My Cymbalta story by lundeliz

[lundeliz]

Thank you so much OnaRage for thinking of me. You have always been such a huge support.

 

It's so good to hear how well you are doing. Thank you for letting me know about the

 

Facebook group. I will definitely be checking it out. We can sure use all the support

 

we can find. Not much has changed for me yet. It is still a day to day struggle at almost

 

22 months out. I wish you the very best in your continued recovery. Please do let us know

 

how it is going. Thank you again for your support and encouragement. (Hugs)

[luv2knit]

Good to hear from you, Liz. I have found support with some Facebook groups as well, and have been going back and forth between there and here!

 

Sorry to hear you are still struggling. I am 14 months off and still struggling as well. August was somewhat better, but I am back in the hole again now.

 

XOXO

[lundeliz]

Hi luv. I know what you mean by being back in the hole. It's so discouraging

 

when you think a symptom is finally gone and it comes roaring back. That is my

 

situation too. I keep up with your thread and identify with most of your symptoms.

 

I hope you turn that corner soon. I will check out those Facebook groups. Thanks!

[luv2knit]

I'm not on Cymbalta Hurts Worse, but I am on a group called Freedom From Psych Drugs. There are a couple of others as well, but this is one of my favorites! Lots of options out there on FB!

 

Praying you turn a corner soon!!

 

XOXO

[lundeliz]

Thank you luv! I'm going to check out those Facebook groups.

[luv2knit]

Thank you for stopping by my thread. Good to hear from you! Interesting that our pattern seems to be similar right now.

 

Praying this is good news for both of us!!

 

XOXO

[lundeliz]

Thanks luv, I'm praying so too.

[luv2knit]

Just checking in, Liz, to see how you are doing!

 

XOXO

[lundeliz]

Thank you luv, for checking on me. I'm still in the wave of all waves.

 

Seems like every symptom I've ever had has showed up for this one. I'm

 

hanging in there. I hope you are getting a break!

[luv2knit]

I'm so sorry I'm hanging in there as well.

 

XOXO

[SelmaLady]

Liz,  So glad to see your post here and yet sorry too, that you are having such a difficult time of it.   The next window IS on its way and am praying that you see it soon.    xoxo

[lundeliz]

Oh thank you so much, Selma! I really appreciate your words. I hope

 

we all have a nice window on the way. I do keep up with your thread,

 

and I'm praying you turn a huge corner soon. Thank you for the much

 

appreciated encouragement.

[luv2knit]

Just checking in with you, Liz! Hoping you have had a bit of a break--or that you will soon!!

 

XOXO

[lundeliz]

Thank you luv! This awful wave continues, with return of symptoms I hadn't

 

had for many months. I've been so sick and just wish I could understand this

 

process. I've really been so scared and feeling so low. I'm back to pacing all day

 

and having to force down food, and several other old symptoms. I'm just trying

 

to hang on and ride this out, and it is so hard. Thank you so much for checking in

 

on me. Your support means a lot. I see you have updated your thread and I'm headed

 

there to see how things are going for you. Thanks so much for stopping by.

[lundeliz]

I'm so very scared. The akathisia has hit so hard for the last few weeks.

 

It has been severe before, but this is unlike anything I could ever imagine.

 

Not only pacing and crying all day, but the body tension is so bad, it causes

 

severe nausea, and I can barely choke down food. The insomnia is getting

 

worse, waking earlier and earlier. I feel hot and flushed. I'm not getting that

 

break in the evenings that I have always gotten. I'm having horrific headaches

 

with pressure. I'm almost two years off Cymbalta. I am feelling less and less

 

hope each day. It has never been this severe and I am extremely terrified that

 

it is not going away this time. I have read all the akathisia info blog , and the

 

lady on there is very encouraging and reassuring, but everyone I see on there

 

recovers within a few months. I can endure this as long as it takes if I just have

 

hope, but it is growing thin, as I feel sicker each day. I'm sorry for this very negative

 

post, I'm just feeling very alone and terrified.

[luv2knit]

I am so very sorry, Liz. I wish I had some advice for you. I can only repeat what I have read repeatedly, and that is that akathisia does eventually go away. I know that is very little comfort to you right now. I think it is all we have to hold on to... that and God.

 

Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you right now.

 

XOXO

[SelmaLady]

Oh Liz,  I wish so much that there were something I could say or do to make the time of healing be easier and shorter.  I've had severe akathisia in the past and I know how tortuous it can be.  As Luv has said, this WILL go away at some point and I have certainly heard of people whose worse symptoms actually intensify at two years and then in time, resolve.  Please know that I am praying for you too, that this will pass sooner rather than later and that you will have strength and hope to bring you through.  One moment at a time is all we can do when we feel we can't bare it. 

I'm sure you've already gone over this, but is there anything that you have changed recently?  I know with me, even the slightest most innocuous substance can send me into more intense symptoms.    This IS going to pass---Hold on.    Love  xoxoxo

[lundeliz]

luv and Selma, thank you both so very much for the continued

 

support. Your encouragement and reassurance is helping me get

 

through this. I know you both suffer too. I just hit a low point

 

this morning, and just had to reach out. Thank you so much for being

 

here for me. I won't give up, I'll keep getting through each day,

 

and hopefully we will all see the end of this soon. (((Hugs))

[luv2knit]

Certainly hoping and praying for that to happen! Hang in there! (((Hugs)))

[OnaRage]

At the risk of sounding like a loon, I wanted to offer up three ideas that seem to have helped me.  The first is a product recommended by Ann Blake-Tracy.  It's a cheap. homeopathic remedy called Calms.  I'm using the Hylands brand.  I'm extremely tired since trying it but I can tell you that my akathisia is gone.  I just went through a nasty wave of it and I'm feeling so much relief.  The second thing I'm trying is essential oils of Lavender and Bergamot.  I put these in some jojoba oil and had my husband apply this mixture to my spine.  I'm still aggitated but I'm relaxed.  It's hard to explain but I do feel some relief.  Lastly, (and this might be extremely uncomfortable to hear and maybe even a little TMI), I used a vibrator when the akathisia was intense and it seemed to take that huge surge of nasty energy, ball it all up, and throw it out with the garbage when I achieved an orgasm.  How I even decided to try this is beyond me as I have a very low sex drive and I'm too old for this kind of thing.  But, miracle of miracles it worked and I'll take that as a win any day!  I hope you have some peace soon.  Sorry for the overshare...  Know that I weighed saying this with how much discomfort and agony you 've been in for so long and felt that it was worth the embarrassment on both sides!  Huge hugs!

[lundeliz]

Thank you OnaRage. I appreciate you sharing any tips which

 

have helped. You are always very supportive and I appreciate

 

it so much. I'm really glad you have gotten relief. That is very

 

encouraging. ((Hugs))

[lundeliz]

 

On Dec 3 I was 2 yrs off Cymbalta. A couple of months earlier things took a huge turn for the worse.

 

A wave I guess? I've had the strangest most severe symptoms since it hit. I've been through many

 

days of all day pacing, but always settled down by bedtime. I was up pacing all night last night, it

 

continued all day today, and is still going strong tonight. Im so exhausted and so scared. I can't

 

survive on no sleep at all. Ive fought so hard to stay off meds,and I'm still resisting, but the anxiety

 

and agitation make it impossible to sleep. Lots of new symptoms in this wave. Spasms that go from my

 

abdomen up into my throat making me feel like I've got lockjaw. My heart races, my chest tightens up

 

and the nausea is horrible.

 

And one morning during this wave I woke up with both lips swollen up and covered in blisters, and

 

an itchy rash around my mouth. That lasted a week or so and went away. I couldn't think of anything

 

different that I had eaten or used. It hasn't been back. Also had a very hot red itchy rash on my

 

legs. But this agitation and pacing is the very worst. It just won't let up and I'm not sure what to

 

do. Over the last two months I have it for a few days, then it lets up for a little while, then hits

 

again for a few days. This current episode doesn't seem to want to let up. I just don't understand

 

why things have gotten so severe at two years out. I'm trying hard not to freak out, but this wave

 

feels so very different and so scary. I'm really worried and just hope I can ride it out.

[luv2knit]

(((Liz))) I was so hoping your wave had passed. Each time it gets bad for me, it seems like it is worse than the time before, but doesn't seem to last too long. The only thing I can really say that MAY make you feel better is that my last improvement in my baseline was preceded by about a month of symptoms that would not let up--primarily akathisia. Like you, it usually settles by bedtime, but there have been exceptions where I was up rocking all night.

 

Praying this lets up for you really soon.

 

XOXO

[SelmaLady]

((((((((Liz))))))))   Inhuman to have to go through all of this.  I am so praying that this will retreat soon.  I remember that during my worst of times I was certain it would never back off and I would not survive.  But for me (as with Luv), the worst of it lead eventually into a much  better baseline.  This HAS to get better and it will.  Its the enduring the process that seems impossible.  For me, its the mind racing as well as the physical agitation that is the very hardest to cope with .  Moment by moment by moment until things ease up.  Please do know that you are being help up in prayer.   Love to you. 

[lundeliz]

Luv and Selma, thank you so much for your words

 

of support. I have been wondering often how both

 

of you are doing. I hope you are starting to see

 

better days. I have the racing mind with the

 

agitation too. I'm usually pacing and crying. It

 

is exhausting. I did get a good sleep last night,

 

so I'm very thankful for that. I do hope you are

 

right, and maybe I will see some improvement when

 

this wave ends. I just can't believe how long it

 

is hanging on. Thank you luv and Selma. ((Hugs))

[AliG]

Hi Liz,

 

It is beyond belief !!   Hang  in there .    One day this hell will end.

[lundeliz]

Thank you for saying that AliG. I can't seem

 

to be reminded enough. It really is unbelievable

 

what we are enduring. (hugs)

[AliG]

 We are  strong !!   We will get through this, somehow !

[lundeliz]

Yes, we will, one stinkin day at a time!

[Purplestars22]

Lundeliz, I feel for you and I am in in a similar situation as you being two years off with the debilitating symptoms. We just have to keep going forward and have hope that this will pass. My best wishes to you, ps22

[lundeliz]

I'm sorry to hear about your debilitating symptoms Purplestars22. Yes,

 

we have to keep moving forward. Thank you for responding to my post.

 

I'll go check out your thread. I hadn't realized you were also off meds since

 

Dec, 2013. I really wish the best for you too. Hopefully we are getting close

 

to seeing a big break in symptoms soon. Let's hang in there!

[Purplestars22]

Yes hopefully soon we are able to see some tangible improvements soon because as you know two years in wd can get old.

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

Liz,

 

How are you getting along lately?

 

Have your symptoms lessened at all? I not seen an update from you recently and I have been thinking about you, especially now that the weather is starting to heat up.