Tips for Cymbalta Withdrawals

What are brain zaps? I have been taking Cymbalta 30mg for 6 months. Went off 4 days ago. Can't tell if I am haing reaction to going off of cymbalta or if it is allergy related headaches/dizziness.

Hi, I was wondering how you turned out. I am going through the same, I don't like "pigging out", getting through work was torture for me as well, along with the anxiety, NO SLEEP, losing friends, and no strong support system. I feel that maybe I'm a bad person as well! KC

Not sure how others have experienced it but for me it was like a bolt of lightning going through my head - a really loud bang, as though your brain has misfired or something - it was quite scary at first not knowing what it was. Headaches, dizziness/vertigo are common withdrawal symptoms - others on here seem to have avoided those symptoms by weaning off the drug very slowly. I took 7 beads out of my 60mg capsule today and all well so far - will update on this site so you can see how it goes - taking 14 beads out tomorrow ....

Day one - early days but so far so good lol.
They helped me through work to a certain point but as the dosage increased it became a vicious circle - ie. the tablets slow down your thinking and relax you whereas a busy work environment demands more of you! Living by faith at the moment lol - again very thankful that my husband has just got a job after being out of work for 2 years.
Yup, I don't seem to sleep too well and have retreated from a lot of friends because I just didn't know how I'd feel from one minute to the next. I'm sure you're not a bad person - you're probably just depressed/anxious like most of us who take this drug - you will get through it! I heard a good quote recently "without a vision the people perish" - we need to think about what life could be like or how we would like it to look and then when we have that vision it gives us a hope to work towards - hope that's not too deep lol. Take care x

So i have been on 120 mg of cymbalta(60mg twice a day) for going on 7 years. I cannot believe what i have gotten myself into. I have tried to go cold turkey twice. the last time i did it. i went two weeks & it got so bad i just ended up taking it again to get over the brain zaps and loopy side effects. I just ran out of pills two days ago and so i just went cold turkey. I wish I had saw this before and tried the "7miniball removal" suggested by Mike. 

I am going to purchase the  TRB health pyschopathic withdrawl vitamine regime for 150$ in like 6 days. But i shall try to stay posted  on the symptoms. But quick question. If i die while trying to withdrawl from this pill, as many of the symptoms are stroke, or cardiac arrest. Am i able to sue Lily, the makers of cymbalta? Never was I told I could die from NOT taking this medicine. Has anybody tried to write this pharmaceuitcal company for tips on weening off of their drug? I am very close to writing my attorney and the company about this drug. 

When I first started taking this drug. It did seem like a wonder drug. but come to find out, ITS POISON? Omgosh &your not allowed to cold turkey? I thought going cold turkey on ciggarettes was hard. This is almost an indescribable feeling. While doing research i came across this page. 

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 ... There are soooooooo many side effects & withdrawal side effects that I seriously got ADD and stopped reading them all once it got to the one about cardiac arrest. I started taking this pill b/c i am clincally depressed. So i am pretty  much looking forward to cardiac arrest right now. (day 3 c.t.) 

I recently re located to Las Vegas from Salt Lake city, I AM SOOO LIVID  with my dr' and psych's for putting me on this sh*t! I seriously think they think its a joke or something and are waiting for me to die? Didnt this company do a trial on this drug? I seriously want to sue them sooooo bad! that or burn down the company who made it. Seriously, where is lilly based out of? & who has a match ? BBQ lighter fluid? 

ThIS IS NOT OKAY.. as it is I am already disabled, So for me to have to go out of my way to purchase a vitamin regime just to get off this drug is uncalled for.  I read someone say tramadol is just as bad ? Well i was on tramadol for a year, and i can attest. NOPE that drug is NOT COMPARABLE TO THIS in withdrawals . I cold turkey'd that drug but i was on cymbalta so perhaps that makes a difference..? 

As of now i am currently on Cymbalta (120MG) Welbutrin(buproprian) (200 mg) Lamictal (200 mg) aldactone (200 mg) estrodial (10 mg) 1 daily multivitamin, b12, & bioton .. I want to stop all of them but the aldactone and estrodial (for i am ladyboy) omgosh im so foggy and lightheaded frm day 3 withdrawals that i dont even want to finish this or capatalize my letters or type correctly/ coherently. & i heard it takes 2 WHOLE MONTHS TO COMPLETELY WITHDRAWAL all TOXINS from cymbalta in the body/brain?! WTF!! seriously. SO LIVID @ DR STONEBURNER for never telling me this would take over my liife.. 

So bc im broke as sh*t now, out of state w/ no insurance. I cannot afford the total amount for my cymbalta perscription. Nor the amount wanted for this VITAMIN regime (160) I am going cold turkey. & at times i pray i dont die, but then at times hope for it? weird.. 

Anyways I hope it lasts this time and i dont end up 2 weeks into detox and feeling the need to open my cymbalta pill, crush the miniballs , and snort them just to get the poison back into my system faster so i could get over these freaking brain zaps. they seriously shall be my demise. I have to take ativan to calm me down and keep me from  murdering someone. 

