...then I HAVE to have my pill...but even then it doesn't help immediately....it will take a couple hours to kick in.....I have written down the pills you used to get off Cymbalta..and will show it to my doctor - have an appt. March 3rd...... (been on pill for almost 10 years)
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Oh MY Goodness......MY Prayers are with you!!!.....it's hell when I go 2 days without THE PILL!!.... HANG IN THERE.....
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Thank you for posting this as I no longer want to take cymbalta. I will speak to my dr about taking prozac just to wean off of this drug.
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I'm on day 7, stopping cold turkey. HELL is an understatement. I've started taking all natural supplements (8 plus Dramamine) to aid in my detoxification off this "demon drug". Like yourself, I've been on this for 8 plus years... I need to reacquaint myself with me...it's horrifying, the dizziness, the brain rushes, the confusion, rage, crying, when will this stop? Do not take Cymbalta!!!!!!
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