Tips for Cymbalta Withdrawals

Thank you so much for sharing your journey! I was wondering are the beads all the same? I opened two 20mg capsules and counted the beads in each of them. One had 137 beads and the other 120 beads. Thank you for your time!

All these tapering off stories are great except when your insurance changes and the pharmacy says the doctor has to do all the leg work but the doctor says the pharmacy has to do all the leg work and now I am 4 days cold turkey off of 30mg and going through major brain zaps, emotional swings including instant rage, lethargy,, depression and panic attacks. So, outside of a padded room, what can I do to ease symptoms?

If you are taking extended release, it is my understanding that each tiny bead is the same mg dosage as if you took the entire capsule, so the only true way to titrate down is have your physician do it for you. I was on 60mg extended release for many years. I am taking 30mg for two weeks then 15mg for 2 weeks. Again, always check with your physician before making any med changes.

I went cold turkey off Cymbalta and can say It hasn't been easy at all. Today I read these posts and every symptom I have from the sweats especially at night and being dizzy and my brain swimming in my head, crying easily , pain all over constantly, also mood swings, weight gain! I started taking it about 2 years ago for F.M. and it seemed to help a little but when I was on time taking my dose for the day I would get all sicky feeling and I didn't like being controlled by a pill like that and decided to quit taking it. I have had The same sickish sicky feeling for about 2 months now. Hope it gets better soon. Good luck to every one!

How many beads would be in a 60 mg tablet?

This process is difficult for me. I went from 30mg bid (for arthritis) to daily to qod to every three days. I hate the brain fog. Geez. I will be glad when it's over

if you still havent found it:
In reply to Guest on 2009-07-09 - click to read

Here are two posts from previous that offer some suggestions.

Folks,

Here is what I did. After 10 years on this stuff I went cold turkey. yeah I know a lot of you are going to tell me that I am really nuts; I have worked in the healthcare industry for over 15 so I had some pretty good advice. I had tried it before and went back on after about 2 weeks off due to the normal side effects.

So here is what I am doing differently this time.

1. Drammamine for Zaps
2. Benadryl to sleep and to calm the nightmares (I have some doozies from my time in Kuwait/Iraq)
3. St. John's Wort (for what it is wort) - That is a joke, laugh!
4. My wife's awesome hot salsa and chips on call 24/7 (Hot stuff releases endorphins which are good for you)
5. Taking a nap now and again
6. Fish Oil pills for Omega 3 and 6
7. Tons of B-12 (it is water soluble, so you cannot overdo it)

A great pastor who is also a sientist. Not one of those Scientology whackos, but a real scientist.

Let me know if any of this helps. I can be contacted via email if you have any other questions.

I am into my third week and while I feel like a retard running in honey at times, I am making it. I will not fail.


First of all, my background. I've been taking Cymbalta for a period of eight months. My prescribed dose has been 30mg daily. Before Cymbalta I was on Fluvoxamine (LUVOX) for about one year and for a brief stint (three weeks) Escitalopram (LEXAPRO). I was diagnosed as someone with great insurance. Just kidding, but that did make my psychiatrist happy: (no kiddding the first thing he always said to me when I walked in was, "Hello Michael, you're Value Options Blue Cross, right?" Haha. In any case, I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder with obsessive tendencies as well.

I weaned off LUVOX and LEXAPRO with almost no problems: a few dizzy spells and some brain zaps. But with Cymbalta, I tried to wean off at a rate of 10mg a week and I felt like I had the flu. Swollen glands, sore throat, headache, soreness all over, etc. I've been weaning off the drug much more successfully using the following method: Opening the capsules and removing a few granules more each day. Please read the post by "arieln" (12/22/07) She totally has the right idea here. Currently I am down to the equivalent of about 12 mg. a day and I feel fine. I occasionally get a headache but it's nothing an aspirin doesn't help with. For those of you that are curious I have found there to be approximately 280 granules in each 30mg. does. I have been removing 7 more each day for a rate of 5mg. less/ week. If symptoms recur I can slow to 3-4 granules less/ dose for a rate of 2.5mg. less/ week.
Anyway, the reason we all feel like c**p is because of an effect Cymbalta creates called an "anticholergenic rebound." This means there has been an interruption in the production of the essential neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Hence, anything you can do to enhance or support acetylcholine production will assist in alleviating withdrawal symptoms. I almost never take vitamins regularly but I've been trying this and it appears to help so far. Here are a few daily vitamins that are helping me get through:

