So I went through Withdrawal for 3 weeks :-( and am now better :-) . Here is what helped me and didn't help me:
I weaned off from 60mg to 30 mg to 15 mg to half of 15 mg then to nothing. Then the symptoms started! The first week i just suffered; finally i looked to see what helped other people and tried things; some helped some didnt.I took hald a 15mg cymbalta cause i had to work and felt a lot better but then the next day when i didn't take one again; i felt like i was going to die. My Dr said 1 Prozac would stop it but I didnt believe her or want to take Prozac so I just suffered. She also said i was dehydrated and told me i had to replenish my electrolytes. Before that the thought hadn't occurred to me that i felt dehydrated. Boy was she right! I forced myself to drive to whole foods and talk to someone there and picked up some items that helped tremendously.
:-| What helped:
? I know this will seem like a lot of stuff to take ; and it is, but the symptoms are awful so it takes a lot. Whenever I didn't do the whole combo one or more symptoms became sever with it they were mild to moderate or at time non-existent.
! Electrolyte Drinks/Sports Drinks (16oz per hour on ave):This is a lot of liquid but barely enough with the dehydration withdrawal causes. I drank Sobe antioxident water, Snapple Antioxident water and Gatoraide. The Snapple seemed to help the most. After a full day of drinking like this my brain buzz went away! Then by mid-day the next day the weird out of body feeling and odd feeling that my brain would explode went away as well. I also stopped feeling dizzy and the vertigo symptoms went away. I even XD laughed that day for the first time in 2 weeks. It also helped me feel less sleepy. The more i drank the better I felt but there were still some symptoms.
:-) Imodium: You cant get re hydrated while you are still losing your fluids. I only had to take 1 dose and it helped it a lot.
:-) Antioxidants (ex:blueberries, pomegranates) i bought Odwalla B Monster and drank a big glass twice a day. I also bought fresh blueberries: This lessened all my symptoms and gave me a little energy (who knows why)
:-) Flor-Essence (available at whole foods)- I took as directed and it helped my tummy, nausea, and drugged out feeling as well as emotions
! Claritan D: Helped with headache, congestion and all the stuff it normally helps as well as dizzy/vertigo symptoms
! Multi Vitamin: Helped all symptoms - the day i didn't take it I really noticed
:-) Probiotics (available at all health food stores): Helped nausea, digestive issues and stomach ache
! Prozac (5mg) - I eventually gave in the 2nd week when i wasn't better and took 1 Prozac. I dint think it would help and was afraid i would just end up having withdrawal from it too. I had been rehydrating and was feeling 30% better but still; everything sucked and i was really nauseated. I took 1 Prozac and after 2 hours i felt 80% better. ! I event worked the next day :O but had to stick to the regimen i was on. This is now 4 days later and I just fell worn out. I cant believe taking 1 Prozac worked but it reallllllly did.
:-) Combo of 2 Fenegren and 1 Ambien: The only way i could sleep at night; also the fenegren helps nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
What didnt help or event hurt >;)
:-) Dairy: Increased nausea, stomach ache, congestion
? Benedryl: Really didnt seem to do anything
:-) Sweets: obviously there is a huge craving but when i ate them after i felt worse
:-) Caffeine: Just made all the brain symptoms more amplified and didn't help my tiredness
Hope this helps!!!
I weaned off from 60mg to 30 mg to 15 mg to half of 15 mg then to nothing. Then the symptoms started! The first week i just suffered; finally i looked to see what helped other people and tried things; some helped some didnt.I took hald a 15mg cymbalta cause i had to work and felt a lot better but then the next day when i didn't take one again; i felt like i was going to die. My Dr said 1 Prozac would stop it but I didnt believe her or want to take Prozac so I just suffered. She also said i was dehydrated and told me i had to replenish my electrolytes. Before that the thought hadn't occurred to me that i felt dehydrated. Boy was she right! I forced myself to drive to whole foods and talk to someone there and picked up some items that helped tremendously.
:-| What helped:
? I know this will seem like a lot of stuff to take ; and it is, but the symptoms are awful so it takes a lot. Whenever I didn't do the whole combo one or more symptoms became sever with it they were mild to moderate or at time non-existent.
! Electrolyte Drinks/Sports Drinks (16oz per hour on ave):This is a lot of liquid but barely enough with the dehydration withdrawal causes. I drank Sobe antioxident water, Snapple Antioxident water and Gatoraide. The Snapple seemed to help the most. After a full day of drinking like this my brain buzz went away! Then by mid-day the next day the weird out of body feeling and odd feeling that my brain would explode went away as well. I also stopped feeling dizzy and the vertigo symptoms went away. I even XD laughed that day for the first time in 2 weeks. It also helped me feel less sleepy. The more i drank the better I felt but there were still some symptoms.
:-) Imodium: You cant get re hydrated while you are still losing your fluids. I only had to take 1 dose and it helped it a lot.
:-) Antioxidants (ex:blueberries, pomegranates) i bought Odwalla B Monster and drank a big glass twice a day. I also bought fresh blueberries: This lessened all my symptoms and gave me a little energy (who knows why)
:-) Flor-Essence (available at whole foods)- I took as directed and it helped my tummy, nausea, and drugged out feeling as well as emotions
! Claritan D: Helped with headache, congestion and all the stuff it normally helps as well as dizzy/vertigo symptoms
! Multi Vitamin: Helped all symptoms - the day i didn't take it I really noticed
:-) Probiotics (available at all health food stores): Helped nausea, digestive issues and stomach ache
! Prozac (5mg) - I eventually gave in the 2nd week when i wasn't better and took 1 Prozac. I dint think it would help and was afraid i would just end up having withdrawal from it too. I had been rehydrating and was feeling 30% better but still; everything sucked and i was really nauseated. I took 1 Prozac and after 2 hours i felt 80% better. ! I event worked the next day :O but had to stick to the regimen i was on. This is now 4 days later and I just fell worn out. I cant believe taking 1 Prozac worked but it reallllllly did.
:-) Combo of 2 Fenegren and 1 Ambien: The only way i could sleep at night; also the fenegren helps nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
What didnt help or event hurt >;)
:-) Dairy: Increased nausea, stomach ache, congestion
? Benedryl: Really didnt seem to do anything
:-) Sweets: obviously there is a huge craving but when i ate them after i felt worse
:-) Caffeine: Just made all the brain symptoms more amplified and didn't help my tiredness
Hope this helps!!!