My Cymbalta story by lundeliz

[Hudgens]

I'm taking .28 ml daily, and I split my dose, 1.4 mg AM/PM dose. Of course mine's generic, not time release. Benz

[lundeliz]

That's good to know, Benz. I am giving it a try. I don't think it will cause a problem,

 

other than having to remember it twice a day. If it helps the side effects, it will be worth it.

[lundeliz]

Hi. I just want to report on my experiment to split my dose, in hopes it would reduce side effects. I gave it a try

 

for about a week. It did seem to help my headache, quite a bit actually. But it also messed up my sleep. I normally

 

take my Celexa at bedtime. Taking a daytime dose kept me from being able to go to sleep. After a week, I decided

 

I could deal with the headache better than not sleeping, so I returned to my night time dosing. I still have the headache,

 

but I think it is getting a little better. I think it will keep getting better as I continue to taper, so I'll just deal

 

with it for now. Tylenol does help.

[Altostrata]

Instead of dividing your dose in half, you might want to try 20% and 80%.

[lundeliz]

I never even thought of that, Alto. Thanks! That's a really good suggestion.

[flower]

Thinking of you ladybug..You're so brave to keep going as you have.

[lundeliz]

Thanks, Flower!

[lundeliz]

Hi everyone, I need help again. I'm sorry I'm being a taker and not a giver. I'm so afraid

 

of giving someone wrong advice. I promise when I become a success story I will stay around

 

and give encouragement.

 

I'm having terrible trouble with my throat. I'm still having the headaches, but they have

 

lessened some. My throat is really inflamed. I have been on antibiotics for a week with no

 

change. It feels like it is so swollen all the time. It's so very tight and makes me short

 

winded. It's pretty miserable. Should I see the dr. for it? What treatment would he offer me

 

for inflammation? Is there anything I should avoid taking for it? I feel sure it's related

 

to celexa. Not sure if it's wd or side effect though.

 

Thanks so much for the continued support from this forum. It's a lifesaver.

[Altostrata]

When did the sore throat start, lundeliz?

 

Where are you with the Celexa dosage?

[lundeliz]

Alto, the sore throat started around the middle of April I think. It doesn't hurt so much when

 

I swallow, but I have pains in my throat up into my ears. Also my throat is real tight most of

 

the time and I have a cough. I'm at 7.25mg of Celexa. I dropped .25mg on the 20th. Sore throat

 

had started before that. Thanks for listening, Alto.

[Altostrata]

My guess it's the Celexa sensitivity creeping up on you again. How did you do with the .25mg drop? Can you do another one now?

[lundeliz]

Thanks Alto. That's my gut feeling too. I did fine with the last drop. I'll

 

make another drop tonight. These tiny drops really don't make any improvement

 

in my symptoms, but they will eventually add up I guess? At least maybe I'm

 

avoiding any major wd by doing it this way. Inch by inch I'll get there.

 

I so much appreciate your opinion. Thank you!

[Altostrata]

I would figure on decreasing every week, to stay ahead of this hypersensitivity.

[lundeliz]

Ok, Alto. I think that's what I will need to do. Thanks!

[lundeliz]

It has been a while since I updated on here, so I thought I would post. I'm making .25mg drops fairly

 

often. I think I'm still feeling the sensitivity to the Celexa, still having the same symptoms. They

 

really don't change with the drops. I tried holding a little longer before making the last drop, just

 

to see if anything would get better. Seemed to actually start getting a little worse. So hopefully

 

I'm right in thinking it's still the sensitivity causing my symptoms. I wonder if it will get better

 

as I get to a low dose, or not go away until I'm completely off? I plan to continue the .25mg drops for

 

now. If things change, I may need to slow down.

[Altostrata]

Hard to tell, lundeliz. You seem to be extremely sensitive to Celexa.

 

How often are you making the decreases?

[lundeliz]

Hi Alto, I have been decreasing by .25mg about every 5 days.  I'm a little scared to try it any faster.

 

Nausea and anxiety are ramping up again, after disappearing for a few weeks.  The drops don't

 

really seem to affect me much, but I guess they could be having a cumulative effect.  For now,

 

I'm just trying to tolerate the symptoms and keep to my schedule, unless you think I need to make

 

a change.  Thanks, Alto

[flower]

Hang in there Liz.

[lundeliz]

Hi. I'm checking in to update my journal.  My story continues to be about the same.  My symptoms right now are nausea, headaches, anxiety

 

and just in the last few days feeling really down.  I've had two sleepless nights.  In the past, these symptoms usually mean I need to make

 

a drop.  Now that my dosage is getting low (4.75mg), I'm getting more nervous about making drops too quickly.  Alto, or anyone, I have a

 

question that I've been thinking about.  Is it better for my healing to keep dropping to stay ahead of the sensitivity symptoms, or if I can tolerate

 

the symptoms, is it better to slow down with the drops?  I can tolerate the sensitivity symptoms if it means I'll have an easier time when I get

 

to zero.  I don't know if this question can even be answered, but if anyone has an opinion,  I'd love to hear it.  Thanks  everyone.

[Altostrata]

I'm sorry, I don't know, lundeliz. In your situation, I would continue to decrease.

[lundeliz]

Thanks, Alto. I really needed to know your thoughts and opinion to feel ok about

 

continuing. I think that is my best bet too. Appreciate it so much.

[omlett]

Hi Lundeliz,

 

Thanks for stopping by.... I can see you're continue to decrease your dose, and being symptomatic..sorry for that.

 

I reinstated on Cymbalta 60mg and on that dose for two weeks now. I can not tell if it's working or not. Some days I have crippling anxiety that I can hardly work..literally on the edge of panic. Other days are better though.

 

The news is that I added good quality Krill oil to my diet and it seems to be working takes the peek off of my anxiety.

 

I'm determined to taper off of Cymbalta once I stabilize.

 

Best of luck to you. Hugs

 

- O

[lundeliz]

Thanks Omlett,  Best of luck to you, too.  Hang in there!

[lundeliz]

I'm continuing to drop .25mg approximately once a week.  My headaches have gotten severe and are pretty

 

much constant.  My eyes hurt and burn and my vision is blurry.  I have pretty constant nausea, but it's not severe.

 

I still don't really know if it's my reaction to celexa or if my tapering is catching up with me.  I'm managing to sleep

 

pretty well, even with the constant headache. I'm just trying to hang in there and continue my taper, hoping things

 

will ease up eventually.  I don't know what else to do.

[wantrelief]

I am so sorry you are feeling this way, lundeliz.  You are a very strong and courageous person!  As you know, I too have had a constant headache.  Have you found anything that helps the pain?  It is so very hard to function when your head hurts so much.  I am happy to hear you are sleeping well - that is a very good thing in all of this.  In your last post, you had mentioned feeling some depression - has this gotten better?  Hang in there, lundeliz!

[lundeliz]

Thanks for responding, wantrelief.  Have you had any relief from your headache?  Does it get any better or worse?  Yes,

 

my depression has gotten better, thankfully.  Also the anxiety is only occasionally and mild.  Are you having other symptoms

 

other than the headache?  Thanks for the encouragement and I hope things start getting better for us soon!

[wantrelief]

Unfortunately my symptoms remain the same.  The headache for me is always there but the level of pain varies.  Generally, it seems to get worse in the 2nd part of the day into evening, usually better in the morning.  I had a couple of days where it was not there much at all but, alas, it came back full force soon enough.  

 

I am getting the liquid form of Celexa and plan to start tapering very slowly soon since I don't seem to be stabilizing.  

 

I am so glad the depression went away for you and you are not having much in terms of anxiety - that is great!  Hopefully the same will be for the headache soon.  

 

Thinking about you,

Michele

[flower]

prayers for you both...

[lundeliz]

Just an update to my story. I have started dropping by .10mg every 3 or 4 days. Still suffering the

 

headaches, nausea, anxiety, and depression. Still have red, burning eyes and blurry vision. I'm

 

down to 3.2mg, and I still can't really find a pattern to my symptoms. I'm still hoping things will

 

get better as I lower dose and get off. I have days of feeling hopeless and frustrated, but I'm

 

hanging in there, trying my best to believe I'll put this all behind me one day.

[flower]

You have got to be the bravest woman I know, moving along like that..It just shows me it can be done...I have to wait though, until this other stuff settles..Darn gabapentin. Persistence will pay off Liz...you just wait and see.

[lundeliz]

Thank you, Flower. I appreciate the encouragement. No bravery though. I just don't know my way

 

out of this. I keep dropping just because that seems to be what I need to do. Persistence and

 

patience will hopefully pay off for us. I know we will eventually get to where we need to be.

[lundeliz]

Update.  One improvement I have seen is in my mood.  For the last couple of weeks,  I have days of feeling more

 

like myself, and find myself thinking about things other than being sick.  I'm still suffering the headaches, but once

 

in a while have a day with only a mild headache, usually right after I have dropped down in dose.  I have very

 

minimal anxiety.  One other symptom that hangs on is the fatigue.  But overall, I think it's going pretty well.

 

I'll try not to get too anxious and rush it. I really don't want to mess up now, when the end is almost in sight.

[Petunia]

Thank you Lundeliz for the update.

 

I just read through your thread and you you've certainly had a difficult and confusing journey.  I'm so glad you are over the worst of it and on a stable path to being completely off the Celexa.  I have experienced many of the same symptoms, on and off, in quite a random fashion since quitting my antidepressant and then being exposed to several other medications. 

 

Whatever has been causing you to feel so unwell, its clear that what you are doing now is working because you sound so much better. So stick to the slow, steady taper.  I think that once you are completely off Celexa, you will continue to improve over time.

 

In your first post, you mentioned that you were put on Cymbalta as part of Lyme disease treatment, I don't know much about Lyme disease, has that been completely cured now?

 

Petu.

[Altostrata]

Good to hear it's going as well as it is, lundeliz. You've come such a long way!

[lundeliz]

Thank you both. Petu, I don't believe I'm having any problems from the lyme disease.

 

I ended treatment in 2009 shortly before I cold turkeyed off the Cymbalta. Thanks

 

for the encouraging words.

[flower]

You go girl...It's been a rough journey.For us all.