vitamins/ supplements directly related to acetylcholine production

B-Complex
Lecithin (has choline in it) 1200mg.
Lutein 250 mg. Find it in Centrum

vitamins/ supplements indirectly related

Vinpocetine 20mg. (increases dopamine which indirectly boosts acetylcholine)
Ginkgo Biloba 120mg. (increases blood flow in brain which supports creation of neurotransmitters)
St. John's Wart 600 mg. at night (increases acetylcholine by preventing its breakdown)

For Sleep

Melatonin 6 mg. at night

Please note that I am not a doctor or scientist and that this is simply the result of my own research. I have heard other things work for people as well like Benedril, Vicodin, other SSRIs, Xanax etc. But I'm really trying to get off of all drugs.
Diet is important too, so I've been trying to eat right and take a OMEGA 3-6-9 supplement. I've been eating foods that support acetylcholine production such as peanuts, almonds, spinach, wheat germ, and whole eggs. Beef liver is also a good source of choline but who wants to eat that! Thank you for reading this if you actually got to the end. I've been trying hard to understand what's happening to my brain and I hope I've found some useful information. I will continue to post until about two months after I'm totally off so that I can be objective about the effects of this method of withdrawal. See you next week.

Michael

In reply to Guest on 2009-07-09 - click to read

Here are two posts from previous that offer some suggestions.

Folks,

Here is what I did. After 10 years on this stuff I went cold turkey. yeah I know a lot of you are going to tell me that I am really nuts; I have worked in the healthcare industry for over 15 so I had some pretty good advice. I had tried it before and went back on after about 2 weeks off due to the normal side effects.

So here is what I am doing differently this time.

1. Drammamine for Zaps
2. Benadryl to sleep and to calm the nightmares (I have some doozies from my time in Kuwait/Iraq)
3. St. John's Wort (for what it is wort) - That is a joke, laugh!
4. My wife's awesome hot salsa and chips on call 24/7 (Hot stuff releases endorphins which are good for you)
5. Taking a nap now and again
6. Fish Oil pills for Omega 3 and 6
7. Tons of B-12 (it is water soluble, so you cannot overdo it)

A great pastor who is also a sientist. Not one of those Scientology whackos, but a real scientist.

Let me know if any of this helps. I can be contacted via email if you have any other questions.

I am into my third week and while I feel like a retard running in honey at times, I am making it. I will not fail.


First of all, my background. I've been taking Cymbalta for a period of eight months. My prescribed dose has been 30mg daily. Before Cymbalta I was on Fluvoxamine (LUVOX) for about one year and for a brief stint (three weeks) Escitalopram (LEXAPRO). I was diagnosed as someone with great insurance. Just kidding, but that did make my psychiatrist happy: (no kiddding the first thing he always said to me when I walked in was, "Hello Michael, you're Value Options Blue Cross, right?" Haha. In any case, I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder with obsessive tendencies as well.

I weaned off LUVOX and LEXAPRO with almost no problems: a few dizzy spells and some brain zaps. But with Cymbalta, I tried to wean off at a rate of 10mg a week and I felt like I had the flu. Swollen glands, sore throat, headache, soreness all over, etc. I've been weaning off the drug much more successfully using the following method: Opening the capsules and removing a few granules more each day. Please read the post by "arieln" (12/22/07) She totally has the right idea here. Currently I am down to the equivalent of about 12 mg. a day and I feel fine. I occasionally get a headache but it's nothing an aspirin doesn't help with. For those of you that are curious I have found there to be approximately 280 granules in each 30mg. does. I have been removing 7 more each day for a rate of 5mg. less/ week. If symptoms recur I can slow to 3-4 granules less/ dose for a rate of 2.5mg. less/ week.
Anyway, the reason we all feel like c**p is because of an effect Cymbalta creates called an "anticholergenic rebound." This means there has been an interruption in the production of the essential neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Hence, anything you can do to enhance or support acetylcholine production will assist in alleviating withdrawal symptoms. I almost never take vitamins regularly but I've been trying this and it appears to help so far. Here are a few daily vitamins that are helping me get through:

vitamins/ supplements directly related to acetylcholine production

B-Complex
Lecithin (has choline in it) 1200mg.
Lutein 250 mg. Find it in Centrum

vitamins/ supplements indirectly related

Vinpocetine 20mg. (increases dopamine which indirectly boosts acetylcholine)
Ginkgo Biloba 120mg. (increases blood flow in brain which supports creation of neurotransmitters)
St. John's Wart 600 mg. at night (increases acetylcholine by preventing its breakdown)

For Sleep

Melatonin 6 mg. at night

Please note that I am not a doctor or scientist and that this is simply the result of my own research. I have heard other things work for people as well like Benedril, Vicodin, other SSRIs, Xanax etc. But I'm really trying to get off of all drugs.
Diet is important too, so I've been trying to eat right and take a OMEGA 3-6-9 supplement. I've been eating foods that support acetylcholine production such as peanuts, almonds, spinach, wheat germ, and whole eggs. Beef liver is also a good source of choline but who wants to eat that! Thank you for reading this if you actually got to the end. I've been trying hard to understand what's happening to my brain and I hope I've found some useful information. I will continue to post until about two months after I'm totally off so that I can be objective about the effects of this method of withdrawal. See you next week.

Michael

A search of your user name came up empty...

Desperately seeking original link by U-NEED-acetylcholine on how to get off Cymbalta.

I'm Nicole. I'm currently on day 5 of cold turkey withdrawal off 120mg of cymbalta. It has been hell. Today is the first day I've had any symptomatic relief. I'm still dizzy, nauseated and having brain zaps, but the intensity is slightly decreased. I'll take it. I felt like id die the last few days.

So glad to hear that. I am also going off cold turkey (day two). So far so good.

the problem .th removing the granules is that they are so small that they can be crushed and then it changes the composition of the granual . The granules are different sizes and it is too hard to know which one has enough of the cymbalta to make a difference, its best to go down to 20 then unfortunately cold turkey. ( i called the manufacturer for this advice). I am in the throws of going cold turkey on 20mg and it is not easy. my doctor gave me 5-htp to replace the cymbalta so it can take the edge off the withdrawal.

Hi there Michael - thanks for taking the time to write about your experiences. I am really keen to find out more. This is my fourth serious attempt of trying to come off this drug and it's a bloomin' nightmare. This year though I am doing better - having dropped down from 30mg to 20mg gradually over the last eight weeks - a victory! I still feel so shocking though - thick fog making it hard to think about anything, decision-making is tricky and trouble sleeping. Every day seems like a struggle right now but I am absolutely determined to kick it. Will take a look at those supplements that you recommend. Quick question: is it OK to use St John's Wort whilst still on Cymbalta - I have heard that sometimes they don't recomemend mixing it? Also, if you have learnt any more in the last few months I would be keen to find out.

Thanks Zappy girl that really made me laugh when you said about the body, saying hey no way!! i want that bak haha. Im on Duloxetine among many other mood stabilzing meds... Duloxetine has caused me to gain an extra 3 stone, and i was already over weight as i am on Quetiapine which is now renowned for weight gain. I hate it i was always so slim. and i asked Psychiatrist to put me on something that did not gain weight. I really have been let down. I was 9 stone now i am eighteen stone. Im trying to wean myself off the Duloxetine. It is very difficult as i have tried in the past.
I take 60mg in the morning. I wanted to know if i could take it every other day, and if i did would i lose any weight. Since being on this drug my stomach and legs and face have swollen up.
oh i just hate it... its enough to make me suicidal just looking in the mirror.. :0)