Richie64: Cymbalta - starting my journey coming off.

[Richie64]

So pleased I found you.

I have been suffering depression and anxiety since 1999.  I was prescribed 60mg of Cymbalta in 2013 and always suffered a perceived relapse everytime I came off when I felt I didn't need the drug anymore or got sick of not feeling excited about anything. Other symptoms are arm buzzing, temporary loss of sight, dizziness, strange bright jellyfish in my eyesight. Disturbing lucid dreams, insomnia, dread, anxiety, tiredness, fatigue, lack of enthusiasm, drowsiness, poor memory, lack of concentration.  This time I titrated my dose down over two months as the side effects whilst taking heart medication for atrial fibrillation were intolerable and I cannot stop taking heart meds. I watched a BBC Panorama program and discovered that Cymbalta is my problem - not my depression. 

Can anyone tell me if Sotolol and apixaban have reacted badly with Cymbalta and if Cymbalta has effected their eyesight or their heart? I have retinitus pigmentosa. 

 

I thought I was doing the right thing, tapering off Cymbalta over 6 weeks or so, before I was to go on holiday to Europe for a month. Indeed when I got to week 4 and five and down to a quarter dose , i felt like a new man with a new sex drive. Then when I got to no dose and had a significant family crisis, bang - I went straight into a deep depressive state so had to re-instate my dose. 

 

My other question is, when I titrated my dosage down drastically, I felt fabulous on approximately 20mg after 5 weeks, could I possibly go for a 10% reduction regime? Or even more for say the third or fourth months before going back to a 10% reduction ? 

[FireflyFyte]

Hi Richie,

 

Welcome to SA. Could you update your signature so your drug history is more concise? You can find instructions at How to Summarize Your Drug History in Your Signature.

 

Are you currently taking 60mg of Cymbalta? How are you feeling at your current dose?

 

You can find specific information about tapering Cymbalta at Tips for tapering off duloxetine (Cymbalta).

 

On 8/30/2023 at 1:58 AM, Richie64 said:

My other question is, when I titrated my dosage down drastically, I felt fabulous on approximately 20mg after 5 weeks, could I possibly go for a 10% reduction regime? Or even more for say the third or fourth months before going back to a 10% reduction ? 

 

Please read why we recommend dropping no more than 10% per month of the previous dose at Why taper by 10% of my dosage?. Given that you have gone up and down in dose, you are at risk for kindling so it's especially important to do a slow, and controlled taper. More information about kindling can be found at Hypersensitivity and Kindling.

 

Please let us know how we can help.

 

Thanks,

 

Firefly