Seriously want to sue Lily,  so angry. Ill try to stay posted. but i have to stop writing cuz im livid.  I read like 8 pages of this forum topic b4 i gave up.  But has anyone known anyone who died from withdrawaling from this poison?  These vivid dreams are kinda kick ass but scary.. Ugh someone bring me the 150$ vigtamin regime fm TRBHEALTH, fiber powder, a bottled water & a fat blunt.. This withdrawal is going to be one for the books! Sumone sue for me if i die... heh... no SERIOUSLY SUEE! Im an american. Its our right

Omgosh , k ..
So a brain zap TO ME (your head is alreading in a ball of vodka rolling around fuzzy ) THEN POW all at once .. shortness of oxygen , loss of balance, rapid heartbeating followed by intense sweating, and feelings of nausea then faint. then claustrophobia.. total panick attack.... i have to run to the shower and let the water pound on my head.. i literaly feel like i've lost it. but then i come out a bit better, at least enough to pass out. after i take an ativan

hey. wakeup..l are u still alive? did you get off it?

Did you feel lifeless and no interest in things while taking cymbalta?

Oh my God. Somebody shoot me! I seriously feel like I need to be in detox. I don't care if I am crying 24/7--I will NEVER use Cymbalta again. I was on 30 mg/day for a little over a year. For weaning, my doctor prescribed 20 mg/day for two weeks, then 20 mg/every other day for the next two weeks. The pharmacist said whatever changes are made should be done for two weeks at a time. Anyway, I am at the tail end of the every other day regimen, and I cannot believe how horrible I feel. I can't even call it dizziness--it's more like an out-of-body experience. The zaps--VERY strange sensation. I may just have to take some time off of work to detox. My nephew had no withdrawal symptoms because he was removing the little beads from the capsules, but quite frankly I don't have the patience for that. I have horrible, horrible nightmares now. Every night. But the nightmares were also pretty bad for the year that I've been on Cymbalta. What's with that?? I'm going off Cymbalta because I'm tired of feeling "flat." Worse is the decrease (no, DEATH) of a sex drive. My poor husband! But the thought of sex gives me as much excitement as beheading laboratory mice. I have been feeling dead on Cymbalta and I really think I'd rather have crying bouts. I've always been a cryer (commercials, etc.) but the menopause was exacerbating that. I was a sobbing mess and it was interfering with everyday functioning. I have to hang in there. BTW, I stopped Wellbutrin cold turkey and felt absolutely nothing. I really didn't know what the fuss was about. That's why I'm surprised at how horrible I feel now. But for the record, I also didn't feel very different when I was on Wellbutrin. Right now I just want to know how long these symptoms are going to last??

Yes, I just posted. Cymbalta made me feel very "flat." Lifeless is a good word. I'd rather just deal with my crying spells! Cymbalta is horrible.

I am saying the same thing to myself: If I'm feeling this horrible trying to stop the drug, what in God's name was I taking?? My doctor wants to see me in a few weeks to see how I'm doing and I am going to tell him to please warn patients before they take this that it will make them feel lifeless and then will be followed up by weeks of hell to end it. Horrible, horrible . . .

hi .. did u go cold turkey or how long did it take u to go off the cymbalta.. i want to give them up..but im scared of side affects or withdrawals... i have gained weight and that is getting me more depressed then when i went on them... if u can pls e mail me...

I AM IN COSTA RICA .I SPOKE TO A DR AND PHARMACIST... THEY TELL ME.. INTRODUCE AND NATURAL ANTI DEPRESSANT WHILE U ARE COMING OFF THE DRUG..AND THE NATURAL ONE SHOULD TAKE OVER ONCE THE CYMBALTA I S OUT OF YOUR SYYSTEM.. GOOD LUCK COZ IM GOING TO DO THE SAME IN A FEW WEEKS.. AND I NEARLY WENT CRAZY THE LAST TIME.. BUT I DID IT WRONG.. THIS TIME IL DO IT DIFFERENTLY... AND INTRODUCE A NATURAL ONE..

I have only been taking cymbalta for two weeks and already tried getting off by missing one day, and the migraine and fogginess was too much to bare. What would you suggest I try? I'm on 30 mg a day for my anxiety, but my dr wants me to take the cymbalta every other day for a week then stop. He also wants to start me on Wellbutrin but from what I've read online I am extremely hesitant. I don't know if this extreme anxiety or feeling like I can't breathe is caused by all the stress in my life right now or if its directly related to all of my intestinal issues that I've had the past year. Either way I don't think these drugs are right for me. Tried lexapro for 4 days and felt like absolute c**p. Please help! Advice?

Hi guys

I'm on day 9 of weaning off 60mg of Cymbalta - no side effects whatsoever so far.

I have been removing 7 extra beads a day from the capsule, today I've removed 63 beads.  Not sure how many are in the capsule - I think someone posted before that there were around 350 or so.

So, hopefully only several weeks to go all being well!

On day one I started using vitamin/supplements - Omega 3 (standard strength 1000 mg) and Neurozan (contains 5 HTP).

After some personal research I discovered that 5 HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan, also known as oxitriptan, is a naturally occurring amino acid and chemical precursor as well as a metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin from tryptophan) is recommended when withdrawing from Cymbalta.  However, on other discussion forums the general consensus seems to be that you should be completely off the anti depressant before taking it as it can cause seratonin syndrome.

However, Neurozan only contains 20mg per tablet so I'm going to continue for now and discuss with the doctor when I see her next week.

Take care guys x