Richard49: getting off Cymbalta / duloxetine in Botswana

[Richard49]

I am 73 years old, I live in Botswana at a remote cattle-post in the Kalahari desert and have been taking 60 mg of Cymbalta (Duloxetine) for about 6 years.

 

I have side effects - a degree of sexual dysfunction, my balance appears to be affected and I have become somewhat lethargic.

 

I want to stop as I am no longer depressed and the causes of my moderately severe depression have been sorted out and I am now happy with a busy and fulfilling life. I have recently remarried and my life as a pastoralist (raising cattle on open unfenced communal land) is full of interest and fulfilment. I am doing what I want to do in the place and community where I want to be.

 

I appear to have a very long priodicity of manic/depressive symptoms with long periods of almost boundless energy and determination interspersed with periods of depression, ranging from mild to severe. The periods typically last several years.

 

My psychiatrist is against me quitting and I understand there may be withdrawal symptoms which could be severe. I have given him a copy of the article from the Economist which alerted me to the existence of this group and have agreed to make an appointment with him to discuss getting off medication.

 

I would appreciate input and help from people who are going through withdrawal from Cymbalta/Duloxetine or who have been through it and come out at the other side.

 

Edited November 9, 2022 by Shep
edited dose amount, per Richard's message

[Richard49]

Hello, I have chosen Richard49 as suggested but I hope I will be able to remember my password!

I made an error in my introduction, I am actually taking 60 mg of Cymbalta/Duloxetine daily, not 300 mg (that's my dose of Allopurinol).

I am going to make an appointment with the doctor today, please wish me luck!

Richard 49

[Shep]

Hi, @Richard49.

 

Welcome to Surviving Antidepressants.

 

Please note I edited your opening post to reflect the 60 mg of Cymbalta, per your last post. 

 

On 10/27/2022 at 4:04 AM, Richard49 said:

I have recently remarried and my life as a pastoralist (raising cattle on open unfenced communal land) is full of interest and fulfilment. I am doing what I want to do in the place and community where I want to be.

 

Congratulations, Richard. You are where many of us wish we could be. This may be the cure to many of the stressors that resulted in you going on an antidepressant. Now sounds like the right time to taper off.

 

Here is some information on tapering and recovery to get you started: 

 

Tips for tapering off duloxetine (Cymbalta)

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

 

The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

How psychiatric drugs remodel your brain 

 

Healing from antidepressants. Patterns of recovery  video (4 minutes)

 

1 hour ago, Richard49 said:

I am going to make an appointment with the doctor today, please wish me luck!

 

Good luck!

 

You may find this thread helpful:

 

How do you talk to a doctor about tapering and withdrawal?

 

Please set up a signature. This will help us give you the most accurate advice we can. Please also include supplements, as they can also affect your withdrawal. 

• Any drugs and supplements prior to 24 months ago can just be listed with start and stop years. 
• Please use actual dates or approximate dates (mid-June, Late October) rather than relative time frames (last week, 3 months ago) 
• Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016. 
• Please leave out symptoms and diagnoses. 
• A list is easier to understand than one or multiple paragraphs. 
• This is a direct link to your signature:  Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

Please continue to use this thread to ask questions and to document your taper. 

[Richard49]

Well I went to see the Psychiatrist aand he was unhelpful and discouraging but I refuse to be put off.

I will haave to taper the caapsules myself as he was not prepared to write directions for the pharmacist to reduce the dose.

I need some help with tapering. If I taper by 10% each moth I will never get off the drug but take ever smaller doses by 10% forever. Please give me some guidaance here. If I reduce by, say 6mg per month until I am down to 30mg and thereafter by 3mg permonth until i quit, how would that work?

I own aan analytical balaance which is damaged but caan possibly be repaired. What might happen if I were to reduce by 1 mg every other day until I am done?

[Shep]

Unfortunately, most doctors, especially psychiatrists, are ignorant about withdrawal. 

 

Please set up a signature so we know your drug history. Here is how:

 

How to Summarize Your Drug History in Your Signature

 

A direct link to your signature is here:

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

Once we have this history, we can give you targeted advice for coming off. 

[Richard49]

Hello,

I have tried to save a signature but I don't think I succeeded.

My drug history is simple and as follows:

I was on Welbutrin for a few months but that didn't work so I quit and asked my psychiatrist to give me something that did. He prescribed Cymbalta (duloxetine) which worked. That was a bit over six years ago. Otherwise, no history of psychiatric drugs.

Richard49

[Shep]

9 hours ago, Richard49 said:

Hello,

I have tried to save a signature but I don't think I succeeded.

My drug history is simple and as follows:

I was on Welbutrin for a few months but that didn't work so I quit and asked my psychiatrist to give me something that did. He prescribed Cymbalta (duloxetine) which worked. That was a bit over six years ago. Otherwise, no history of psychiatric drugs.

Richard49

 

Your signature is there but it doesn't have any dates. Please add the date (month / year) you started Wellbutrin and the date you stopped. And also add the date (month / year) you started Cymbalta and the dose, please.

 

Here is a direct link to your signature:

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

Don't forget to hit the "save" button. 

 

How are you feeling? Have you already begun your taper? 

 

Please let us know if you have any questions. 

 

 

[Richard49]

Hello Shep,

For some reason I have been unable to post a reply on the website despite several attempts. This is my first success since December.

IIRC I started Welbutrin in mid 2015 and quit early in 2016 and started Cymbalta. I can't remember the dose of Welbutrin but I was put on 60mg of Cymbalta.

I have started tapering - I reduce the dose by 6mg every three weeks and am now two weeks into 42mg.

So far so good, no noticeable side effects and a modest improvement in sexual performance - my wife tells me I am "hot" but she hasn't called me an "old billy goat" yet!

I would be interested to hear your comments on the above.

Thank you and best wishes

Richard49

 

[Shep]

2 hours ago, Richard49 said:

I have started tapering - I reduce the dose by 6mg every three weeks and am now two weeks into 42mg.

 

 

I'm glad you're not having any problems so far, but I would slow down. If you reduce 6 mg from your current 42 mg, you'll be down to 36 mg, which is a 14% decrease, more than the 10% reduction (from the prior month's dose, not the original dose) per month that we recommend. 

 

Please see:

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Also, the lower doses can be more difficult to taper. Please see:

 

Why taper? SERT transporter occupancy studies show importance of gradual change in plasma concentration

 

Your signature is there but it doesn't have any dates. Please add the date (month / year) you started Wellbutrin and the date you stopped. And also add the date (month / year) you started Cymbalta and the dose, please.

 

Here is a direct link to your signature:

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature